Guest List: Today’s Newsmakers

• David Neuman. The University of Virginia’s historic Jefferson Rotunda is in a worrisome state of decay. But the university is restricted from using its endowment on capital construction projects, and the state legislature adjourned for the year without allocating the $51 million it would take to restore Thomas Jefferson’s monument to learning. Let’s just hope that Neuman, UVA’s architect, can find a way to hold it together for another year.

• Rollin Stanley. Montgomery County’s planning director is taking on a population boom that could give the county a million residents by 2013, up by 30,000 from today. And that growth won’t just make Montgomery County bigger—the county’s leaders are grappling with how a shift from a mostly white county to a majority-minority district will affect its needs. It’s an exciting time, and we’d love to hear how Stanley’s preparing for it.

• Chazz Palminteri. Who knew the perfect Italian restaurant was in Baltimore? After a road tour, actor Palminteri decided that Aldo’s in Baltimore’s Little Italy has the best linguine and marinara he’s had anywhere in the country. He’s so inspired that he’s opening a restaurant of his own in Harbor East. In an area with increasingly good cuisine and lots of famous-by-way-of-Top Chef toques, this is a whole different kind of celebrity restaurant.

• Trixie Averill. The longtime Republican activist is taking over Virginia’s chapter of Americans for Prosperity, a conservative group that’s dedicated to fighting for lower taxes and more open government and that has played a large role in fights such as the moves against public-employee unions in Wisconsin. Averill is well connected, and she’s leaving her post on the Republican State Central Committee to take this job, making Americans for Prosperity a force in what are likely to be hotly contested 2012 elections.

• Jeff Hancock. The president and head brewer of DC Brau is about to start making three beers at one of the city’s first new breweries, in Northeast DC. More than 38 area bars already plan to serve DC Brau’s offerings, and an additional 100 bars and restaurants have said they’re interested. It’ll be great to have a local alternative to National Bohemian to add to Washington’s beer scene.

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