Are you reading this on your phone because you’re out of power or connection due to the snow storm? Let me help you. I wish I could provide you with a beer, some hot Thai takeout, a deep tissue shoulder massage after you shoveled out your front walk, but since I’m snowed in too, these are the best virtual pressies I can provide.
Hypothermia Hotline – If you see a homeless person, calll 1 (800) 535-7252 IMMEDIATELY
PepCo – Report an Outage 1 (877) PEPCO-62, Report Downed Wires (202) 872-3432
PepCo Stormcenter – Shows areas out of power
BGE - 1-877-778-2222
Dominion - 1-888-667-3000
Allegheny Power – 1-800-255-3443
Montgomery County Plowing of Roads - Highway Services at 240-777-6000, FAQs
“Plowing and salting major county roads. All crews will continue this process until all precipitation stops and all major county roads and primary neighborhood streets are cleared. After a 24-inch snowfall [stops falling], our crews should complete the work in about 48 to 60 hours.”
Metro Service – No above ground service or Metrobus running, below-ground service active until 11pm, modified service schedule here . Glenmont to Forest Glen service running in Silver Spring. Yellow Line – Pentagon to Crystal City, Red Line – Medical Center to Union Station and Glenmont to Forest Glen, Orange Line – Ballston to Stadium-Armory, Green Line – Fort Totten to Congress Heights, Blue Line – Ballston to Stadium-Armory.
In The District – call 311 for downed trees, Montgomery – 240-777-6000, Prince George’s – 301-499-8600, Fairfax – 703-383-8368.
Locate a Towed Car in The District – You may have been blocking the plow. Call (202) 727-5000.
Washington Gas – Customer Service for interuptions in service (703) 750-1000
“To avoid the possibility of an interruption in gas service, Washington Gas would like to remind its customers to clear any accumulated snow from their natural gas meters and regulator vents as well as any appliance exhausts using hands, a brush or broom.”
Comcast – 1-800-COMCAST (1-800-266-2278), Live Chat with Customer Service
Verizon -1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966), Live Chat with Customer Service
Cox -703-378-8422, Live Chat with Customer Service
Reminder: It’s every resident’s responsibility to shovel out his/her entrance to his/her residence, sidewalk and driveway.
Scrabble domination strategy tip, for those of you in family board game land: save your “S” tiles to simply make plural your adult opponent’s best high-scoring words. Do it even if you could score higher using your own tiles. It ticks them off so much it messes with their strategy and mires them in self-doubt. Also, hoard your A, E, I, N, R tiles for maximum chances at using all seven of your tiles for the 50 point bingo bonus. (These tips are from an anonymous devoted but devious wife and The Imperial Valley Student Scrabble Tournament Champion, 1988 and 1989.)
Trivial Pursuit best guesses: Your first instinct is usually right, don’t overthink it. Say only last names, because if you only have the last name you’re right, but if you verbalize an incorrect first name, you’re out. Stumped? Always guess, never pass. When in doubt, guess Muhammad Ali for all-around sports stuff, Ted Williams for baseball, China for country questions involving technology or population, Japan for country questions about weird practices, Stephen Sondheim for Broadway/musicals/songs, Katherine Hepburn for Best Actress.
How To Win at Monopoly: Buy all railroads, skip the utilities, never sell a much-needed property to your opponent no matter how sweet the deal, get hotels on the purples by Go and the oranges by Free Parking.
Good night and good luck!
