Good morning, Washington. There’s already snow on the ground, as you can see in this DDOT traffic camera shot (around 8:45 a.m.) of the corner of Alabama and Pennsylvania avenues in Southeast. And more will be falling all morning and into the afternoon. Check out Capital Weather for all the details. We heard stirrings of weather bets in comments yesterday. How did you fare?
Schools Out, for More Reasons Than Just Snow: The threat of snow is keeping many schools shut down today, but in the District, snow isn’t the only force that can keep students at home. The AP, via WJLA, reports that Walker Jones Elementary has been closed for roof repairs and cleaning, after a “review found holes in the roof, moldy ceiling tiles, filthy closets and bathrooms.” Then, as we reported yesterday, Cardozo High School is closed for the rest of the week after a “prankster” left mercury droplets in at least three different places, the Post reports.
After the testing was completed about 7:30 p.m., officials said 15 students had traces of mercury on their shoes, clothing and hands. Long-term exposure to mercury vapor can cause cancer and can damage the brain, kidneys and other organs.
40s in Ward 4: The Examiner examines the controversy over a proposed ban in Ward 4 on the sale of “less-than-70-ounce single containers of beer, wine and malt liquor.” Doing the math, that would ban troubled 40s in the ward of mayoral hopeful Adrian Fenty. A federal judge overturned District legislation that instituted the ban, but the D.C. attorney general is seeking a higher court to overrule the lower court on the matter.
Virginia to Be Swimming in Funds for Roads, Rails: The Virginia General Assembly is about to push through a measure that would send a good chunk of its $1.2 billion budget surplus to fund new transportation and improve existing infrastructure, the Post reports. But some Senators want more, and may push for higher taxes to fund more projects.
Briefly Noted: Ramsey says more red light cameras, mobile radar cameras are coming to D.C. streets. With that, the W.Times’ Tom Knott writes that the “city is evolving into one of those stereotypical towns of the South, with the requisite speed trap and the pot-bellied pseudo-sheriff parked in a cruiser ready to pull over an unsuspecting motorist.” … We’re curious how our colleagues out in LA, San Francisco and Seattle might react to earthquakes in Maryland … Maryland House panel approves slots …
