DCentric

Good morning, DCentric readers! While you were cheering on John Wall, we were out searching for links!

Fenty’s Freudian slip “When introducing Gray to the crowd of several hundred, Fenty said, “I couldn’t be happier to turn the government over to…,” then he cut himself short. The crowd laughed and he started over. “I couldn’t be happier to turn the podium over to Mayor-elect Vince Gray.” The slip was one of several lighter moments for Fenty, who was better known for being stiff at public appearances. Since losing the Democratic Primary in September, however, the outgoing mayor has been more relaxed in his public appearances. Almost as if he “couldn’t be happier to turn the government over.” (Washington Examiner )

An accident foretold “The fact that no agency officials saw fit to mention the report’s main conclusions to the Metro Board – even after two dangerous accidents – is an appalling violation of public trust. Officials could have done so either at a Metro board meeting on Oct. 14 or at one last Thursday, after the mishaps occurred. Instead, officials referred to the report but danced around the fact that it warned specifically about the escalators’ braking and maintenance problems.” (The Washington Post)

Beyond Bread: One Step Forward, Two Steps Back “…I often hear the old saying, “One step forward and two steps back.” There are a lot of reasons why using the safety net can feel that way. One is that people spend time in transit between different service providers, only to wait in long lines for assistance, as you saw in our post last week about utility assistance. Another comes from eligibility requirements that suddenly remove people from programs as their income increases. Imagine making another 50 cents an hour and suddenly losing your health insurance and having to pay out of pocket.” (breadforthecity.blogspot.com)

As for TODAY, “Metro to operate on Saturday schedule…but with normal opening time” “Metro spokesperson Reggie Woodruff just told us that Metro will be opening at 5 a.m. tomorrow morning but operating on a Saturday schedule in observance of Veterans Day tomorrow. What that boils down to: The same weekday hours but with less frequent trains. They should be pulling out of the ends of the lines around every 12 minutes or so during the day.” (tbd.com)

About that “Residency Requirement” Tommy Wells is Proposing for the Homeless “(the bill)…Eliminates the longstanding health and safety protections for families with minor children by removing the requirement in the winter that family shelter be “apartment-style.” Removes any limit on the number of families that can be placed together in one room with communal sleeping, eating, and bathroom facilities.” (Washington City Paper)

Nail Salons Move to Avoid Using Toxic Chemicals “Cora Roelofs, an occupational health researcher at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, who conducted a health survey of Vietnamese-American nail salon workers, said prolonged exposure to chemicals was often exacerbated by poor ventilation. Her study, published in 2007, suggested a greater prevalence of respiratory and skin problems and headaches compared with the general population. Nail technicians, she noted, “are generally young immigrant women, a vulnerable population. Rarely is attention paid to the experience of new immigrants and the jobs they hold.” (The New York Times)