In preparation for Tuesday’s NATO Summit in D.C., crews from a contractor installed tall, latticed steel fences on the sidewalk along the Ellipse near the White House.

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A small forklift unloaded pallets of the fencing onto the sidewalk on Monday morning while crews dragged and then assembled the fencing.

Most of the security fencing along the sidewalk isn’t blocking access to the sidewalk. It’s running parallel to the sidewalk to prevent someone from climbing over it. So pedestrians still have access to the sidewalk.

Fencing was already in place around the Mellon Auditorium and Washington Convention Center, where the summit will take place from July 9-11.

A number of roadway closures come into effect on Monday near Mellon Auditorium and White House and the Washington Convention Center.

Roadway, parking closures beginning Monday

Parking isn’t allowed on these streets from Monday, July 8 at noon until Thursday, July 11 at 11:59 p.m.

• H Street from 15th Street to 17th Street, NW
• Connecticut Avenue from H Street to I Street, NW
• 16th Street from H Street to I Street, NW

Vehicles can’t drive on these streets from Monday, July 8 at noon through Thursday, July 11 at 11:59 p.m.

• H Street from Vermont Avenue to 17th Street, NW
• Connecticut Avenue from H Street to I Street, NW
• 16th Street from H Street to I Street, NW

No parking is allowed on these streets from Monday, July 8 at 6:30 p.m. through Tuesday, July 9 at 11:59 p.m.

• Constitution Avenue from 15th Street to 17th Street, NW
• 11th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
• 10th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW
• New York Avenue from 14th Street to 15th Street, NW
• From 14th Street to 15th Street, NW
• From 14th Street to 15th Street, NW

These streets will be designated as emergency no parking from Monday, July 8 at 9:30 a.m. through Friday, July 12 at 6 p.m.:

• I Street from 6th Street to 10th Street, NW
• New York Avenue from 10th Street to 13th Street, NW
• Massachusetts Avenue from 10th Street to 13th Street, NW

This street will be closed to all vehicles on Monday, July 8 at 9 a.m. through Friday, July 12 at noon:

• L Street from Seventh Street to Ninth Street, NW

Traffic, parking and pedestrian closures will continue to increase over the next few days.

Pedestrian access will also be restricted nearby the event spaces; you won’t be able to walk into those areas without a pass. The bottom line: leave extra time to get around downtown between Monday and Thursday.

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Excelsior Springs, MO (July 7, 2024) — Mackenzie Cole, a dedicated student reporter and daughter of Jason and Courtney Cole, the founders of the Excelsior Citizen, embarked on an exciting journey early Sunday morning to attend the esteemed Washington Journalism and Media Conference at George Mason University.

Selected as a National Youth Correspondent, Mackenzie is representing Excelsior Springs, joining a distinguished group of approximately 250 students from across the United States for an immersive week-long program focusing on journalism and media. The conference, held from July 7 to July 12, offers young aspiring journalists hands-on experiential learning through decision-making simulations and interactions with renowned media professionals.

Expressing her excitement, Mackenzie stated, “This is an amazing opportunity, and I feel really honored to have been chosen to attend this program. I can’t wait to share what we’re doing with the Excelsior Citizen and learn as much as I can.”

Mackenzie was invited to participate based on her academic accomplishments and demonstrated excellence in journalism and media studies. As part of the program, she will participate in practical learning experiences designed to challenge her to solve problems and “explore the creative, practical, and ethical tensions in journalism.” The conference’s comprehensive curriculum is enhanced by sessions with prominent media leaders, including journalists, CEOs of major media outlets, researchers, and successful recent college graduates.

Previous speakers at the conference have included notable figures such as Hoda Kotb from NBC, Brian Lamb from C-SPAN, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Carol Guzy, and Susan Goldberg from National Geographic. The program is renowned for providing aspiring journalists with unparalleled access to elite practitioners and a state-of-the-art learning environment at George Mason University.

The Washington Journalism and Media Conference inspires and prepares young leaders for successful careers in the rapidly transforming field of journalism. Mackenzie’s participation is not only making the crew here at the Excelsior Citizen extremely proud, but she’s also helping to blaze a trail for the future of digital journalism. We’re looking forward to discovering what she learns during her experience and how it will help us better serve our community of Excelsior Springs.