Tropical Storm Isaias barreled up the coast Tuesday, bringing damaging winds and buckets of rain that flooded some D.C.-area roadways.

But how does Isaias stack up to other tropical disturbances that have hit the D.C. region?

For one thing, Isaias is far from the worst storm to impact the region, but it does share something with those other more powerful storms: a common first letter.

The D.C. region seems to attract “I-named” storms.

For example, the last hurricane to directly impact the region was Irene in 2011. The storm made landfall on Aug. 27, 2011, near Cape Lookout, North Carolina, as a Category 1 storm and brought heavy rainfall to the region 鈥� up to 11.5 inches in some areas in Southern Maryland.

In 2004, the remnants of Hurricane Ivan spawned several tornadoes in Maryland and Virginia 鈥� the largest outbreak ever in Virginia.

The year before that, in 2003, Hurricane Isabel brought tropical storm force wind gusts and surge flooding. Then-Virginia Gov. Mark Warner called it “probably the worst storm in a generation.”

Isabel was the deadliest, costliest and most intense hurricane in that Atlantic hurricane season, according to meteorologist Chris Strong with the National Weather Service in Sterling, Virginia.

“It’s a very devastating track for storms coming at us directly rather than something that’s coming more up the coast,” he said. “And Isabel was just massive amounts of tidal flooding and trees down, knocking power out to many, many people.”

However, earlier storms packed even more powerful punches to the region.

Another storm that was the worst to hit the region in terms of the powerful winds was in 1954: Hurricane Hazel brought wind gusts of 98 mph and set a record that has yet to be broken.

Back-to-back Hurricanes Connie and Diane in 1955, as well as Agnes in 1972, were just as destructive 鈥� but through major flooding instead of high winds. Agnes dumped more than 12 inches of rain in a short amount of time, washing away homes and roads, and killing 13 people in Virginia and 19 people in Maryland.

WTOP/Michelle Basch

WTOP/Michelle Basch

WTOP/Michelle Basch

WTOP/Michelle Basch

Michelle Basch/WTOP

Good news! Packing away the sandbags outside LaPalapa Grill and Cantina, on Main Street. Flood-prone Ellicott City has weathered hours of steady, but not torrential rain.

— Neal Augenstein (@AugensteinWTOP)

Compromise Street by the City Dock area in Annapolis. Water is just below knees if you walk in... which I saw someone do by accident.

— Nick Iannelli (@NickWTOP)

Kate Ryan/WTOP

WTOP/Dave Dildine

Courtesy Montgomery Co. Fire and Rescue/Pete Piringer

WTOP/Dave Dildine

Tiber River, flowing through new culvert under Ellicott Mills Drive, which replaced aging metal one blown out in 2018 flash flooding. Water level has gone up slightly in past few hours, but still well within banks. No water to speak of flowing down Main Street.

— Neal Augenstein (@AugensteinWTOP)

Neal Augenstein/WTOP

Neal Augenstein/WTOP

Neal Augenstein/WTOP

It鈥檚 coming down in Old Town Alexandria. Businesses lined with sandbags as we brace for the potential impacts from Tropical Storm

— Melissa Howell (@Mhowell003)

WTOP/Melissa Howell

WTOP/Melissa Howell

(1/19)

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, the group behind the proposed Initiative 81, said it has collected more than 35,000 signatures in support of such a move. It takes 25,000 valid signatures for any measure to appear on a ballot.

The group submitted the signatures to the D.C. Board of Elections before Monday’s 3 p.m. deadline. The board has 30 days to verify the signatures.

Officially titled the , the proposal would make enforcement of laws against substances such as “magic” mushrooms, ayahuasca, ibogaine and other entheogens among the lowest law enforcement priorities for D.C. police.

Supporters of Initiative 81 said psychedelic therapy that comes from fungi and plants can help those experiencing anxiety, depression and PTSD, among other conditions.

“Today is a milestone for D.C.,” said Melissa Lavasani, the chairwoman of Decriminalize Nature DC. “Voters in our nation鈥檚 capital have made clear that they are ready to end another piece of the war on drugs and to support their neighbors who, like me, have found relief in entheogenic plant and fungi medicines.”

If enough signatures are verified, D.C. would join to decriminalize psychedelics in the November general election.

In 2019, voters in Denver, Colorado, to decriminalize hallucinogenic mushrooms.

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A new pair of shoes honors retired Brig. Gen. Charles E. McGee, one of the last living Tuskegee Airmen.

The 100-year-old, who lives in Bethesda, Maryland, has been honored with a low-top sneaker adorned with insignia and markings from the P-51 Mustang fighter bomber he flew during 136 combat missions in World War II.

The shoes are , a nonprofit organization which helps tell the story of both the Airmen and the Women Airforce Service Pilots. The shoes cost $59. Shoes are custom-made-to-order, handcrafted and available in men鈥檚 sizing. All funds from each purchase will go toward the organization’s educational outreach efforts.

McGee served for 30 years in the military, and flew 409 total combat missions, the most of any U.S. service member. He was promoted to brigadier general from colonel on Feb. 4 in a .

Two days before the promotion, McGee and three other veterans, each 100 years of age, participated in the coin toss at the 2020 Super Bowl in Miami, Florida.

Retired Tuskegee Airman Air Force Colonel Charles McGee spoke with WTOP’s Kristi King in December 2019, when he turned 100 years old:聽

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The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration is beginning construction this week on the dedicated bike lane and narrower travel lanes on a 1-mile stretch of Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, between Cedar Lane and the Capital Beltway.

The 5-foot-wide lane will be built with an added 2-foot-wide safety buffer between it and the travel lanes.

The construction of the bike lane will take place as part of an existing resurfacing project already underway. Intermittent lane closures will continue to take place along Old Georgetown Road weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and overnight Sunday through Thursday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Work is expected to be completed in the fall.

The dedicated bike lane was approved after two teen bicyclists were struck by cars along the stretch of Old Georgetown Road in two separate incidents in 2019.

Jacob Cassell, 17, of Bethesda, was hit by a car on July 31 and suffered life-threatening injuries after falling from the sidewalk onto the roadway while biking at Beech Avenue. Cassell died in a hospital the next morning.

Following Cassell’s death, At-Large Montgomery County Council Member Hans Riemer made a plea for improved safety options along the stretch of roadway.

On Nov. 8, a 13-year-old girl was struck by a car while riding through a crosswalk near the on-ramp to the Beltway from Old Georgetown Road.

Here’s a map of where the construction will take place.

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In celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the holiday usually means churches attract their biggest crowds of the year.

With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, most cities and states are under mandatory stay-at-home orders, and those orders are having an impact on the spending Americans would normally undertake for the holiday.

A new survey from WalletHub, a consumer credit and financial information website, found that 68% of those who responded said their Easter spending will be .

Specifically, WalletHub asked what items people would spend less, or no, money purchasing this year. The survey found 42% will not purchase any Easter candy. A similar number also said they will forego buying Easter outfits and food specifically for an Easter meal.

Monetary donations to churches are also expected to take a hit this year, though 66% intend to donate a similar amount this year, compared to last year. About 27% plan to donate less this Easter. More than 1-in-4 surveyed said they would donate at least part of their coronavirus stimulus check to a religious organization.

Many Americans are still worried about their own financial situation as the coronavirus outbreak continues. But 68% of those asked in the survey said they are actually more worried about COVID-19 itself than the U.S. economy.

One positive to the pandemic, is that more Americans are feeling appreciative of personal feelings. Of those who responded, 40% said they are most grateful for their family, with 30% grateful for their health, and 13% for their freedom.

You can read

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For adults, navigating the ever-changing developments of the coronavirus outbreak can sometimes be challenging at best.聽It can be even more difficult for children to process even the basics.

That is what inspired two Montgomery County, Maryland, women to author a new book, “.”

The book is free to download and inside are simple illustrations, with answers to questions kids may be frequently asking parents and other caregivers.

Co-authors Meredith Polsky and Arlen Gaines have written other books that deal with similarly difficult topics, such as cancer, death and divorce.

Initially geared toward children with autism spectrum disorder and other special needs, the new coronavirus edition is designed for all children.

“We started to think about how we were going to approach this with our own children,” said Polsky.

“That led us to use our already established template that helps families deal with really difficult topics, and just got to work quickly.”

and Polsky also works in special education.

“We do use our expertise with supporting children and families in difficult families… times of loss, and change and transition,” Gaines said.

“It’s how we can help during this time of uncertain feelings.”

The pair said while using metaphors to explain what is going on in the world can work for some children, others need more plain language to help better understand the situation.

“This book is straightforward, with clear language and answered the questions that kids really have,” said Polsky.

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Gaines added it is OK for parents and others to not have all the answers.

“We are dealing with uncertainty and it can be hard when we can’t answer certain questions. There are suggestions and tips, so that the scope can be broadened, to help them think about things and tactics that have helped them through similarly difficult conversations in the past,” Gaines said.

One important aspect of the process, according to the two, is for adults to take care of themselves, so they can be at their best to take care of their children.

“Self-care should be a major focus for parents as much as possible,” said Gaines.

“It will mean in the end, they can be more effective at helping others get through this difficult time.”

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Law enforcement and other officials have said that people who are not properly discarding those products when they’re done with them are creating an unnecessary risk of exposure for those tasked with cleaning up the litter, as well as the public.

The problem is at its worst outside major supermarkets and big-box retailers, where soiled gloves, masks and wipes dot a number of parking lots.

indicates that strains of the coronavirus 鈥� including early studies of the new virus that causes COVID-19 鈥� can remain infectious on surfaces for several hours and up to several days, depending on the environmental conditions.

indicate most items are designed to be for “single-use only,” which means it can only be used once before it should be discarded.

The items should be removed 鈥� taking care to not have any of the exposed items touch body parts or other surfaces 鈥� and promptly disposed in a proper waste bin dedicated only to cleaning waste.

When it comes to disinfecting wipes, experts stress they , even if the manufacturer has labeled it as being OK to do so. The wipes can add stress to overworked municipal sewer systems, as well as pipes inside homes and businesses.

Health officials said the best way to prevent contamination is to regularly and thoroughly wash hands. People who continue to wear gloves and masks for protection need to take responsibility for their proper disposal.

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With concerns about the coronavirus prompting stay-at-home orders in place for the foreseeable future, ridership is down. Despite that, the companies all say they will continue normal operations, for now.

As a result of and guidelines, the companies have modified their cleaning and sanitizing protocols, and they’ve also added new safety practices.

Here’s a compilation of what some of the shared transport providers are doing during the coronavirus outbreak:

Capital Bikeshare

is disinfecting high-contact surfaces each time a bicycle is returned to the company depot. Bikes at docking stations are being cleaned, with a special focus on high-traffic stations. Transport vans are disinfected at the start of each shift.

In addition, Capital Bikeshare has a number of stations surrounding the Tidal Basin and National Mall.

Helbiz

Helbiz, which is new to D.C., is implementing cleaning procedures similar to Capital Bikeshare, adding that it’s taking to ensure the safety of its employees.

JUMP

operates both bicycle and scooter-sharing in D.C. The company said it has increased how often employees clean its bicycles and scooters. Uber said it’s also disinfecting all JUMP vehicles going to and from its warehouses.

“Staff responsible for handling JUMP vehicles are wearing gloves and washing their hands often. We will be vigilant in our cleaning process, but we also encourage riders to clean the handles of their vehicle before and after use (for instance, with a disinfectant wipe),” said Susan Hendrick, a spokeswoman at Uber, in a statement to WTOP.

The company is urging as many people as possible during the coronavirus pandemic.

Lyft

are disinfected each time vans transport the vehicles and when scooters are docked for recharging. Employees when cleaning and disinfecting.

Skip

and it said it’s following from the CDC, the World Health Organization and local authorities.

Spin

of its scooter fleet disinfection, with a particular focus on the upper-mast and handlebars. Work spaces within Spin are cleaned daily.

In addition, to help healthcare providers get to and from medical facilities, Spin is providing free 30-minute rides, as well as free helmets, to .

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One outcome that is emerging from the mandated stay-at-home orders and other local initiatives related to the coronavirus pandemic is less traffic on D.C.-area roadways.

But the potential for improved air quality remains to be seen, at least for now.

The official , or AQI, forecast for the D.C. region on Wednesday was 21, although the actual number fluctuated throughout the day. Any number under 50 is considered “good” by the Environmental Protection Agency.

But there has been no significant change to the AQI since stay-at-home orders were first implemented.

“I would say, right now, the air quality is about the same as it typically would be this time of year,” said , a research scientist with the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University.

And that is primarily because the weather has a large role in air quality, said Goldberg, who holds a doctorate in atmospheric and oceanic science.

For example, Goldberg said wetter-than-normal conditions would yield cleaner-than-normal air quality.

Fewer cars on the road would have a positive impact on emissions. But more heavy delivery trucks and buses could negate any gains made from personal cars staying parked, said , associate professor of environmental and occupational health and global health at George Washington University.

“We also have continued emissions from power plants and other sources that may not be affected by social distancing,” said Anenberg, who holds a doctorate in environmental science and engineering and environmental policy.

She added that research will be ongoing during the stay-at-home orders and long after they are lifted.

“The easiest thing to do would be to look at the days before social distancing started and the days after,” Anenberg said. “The longer this goes on, the more observable a signal we may see.”

Maryland Secretary of the Environment Ben Grumbles is encouraged by , as more residents begin teleworking procedures.

“The silver lining to the stay-at-home and less traffic is less air pollution. Our monitors, our scientists and our satellites are confirming that,” he said.

Grumbles added that this moment in U.S. and world history could prove to be a turning point in how people approach air pollution.

“We’re working with scientists from NASA and the University of Maryland to really seize on this opportunity, to build in future practices that reduce smog and greenhouse gases, and use the transportation sector to help achieve those environmental goals,” Grumbles said.

Grumbles added that as agencies and businesses embrace teleworking like never before, “This is a great opportunity to use the technologies, to help reduce the amount of energy and pollution that would otherwise be caused by traffic and other actions.”

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The coronavirus outbreak prompted Mark Sussman, co-founder and CEO of , to begin developing a new feature 鈥� “” 鈥� within the D.C.-based app. It is designed to crowdsource a tally of essential items stores have in-stock and on shelves in real-time.

“We got a call last week from the D.C. government, and were asked if we could temporarily pivot the OurStreets app to gather the availability of the most important supplies: hand sanitizer, toilet paper and fresh foods like fruits and vegetables,” said Sussman.

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Where available supplies are at any given point is key, Sussman said, because people tend to roam from store to store if they can’t find what they need, which is inadvisable during the current pandemic.

OurStreets Supplies will have features for users to generate real-time reports, while retailers frequently update their own supplies on shelves, to help customers minimize the number of trips made to stores.

“It’s crowdsourcing to its max,” said Sussman. “Think of it as Waze for toilet paper.”

The feature, set to launch next week, is contained within the existing . It will be free for users, as well as for retailers and municipalities for the first 60 days of operation.

Sussman hopes it will reduce the risk of unnecessary exposure.

“People and retailers have to contribute to this for it to work,” Sussman said. “Everybody needs to start cataloging what the stores have. It will then take off the pressure from store workers, who can then better do their job.”

on Friday became the first retailer and distribution company to sign on to “OurStreets Supplies.”

“We are thrilled to partner with OurStreets to provide consumers with easy access to find essential items around the city,” said Cullen Gilchrist, Union Kitchen Founder and CEO.

Union Kitchen is a food business accelerator, which has worked with over 500 businesses, including Snacklins, Compass Coffee, EAT Pizza and Caribe Juice.

“Our local supply chain is more important than ever as we see stock outs and long lines in grocery stores. Collectively, with D.C. food manufacturers, we can provide solutions and a degree of normalcy to our community,” said Gilchrist.

In addition, Sussman said “OurStreets Supplies” will benefit the population most vulnerable to long-term exposure in public spaces during the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“Think about that senior citizen that needs to go to the store to get the items they need, or someone who has a preexisting condition,” said Sussman. “Those folks need to know exactly what store to go to, and whether or not it’s safe for them to shop there.”

D.C. is among the cities being targeted to support OurStreets Supplies upon its launch.

“Pittsburgh, Cleveland, San Jose and a number of smaller cities and towns in-between are also in talks to partner with OurStreets,” said Sussman.

In the meantime, Sussman stressed the feature is not to be used for those already well-stocked on essential supplies to use it for their own extended selfish buying.

“Hoarding is the exact antithesis of what we’re trying to accomplish,” said Sussman. “If you already have a sufficient supply of toilet paper, don’t just go and get more toilet paper. Supply to the stores is not a problem. We’re hoping that people will not hoard, they’ll act responsibly, and act as if in the same way that others want to act towards them, like the Golden Rule.”

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Food trucks have become a ubiquitous sight on streets and in office parks across the D.C. region.

Yet since government stay-at-home orders have taken effect during the coronavirus outbreak, sales have all but dried up for most truck operators.

Zack Graybill, chairman of the , said normal operations are completely gone.

In one informal poll of association members conducted by Graybill, 39% of operators said two weeks ago, they had encountered three or more cancellations of regularly scheduled bookings of their trucks.

鈥淟ast week, the number jumped to 89%,鈥� said Graybill, who is also co-owner of .

He added that his company alone had 15 canceled locations in the past week, leading to 90% of its workers being furloughed as well as a drastic reduction of labor hours for those still working.

Graybill said he is pessimistic that the outbreak, and subsequent restrictions, will be resolved anytime soon.

鈥淲hat I鈥檝e been telling our members is to plan for all of April to not be open,鈥� said Graybill.

For those trucks still on the streets, the situation has forced operators to become more creative in creating revenue.

Graybill said a number of trucks are now traveling to more residential areas, and other spots deemed 鈥渇ood deserts鈥� that otherwise encounter difficulty with normal food delivery service.

Employees of those trucks are implementing stronger restrictions, .

鈥淥ur employees are wearing multiple gloves, constantly wiping surfaces, using hand sanitizer, and other precautions merely as step No. 1,鈥� said Graybill.

He has encouraged anyone who believes food trucks would be welcome in their neighborhood, to contact the DMV Food Truck Association for more information, or to directly contact individual operators.

Graybill said many truck operators are applying for , or in D.C., small business recovery microgrants.

The Association is also looking to organize fundraising efforts for workers who are temporarily out of work. It has set-up a , to allow for trucks to operate for hospitals, National Guards and other first responders, with proceeds going to furloughed truck workers.

Graybill also noted an existing that is working to accomplish the same goal.

鈥淭here’s a combination of great talent in the food truck industry, and then just really thoughtful food truck supporters, who’ve launched various initiatives on their own, to try things out,鈥� said Graybill. 鈥淭here鈥檚 still hope things will work out.鈥�

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The U.S. Senate passed the nearly 900-page bill Wednesday.

The Kennedy Center has been shuttered since March 13, initially canceling all performances through March 31, though the closure was later extended to May 10.

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The initial proposal had set aside $35 million for the Kennedy Center, but the amount was later negotiated down to $25 million, a move approved by President Donald Trump.

In a news conference Wednesday, Trump said he was a fan of the Kennedy Center, despite not initially being in favor of the funding in the relief bill.

鈥淭he Kennedy Center has suffered greatly, because nobody can go there, it’s essentially closed. And they do need some funding,鈥� said Trump.

In a message released before the Senate passage of the bill, the Kennedy Center said it 鈥渋s extraordinarily grateful that Congress has recognized our institution鈥檚 unique status and has included funding in its legislation to ensure that we can reopen our doors and stages as soon as we are able.鈥�

As part of the language of the bill, the Kennedy Center’s Board of Trustees must provide the House and Senate Appropriations committees a detailed report of the usage and distribution of the money.

Funding also included in the bill for the arts: $150 million for federal grants to state and local arts and humanities programs and $75 million for Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

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It鈥檚 a move that has impacted thousands of workers, who now find themselves without a steady source of income for the foreseeable future.

New efforts are now attempting to provide financial assistance for those involved.

One effort sees D.C. bar and event space Hook Hall joining forces with the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington. They have started 鈥淗ook Hall Helps,鈥� a coronavirus worker relief service.

Donations of essential supplies, such as toilet paper, dry goods and prepared meals, are assembled daily.

Hook Hall owner Anne Valero said their work began quickly once rumors of a shutdown began circulating among restaurant workers.

Hungry? These restaurants are open for takeout and delivery

鈥淲e realized we could still get access to a lot of those supplies from our vendors,鈥� said Valero. 鈥淭he inspiration actually came from our own workers.鈥�

Once Hook Hall was closed to the public, Valero and her employees began putting together the care packages in its expansive space.

The packages include fresh bread and fruits. So far, more than 2,500 have been helped.

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Those out of work can stop by Hook Hall, at 3400 Georgia Avenue NW, daily from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to pick up the care packages and hot meals.

and Valero said money is greatly needed to sustain the effort at this time.

Another initiative is allowing people to donate directly to restaurant workers and bartenders who are not currently working.

Impacted workers fill out a short Google Form, adding where they work, along with their Venmo/CashApp/PayPal handles, and some other details and then they can use

Their information is added to an ever-growing spreadsheet. The website generates a random name from the spreadsheet each time you visit, but a link is available to the entire list of names.

Maggie Winters Gaudaen, Creative Director with January Third, said while the spreadsheet had been created days before, she got in touch with its creators, to make it more prominently available via a dedicated website.

鈥淢ore than 4,000 are now on the spreadsheet, and it really shows how great our restaurant and bar scene here is,鈥� said Gaudaen. 鈥淚 love being able to see that it鈥檚 my favorite bartender from Right Proper, or the server I always go to at The Royal, and being able to donate directly to the people that I know, and want to make sure that we鈥檙e all supporting each other.鈥�

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify that Hook Hall is a bar and event space.聽

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From 28,000 essays by school students of all ages across the country, the space agency has narrowed its list of finalists to exactly nine. They are:

• Clarity
• Courage
• Endurance
• Fortitude
• Ingenuity
• Promise
• Perseverance
• Tenacity
• Vision

Two D.C. region kids are among the finalists: Arlington elementary school student Oliver Jacobs suggested “Endurance,” while Springfield middle school student Alexander Mather came up with “Perseverance.”

Public voting on the name through Monday, Jan. 27. The winner will be announced March 15th.

NASA’s currently unnamed 2,300-pound robot is set to blast off Earth this summer. After landing on Mars’ Jezero Crater in February of 2021, the rover will hunt for signs of past microbial life, collecting samples for eventual return to Earth and helping pave the way for future human exploration.

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Shut Down DC, a network of local activists advocating for urgent action to mitigate climate change and fossil fuel use, said they would “hang banners over the sides of overpasses at a number of well-traveled locations so they will be visible to commuters during morning rush hour.”

“Our idea is to do it all over major roadways and NoVA and Maryland as well as all around D.C. We have a lot of banners. Last time I saw, it was over a hundred yards of rolled fabric so it’s going to be quite a bit,” activist Travis Fried told WTOP news partner NBC Washington.

“We need people to recognize that this is happening and that this is the truth. It’s not something you can hide,” activist Jesse Bogdan said.

Shut Down DC shared images on their Twitter feed of two banners they had placed over the I-395/Southwest Freeway eastbound around 7 a.m. Monday. They read “climate emergency, no time left for business as usual,” along with a link to their website.

More going up over the parkway. It鈥檚 a

鈥� Shut Down DC (@ShutDown_DC)

7th st overpass over the beltway. It鈥檚 a

鈥� Shut Down DC (@ShutDown_DC)

“If you thought shutting down D.C. was a big deal, then wait for the spring,” the group later said on Twitter. “Prepare for the biggest act of climate civil disobedience in American history.”

Activists with the organization blocked major D.C. intersections during morning rush in September and December of last year.

WTOP’s Alejandro Alvarez contributed to this report.

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