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Five Cent Bag Fee In Effect In District

January 01, 2010 - Beginning today, businesses in D.C. will charge a nickel for every paper and plastic carryout bag. Advocates hope this will encourgage people to change their behavior. But some psychologists aren't so sure.

Dr Lisa Catapano with George Washington University says for a large numbers of residents, this fee is too small to change behavior. Also she says it's punitive.

"Positive incentives tend to work better. They create more lasting changes in behavior."

Dr Robert Epstein is former editor of Psychology Today. He says consequences have to be "meaningful and noticeable" to change behavior and he doesn't believe five cents qualifies. He says a better strategy is to show how these cents add up, as in the case of bottles.

"The bottled water I just bought. I bought a package of 24 so Im paying an extra dollar and 20 cents right away. So that does have an impact."

Epstein says you also get your bottle deposit back which is further incentive. Most of the money raised will be used to clean up the Anacostia river.

Kavitha Cardoza reports...

D.C. Dining In '09

January 01, 2010 - Food Writer Tim Carman joins us to talk about D.C. dining. Speaking with David Furst, Tim picks his favorite new restaurants that opened in 2009 and looks ahead to what's coming this year.

Nearly 700 People Use Sober Ride Program On New Year's Eve

January 01, 2010 - Nearly 700 people in D.C. region took advantage of the free cab ride service "Sober Ride" last night. That's about a 50 percent increase over last year, when about 470 people used Sober Ride on New Year's Eve.

The president of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program, the group coordinating the region's effort, says last night's level of ridership translated into removing a "would-be drunk driver" from the region's roadways "every 42 seconds."

Since the program began 17 years ago, Sober Ride has provided nearly 50,000 free cab rides to people.

Virginia Seeks Federal Reimbursement For Snow Removal Effort

January 01, 2010 - By Patrick Madden

Virginia is seeking federal reimbursement for the bulk of the estimated $35 million dollars it spent clearing highways after last month's snowstorm.

The Department of Transportation is seeking $27 million, based on rules set by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. VDOT spokesman Jeffrey Caldwell says those rules limit reimbursement to money spent in the 48 hours between the storm's arrival on Dec. 18th and its departure two days later.

Also, Caldwell says FEMA required the department to file its expenses by locality because the government will make reimbursement only if the snowfall exceeded the historic record in that jurisdiction. Snowfall ranged from 6 to 20 inches in central Virginia.

Number Of Homicides In Washington, At 45-Year Low

January 01, 2010 - By Kavitha Cardoza

Washington, D.C. has hit a 45-year low in homicides. The nation's capital recorded 140 homicides in 2009, the fewest since 1964, when there were 132. The homicide total represents a 25 percent drop from 2008.

There's no consensus among D.C. police officials about the reason for the big drop, but theories include more focused enforcement and better use of technology.

Many other cities also saw fewer homicides in 2009, and the FBI reported that murder was down 10 percent nationwide in the first six months of the year.

D.C. Leaders Continue Census Push

January 01, 2010 - By Matt Bush

Leaders in D.C. say the city's increasing population is another reason all residents should complete census forms this year.

Last year, the city saw its largest increase in population since World War II, according to estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. Only four states had higher growth rates than the district. Mayor Adrian Fenty says that's proof the image of the city is changing, an image he feels can improve if city residents participate in the census.

The mail-back rate during the last census in 2000 in D.C. was well below the national rate.

A Newcomers Guide to Washington: Part One

January 01, 2010 - The nation's capital draws a higher rate of new arrivals than any of the 50 states. In 2008, nearly 8% of the District's population consisted of Johnny-come-latelies. One of 2009's 'Jane'-come-latelies is WAMU reporter Rebecca Sheir. After moving to DC this past summer, she found herself asking all sorts of questions about her new home. Questions many newcomers might be asking... and many long-timers might think they can answer.

We'll get to the bottom of some of these local mysteries in a new series, our "Newcomers Guide to Washington." Here's Rebecca...

When I moved here from Juneau, Alaska this past summer, the first thing I'd hear from Washingtonians was: "So, what's the skinny on Sarah Palin?" The second was: "Good luck with the humidity." It's gonna get downright soggy, they'd warn me. And they all told me why:

"It's because this used to be a swamp." "It's low-lying swamp-land, originally." "Yes... Why else would Maryland and Virginia give it up?" But when I pose the question to Jane Levey, an expert in Washington history, she's quick to set me straight. "No. It is not, quote, 'built on a swamp,'" she says. "That's not what we had here."

What we did have, she says, were lots of natural springs.

"The territory that George Washington selected for our nation's capital was what was called 'well-watered,'" she explains, "which is something that you needed to have if you were going to have a healthy community."

But when we started clearing vegetation to build the city, we ran into trouble. It would rain, there'd be no vegetation to soak up the water, so it just sat there. That's why we started paving streets... building sewers... constructing drainage systems.

And sure, today we might get occasional flooding, because of those springs underneath the ground. But as Levey reminds me, "it's not the Okey Fanokey Swamp you find in Florida. Washington was not stupid."

Carolyn Crouch, founder of Washington Walks, a walking tour company based in DC, agrees: "

Art Beat, January 1st-3rd 2010

January 01, 2010 - (January 1st) STICKFLY The play Stickfly opens tonight at 8 at Arena Stage in Crystal City Virginia. The LeVay family reunites for a weekend at their Martha's Vineyard summer estate. Things become a bit strained when one brother introduces his fiance who's unaccustomed to wealth, and then all out dysfunction ensues when another brother brings home his white girlfriend. Race, privilege and one family's dirty laundry are examined over a lazy summer weekend in this acclaimed show, it runs through February 7th.

(January 1st) OPEN MIC NIGHT It's Open Mic at Busboys and Poets at 14th and V in Northwest DC, tonight at 11. Musicians, comedians, dancers, magicians - pretty much anyone can perform at this lively talent showcase, it's held once a month.

(January 2nd) AFRO BOP ALLIANCE The Afro Bop Alliance. is in Annapolis at the Rams Head Tavern tonight at 8. This grammy nominated latin jazz ensemble will be joined by emminent marimba and vibraphone player Dave Samuels - they'll lay down Samuels own tunes and those of legends including Thelonius Monk and John Coltrane.

Arlington Chairman Predicts Further Decline

January 01, 2010 - Arlington was largely insulated from the turmoil of the housing market crash because a large chunk of its tax base comes from commercial properties. Jay Fisette, the new chairman of Arlington's County Board, says commercial real estate values in Arlington could decline by up to 20 percent this year. And that means lots of painful cuts. "We're likely to take a little bigger hit than our neighbors this coming year," he says. Fisette, a 12-year veteran of the Board, says increased tax rates and layoffs of County employees are imminent. But he also says Arlington must find efficiencies in its budget by consolidating County and school operations: "We have very little land in Arlington. The schools have a lot of buildings." One area already in Fisette's crosshairs is IT. "We have a technology system and infrastructure in place, as do the schools," he says. "I think there are probably significant opportunities for savings, efficiencies and better service." Fisette says he will try to preserve programs for affordable housing or energy conservation.

D.C. Population Going Up

January 01, 2010 - Last year saw the biggest population increase in DC since World War Two. Leaders in the district are giving several reasons for the increase. Harriet Tregoning, the director of the city's planning office, says it's the city's public transit system. Tregoning feels it makes it easier for people to buy homes because they don't need to own a car to get around. The District's highest population was around 800-thousand after World War Two. The recent increase brings the population to just under 600,000.

Matt Bush reports...