Due to emergency weather conditions related to Hurricane Irene, the Montgomery County Public Schools Fourth Annual Back-to-School Fair scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, August 27, is cancelled.
Backpacks and school supplies for needy families will be distributed while supplies last on Monday, August 29 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the auditorium at the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, in Rockville
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Montgomery County, MD, issued a press release about the potential upcoming weather emergency:
Hurricane Irene May Impact Region in Coming Days; Residents Urged to Prepare for Hurricanes and Other Emergencies
Currently at category 3 status, Hurricane Irene may impact the region in the days ahead, and officials remind residents that they should prepare for the possibility of high winds, power outages and flooding. The hurricane season traditionally runs through November.
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Incredulous that MCPS would go forward with the fair while everyone in the county is being urged to prepare for a Hurricane, we drove over to see the tents. At 6:30 pm, on Thursday night, two MCPS employees were dutifully in the parking lot. When they saw me taking pictures, one woman rushed over to us as we were leaving the parking lot, to tell me: "Don't worry, it's all donated!"
I asked her if she knew there was a hurricane on the way. She said yes, not to worry, that MCPS was coordinating with the police.
Last I heard, not even the Montgomery County Police Department could stop a hurricane! I hope folks use their common sense and get those tents down if it looks like the winds will be picking up on Saturday afternoon.
The National Weather Service has placed Montgomery County, MD, under a tropical storm watch, and says that: TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT...
... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
STAY INFORMED AND LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE FORECAST. PREPARATIONS FOR THIS STORM SHOULD BE MADE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
... PROBABILITY OF TROPICAL STORM/HURRICANE CONDITIONS... THE CHANCE FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS AT THIS TIME IS AROUND 40 PERCENT. THIS REPRESENTS A GENERAL UPWARD TREND SINCE THE LAST FORECAST. IF TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS WERE TO OCCUR... THE MOST LIKELY PERIOD OF ONSET IS SATURDAY AFTER MIDNIGHT.
... WINDS... AS HURRICANE IRENE PASSES NEARBY... THE THREAT FOR SUSTAINED HIGH WINDS SHOULD NOT INCREASE. HOWEVER... THERE IS STILL SOME POSSIBILITY FOR TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS. SINCE THERE IS STILL UNCERTAINTY... CLOSELY MONITOR THE FORECAST FOR ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES.
A GENERAL CONCERN SHOULD BE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF AT LEAST MINOR TO LOCALLY MODERATE DAMAGE SOMEWHERE WITHIN THE AREA.
... INLAND FLOODING... FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE FROM LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY
It's all donated!
ReplyDeleteWHO donated it? Why don't they donate it to the students that have had their afterschool activities slashed?
http://silverchips.mbhs.edu/story/11051
Because it's not about the students is it? It's about the administrators making a press event for themselves to have their pictures taken with each other looking busy. Trash the students as always, save the adults a good photo op.
The Back to School Fair seems to be a nice thing: last year I got lots of helpful community information from the different booths. But didn't we learn something from the Indiana State Fair? Weather can change so quickly, and we already KNOW that Montgomery County is under a tropical storm watch. Those tents, and their poles, would act like big kites in a 40 mile/hour wind. I don't understand why they couldn't have moved it to next weekend.
ReplyDeleteLyda Astrove
PS: Tropical Storm Warning for Montgomery County remains in effect:
ReplyDeleteTROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT...
... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FINAL PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE COMPLETED BEFORE CONDITIONS DETERIORATE. THE ONSET OF GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAINS CAN CAUSE OUTSIDE ACTIVITIES TO BECOME DANGEROUS. SECURE LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS WHICH CAN BE BLOWN AROUND. IF YOU LIVE IN A MOBILE HOME... LEAVE IT FOR MORE SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER.
EMERGENCY MESSAGE: 8/26/2011 at 6:14 PM -- Refresh page to update message
ReplyDeleteDue to emergency weather conditions related to Hurricane Irene, the Montgomery County Public Schools Fourth Annual Back-to-School Fair scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, August 27, is cancelled.
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/