Wash Post Local Business

Harriet Kassman's D.C. Boutique Is Closing

Emma L. Carew — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

With fewer galas and more customers cutting back, the shop in the upscale Mazza Gallerie in Northwest Washington, a fixture in Washington's social circles is closing after 30 years.

Local Office Vacancies Soar, Driving Down Rent

V. Dion Haynes — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Declining demand from companies seeking new space forces building owners to push down rents to fill empty space.

For Choice Hotels, Recession Brings a Chance at Decisive Gains

Thomas Heath — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

At first glance, Silver Spring-based Choice Hotels looks well-positioned to take advantage of the current economy.

D.C. Portraitist Breaks the Starving-Artist Mold

Thomas Heath — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Annette Polan of Northwest Washington is no struggling artist. Last year, the 60-something pocketed a cool $200,000 for painting people's portraits.

Marriott to Maintain Benefits for Full-Timers

V. Dion Haynes — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Marriott International yesterday said it will allow full-time workers relegated to part-time status to keep their health benefits, a move aimed at easing the pain for employees affected by the recession.

Rosetta Stone Suing Google Over Advertisers' Trademark Use

Cecilia Kang — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Rosetta Stone, the Arlington language-learning software firm, said yesterday it has filed a lawsuit against Google for trademark infringement, alleging the Internet search giant allowed other companies to use Rosetta Stone's trademark brand for online advertisements without permission.

Md. Starts Fiscal Year $700 Million in Red

John Wagner — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Less than two weeks into its new fiscal year, Maryland is facing the prospect of a $700 million budget shortfall and the need for additional spending cuts, according to the legislature's chief financial analyst.

Federal Complaint Targets Moving Firm Led by Former Md. GOP Chairman

John Wagner — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A major moving company led by former Maryland Republican Party chairman John Kane for years paid its workers less than required by federal contracts while submitting "false and fraudulent documents" indicating the company was in compliance, federal prosecutors have alleged.

A Small Town Few Want to Leave

Laura Barnhardt Cech — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

With a light-rail stop, highway access and Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport within its borders, Linthicum is known as a place for coming and going.

Real Estate Matters: Under New Rules, Should You Refinance? See if You Can Hit the Trifecta.

Ilyce R. Glink with Samuel J. Tamkin — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

On July 1, the Federal Housing Finance Agency quietly announced a small change that could free millions of homeowners from the oppressive bounds of a high monthly mortgage payment.

LINTHICUM

Linthicum — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

BOUNDARIES: Baltimore-Washington Parkway and the Baltimore Beltway (I-695) to the north, Camp Meade Road to the East, Baltimore Washington International Marshall Airport to the South and the airport business parks to the West.

SAIC Case Sheds Needed Light on World of Government Contracting

Steven Pearlstein — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Science Applications International Corp. is not only one of the federal government's largest contractors -- with more 17,000 Washington area employees, it is the region's fourth-largest private employer. So it is of more than passing interest that after a lengthy investigation, the Justice Depart...

Council Leader Plans Investigation of Barry's Contract to Then-Girlfriend

Tim Craig, Nikita Stewart and Hamil R. Harris — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray will enlist an independent law firm to investigate the $60,000 contract that council member Marion Barry awarded to his then-girlfriend, sources said.

D.C. Disciplines Workers After Escapes From Youth Center

Paul Duggan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty yesterday fired five corrections workers at the city's New Beginnings Youth Center in Laurel, put two other employees on leave and demoted the detention center's superintendent, saying all were negligent in failing to stop two recent escapes from the $46 million facility,...

For Area Hondurans, Coup Back Home Sparks Worries for Families, Future

Tara Bahrampour — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

They are far from the rioting and bloodshed that have thrust their home country into the daily news, but for Hondurans living in the Washington area and beyond, the coup d'etat last week has reached into their lives in ways many hadn't expected.

MCR's New Owner Seeks Broader Contracting Portfolio

Terri Rupar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

A Chicago investment firm has made its first move into the government contracting business, taking a majority stake in McLean-based MCR.

Electronics Retailer Fills Hole Left By Circuit City

Emma L. Carew — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:04:02 EDT

With Circuit City's closed doors paving the way for growth, electronics retailer hhgregg announced Thursday it would move up its timetable for new stores opening in the Mid-Atlantic region, including the Washington area.

For Barry, a Familiar Script Takes an Unfamiliar Twist

Nikita Stewart, Tim Craig and Dagny Salas — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

It started with an arrest, as it often does. There was a woman involved, as there usually is. And there were the denials, controversial behavior by the police and extraordinary news conferences that feed a local media obsessed with Marion Barry. Within his inner circle, there were the normal effo...

Ritz Camera Warns of Possible Liquidation

V. Dion Haynes and Emma L. Carew — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Ritz Camera, the ubiquitous national photo chain that got its start as an Atlantic City portrait studio 91 years ago, said yesterday it is unable to raise the cash it needs to operate through the summer.

Peeps Are Hopping to Their Own Store at National Harbor

Ylan Q. Mui — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Peeps have accomplished the improbable since they were introduced half a century ago. Those pastel marshmallow chicks and bunnies have participated in university science experiments, survived battles with high-powered microwaves and inspired avant-garde art.

Getting the Cold Shoulder From the Economy, Two Friends Venture Out on Their Own in the Ice Cream Business

Martin Ricard — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

It started as a joke. Jake Sendar and Timothy Patch, two high school buddies home from college for the summer, would soup up an old family minivan and sell ice cream to kids in the neighborhood. Just for fun.

Loudoun County to Consider Tougher Penalties for Delinquent Taxpayers

Derek Kravitz — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Loudoun County is considering a double-digit increase of its personal property tax fines to crack down on delinquent taxpayers and offset growing costs associated with the accounts.

Virginia Notebook

Anita Kumar — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

RICHMOND The largest contract in Virginia history was born in 2003, after a legislative review showed that the state's computer system was out of date and increasingly expensive to maintain.

Owner of Hilltop Plaza in Bowie Say Constructing Townhouses Will Improve Area

Andrea Noble — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

The owner of the Hilltop Plaza shopping center in Bowie is promising nearby residents that sprucing up the property and constructing townhouses on an unused parking lot will breathe new life into the center and deter crime.

Ride-Sharing Agency Expands Mission Beyond the Workday

Brigid Schulte — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

After 25 years of helping commuters find others going their way and creating carpools to ease the area's clogged roads Monday through Friday, a ride-sharing agency is helping do the same for those heading to ballgames, fireworks, parades and concerts on weekends and evenings.

Judge Rejects Move to Place Referendum for Housing Authority on Arlington Ballot

Jerry Markon — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Proponents of creating a housing and redevelopment authority in Arlington County are planning to appeal a judge's ruling that struck down their proposal for a ballot referendum in November, prolonging and escalating a battle over affordable housing that dates back several decades.

Rosecroft Owner Launches Lawsuit Over Simulcast Deal

Ovetta Wiggins — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 17:15:55 EDT

The parent company of troubled Rosecroft Raceway in Prince George's County has filed a $20 million lawsuit against 17 defendants, including the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, alleging that they are interfering with the track's simulcast agreements with out-of-state racetracks.

Traffic Eases Nationwide, but Not in Washington Area

Ashley Halsey III — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Although traffic has lightened up a tad in almost every other major metropolitan area in the nation, the misery index in the Washington area has increased, according to the annual national traffic study released today by the Texas Transportation Institute.

Pope Criticizes World Economic System, Calls for Social Responsibility

Jacqueline L. Salmon — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Pope Benedict XVI criticized the international economic system yesterday and called for a new global structure based on social responsibility, concern for the dignity of the worker and a respect for ethics.

Virginia Prepares to Close Highway Rest Areas

Ashley Halsey III — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Virginia's major roadways will become a less hospitable place in two weeks when the cash-strapped state closes 18 rest stops, including those in Dale City and Ladysmith.

D.C. Council Member Barry Hired Girlfriend as Contractor

Tim Craig — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

D.C. Council member Marion Barry hired his then-girlfriend as a city contractor two months after they began a relationship that eventually led to Barry's arrest on stalking charges, according to city records.

U-Md. Professor, Students Create Electric Guitar That Allows Customized Sounds

Susan Kinzie — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EDT

Bruce Jacob had a few songs he wanted to record, tunes that had been jangling around in his head for years. He bought a guitar, but the notes he played never sounded as good as the music he had imagined.

Contracts Awarded