Congress approves retroactive pay for furloughed federal workers
Congress has approved legislation that would retroactively pay federal government employees who have been furloughed due to the government shutdown, which is now more than three weeks old. The House passed the bill Friday, one day after the Senate did so. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, a Maryland Democrat who sponsored the Senate version, tweeted “as hundreds of thousands of federal employees get a paycheck for $0 today, they cannot afford to wait. Time to end the shutdown!” [Washington Post]
Purple Line to cost an additional $215 million
The planned 16-mile Purple Line, which is to connect Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, is estimated to cost an additional $215 million due to delays in construction. The original total cost was $5.9 billion, but last week it was reported that the line would not open until at least February 2023 –almost one year after the scheduled opening date. [Washington Business Journal]
Haller remembered at ceremony Saturday
Friends and family of Keith Haller gathered Saturday at the Columbia Country Club in Chevy Chase to pay tribute to the late communications professional and political strategist. Haller died last month at the age of 70. A number of politicians, including some members of the Montgomery County Council attended. Former U.S. Rep. Michael D. Barnes, who represented the 8th District in the 1980s, said Haller “made the impossible seem inevitable.” [Maryland Matters]
Rare breed of lobster arrives in shipment to Silver Spring restaurant
Only one in 30 million lobsters is a “calico” lobster according to the University of Maine, but one arrived in a shipment to Silver Spring’s Ocean City Seafood last week. The lobster, which arrived from Maine, has distinct speckled orange and black colors. It is being stored in a tank with plans to transfer it to an aquarium. [Fox 5]
Today’s weather
Temperatures will begin below freezing Monday, and the National Weather Service advises that any untreated surfaces will remain snow-covered. Temperatures will rise into the mid-30s as the day goes on.
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