Photo by katharine brainard.

Good morning, Washington, and welcome to the longest day of the year. Summer may officially start shortly after 1 p.m. this afternoon, but politics in one of the city’s wards is getting just as hot as the summer weather. Ron Moten, the Peaceaholics co-founder who supported former mayor Adrian Fenty with music videos, chased Vince Gray through a parking garage last summer and debated Marion Barry on live television last fall, has announced that he’ll be mounting a challenge to Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander as soon as he gets the go-ahead from his family. Moten, who’s been thinking about running for a while now, should make for an interesting challenger — he at least has name recognition in many of the city’s political circles. Alexander’s had a bit of a rough year, but she sounds ready for the challenge.

Grand Jury Involved in Gray Investigation: Potentially big news from the Examiner’s Freeman Klopott — a grand jury is involved in the U.S. Attorney’s Office investigation into claims that the Vince Gray administration paid Sulaimon Brown and promised him a job during last year’s mayoral campaign. According to his attorney, the Mayor has not been called in front of the jury, but Klopott notes that the presence of the jury could indicate that criminal charges and federal subpoenas could be leveled in the investigation.

Teen Pleads Guilty In Zoo Stabbing: Mshairi Alkebular, a 16-year-old District resident, pled guilty yesterday to felony assault with a dangerous weapon — Alkebular twice attacked a 14-year-old at the National Zoo on April 25.

Wells Making His Move?: That’s what Alan Suderman is wondering. Loose Lips takes a look at the two bills Wells will introduce during today’s Council legislative hearing — a bill banning the city from buying or leasing “luxury-class vehicles” and another to prohibit campaign finance “bundling” — and sees a politician with a higher aim. Wells certainly has a pretty good reputation around many parts of town, though whether he’s got the kind of pull to run for city-wide office is certainly still up in the air. (The comments on Suderman’s post to get a good idea of where those divisions lie.)

Briefly Noted: DDOT to reconstruct U Street between 9th and 14th Streets this fall…SCOTUS strikes down class action Walmart sex discrimination suit…Patrick Mara raises money for Jon Huntsman…Watergate Exxon was pulling in over a dollar per gallon in profit earlier this month…Pregnant firefighters miffed about leave policy…More Sulaimon photobombing, perhaps?…D.C. police find man in “Frederick Man Says He Fired Gun To Get Help After Fish Hook Stuck In Butt“.

This Day in DCist: Last year, the community was showing its support for the Argonaut after a fire, D.C. voting rights advocates were targeting Rep. Travis Childers (R-MS), and this guy was getting down.