Morning Roundup: Breaking Up is Hard to Do Edition

Posted by Tom in DC Life, National News on 07 8th, 2009 | no responses

Photo by philliefan99 Good morning, Washington. The Michael Jackson memorial service so thoroughly dominated the national news yesterday that there’s precious little else to Washington DCabout this morning - so thank goodness Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry and his ex-girlfriend Donna Watts-Brighthaupt appear to be intent on drawing out the strange spectacle of their post-romance meltdown for all to see. After news broke in the Post Tuesday afternoon that Barry had paid Watts-Brighthaupt $10,000 in consulting fees (which the City Paper says is really $20,000 ), Barry’s spokesperson, Natalie Williams, called a press conference to address the story. The best defense Williams could offer was this: “It is not unusual, nor is it illegal, for councilmembers to award contracts to supporters or family members who qualify or can provide the services that are required,” she said. Pretty weak sauce, but OK. That statement actually came after the bigger story of the press conference, though - that Watts-Brighthaupt actually showed up in person and made a spectacle of herself , attempting to shout down Williams from the podium before eventually getting into her car (and briefly talking with reporters — see the video for more ) and driving off. Yeesh. Remind us never to break up with either of them. Summer Jobs Program is Running Out of Money:

The Examiner crunches the numbers and finds that Mayor Fenty’s Summer Jobs Program for District teens is already facing financial problems. The program was budgeted $23 million, but that’s only enough to cover paying the 21,000 participants through July 22, meaning the D.C. Council will have to approve another $20 million before the end of its next legislative session. If they don’t, the program could end up having to be cut short. Major Delays Out of Union Station Last Night: Big time switch malfunctions kept untold numbers of rail commuters stuck at Union Station last night, as MARC and VRE trains were held until the problem could be rectified, the Post reports . Delays were upwards of an hour. Briefly Noted: D.C. Teen unemployment way up … Two firefighters injured in U Street house fire … Two men killed, woman in custody after Beltway crash … Hundreds lined up for free gas giveaway in Alexandria this morning . This Day in DCist: One year ago, a woman was killed by a garbage truck in Dupont Circle , and we were able to hear the voice of Office of Tax and Revenue embezzler Harriette Walters in an old outgoing voice mail message .