News Bullets, "post recession" Wednesday;

Two Graham aides subpoenaed in bribery investigation. Grand Jury subpoenas were issued for David Vacca and Steve Hernandez, two staffers for Graham's committee on Public Works and Transportation. Jim Graham, the "Teflon Elton John," has not yet been accused of any wrongdoing, though rumors are flying that he is the focus of the FBI investigation. We've long complained about the appearance of a taxicab 'racket' in DC, and it appears as though our suspicions were warranted. Also, since legislation appears to be for sale under Jim Graham's watch, may I ask how much we'd have to pony up to get some real change at Metro? Graham also serves as the Chairman of the WMATA Board.

DC is the top destination for young professionals "post recession," says the Wall Street Journal. Our fair city is tied with Seattle as a great place for yuppies to make their home. File this under the obvious folder. WSJ cites things such as increased government hiring and the draw of the capital's non-profit sector. Looks like the business media is continuing to hope they can push the 'recovery' angle even more. With the way the non-profit sector has been hit during the recession, it remains to be seen what will be left when it is over. Let's not count our "after the recession" chickens just yet, WSJ. Favorite profile:

David Gibson Jr., 25 years old, passed up finance jobs in Charlotte, New York and Atlanta to settle in Washington as a financial analyst for the Federal Reserve. Mr. Gibson, who has an M.B.A., figures the capital, with its many universities, can accommodate him for the long haul, enabling him to pursue a Ph.D. if he chooses. He loves the city's museums and live jazz and R&B venues, he says, and its power-center status is helping him "expand my network world-wide."

Vick warns DC residents to stay away from dog fighting. Hardly anyone showed up to hear Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick talk about the perils of dog fighting. He told the crowd that he was swept up in the culture, so on and so forth. The NFL star's appearance was sponsored by the Humane Society. Remember that time the dog was found in a trash can after presumably losing a dog fight? No one showing up to hear Vick speak; good. No one showing up to support ending dog fighting; bad. Verdict: It's the Eagles' PR problem. I don't particularly care to hear a million dollar superstar tell me that dog fighting almost ruined his life.

The Orange Line was damaged by stockpiled soil. So says Metro in a lawsuit, but the article at the Examiner is very confusing. Apparently Jemal's Fairfield Farms, LLC improperly stored soil at a location near the Orange Line off Addison Road. The weight of the soil caused a hill to shift, damaging the elevated track support structure. Apparently the track has been damaged since 2007, causing trains to travel at reduced speeds. The conclusion of the article indicates Metro is suing Douglas Development Corporation for $11 million in damages. The Examiner's article is counting on you to know that Douglas Jemal owns both companies. The piece also doesn't explain why Metro is suing the development company rather than the farm.

MPD doesn't like Why I Hate DC, or facts. A tipster noticed that a message sent the Metropolitan Police Department's Fifth District Listserv was seemingly edited by the group moderator. The message referred to the fact that DC had reached 100 homicides, and included links to a blog post here, and to MPD's own crime statistics page. When the message appeared on the board, the link to Why I Hate DC was removed, and the link to MPD's site was broken.