Frederick's Free Talk

Storm Center 1/19/24

January 16, 2024 - 6:03 am

CLOSINGS & CANCELLATIONS

(Presented by Frederick Brick Works & Putman Plumbing)

❄ 🌩 JANUARY 19TH, 2024 🌨 ☀

Winter Storm Warning until 10pm tonight (1/19/24)

Snow. High near 31. Northeast wind around 7 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.

SNOW EMERGENCY PLAN IS IN EFFECT FOR FREDERICK, WASHINGTON, PRINCE GEORGES, MONTGOMERY, HOWARD, GARRETT, CARROLL, AND ALLEGANY COUNTIES.

Frederick County Schools – Closed

Montgomery County Public Schools – All Schools & offices closed (Code Red).

Washington County Public Schools – Closed (Code Orange, buildings & offices open at noon.)

Washington County Circuit Court – Closed

Jefferson County Schools – Closed

Morgan County Schools – Closed

Berkley County Schools – Closed

Carroll County Public Schools – Closed

Loudoun County Public Schools – Closed

Clarke County Public Schools – Closed

Howard County Public School System – Closed (Code Red)

Chambersburg Area School District – Closed

Greencastle-Antrim School District – Closed

Littlestown Area School District – Closed

Gettysburg Area School District Morning and Afternoon virtual learning day. All evening activities are cancelled.

Fairfield Area School District – remote learning day

Waynesboro Area School District – Teacher In-service Day. All administrative & school offices will be closed. Final decision regarding status of the “WASHS Pack the House” will be made by noon on 1/19.

St. Thomas Moore Academy – Closed

St. John’s Regional Catholic School – Closed

St. John’s Catholic Prep – Closed

Frederick Adventist Academy – Closed

New Life Christian Academy – Closed

Banner School – Closed

Frederick Christian Academy – Closed

Mother Seton School, Emmitsburg – Closed

Children’s Works Early Learning Center of Frederick – Closed

Children’s Works Early Learning Center of Walkersville – Closed

The Learning Tree (Brunswick) – Closed

Frederick Community College – Main Campus and Monroe Center – Delayed opening until 11, will update any changes by 9AM.

Hood College – Offices will operate under the flexible remote option.

Hagerstown Community College – closed today, January 19. All classes and activities are canceled.

Shepherd University – Closed

Montgomery College – Code orange – remote operations, instruction, student services and work. All Campuses and physical locations are closed.

University of Maryland Baltimore County – Physical campus closed, remote learning and telework in effect

OPM- pen – 2 hours Delayed Arrival – With Option for Unscheduled Leave or Unscheduled Telework Federal agencies in the Washington,

Frederick County Government – offices & facilities will be OPEN. Employees may use liberal leave for the day.

Frederick County Circuit Court & District Court – Closed

Maryland State Government Offices – Liberal leave for all counties & Baltimore City.

Jefferson County Government and Courts – two-hour delay

Frederick County Curbside Recycling – curbside collection for today (1/19). Today’s planned collection of “Red Thursday” will be postponed until tomorrow (1/20). Due to this new schedule, the “Red Friday” collection, scheduled for Sat. 1/20 will be canceled. Those in the Red Friday collection are encouraged to bring their bins back from the curb, reach out to their local municipalities about other recycling methods, bring their recycling to the Reichs Ford Road facility, or shelter

Maryland State Police Troopers On Extra Alert This Labor Day Weekend

September 2, 2021 - 9:54 pm

Residents are expected to be traveling to their favorite vacation destinations.

Pikesville, Md (KM) The roads could get a little busy this weekend. It’s the Labor Day Holiday, which is considered the unofficial end of summer; and a lot of people will be heading out to their favorite vacation spots to enjoy that last minute of summer fun before autumn sets in.

The Maryland State Police will have extra troopers on the roads, according to spokesman Ron Snyder. “Many of these holidays where we expect an increase in traffic, we’re going to have additional troopers focusing on enforcement efforts dealing with impaired driving, aggressive driving and distracted driving to make sure everyone gets to their location this holiday season,” he says.

There will be an emphasis to keeping the highways safe from impaired drivers. “And we have our State Police Impaired Driving Reduction Effort–our SPIDRE Team–will also be out this weekend, along with our troopers from the barracks. Those troopers are trained and experienced to focus predominantly on locating and arresting impaired drivers,” says Snyder.

If you’re planning a trip this weekend, he says don’t drink and drive, and pay attention to the road up ahead. That means putting down your cell phone. It’s illegal in Maryland to drive while speaking on a hand-held phone. Motorists can use a hands-free cell phone while driving.

As you’re driving on an interstate highway and you encounter a motorist who is not driving safely, you can call #77 on your cell phone and notify the nearest Maryland State Police barrack.

Labor Day parties are also a very popular way to close out the summer. If you’re attending such an event, State Police urge to designate a sober driver if you plan to drink. Don’t let a friend drive drunk, and if one of the guests drives home intoxicated, call the police.

Snyder says people hosting these parties also have some responsibilities. “Have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages. Make sure there are sober drivers if people are drinking. Arrange for alternate transportation. Have people spend the night if needed. Don’t be afraid to take away someone’s keys if you think they’re driving impaired if you’re hosting a party,” he says.

Maryland State Police say if you’re hosting a party, you can be held liable if one of guests who has consumed alcohol that you served at the party end up in an impaired driving crash.

In 2019, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s Highway Safety Office says 131 people died from impaired driving crashes, and 2100 were injured. During that same year, there were 183 deaths form distracted driving crashes and 17, 660 injuries. There were also 37 deaths from aggressive driving crashes, and 1,387 injuries.

“We want people to be able to have a good time on the holiday weekend, but do so responsibly,” says Snyder.

By Kevin McManus