Photo by PoPville flickr user Mr. T in DC

From @USOPM:

“Due to expected icy conditions, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management recommends that Federal employees remain off the road until 9:00 a.m. on Monday, January 23. Federal Government offices will open to the public at 11:00 a.m.”

From @Mayorvincegray:

“The District government and DCPS will be open on time tomorrow, Monday, January 23.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user jennverr

Join the PoPville flickr pool here and follow PoPville on twitter here on facebook here and google+ here.

Photo by PoPville flickr user Néstor Sánchez Cordero

Photo by PoPville flickr user random lady

Hard to tell from the photo but I believe it! A reader took the shot above on Connecticut Ave near the zoo. Today is also set for a balmy 52 degrees. Anyone else see trees blooming? Of course, this probably isn’t a good thing. Will this affect their normal spring blooms?

From the folks who brought us the Snowpocalypse Cabin Fever Video. They do not disappoint…

1400 block of Taylor St, NW

One reader writes:

“Looks like some significant damage to the bay and roof of one house and the porch of another. Hope all residents are okay.”

A reader writes:

“Today (Sunday), I picked up a stray dog wandering around the area at 13th and Varnum NW. He kept crossing 13th street and was clearly not where he should be. He’s medium sized, with long white hair. He’s wearing a collar with no identification. He’s a very sweet dog, in good shape, looks he may have just gotten out of someone’s yard, but I thought it was dangerous to leave him where he could easily get hit by a car. I called the Washington Humane Society and they will pick him up and keep him there. Please call them for more info.”

District of Columbia Animal Care and Control Facility
(Operated for the District of Columbia Dept of Health by the Washington Humane Society)
1201 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-576-6664

Photo by PoPville flickr user Eric Spiegel

All good?

Anyone’s power out? (Ed. Note: Not exactly sure how you’ll be able to answer that question if your power is out…)

Let us know if you see any trees down blocking streets and/or any significant flooding.

DDOTDC reports:

“We have 38 confirmed locations with trees/branches down. Continuing to assess.”

If there is no power you can call Pepco at 877-737-2662. If there are overflowing sewers you can call Mydcwater at 202-612-3400. If you see fallen trees and/or tree limbs you can call 311.

DCRA reports:

“Pepco: 90 downed wires reported in DC; please keep reporting any downed wires: 877-737-2662. 30,000 DC residents w/o power.”

WMATA reports:

“Metro expects to operate bus, rail and MetroAccess service on a regular schedule on Sunday, August 28. Metrobus service began on select routes as scheduled at 5 a.m.; the Metrorail system will open at 7 a.m. There is no scheduled track work.

Metrobus and MetroAccess customers should expect possible detours around downed wires and trees and allow additional travel time.

Metrorail ridership was down about 67 percent yesterday as compared to last Saturday. Yesterday, 128,390 customers entered the system, as compared to 345,425 on Saturday, August 20.”

And for those who see can see light at the end of the tunnel – DCDPR reports:

“DC outdoor pools are on a delayed opening to clean and assess for damage. Outdoor pools are currently set to open at 2PM today.”

Capital Bikeshare reports: “Capital Bikeshare is back open.”

And to continue on a lighter note – Go to any fun parties, bars last night?

If you have any good photos of the storm please send a few in an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail or upload directly to the PoPville flickr pool and let me know what street/neighborhood where the photo was taken. Thanks and stay safe.

Photo by PoPville flickr user caroline.angelo

Another reader writes:

“Large bricks off the structure housing pitazzi on Columbia RD in Adams
Morgan. High pedestrian area. Even the cops acknowledged this could’ve killed a passerby.”

Photo via PoPville twitter follower @CitizenCassidy

Lots of readers are writing and tweeting about damage to Mt. Rona Church:

“Damage to the baptist church at 13 and Monroe St, NW”

Another reader writes:

“Mt. Rona Baptist Church sustained damage to its steeple, chimney, and above its entrance. Stones fell literally across the street. Not sure what the overall building integrity is, but people should avoid the area in general– Monroe from 11th to Holmead and 13th from Park to Otis are shut down by police. Believe me, nothing was more disturbing then coming home to find my entire intersection blocked by police.”

Thanks to a reader for sending more shots:

Photo by PoPville flickr user Laura_Grageda

Wow, I was just sitting in my office in Petworth and my lamp about fell off the desk. The room shook pretty violently for what felt like 30 seconds. I’ve gotten emails from Georgetown to Capitol Hill to Columbia Heights all saying the same thing.

Anyone notice any damage?

I’m hearing lots of buildings are being evacuated downtown.

More updates when they become available.

That’s to all who sent the details:

“5.8 (Preliminary magnitude — update expected within 15 minutes)
Date-Time

Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 17:51:03 UTC
Tuesday, August 23, 2011 at 01:51:03 PM at epicenter

Location 37.875°N, 77.908°W
Depth 6 km (3.7 miles) set by location program
Region VIRGINIA
Distances

15 km (9 miles) S (179°) from Mineral, VA
18 km (12 miles) SSE (154°) from Louisa, VA
26 km (16 miles) ENE (58°) from Columbia, VA
54 km (34 miles) NW (314°) from Richmond, VA
139 km (87 miles) SW (214°) from Washington, DC”

DCFireems tweets at 2:16pm:

“It is advised to Shelter-in-place unless the bldg has damage & unsafe – There are reports of damaged bldgs, but none confirmed at this time”

Update 2:30pm a PoPville twitter follower writes:

“15th &Euclid – Salvadorean Ecuadorian embassy have a huge brick chimney facing the alley & it completely crumbled & blocked alley entrance.”

Update 2:37pm WMATA tweets:

“Metrorail system is open and operating with significant delays. All trains reduced to 15 mph due to ongoing emergency track inspection.”

Downtown 2pm:

Photo of Farragut Square by PoPville flickr user philliefan99

From DPR:

In addition, to help residents beat the heat, the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will extend the hours of the following outdoor pools:

Ward 1
Banneker Recreation Center Pool
2500 Georgia Avenue NW
11:00am – 8:30pm

Ward 2
Jelleff Recreation Center Pool
3265 S Street NW
11:00am – 8:00pm

Volta Park Pool
1555 34th Street, NW
11:00am – 9:00pm

Ward 4
Upshur Recreation Center Pool
4300 Arkansas Avenue NW
11:00am – 9:00pm

Ward 5
Langdon Park Pool
2860 Mills Avenue, NW
11:00am – 8:00pm

Theodore Hagans Pool
3201 Fort Lincoln Drive, NE
11:00am 9:00pm

Ward 6
Randall Pool
25 I Street, SW
11:00am – 8:00pm

Ward 7
Benning Park
5100 Southern Avenue, SE
11:00am – 8:30pm

Kelly Miller Pool
4900 Brooks St., NE
11:00am – 8:00pm

Ward 8
Anacostia Pool
1800 Anacostia Drive SE
11:00am – 8:30pm

Douglass Pool
1921 Fredrick Douglass Court, SE
11:00am – 8:00pm

Oxon Run Pool
501 Mississippi Avenue, SE
11:00am – 8:30pm

I stand by the fact that nothing tastes better on a 85 degree day except perhaps the Slushie’s cousin the Slushito (available at Estadio). These Slushies available at the Sunoco at 15th and U St, NW.

And the other great indicator is the return of the Columbia Heights Plaza fountains:

Alert DC said:

“The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Warning for the District of Columbia and surrounding areas until 9:45pm this evening [Sunday]. This is likely to cause flooding of small streams and potentially cause flooding of some roadways. especially in low-lying areas. Rock Creek in Rock Creek Park is likely to reach flood stage of 7 feet by 7 PM tonight.”

Here are a few pictures from Georgia Ave, NW just south of New Hampshire.

For the folks in Bloomindale – how’d you manage? Anybody experience flooding in other parts of town?

“Dear PoP,

My name is Scott Parker, with the Mormon Church on Capitol Hill (522 7th St SE). It was mentioned in “More Sidewalks of Shame – What to do?”.

I just wanted to apologize for not getting a portion of our sidewalk cleaned sooner. We cleared a single path this afternoon (Fri), and have another little crew working on it right now (as of 6:05 pm Friday) to clear away the ice. Our church has no professional clergy – we all have regular jobs and volunteer our other time for church stuff – which also means we have no church office. That’s why no one could be reached there. But if anyone needs/wants to get a hold of me now or in the future, they can email me at scottparker1 [at] gmail.com. The volunteer church member tasked with clearing the sidewalk moved away since last winter, and we forgot to have that assignment covered. Sorry about that. That’s entirely our fault and we’ll get it fixed. We did do better last year, and shoveled that stretch multiple times. (My back can attest to that Also, the plow that comes is not a church member, just a contractor, and is hired regionally, not by us, but we’ll try and ask for him to pay attention to this as well.

I’m from the area and have lived here on the Hill for the past 8 years (on East Cap for a while and then just off Constitution for the past 4), as do most of our congregants, so we care about getting this stuff taken care. Sorry again for not being on the ball this year. We’ll do better.”

And in other positive clearing sidewalks news, from Rob Mandle, ANC Commissioner 4C10:

“A quick email to the Mayor’s Team (Carly Skidmore and Brandon Starks) and the AFRH (Old Soldiers Home in Petworth) sidewalk has been cleared!”

“Dear PoP,

I was wondering if this issue might be one you could put to your readers. There is a church near my home that does not shovel its sidewalk (see attached photo; it’s the Mormon church on Capitol Hill), which takes up nearly half the block. Yesterday they had someone plow the parking lot, which won’t be used until Sunday, but no one touched the walk, and now it’s hardened into an inch-thick layer of pure, deadly ice. Every time it snows this part of the block becomes a treacherous walk. I’ve tried calling the church, but I only get a canned message about when Sunday services are with no option of even leaving a message. Other than waiting until Sunday and visiting in person, what can I do?”

“Sidewalk of shame. The shell at the corner of upshur and georgia ave nw. They managed to plow their driveway so customers could get in, but not so pedestrians could get by.”

And finally another spot from a reader:

“Could you please call out metro for the hall of shame for never clearing the sidewalks around the triangle between New Hampshire, 8th, and Randolph NW? A lot of people walk past there on their way to the metro and the snow always gets packed down and dangerous.”

Has anyone had any success dealing with Churches and/or other habitual non shovellers? It does seem particularly insulting when they shovel their driveways but not the sidewalk.

“Dear PoP,

I was so proud of my neighbors on 20th St, NW for shoveling this morning, I just had to take a picture. Our entire block was clear and safe this morning. But that warm and fuzzy feeling dissipated as soon as I hit Connecticut Avenue, where few shop owners bother to shovel. Some did and some didn’t, so I had to get a picture to show the contrast. City staff were busy clearing Dupont Circle, the scene of another snowball fight last night. Roads are clear, but the medians between lanes were still treacherous for pedestrians.”

Every year we have heroes and villains. If you’d like to give props or nominate businesses for shoveling shame, you can do so here.

I have to give props to two of my neighbors who fixed a downed cable wire for me this morning.