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Saturday, July 4, 2009
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July 17, 2008 - Teenagers may have a reputation for keeping messy rooms, but one group in D.C. has taken on the task of cleaning up the entire city in just 10 weeks. Reporter Kavitha Cardoza met some of these young people at the corner of Georgia Avenue and Webster Street. She found trash talks. It's speaking to teens about responsibility, work ethic and pride in their community -- one scrap of litter at a time.
July 17, 2008 -
Its the first day Washington DC residents are able to register handguns and already theres talk of a lawsuit.
Dick Heller was the plaintiff who sued the District of Columbia over its 32-year ban on handguns. The US Supreme Court agreed with Heller saying the ban violated a persons Second Amendment right to bear arms.
Heller now says he could sue the District again because he wasnt allowed to register a semiautomatic handgun.
District law allows owners to register a handgun for the use of self defense. That gun must be kept at home and unloaded and disassembled or have a trigger lock or other safety device. Semiautomatic and automatic handguns remain illegal.
Interim Attorney General Peter Nickels says his office expected a lawsuit because the District crafted its new legislation as strict as possible while complying with the high court ruling.
Jessica Golloher reports...
July 17, 2008 - Some slow-moving turtles in Maryland are getting help crossing a road from the federal government. The Humane Society of the United States says it's obtained a $130,000 federal grant to help the turtles go under the road. The money from the Transportation Enhancement Program will pay for fencing and improved culverts on the two-lane country road near Greenbrier State Park and Boonsboro, Md. The society began working on the project in 2005 after a volunteer identified a "hot spot" on the road where a number of turtles had been killed. It says it's important to protect the Eastern Box turtles because they reproduce so slowly that the death of even a few adults can cause an irreversible population loss.
Matt McCleskey has more...
July 17, 2008 - Virginia ranks 17th in the nation in the number of victims of identity theft. But Virginians who have had their identities stolen can now take advantage of a program in the Attorney General's office to help get their finances and lives back on track.
Anne Marie Morgan has more...
July 17, 2008 - For the first time in 32 years, residents of DC are able to register their handguns.
Jessica Golloher has more from police headquarters in northwest Washington...
July 17, 2008 - Senior Commentator Fred Fiske says that if he had to get married all over again, he'd probably save a lot of money on the diamond this time around.
The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WAMU 88.5 or American University. What do you think? Email us at commentaries@wamu.org.
July 17, 2008 - Residents of the District of Columbia are now able to register their handguns.
The move is a result of the recent US Supreme Court ruling overturning the city�s 32-year ban on handguns. Residents trickled into police headquarters inquiring about the process. There are a few restrictions, among them:, probable owners must be at least 18-years old and have not been convicted of a felony or deemed mentally incompetent within the last five years. They must also submit to a written gun safety test and all handguns must be submitted for ballistics testing. only one handgun can be registered at a time .On a side note, Dick Heller, the plaintiff who sued the city over the ban, was one of the first to show up to register his gun. He said it was a great day.
Jessica Golloher reports from police headquarters...
July 17, 2008 - Virginia's Congressional delegation is trying to lift a federal ban on offshore drilling after the state's House passed a bill to allow drilling 50 miles off the Atlantic coast.
Virginia Senators Jim Webb (D) and John Warner (R) have introduced a bill to allow the state to apply for a federal waiver to drill. Virginia would then share half the drilling royalties with the federal government. Eighth District Republican Eric Cantor plans to introduce a similar plan in the House.
The Senate version would direct some of the drilling revenue toward conservation. Cantor says he wants to see the money used to clean up the Chesapeake Bay.
Yanmei Xie reports....
July 17, 2008 - DC high school students join forces to clean up Marvin Gaye Park, in an effort to make the District cleaner.
Sahar Durali reports...
July 17, 2008 - During the next five years, more than half a million federal employees are expected to leave. Representatives from more than 60 federal agencies were on hand to meet prospective employees who attended a job fair in DC this week. The agencies included the Departments of State; Health and Human Services and Agriculture. Approximately 3,000 young people picked up brochures and giveaways as they dropped off resumes and talked to recruiters. Alison Delcore with the Department of Energy says the anticipated wave of retirements has prompted her agency to begin recruiting aggressively. Studies indicate that most young people don't consider a career in government because they don't know what jobs exist.
Kavitha Cardoza reports...
July 17, 2008 - DC's Child and Family Services Agency is under the leadership of a new interim director -- appointed by Mayor Adrian Fenty. CFSA's former director, Sharlynn Bobo, stepped down yesterday amidst criticism about the recent deaths of two children under the agency's supervision.
The mayor had repeatedly and often vehemently defended Bobo's leadership over the last six months but changed his patterned response Wednesday, saying the minute he didn't think a director within his government could get the job done, he would institute a change of guard.
The mayor didn't have to wait. Bobo resigned yesterday, saying that questions about the agency's leadership had distracted from CFSA's important work. Deputy Director Dr. Roque Gerald will take up the post until a replacement is found.
Jessica Golloher reports...
July 17, 2008 - Two children under the supervision of DC's embattled Child and Family Services Agency have died within the last month and now the agency's director has resigned.
DC Mayor Adrian Fenty had repeatedly and often vehemently defended Bobos leadership over the last six months but changed his patterned response Wednesday, saying the minute he didn't think a director within his government could get the job done, he would institute a change of guard.
The mayor didn't have to wait. Bobo resigned yesterday, saying that questions about the agency's leadership had distracted from CFSA's important work. Deputy Director Dr. Roque Gerald will take up the post until a replacement can be found.
Jessica Golloher reports....
July 17, 2008 - Officials with Maryland's attorney general's office and the Humane Society of the United States are expected to announce an increase in rewards for animal fighting tips.
The announcement comes on the anniversary of NFL quarterback Michael Vick's federal indictment on dog-fighting charges.
Rewards for people who provide information leading to arrests and convictions on charges of animal fighting will double from $2,500 to $5,000.
The money for the reward increase comes from a donation from the Holland M. Ware Charitable Foundation, which made a contribution to the Humane Society in the wake of the Vick case.
The Humane Society says the number of tips they receive has tripled since the Vick indictment. So far the organization has handed out about 20 rewards this year.
Rebecca Blatt reports...
July 17, 2008 - Washington gears up for energy day. Former Vice President Al Gore gives a speech on the topic at DAR Constitution Hall. Meanwhile, lawmakers in the House and Senate take up legislation on drilling and speculation.
Todd Zwillich reports...
July 17, 2008 - In Maryland, documents received by the state`s ACLU branch show that law enforcement agencies spent more than a year spying on war and death-penalty protestors. The ACLU of Maryland today released dozens of police records that show the Maryland State Police conducted almost 300 hours of surveillance on several local peace activists. David Rocha is an ACLU Maryland attorney... he says the records show that the state police also sent undercover agents to "infiltrate" one of the groups and joined email list serves under fake names. The ACLU Maryland recieved the documents after suing the state police last month, claiming the agency was refusing to release public documents. A call by WAMU seeking comment from the maryland state police was not returned.
Patrick Madden reports...
July 17, 2008 - Staggered by a slumping economy, Gov. Tim Kaine's administration has ordered state agencies to curb hiring, travel and purchases, and warned that budget cuts are on the way.Finance Secretary Jody Wagner said Kaine would propose "significant downward adjustments" to the new 2009 budget when he addresses the House and Senate money committees next month.Kaine was in Europe on a trade mission and not available for comment. It was the strongest warning yet from the state that soaring prices for fuel and food, rising unemployment, continued distress in the housing market and slower income growth will force cuts across state government.
Meymo Lyons reports...
July 17, 2008 - (July 21-Aug 22) THEATRE CAMP FOR KIDS Looking for a way to get the kids out of the house this summer? For those who love the stage, Venus Theatre in Laurel is holding a Theatre Camp for Kids](http://www.venustheatre.org/theatrecamp) starting Monday. Budding thespians can channel their energies by creating their own hit show during the five-week program.
(July 17-Aug 17) FARM TO MARKET The exhibit From Farm to Market explores the beauty of America's farmland, as well as the food it produces, now on view at VisArts at Rockville through August 17. At tonight's opening reception, starting at 6:30, you can enjoy the intricacy of nature and the impact food has on our lives. This satisfying summertime exhibit features work by local area artists who utilize food as sources and inspiration for their work.
(July 17-27) THE BEEKEEPER The solo show Bee Man premieres at Cole Studio tonight at 9:00. The play, written and performed by artist Marc Hoffman, uncovers the secrets of Lorenzo Langstroth, inventor of the modern beehive. Delve into the world of this eccentric, manic-depressive genius and discover the impact he's had on contemporary agriculture.
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