D.C. Wire: July 19, 2009 - July 25, 2009
More New Principals For Rhee
Teacher blogs and school listservs have been buzzing for weeks about the anticipated replacement of numerous DCPS principals. Shortly after 5 p.m. on Friday, Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee's office finally confirmed that school's out permanently for 25 of them. This year's turnover is not quite as heavy as 2008, when...
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Bill Turque
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July 24, 2009; 11:42 PM ET |
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Reinoso Says Funding for School Study Intact
The Fenty Administration says that it has, in fact, not cut funding for an independent evaluation of public school reform. When we inquired about this on Monday, mayoral spokeswoman Mafara Hobson referred us to city administrator Neil Albert's testimony that day before the D.C. Council, which said nothing about the...
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Bill Turque
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July 24, 2009; 6:36 PM ET |
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Council Leaders Appear Unfazed by Beg-a-Thon
The D.C. Council held a six-hour - and counting - beg-a-thon today so 133 witnesses representing dozens of organizations could plea for leniency when it comes to looming budget cuts. The council hopes to finalize next Friday a plan to close a $666 million revenue shortfall over the next two...
By
Tim Craig
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July 24, 2009; 4:39 PM ET |
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Better Late Then Never?
Council member Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5) plans to file his constituent service fund report with the Office of Campaign Finance today - 23 days late. The reports were due July 1, but Thomas's never made it to the office. After he missed the deadline, Sonya Lake, a spokeswoman for...
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Tim Craig
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July 24, 2009; 3:29 PM ET |
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Mobility Issues Hinder School Choice, Study Finds
With nearly two-thirds of the District's public schools deemed by the federal government to be underperforming, it isn't surprising that families are willing to travel for a school they like. Just 37 percent of all students attended their in-boundary DCPS school this year, according to the 21st Century Schools Fund....
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Bill Turque
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July 23, 2009; 12:59 PM ET |
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DC to Charter Schools: Check's In The Mail
D.C.'s public charter schools, stiffed by District government on a payment due last week, will be made whole by the middle of next week at the latest, the D.C. Public Charter School Board said this afternoon. The District missed a $103 million quarterly payment to the sixty charters last...
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Bill Turque
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July 22, 2009; 3:53 PM ET |
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Another First For Same-Sex Couples in the District
Lesbians in the District will no longer have to adopt children born to their partners through artificial insemination with their written consent under a new law that went into effect on Saturday. The name of a consenting spouse or unmarried partner will appear on the child's birth certificate as the...
By
Nikita R Stewart
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July 22, 2009; 1:06 PM ET |
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Bowser Letter Included Second Grant
In addition to expressing concern about a $300,000 city earmark to the National Association of Former Foster Care Children of America, Council member Muriel Bowser is also asking investigators to look into a $200,000 grant made last year to Cease Fire...Don't Smoke the Brothers. In this morning's paper, the Washington...
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Tim Craig
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July 22, 2009; 10:50 AM ET |
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Ward 7 Residents Invited To Meet Clark Ray
Ward 7 residents can meet and greet Clark Ray, the fired recreation director turned D.C. Council candidate, this Friday at the home of Greg and Candace Rhett, according to a Facebook invitation. Kim Morton, political activist extraordinaire, blasted the invitation today. She said she sent it out for a friend....
By
Nikita R Stewart
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July 21, 2009; 4:56 PM ET |
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Barry's Legal Counsel Resigns Today
Essita Holmes, who worked in Council member Marion Barry's office as his legal counsel, resigned today. Holmes dealt with legal issues in Barry's office, but did not represent him personally. Holmes resignation comes as Barry is facing mounting questions about his staff contracts and the role he played in directing...
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Tim Craig
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July 21, 2009; 4:44 PM ET |
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Will D.C. Residents Be Forced to Pay More?
Some members of the D.C. Council are sending out signals that they will consider higher taxes or fees to help close a $666 million revenue shortfall over the next two years. The latest council deliberations on the budget are just now getting started but members hope to approve a new...
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Tim Craig
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July 20, 2009; 5:52 PM ET |
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Graham Says Council Can Override Code to Rename Park
Council member Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) says the city law prohibiting a public space from being named after a living person won't hinder his proposal to rename Girard Park in Columbia Heights "Barack Hussein Obama" park. Graham offered up his proposal for the name change at Tuesday's council meeting. If...
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Tim Craig
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July 20, 2009; 1:01 PM ET |
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D.C. Budget Earmarks: The Full List
Post reporter Nikita Stewart this morning gave readers an update on the District's budget process, focusing on Mayor Fenty's plan to scrap most earmarks in order to address a widening deficit. Several readers have asked for more information about the earmarks in this year's budget, one-time city grants that are...
By
Christopher Dean Hopkins
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July 19, 2009; 2:04 PM ET |
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