Dancers Protest for Free Speech at Memorials; Wegmans Opening Draws Thousands: Morning Links

Dancers Argue for Free Speech: The Washington Post has some great video footage of a demonstration of dozens of people—one of whom wore an oversized Thomas Jefferson mask—danced at the Jefferson Memorial in support of a case making its way through the courts.  At issue is a case in which 18 flash mob dancers were arrested in 2008, prompting one of the dancers to sue on the grounds that dancing was free speech and protected by the First Amendment. A US Court of Appeals agreed with a lower court in May that the dancing was a "performance" and not a form of speech and therefore the National Parks Service had a right to ban it.

Meanwhile, musicians played in Central Park in New York City this weekend to protest city-designated "quiet zones" on the grounds of free speech.

Wegmans Opening Attracts Thousands: A new Wegmans grocery store opened in Frederick on Sunday, and customers begin lining up hours beforehand. WTOP reports that opening was expected to attract 20,000 people.

Police, Fire Chiefs Rake in Six Figures: The Washington Examiner's Freeman Klopott reports DC police chief Cathy Lanier is the region's highest-paid police officer with a salary of  $253,000. By comparison, governors Bob McDonnell and Martin O'Malley make $175,000 and $150,000, respectively. Lanier's high salary is coming under scrutiny, especially as the number of police officers have dropped due to a tight city budget.

Metro Map Designer Returns: The Washington Post ran a profile by Dana Hedgpeth this weekend of Metro map designer Lance Wyman, a graphic designer who first earned notoriety for his work on the 1968 Summer Olympics logo. The 75-year-old designer returns to add Metro's new silver line, which will extend to Dulles International Airport.

Circulator Route Expands: The District Department of Transportation is looking to add 11 stops to its popular Circulator routes, connecting Anacostia, one of the city's poorest neighborhoods, to the Union Station line. The Examiner's Kytja Weir notes that the potential expansion of a $1 bus line comes at a time when Metro is dropping its bus fare discount for Anacostia riders.

Employee Turnover Is Rising: The Baltimore Sun reports that as the economic recovery picks up, more and more employees are dusting off their resumes and looking for new gigs. A survey by the job posting Web site Career Builder shows that a third of employers are worried top-performing employees will lave and nearly a third of workers are looking for a new job.

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Kay Steiger