Camp Springs Civic Association

Prince George’s County’s Department of Public Works and Transportation (DPW&T) will conduct its Annual Snow and Ice Dry Run exercise on Friday, October 25, 2013, beginning at 4 a.m.

“As the new Acting Director of DPW&T, this will be my first Snow Dry Run exercise,” said Darrell Mobley.  “I am committed to ensuring that our roadways are cleared and that the motorists in Prince George’s County will be safe throughout the upcoming winter weather season.”

Media is invited to participate in a ride-along with drivers, interview Mr. Mobley and the staff and/or join command staff at DPW&T’s state-of-the-art Traffic Response and Information Partnership (TRIP) Center located at 8414 D’Arcy Road in Forestville.  The TRIP Center is DPW&T’s coordination hub for snow and emergency related information/activities with public safety agencies and state or regional transportation management centers.

The Dry Run provides an opportunity for inclement weather emergency procedures to be tested before the winter weather strikes.  Safety inspections of all vehicles and evaluations of operational procedures and communication systems allow for any remaining pre-season Snow and Ice Control Program adjustments before inclement weather hits.

More than 400 DPW&T employees, engineers, administrative staff, project coordinators and bus drivers, as well as crews from other County agencies that partner with DPW&T in snow and ice operations, participate in alternative duty assignments ranging from snowplow drivers and safety inspectors to supply monitors and customer service representatives.

Drivers follow their assigned routes to familiarize themselves with the routes, time their runs and conduct inspections to identify any hazardous road conditions that need to be addressed.

The County’s newly installed Automated Vehicle Locator (AVL) system, which allows for tracking of all County and contractor snow vehicles to determine where a particular vehicle is or has been, will be monitored from the Command Center.

For more information and/or to schedule a ride-along, contact Carol Terry at 240-695-7874

Prince George’s County police are searching for a man who they believe shot and killed a hotel employee Monday night in Oxon Hill.

Shortly after 10 p.m., a man with a handgun entered the lobby of the Clarion Hotel in the 6400 block of Oxon Hill Road and demanded money, police said. The man later shot an employee who worked in the hotel bar.

The man fled, police said, and remains on the loose.

When police arrived at the hotel, they found the victim suffering from an apparent gunshot wound to the upper body. He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The victim’s name was withheld pending the notification of relatives.

Read more: Washington Post