"You had rain falling over sub-freezing air, and that caused a period of freezing rain, which, because the ground was so cold, stuck to everything, including roads," Hoffmann said. "It falls and it freezes on the surface, so it gets very treacherous very quickly, which is exactly what happened."</s>A blast of cold air caused rain and wet roads to freeze across the Eastern U.S., triggering airport delays in the nation’s capital and major traffic pileups in Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. Authorities say two people were killed in a chain-reaction accident in Baltimore involving a tanker carrying gasoline that skidded off a highway and exploded.

Baltimore City Fire Chief Roman Clark said two people were killed and at least 15 were injured in the 55-vehicle accident and tanker explosion on Interstate-95. Clark said the tanker careened off the highway, fell over a jersey wall and burst into flames.

Clark said it’s too early to say whether the crash was caused by slick roads, although scores of traffic accidents were being reported across the region due to icy roads.

“The roads were very icy,” Clark said. “We have nothing but sheets of ice throughout the city, sidewalks,” he said.

Officials have not released the names of the two people killed in the crash. Clark said it’s unclear whether the pileup started before the tanker crash or was caused by the incident.

Earlier Saturday, Bob Maloney of the Baltimore City Office of Emergency Management was quoted by WBAL-TV as saying that at least 30 cars were involved in an accident on northbound I-95.

Baltimore County said on Twitter that between 15 and 20 vehicles were involved in a crash on I-695 near Rosedale. Six people were taken to the hospital.

The National Weather Service has issued a wintry weather advisory for the Baltimore area, meaning that periods of sleet and freezing rain through noon will lead to slippery roads and limited visibility.

In Virginia, meanwhile, State Police say 41 traffic crashes were reported in the northern part of the state. It was unclear how many were due to slick roads. One fatality was reported.

Authorities in Ohio say a Columbus woman was killed Saturday after her car skidded off a slick road.

Two airports serving the nation’s capital are experiencing delays or cancellations Saturday.

Washington Dulles International airport reopened two runways after having to close all runways for more than three hours due to icy weather. Wintry weather forced the airport to halt all flights early Saturday. The airport says two runways reopened for flights as of 10 a.m., but that travels should expect residual cancelations and delays.

A spokesman for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority says Reagan Washington National Airport is operating normally, but some flights may be delayed or cancelled due to bad weather along the East coast.

A spokesman for Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport says the weather is causing some delays and cancelations but no runways have been closed.

In central North Carolina, light freezing rain has caused scores of traffic accidents, adding to the road mayhem scattered throughout the Eastern U.S.

Police and emergency workers reported more than 100 crashes overnight Saturday in Raleigh and Charlotte as the drizzle combined with temperatures below freezing for approaching 40 hours combined to create dangerous icy patches.

Charlotte police reported two people dead in separate fatal crashes early Saturday, although investigators are still trying to figure out if ice caused the wrecks.</s>The accident on Interstate 95, which occurred at about 5 a.m., left two people dead, including the driver of the fuel truck, said Lieutenant Kevin Ayd, spokesman for the Maryland Transportation Authority Police.

The fiery pileup was one of dozens of crashes in the Baltimore-Washington area as freezing rain slowly accumulated into an icy sheet on roadways in the early morning darkness.

A second multi-vehicle crash occurred at about the same time along Interstate 95 in Baltimore, part of a major north-south corridor along the U.S. East Coast. One person was killed in that accident when one of the drivers exited his vehicle and was struck by oncoming traffic.

In the 55-vehicle pileup, a bystander's video shows the skidding fuel truck hitting a barrier and flipping over in a gap between the north and southbound lanes. As the fireball spread, approaching cars and trucks can be seen attempting to stop but instead plowing into one another.

"I want to share my deepest condolences to those affected by this morning's multi-vehicle crash," Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said in a statement. "Today's icy road conditions remind us all that it is imperative to exercise extreme caution due to severe weather."

The crash forced the closure of the northbound lanes on the highway. Photos posted online showed dozens of emergency vehicles and tow trucks on the scene.

"We do not know when I-95 will be reopened," Ayd said. "We urged motorist to stay off the road until conditions improve."

A winter weather advisory was in effect for the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., area until noon, according to the National Weather Service, as snow and freezing rain gave way to a wintry mix or rain across much of the Eastern Seaboard.

The NWS said at 10 a.m. that the heaviest weather had moved into the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, while the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes regions continued to see a mix of precipitation.

Warnings and advisories remained in effect throughout much of the country, stretching from the central Rocky Mountains to the East Coast. Dangerously cold conditions, in part due to high winds, were still being reported in the central plains and the Mississippi Valley.</s>A winter storm of snow, freezing rain and bone-chilling temperatures socked the nation’s mid-section and East Coast on Saturday, causing hundreds of accidents on icy roads and putting a crimp on Christmas shopping.

At least nine deaths were blamed on the slick roads and authorities were investigating a few other traffic fatalities as possibly weather-related. Perhaps the biggest accident happened in Baltimore, when a tanker carrying gasoline skidded off a highway and exploded, authorities said.

Two people died in the nearly 70-vehicle pileup on Interstate 95, authorities said. Hospital officials said nearly two dozen people were treated for injuries including broken bones and head trauma.

Warning: The below video contains coarse language!

Baltimore City Fire Chief Roman Clark said it was too early to determine the cause of the crash.

It was unclear whether the pileup started before the tanker crash or was caused by it. The northbound lanes of I-95 were closed while crews cleaned up the mess.

Winter weather advisories were posted from Denver to Bangor, Maine. Airports reported hundreds of flight delays or cancellations, interstates and toll roads reduced speed limits and authorities urged drivers to use extreme caution.

The nasty weather put a damper on holiday plans for Luke Perez, who was hoping to make it home to Los Angeles on Saturday for a family party. Perez’s flight out of D.C., where he is in graduate school, was cancelled, so he said he’s going to try again Sunday or Monday.

“My family has a Christmas party ... and I was hoping to make it to that tonight, but that’s not going to happen anymore,” the 23-year-old said.

There were dozens of crashes in Indiana — two of them involving fatalities — due to freezing rain and ice, officials said. It was not immediately clear how many people were killed. The roads were so slick that authorities had to move motorists stranded on an overpass with a ladder.

In Ohio, a Columbus woman died Saturday when her car skidded off a slick road, authorities said. In another accident in Baltimore, six people were taken to the hospital after a crash on I-695 involving 15 to 20 vehicles, Baltimore County tweeted. In Nebraska, Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies said one person was killed Friday night when his car slid off an icy road north of Omaha, hit a tree and burst into flames.

Temperatures plummeted and people braced for the cold. Temperatures in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area were expected to drop to minus-20 degrees overnight. People were advised to stay indoors for the weekend. The low temperature was expected to reach 4 degrees in Chicago on Sunday.

Portions of six states, from Missouri to Mississippi, were under the threat of tornadoes or severe thunderstorms.

In Virginia, a Fairfax County fire truck slid off an icy road while responding to a crash, local news media reported. No one was injured.

Meanwhile, more than three dozen crashes and a fatality were reported in the northern part of the state, authorities said. Police said a man was found dead on the side of I-495, about a mile from a 23-vehicle crash. It appears the man was involved in the crash and had walked away from disabled vehicle. It wasn’t immediately clear how the man died.

At least three highway deaths Friday in Missouri are being blamed on icy conditions. The Missouri State Highway Patrol crash reports ay a 13-year-old girl died from injuries suffered in an accident when a tractor-trailer lost control on ice on Interstate 44, striking a Jeep Renegade driven by the girl’s mother. Reports say two men, ages 72 and 56, died in separate accidents when the vehicles they were in went out of control on ice.

In Colorado, up to a foot of snow fell in places, snarling traffic. Even weather-hardened locals apparently had trouble driving.

“I worked for the fire department for 45 years, and we used to call this highway hockey because people keep bumping into each other,” said Kevin Sweeney, of Brighton, a town about 20 miles northeast of Denver. “I think it’s that first big snow thing.”

In North Carolina, police and emergency workers reported more than 100 crashes overnight in Raleigh and Charlotte as the drizzle combined with temperatures below freezing to create dangerous icy patches.

Charlotte police reported two people killed in separate fatal crashes early Saturday, although investigators were still trying to figure out if ice caused the wrecks.

Associated Press writer Steven K. Paulson in Denver contributed to this report.</s>Ski instructor and skateboarder Dennis Baltimore, 35, formerly of Hermosa Beach, died Sunday, December 11, in a skiing accident shortly after completing a ski instructor training session at the Northstar California ski resort, north of Lake Tahoe. He was skiing down a beginner’s slope on his way to his locker when a snowboarder lost control and ran into him, Baltimore’s girlfriend Jillian Torrez told the “Reno Gazette Journal.”

In effort to avoid the snowboarder, Baltimore veered off the course and into a creek, hitting a rock, Placer County Sheriff Sgt. Mike Hunt told the “Gazette.”

Baltimore worked as a ski instructor at Northstar and a Ropes Course instructor at Heavenly Ski Resort. He moved from Hermosa Beach to the Tahoe area five years ago and was living in Incline Village, Nevada with Torrez and their six month old daughter Zoe.

“When he lived in Hermosa, he was a pro level skateboarder who was a regular at the Hermosa skatepark, where he helped all of us learn to skate” Hermosa resident James Ryan said.

Baltimore was born in Tarzana, the only son of Mary Baltimore and Dale Carley. He leaves behind his daughter Zoe, his girlfriend Jillian, his mother Mary, and his father Dale. He also leaves behind a brotherhood of friends in both the South Bay and Lake Tahoe areas.

A paddleout and scattering of his ashes will be held in Hermosa on a date to be announced. Funeral services will be held at Cornerstone Community Church of Incline Village on a date also to be announced. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to a fund for his daughter at GoFundMe.com. ER

comments so far. Comments posted to EasyReaderNews.com may be reprinted in the Easy Reader print edition, which is published each Thursday.</s>A winter storm of snow, freezing rain and bone-chilling temperatures socked the nation’s mid-section and East Coast on Saturday, causing hundreds of accidents on icy roads and putting a crimp on Christmas shopping.

At least six deaths were blamed on the slick roads and authorities were investigating a few other traffic fatalities as possibly weather-related. Perhaps the biggest accident happened in Baltimore, when a tanker carrying gasoline skidded off a highway and exploded, authorities said.

Two people died and at least 15 were injured in the 55-vehicle pileup on Interstate 95, Baltimore City Fire Chief Roman Clark said. He said it was too early to determine the cause of the crash.

“We have nothing but sheets of ice throughout the city, sidewalks,” Clark said.

It was unclear whether the pileup started before the tanker crash or was caused by it. The northbound lanes of I-95 were closed while crews cleaned up the mess.

Winter weather advisories were posted from Denver to Bangor, Maine. Airports reported hundreds of flight delays or cancellations, interstates and toll roads reduced speed limits and authorities urged drivers to use extreme caution.

There were dozens of crashes in Indiana – two of them involving fatalities – due to freezing rain and ice, officials said. It was not immediately clear how many people were killed. The roads were so slick that authorities had to move motorists stranded on an overpass with a ladder.

In Ohio, a Columbus woman died Saturday when her car skidded off a slick road, authorities said. In another accident in Baltimore, six people were taken to the hospital after a crash on I-695 involving 15 to 20 vehicles, Baltimore County tweeted. In Nebraska, Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies said one person was killed Friday night when his car slid off an icy road north of Omaha, hit a tree and burst into flames.

Temperatures plummeted and people braced for the cold. Temperatures in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area were expected to drop to minus-20 degrees overnight. People were advised to stay indoors for the weekend.

In Virginia, a Fairfax County firetruck slid off an icy road while responding to a crash, local news media reported. Meanwhile, more than three dozen crashes and a fatality were reported in the northern part of the state, authorities said.

In North Carolina, police and emergency workers reported more than 100 crashes overnight in Raleigh and Charlotte as the drizzle combined with temperatures below freezing to create dangerous icy patches.

Charlotte police reported two people killed in separate fatal crashes early Saturday, although investigators were still trying to figure out if ice caused the wrecks.</s>(CNN) Blasts of cold air mixed with freezing rain have created treacherous road conditions throughout the United States over the weekend, causing multiple-car pileups and fatalities.

At least six people died in Virginia, Maryland and Oklahoma because of the dangerous road conditions, authorities said.

A 55-vehicle crash on a icy stretch of Interstate 95 in Baltimore, Maryland left at least two people dead and motorists stranded for hours about 5 a.m. Saturday, according to Chief Roman Clark, a Baltimore Fire Department spokesman. Fifteen people were taken to hospitals.

A video posted on social media showed a fuel truck flipping over a median on the interstate near the Washington Boulevard exit before erupting in flames. A man is heard asking, "What is going on?" as flames and dark smoke rise from under the highway.

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said good Samaritans helped pull people out of cars.

"This is the worst accident that we've seen," she said.

Emergency vehicles descended on the scene, stalling traffic for miles and leading authorities to urge stranded motorists on both sides of the interstate to "remain warm and calm and shelter in place" in their cars, Clark said.

The cause was under investigation, but Clark described road conditions as "very slippery."

In northern Virginia, authorities responded to more than 40 traffic accidents, some involving multiple vehicles, according to the state police.

One person was killed after a multi-vehicle crash at 5:12 a.m., Saturday, on Interstate 495 in Fairfax County, police said.

The man appeared to have been involved in a 23-vehicle collision -- including two tractor trailers -- under "slick and treacherous" road conditions, according to the state police. His body was found on the shoulder of the interstate about one mile north of the accident scene. An autopsy was to be performed.

On Thursday, three people were killed in weather-related accidents around Oklahoma City, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.

At Dulles International Airport, just outside Washington, D.C., icy conditions forced the closure of runways for part of the morning. Two runways were reopened about 11 a.m. Saturday.

Nationally, there were 2,000 flight cancellations, according to FlightAware.

The brutal blast of frigid air is bringing bone-chilling winds and subfreezing temperatures across the country this weekend.

The National Weather Service warns that the massive system will produce heavy snow from parts of northern California to the Great Lakes.

Its reach will extend into the southern Rockies and New England.

Here's what you can expect:
• Nearly 50% of the country will see temperatures dip below freezing Saturday and Sunday.
• With the wind chill, temperatures could reach 35 below zero in the Midwest and Northeast on Saturday.
• Nearly 75 million people are under winter weather advisories

Arctic air plunging in behind a cold front is making its way across the Eastern Seaboard on Sunday morning, according to meteorologists.

Bitterly cold temperatures and dangerous windshield factors swept across Montana to Texas through the Great Lakes.

Potentially life threatening wind chills as low as 50 degrees below zero are expected in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Colorado and Idaho.

Portions of Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota could get the coldest air the region has seen in two years.

New York, Washington and Boston had extremely cold temperatures Saturday, with the wind chill ranging from minus 10 to minus 35 degrees in some locations from Pennsylvania up into Maine.

Strong winds have already been an issue, with gusts in excess of 60 mph in some locations, including areas along Cape Cod.

A roller coaster ride of temperature swings are in store for parts of the country in the coming week.

Warm air is expected to surge into the Southeast, where it could meet with the storm system through much of Saturday as it crosses the Mississippi Valley. A wintry mix of rain and snow can be expected in parts of some areas that were close to freezing on Thursday evening in the deep South could see near-record highs ahead of the next push of bitter cold air.

But the respite may be brief as the next arctic blast is expected to impact areas stretching from the Plains into the western Great Lakes, causing temperatures to plummet below zero Sunday.

This weekend's game between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers could be the coldest since the Bears started tracking kickoff temperatures.

The previous record was set December 22, 2008 -- also against the Packers. The kickoff temperature was 2 degrees, with a frigid 13 below zero wind-chill temperature.

Chicago is poised to break that record Sunday.

The Buffalo Bills on Saturday made an appeal for snow shovelers at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York. The pay is $10 an hour, plus lunch and dinner and a complimentary ticket for those working four hours or longer. The Bills play the Cleveland Browns Sunday afternoon.

Rain, wind, and snow are also impacting a majority of California from this new round of weather that has moved in from the Pacific. Some areas have seen more than seven inches of rain with wind gusts in excess of 50 mph.

Upcoming western coastal storms will usher in frost and freeze warnings in California along with gusty wind and mountain snowfall Saturday. Officials also are concerned about possible mudslides, triggered sometimes when heavy rain hits drought-stricken areas.</s>Maryland State Resources Activated, Respond to Dangerous Travel Conditions

 State Agencies Working With Local Partners to Keep Marylanders Safe

ANNAPOLIS, MD – As many areas of Maryland faced dangerous road conditions due to a weather pattern consisting of rain, which partially washed away pre-treatment materials that had been applied to roads in advance of the precipitation, followed by sleet and/or freezing rain, Governor Larry Hogan directed state emergency management, transportation, and law enforcement agencies to work closely with local jurisdictions to provide needed support.

“As the winter storm season begins, we urge all Marylanders to use caution when traveling, closely monitor weather and road conditions, heed all warnings from state and local authorities, and have a safety plan in place for emergencies,” said Governor Hogan. “Maryland remains ready and committed to activating all necessary state resources to keep all Marylanders safe this winter season.”
• Monitoring weather forecasts in anticipation of possible refreezing on Sunday night/Monday morning.
• Preparing staff for virtual operations in the event the situation warrants further coordination and support to state and local partners for Sunday and Monday.
• Virtually enhanced State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) status to coordinate activities in support of Baltimore City as a result of the numerous accidents in and around the Baltimore metropolitan area, including the fatal accidents on I-95.
• MEMA central region Regional Liason Officer (RLO) virtually coordinated activities with the Baltimore City Office of Emergency Management.
• As of 1:00 PM Saturday, MD State Police responded to 330 crashes across the state in the past 24 hours.
• Troopers are working with Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration personnel to remove stuck cars off roads, so road clearing operations can continue more effectively.
• MDOT’s State Highway Administration (SHA) and the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) staff and contract forces have been responding overnight and today with 1,200 pieces of equipment and 380,000 tons of salt on hand.
• There are currently 98 salt domes across the state.
• Starting Thursday morning through Friday night, crews pre-treated interstates and other major roads with salt brine.
• Despite pre-treating of Maryland roads and bridges, rain came first washing off much of the treatment and reducing the effectiveness of what was left. MDOT continued to salt throughout the night and morning.
• MDTA police leading accident investigations with support from MD State Police and Baltimore Police Department.
• MDTA police, emergency operations and maintenance, Baltimore Police Department, SHA, and multiple fire departments and first responders assisted with recovery and detours following I-95 tractor trailer crash, in which 55 vehicles were ultimately involved.
• Along other state highways, SHA Statewide Operations Center crews have worked 244 incidents and disabled vehicle events since midnight.
• Activated Family Reunification Hotline, 1-888-756-7836, to check on those involved in I-95 tractor trailer crash.
• Responded to incident to deal with potential issues related to cargo on tanker truck.</s>(CNN) A brutal blast of frigid air sweeping across the United States wreaked havoc on roads in Virginia and Maryland, leaving at least three dead in multi-vehicle wrecks Saturday, authorities said.

A 55-vehicle crash on a icy stretch of I-95 in Baltimore left at least two people dead and motorists stranded for hours about 5 a.m. Saturday, according to Chief Roman Clark, a Baltimore Fire Department spokesman. Fifteen people were taken to hospitals.

A video posted on social media showed a fuel truck flipping over a median on the interstate near the Washington Boulevard exit before erupting in flames, CNN affiliate WBAL reported. Clark confirmed the video showed the I-95 crash.

[GRAPHIC] This is video of a fuel tanker sliding over the rail on I-95 this AM and EXPLODING shortly after. (via Marvellous Amasiacu) #WBAL pic.twitter.com/A49YrqNn89

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh said good Samaritans helped pull people out of cars.

95 in Baltimore .Multivehicle accident. Roads are extremely icy. I guess they forgot the treat the roads. #winter2016 #baltimore @fox5dc pic.twitter.com/tbCsKa8ulC

"This is the worst accident that we've seen," she said.

Emergency vehicles descended on the scene, stalling traffic for miles and leading authorities to urge stranded motorists on both sides of the interstate to "remain warm and calm and shelter in place" in their cars, Clark said.

The cause of the wreck was under investigation but Clark described road conditions as "very slippery."

In northern Virginia, authorities responded to more than 40 traffic accidents, some involving multiple vehicles, according to the state police.

One person was killed after a multi-vehicle crash at 5:12 a.m. on Interstate 495 in Fairfax County, state police said.

The man appeared to have been involved in a 23-vehicle collision -- including two tractor trailers -- under "slick and treacherous" road conditions, according to the state police. His body was found on the shoulder of the interstate about one mile north of the accident scene. An autopsy was to be performed.

At Dulles Airport, just outside Washington D.C., icy conditions forced the closure of runways for part of the morning. Two runways were reopened about 11 a.m.

Nationally, there were 1,870 flight cancellations, according to FlightAware.

The dangerous conditions arrived as some people started their holiday travel early.

"If you don't have to go out on the roads, we would ask that you just stay in at this time until the temperatures rise," Clark told CNN.

In Indiana, the Wayne Township Fire Department and the Indianapolis police used a ladder to evacuate stranded drivers from I-465.

Police in Marion and Hendricks counties responded to nearly 200 accidents, 36 involving injuries, between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m., according to the Indianapolis police.

In northwest Missouri, I-29 reopened to traffic Saturday after dozens of drivers were trapped in their cars the night before, CNN affiliate KQTV reported.

The frigid air blast is bringing bone-chilling winds and subfreezing temperatures to millions across the country this weekend.

The National Weather Service warns that the massive system will produce heavy snow from parts of northern California to the Great Lakes.

Its reach will extend into the southern Rockies and New England by Saturday.

Here's what you can expect:
• Nearly 50% of the country will see temperatures dip below freezing Saturday and Sunday
• With the wind chill, temperatures could reach 35 below zero in the Midwest and Northeast on Saturday

Major coastal cities in the Northeast will see a changeover from snow to rain by Saturday evening.

A strong storm over the central Rockies will move northeast to New England by Sunday morning.

Potentially life threatening wind chills as low as 50 degrees below zero are expected in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Colorado and Idaho.

Portions of Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota could get the coldest air the region has seen in two years.

New York, Washington and Boston had extremely cold temperatures Saturday, with the wind chill ranging from minus 10 to minus 35 degrees in some locations from Pennsylvania up into Maine.

Strong winds have already been an issue, with gusts in excess of 60 mph in some locations, including areas along Cape Cod.

A roller coaster ride of temperature swings are in store for the next week.

Warm air is expected to surge into the Southeast, where it could meet with the storm system through much of Saturday as it crosses the Mississippi Valley. A wintry mix of rain and snow can be expected in parts of Some areas that were close to freezing on Thursday evening in the deep South could see near-record highs ahead of the next push of bitter cold air.

Houston could break a record high temperature on Saturday of 81 degrees.

But the respite may be brief as the next arctic blast is expected to impact areas stretching from the Plains into the western Great Lakes, causing temperatures to plummet below zero Sunday.

This weekend's game between the Chicago Bears and the Green Bay Packers could be the coldest since the Bears started tracking kickoff temperatures.

The previous record was set December 22, 2008 -- also against the Packers. The kickoff temperature was 2 degrees, with a frigid 13 below zero wind-chill temperature.

Chicago is poised to break that record Sunday.

The Buffalo Bills on Saturday made an appeal for snow shovelers at New Era Field in Orchard Park, New York. The pay is $10 an hour, plus lunch and dinner and a complimentary ticket for those working four hours or longer. The Bills play the Cleveland Browns Sunday afternoon.

Rain, wind, and snow are also impacting a majority of California from this new round of weather that has moved in from the Pacific. Some areas have seen more than seven inches of rain with wind gusts in excess of 50 mph.

Upcoming western coastal storms will usher in Frost and Freeze warnings in California along with gusty wind and mountain snowfall Saturday. Officials also are concerned about possible mudslides, triggered sometimes when heavy rain hits drought-stricken areas.

As millions of people take to the roads over the holiday weekend, snow and ice will make for dangerous driving conditions on the roadways, the National Weather Service warns.

Drivers in Raleigh, North Carolina have been advised to stay home and avoid travel due to the inclement conditions.

"Freezing rain is causing traffic-related issues throughout Raleigh at this hour," the Raleigh Police Department said in a memo Saturday.

"As is typically the case, bridges and overpasses were the among the first areas to have issues due to icing, but the problems are widespread and not limited to those locations."</s>A new federal report on Baltimore City touts the successes of initiatives undertaken in the wake of civil uprising in Charm City following the death of Freddie Gray while in police custody in April 2015.

Eighteen months ago, President Obama established a special Taskforce for Baltimore City comprised of federal, state and local agencies and local leaders which he tasked with leveraging federal resources to tackle some of Baltimore’s deeper social and economic issues that were laid bare by the unrest.

“You have impoverished communities that have been stripped away of opportunity, where children are born into abject poverty… if we think that we’re just going to send the police to do the dirty work… then we’re not going to solve this problem,” the president said April 28, 2015 when asked about the unrest.

“If our society really wanted to solve the problem, we could,” he continued. “It’s just it would require everybody saying this is important, this is significant — and that we don’t just pay attention to these communities when a CVS burns, and we don’t just pay attention when a young man gets shot or has his spine snapped. We’re paying attention all the time because we consider those kids our kids, and we think they’re important.”

The task force identified three priority areas into which it would invest: jobs, public health and safety, and creating long-term prosperity. And, together with city and state agencies and non- and for-profit organizations, the Obama administration initiated efforts to address those issues.

To address Baltimore’s relatively high 7.4 percent unemployment rate, for example, the U.S. Department of Labor awarded a discretionary $5 million grant to launch the new One Baltimore for Jobs Initiative, which has to date enrolled 650 people in training programs, awarded 419 new workforce credentials and placed 208 people into jobs. City, state and federal agencies also worked together to boost the youth summer program by 60 percent, employing 6,000 more young people over two years; provided training and loans to existing and potential small business owners and organized a new “Made in Baltimore” campaign to promote Baltimore-created brands across the country, among other steps.

To address public health and safety, the Department of Justice launched an investigation into the Baltimore Police Department and provided additional support to aid in its crime-fighting; worked with the Education Department to provide millions in funding to address violence and aggression in schools and provide counseling for children who witness violent crimes and other agencies also provided funding to help sustain the city’s current Safe Streets program, which tries to interrupt the cycle of violence in certain at-risk neighborhoods.

To help create a foundation for lasting prosperity, according to the report, the Obama administration invested $20 million in TIGER grants to streamline transportation operations at the Port of Baltimore and North Avenue; the American Communities Trust worked with the U.S. Economic Development Administration, Baltimore City and the State of Maryland to launch a new food hub in East Baltimore to support workforce training and entrepreneurship and federal and city agencies are funding the first comprehensive park plan for Charm City since 1926; among other initiatives.

The report noted that the work accomplished over the past 18 months reflects efforts by the White House to re-imagine federal-local partnerships.

“Far too often, the Federal Government has taken a ‘one-size-fits-all approach to working with communities and left local leaders on their own to navigate Federal resources and programs,” the report noted. However, the work in Baltimore reflected a more collaborative approach that sought solutions from the bottom up.
Two people are killed and at least 15 are hospitalized following a 55-vehicle accident, involving a gas tanker explosion, on Interstate 95 in Baltimore, Maryland, as cold air causes rain and wet roads to freeze across the Eastern U.S. Three other deaths are reported from other accidents in the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area. At least six people have been killed in total on icy roads.