As we reported yesterday, today there will be a disaster training exercise near the Pentagon which officials warn may “look very real.” This photo was taken by Flickr user Nick S at Dupont Circle. Today will be partly cloudy with highs in the 80s and a 20 percent chance of rain in the afternoon.

Sierra Club: Metro Needs $2.4 Billion: The Examiner covers an ongoing effort by the Sierra Club to build the political will for increased funding for WMATA’s Metrorail system and create a rider committee. Today is also the last day of the Post’s Metro series, which we’ll discuss in a separate post. One Sierra Club volunteer put her feelings this way to the Examiner: “Public transportation is close to my heart … I love this city. And any successful city that is this large has to have a comprehensive [transit] system. An urban city isn’t pleasant without it.”

D.C. Auditor Calls for Contract Office: After the revelation that city officials created several no-bid consulting arrangements, the W. Times reports today that the D.C. Office of the Auditor is calling for the creation of an independent contracting office. A spokesman for the mayor said the scandal was for “very small” contracts – two were for around $25,000, and argued that the services were rendered for fair prices.

Briefly Noted: C & O Canal plagued by a smell like a “cross between rotten eggs and dirty sweat socks” … D.C. Council approves deal for part of convention center site … National Airport employee killed in accident …