Due to high winds and dangerous weather conditions from Hurricane Sandy, Mayor Rawlings-Blake announced mandatory travel restrictions for city roadways. Restrictions began at 6:00 p.m. tonight. Motorists must stay off the roadways. Restrictions do not apply to uniformed personnel, hospital employees, other medical providers, and Corporate Emergency Access System (CEAS) partners.

Today, the City of Baltimore announced that liberal leave will be in effect for non-essential employees tomorrow, Monday, October 29, 2012. Essential employees and employees designated as emergency essential for the current incident must report to work or remain at work as scheduled. Baltimore City Public Schools are closed tomorrow.

Today, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake convened all City agency heads to immediately begin preparedness operations for Hurricane Sandy. Mayor Rawlings-Blake and City agencies are coordinating efforts to ensure that all necessary emergency response vehicles are in-service and fully fueled, and that adequate police, fire, EMS, public works, and forestry staffing plans are in place, going into the expected storm period.

Today, following a rigorous national search process, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake named Dr. Anthony W. Batts, D.P.A. commissioner of the Baltimore Police Department effective September 27, 2012