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>> With federal government cuts coming next year, the region could get hit hard. According to the Examiner, some 450,000 jobs could be at risk as the federal government limits spending, with Virginia standing to lose over 200,000 jobs, D.C. 127,000 and Maryland 114,000. The majority of those loses would be in the defense sector.

>> Councilmember Vincent Orange (D-At Large) went on TV yesterday to triumphantly announce that an audit by the D.C. Office of Campaign Finance had cleared his 2011 campaign of any potential concerns related to uber-financier Jeffrey Thompson and his network of straw donations. But as the City Paper and Post report, Orange is slightly jumping ahead of himself—the city audit of his campaign isn’t yet complete, after all, so it’s impossible to say if Orange will escape the scrutiny that has hit Mayor Vince Gray’s 2010 campaign.

>> Much like yesterday, Metro might order all above-ground trains to travel no faster than 35 mph if temperatures exceed 100 degrees, which they are expected to do, reports WJLA. The National Weather Service says that it could feel like it’s 109 degrees outside today.

Briefly Noted: 100-foot-tall tree falls on car in Great Falls, one person killed … Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli stumps for Mitt Romney … D.C. legislators met with lobbyists at least 600 times during first half of 2012 … D.C. political strategist beaten after robbery at 7-Eleven on Capitol Hill … Teen’s hand gets stuck in Metro escalator … Potomac Nationals to get a new stadium … Virginia gets 13 new historical markers.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2011, Mayor Vince Gray used 5,000 words when 500 might have sufficed and Rachel Maddow gave some love to the Rickey. In 2010, D.C. health inspections went online.