The details: Even as President Obama’s allies made blanket allegations that his critics were motivated by racism, the president denied that this was the case, pointing out that a supposedly “racist” electorate had just put a black man in the White House. “I think it’s important to realize that I was actually black before the election,” he said last week in a televised interview with David Letterman.

Calls have consequences

2| Staffer resigns after political conference call

The details: Spokesman Yosi Sergant resigned from the National Endowment for the Arts over an August conference call he had helped arrange, in which artists were asked to create works promoting President Obama’s health care agenda. The Obama administration has given millions this year in NEA stimulus grants to arts groups that later supported his health legislation.

Interest rates plunge

3| Mortgages now below 5 percent

The details: In a development that could help the ailing housing market, the interest rates on 30-year fixed mortgages have once again fallen below 5 percent. The drop in rates makes higher prices more affordable to a greater number of homebuyers, which could restore some of the value recently lost in the hardest-hit markets.

Snooze for the cure

4| Breakthrough on sleep and Alzheimer’s

The details: A new study on mice suggests that lack of sleep could contribute to Alzheimer’s, and that the disease could be treated in humans with sleep drugs. Scientists found that by limiting the amount of orexin, which regulates sleep, in mice brains, they could reduce buildup of a protein associated in humans with Alzheimer’s dementia.

Back to work

5| Despite health scare, Ginsburg unfazed

The details: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was hospitalized for anemia last week after suffering a bout of lightheadedness, but she came through strong and was already back at work the following day. The high court issued a statement Friday that she would be back at her desk that afternoon.

Best for business

6| Forbes picks Virginia again

The details: Citing Virginia’s highly educated work force and lower-than-average energy costs, Forbes magazine ranked the commonwealth as the “best for business” of all the states for the fourth consecutive year. The Old Dominion also came first in the magazine’s rankings for quality of life.

Task force sting

7| Largest fraud case in Fairfax history

The details: Fairfax County’s Code Enforcement Task Force uncovered a $100 million mortgage fraud scheme involving 10 straw buyers, eight of them illegal immigrants. The group used phony documents to purchase luxury homes and convert them to illegal boarding houses. Real estate agent Ruben Rojas, his loan officer sister Lourdes Rojas Almanza, and 18 other people were indicted on federal bank and wire fraud charges.

Metro’s open doors

8| Transit agency vows to fix doors

The details: Metro board members plan to use $638,000 set aside for “urgent” capital projects to finally fix the malfunctioning doors on its oldest 1000 Series trains. The money will be spent repairing rail car doors that have been opening on the wrong side of the station platforms, creating a significant safety hazard for passengers.

Double decker

9| CSX wants to double freight

The details: CSX wants to run double-stacked freight trains through the District. The $842 million proposal would require construction to lower tracks and raise the height of some bridges, of which CSX would pay about half. But doing so would take approximately 70,000 trucks off the Washington area’s heavily congested roads.

Buy, not rent

10| D.C. to purchase vacant warehouse

The details: The Fenty adminstration says it will spend $85 million to purchase a vacant warehouse it has been renting in Southeast that is costing taxpayers $546,000 a month. After renovations, the structure will eventually be used to house the D.C. Child and Family Services, the Commission on the Arts and Humanities, and the Office of the Chief Technology Officer.