It was but a few weeks ago that we put our everything into covering Deluge 2006, the days of record rainfall that brought many a floods and traffic jams across the region. Today we switch gears — Scorcher 2006 is here. According to the Post and pretty much every other media outlet in the region, today and tomorrow are looking to be hot. Really hot. And given that the weather is stock conversation material for small talk the world around, we’ll be mentioning it. A lot.

District Payroll Grows: Though the city’s bureaucracy shed some 2,000 workers over the last four years, its payroll grew by some $180 million, or 11.6 percent, reports the Washington Times. The rise may partly be explained by the salaries and benefits some government workers now receive — in 2005, 43 workers took in more than $150,000, an increase from the nine that earned the same in 2002. Though the District is smaller than many of the country’s other major cities, its payroll and salaries remain among the highest.

Williams Seeks Council Session on Crime: According to NBC 4, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams is looking to ask the D.C. Council for a special session to deal with the recent up-tick in crime in the District. Williams is hoping that the council, which is in recess until after the September 12 Democratic primary, will grant him the power to establish an earlier curfew for juveniles and install cameras around the city.

Area Towns Experiment With Branding: Is a town’s appeal in its brand? Apparently so, according to the Post. Several towns in the region have been experimenting with branding as a way to attract new residents and visitors, such as Fredricksburg, Va., which spent $110,000 for an ad agency to brand the town “Timeless.” The result? A 22 percent increase in traffic to its website and 58 percent increase in phone inquiries. Then again, Baltimore’s “Get In On It” (which cost the city $500,000) hasn’t be as popular or effective.

Briefly Noted: New span of Wilson bridge opens … Woman stabbed by Takoma Metro station … Norton calls for voting improvements … Iraqi weapons used in recent crimes … Calls for better lighting on National Mall.

This Day in DCist: It was a Sunday; check out the Previously on DCist post from one year ago.