Photo by brian hefele

>> Mayor Vince Gray has long been a baseball player, and was even invited to try out for two Major League teams during his senior year in high school. His passion for the sport remains to the day, reports the Post, though for the last 20 years he has coached and played for the D.C. Dragons, a slow-pitch softball team. A few fun tidbits from the otherwise entertaining read: Gray wears size 11 cleats, convinced the team to push its games to 8 p.m. after he was first elected D.C. Council Chairman and yes, he has been heckled at games.

>> Not only are area jurisdictions putting speed cameras in more places, but they’re harder than ever to spot. The Examiner reports that local governments are more often using mobile cameras that look like mailboxes and can be more easily moved from one location to another. (D.C. also has mobile speed cameras mounted on SUVs.) But while D.C. often puts signs up noting that speed limits are photo enforced, Montgomery County does no such thing—so drive slowly.

>> Dealing with juvenile offenders in D.C. has always been an uphill battle, and even new initiatives don’t seem to be doing much. WJLA reports that a D.C. program rolled out in 2010 that tried to reform juvenile offenders instead of incarcerating them hasn’t really worked: “A third of the program’s participants were rearrested while still enrolled, over just half of last year. From 2010 to 2011, 15 were charged with murder and 15 more were killed.”

Briefly Noted: New SmarTrip machines will have no audio feature for riders with impaired vision … Fishing in Virginia rivers can be a legally complex undertaking … D.C. agency had opportunity to stop Harry Thomas, Jr. scheme early … Some Orange Line riders don’t like Metro’s Rush-Plus service … Pro-gun demonstration takes place in D.C., but most demonstrators are from Virginia … Maryland man tries to set cab on fire after fare dispute, dies in resulting flame.

This Day in DCist: On this day in 2011, Gray said he wouldn’t tolerate criminally minded flash mobs in D.C. In 2010, now D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson proved that being boring is an effective political strategy.