Post Now - Breaking news in the D.C. area. - December 20, 2009

D.C. officer shoots knife-wielding man

The Metropolitan Police said that one of their officers shot a man wielding a knife earlier this afternoon near the intersection of 6th and Kenyon streets NW. D.C. Police spokesman Kenny Bryson said the officer was involved in a confrontation...

By Washington Post Editors | December 26, 2009; 4:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Coastal flood watch in effect for much of D.C. area

A coastal flood watch is in effect for much of the region until 6 p.m. tonight. There could be moderate flooding in areas bordering the upper tidal Potomac this afternoon and evening. Get more details at the Capital Weather Gang....

By Mike McPhate | December 26, 2009; 3:43 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Weather
Save & Share:

Monticello opens for private functions

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello is swinging open its historic doors to private functions. While Jefferson’s home is not part of the new policy, his library, portions of the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and other areas are now available for corporations and...

By Washington Post Editors | December 26, 2009; 12:55 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Haynesworth sent home for disciplinary reasons

From Redskins Insider: Redskins defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth was sent home from practice Friday for disciplinary reasons, Coach Jim Zorn said. "All that will be kept between Albert and I," Zorn said. "He wasn't belligerent or nasty to me, and...

By Mike McPhate | December 25, 2009; 2:58 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: DC
Save & Share:

Police: Man shot, killed in D.C. rowhouse

A 21-year-old Upper Marlboro man was shot and killed early Christmas morning inside a Northwest Washington rowhouse, police said, apparently as a result of an argument that broke out during a party. A 21-year-old woman and a second man, age...

By Mike McPhate | December 25, 2009; 11:27 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Crime and Public Safety, DC
Save & Share:

Icy spots early today, flood threat late

From the Capital Weather Gang: Today's storm system comes to us with warmer air than our snowstorm last weekend. But not warm enough to avoid the threat of light freezing rain this morning, before temperatures warm and precipitation changes to...

By Mike McPhate | December 25, 2009; 8:14 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Weather
Save & Share:

Fire damages 2 Pr. George's buildings

A three-alarm fire this afternoon in the Suitland area of Prince George's County has severely damaged two apartment buildings on Maxwell Drive and burned one firefighter. No one else was reported hurt, but Prince George's fire spokesman Mark Brady said...

By Mike McPhate | December 24, 2009; 4:14 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Crime and Public Safety, Maryland
Save & Share:

Metro prepping for a black-ice Christmas

With forecasters expecting freezing rain on Friday morning (shifting to normal rain and possibly localized flooding later in the day), Metro is staging de-icing equipment and personnel ahead of time. Read the full WMATA press release....

By Christopher Dean Hopkins | December 24, 2009; 4:07 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Traffic and Transportation, Weather
Save & Share:

Smoke reported outside Foggy Bottom Metro

Metro warns riders to expect delays in both directions on the Blue and Orange lines after a report of smoke outside Foggy Bottom-GWU Station. The station remains open....

By Mike McPhate | December 24, 2009; 3:53 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: DC, Traffic and Transportation
Save & Share:

D.C. area Flood Watch begins Friday

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for the D.C. area starting Friday afternoon and ending Friday night. Get more details at the Capital Weather Gang....

By Mike McPhate | December 24, 2009; 3:18 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Weather
Save & Share:

Metro adds extra midday service

Metrorail put extra trains in service and Metrobus supplemented regular bus Thursday anticipating heavier-than-usual ridership at midday. Check Get There for more details....

By Washington Post editors | December 24, 2009; 1:57 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Delays on Metro's Green line

Metro says trains are sharing the same track between Naylor Road & Branch Avenue due to a train malfunction outside Suitland. Delays are in both directions....

By Washington Post editors | December 24, 2009; 11:36 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Sex offender charged in kidnapping

Crime Scene is reporting that a registered sex offender has been charged in kidnapping of missing 11-year-old girl....

By Washington Post editors | December 24, 2009; 10:37 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Washington sportscaster George Michael has died

Channel 4 sportscaster George Michael. (John McDonnell/Post)George Michael, dean of Washington sportscasters, has died after a long battle with cancer. Michael covered sports at WRC-TV (Channel 4) for 28 years until resigning in 2008 in response to budget cuts. WRC...

By Washington Post editors | December 24, 2009; 10:12 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (10)

Save & Share:

Pothole repair on I-66 postponed

Plans to repair the left lane pothole along westbound I-66 between Great Falls Street and the Dulles Connector Road split will not happen on Thursday. It will be rescheduled for a later date. And a reminder: the Dulles Corridor Metrorail...

By Washington Post editors | December 24, 2009; 9:57 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Giving, getting and getting away

Yes Virginia, Santa sometimes wears a different kind of uniform. A Northwest woman found that out this week when a Department of Public works employee surprised her with a Christmas tree. Many people will make their getaway for the holidays...

By Washington Post editors | December 24, 2009; 6:46 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Gunman surrenders, free hostages from Va. post office

A man suspected of firing several shots and taking three people hostage for several hours Wednesday in a southwest Virginia post office surrendered peacefully moments ago, authorities said. Shortly before 11 p.m., three people believed to be have been held...

By Aaron C. Davis | December 23, 2009; 11:26 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Gunman holds five hostage in Va. post office

A man armed with a weapon and explosives is reportedly holding five people hostage at a post office in Wytheville, Va., according to the Wytheville Enterprise. The man is said to have five hostages and five pounds of C-4, a...

By Washington Post editors | December 23, 2009; 5:38 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)

Save & Share:

Water main break repaired

D.C. Water and Sewer Authority have repaired an eight inch water main break in Northeast, several hours earlier than expected. WASA spokeswoman Aleizha Batson said crews repaired an 8 inch break on Neal Street between West Virginia and Montello Avenue...

By Washington Post editors | December 23, 2009; 3:06 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Armored truck robbery near Leisure World

Crime Scene is chasing the story of an armored truck robbery on Wednesday near Leisure World in Silver Spring. A man with a shotgun tried to rob an armored truck driver in a shopping center next to Leisure World and...

By Washington Post editors | December 23, 2009; 1:07 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Pitbulls killed after attacking livestock

Crime Scene reports that Anne Arundel County police had to kill three pitbulls after the dogs killed five farm animals. For more on the attack, click here....

By Washington Post editors | December 23, 2009; 11:23 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Firefighter injured battling blaze

A firefighter received minor injuries while battling a fire in Bethesda Wednesday morning, according to WJLA. Two residents of the townhouse in the 4800 block of Bradley Boulevard, where the fire broke out, were taken to the hospital with smoke...

By Washington Post editors | December 23, 2009; 11:16 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Free sing-along tickets available at 6 p.m.

The Kennedy Center will begin distributing free tickets Wednesday at 6 p.m. for their popular performance of Handel's Messiah. The performance will be by a 200-voice choir, professional soloists, and whoever manages to get their hands on those free tickets....

By Washington Post editors | December 23, 2009; 10:33 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Circulator on holiday schedule

Get There is reporting that the DC Circulator will have extended hours on New Year's Eve to accommodate revelers....

By Washington Post editors | December 23, 2009; 10:05 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Fairfax fire displaces apartment dwellers

A fire Tuesday night at the Elms at Kingstowne in Fairfax displaced 14 people. Officials said the fire started when water leaked into an electric panel in utility room. For more details check out Crime Scene....

By Washington Post editors | December 23, 2009; 9:59 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Morning roundup

Good morning. We're following the story of the American Airlines plane that departed from Washington Tuesday and overshot the runway while trying to make a landing in Jamaica. About 40 people are said to have been injured. No one was...

By Washington Post editors | December 23, 2009; 7:07 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Pa. man arrested for using hatchet on Beltway

Maryland state police arrested a Pennsylvania man Tuesday for hitting a dump truck with a hatchet during an apparent road rage case on the Capital Beltway, authorities said. Police said the 26-year-old driver of a Cadillac was involved in a...

By Terri Rupar | December 22, 2009; 9:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Woman struck, killed at NE bus stop

A woman was struck by a car and killed Tuesday night while standing at a bus stop in Southeast Washington. The incident occurred about 7:30 p.m. in the 4000 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE, near Southern Avenue, police said....

By Terri Rupar | December 22, 2009; 8:47 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Police release names of 2 sought in fatal shooting

D.C. police said 33-year-old Lynn Daniel Wilkerson, 33, of Cheltenham, and Jarvis Clark, 19, of no fixed address are suspects in the robbery and fatal shooting in which a D.C. police officer has been charged. They are being sought on...

By Terri Rupar | December 22, 2009; 8:37 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Body found on Harvard Street NW

Update, 6 p.m.: D.C. police say only one dead body, not two, was found Tuesday in a residential building in the 1800 block of Harvard Street NW. The body was that of a 70-year-old woman who appeared to have died...

By Washington Post editors | December 22, 2009; 6:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Crime and Public Safety, DC
Save & Share:

Jet with cracked windshield lands safely

A commuter jet with a cracked windshield landed safely at Reagan National Airport Tuesday afternoon. The American Airlines aircraft landed about 4:37 p.m. with a broken windscreen. It was not clear what caused the crack. No injuries were reported. --Clarence...

By Washington Post editors | December 22, 2009; 5:03 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Anne Arundel schools closed Wednesday

Anne Arundel County public schools have canceled all classes Wednesday because of continuing transportation difficulties following the weekend snowstorm. The announcement means school will resume for the county's students in January. Nearly all Washington area school systems this week have...

By Washington Post editors | December 22, 2009; 1:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

MoCo college president resigns

Montgomery College leaders announced Tuesday that their president Brian K. Johnson has resigned. Stay with the Post for more details....

By Washington Post editors | December 22, 2009; 11:54 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

One dead, one injured in morning accident

NBC4 is reporting that one person was killed and another injured following a Tuesday morning accident at 12th Street NE and Rhode Island Avenue....

By Washington Post editors | December 22, 2009; 11:27 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

MoCo schools closed on Wednesday

Montgomery County schools will be closed Wednesday, officials announced Tuesday morning, joining the tide of area school systems that have shut down for an extended winter break after the weekend snowstorm. For students in Montgomery and Prince George's counties, Southern...

By Washington Post editors | December 22, 2009; 11:26 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: DC, Maryland, Virginia
Save & Share:

Rescuers say no one found in pond

Prince George's rescuers checking out a report of a hole in a Largo pond say they found no victim. For more details visit our Crime Scene blog....

By Washington Post editors | December 22, 2009; 11:07 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

McDonnell picks transportation secretary

Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell will announce today Sean Connaughton will serve as his transportation secretary. He also is expected to announce that Deputy Attorney General Lisa Hicks-Thomas will serve as his Secretary of Administration and Agriculture Commissioner Todd Haymore will serve...

By Washington Post editors | December 22, 2009; 10:53 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Rescuers searching Largo pond

Prince George's County rescuers are searching a pond in Largo after someone said they spotted a hole in a pond....

By Washington Post editors | December 22, 2009; 10:33 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Coats for needy stolen from Salvation Army

New winter coats for needy children and adults were stolen from the Salvation Army in Virginia. Read more about it at Crime Scene....

By Washington Post editors | December 22, 2009; 10:11 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Frost and frustration

Good morning. Slow roads await drivers and walkers Tuesday morning as the snow that began to melt on Monday froze overnight. Add the ice to a growing list of frustrations piling up for Washington area residents who have had to...

By Washington Post editors | December 22, 2009; 6:52 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

U-Md., Trinity open tomorrow

University of Maryland at College Park said it is opening on time tomorrow. Trinity Washington University said it is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m....

By Terri Rupar | December 22, 2009; 12:10 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Woman dies in rowhouse fire in NW

A woman died Monday night after being found unconscious in a burning and apparently vacant rowhouse in Northwest Washington, authorities said. The woman, who appeared to be about 45, was found around 9 p.m. in the basement of a boarded-up...

By Terri Rupar | December 22, 2009; 12:05 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

District warns motorists about overnight freezing

District Mayor Adrian Fenty thanked snow removal crews Monday afternoon, and urged motorists to be careful of frozen streets during the Tuesday morning commute. Crews have been working since Thursday, putting in twelve hour shifts throughout the weekend and into...

By Washington Post staff | December 21, 2009; 5:44 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)

Save & Share:

Prince George's government open tomorrow

The Prince George’s County government will be open Tuesday, the county says, with liberal leave policies in effect except for essential personnel....

By Washington Post staff | December 21, 2009; 5:05 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

MoCo schools closed tomorrow

Montgomery County Schools will be closed Tuesday, the county has announced. Administrative offices will be open, but all county public school activities in school buildings are canceled. Day care programs in school buildings will remain open as scheduled....

By Washington Post staff | December 21, 2009; 4:46 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

'Liberal Leave' for Feds tomorrow

Washington-area federal government offices will operate on an unscheduled leave or "liberal leave" status on Tuesday, according to the Office of Personnel Management....

By Washington Post staff | December 21, 2009; 3:34 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

In progress: Man barricaded in NE

D.C. police are in the 1200 block of Farragut Place NE responding to a man who has barricaded himself inside of a residence after allegedly pulling a weapon on paramedics who were trying to treat him, authorities said....

By Washington Post staff | December 21, 2009; 3:22 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

MoCo lifts snow emergency

Montgomery County officials lifted the declaration of a snow emergency at 2 p.m. Monday. District officials lifted the city's snow emergency Monday morning. Declarations in both jurisdictions prompted parking restrictions and allowed taxis to charge surcharges. Those rules are...

By Washington Post staff | December 21, 2009; 3:21 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

MARC trains still hobbled by storm

The Associated Press reports that MARC trains continue operating on a limited schedule because of lingering effects of the snow, and the closure of federal government offices. The system's "S"’ schedule will be in effect Monday and Tuesday, meaning only...

By Washington Post staff | December 21, 2009; 2:07 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Now that you've dug out, here's your ticket

Now that the big thaw is under way, and many folks have dug out of the snow, the D.C. Department of Public Works says it has issued 1,179 tickets for snow emergency violations, each carrying a $250 fine, and towed...

By Washington Post staff | December 21, 2009; 1:27 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Airports tense after big snow

Things are still tense but seem to be calming down this morning at local airports, in the wake of the big snow. "We've not had not had any major incidents,"said Courtney Mickalonis, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority....

By Washington Post staff | December 21, 2009; 10:17 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Still digging out, cleaning up

Good morning. The snow may have ended, but residents in the Washington region are still feeling its effects. The morning commute is likely to be hampered by icy roads. But getting around should be a bit easier today: -- Metro...

By Washington Post editors | December 21, 2009; 7:40 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)

Save & Share:

Icy tracks and roads hindering Metro work

Icy roads and tracks are likely to restrict Metro bus and rail service for the Monday morning commute, as falling temperatures and blowing snow keeps rails out of service, according to a late Sunday announcement from Metro.

By Eric Athas | December 21, 2009; 1:02 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: metro, metrobus, snow, tracks
Save & Share:

Liberal leave for Montgomery employees

Liberal leave is in effect for Montgomery County government employees Monday, according to a statement.

By Eric Athas | December 20, 2009; 9:59 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: county, delays, government, montgomery, offices, snow
Save & Share:

MARC train running on limited schedule Monday

The MARC commuter train service for the Penn, Camden and Brunswick lines will be running on a limited schedule Monday, the Maryland Transit Administration has announced. Officials say the decision was prompted by severe weather, combined with the announcement that the Federal Government will be closed Monday.

By Eric Athas | December 20, 2009; 9:45 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: limited, marc, service, train
Save & Share:

Arlington government offices closed Monday

All government offices will be shut down Monday as crews continue to clear streets, county officials said in a statement. Along with Arlington County Schools, "facility offices, including courts, community centers and libraries," will also be closed, according to the...

By Eric Athas | December 20, 2009; 7:08 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Tags: arlington, closings, government, offices, snow
Save & Share:

Commuters will face uncertainty Monday

UPDATE: The federal government and many local jurisdictions will be closed on Monday as the region struggles with digging out from the weekend's record snowfall. That's a good thing because commuters will face uncertainty, from whether some services will even...

By Washington Post Editors | December 20, 2009; 6:45 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Traffic and Transportation
Save & Share:

Network News

Post Now: December 20, 2009 - December 26, 2009