Tasty Morning Bytes – Circulator Fare Increases, Day Laborers in Ward 5 and Studying Shaw
Good morning, DCentric readers! Here are the five things I’m reading this morning:
D.C. Circulator fares may double The popular, easy-to-use Circulator buses have charged riders a dollar per trip since they started circulating in 2005. That fare makes it easy to use cash– and it’s cheaper than Metrobus, which is why some people choose the Circulator over its older peer. “The proposed increase would equalize the fares, though, so both buses cost $1.50 for SmarTrip users. It also would make the Circulator more expensive for cash-paying riders, who would then pay 30 cents more than if taking a Metrobus.” (Washington Examiner )
Suspect in slaying of D.C. man was ordered deported in 2007, prosecutor says The suspect, Alexis Pineda, is 24 and a native of Guatemala. Pineda allegedly shot the victim, Jose Hernandez-Romero, early on Sunday morning; witnesses detained Pineda until the police could arrive. Prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder for shooting and killing Romero, who was also 24. Both men were at the El Sauce bar near the Convention Center, on 11th street in northwest. Immigration officials have wanted to deport Pineda since 2007, when they discovered that he was here illegally. (The Washington Post)
How will day laborers fit at the Ward 5 Walmart? Lowe’s is rumored to be coming with Walmart, so the problem may worsen: “Currently in Ward 5, there is a robust market for day laborers in the parking lot shared by the Home Depot, Giant, and TJ Maxx. Everyday there are dozens of guys hanging out in the parking lot and on the edges of the property, looking for work.” (Greater Greater Washington)
Modern Census Fun and Gentrification “But really the most interesting thing I found…between 1990 and 2000 a whole bunch of people left prior to the wave of gentrification between 2000 and 2010. So black folks were trending out of the neighborhood, making me wonder if there was no influx of non-blacks into the neighborhood would Shaw have continued to lose people, like some parts of Ward 8.” (blog.inshaw.com)
Efforts to hire Brown detailed “A former D.C. government worker said Monday he was directed by D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray’s chief of staff to find a job for controversial mayoral contender Sulaimon Brown. Talib Karim said he was directed by Gerri Mason Hall, the mayor’s recently fired chief of staff, to find a place for Mr. Brown in the agency that matched his qualifications.” (Washington Times)