Breakfast links: In Congress, a strange bedfellow for Metro
Image by ttarasiuk licensed under Creative Commons.
On the Hill, an unexpected friend for Metro
An unlikely ally spoke up when WMATA General Manager Paul Wiedefeld testified before Congress on Wednesday. North Carolina Republican Mark Meadows, a noted conservative budget hawk, said he'd push to help Metro financially if the union were a “willing partner.” (Martin Di Caro / WAMU)
Pedestrian deaths are up nationwide
There were nearly 6,000 pedestrian deaths in the US in 2016, an 11 percent rise from 2015. Pedestrian deaths' share of all traffic fatalities is also as high as it's been in a decade. Researchers think the leading reason is that more people are distracted by cell phones. (AP)
An effort to rebrand DC as more than just a federal district
The DC we know and love is radically different from how many outside the city perceive it, so a group of businesses and residents is pouring money into a rebranding effort. The goal is to stress DC's private sector, its diversity, and its culture. (Robert McCartney / Post)
Georgetown’s C&O canal is getting a facelift
The portion of the C&O canal that runs through Georgetown will soon have more public space, and perhaps performance stages or public art. A local nonprofit is partnering with the National Park Service, the Georgetown BID, and the DC government to make it happen. (Dick Uliano / WTOP)
Arlington residents say a $.01 change in taxes could do a lot of harm
In Arlington, officials are considering budget cuts that would mean less funding for trail cleanup, library programs, and Lee Highway improvements, all to keep taxes marginally lower. A number of residents attended a recent budget hearing to oppose the cuts. (Chris Teale / ArlNow)
Safeway lobbied to turn DC neighborhoods into food deserts
DC's Ward 7 has very few grocery stores, and part of the reason is that when a Safeway moved in in 1997 the District agreed not to allow another grocery store nearby. The covenant was lifted in 2015, but the city will pay Safeway nearly $4 million in exchange. (Jeffrey Anderson / WCP)
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