Even after a record-breaking weekend of rainfall, there’s more to come: a “water hose in the sky” will “blast the mid-Atlantic” for the next 48 hours. Happy Tuesday.

LEADING THE MORNING NEWS:

  • The first weekday sans Red Line service at the Brookland and Rhode Island Ave. Metro stations wasn’t without its problems. Commuters reported travel times double the standard, and posted cringe-worthy photos of crowded stations in Fort Totten and Chinatown. Horseback riding, anyone?

  • Good morning to nobody but the animals of the Smithsonian Institution: chiefly, the National Zoo’s now-20-year-old giant panda Mei Xiang and Conservation Biology Institute’s seven new cheetah cubs.

  • On Monday, the Wizards officially introduced their newest center, Dwight Howard, and he came prepared with this … joke. “I learned Magic for eight years. Went to La-La Land. Worked for a while with Rockets. Learned to fly with some Hawks. Got stung by the Hornets. And it all taught me how to be a Wizard,” Howard said to a room of stilted chuckles.

THE BULLETIN:

  • Are you a Virginia resident over the age of 18? You could get three free bee hives. (Try saying that five times fast.) [WAMU]

  • Missed flower (?) connection: “Where are you Gardenia Girl?” [craigslist]

LOOSE LIPS LINKS, by Morgan Baskin (tips? mbaskin@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Another confirmation that Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans is under an ethics investigation. [ABC7]

  • At-Large Councilmember Anita Bonds joins MPD Chief Peter Newsham for a crime discussion in Deanwood. [Twitter]

  • A semi-terse exchange between anti-Initiative 77 organizers and At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman. [Twitter]

ARTS LINKS, by Matt Cohen (tips? mcohen@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • In which Tom Cruise and the rest of the Mission: Impossible — Fallout cast attend the film’s premiere in D.C. [Post]

  • Get ready for season 2 of D.C.’s favorite taped-live-during-various-happy-hours-around-the-District podcast, DC Diary. [DCist]

  • D.C. rapper RTC is primed and ready for a breakout. [WAMU]

  • Mayor Muriel Bowser to present free concerts at Marvin Gaye Park in Deanwood this August and September. [AFRO]

YOUNG & HUNGRY LINKS, by Laura Hayes(tips? lhayes@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Middle Eastern cocktail bar The Green Zone officially opens on Thursday. [WCP]

  • Milan Jordan hopes her kombucha brand reaches a broad audience. [WCP]

  • Thompson Hospitality has acquired a stake in Matchbox Food Group. [WBJ]

  • Consider this a bucket list for fans of crab houses. [Washingtonian]

  • Suggestions for what to sip this summer. [Post]

HOUSING COMPLEX LINKS, by Morgan Baskin (tips? mbaskin@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Advocates for the homeless continue to ask the mayor not to demolish D.C. General just yet. [Twitter]

  • A handful of Ward 1 residents lobby the city to oppose the development of a luxury residential building next to Meridian House. [Twitter]

  • How far $200,000 goes in the D.C. housing market. [Urban Turf]

  • How to repurpose a parking lot in a “progressive” way? [Post]

  • The city is running a back-to-school drive for minors living in shelter. [Twitter, dc.gov]

SPORTS LINKS, by Kelyn Soong (tips? ksoong@washingtoncitypaper.com)

  • Natasha Subhash is not your average teenager. The 16-year-old Fairfax resident is one of the best junior players in the world and will play at the Citi Open this weekend. [WCP]

  • Alex Smith, Washington pro football’s new face of the franchise, has had a winding journey in the NFL. The 34-year-old former No. 1 overall pick comes to D.C. having achieved a level of inner peace with his career. [Post]

  • Frances Tiafoe ended his final match with the Kastles on Saturday with a walk-off victory and will return next week for the Citi Open. He sat down with City Paper for a wide-ranging conversation in this week’s podcast. [WCP]

HAPPENING TODAY

  • Rock legend Pat Benatar performs with fellow rockers, her husband, Neil Giraldo, and Rick Springfield at The Theater at MGM National Harbor. 8 p.m. at 101 MGM National Ave., Oxon Hill. $55–$70.

  • Direct Carving, an exhibition drawn from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s permanent collection, showcases 24 sculptures from across the 20th century that highlight the direct carving method—in which artists work directly on a piece of stone or wood instead of with a model, cast, or preconceived design.11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 8th and F Streets NW. Free.

  • Witty Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett performs at The Anthem. 8 p.m. at 901 Wharf St. SW. $40–$60.

  • ANC 1D meets at 7:00 p.m. 16th and Lamont Streets NW.

  • ANC 5D also meets at 7:00 p.m. 371 Morse St. NE.

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