Capital Comment Reinventing Obama and McCain . . . Good beach reads . . . Empty seats on Air Force One . . . Abramoff aide still cashing in . . . Washingtonians at the Olympics.

Where & When Color School painters at SAAM . . . B.B. King at Wolf Trap . . . World Music Festival in Arlington . . . Tennis in Rock Creek Park . . . Restaurant bargains.

Golden Arm At six-foot-eleven, Jon Rauch is the tallest player in the history of the major leagues—and one of the few with an Olympic medal. Interview by Brett Haber.

The Author Who Sold Books The writer of Terms of Endearment and Lonesome Dove ran a bookshop here—and learned some secrets of local readers. By Larry McMurtry.

Getting the Lead Out? Officials are finally addressing DC’s lead-poisoning problem. Will they do what it takes to save more kids from brain damage? by John Pekkanen.

Remaking the FBI Robert Mueller was sworn in as FBI director on September 4, 2001. A week later, his job—and the nation—changed forever. by Garrett M. Graff.

Heroes at Play For 20 years, photographer Simon Bruty has captured great moments and legends of sports—though not in ways you might expect. By Drew Bratcher.

Can Kay Graham’s Granddaughter Save the Post? Katharine Weymouth is following in her grandmother’s footsteps as head of the Washington Post. But she’s a different kind of woman, and she got to the top in a very different way. By Harry Jaffe.

Grownups Gone Wild Dewey Beach is where Washington singles—young and old—go to relax, drink, and find true love. Or at least a good one-night stand. By Denise Kersten Wills.

Where to Get Great Stuff Cheap Everybody loves a bargain, and here are 26 pages of deals—on everything from art to furniture to Tiffany jewelry. By Sherri Dalphonse, Leslie Milk, Jasmine Touton, Kate Nerenberg, and Betsy Lowther.

Very Good Humor Who says summer’s only for kids? We asked six chefs to rejigger the iconic ice-cream truck’s goodies for grown-up tastes. By Ann Limpert and Rina Rapuano.

Best Bites Mexican appeal at Tysons . . . Where to pick your own produce . . . Great bagels—at a pizza place? . . . Moorenko’s ice cream by the pint . . . Looking for romance.

Dining Out Sushi-Ko unveils a glamorous spinoff in Chevy Chase, Corduroy moves to a townhouse, and Peacock Grand Cafe opens on K Street. By Cynthia Hacinli. Plus, a top chef pumps out brats and beer in Arlington. By Ann Limpert.

Good Maryland Wine? Two new wineries are not just making high-quality wines—they’re also changing the way wines are made in Maryland. By Dave McIntyre.

No Translation Needed Knowing another language helps you connect at home and abroad. Classes can boost your career, and they’re available all over. By Kelly DiNardo.

Life Lessons When hairdresser Ken Novel was told he wasn’t going to survive his illness, he decided to spend the time he had left living well. By Leslie Milk.

Home Repair Need work done around the house? Here are 120 experts who can clean a rug, reupholster a sofa, restore old photos, fix a fence, refinish hardwoods, and more.

Defining Luxury Forget granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. The most sought-after condos have much more. By Mary Clare Fleury.

Luxury Homes Wendy Raines lands a $4.3-million Colonial in Cleveland Park.

Pets Shelters and rescue groups give animals a second chance. By Emily Leaman.

Washingtonian Crossword Arena Stage. By Matt Gaffney.

Woman of Mystery She’s written 30 novels and sold 5 million books worldwide. But few Washingtonians recognize Martha Grimes. And that’s okay with her. By Ellen Ryan.

Fighting Words In teaching self-defense to city teens, I want them to find ways besides violence to solve problems. But I also have to be realistic. By Nathaniel Ayer.