UPDATE (5:45 p.m.): It appears as if the man who was causing all the fuss has been removed from the scene by EMS. Police are still investigating, but some of the emergency presence should be clearing from the area soon. more ›

TBD and DCist weekend editor Dave Stroup are reporting that D.C. Fire & EMS have closed off 16th Street between Kalorama and Columbia Roads due to a suspicious package. Stroup reports that the epicenter of the incident appears to be at the corner of 16th and Euclid Streets. He also notes that residents in the area, including himself, are being told to stay in their homes and apartments until further notice. Police are saying a suspicious backpack was left at a bus stop at around 11:45 a.m., but MPD as well as USSS are still on the scene. more ›

The intersection of New Hampshire Avenue and 16th and U Streets NW, one of the city's busiest, has always been one of the more difficult traffic situations for Washingtonian cyclists to traverse. Often times, those on bikes (not to mention pedestrians) find themselves in the difficult position of having to break the law in order to safely navigate around the three-way confluence. Police had even set up traps to ticket cyclists who rode northeast up New Hampshire Avenue NW between T and U Streets, a one-way thoroughfare. But with the introduction of new contraflow bike lanes, unveiled this week, such issues could be a thing of the past. more ›

D.C. police have closed 16th Street NW between S and R streets for a suspicious package investigation. MPD spokesperson Lt. Nicholas Breul said this was the second suspicious package police had responded to in the area this morning. No details were available on the nature of the package. That block of 16th Street is directly adjacent to the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry headquarters. more ›

The Church of Scientology Religious Trust's building at 16th and P Streets NW is the site of a barricaded celebration of some sort today -- one which is blocking a sizable section of one of the District's major arteries. (Obviously, I wasn't invited behind the curtain. I mean, you should have seen my last audit: whew!) Police are out in full force around the humongous 50,000-square foot building, and security is tight -- a ten-foot tall white temporary barricade is blocking off 16th Street; there are huge draping banners reading "SCIENTOLOGY" and "DIANETICS", though, in case those walking by on their Saturday jaunts to the 14th and P retail corridor were wondering what the hell was going on with this big white thing in the middle of the street. more ›

The District Department of Transportation reports that as of about 11:45 a.m., a water main break has forced 16th Street NW to close in both directions between V Street and Euclid Street. The main break occurred in the 2400 block of 16th Street NW. more ›