It is a sad morning for news professionals and news junkies here in the District, as it was reported late last night that ABC “World News Tonight” anchor Peter Jennings has died after a struggle with lung cancer. “Peter has been our colleague, our friend, and our leader in so many ways,” ABC News President David Westin said in a statement. “None of us will be the same without him.”

Weather today will see highs in the mid 80s, cloudy skies and a 40 percent chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. The photo above was posted to DCist photos by Aziz Gökdemir.

DMV Too Hot to Handle: While the August heat may not be helping D.C. residents cut down on deodorant expenditures, anyone with a ticket-related hearing scheduled at the 65 K Street, NE location this week is thanking the humidity gods this morning. The K Street building will be closed all week after the air-conditioning failed, and the DMV will dismiss all tickets with hearings affected by the closure.

‘Nothing to celebrate’ in D.C. Schools : The DC Education Blog has the details has analysis for the last two years of NCLB data, along with other helpful links, on the heels of the release of the first standardized test scores under superintendent Clifford B. Janey. While elementary schools have shown a small amount of improvement over last year in reading and math, junior high and high schools have fallen behind.

Congress Expecting Palmeiro Records: In more bad news for Rafael Palmeiro, the House Committee on Government Reform is expecting Palmeiro’s drug testing records this week as part of a probe as to whether he lied to members of Congress in a hearing earlier this year, reports the AP via WTOP. Palmeiro, the O’s famed first baseman, testified under oath before the Committee that he had never used steroids, a claim now questioned by tests saying otherwise.

Briefly Noted: Joseph Spear, the architect charged with designing a new stadium for the Nats, interviewed … Man indicted on assault and robbery charges in the alleged attack on an 83-year-old woman in Foggy Bottom … Former Metro Transit Police Officer charged with rape.