Morning, all. It’s my last Morning Roundup, I’m sad to report. (On the other hand, sleeping in an extra hour on Fridays sounds pretty nice.) We’ll be rolling out some exciting new changes on City Desk. Keep your eyes peeled.

It’s no secret it’s been hot as Hades recently. (“Sofa king hot,” as one of our followers so eloquently put it on Twitter yesterday.) This weekend, record-setting temperatures may be on tap. Hydrate, use your sunscreen—take care out there!

So that’s where the extra money’s going to. If you’re a frequent user of the Dupont Circle Metro station, take heart: You’ll see your fare increases put to use in the not-so-distant future. The 188-foot escalators, the sixth longest in the Metro system, are set to be replaced at the beginning of next year.

Maybe they’re not as sexy as pandas. Nonetheless, a Japanese giant salamander’s still gotta have a place to get its groove on. Thus, the National Zoo opened its new breeding center for the salamanders yesterday. The breeding center, which houses four of the lizards (the zoo’s fifth is hiding under a rock in the Asia Trail exhibit), will be the first of its kind outside Japan.

Are Washingtoninans preternaturally happy? Maybe not, but at least we’re among the least “miserable” in the nation. Washington has a rate of 9.35 percent on the misery index, which measures the sum of the inflation rate (1.95 percent) and the unemployment rate (7.4 percent). Only Seattle, with an index score of 5.5 percent, is less miserable. So, cheer up!

Photo: japanforum.com