Reports Are In On Washington Monument

Remember those climbers repelling down the Washington Monument to inspect it? Well their reports are in, and it looks like the damage from August earthquake has left the monument vulnerable to rainfall and other weather conditions. The monument has extensive cracking and chipped stones near its peak and inspectors say they found cracks and loose stones along the entire length of the 555-foot structure. The report does not estimate how long repairs would take or how much they would cost. The federal spending bill approved last week allocates $7.5 million to fix the monument, with the understanding that the National Park Service will raise an equal amount through private donations. The 127-year-old monument has been closed to visitors since a 5.8-magnitude earthquake shook the nation's capital on Aug. 23.