Photo by jim_darling

Good morning, Washington, and welcome to another Monday morning in seasonal limbo. In case you missed it on Sunday, a second man was killed by a Metrorail train in as many days. A man was struck and killed at the East Falls Church Station early yesterday. The victim’s identity has yet to be released. Metro says foul play is not suspected, and Metro Transit Police are investigating. The death comes less than 48 hours after Metrobus driver Kurtland Johnson was killed by a Blue line train after he jumped onto the tracks at McPherson Square.

In less depressing news, the Space Shuttle Discovery successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Fla. last night.

Pensions Fueling Area Budget Shortfalls: The Post goes with an A-1 story detailing losses the pension systems of D.C., Maryland, and Virginia have been dealt in the last year, and how those losses are likely to extend local government budget woes in the area for even longer. “Some local pensions lost between 24 and 31 percent of their value from July to the end of January,” Michael Laris reports.

Off-Duty Cop Wasn’t Alone in Fatal Shooting: The Examiner continues to follow up on the fatal shooting of Metrobus driver Jelani Slay. It now appears that the off-duty police officer, whom police are still refusing to name, had been sitting in his car with an unidentified woman at the time of the killing. The woman was reportedly shot in the arm during the gunfire exchange between Slay and the police officer.

Briefly Noted: Pilot crashes plane into Gaithersburg neighborhood … Maryland man charged with multiple burglaries … National Park Service installing more signs around National Mall … Auditor slams D.C.-backed venture capital plan … ‘Misunderstanding’ leads officials to rethink not widening I-66.