• President-elect Barack Obama will take part in a community renovation project in the Washington, D.C. area today to honor Dr. Martin Luther King. Michelle Obama, as well as Joe and Jill Biden will also take part in the project. Today is the federal holiday commemorating the birthday of King.
• Thousands of people packed the National Mall yesterday for a free concert featuring big stars such as U2, Mary J. Blige, Usher, and Beyonce. President-elect Barack Obama addressed the roaring crowd after the music acts, saying that it was a “celebration of American renewal.”
• They came from around the world, braving bitterly cold temperatures, security perimeters and large crowds in the streets of the nation’s capital to see one man make American history. Even while Barack Obama was about 40 miles to the north on Saturday, they descended on the National Mall, where more than 2 million people are expected to gather for tomorrow’s inauguration.
• Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said yesterday that authorities are not aware of any credible threat to the inauguration. An estimated 8,000 police officers will be on duty, along with almost a thousand FBI personnel, and 10,000 National Guard troops to provide security for the event.
• The Pittsburgh Steelers and The Arizona Cardinals won their conference titles yesterday and will meet in The Super Bowl in two weeks in Tampa, Florida.
