Archive: January 2007
Council Payroll Problems
Sharona Morgan, a D.C. Council employee for 15 years, said she was taken aback this month when the her government check was withdrawn from her checking account. Morgan, director of constituent services for council member Carol Schwartz (R-At-Large) for almost...
By David Nakamura | January 31, 2007; 8:00 AM ET | Comments (3)
D.C. Council Adds Education Hearing
Breaking news from the John Wilson Building this morning: Council Chairman Vince Gray has added a seventh public hearing on Mayor Fenty's school takeover legislation. It will be Feb. 20 at 1 p.m., and open to the general public. Today,...
By David Nakamura | January 30, 2007; 10:24 AM ET | Email a Comment
Media-savvy Fenty Trumps School Board
The D.C. Board of Education had prepared for weeks to make today's big announcement: Its long-awaited plan to accelerate school reform--and fend off a school system takeover by Mayor Adrian M. Fenty. Reporters were informed last week that the board...
By David Nakamura | January 29, 2007; 2:01 PM ET | Comments (1)
Fenty's Education Team
D'Wanna Lee, acting executive secretary for the D.C. Board of Education, has joined the staff of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D). Lee, who has worked for the school board since July 2005 mainly as a policy analyst, began Monday...
By David Nakamura | January 23, 2007; 12:59 PM ET | Comments (3)
Where Was Cropp?
Dignitaries galore showed up for the Jan. 3 swearing-in of Mayor Fenty and Council Chairman Vincent Gray. There was outgoing mayor Anthony Williams, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and Rep. Thomas M. Davis...
By David Nakamura | January 22, 2007; 8:00 AM ET | Comments (2)
Catania Draws National Press
First CBS Evening News did a piece on D.C. police chief nominee Cathy Lanier a few weeks back. Now, the national broadcast is calling again: This notice just in from council member David Catania's camp about his recent legislation: Washington,...
By David Nakamura | January 19, 2007; 3:44 PM ET | Comments (1)
Is Fenty Courting New Schools Chief?
As Mayor Adrian Fenty testified before the council about details of his school governance restructuring proposal Thursday, he couldn't help refering repeatedly to Miami schools chief Rudolph F. "Rudy" Crew. It's no secret Fenty has long been an admirer of...
By David Nakamura | January 19, 2007; 8:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
Johnny Business
During Adrian M. Fenty's two-year campaign for mayor, one of his top behind-the-scenes operators was John Falcicchio, a 27-year-old fundraiser who helped twist enough arms that the Fenty team took in $3.8.million, a mayoral record. Now, Falcicchio has been dispatched...
By David Nakamura | January 18, 2007; 8:00 AM ET | Email a Comment
Fighting Words
Dorothy A. Brizill (pictured in center), the city government's long-time gadfly, and Peter Nickles, the newly-appointed general counsel to the mayor, are trading jabs over the definition of "respect and candor" when it comes to questions from the public and...
By David Nakamura | January 17, 2007; 8:00 AM ET | Email a Comment
More D.C. Stadium Spending Woes
The District's $611 million baseball stadium might be the most politically contentious project in recent memory. But as the ballpark's opening in early 2008 approaches, more and more city officials seem to be coming on board. Mayor Adrian M....
By David Nakamura | January 16, 2007; 2:22 PM ET | Email a Comment
Pride of D.C.
Shortly after Fenty concluded his inaugural address last week, Larry Hylton and N ova Nelson came to the stage. They weren't being sworn into office. They were capping the proceedings with a new song: "The Pride of D.C." Composed by...
By David Nakamura | January 12, 2007; 8:00 AM ET | Email a Comment
Best Friends Forever
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty's new BFF -- best friend forever -- paid him a visit at City Hall the other day. Michael R. Bloomberg, mayor of New York City, dropped by the John A. Wilson Building on Tuesday afternoon...
By David Nakamura | January 11, 2007; 12:09 PM ET | Comments (1)
Bobb Vs. Fenty - Opening Round
The swearing-in of Robert C. Bobb on Wednesday night, as president of the D.C. Board of Education, in some ways rivaled the importance of Adrian M. Fenty's inauguration as mayor. It was standing room only, attracting a high-powered crowd--D.C. Council...
By Peter Eisner | January 4, 2007; 7:23 PM ET | Comments (3)
