Blade staffers set new Agenda This week began with sad news for the Washington Blade, a newspaper serving the gay community, when it suddenly stopped printing Monday. The Washington Post reported that the Blade had recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, but this week the staff of the weekly publication was told to pack their things and leave their office at the National Press Building. The paper’s owner, Atlanta-based Window Media, also closed other newspapers in Georgia and Florida that catered to the LGBT community. The Blade’s former staff have continued on, however, creating a new publication and Web site that launched today called DC Agenda.
D.C. unemployment reaches 11.9 percent
Unemployment in the District rose to 11.9 percent last month, according to D.C’s Department of Employment Services. Despite this increase from 11.4 percent the previous month, the number oj jobs in D.C. increased by 10,200. According to the Washington Post, the unemployment rate is the highest D.C. has seen in 34 years.
New bike lane opens
On Thursday Mayor Fenty and Ward 2’s Council member, Jack Evans, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open 15th Street NW’s new protected bicycle lane. You can check out the “contra-flow” design for cyclists sharing the road with cars here.
