WAMU 88.5 : Morning Edition

Filed Under:

D.C. Changes Snow Policy For Employees To 'Shelter In Place'

By: Patrick Madden // December 2, 2011
Play associated audio
comments
The onset of snow in the middle of a workday has in the past led to hours of gridlock traffic for commuters in the D.C. area.
Paulo Ordoveza (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brownpau/5391249145/)
The onset of snow in the middle of a workday has in the past led to hours of gridlock traffic for commuters in the D.C. area.

 

It’s been a mild season so far, but D.C. is making sure it won't be caught off guard during a major snowstorm. The city's top officials held a disaster-planning exercise Thursday to prepare for the worst. 

The doomsday scenario: "snowmaggedon 2.0," meaning back-to-back blizzards that have left D.C. covered in several feet of snow, similar to the storms that hit the area in February of 2010. During that storm, the federal government was closed for nearly a week while the city dug out. 

Mayor Vincent Gray and hundreds of city employees gathered in a giant room at the IMF building in downtown D.C. to practice the city’s response. One key change is the city's approach to those who may have been caught at work during the storm. 

"We are asking people to shelter in place, what we mean by that, stay put, don’t go out and get in a traffic jam," Gray said.

D.C. will also make efforts to better communicate with neighboring jurisdictions and the federal government to get the word out and manage traffic, according to officials.

Arts & Culture

NPR

Fictional 'Mothers' Reveal Facts Of A Painful Adoption Process

After years trying to conceive, novelist Jennifer Gilmore and her husband decided to adopt. What they thought would be a relatively simple process was instead a long and painful one. In her latest novel, Gilmore channels these autobiographical experiences into fiction.

Food

NPR

In Raw Milk Case, Activists See Food Freedom On Trial

Activists say the case against Wisconsin dairy farmer Vernon Hershberger is about raw milk — and much more. His supporters have turned the case into a rallying cry for personal food freedom and the rights of farmers and consumers to enter into private contracts without government intervention.

Politics

NPR

Fears Of Killing Immigration Bill Doomed Same-Sex Amendment

Amid warnings the proposal would shatter support for the measure, Democrats backed away from a provision that would allow gay U.S. citizens to sponsor foreign-born spouses for green cards. Advocates for gay and lesbian immigration rights accused Democrats of caving in to threats.

Technology

NPR

How That 'Nigerian Email Scam' Got Started

You've probably seen it in your inbox before: Someone who claims to have come into a fortune needs your help. You can share in the profits — if you send along a deposit or your bank account number. Boston Globe correspondent Finn Brunton talks about the history of the "Nigerian prince" or "419" scam, which actually got its start long before email.

Leave a Comment

Help keep the conversation civil. Please refer to our Terms of Use and Code of Conduct before posting your comments.