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Tag: sterling

  • 3,500-acre grass fire in eastern Colorado ignited by motor vehicle crash

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    Residents in a small town on Colorado’s Eastern Plains were ordered to evacuate Wednesday afternoon after a grass fire sparked from a vehicle crash nearby, fueled by strong winds and dry vegetation, according to fire officials.

    The fire burned between 3,500 to 4,000 acres and drew responses from departments in eastern Colorado and Nebraska.

    The fire ignited at roughly 1:20 p.m. near the intersection of Colorado 113 and Logan County Road 66, according to a news release from the Logan County Office of Emergency Management. Winds at that time were between 25 and 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph, driving the fire through rough, dry terrain.

    The fire was 80% contained as of 4:26 p.m., the release stated.

    Evacuation orders were lifted as of 4:33 p.m., according to a Facebook post from the Logan County Office of Emergency Management.

    The first orders were issued just before 2 p.m. Wednesday for the town of Padroni, home to roughly two dozen people in northeast Colorado, according to the Sterling Fire Department. The town is about 11 miles north of Sterling.

    By 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, the evacuation zone had expanded to include parts of Peetz and Iliff, according to the Logan Office of Emergency Management. The zone included residents along Colorado 113 between County Road 62 and County Road 67.5, and in the area south to U.S. 138, according to the office.

    Colorado 113 in Logan County reopened between County Road 56 north of Padroni and County Road 74 in Peetz as of 3:59 p.m., according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. The closure, from milemarker 9 to 16, was caused by fire activity, according to the agency.

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  • Remains found at three-alarm fire in Loudoun County – WTOP News

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    Fire officials in Loudoun County, Virginia, confirmed Sunday that they found remains at the scene of a three-alarm fire that broke out early Friday.

    Fire officials in Loudoun County, Virginia, confirmed Sunday that they found remains at the scene of a three-alarm fire that broke out early Friday.

    The remains were found when the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office was investigating the cause of the blaze at the 20000 block of Riptide Square in Sterling.

    Investigators said that because the spread of the fire happened so fast, it hindered firefighter access to the scene. Several structural collapses were also reported.

    The fire impacted two townhomes and damaged a third, according to a news release. Eight residents were displaced by the fire and several are receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.

    It took crews about an hour of firefighting before the fire could be controlled enough to allow for  salvage and overhaul operations.

    Units from nine stations in Loudoun County, as well as firefighters from Fairfax County and multiple command and safety officers, responded to the scene Friday morning.

    One firefighter was transported to be examined for a minor injury, according to the release.

    The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is currently investigating the cause of death of the person found in the fire.

    Below is a map of where the fire occurred.

    (Courtesy Google Maps)

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

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    Valerie Bonk

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  • New interactive gaming experience now open in Loudoun County – WTOP News

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    From dodging lasers to solving puzzles, a new high-tech playground in Virginia offers over 70 games that challenge your mind and body.

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    New interactive gaming experience comes to Loudoun!

    Dodging lasers, shooting hoops, destroying meteors, and solving neon puzzles.

    All these activities and more are at your fingertips when you visit Activate, a new interactive gaming experience where you are the player, now open in Loudoun County, Virginia.

    In today’s episode of “Matt About Town,” we’re heading to Sterling to test out this new spot, where anyone ages 6 and up is welcome.

    Evolved from the escape room concept, Activate is a unique experience that blends immersive technology with the physical and mental, testing your ability to navigate various obstacles both individually and with a team.

    Activate has more than 70 different games, with different variations and difficulty levels, so it’s designed for replayability. It even have a global league, where adults from around the world can log in weekly to play and compete for prizes (and worldwide bragging rights).

    Trust us — it gets competitive!

    To learn more about Activate, visit their website.

    Hear “Matt About Town” first every Tuesday and Thursday on 103.5 FM!

    If you have a story idea you’d like Matt to cover, email him, or chat with him on Instagram and TikTok.

    Check out all “Matt About Town” episodes here!

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

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    Matt Kaufax

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  • 33 people sent to the hospital after ammonia leak at a Sterling food processing plant – WTOP News

    33 people sent to the hospital after ammonia leak at a Sterling food processing plant – WTOP News

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    As of Thursday morning, 33 people were taken to area hospitals, five of which are in serious condition and 17 are in serious but non-life-threatening condition. 

    At least 33 people were sent to the hospital Wednesday night after being exposed to a chemical leak of ammonia inside a Sterling, Virginia, food processing plant.

    Loudoun County Fire and Rescue spokeswoman Laura Rinehart confirmed with WTOP that officials were called to the Cuisine Solutions facility on Sous Vide Lane around 8:30 p.m. on reports of a gas leak.

    As of Thursday morning, 33 people were taken to area hospitals, five of which are in serious condition and 17 are in serious but non-life-threatening condition.

    Officials originally announced Wednesday night that 26 people were sent to the hospital. At least four of the people exposed to the chemical were “experiencing significant symptoms,” the rescue agency said in a post on X. 

    The Center for Disease Control says that breathing in air contaminated with high levels of ammonia can irritate your skin, eyes, throat, and lungs. Long term exposure can cause a burning sensation, permanent blindness, and lung damage.

    In serious cases, ammonia exposure can kill you. Most people can smell the pungent fumes from the chemical, but someone who has been exposed to higher than normal amounts of ammonia for a long time may not be able to sense the chemical.

    Authorities are still trying to determine exactly how many people have been exposed and require medical attention.

    A leaking valve was the cause of the exposure, Rinehart said.

    Loudoun County Fire and Rescue said the leak has been contained and that there is no ongoing threat to the surrounding community. Employees arriving to the facility are being told “no work” is available Thursday morning as security limits access to the plant.

    Cuisine Solutions makes prepared meals for airline catering companies and restaurants at the facility, thus the name of the street: Sous Vide Lane.

    WTOP’s Neal Augenstein, Terik King and Emily Venezky 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.

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    Ciara Wells

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  • Suspect charged in fatal carjacking of Silver Spring woman – WTOP News

    Suspect charged in fatal carjacking of Silver Spring woman – WTOP News

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    A man has been charged in a carjacking that left a Maryland woman dead after she was struck by her own vehicle.

    A man has been charged in a carjacking that left a Maryland woman dead after she was struck by her own vehicle.

    Jose Aguilar-Martinez, 21, has been charged with carjacking and is being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center in Virginia, according to a news release from the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office.

    Around 11:40 a.m. Sunday, deputies were called to the Town Center Plaza at Sterling, along Route 7, for the report of a carjacking.

    They found Melody Waldecker, 54, of Silver Spring, had been struck by her own vehicle and killed on the scene.

    Aguilar-Martinez then fled in the vehicle but was promptly taken into custody, the sheriff’s office said.

    He was also transported to a hospital for evaluation for “an unrelated medical condition,” the sheriff’s office said.

    Additional charges are pending for Aguilar-Martinez as the investigation continues.

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

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    Ciara Wells

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  • Sterling warehouse fire ruled accidental by Loudoun Co. fire officials – WTOP News

    Sterling warehouse fire ruled accidental by Loudoun Co. fire officials – WTOP News

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    The warehouse fire in Sterling, Virginia, that sent black smoke billowing into the sky Monday afternoon has been deemed an accident by Loudoun County Fire and Rescue.

    A warehouse fire broke out Monday afternoon in Sterling, Virginia, sending black smoke into the sky that was visible from miles away. (Courtesy Loudoun County Fire and Rescue)

    The warehouse fire in Sterling, Virginia, that sent black smoke billowing into the sky and triggered a significant emergency response Monday afternoon has been deemed an accident, according to Loudoun County Fire and Rescue.

    Fire officials said the cause of the fire, which caused estimated damages of $2.25 million, was “improper discarding of smoking materials.”

    Just after 3 p.m. on Monday, firefighters were called to a facility in the 100 block of Acacia Lane, according to the department. Firefighters were able to extinguish the fire after two-and-a-half hours. One responding firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion at the scene of the fire, but no one else was injured, according to the fire department and Virginia State Police.

    “Upon arrival, fire and rescue personnel found a large warehouse facility with fire through the roof. Initial crews identified the primary building was a total loss and began working to contain the fire to the building of origin,” the department said in a news release. “The fire was extremely difficult to extinguish due to the burning of the stored materials and the size of the warehouse.”

    Loudoun County fire officials have offered the following tips to help prevent these kinds of fires:

    • Smoke outside.
    • Ensure cigarettes are fully extinguished, every time.
    • Ensure smoking materials are discarded in appropriate containers and clean them often. Never use plastic, potted plants, mulch, grass, leaves, or anything that can burn to extinguish smoking materials.
    • Soak cigarette butts and ashes in water before throwing them away.
    • Use a deep, sturdy ashtray and be sure it is placed on a surface where it will not tip over.
    • Place containers away from any structure, never on front porches, decks, or just outside the door.
    • Ensure you have working smoke alarms on every level of the home and outside sleeping areas.

    Below is a map of where the fire occurred:

    WTOP’s Thomas Robertson and Ana Golden 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.

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    Dana Sukontarak

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  • Firefighter injured in Sterling house explosion welcomed home after being released from burn unit – WTOP News

    Firefighter injured in Sterling house explosion welcomed home after being released from burn unit – WTOP News

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    A volunteer firefighter is being welcomed home Wednesday after spending more than a month in a D.C. hospital for treatment of burns he sustained during a massive house explosion and fire in Loudoun County, Virginia

    A volunteer firefighter was welcomed home Wednesday after spending more than a month in a D.C. hospital for treatment of burns he sustained during a massive house explosion and fire in Loudoun County, Virginia.

    That incident at a Sterling home killed one firefighter and injured 11 others on Feb. 16.

    Volunteer firefighter Brian Diamond. (WTOP/Sandra Jones)

    Brian Diamond, a volunteer with the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company, is the last firefighter to be released from the hospital following last month’s explosion, according to the department.

    His first stop: the Sterling Fire Station 618 on Middlefield Drive where he was greeted by members of his crew and other first responders. Well-wishers formed a receiving line.

    Speaking to reporters, Diamond said the outpouring of support was “overwhelming.”

    Volunteer Firefighter Brian Diamond was welcomed home on Wednesday. (WTOP/Sandra Jones)

    “When I was in the ICU, those were some times where I just didn’t have any idea what was going on with me. We didn’t know how many surgeries it was going to be and everything like that, and it ended up being five,” he said. “The doctors were great and they took care of me, and the nurses over there, I can’t even tell you how awesome they are. And it was just a good experience overall for what I had to go through.”

    Diamond also teaches eighth grade English at J. Michael Lunsford Middle School in Loudoun County. He said he hasn’t yet had a chance to speak with his students.

    “But if I had to say something to them: ‘I’m here. I made it.’ And I’m looking forward to seeing them soon,” Diamond told reporters.

    Firefighters responded to the house in the 300 block of Silver Ridge Drive for a report of a gas leak at around 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16. The explosion happened while the firefighters were inside, according to the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office.

    “There’s no other explanation that I could’ve gotten out of that entire ordeal except for God,” Diamond said. “I was down in that basement and I said a prayer and God got me out of that. And there’s no other way that I could have escaped that. It was crazy down there and terrifying and … I don’t know. I had moments of clarity after saying prayers and thinking about my wife and my kids.”

    Investigators said the blast was the result of a leak in a 500-gallon underground propane tank, which was set off by an unknown ignition source.

    Diamond sustained severe burns during the incident, according to Thomas Owens, a former chief of the Sterling department.

    Sterling house explosion
    A home explosion in Sterling, Virginia, killed a volunteer firefighter and injured 10 others on Feb 16. (Courtesy Loudoun Fire Rescue)

    After getting some well wishes Wednesday, the fire company gave Diamond an escort back to his house.

    Volunteer firefighter Trevor Brown, 45, was killed in the explosion, leaving behind his wife Laura and their three children. A service was held in his honor earlier this month.

    “Trevor … I loved Trevor. We had just started bonding together as a unit and everything and we a dinner a couple weeks before up here and his kids were there and our kids were there,” Diamond said. “It’s really, really unfortunate. I’m very sad about everything that happened with Trevor. … I really am going to miss him, too. Because he’s a great guy.”

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

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    Jessica Kronzer

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  • Preliminary investigation into deadly Loudoun Co. explosion: Leaking 500-gallon propane tank, $2.5M in damage – WTOP News

    Preliminary investigation into deadly Loudoun Co. explosion: Leaking 500-gallon propane tank, $2.5M in damage – WTOP News

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    Loudoun County Fire and Rescue’s Fire Marshal’s Office said preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation into the origin and cause of the blast indicate it was the result of a leak in a 500-gallon underground propane tank, which was set off by an unknown ignition source.

    A home explosion Friday night in Sterling, Virginia, killed a volunteer firefighter and injured 10 others. (Courtesy Loudoun Fire Rescue)

    Authorities in Loudoun County, Virginia, have released more details about a massive house explosion and fire in Sterling last week that killed one volunteer firefighter and injured more than a dozen other people.

    In a news release Friday, the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue’s Fire Marshal’s Office said preliminary findings from the ongoing investigation into the origin and cause of the blast indicate it was the result of a leak in a 500-gallon underground propane tank, which was set off by an unknown ignition source.

    Authorities said Friday they have wrapped up the on-site investigation in the charred ruins of the home on Silver Ridge Drive in Sterling. However, calling it “an extremely complex” investigation, the fire marshal said the incident will remain under investigation until further notice.

    Volunteer firefighter Trevor Brown was killed in the blast. He had responded to the home, along with several other firefighters, for the report of a gas leak around 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 16.

    The home exploded while Brown and other firefighters were inside.

    Brown, 45, a father of three, had been with the Sterling Volunteer Fire Company since 2016.

    Brown’s funeral is set for Monday, March 4, at Cornerstone Chapel in Leesburg, according to arrangements released by the county.

    All told, 14 other people were hurt, including 11 firefighters. One firefighter remains hospitalized, in stable condition, at MedStar Washington Hospital Center’s Burn Center, according to an update from the county Friday.

    The fire department said initial property damage is estimated at $2.5 million. In addition to the home that was destroyed, the blast caused damage to six additional residential structures. Three of those homes have been deemed unsafe to live in.

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

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    Jack Moore

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  • ‘Total devastation’: 1 firefighter killed, 11 others injured after Loudoun County home explodes – WTOP News

    ‘Total devastation’: 1 firefighter killed, 11 others injured after Loudoun County home explodes – WTOP News

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    One firefighter is dead, nine others are injured, and two civilians are in the hospital Friday night after a home explosion in Sterling, Virginia.

    James Williams, the Assistant Chief of Operations for the Loudoun County Fire Department speaking to reporters in Sterling, Virginia, on February 16, 2024.(Courtesy, 7News)

    One firefighter is dead, nine others are injured, and two civilians are in the hospital Friday night after a home explosion in Sterling, Virginia. Their injuries ranged from limited to severe.

    Loudoun County officials confirmed the blast, which terrified residents and prompted calls to WTOP.

    James Williams, the assistant chief of operations for Loudoun County’s fire department, spoke to reporters about the incident during a press briefing just before 11 p.m.

    He said firefighters responded to the scene at around 7:30 p.m. after receiving reports of a fire in the 300 Block of Silver Ridge Drive.

    “Soon after arrival, with firefighters inside, the house did explode,” Williams said.

    As for the home: “Total devastation. There’s a debris field well into the street and into the neighboring homes,” he told reporters.

    Firefighters on the scene of a confirmed house explosion in Loudoun County. (Courtesy 7News/SkyTrak7)

    Officials did not identify the firefighter killed in the blaze during the press conference but did say the broader community, including peers in nearby jurisdictions, was deeply affected by the incident.

    “It’s a huge physical and emotional toll on everyone associated with the fire department. Obviously, the people who are trapped, the rescuers that are going in to try to pull them out, the incident commander,” Williams said.

    Officials said the fire will continue to smolder Friday evening, as the department’s fire investigation meets overnight snowfall.

    “This is going to be an extended scene complicated by the weather,” Williams said at the conclusion of the briefing.

    The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms has joined the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Department as they work to determine what specifically caused the blast.

    Community members feel effects of explosion

    Footage from WTOP news partners at 7News and Chopper7 showed firefighters and first responders searching the rubble of a home on Silver Ridge Drive in Sterling.

    By around 9 p.m., social media users were still trying to figure out what happened, with one person in Sterling saying: “Enormous boom shook the whole house just now. Ran upstairs, outside with flashlights and all the neighbors were doing the same. Apparently, a house exploded on a street nearby.”

    According to Sterling’s Volunteer Fire Company, a call came in around 7:38 for a gas leak on Silver Ridge Drive.

    John Padgett, a neighbor living just down the road from the explosion, told reporters he smelled gas while walking his dog Friday evening. The explosion, he said, shook the whole house.

    “It was a huge explosion,” Padgett said, adding that “it looked like an inferno,” and insulation fell like ash. “It was horrific. It looked like something out of a war zone.”

    Another call came in for a report of a structure fire at 8:25 p.m., with an ambulance responding at around the same time.

    “A large explosion noise was felt in Cascades/Sterling area at 8:25 pm,” a listener wrote to WTOP. “It shook everyone’s houses to the extent they all shook, and we all thought a tree hit our individual houses.”

    WTOP listeners as far away as Montgomery County, Maryland, reported a loud boom at around the same time that the Loudoun County home caught fire.

    “Shook houses for 15 miles from Germantown/Gaithersburg/Rockville,” another listener writes.

     

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

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    Ivy Lyons

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  • Loudoun nonprofit farm marks 5 years with 1 million pounds of donated food – WTOP News

    Loudoun nonprofit farm marks 5 years with 1 million pounds of donated food – WTOP News

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    Sterling-based JK Moving Services founder Chuck Kuhn is the largest single landowner in Loudoun County, Virginia.

    JK Farm distributes food through Loudoun Hunger Relief, Food for Others, Arlington Food Assistance Center and D.C. Central Kitchen.(Courtesy JK Farms)

    Sterling-based JK Moving Services founder Chuck Kuhn is the largest single landowner in Loudoun County, Virginia.

    Some of that land is used as data center development, most of which is land his family has purchased and put into conservatorship. But 150 acres is a farm run almost entirely by volunteers that produces food for food-insecure causes in the D.C. region.

    The JK Community Farm, in Purcellville, marks its fifth anniversary with a milestone of donating one million pounds of food produced on the farm to local food assistance partners.

    “A million pounds of produce would be a football field, filled end-zone to end-zone, with a layer of a variety of produce,” said Samantha Kuhn, executive director of JK Community Farm.

    In its first year, the farm grew 50,000 pounds of food. Last year, it donated 248,000 pounds of crops and protein. In addition to produce, the farm raises animals, including cattle, elk and venison.

    The farm distributes food through Loudoun Hunger Relief, Food for Others, Arlington Food Assistance Center and D.C. Central Kitchen among others, but it took a couple of years to figure out what its food assistance partners and the families they serve wanted.

    “Our first year we grew what we liked, and then we quickly realized that the people we serve aren’t all like us. Swiss chard. People really do not enjoy Swiss chard,” Samantha said. “We also had a lot of families that were unable to eat pork due to religious beliefs, so we reduced our pork donations and increased beef and eggs.”

    The farm now produces 56 varieties of produce. It regularly surveys the people and partners it serves, and the No. 1 requested item is peppers. Last season, the farm planted more than 20,000 pepper plants.

    The farm has only three full-time employees. The rest are all volunteers, and there are a lot of volunteers, growing from about 200 in the first year to 5,300 volunteers during last year’s planting, growing and harvesting seasons.

    Many of those volunteers are city folk.

    “The fresh air is definitely amazing for people,” Samantha said. “You get a great workout while you’re there. The view is incredible and it is fun. You get to come out with your friends, your family or your coworkers.”

    Chuck Kuhn’s JK Moving Services is a major donor. The farm’s other big donors include Truist Bank, Charlson Bredehoft Cohen & Brown, Joseph E. Roberts Charitable Trust, Joyce Van Lines and Virginia Easement Exchange.

    The farm is open to the public, and operates tours and educational programs throughout the year as well.

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

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    Jeff Clabaugh

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