Breakfast links: So many subsidies

MoCo shells out for Costco

The Montgomery County Council defeated a proposal to withhold subsidies for the Wheaton Costco, likely the last challenge to the $4 million plan.  It’s still undecided if the project will get a gas station. (Post)

Newt likes subsidies if liberals hate them

Newt Gingrich defends subsidies to oil companies basically because it’s the opposite of what liberals want. You see, liberals supposedly want people to live in high rises, so we need Big Government to push the other way just on principle. (Yglesias)

WMATA changing flacks

WMATA is getting a new PR head. Dan Stessel used to work for Richard Sarles at NJ Transit. His job will include “more social media and direct communications with riders,” which WMATA badly needs. Current spokesperson Lisa Farbstein will be working for the TSA. (Examiner)

Drunk driver gets 3.5 years for manslaughter

The Maryland woman who struck two pedestrians at 18th and U Streets NW, killing one and severely injuring the other, was sentenced to 3½ years in prison yesterday. (Post)

MTA readjusts Purple Line projections

Based on a refined alignment, and delays due to the decision process, MTA has pushed back construction start on the Purple Line to 2015, and upped the cost estimate. (Examiner)

When do cyclists cycle?

David C. and Steve Offutt did some great analysis of the automated counter data from the Custis Trail, but WMATA’s professional graph makers and data analyzers just may have one-upped them. (PlanItMetro)

CaBi and counting coming to Alexandria

Alexandria has money for 6 Capital Bikeshare stations, to go in Old Town and Carlyle, and federal CMAQ money for 4 more. They’re also looking for volunteers for bike and pedestrian counts. (Just Down The Parkway)

PG’s Johnson to plead guilty

Former County Executive Jack Johnson is expected to plead guilty today to some of the bribery, extortion and conspiracy charges he faces for the alleged “pay-to-play” development scheme he ran in Prince George’s. (WTOP)

And…

Capital Bikeshare released its performance dashboard yesterday, in the same system as the Circulator dashboard. (WashCycle) … DC Councilman Michael A. Brown will run for reelection in 2012. (WTOP) … An area church will reopen Barracks Row’s historic movie theater. (Examiner)