Could D.C. possibly handle a Snowpocolypse during the Inauguration ceremony? Mark Segraves explores the possibility and notes that D.C. Public Works has about 80 employees earn Secret Service clearance in case roads need to be cleared. It’s probably not as wicked as soldiers with flamethrowers clearing the way for Kennedy’s parade in 1961, but hey, whatever. (Rest assured, we’ve got Davy DCist at the ready — even if he’s still being cranky.)
In any case, enough with bleacher seats and wild estimates about attendance – now, we’re getting to the really exciting stuff! WTOP reports on the planned security installations for the ceremony:
Precautions will range from the routine — magnetometers like those used at airports — to countersnipers trained to hit a target the size of a teacup saucer from 1,000 yards away. Plus undercover officers, bomb sniffing dogs and air patrols.
Note to self: don’t bring any teacup saucers to the Inauguration. Additionally of interest, the Secret Service plans on using D.C.’s 5,265 surveillance cameras around the city in order to help monitor activity — especially since many are planning to be in the District for the long four-day weekend.
On the rental front, after Thursday’s relaxation on rental laws for Inauguration weekend, D.C. Wire reports that the District’s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs released a sample lease agreement for those of you looking to make some coin. Of course, the form (PDF) is pretty bare, and comes with no sort of government backing (uh, obviously). Frankly, the form looks like a “lease” I had when I first moved to the District — we didn’t have heat during the winter and a washing machine which flooded when you turned it on. In short: the amount of time put into the lease agreement is usually correlated with the quality of the dwelling, so buyer beware.
Finally, if your still waiting on your Congressperson to decide their preferred method of passing out their Inauguration tickets: well, get your lucky charms ready. According to the Post, Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and D.C.’s Eleanor Holmes Norton will use a random lottery to distribute their stashes – Marylanders, enjoy that almost one percent chance of winning. Sens. Jim Webb (D-VA) and Mark Warner (D-VA) are still deciding on how to distribute theirs, while Arlington Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D) is passing out his on a first-come, first-serve basis. (Here’s hoping you Arlingtonians got your request in early.) But really, Virginian legislators, get on the stick — there’s just a scant two months to go.
Photo by edwardaggie98.
