Watergate has bomb scare
The Watergate complex received a bomb scare early Thursday morning after a restaurant employee at the hotel reported a suspicious package to Metropolitan Police. The package, which turned out be harmless, led MPD to keep students from exiting the Hall on Virginia Avenue for at least half an hour.
MPD responded and closed down Virginia Avenue in front of the Watergate, directly across the street from HOVA, a residence hall housing 500 freshmen.
“The suspect device was well back in the Watergate complex,” said John Petrie, GW’s assistant vice president for public safety and emergency management. “MPD told (University Police) HOVA was safe, and UPD directed students away from the Watergate and onto campus.”
MPD’s bomb squad prepared to detonate the device and had UPD lock down the dorm while it went through the procedure to detonate the package in a controlled manner. The bomb squad ultimately realized the device was not an explosive, and UPD reopened HOVA.
The scare came as city officials were stepping up security ahead of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and G-7 meetings on Friday and Saturday.
“There was never a threat to people in HOVA initially,” Petrie said. “And there was no threat to people on the street until the detonation procedure.”
?Nathan Brill
GW produces national radio program
GW is teaming up with XM Satellite radio to produce a national radio program that will profile the city’s best attractions.
The weekly, one-hour show, “GW Presents from the Nation’s Capital,” aired its first program Sunday at 6 p.m. The show is set to air every Sunday on XM public radio, channel 133.
The first shows will feature tours of the World War II Memorial with war correspondent Richard Hottelet, an overview of the Spy Museum with a former CIA agent and the “Baseball as America” exhibit with former Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller.
Counseling Center offers depression screenings
The Counseling Center will offer free, confidential depression screenings for students and the public Oct. 7.
Graduate counselor interns from the Department of Counseling and Human and Organizational Studies will conduct the screenings, with the supervision of faculty, in accordance National Depression Screening Day.
Screenings and general information about depression will be available from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Graduate School of Education and Human Development building, located at 2134 G St.
-Caitlin Carroll