Today is a Day that Will Live in Infamy, as FDR Once Uttered: King v Trump, and What About all that Cold Air in our Midst!

Today – January 20, 2025 – is a day of significant contrasts. On the one hand, it is the official holiday celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. Most employees and students at area schools, banks, state and federal agencies and many other businesses and organizations have the day off, as part of a long weekend. On the other hand, today is Presidential inauguration day in Washington D.C., in which Donald Trump has regained the nation’s highest office, winning the Electoral College and the Popular Vote.

King, who was assassinated in 1968, was a Baptist minister, activists and political philosopher, who preached non-violence as a path to change. His “I Have a Dream Speech,” delivered in 1963 on the March on Washington, turned him into one of the most transformative leaders of the Civil Rights Movement. Trump, who is entering his second term as President, is promising to change the status quo inside the Beltway and throughout the country by jump starting deportations, increasing fossil fuel development, and reducing civil service protections among many other proposals – including slapping tariffs on goods produced in China, Canada, and Mexican entering the United States – that many will also deem transformative.

Regardless of where you stand politically, the next four years will be disruptive – both good and bad – on many levels. Fasten your seat belts, we’re in for quite a ride!

Meantime, the weather outside is frightful. While we’re not in the eye  of the Polar Vortex per se, we are seeing our temps dip to unseasonably low levels this week. The Polar Vortex is a significant sliver of cold air that is flowing down from the Arctic Circle into the Mountain West, the Midwest, and the East Coast. You might have noticed that theTrump inauguration ceremonies were held inside because of the cold snap enveloping Washington D.C.

Our temps on Bainbridge Island and through Kitsap County are at the freezing point and below, and will stay here for the next day or two, before warming slightly. To assist local residents, who may be in need, the City has activated the Severe Weather Shelter (SWS) at the Senior Community Center through Tuesday night. The SWS is open to all guests who need a safe and warm location to shelter from freezing night-time temperatures. Guests may check in between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. After hours check in is not permitted unless escorted by police or fire personnel, or if a guest has made a previous arrangement with the Shelter Manager of Emergency Manager. Shelter check-out is 7 a.m.

To stay up to date with the latest information about inclement weather alerts, sign up for Nixle notifications.

Cold-Weather Preparedness

As temperatures drop, it’s important to be prepared for wintery conditions. The following measures should be taken to keep yourself and your loved ones (including your pets!) safe.

• Insulate windows and doors to prevent heat loss.

• Have chimneys and flues inspected yearly.

• Ensure smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are operation and keep spare batteries on hand.

• Limit the amount of time bare skin is exposed to cold temperatures and avoid going outside with wet hair or clothes

• Bring pets indoors and remember that if it’s too cold for you, it’s probably too cold for them!

• Keep your home and car stocked with emergency supplies.

For more information about inclement weather preparedness, visit the City website.

One last event happening on this day is the College Football Playoff Championship Game between Norte Dame and Ohio State. Game time 4:30 PST.

Some words and images from Wikipedia, the Associated Press, and the City of Bainbridge Island. 

If you’d like to read more articles from The Island Wanderer Blog website, click here, to subscribe to The Island Wanderer Blog, click here.

ADVERTISE WITH US! We offer exceptional rates and packages for advertisers, to learn more, contact us at Contact Us | THE ISLAND WANDERER