Major traffic congestion expected for Christmas tree lighting near White House - WTOP Morning Headlines - Thursday, November 30, 2017

Tonight is the night that traditionally traffic gets snarled in downtown D.C. as roadblocks go into effect for the National Christmas tree lighting. By early afternoon, you will find streets near the White House closed. All of the roadblocks will remain in effect until 8 p.m. [Logo](#) MORNING HEADLINES - November 30, 2017 [mobile-header-ad]( [alt text here]( [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Major traffic congestion expected for Christmas tree lighting near White House]( Tonight is the night that traditionally traffic gets snarled in downtown D.C. as roadblocks go into effect for the National Christmas tree lighting. By early afternoon, you will find streets near the White House closed. All of the roadblocks will remain in effect until 8 p.m. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Bluetooth scam hits drivers at area gas stations]( Hackers are striking gas stations around the D.C. region in a new scam where they attempt to access drivers' personal information using Bluetooth. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Transurban: Waiving 495 Express Lanes tolls would not have helped traffic much on Wednesday]( Wednesday morning's crash near the American Legion Bridge made the commute a nightmare. Should the Express Lanes tolls have been waived to open up traffic? And when can those tolls be waived? [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Not Putin up with it: DC Council wants street name change near Russian Embassy]( The D.C. Council is working on legislation that would publicly criticize Russian President Vladimir Putin by changing the name of a section of street outside the Russian Embassy to honor pro-democracy Russian leader Boris Nemtsov. Sponsored by Visit Frederick [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Great shopping destinations in Downtown Frederick]( Downtown Frederick is a great place to knock out all of your holiday shopping at once! Celebrate the season of giving and find that perfect gift at these great specialty shops. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [What fun events are happening this month?]( December is here. See what to see and do during this most wonderful time of the year. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Redskins, Cowboys and their faint playoff hopes]( Injuries and suspensions have decimated both teams, leaving Thursday's showdown as a last chance for each team. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Puppy love: Expert digs deep into relationship between people and pets]( Do you have some questions about why you’re so pet-obsessed? One expert takes a look at these questions in his new book. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [US troops get freeze-dried plasma for battlefield bloodshed]( All of the U.S. military’s special operations fighters sent off to warzones and raids now have an essential addition to their first-aid kits: freeze-dried blood plasma. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Post-Weinstein, Lauer: A reckoning for fans of fallen heroes]( When it comes to fandom, it’s reckoning time for Matt Lauer, Garrison Keillor and scores of other men accused of sexual wrongdoing. Hero celebrities have fallen before, but never in the rapid succession that has rocked so many worlds since revelations about Harvey Weinstein exploded into the mainstream in October. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Orbital ATK shareholders approve $9B Northrop Grumman merger]( The merger is now expected to close in the first half of 2018, and will create a company with nearly 80,000 employees worldwide. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Holiday display company: Next best thing to Santa’s workshop]( At a warehouse behind some of New York City’s most beloved holiday displays, it always looks a lot like Christmas. See photos. - [Holiday shopping: Desire for deals, but some impulse buying]( [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Md. couple convicted of fleecing elderly man for $1.2M]( A Montgomery County couple bought a house, put their daughter through art school, and gambled away $1.2 million they stole from a wheelchair-bound man with dementia for whom they were supposed to be caring. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [VA altering policies after widespread failure to report bad doctors]( Responding to a scathing audit, the Department of Veterans Affairs says it will investigate and discipline hospital administrators who do not report doctors' misconduct or malpractice to a national database. Sponsored by ReadyDC [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Disasters don’t plan ahead, you can]( Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria have shown us disasters are very real and could happen to you. Are you ready? Not sure where to turn? Talking about disasters can be tough, but the best way to keep your family safe is to get ready now. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Cava Mezze founders plan new Md. restaurant]( The new restaurant, called Julii, will be what they call a French-Mediterranean twist. It will open in North Bethesda's Pike & Rose development. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [More Metro track problems found during new inspections]( Some of the track problems found by federal inspectors rose to the level of requiring immediate repairs on the Blue and Yellow lines. Partnership [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [The Power of WTOP in the palm of your hand]( Download our FREE New App! [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Protect your pooch: FDA says dog bone treats could be deadly]( There’s real paws for concern when it comes to canine “bone treats” found in stores, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Va. governor pledges $125M more for Metro]( Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe spoke about his plans to increase funding for Metro, the need for a new standard to prevent sexual harassment, plus the outcome of the Virginia House of Delegates races. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Suit challenging Md. school system’s transgender policy dropped]( The suit challenged a measure in Frederick County Public Schools that allows students to choose which bathroom to use based on the gender with which they identify. FEDERAL NEWS RADIO [alt text here]( [What to remember (again) about your pay and benefits during a government shutdown]( Lawmakers have yet to strike a deal to keep the government open past Dec. 8, leaving federal employees to consider, again, the possibility of a government shutdown. 3400 Idaho Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20016 Unsubscribe | View this email in your browser If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely [unsubscribe](.