Photo by Mr T in DC Have a good evening, Washington. Aaron will be on weekend duty, per normal, and Sommer will be back for a few days next week to wrap up her final days at DCist. It’s been fun guest editing. See you around town! Get the Whole Experience on Half Street for bargain-basement prices! There are so many Nats tickets available for less than $5! DCist’s favorite is a guy on…

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There are few details, but the Red Line’s Union Station was briefly closed because of an apparent shooting. We’ll update when more information becomes available. UPDATE: D.C. Fire/EMS tweets: “Update – Union Station – EMS transporting 1 injured teenage male (approx 16/17 YO)- pri 1 -serious to area trauma ctr – police investigating” Metro reports that train service has returned to normal on the Red Line. Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein tells The Post that “police…

Photo by Michael Grass Have you ever walked around the perimeter of Dupont Circle and seen signs for Route 29? Yes, part of the U.S. Highway System runs around the circle and to distant parts of the nation via New Hampshire Avenue if you read the signs. Except that it doesn’t! Route 29’s path through the nation’s capital was shifted decades ago away from New Hampshire Avenue and 16th Street NW, but for whatever…

If you’ve driven out the Dulles Connector Road near McLean and Tysons Corner in recent months, you’ve for sure seen some of the preliminary work for the future Silver Line Metrorail line into Fairfax County. Now, construction crews are going to start driving steel pilings into the ground which will serve as a foundation for the elevated tracks, WTOP reports. But it’s gonna be loud! The price of progress ……

Today’s weather is going to be hot and humid with the possibility of storms in the late afternoon and early evening. It’s those wretched days of spring! If you are sensitive to air pollution, you might want stay indoors today. According to the National Weather Service, the region is under Code Orange air quality conditions, so those who have asthma and/or lung or heart conditions should limit exposure to the outdoors….

Good morning Washington. Were you at last night’s mayoral debate up on Foxhall Road? If so, did you get the sense that Mayor Adrian Fenty is getting a wee bit more aggressive?

Martin and I will have more to say on that later today but there were two key phrases that came out of the mayor’s mouth that suggest he may be getting ready to pounce: “Vincent Gray’s ‘early-90s days’” and “shenanigans about the streetcars.” Many people are sick and tired of the squabbling over the streetcar issue, but take a look-y here. Perfect fodder for Fenty, no? This is all getting interesting, for sure! Check out Martin’s fantastic live-tweeting from the chilly Field School gym last night. Speaking of tweeting, the National Spelling Bee finals are today and even D.C’s first responders are getting in on the act. Isn’t this just precious? “Spelling Bee Contestants in DC -Finals are TODAY – How do you spell help in DC – DC F&EMS – we R fast, we R well-trained & we R NICE” That’s the type of efficient spelling strategy that should please these protesters!

What else is making news? (Yes, we know about the stuck train in the Rosslyn-Foggy Bottom tunnel. That’s what you get for living on the Orange and Blue Lines.)

Photo by DCMatt DCist is planning on heading up to the Field School on Foxhall Road this evening to listen to a mayoral debate between Adrian Fenty, Vincent Gray and Leo Alexander hosted by the Palisades Citizens Association. Getting there, however, will require hiking through a forested ravine in severe thunderstorms. Fun! (Martin, come pick me up!) We’d tell you to go home already, but since it’s raining, you may be camped out at…

We have two separate traffic situations unfolding in Southeast D.C. this afternoon. First, according to Dr. Gridlock and a D.C. Alert email, a dump truck apparently overturned on northbound I-295 in the vicinity of Exit 1 adjacent to the Blue Plains Water Treatment Plant and D.C. Village. We’re also hearing I-295 is a parking lot southbound as well. Additionally, emergency responders are dealing with a situation involving a school bus carrying autistic children on Southern…

Photo by Mr T in DC A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for the area with some strong storms moving toward the District from the Virginia exurbs. The afternoon commute should be just wonderful. Capital Weather Gang says to expect muggy conditions tonight with hot and steamy weather on Friday. Flying out of town later? The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority suggests you check on your flight status to see if there are any…