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MCDONNELL TO TEST TEA PARTY WATERS
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell will venture into the Tea Party movement at the inaugural Virginia Tea Party Patriots Convention in Richmond next month -- one of his first forays into the renegade conservative movement that has shaken up the national political landscape this year.
The governor is scheduled to participate with Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling on a panel about state government efficiency -- an issue that McDonnell has made a central tenet of his first year in office. Last month, he traveled throughout the state trying to garner support for his most high-profile proposal to reform government: a plan to privatize Virginia's state-run liquor stores. (Washington Examiner)
POT PURVEYORS PRICED OUT?
At some point next year, medical marijuana will finally be available to qualifying patients in the District. The problem? It might be too expensive for anyone to grow it or sell it, much less for anyone to actually afford to buy it.
A comprehensive set of rules and regulations published by Mayor Adrian Fenty's administration on August 6 outline a tightly restricted system where growing, selling and buying marijuana for medicinal use is subject to a number of bureaucratic loopholes. Amongst those are rules, regulations and fees for anyone looking to operate one of the city's five dispensaries (where patients will get the marijuana) and 10 cultivation centers (where the marijuana will be grown). (DCist)
ARLINGTON BOATHOUSE TO BECOME REALITY?
Thanks to shifting political winds and dogged determination, the decades-long quest to get a boathouse built on the Arlington side of the Potomac may finally result in action on the part of the federal government.
The National Park Service is expected to launch an extensive environmental and historical impact study for potential boathouse locations in the next several months, the first step in what is expected to be a lengthy but, at last, finite process. (ARL Now)
NEW DOG PARK FOR CAPITOL HILL
It seems like the Kingsman Field dog park project has dragged on forever. Especially with other parks, like the one on Newark Street NW opening ahead of us, and the one on Upshur Street NW well underway. Even the dogs on the SE side of the Hill got a temporary place to romp over at the Virginia Avenue park! Dogs on the river can head to Yards Park (although I hear this is a terrible excuse for a dog run – Ramona and I haven’t checked it out yet) – but where, oh where is our Kingsman Field?
Well, I’m here to tell you that construction is well underway – the asphalt has been dug up and is being removed and we’re expecting our Dog Park to open in October! (End of the month – maybe in time for a costume contest for the pooches?) The surface will be decomposed granite (or stone dust) instead of the K9 Grass artificial turf. I can’t say I’m thrilled with that particular development, but it should be great for short haired dogs and/or pups that don’t roll on the ground at every given opportunity! (ie not Ramona) (The Hill is Home)
