Well, D.C. It seems that we’re almost through Inaugural Week. Though thousands of out-of-towners, constituents and other party-goers will be still around today and into the weekend, the city should be getting slowly back to normal. A quick question to those out there who are experienced travelers … Considering the gargantuan number of fur coats brought in for Inauguration festivities, how do you pack a fur coat into one’s luggage? It seems that if fur requires special transport care, there could be a lot of pissed off baggage handlers at area airports. And there’s more snow coming!
Inaugural Roundup: In the interest of brevity and highlighting the Post’s far-reaching coverage, here’s a quick roundup: The Inauguration for the most part went off without a hitch. There were parade-goers and protesters (entertained by Ballou High School’s marching band), some more protesters and party-goers. Many people stayed off the streets and WMATA’s metrorail service ran for the most part very well, sans a tunnel fire at the Pentagon, a broken train at McPherson Square and severe platform crowding at the normally deserted Federal Center SW station.
The Post also ventured out far into the city, where President Bush did only slightly better than Ralph Nader, and found that at a laundromat on Benning Road in Northeast, nobody was celebrating President Bush’s second inauguration. Says Lillian Brown: “It has no meaning for me,” Brown tells the Post. “I’m poor, and he’s for the rich. I’m going home to rest, like I always do on my days off. I like it quiet; I like the peace of mind.”
We would like to quickly note something we missed, and DCist’s Jason Linkins (aka the DCeiver) — like Lewis Black — catches it for a segment we like to call (we probably screwed up how that line goes, anyhow) … “The Daily Show” paid a quick pre-Inaugural visit to D.C., stopping off at Ben’s Chili Bowl to poll locals about the big party our city has been hosting for the national Republicans. Some people haven’t been too happy. Related: Gothamist interviews “Daily Show” correspondent Samantha Bee.
In Other News: Did Inaugural traffic give you nightmares? Well what about non-Inaugural traffic nightmares? The Post takes a look at the city’s new force of traffic monitors deployed to key downtown intersections. … The Post also notes that a man delivering granite was killed after two slabs fell on top of him. Yikes! … A winter storm could dump a bunch of snow on the area over the weekend, the W.Times reports … The AP, via the W.Times, reports that teen drivers in Virginia may be banned from using cellphones … The AP, via WTOP, reports that a plan has been OKed by Virginia to widen the Beltway to 12 lanes by adding HOT facilities …
