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Tag: heather gustafson

  • Missed your annual flu shot? Local doctor says: ‘Time to get it’ – WTOP News

    This year’s flu season may arrive later than usual, but that does not necessarily mean it will be mild. It does mean that it’s not too late to get your flu vaccine.

    There is no one-to-one correlation between cold weather and getting sick.

    That old adage about stepping outside and catching a cold does not tell the whole story. What does matter is that winter pushes people indoors and into closer contact, making it easier for viruses to spread.

    Children’s National Hospital infectious disease physician Dr. Alexandra Yonts told WTOP that this year’s flu season may arrive later than usual, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it will be mild.

    She warned flu cases could start climbing “after Christmas and New Year’s,” when people travel and families gather.

    “Last year, almost 300 children died from influenza, and most of (them) were previously healthy,” Yonts said.

    She said one reason the flu shot remains essential is for protecting people with respiratory illnesses, existing health conditions or weakened immune systems.

    And no, the flu shot cannot give you the flu.

    “In common vocabulary, we throw around the term ‘flu’ to mean any sort of viral illness that gives us a fever. But there are hosts of other viruses that are not covered by the influenza vaccine that can still make you sick,” she said. “Protecting you against influenza specifically is still a priority.”

    Yonts added that getting vaccinated is especially important before visiting young children, elderly relatives or immunocompromised family members during the holidays.

    “Think of it as doing it for those people, if you aren’t interested in doing it just for yourself,” she said.

    If you’re behind, Yonts said getting both the flu shot and the updated COVID booster at the same visit is completely safe: “That has been studied, and it shows there’s no major difference in the side effects. If anything, you’re getting them both out of the way at once.”

    Flu shots are recommended for those 6 months old and older, and doctors say it takes about two weeks to build full immunity.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Abigail Constantino

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  • Virginia school reaches settlement after expelling Jewish students who reported antisemitic bullying – WTOP News

    A Fairfax County, Virginia, private school agreed to overhaul its policies, undergo five years of external monitoring, and issue a public apology after expelling three Jewish siblings whose family reported severe antisemitic bullying.

    A Fairfax County, Virginia, private school agreed to overhaul its policies, undergo five years of external monitoring, and issue a public apology after expelling three Jewish siblings whose family reported severe antisemitic bullying.

    The Nysmith School in Herndon will also pay the family nearly $150,000 to cover attorneys fees and other costs associated with the incident as part of a settlement.

    The settlement, announced Tuesday by the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, follows a discrimination complaint alleging the Nysmith School ignored escalating harassment, and then removed the victims from the school entirely.

    Jeffrey Lang with the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, oversaw the case.

    Lang said the family’s ordeal began when one of their sixth-grade daughters, age 11, became the target of a group of students who he said repeatedly harassed the girl because she is Jewish.

    “She was being called a baby-killer,” Lang said. “She was told that Jews and Israelis are all baby-killers, that they were glad about what happened on Oct. 7. Just really awful things.”

    The student was too afraid to tell anyone, until, according to Lang, a classmate became so disturbed by the bullying that he reported it to the girl’s parents.

    In February, the parents met with the head of the Nysmith School and asked for an intervention. The headmaster promised to “investigate and take action, but nothing happened,” Lang told WTOP.

    Over the next three weeks, the harassment reportedly escalated. The parents met with the headmaster again for help, and this time, he allegedly told the parents that their daughter “needed to toughen up.”

    Two days later, all three siblings, two sixth-grade twins and their 8-year-old brother, were expelled from the school.

    “Not only was that daughter expelled,” Lang said, “but their other two children, who had no idea what was even going on, were also expelled that same day.”

    The family had attended Nysmith for four years.

    “It was their world,” Lang said. “And in a day, it was taken away.”

    A statement from the Brandeis Center said “The school fostered an environment that allowed anti-Semitic harassment.”

    Earlier this year and before the alleged bullying, the daughter’s teacher asked the class to work together on a drawing depicting what makes “strong historical leaders.”

    “The students produced a picture that featured the portrait of Adolf Hitler, and the Nysmith School posted a photo of the children showing off their drawing to the school community,” the Brandeis Center said.

    In addition to name-calling, Lang said there was a group that launched a campaign to isolate the middle-school student socially.

    “They were shunning her and saying, ‘We hate you.’ For an 11-year old in sixth grade, it was just crushing,” Lang said.

    Kenneth L. Marcus, the chairman and CEO of the Brandeis Center, wrote in a statement, “Justice has been served” for the family.

    As part of the settlement agreement, the Nysmith School will “adopt new nondiscrimination polices,” including clearly defining what antisemitism means, establishing a committee to investigate discrimination complaints, hiring an independent monitor and providing antisemitism training to administrators.

    The school will also reimburse the family for expenses incurred because of the expulsion, and the school’s headmaster, Ken Nysmith, will also issue a public statement, expressing “regret for expelling the children,” the Brandeis statement said.

    “These steps are critical as antisemitism in K-12 education continues to rise,” Marcus said.

    The family will not be returning to the Nysmith School.

    WTOP has reached out to the school for comment.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Abigail Constantino

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  • ‘Huge difference’: DC businesses feel impact of National Zoo’s closure — and reopening – WTOP News

    A bakery near the National Zoo is celebrating the impending return of zoo visitors after seeing a drop in foot traffic and sales during the government shutdown.

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    National Zoo reopens, bringing relief to Cleveland Park businesses

    The District’s Cleveland Park neighborhood lives and breathes around the Smithsonian National Zoo and its pandas.

    But for the past 40-odd days, businesses around the zoo have faced a diminishing wave of customers due to the zoo’s closure during the federal government shutdown.

    In recent years, new shops along Connecticut Avenue have leaned into the panda theme, hoping to capture some of the millions of people who normally visit the D.C. zoo each year.

    One longtime neighborhood staple is Baked by Yael, a nut-free, kosher bakery that specializes in bagels and “Panda Pops.”

    “The zoo has the cute animals. They go see the animals, and then they come across the street to us. And if the zoo is closed, they’re not coming,” said Yael Krigman, the owner and president of Baked by Yael.

    She’s no stranger to navigating uncertain times. Last year, her business took a hit when D.C.’s pandas temporarily left the area.

    “We’ve been making Panda Pops throughout the entire shutdown, because everybody needs a little joy, even during a government shutdown,” Krigman added.

    Even with strong community support, the impact was clear.

    “We’ve been very lucky that we have the support of a community around us, and so we’ve definitely had some foot traffic,” Krigman said.

    But Krigman said the bakery missed out on potential business from the missing zoo visitors. Last year, about 1.6 million people checked out the National Zoo.

    “There’s a huge difference,” Krigman said. “We pay rent to be across the street from the National Zoo. When the zoo is closed, our sales go down significantly. There’s no walk-in traffic.”

    And this is not the first government shutdown her bake shop has had to weather.

    “Sadly, this is not our first government shutdown, so we are accustomed to pivoting and hustling,” Krigman said. “We stay in business no matter what the government is doing. Whether they’re at work or not, we are at work.”

    During this latest shutdown — just as in 2019 — Baked by Yael offered free meals to zookeepers and treats and bagels to federal workers.

    “We’re really happy that the government is open and that the zoo is going to be open, and that is a huge relief for all of us,” Krigman told WTOP. “But we work non-stop no matter what.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Abigail Constantino

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  • Prince George’s Co. jury awards $2.35M to officer who refused to falsify report – WTOP News

    A federal jury has awarded $2.35 million to former Prince George’s County Police officer Mohamed Magassouba, who said he was fired after refusing to change his testimony in a 2019 use-of-force case against another officer.

    Mohamed Magassouba and Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy(Credit Mohamed Magassouba)

    A jury has awarded $2.35 million to former Prince George’s County police officer Mohamed Magassouba, who said he was fired after refusing to change his testimony in a 2019 use-of-force case against another officer.

    The verdict, which was reached this week in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, found Magassouba’s 2021 termination was “retaliatory” and “violated his civil rights.”

    His attorney, Jordan “JD” Howlette, wrote the “verdict confirms what the evidence has shown all along — the targeted retaliation that Officer Mohamed Magassouba suffered at the hands of Prince George’s County was unlawful.”

    According to court documents, Magassouba, who served for over a decade on the force, was removed from patrol duties and later fired after refusing to alter his account of a 2019 arrest involving a white officer who used force on a Black woman in front of her son. The incident, which was recorded and circulated widely on social media, drew public criticism at the time.

    Howlette said Magassouba faced years of retaliation, including unwarranted discipline and reassignment under a supervisor who allegedly made discriminatory remarks about his African heritage.

    In a statement from Howlette, he said the incident should never have happened, but “it stands as proof that justice can prevail. We need more officers like Officer Magassouba, who put their oath to protect citizens above institutional loyalty.”

    “This verdict sends a message that the days of protecting wrongdoers and punishing those who tell the truth are over,” he wrote. “Accountability is no longer optional.”

    Civil rights leaders from the local branches of the NAACP and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference praised the outcome during a virtual news conference Friday, calling it a “victory for justice” and a step toward accountability in one of Maryland’s largest police departments.

    “We love our law enforcement,” said Josephine Mourning, president of the Prince George’s County SCLC. “But we want them to show integrity in their job, as all of us have to show integrity in ours.”

    The case follows years of scrutiny of the Prince George’s County Police Department, which in 2021 agreed to pay $25 million to settle a class-action lawsuit by Black and Latino officers who alleged systemic racism and retaliation within the department.

    Magassouba, who joined the department in 2009, has since gone on to lead in other local law enforcement roles. He was named Capitol Heights Police Department’s Officer of the Year in 2024 and appointed as the chief of police there in May of this year.

    “The department had to create a false illusion about my personality, of who I am as a person. So they were basically saying that I was arrested for armed robbery or attempted sexual assault. And everything was false, and that’s not who I am. And it did create a conflict in my household, and me and my wife had to have marital counseling,” Magassouba said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Ciara Wells

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  • ACLU Virginia sues Trump administration over detaining of immigrant children – WTOP News

    The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia has filed a class-action lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s administration’s policy of detaining immigrant children.

    The American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia has filed a class-action lawsuit challenging President Donald Trump’s administration’s policy of detaining immigrant children without bond hearings, stating the practice violates decades of federal law intended to protect vulnerable youth.

    The lawsuit, filed Thursday in the Eastern District of Virginia, names four plaintiffs who came to the U.S. after being abused, neglected or abandoned by their parents. All have obtained or applied for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, a legal designation Congress created nearly 40 years ago to provide a pathway to citizenship for children who cannot safely return to their home countries.

    “These children have every right to pursue SIJS,” said Sophia Gregg, ACLU senior immigrants’ rights attorney. But Immigration and Customs Enforcement is “recategorizing and reconsidering the entire federal regulations … and their justification really doesn’t hold any water.”

    The four plaintiffs are currently being held at the Farmville and Caroline detention facilities in Virginia. According to the ACLU, their detention is part of a broader Trump administration strategy to classify immigrant youth with SIJS as “arriving noncitizens,” subject to mandatory detention and ineligible for bond hearings.

    “We’re seeing this across the country for all individuals. Millions of people, potentially, are in immigration detention who would otherwise not have been a few months ago,” Gregg told WTOP. “Those unaccompanied minors are protected under the many federal laws and anti-trafficking laws that are specifically intended to protect children.”

    Under the SIJS process, immigrant children must first be released to a sponsor, placed under custody orders from a state judge, and then they can apply for status. Visa availability can take years, but the protections Congress established were designed to prevent children from being detained while they wait.

    Instead, the ACLU lawsuit argues, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is keeping children locked up and cutting them off from the ability to pursue their cases and effectively pressuring them to abandon their rights.

    Gregg called the policy part of “a mass deportation agenda,” adding these are kids “Congress intended to protect … and identified as being the most vulnerable and in need of protection.”

    “The immigration courts are now taking the position, as is the rest of the Trump administration, that nobody, including this specifically vulnerable group, is entitled to hearings for the release under bond pending their immigration cases,” Gregg said.

    The case, Sarmiento v. Crawford, was filed with co-counsel Tanishka Cruz of Cruz Law, and Patrice Kopistansky. The ACLU is seeking the immediate release of the named plaintiffs, as well as a ruling that would guarantee bond hearings for similarly situated minors nationwide.

    Violation of the Hatch Act

    On Friday, the watchdog group Public Citizen filed 11 complaints against major agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of the Treasury, Department of Justice, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration and the White House.

    The complaints accuse the federal agencies of tampering with webpages and automatic out-of-office emails to blame Democrats for the government shutdown.

    As of Friday afternoon, HUD’s website featured a banner and a pop-up message blaming the “Radical Left” for the current federal government shutdown.

    A banner on the Department of Housing and Urban Development website currently reads, “The Radical Left in Congress shut down the government. HUD will use available resources to help Americans in need.” (Screenshot via WTOP Staff)

    Ethics experts argue the edits violate the Hatch Act, which bars political activity in federal workplaces and protects employees from partisan pressure. They warn the coordinated changes not only misrepresent federal workers but also use government resources to sway voters.

    “This is unique. … These agencies are the biggest agencies in the federal government. You’ve got a coordinated effort coming from the White House to get the entire federal government and all the different agencies working together to try to influence the electoral mood of the American public to support Donald Trump and oppose Democrats. I’ve never seen this type of scope of violation of the Hatch Act before in my life,” government affairs lobbyist Craig Holman said. 

    Holman, who filed the complaints with Public Citizen, added, “This ought to be enough to actually make the Office of Special Counsel do something, or if they don’t do something, it gives me grounds for litigation.”

    WTOP’s Michelle Murillo contributed to this report.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • ‘I’m scared they’ll go after my family’: Faith leaders hold prayer vigil amid fears among Alexandria’s immigrant community – WTOP News

    Faith leaders and community members came together in Alexandria, Virginia to show support for immigrant families amid an escalation of federal immigration enforcement.

    Faith leaders and community members came together in Alexandria, Virginia, to show support for immigrant families amid an escalation of federal immigration enforcement.
    (WTOP/Heather Gustafson)

    WTOP/Heather Gustafson

    Community members at vigil
    Participants prayed, held candles, sang and stood together as a demonstration of solidarity in Alexandria, Virginia, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025.
    (WTOP/Heather Gustafson)

    WTOP/Heather Gustafson

    Faith leaders and community members at Alexandria vigil to support immigrant families
    The vigil, led by Tenants and Workers United, called for unity and vigilance.
    (WTOP/Heather Gustafson)

    WTOP/Heather Gustafson

    A woman holds candle at vigil
    A woman hold a candle at a community vigil in Alexandria, Virginia, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025.
    (WTOP/Heather Gustafson)

    WTOP/Heather Gustafson

    Faith leaders and community members across Northern Virginia came together Tuesday night in Alexandria to show support for immigrant families amid what organizers described as an escalation of federal immigration enforcement.

    The vigil, held at Four Mile Run Park Plaza, was organized by Tenants and Workers United, Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (VOICE) and Community Lodgings. Participants prayed, held candles, sang and stood together as a demonstration of solidarity.

    The event was sparked by recent enforcement actions, including construction workers arrested on the first day of school and an individual detained at a local bus stop. Residents of the Chirilagua neighborhood have also reported repeated U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity.

    For immigrant families, the anxiety is real.

    David Lagos, a sophomore at Alexandria City High School, who has worked with Tenants and Workers United for five years, said Tuesday night, “Of course I’m scared. I’m scared they’ll go after my family. I know I’m OK, but I don’t want my family getting hurt.”

    Evelin Urrutia, the executive director with TWU, said the gathering was about courage and action as much as it was prayer.

    “What we are telling people is just to be careful. Get to know your neighbors. Coordinate when you’re doing something so everyone knows what is happening. Join organizations. Join your neighbors. Get to know who lives next to you, just be more informed and more aware,” Urrutia advised.

    Organizers said the work continues, with faith groups and civic organizations pledging to push for stronger protections for immigrant families in Alexandria and across the region. Additionally, TWU is advising residents to alert them to any increased ICE activity in the area.

    “Look around and support each other. We are living in difficult times where the community has had to come together and create a safe space for all of us,” Urrutia said.

    “We should be together as a community, and we should speak up for what is right,” Lagos added.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Ciara Wells

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  • New affordable housing development in North Bethesda stands on site of former Metro parking lot – WTOP News

    New affordable housing development in North Bethesda stands on site of former Metro parking lot – WTOP News

    A new affordable housing development in North Bethesda in Maryland stands on the site of a former Metro parking lot.

    Housing, transit and local officials cut the ribbon on a new housing development in Montgomery County, Maryland. (Courtesy Strathmore Square)

    “We want to make sure that everybody in Montgomery County has a place to live.”

    That’s what the Maryland county’s council President Andrew Friedson said minutes before cutting the ribbon at Strathmore Square in North Bethesda.

    Backing up to Rock Creek Park, next to the Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro station, Ravel and Royale is the newest affordable housing project in the county.

    It’s Metro’s fourth development in 2024, totaling 1,300 new housing units. Metro worked on the project in partnership with Fivesquares Development, Strathmore, Aimco, Amazon Housing Equity Fund and Montgomery County officials.

    The Amazon fund makes the apartments available to a range of income levels.

    “Here, we actually have gone from a commuter parking lot to a new community,” Andy Altman, with Five Squares Development, said.

    “This has become, and will continue to be, a model for how we are turning parking lots into places,” Friedson said. “In land use, we often focus on the what and the where. The what is housing at Metro; the most sustainable, most transit-oriented place possible. The where is critical for environmental and equity reasons, for economic reasons. But the why is just as important. The why is about the arts, the why is about the connection to the environmental footprint right here in a critical area.”

    The connection to the arts is particularly apparent in the developing Strathmore Square neighborhood.

    “As I walked up to this incredible structure, I walked by and saw ballet taking place,” Friedson said.

    The new affordable housing project is located right next to The Music Center at Strathmore and also sits above City Dance.

    “Dance rehearsals happen here every day,” said Monica Jeffries, the president and CEO of Strathmore. “Imagine life in a community enlivened by the arts, and today we’re living that vision.”

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Abigail Constantino

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  • Seasoned athletes enjoy scenic views at Parks Half Marathon in North Bethesda – WTOP News

    Seasoned athletes enjoy scenic views at Parks Half Marathon in North Bethesda – WTOP News

    WTOP catches up with some of the seasoned athletes who enjoyed scenic views at Sunday’s Parks Half Marathon in North Bethesda.

    Runners cross the finish line at the Parks Half Marathon in North Bethesda on Sunday.
    (WTOP/Heather Gustafson)

    WTOP/Heather Gustafson

    Medals for runners that finish the Parks Half Marathon in North Bethesda on Sunday.
    (WTOP/Heather Gustafson)

    WTOP/Heather Gustafson

    Runners cross the finish line at the Parks Half Marathon in North Bethesda on Sunday.
    (WTOP/Heather Gustafson)

    WTOP/Heather Gustafson

    Runners grab some water during the Parks Half Marathon in North Bethesda on Sunday.
    (WTOP/Heather Gustafson)

    WTOP/Heather Gustafson

    Runners cross the finish line at the Parks Half Marathon in North Bethesda on Sunday.
    (WTOP/Heather Gustafson)

    WTOP/Heather Gustafson

    Runners grab some water during the Parks Half Marathon in North Bethesda on Sunday.
    (WTOP/Heather Gustafson)

    WTOP/Heather Gustafson

    The Parks Half Marathon started in North Bethesda Sunday morning in Maryland just before dawn.

    At approximately 6:50 a.m., runners hit the pavement near the Redland metro stop. The course wound through parts of Rock Creek Park, offering rolling hills and scenic views, finishing near Tuckerman Lane.

    “I just got a new personal record,” said Jordon Acton after finishing the race for the second time.

    “I think I was maybe five seconds faster than the last time I ran it.”

    Kristen Hume said she was feeling “amazing” after finishing the run, but worried that her face was red. Even though she was feeling warm, she said the weather was perfect for running.

    “Very hilly, definitely, lots of ups and downs, but really awesome,” said Hume. “The crowd was amazing.”

    Chris Bergenson and his running partner Mike Anderson said they made a new personal record. 

    “It’s mostly downhill. But, you know, even though it’s a little bit of uphill, the downhill makes it all worth it,” said Bergenson 

    As they crossed the finish line, they were greeted by volunteers handing out water and medals.

    “It’s a great honor to give these medals out, they work so hard,” said volunteer Alethia Backus.

    The first male finished was 26 year-old Dylan Gearinger from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at a net time of 1:08:03. The first female finisher was 23 year-old Chaltu Marame from D.C. with a net time of 1:20:32.

    To see all the finisher stats, visit the official website here. 

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Valerie Bonk

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  • Brookland Metro shooter ordered to remain in custody – WTOP News

    Brookland Metro shooter ordered to remain in custody – WTOP News

    The 16-year-old boy charged in the deadly shooting of 14-year-old Avion Evans on the Brookland-CUA Metro platform last week will…

    The 16-year-old boy charged in the deadly shooting of 14-year-old Avion Evans on the Brookland-CUA Metro platform last week will remain held without bond while he awaits trial.

    On Friday, as the 16-year-old appeared in D.C. Superior Court, his attorney, William Howell, argued that the shooting was a “spontaneous” event that his client would not repeat.

    Judge Kendra Davis Briggs denied the request for release and ordered the teen remain held without bond at the Youth Services Center. She also ordered a psychoeducational and psychiatric evaluation, which is standard procedure.

    Police said an altercation between a group of teenagers on the Metro platform led the 16-year-old, who was not involved in the fight, to pull out a gun and fire shots. Evans was struck and pronounced dead at the scene.

    Within minutes of the altercation, the District’s new Real Time Crime Center shared photos of the sole suspect, which D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said was instrumental in making an arrest in this case.

    “Nothing will ever be able to make Avion’s family feel whole again. I speak for the entire District when I again send my deepest sympathies to Avion’s family and friends during this time. I hope this arrest will bring some measure of closure to everyone who knew Avion,” Smith said at a press conference on Tuesday.

    The 16-year-old was arrested and charged as a juvenile with second-degree murder in connection with the deadly shooting of Evans. Prosecutors are still waiting for the results from an autopsy report.

    There was no witness testimony in Friday afternoon’s hearing. The trial for this case will begin on May 24.

    WTOP’s Ciara Wells contributed to this report.

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Ciara Wells

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  • What’s in store for spring weather in the DC area? – WTOP News

    What’s in store for spring weather in the DC area? – WTOP News

    March 19 was technically the first day of spring, but it didn’t bring the nicest weather here in the D.C. area. In fact, officials are warning people to get ready for more severe storms.

    The first day of spring was technically earlier this week on March 19, but it didn’t bring the nicest weather here in the D.C. area.

    In fact, officials are warning people to get ready for more severe storms.

    Spring may brings flowers and sunshine, but it also bring “damaging wind gusts, hail, lightning, even tornadoes at times,” according to Chris Strong, a warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service for Baltimore/Washington.

    “Certainly, as the atmosphere warms up, becomes hotter, becomes more humid, there’s more fuel for those storms,” Strong told WTOP.

    Most of us prepare for severe weather during hurricane season in the later half of the year.

    However, MaryAnn Tierney with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said it is also important to prepare for the spring by “assembling a supplies kit, making sure that you have the right items on hand,” like a flashlight, extra batteries, water, and important documents.”

    Tierney said there are a lot of different ways weather can pose a hazard during the spring. Springtime’s warmer temperatures can mean the potential for tornadoes and flooding.

    “Make sure that you have items in your kits for your pets and for your children as well,” she added.

    Tierney said you can protect your home by cleaning out debris from gutters and drains and “to check their insurance policies. Most policies do not include flood insurance. So you should be reviewing your homeowners insurance policy.”

    Additionally, store documents like an insurance policy, medical records or passports in a flood-safe place.

    Outside the home, protect your car by avoiding areas that have flooded, and turn around instead.

    “If you encounter a flooded roadway, you should not drive through it. That is especially unsafe,” she said.

    More info is available online. You can get more tips by downloading the FEMA app.

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    © 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Will Vitka

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