Preparing for Terror: Although there is no concrete intelligence suggesting Nov. 2 will be targeted by terrorists, elections officials are preparing for that possibility. Memos have gone out in Virginia from the top elections official saying that a “delicate balance” must be found that allows the democratic process to continue without scaring voters half to death with a more vigilant security presence. The Post has the rundown of the situation and what different jurisdictions are doing in reaction.
A Plan to Fix Noisy Planes: The Post reports that airport officials may use global positioning technology to help keep planes approaching Reagan National Airport over the Potomac and Anacostia rivers during their approaches to the airport. Planes flying to DCA sometimes fly over land to reach the airport, which can annoy area residents.
WMATA Asks Feds, Local Jurisdictions for $3B: The WMATA board approved a short-term plan that would ask the federal government and local jurisdictions to cough up $3B to purchase new rail cars and buses. It’s only a short-term plan to a long-term funding problem. “It represents the absolute minimum that we must do to keep this system afloat,” the AP, via WTOP, quotes WMATA General Manager Richard White saying.
In other WMATA news, the agency’s retirees are getting good health insurance.
Stadium News: Opponents of baseball in D.C. have been angered by the use of “city workers to solicit letters of support for the mayor’s baseball-stadium-financing plan,” the W.Times reports. Also, the Post has an interesting article about how the Expos have already set up shop in D.C. even though the stadium plan has not officially gone through yet.
Easier Church, Chic-fil-A Access: An exit off of the Beltway open only during Redskins games will be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Post reports this will aid parishioners at an area church and for one student, will provide easier access to fast food: “I like going to Chic-fil-A to get sweet tea and a chicken sandwich, and now it will be easier to go there before I go to class.” But none of this will happen until 2008.
