DSK Resigns From IMF; Alcohol Tax Going Up in Maryland: Morning Links

DSK Resigns: Dominique Strauss-Kahn has resigned as head of the International Monetary Fund following allegations that he sexually assaulted a maid in a New York City hotel room. He remains in jail in New York. [New York Times]

Alcohol Tax Going Up in Maryland: Congratulations, Maryland, you're about to have to spend more on liquor! Governor Martin O'Malley will sign into law Thursday a 3 percent increase in the state’s alcohol sales tax. Beginning July 1, the state’s sales tax on booze will go from 6 percent to 9 percent. The increase is projected to generate $87 million. [Washington Times]

A History of DC's Style Skating Scene: That's this week's WCP cover story, written by Amy Reinink. A taste: "Big Willis will be competing in the men’s dual-trick category with Master Roller James “Big Jim” Allen, who’s famous for stunts like leaping over motorcycles or rows of folding chairs on skates in the 1970s. The duo, along with a few dozen other competitors, wear Asics bibs with participant numbers attached to their shirts with safety pins. They’ll compete against three other pairs, all local skaters who know each other’s moves without necessarily knowing each other’s names." [Washington City Paper]

DC Medical Examiner Loses Accreditation: Yep, the District's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has been stripped of its national accreditation because the agency's chief ME, Marie Pierre-Louis, lacks board certification. That sounds pretty bad, but keep in mind the DC Council actually knew this could end up being a problem when they first confirmed her, because she didn't have board certification back then, either. What's happened now is the National Association of Medical Examiners has taken back the office's provisional accreditation, granted in 2008, because Pierre-Louis's status hasn't changed. [Examiner]

Loudoun County Could Bail on Dulles Metro: What would happen if Loudoun County decided not to cough up the 4.8 percent of project costs associated with the Dulles Metrorail extension that it promised it would pay? That's apparently exactly what county officials are trying to figure out right now, as they weigh their options amid ballooning budget estimates. [Fairfax Times]

Design Unveiled for Maryland 9/11 Memorial: Check out these renderings of the planned 9/11 Memorial of Maryland, set to open on Baltimore's Inner Harbor shoreline in September. The memorial is intended to pay tribute to the 63 Marylanders killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks. [Baltimore Sun]

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