Tuesday, January 22, 2013
The swearing-in ceremony for the second inauguration of President Barack Obama, Monday in Washington, DC.
History was made Monday in Washington, D.C. for the swearing-in ceremonies of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, for their second terms of office, and supporters traveled near and far to witness the occasion. Patch was at the scene, from sunrise until sunset, at the National Mall. Unofficial crowd estimates said that one million people were on hand for the event. It was a long day for the Obama family, starting out at 8:30 a.m. with a church service across the street from the White House at St. John's Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square. From there, the first family, the president, first lady Michelle Obama, and daughters Malia and Sasha returned to the White House. After a coffee with members of Congress, the group …
Sunday, January 20, 2013
If you're heading downtown any time this weekend, you'll need to know how to get in, get around and navigate the crowds. Free advice here!
While the crowds may not be as intense as in 2009, when an estimated 1.8 million people came to D.C. for President Barack Obama’s inauguration, there’s still a lot of info you need to know to survive the day. From Metro closures and changes to where to eat and how to stay warm, Patch has you covered. Do you live or work here in Chantilly? Keep up with local news by signing up for our free daily email newsletter here! Transportation Metro – If you're driving to a metro station to take it into town, know that some metro stations will be closed, and some bus routes will be detoured. See our guide to taking Metro this weekend. Driving – Driving is definitely not recommended. If you’re still thinking about driving downtown, be prepared to sit …
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Take a look at some of the top local Patch headlines from last week.
Two-Alarm Fire Destroys Fairfax Townhouse A two-alarm fire that destroyed a townhouse Thursday off of Roberts Road in Fairfax has sent one Fairfax County firefighter to the hospital with minor burns. At around 1:30 p.m., Fairfax County Fire and Rescue were called to the 5400 block of Cheshire Meadows Way in Fairfax, and found the front and back of a townhouse engulfed in flames. Firefighters had the fire under control within 10 minutes. Teachers Say Fairfax Schools Should Reassess Safety Procedures A group of Fairfax County educators say while some of the county's school safety procedures are effective, the system needs to reassess its security policies. In a survey last week on guns and school safety by the Fairfax County Federation of …
Friday, January 18, 2013
Options near the Inauguration ceremony and parade in downtown Washington, D.C.
Looking to grab a bite to eat Monday near the 2013 Presidential Inauguration ceremony and parade in downtown D.C.? Here are a few ideas: If you're heading down early to the Mall for the Inauguration ceremony, why not enjoy a fancy breakfast at the Hay-Adams Hotel, where the Obamas lived for two weeks before the President's first inauguration? Parade bleachers will likely block the view a bit, but you can still stroll around Lafayette Square across the street afterward to see the White House. For more information call (202) 638-6600. Breakfast hours at Lafayette, the hotel's restaurant, are from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday. Because the Obamas will be worshipping across the street at St. John's Church, the hotel's front doors will be closed due…
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Many roads will be blocked off, parking will be dicey.
Thinking of driving to the inauguration? Access will be limited, but it can be done—just be ready to sit in a lot of traffic. “Because Inauguration Day falls on a legal public holiday – the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. — this year, tens of thousands of local residents of the District, Virginia, and Maryland will also be in attendance," at the 2013 presidential inauguration, warns Martha Mitchell Meade, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Manager of Public and Government Affairs, in a news release. "... Motorists should keep a full tank of gasoline in their vehicles, just in case they are stranded or stuck in traffic," she noted. "Inauguration goers should have a fully charged cell phone. Because use may be limited, send a text message to someone who…
Maps, schedules, social network and more for Obama's ceremonial swearing-in.
The Presidential Inaugural Committee has released a free official app for anyone going to the inauguration of President Barack Obama Monday, as well as for those watching from home. The app includes a schedule of events, maps, volunteer opportunities, a feed for social networking, behind-the-scenes videos and photos and a live stream available Monday for those who won't be there. The app is available on iPhones, iPads and Android devices. Click here to download the app. Steve Kerrigan, president and CEO of the Inaugural Committee, said in a statement the app is for Americans across the country to share in this moment in history. "Whether you're in Washington, DC or any other part of the nation, there are plenty of ways to be involved in …
Combination of holiday and Inauguration Day means mix of closed government offices, while other county workers will be working.
Most of Fairfax County's government offices — including courts and schools — will be closed Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. What will be open? Park Authority RECenters will be open with regular hours. Trash pickup will also be on a regular schedule. Fairfax Connector will operate on a modified schedule: Bus routes with weekday service will operate according to the weekday schedule, except routes 335, 394, 395, 585, 595, and 597 which will not operate. Routes 335, 394, 395, 585, 595, and 597 do not operate when a holiday weekday schedule is in effect. But because Monday is also Inauguration Day, many Fairfax County staff will be on duty, including public safety personnel, as well as staffing the county’s Emergency Operations …
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Spectators may see some colder temperatures on Inauguration Day.
Spectators who go down to the Mall to watch the presidential inauguration ceremony can expect to see temperatures anywhere from 43 degrees all the way down to 28 degrees, if past weather patterns are any indication. According to the National Weather Service, those are the average high and low temperatures for a January Inauguration Day. While the weather forecast for this year's ceremony hasn't been set, temperatures reached just 29 degrees for the 2009 inauguration. Hudson Trail Outfitters, with stores in Pentagon City, Fairfax and Tenley Circle, expects to see plenty of people stopping by to stock up on supplies to keep warm for the inauguration in the event the forecast takes a turn for the cold, according to John Holcomb, director of …
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Ahead of President Barack Obama's 2013 inauguration Jan. 21, we rounded up historic photos showing presidential oaths of office past.
President Barack Obama's second inauguration ceremony and celebration Jan. 21 is a far cry from the inauguration of our first president, George Washington. That ceremony was held April 30, 1789 at Federal Hall in New York City, where the federal government was headquartered at the time. Later inaugurations were held in Philadelphia when the federal government moved there. It was there at Washington's second inauguration that he made the shortest inauguration speech on record—133 words and less than two minutes long. One thing all presidential inauguration swearing-in ceremonies have in common, though, are these words: "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of the President of the United States and will, to the best…
Elizabeth Thompson
5:24 pm on Wednesday, January 16, 2013
There is also another app for the IPhone with photos, news, videos, social media, maps, parade information and a live stream to the inaguruation released by the military. It's located at https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/inauguration/id593161731?MT=8 more ›