Lynne Sladky / AP Photo
Federal officials postponed Sunday’s planned dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Washington, D.C., due to Hurricane Irene, which is expected to hit the East Coast Sunday. Forecasters and officials said the storm is expected to reap some $13.9 billion in damages when it hits the East Coast if it keeps on the same path. Forecasters say Irene is on a path “eerily similar” to 1985’s Hurricane Gloria, which killed 11 people and caused $900 million in damages when it hit the East Coast. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the city's residents should move out on Friday, while New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie declared states of emergency. Evacuations have already begun in North Carolina, and the Virginia city Norfolk issued a mandatory evacuation Thursday night.