Photo by Chris Rief aka Spodie Odie.

Good morning, Washington. We’re sure that many of you are looking forward to today’s hearing at which investigators, who have pored over the June 2009 Red Line Metro crash which killed nine people, will deliver their findings to the National Transportation Safety Board. Metro has budgeted $30 million over the next three years to work on any recommendations that may arise after the hearing today, though they are not required to by law. No big surprises are expected at the hearing — a basic conclusion on the causes of the crash appears to be on the cards — but as the Post notes, the technical report that investigators will produce could have long-term ramifications for WMATA and transit systems nationwide. Oh, and here’s an interesting tidbit from the Post’s report: WMATA has four open NTSB investigations; according to an NTSB spokesperson, “[i]n the 42 years we have been around, no one seems to recall that we have had four open investigations on any transit agency.”

Storm Clean Up Continues: The region is still getting things back on track in the wake of Sunday’s storm. Thousands of residents are still without power — Pepco announced this morning that 133,000 of their customers are in the dark around the region. 29 D.C. intersections are still without power this morning — some are running on generators, while the rest have portable stop signs. DDOT recommends avoiding the intersection of Kansas and Missouri Avenues and along Military Road. That doesn’t seem so bad though, given that 150 traffic lights are dark in Montgomery County. The storm was even so bad that we’re getting school closing alerts — a true rarity for late July.

Medicinal Marijuana Bill Passes Into Law: Eleanor Holmes Norton announced that the Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Treatment Amendment Act of 2010 has successfully made it through the Congressional review period and became law on Monday. According to NBCWashington.com, the bill faced several challenges during the 30-day review period, but obviously none that it couldn’t hurdle. D.C. joins 14 states that have legalized medicinal marijuana.

City Cancels Summer Jobs Theatre Program: Some 190 D.C. youth will be getting new jobs for the remainder of their Summer Youth Employment Program experience, after money for a theatre program dried up. If you thought that those of us on the outside had a poor perception of the SYEP, check out the reactions from the kids and parents involved in this program: “We did all this work for nothing basically;” “We’re here to teach them whatever they start they’re supposed to finish. This is a big slap in the face;” “[They’ll p]robably make us pick up trash like the other youth.”

Briefly Noted: Man found dead inside NW apartment…Anti-Semitic graffiti spray-painted on Olney synagogue…Arlington Cemetery grave issues could be bigger than originally thought…D.C. Association of REALTORS endorses Gray…Verizon tells Georgetown woman that they’ll bury utility lines — for $2 million…Freakin’ cats: firefighters dismantle a police car to rescue a kitten, then it bites one of them…I can has cheezburger smoothie?

This Day In DCist: Last year, we suggested some alternatives to the macrobrews which were consumed at the Obama beer summit.