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July 13, 2010 - By David Schultz
There have been three major escalator meltdowns at the Dupont Circle Metro Station in the past two days. And the problems at Dupont haven't been fully worked out.
At the station's south exit, some ten stories below street level, only one of three escalators is moving. And it's going down.
That means anyone leaving the station has to walk all the way up.
Mohammad El-khawas just exited at the top of the station and he's gasping for breath.
"I have to take breaks in order to make it to the top," he says. "They should really do something about it."
Trudging up the escalator is frustrating, El-Khawas says, and Metro's recent fare hikes make it even worse.
"If they need more fare, more money for the ride, they should at least use some of the money for fixing the escalators," he says. "It is annoying."
Metro says it expects to repair some of the escalators at Dupont as early as tomorrow. But it says others may not be back in service for a month or more.
July 13, 2010 - By Greg Peppers
Councilmembers Mary Cheh, David Catania, Kwame Brown and Tommy Wells have joined forces to introduce the FEED D.C. Act. The bill proposes the creation of a public-private partnership to attract grocery stores to low income areas and improve the food choices available in existing stores.
Cheh says the limited access to full service grocers impacts the health and well being of hungry families. According to the D.C. Health Department, 55 percent of District residents are overweight or obese.
Cheh says the crisis of overweight and obesity demands action.
The FEED D.C. Act is modeled after successful programs in Pennsylvania and New York City.
D.C. Hunger Solutions supports the bill and says it will make a huge difference for low income households and the city overall.
July 13, 2010 - WASHINGTON (AP) An 11-year-old Texas boy has died after being struck by a car in Georgetown over the weekend. He suffered a severe head injury and died yesterday. Police say it appears the boy had been with his parents and a brother at the time.
WASHINGTON (AP) Metro officials are taking steps to enhance security at Metro facilities. They say they will increase security presence at Metrobus facilities over the next week and begin further security checks of personnel at bus facilities. Metro is already installing more fencing, lighting and security cameras.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
July 13, 2010 - BALTIMORE (AP) A Baltimore police officer is facing a maximum penalty of life without parole after being indicted yesterday on a first-degree murder charge in the shooting death of an unarmed man outside a nightclub. Officer Gahiji Tshamba is accused of shooting Tyrone Brown 12 times on June 5.
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (AP) A family friend says a teenager from Maryland injured in the terrorist bombings in Uganda was being taken to a trauma center in Johannesburg, South Africa, for more tests. The friend says Emily Kerstetter of Ellicott City was at a restaurant in Kampala when the blasts occurred.
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) Gov. Martin O'Malley says he respects the Obama administration's decision to sue Arizona over its immigration law but says job creation should be the focus of the next four months leading up to elections. The Obama administration sued Arizona last week over its immigration law.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
July 13, 2010 - NORFOLK, Va. (AP) Three Norfolk-based Marines drowned while swimming off a recreational beach at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba. The three were among five Marines who were swimming off Cable Beach on July 4. Two made it safely to shore. A memorial service was held last week at the base.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Energy Secretary Steven Chu says three Virginia energy research projects are getting $4.3 million in funding. The department is awarding $92 million for 43 projects nationwide that aim to improve how the U.S. uses and produces energy.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
July 13, 2010 - By RONALD BLUM AP Sports Writer
NEW YORK (AP) The Yankees say owner George Steinbrenner has died. He was 80.
Spokesman Howard Rubenstein said he died Tuesday morning. He had a heart attack, was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Tampa, Fla., and died at about 6:30 a.m, a person close to the owner told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not disclosed those details.
Steinbrenner, who celebrated his birthday July 4, had been in fragile health for several years.
Flags were immediately lowered to half-staff at Steinbrenner Field, the Yankees' spring training complex. The Yankees says many employees there were in tears.
The death comes two days after the team's beloved public-address announcer Bob Sheppard died at 99.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
July 13, 2010 - By Patrick Madden
After two years of gains under D.C. Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, in the latest round of standardized tests, elementary scores have fallen.
Math and reading scores for elementary school students dropped 4.5 points from last year, according to preliminary D.C. CAS test results. At the same time, scores for high school students in math and reading jumped 3 and 4 points respectively.
Today outside Ballou High School in southeast D.C., Rhee stressed the overall progress city schools have made in the past three years under mayoral control, but admitted there are going to be what she called "setbacks" at times.
"If it was as easy as if you work hard every single year you are going to see huge gains, then everyone would've solved the problem of urban education a really long time ago," says Rhee.
Today's test results are more than a barometer of student progress: the reform effort under Rhee has become a flashpoint in the D.C mayor's race.
Mayor Fenty has staked a major part of his re-election campaign on improving test scores and his main opponent, City Council Chair Vincent Gray, has refused to say whether he'll keep Rhee on if he's elected.
July 13, 2010 - By DENA POTTER Associated Press Writer
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) The head of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says Virginia and other states should not follow Arizona's lead and enact strict new immigration laws because ridding the country of illegal immigrants is the federal government's job.
ICE director John Morton told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he understands states' frustrations dealing with illegal immigrants, but that a patchwork of 50 different state laws isn't the answer.
Arizona recently enacted a law that requires police to investigate the immigration status of those they suspect of being in the country illegally. There have been calls for similar laws in Virginia and elsewhere.
The federal government has sued Arizona over the law, something that brought criticism from Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
July 13, 2010 - By Garrett Browne
A West Virginia priest is in custody today in Fairfax after police allege that he had inappropriate contact with an 11-year-old girl. Felix Owino is being charged with one count of aggravated sexual battery and is still being held by Fairfax County authorities without bond.
The victim is a daughter of long-time family friends of Owino. Police responded to the family’s home shortly after 10 p.m. the night of July 7th . After a short investigation police made the arrest on July the 8th.
The Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, in West Virginia, learned of the Ownio arrest on July 9th and upon review suspended him from duties with in the Diocese, where he served as a priest at the Apostles of Jesus Congregation.
The first hearing is set for September 2nd.
Felix Owino is being charged with one count of aggravated sexual battery.
Courtesy of: Fairfax County Police
July 13, 2010 - BALTIMORE (AP) Gov. Martin O'Malley wants to waive the $86 fee per subject for Advanced Placement tests in Maryland.
The proposal is part of an initiative O'Malley made public on Tuesday called "AP Access and Success."
O'Malley is proposing that the state direct $3 million of education funds to cover the cost of AP exams for all students. High school students can earn college credit if they score high enough on the exam.
The plan would be phased in over a two-year period. In the 2011 and 2012 academic years, AP exam fees would be waived for biology, calculus, chemistry, computer science, environmental science, and physics. After that, fees for all exams would be waived.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
July 13, 2010 - By Sara Sciammacco
With a budget axe threatening, Maryland and Virginia farm interests are hoping to protect their turf as Congress begins to hash out the details of the next Farm bill. Federal payments to farmers continue to be an attractive target for budget hawks.
Virginia farmers received $106 million in federal subsidies in 2009, while Maryland farmers got $56 million. The Obama Administration wants to cut off farmers from the program who gross more than $500,000 in farm-related income, and $250,000 in non-farm income.
Don Carr is a senior policy and communications advisor for the Environmental Working Group.
“The top 10 percent of the wealthiest farmers receive 74 percent of the subsidies, so it’s going to be harder to justify continuing making these payments in a time of tight budgets and large deficits,” says Carr.
Growers of corn, wheat, cotton, rice and soybeans receive the biggest payouts. They argue the system helps keep the prices of American food low and those lobbying on their behalf have a lot of political clout in Washington.
July 13, 2010 - With the right opportunities, tools and support, commentator Ellen London says even our most vulnerable youngsters can enjoy successful futures.
London is the new president and CEO of the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation.
What do you think?
Tell us at www.conversation.wamu.org, click on Commentary Forum.
Script:
Ten years ago, when I began working at the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation, I met a young man named Maurice Kie, who lived in a tough public housing project in Northeast D.C. He and half a dozen other boys became friends with an artist named Larry Quick and a woman named Mary Brown, who became like family and worked with them after school and on weekends.
The boys talked about their lives and collectively created paintings that depicted some of the challenges of growing up in urban America.
During my years at the Trust, I’ve seen first-hand the power such programs have in young people’s lives.
Today, Life Pieces to Masterpieces is an outstanding after-school program offering mentoring, enrichment and other opportunities to more than 100 boys throughout D.C. and in Prince George’s County. With an impressive history in Deanwood and Marshall Heights community, Life Pieces is helping young men in these neighborhoods become gentlemen, scholars, artists and athletes.
And Maurice?
Well, he attends the University of the District of Columbia as an Education and Psychology major; and now serves as a program coordinator working with the younger kids, moving into a senior leadership position at the program.
I’ve seen many other boys, and girls, like Maurice benefit from after-school and summer programs that subscribe to an approach we call positive youth development.
That approach means equipping young people with the tools they need to make better decisions as they navigate life.
The good news is that the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation gives about $17 million in grants each year to community-based organizations to do just that for thousands of young people in our city’s most challenged neighborhoods.
In those after-school and summer programs, youth participation is a key ingredient. Young people have a voice. They make choices, contribute and share responsibility.
We believe this strategy helps young people reach their full potential. And it fosters creativity and innovation at community-based organizations.
Other agencies that serve the District’s young people also use this youth development approach. Among them are the city’s departments of Parks and Recreation, Employment Services and Youth Rehabilitative Services. They too have found this approach, a shift in thinking, has helped young people improve their health and well-being.
Studies show youth in these and similar programs have better interpersonal skills, self-control and problem solving ability. They are also less likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as drug and alcohol use and violence.
We have experienced what numerous studies have shown: that young people need and want programs that increase their own self-worth and sense of community and belonging. They want opportunities to be exposed to new experiences.
Maurice Kie once described his after-school program this way: "For the kids in our neighborhood, it provides opportunities. The things your parents aren’t necessarily able to do for you. It can brighten your horizons. It’s exposure. You get to express yourself."
Our city is on the cutting edge of this youth development work, and it’s something we should all support and be proud of.
I’m Ellen London
July 13, 2010 - By Kavitha Cardoza
Veterinarians from the Smithsonian's National Zoo are heading to the Gulf Coast to oversee the release of wildlife recovering from the oil spill into safer areas.
A zoo spokeswoman says four veterinarians will work from Louisiana for the next eight weeks. They are focused primarily on how to release birds that have been cleaned or nursed back to health following the spill. More than 1,000 oiled birds have been rescued since April.
Federal officials asked for the zoo's expertise to find safe areas for the wildlife. The Smithsonian has several conservation centers including Virginia, Panama and Kenya.
In the Gulf, zoo staff will be working with veterinarians from the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
July 13, 2010 - By Rebecca Sheir
Now that a record 15-million people are applying for passports each year, the State Department is increasing passport fees to help cover production and processing costs.
But some fear the hike could hurt families' travel budgets.
William Daroff hopes to whisk his family away from Potomac, Maryland, for a vacation in August.
"We have a couple of options," says Daroff. "It's possible that we'll go to Israel later in the month."
So the family of four visited the post office first thing yesterday, to renew their passports before the fee hike.
An adult passport now costs $135, up from $100. Passports for children 16 and under are now $105, up from $85.
AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman John Townsend says the new fees could deter people from traveling.
"We've estimated that a family of four faces about $500 in passport fees," says Townsend. "So that's going to be a real sticker shock to them."
But William Daroff says frequent international travelers probably won't bat an eye.
"A $1,000 airline ticket is expensive as is," he says. "And so an extra $50 or $100 wouldn't then make that much of a difference."
Still, he suspects some Americans may choose not to renew existing passports, and opt instead for the good old-fashioned road trip.
July 13, 2010 - By David Schultz
Metro spokesman Steve Taubenkibel says Metro is working to install fencing, lighting and security cameras at it's bus depots. He also says Metro is implementing tighter security checks for its personnel, as well as new technology that can remotely disable buses.
This clampdown comes in response an incident late last week in which a teenager allegedly stole a Metrobus.
Metro says William Jackson, a 19-year-old D.C. resident, got behind the wheel of a bus after he walked into its Bladensburg bus depot undetected. Metro says Jackson drove the bus into a tree and then fled on foot before police officers captured him.
He's being charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle, and Metro is still trying to figure out how no one stopped him when he entered the bus depot.
NBC4 video:
July 13, 2010 - By Elliott Francis
Federal Drug authorities are working to learn more about a synthetic drug known as K2, or Spice. It's showing up in novelty stores in the District, Maryland and Virginia, and it's legal in all three states.
Essentially K2 is just crushed green leaves infused with a chemical which can produce a marijuana like high when smoked. The chemical is a synthetic compound similar to the active element in pot, but intended for use in research.
Special Agent Gary Boggs of the Drug Enforcement Administration says, "The problem is we don't know what the long term effects are of these chemicals. We do know that they've caused side effects and that people are going to the hospital as a result of taking these chemicals."
The package labels clearly indicates the product is intended for use as incense and not meant for human consumption. Boggs says although the DEA is moving quickly to make K2 illegal under federal law, some states are taking the initiative.
"I believe 4 or 5 states have legislation and a couple of others are looking at it as well," he says.
Last week, Missouri signed legislation into law banning K2. Currently, no such legislation exist in D.C., M.D. or V.A.
July 13, 2010 - (July 13-August 1) HAIRSPRAY If the local CVS isn't quite hacking it for hairspray these days, you can find the genuine article at Toby's Dinner Theater in Columbia, Maryland. Audiences are spending an evening in 1960s Baltimore during the run of the musical Hairspray through August 1st as the lovable, plus-size protagonist Tracy Turnblad does her best to take the throne on a TV dance program without mussing her coif. (July 14-August 8) STRANGE MAGIC
From Charm City to the City of Angels, Studio Theatre rocks the house during the play Passing Strange, opening tomorrow and running through August 8th in Northwest D.C. The rock concert-cum-musical explores the essence of "sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll" through the tumultuous travels of a young black Angeleno artist.
(July 14) MILKSHAKE BRINGS ALL THE KIDS TO THE YARD And if you want the rock, without the sex and drugs, Strathmore has a family-friendly event tomorrow evening. The Grammy-nominated musicians of Milkshake bring their infectious moppet melodies to North Bethesda for a free outdoor concert at 7. A mini street circus kicks off at 5:30, if you want to clown around before the show.
July 13, 2010 - By Jonathan Wilson
Today in Virginia, Fairfax County Supervisors will consider a vision for revitalizing the economic and physical landscape of the Baileys Crossroads community.
Creating a unified vision for the future of such a diverse neighborhood can be a challenging.
If you're looking for a meal, but don't know exactly what you're craving, Baileys Crossroads can offer Afghan, Ethiopian, Peruvian, and Indian restaurants, just to name some of the options.
Supervisor Penny Gross, who's district includes Baileys Crossroads, says diversity of culture is one of the area's great strengths.
"You have plenty of opportunity to explore and experiment, or to be comfortable in whatever your own culture is," says Gross.
Long-time resident Priscilla Weck says the diversity in Baileys Crossroads has injected a new energy into the area. But it also means the area lacks the type of business coalitions that have pushed for revitalization in other parts of Fairfax.
"We don't really have that, because it is difficult with different cultures, different communities doing their own thing," says Weck.
The plan being considered Tuesday would lay the framework for a more urban, walkable and unified community here over the next several decades. It calls for more greenspace, and a new grid of streets.
The plan sounds a lot like what Fairfax has planned for Tysons Corner, on a smaller scale. But Gross prefers to see it another way.
"Rather than being a small Tysons, I just say that Tysons is a large Baileys Crossroads," she says.
The plan also focuses on public transit.
The area missed out on Metrorail 40 years ago, but a streetcar line is planned along Columbia Pike and running to the Pentagon in Arlington.
Residents still have some waiting to do, Gross says the Pike Transit line probably won't be operational until after 2015.
July 13, 2010 - By Patrick Madden
This year's race for mayor will go down as the most expensive campaign in District history. With all of this money flowing in, it can be hard to keep track of where the cash is coming from. D.C. campaign finance laws are modeled after federal laws, with one big difference: corporations and unions are allowed to directly contribute to local campaigns. And, some companies may have found a way to give more than others.
Some of the names sound generic: Acme Atlantic Leasing Company LLC or Gotham Investors LLC. Others sound a little more specific: Round Hill Investors LLC or FGV Investors LLC.
There are 11 companies in all. They all gave the $2,000 maximum to Mayor Adrian Fenty’s campaign and all are listed at the same address: the 8th floor at 2000 Tower Oaks Boulevard in Rockville, Maryland.
That turns out to be the headquarters for Lerner Enterprises, the area's largest real estate developer. Tax records show the resident agent for most of them is a vice president at the company.
But Lerner Enterprises is hardly alone. A review of campaign records for the mayoral candidates shows the practice of corporations with links to multiple limited liability corporations or LLC's, associations, or other companies donating money is not uncommon, particularly among real estate developers.
"There is definitely an inherent advantage to real estate holding companies in turns of being able to help the candidates they want to support,” says Terry Lynch, a long-time D.C. activist.
As Lynch explains, real estate companies often own many properties. To limit their liability, if a development goes south, these companies often create individual LLC's for each property. But there's an unintended consequence when the campaign season rolls around.
"You own 20 different properties, those properties are all separately incorporated, then frankly you are able to, what they call bundle, you know each of those properties are able to donate,” says Lynch.
D.C. campaign law says corporations are not allowed to use subsidiaries or companies under its control to skirt contribution limits, but at the same time, it says it's perfectly legal for corporations and their owners to make multiple contributions.
It all depends on who actually owns the LLC's, and those representing the real estate industry are quick to point out, the LLC's are different.
"It's useful to remember that none of this is illegal," says Rod Woodson, attorney and chairman of the legislative committee of D.C. Development.
"The campaign finance law in the district, and many other locations and jurisdictions recognizes that individuals, corporations, partnerships, and LLC's, and the list is long, they are all considered persons for the purpose of campaign finance, so there is nothing nefarious about any of this," he says.
Woodson says while these LLC's may list the same manager or address, he says it's likely these companies are composed of different investors and under the law must be treated as separate, individual entities.
But Lynch, the activist, and others say the ability of one corporation to be connected with a dozen or more LLC's donating money, may not violate the letter of the law, but it flies in the face of the intent of the law, which is designed to cap contribution limits.
Not so, says Woodson.
"Access in D.C. government and to D.C. government officials is not a function of giving money to them," says Woodson.
D.C. Council Member Mary Cheh agrees with Woodson, to a point.
"Honestly I don't pay that much attention to where the money comes from," says Cheh.
But at the same time, she sees how this issue creates, what she calls, mischief and says she will push for her committee, which oversees campaign finance, to tackle it.
"Say if you have sufficient disclosure that all of this money all came from a essentially a single company through all of its separate little companies, maybe that's enough, I'm not sure," she says.
LLC's do not list, on campaign finance reports, the identity of the donors, making it very hard to "follow the money."
And the city's Office of Campaign Finance is small, with limited resources, and usually looks at cases after someone raises a question.
When asked about all of the companies stemming from the Lerner Enterprises address, an OCF spokesman said the case would raise a red flag for the audit division, but the audit supervisor was not in that day, and couldn't address the issue.
Repeated calls to Lerner Enterprises failed to produce a response in time for broadcast.
July 13, 2010 - By Matt Bush
Later today, President Obama will unveil his administration's plan to combat new cases of HIV-AIDS.
President Obama's plan is expected to have three parts, one of which will direct more money to states with higher numbers of HIV-AIDS infections. D.C. has one of the highest infection rates in the country. In 2009, three percent of city residents were reported to be HIV positive.
Walter Smith, the executive director of D.C. Appleseed, says the president's plan makes sense for the district.
"One of the things we need to do here in the District is target our resources better through our prevention techniques. So that highest risk groups are most apt to change their behaviors," says Smith.
African-American males had the highest infection rate of any demographic in D.C., at nearly seven percent. More than a third of those infected with HIV in the District don't know it, according to last year's report. Smith says making HIV tests more routine will help drive down that number.
July 13, 2010 - This afternoon, House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller holds a hearing on mine safety. Congress has been working on legislation to update health and safety laws, and to put some teeth in the regulatory process. All in response to the April tragedy at Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia, where an explosion killed 29 men.
Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports...
July 13, 2010 - By Matt Bush
There was a lot of huffing and puffing from riders for a second day at Metro's DuPont Circle station. It was because for a second day, the escalators at the station's south exit were broken, forcing riders to hike the stairs. Emotions varied from riders who had to walk the steep incline. There was exasperation... "It was hard."
Some gallows humor..."Oh it was some of the happiest 10 minutes of my life."
But for Michael Rubenstein of Silver Spring, who rides the red line everyday from Glenmont, the whole thing just set him off.
"They're building the Intercounty Connector through my neighborhood," he says, "spending of billions of dollars on a highway we don't need. And nobody is investing enough in this infrastructure to ensure that the escalators are working."
At the station's north exit, things weren't much better. Of the three escalators at street level only one was working.
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