Published January 13, 2011

What a beautiful morning in Boston… that is, after you’re done digging out.

A state of emergency remains in effect, as some 6,000 homes and businesses are still without power and more than 250 schools are closed or starting late for the second day. (Channel 5 has the most up-to-date list.)

The Boston parking ban was lifted at 9 a.m. Times vary; check your town’s website.

Gov. Deval Patrick is asking drivers to slow down and be courteous. “Take it easy when you’re out there, and please yield to the clean-up crews,” he said. “I know people will be back out on the roads going to work, i understand that and welcome that. Just keep an eye out for the people working on your behalf.”

Patrick says he does not know yet how much this cleanup will cost — just that it will cost “a lot.”

In other news… Vicki Reggie Kennedy says, for goodness sake, she is not running for her late husband’s Senate seat. The Globe speculates: Who’s next?

The JFK Library opens its archives online today. I’ll be talking more about this on Radio Boston.

Boston University is leading a study of Alzheimer’s and dementia in China as the country starts to tackle the disease.

And we’re expecting a possible announcement of a new president at the University of Massachusetts.

Published January 12, 2011

A Twitter hash tag I started this morning turned out to be a big hit. WBUR followers are sharing photos of the view from their windows — be it home, car or office.

All you have to do to participate is look out the window, snap a photo, share it on Twitter and include #ViewFromMyWindow in the text. Follow the live stream after the jump.

Continue reading →

Published January 11, 2011

Stay warm and stick with Hubbub for the latest on Boston’s first blizzard of 2011. Refresh for the latest updates. Newest on top.

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6:10 p.m. At the press conference, Gov. Patrick said that he’s optimistic Thursday’s morning commute won’t be hugely impacted by Wednesday’s storm.

“The subway, commuter rail and ferry services should be normal in time for the morning commute,” Patrick said.

5:33 p.m. Gov. Deval Patrick has started his press conference. You can watch it live, courtesy of NECN.

5:30 p.m. All that snow that just fell? Hope you like it. Forecasters are predicting cold temperatures for Boston through the holiday weekend, so the snow won’t be melting any time soon.

5:27 p.m. Gov. Deval Patrick is set to brief the public on the latest #BosBlizz developments. When that happens, we’ll bring you live coverage courtesy of New England Cable News.

4:50 p.m. The WBUR newsroom has an update on statewide power outages. There are still about 25,000 customers without power, down from a high of around 100,000 customers earlier. The outages are focused on the Southeastern part of the state.

4:32 p.m. Phelps is taking a short break. My colleagues will post updates in my stead.

4:30 p.m. The MBTA reports good news for commuters:

All Green Line branches are now open. Service on the D and E lines has resumed.

3:45 p.m. @mattyven reports the power is back on in Coolidge Corner:

3:20 p.m. Although the worst is over, WCVB-TV meteorologist David Brown tells Radio Boston we should expect three to four more hours of snow, particularly in South Boston.

3:16 p.m. Gov. Patrick will hold a news conference at 5:15 today. We’ll carry the video live on wbur.org.

3:15 p.m. Good news — fewer power outages:

As of 2:30 p.m., with the storm’s tenacity finally abating, nearly 80,000 homes were without power — mostly in southeastern Massachusetts — down from a high of 100,000 outages.

Many homes won’t have power restored till Thursday morning.

2:36 p.m. The Globe posted a cool time-lapse video.

2:14 p.m. Inspired by Georgy Cohen in Somerville, I ventured outside and filed a video snow report from my own apartment on Concord Avenue in Cambridge. (Thanks to WBUR’s Joe Spurr for being my cameraman — he crashed here last night to avoid snow travel.)

2:10 p.m. Update from the newsroom:

Forecasters say the worst of the nor’easter is over.

The storm dumped upward of a foot of snow in some parts of greater Boston, up to two feet in Central Mass. and even more in Western Mass.

Nearly 100,000 homes are without power, mostly in the southeastern part of the state, with Marshfield, Plymouth, Brockton and Bridgewater appearing to be hit hardest.

Weymouth Deputy Fire Chief Jonathan Tose says his priority is making sure downed electric lines are not posing a threat there.

“We have a backlog of calls, and we’re trying to prioritize the calls as far as wires are down,” Tose said. “We’re trying to find out if it’s a power line as opposed to cable or  telephone line.”

National Grid says it hopes to have most customers back online by Thursday morning.

1:16 p.m. Great picture submitted to our Flickr group from Paul Keleher in Dover:

12:55 p.m. Gov. Deval Patrick has declared an emergency.

12:48 p.m. Transportation update from the newsroom:

• On the MBTA, there are delays on most commuter rail lines.
• T General Manager Richard Davey said there are very few people out, except at the Charles/MGH Red Line stop. “I think we had a lot of medical personnel probably going to the hospitals this morning,” Davey said.”We’ve seen very little ridership throughout the system.”
• Amtrak has suspended service between Boston and New York after a large tree fell, damaging overhead wires.
• State police are responding to cars stuck in the snow and spin-outs. There are 130 extra troopers on patrol.

12:02 p.m. I set up a live stream of #ViewFromMyWindow photos. Pretty cool!

11:24 a.m. Awesome video snow report from radiofreegeorgy in Somerville:

[youtube url=”EmwyEWwOXZE”]

This gives me the idea to record my own dispatch here in Cambridge.

11:17 a.m. It’s funny, we hyped the last storm much more — but this one seems to be dumping more snow and wreaking more havoc. The snowfall prediction has been revised to two feet.

10:34 a.m. @zackseward comes in with an explanation of “freezing fog,” also called, erm, hoar frost, from Wikipedia:

Freezing fog occurs when liquid fog droplets freeze to surfaces, forming white soft or hard rime. This is very common on mountain tops which are exposed to low clouds. It is equivalent to freezing rain, and essentially the same as the ice that forms inside a freezer which is not of the “frostless” or “frost-free” type. The term “freezing fog” may also refer to fog where water vapor is super-cooled, filling the air with small ice crystals similar to very light snow. It seems to make the fog “tangible”, as if one could “grab a handful”.

Let’s review two weather terms we learned today: Snowthunder, freezing fog.

10:20 a.m. Wait—WBUR’s Delores Handy just said “freezing fog.” That’s a thing?!

10:03 a.m. Oh, dear. WBUR updates:

As of 9:30 a.m., more than 87,000 homes were without power, mostly in southeastern Massachusetts.

9:47 a.m. Dispatch from The Onion: Snowy Conditions Proving Hazardous For Nation’s Idiots

9:33 a.m. This is the view from my window. What’s yours? Tweet or Flick us.

9:16 a.m. Update: Still snowing.

9:02 a.m. @peplau tweets:

I feel like New Englanders are getting soft on Winter. Our parents had a name for storms like today: Wednesday.

9:00 a.m. WBUR’s John Davidow reports hearing thundersnow in Newton this morning, a rare phenomenon with an awesome name. He says he also saw a flash of lightning. The NWS explains thundersnow:

Although thunderstorms are less common in the winter, sometimes lightning can occur within snowstorms and is called thundersnow. Thundersnow can be found where there is relatively strong instability and abundant moisture above the surface, such as above a warm front.

8:55 a.m. Delays galore on the T; follow @mbtaGM on Twitter for good updates.

8:41 a.m. The MBTA tweets:

Green Line D Branch: Bus replacement now in place between Newton Highlands and Riverside. Expect delays

8:35 a.m. …And MBTA.com is down.

8:27 a.m. @ChrisFollett informs us:

there’s a NY bound Acela train stuck on the tracks btween Mansfield & Attleboro

8:25 a.m. Delays on the Green D Line due to a fallen tree. The T says to expect delays on the Green Line.

8:20 a.m. Coming to grips with the fact that I’m a non-essential employee.

Wednesday, 7:36 a.m. Gov. Deval Patrick called the newsroom a few minutes ago, and he shared two current storm concerns:

1. Patrick said warmer-than-expected temperatures in eastern Mass. are making for heavier snow, meaning there are likely to be more power outages. (We’re totaling more than 60,000 outages across the state at the moment).
2. “The other main concern is that the snow is coming at a rate that it’s hard for the plows and sanders to keep up. When you get close to two inches an hour — in some cases three inches an hour — it’s really hard for the equipment to keep up, even with 4,000 pieces of equipment out on the road.”

7:55 p.m. Just a reminder: The city requires property owners to clear ice and snow from abutting sidewalks within three hours of snowfall, between sunrise and sunset. Even though the sidewalk in front of your house is city property, it’s your responsibility to shovel. (And it’s illegal to shovel snow from your property onto public property.)

7:43 p.m. Closures in Boston, from the city website:

• Parking ban will go into effect at 9 p.m. Alternate lots will open at 7 p.m.
• Non-essential city employees are directed to stay home.
• Businesses are asked to consider having employees work from home, particularly as the heaviest snowfall is expected during the morning commute.
• All trash collection for the remainder of the week will be delayed by one day, through Saturday.
• Boston Centers for Youth & Families will open 10 community centers on Wednesday from noon to 6 p.m. for families with childcare needs.
• Boston public libraries will be closed on Wednesday.

7:39 p.m. BU (Charles River Campus only) is closed.

6:02 p.m. Follow our comprehensive storm coverage over here. WBUR’s Benjamin Swasey is doing a great job with it.

6:00 p.m. It’s official, from @WBUR:

WBUR has decided to use #BosBlizz for all snow tweets.

5:52 p.m. This just in from NBC Chicago:

[youtube url=”ETMWINSMeOs”]

5:45: Globe: Logan Airport will remain open, but many flights are cancelled.

5:30 p.m. First time using an animated GIF in recent memory (updated 1/12 with live image):

5:01 p.m. Brookline Patch reports schools there are closed Wednesday.

There is some debate about whether #SnowMyGod or #HereWeSnowAgain is the hash tag for this storm. I also like #BosBlizz.

Blizzard warning issued. Blizzard, defined:

• Sustained wind or frequent gusts to 35 miles an hour or greater; and
• Considerable falling and/or blowing snow (i.e., reducing visibility frequently to less than ¼ mile)

Boston schools are closed Wednesday.

Snow emergencies declared:

• Waltham, playing it super-conservative, effective 6 p.m. Tuesday
• Somerville, effective 8 p.m. Tuesday
• Boston, effective 9 p.m. Tuesday (late enough to let Mayor Menino finish his State of the City address)
• Medford, effective at midnight
• Cambridge, effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday
• Brookline, effective 6 a.m. Wednesday

Check your town website for snow emergencies not covered here.

Published January 10, 2011

Today’s Photo of the Day is from WBUR’s Will Smith, who captured this solar phenomenon from his roof in Brookline on Sunday.

That isn’t lens flare or Photoshop — those sunny spots at the edges of a faintly visible halo are called sun dogs, apparently. I have never heard of this before, let alone witness it.

Wild!

Published January 10, 2011

At 2:02 p.m. on Saturday, WBUR was apparently first on Twitter to report — erroneously — that Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords had been killed by her attacker. I tweeted this on WBUR’s account:

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords has been shot and killed in Arizona. http://wbur.fm/fgOL3O

NPR News had just reported at 2:01 p.m. Eastern, on the air, that Giffords was dead. (In fact, she is still fighting for her life.)

The retweets came so fast and furiously that “WBUR” became a trending topic in Boston.

At 2:12 p.m., NPR News tweeted:

BREAKING: Rep. Giffords (D-AZ), 6 others killed by gunman in Tucson http://n.pr/fjnZW5

We now know that NPR used information from two unnamed sources who were wrong about Giffords’ condition. NPR followed up with a tweet explaining that there were conflicting stories. WBUR then retweeted that update.

Later, NPR apologized on air and on the Web for “a serious and grave” error. NPR’s Andy Carvin, who manages the network’s social media, decided not to delete the erroneous tweet and explained his position in a comment on the Lost Remote blog:

I can imagine if I had deleted it, we’d be reading news stories and blog posts today about NPR trying to cover our tracks on Twitter.

When push comes to shove, we made a mistake in our reporting, and my tweeting of it compounded that mistake. But when you coordinate social media for a news org, you have to work under the assumption that information we’ve already reported publicly on other platforms is correct. If I tried to second-guess our reporting before posting any given tweet, it would be tantamount to me saying that I don’t trust our own reporting, and our social media-based reporting would become paralyzed.

Those are the facts. Now for the opinions, starting with mine: I thought Andy acted appropriately, and I think we did, too. Our reporting is our reporting is our reporting, regardless of platform. And NPR’s reporting is WBUR’s reporting. (Likewise, NPR’s error is WBUR’s error.)

Now, should we delete the original, erroneous tweet? I asked this question of WBUR’s Twitter followers, and the response was rapid, impassioned and divided. Consider this sampling of unedited responses (there were many more):

Some of our Twitter followers, such as @opusaffair, told us to perserve the erroneous tweet but be vigilant about the retweets. In other words, if someone retweets the incorrect information, reach out to that person to explain that the information was wrong.

After it was reported that Giffords was still alive, only one person retweeted our erroneous tweet, and I responded personally. In hindsight, I wish I had later responded to everyone who retweeted the erroneous news.

We have decided NOT to delete the erroneous tweet, because it serves as part of the narrative of this story. Facts can change fast when news is breaking, and that leads to errors. We need to own the error, not hide from it. But we also need to rectify the error and explain ourselves to people who trust us. Deleting the tweet would do more to harm trust than perserving it would do to harm truth.

What do you think?

Published January 8, 2011

WBUR has been following the shooting in Tucson, Ariz., that critically injured Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and left six others dead, including a federal judge and a nine-year-old girl.

Support for Giffords is pouring in from her colleagues and other politicians around Massachusetts.

Rep. Ed Markey:

Today’s news of the shooting of my colleague Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, members of her staff and her constituents is shocking and horrifying, and my deepest condolences go out to the families of those who lost their lives today in such a senseless and tragic event. Gabby is a true Congressional Superstar – savvy, sharp, sincere and as sunny as the state she heralds from. Gabby was doing today what she loved best, and what all of us in Congress consider a great responsibility and a true honor – to meet with and listen to our constituents. My thoughts and prayers are with her and her family, and with all of those wounded today in the hopes for a full and speedy recovery.

Rep. John Tierney:

This is a terrible, personal tragedy and our hearts ache for Gabbie, her family, and her staff. Gabbie is a good person first, and a smart and honorable Member of Congress as well. This type of incident cannot be condoned if our nation is to continue as a Democratic Republic. Again, Patrice and I are shocked and saddened and will be thinking of Gabbie and her family, her staff, her constituents and our nation during this difficult time.

Rep. Niki Tsongas:

It was with great sadness and shock that I learned of the senseless attack against Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and over a dozen others in Tucson this morning.  Gabby is a wonderful, caring, and dedicated colleague and friend whom I have the pleasure of serving with on the Armed Services Committee.  It was just yesterday that we sat next to each and talked during a Democratic Steering Committee meeting.  My thoughts are with Gabby and her husband and all of those who are fighting for their lives at this hour and with the families who lost loved ones as a result of this horrible tragedy.

Former Gov. Mitt Romney:

Today’s horrifying shooting in Tucson shocks the conscience of decent Americans everywhere.  When such an unspeakable act occurs, and lives are taken in violence, we rightly respond with comfort and support because that is the only way we know to show that evil does not triumph over goodness in the world.  I offer my prayers to all the victims and their families, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, and look forward to the swift and harsh punishment that awaits the perpetrator of this cowardly attack.