WELL, THAT WAS FAST. No sooner does the Christmas tree go up in front of the Capitol it then begins attacking the People's House. As some activists on the subject might say, you can only prosecute the war on Christmas so long before Christmas starts fighting back.
There are other signs that it's shaping up to be a very D.C. holiday season. For example, winter is already bringing out the best in this gentrifying city: Ben Weinstein reports in Voice of the Hill that residents in the Mount Vernon Triangle and Near Northwest area are upset by temporary homeless shelters erected at 4th and L Streets NW. In previous years, these trailers, which are intended for the coldest months only, stood at New York Avenue and 11th Street NW; neighbors complained that the city allowed them to fall into disrepair and that the structures were only moved when it was evident that they were completed dilapidated. The new trailers aren't being greeted warmly in their new digs.
And new budget revelations make it sound as if Mayor-elect Adrian Fenty would greatly prefer coal in his stockings to the $300 million budget shortfall it looks like he's going to get. The Post's David Nakamura reports that the District's chief financial officer, Natwar Gandhi, told Fenty that the city was over the line by $87 million and could expect unanticipated costs to grow by as much as $215 million. All along, Fenty has said that the city did not necessarily need more money but could be more judicious with its operations and services. He may have the chance to find out if that's possible with less money, too.
But that's not the only shortfall that might hit D.C. over the holidays. In some of the saddest news ever published, this year there may be a shortfall of Christmas trees.
Photo by Susan Biddle/The Washington Post
» "Capitol Destroyed by Giant Terrorist Xmas Tree" [Wonkette]
» "Homeless Trailers Vexes Near NE Neighbors, Leaders" [Voice of the Hill]
» "District Faces $300 Million Budget Shortfall" [WaPo]
» "Chirstmas Tree Shortage Possible" [WTTG/Fox 5]
» D.C.: If you watched NBC4 on Monday, you might have caught a spot about the dangers of young women drinking. The report actually doesn't indicate that girls have gone wilder recently, or that new research illuminates the dangers associated with young women drinking. Nevertheless, a cautionary tale. [WRC/NBC4]
» MORE D.C.: And more girls gone even wilder — now, they're gambling! [WTTG/Fox5]
» MONTGOMERY COUNTY: In a crowded county where growth is always a contentious issue, the big question with Montgomery County's incoming executive, Ike Leggett, how much will he'll attack the "culture of coziness between developers and government officials that has often favored the building industry and marginalized ordinary residents," The Post's Miranda S. Spivack and Tim Craig report. [WaPo]
With contributions from Express' Michael Grass