Here we go again, Washington. The National Zoo is saying they’re detecting elevated levels of progesterone in Mei Xiang, the zoo’s female giant panda, which could mean she’s pregnant with a brand new baby stick of butter. Or, it could mean that just like last year, she’s exhibiting symptoms of a false pregnancy, and no fluffy little bundle of joy is really on the way after all. It could be mid- to late-July before we know for sure — either she’ll suddenly give birth, or we’ll know it was a false pregnancy — and here at DCist HQ, we’re not totally sure we can take the emotional rollercoaster of panda pregnancy season again this year. Doesn’t the National Zoo know what this does to us every time? Frankly, we’d almost rather not know about any of the elevated hormones or artificial insemination procedures, because then we wouldn’t have to get our hopes up every year, only to have them crushed once again. Just call us when there’s a new baby panda sitting in the zoo.

AG Office Firings Blocked: You’ll recall that interim D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles fired a whole bunch of his employees last month — well now a Superior Court judge has issued a temporary restraining order that blocks him from firing seven of those lawyers, reports the Post. The judge ruled that the termination letters Nickles sent to his attorneys cited a reason for termination — budgetary factors — that is subject to regulations in the collective bargaining agreement with the union that represents the lawyers. Nickles also cited poor performance as a reason for the firings.

Briefly Noted: Woman killed in motorcycle crash in Southeast … Fire that burned four homes in Northeast was arson … Former D.C. public schools employee and her friend admit ID theft scheme … Police have charged an 18-year-old man in the shooting death last summer of a young mother of two … U.S. Park Police looking for suspect in Georgetown robbery and sexual assault.

This Day in DCist: In 2007 we shared a recipe for preparing soft shell crabs, and in 2005 we took note of the plague of the squeaky brakes on the D2 bus line.

Photo by Samer Farha