February 28 2013

Supreme Court considering whether 1965 Voting Right Act still necessary requiring southern states insure fair and equitable access, Rosa Parks statue unveiled in Capitol, DC Shelters bustling with large families, 15 year shot last week in PG laid to rest, no word on cyclist struck on Maryland Avenue Monday, Alexandria police officer shot by cab driver, No compromise on Sequester, DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier said to be lenient and overturning disciplinary recommendations of Civilian Complaint Board, more officers cord as not cooperating with board investigations also, and the beat goes on...

February 27 2013 Cloudy and 37

Supreme Court hearing arguments on whether DNA should become standard opposed to or along side fingerprinting, Michelle Obama taking "Lets Move" on the road, search for 4 boaters called off in. Spigot is, Havel confirmed, traces of horse meat found in Swedish meat alls served at IKEA, Imagine Public Charter must show improvement or close, Septima Clark PCS to be acquired by Achievement Prep and California based Rocketship given go ahead to open 8 schools, pit bill shot by PG police, recent Glenarden fire blamed on refrigerator cord. Albert Haynesworth conviction dismissed after community service and alcohol counseling, and the beat goes on....

February 25 2013

February 25 2013 Clear and cool
Military to reduce the use of animals in program aimed at providing surgeons live practice in working with gunshot wounds, sequester cuts loom large over DMV, murder suicide suspected in Takoma park, fatal shooting at hotel suspected to be gang related, Jim Graham to face reprimand and lose control over liquor board, arrests made in killing of 18 PG youth and 70 plus year old disabled woman(unrelated), and the beat goes on.....

February 23, 2013 Truancy Forum

Hillcrest Civic Association sponsored a forum at Anne Beers Elementary school, with a panel of David Catania, chair of education committee, Adele Fabrikant DCPS, Office of Youth Engagement, Jeffrey Brown, Counselor of Anne Beers ES, Tamika Williams, parent of student at Anne Beers, Dr. Ian Roberts, Principal Anacostia SHS, Ms. Matthews, Randle ES PTA president, and Zoe Bush, Superior Court judge. The forum presented many interesting dynamics.

Passionate parents expressed concerns to the point of tears. The topics ranged from the crack epidemic, poverty, safe passages to school, social promotion, the new legislation, crime, citizen re-entry,, and agency collaboration.

The forum is promised to be one of many to improve accountability in the issue of truancy.

Notable forum attendees included Karen Williams, Ward 7 School board rep tentative, Ronald Moten, community activist, and Yvette Alexander, Ward 7 council member and member of the eduction committee.
D'Andre Anderson of the HCA Education committee moderated the forum.

27th Annual Black History Swim Meet Kick Off

Mayor Vincent Gray and Council Chair Phil Mendelson were on hand with United Black Fund chair Barry Lenoire as they celebrated the DC Wave Swim Team, their parents, and Coaches at the John O. Wilson building to hold the opening ceremony for the 27th annual Black History Swim meet. 900 swimmers from 30 teams from Chicago, Atlanta, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland, Detroit, Boston, Philadelphia, to name a few competed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in this U SA swimming sanctioned event. Past meets have include boyhood swimmers turned Olympians Sabir Muhammed and Cullen Jones. This years honoree was 97 year old DC Senior Olympian John Tatum who was recently featured with his brother Jack on competing and staying fit later on in life. Kudos have been extended to DC Parks and Recreation Director Jesus Aquirre, his Chief of Staff John Stokes and Aquatics and parks staff for an excellent showing. This meet takes place every year in February and is the premiere meet of its kind.

February 22, 2013 Cloudy and Cold

February 22, 2013 Beirut, bomb kills 50 and injures 200 in Damascus, peanut processor Peanut Corporation of America, CEO charged with shipping out Salmonella laden products ending up in peanut butter, crackers, and ice cream, Former swim coach, Rick Curl, pleads guilty to child sex abuse charges stemming from the fondling and intercourse over a 4 year period ending with the girl going to college in Texas and her parents settling for 150,000.00 to keep the matter quiet, Montgomery county 5th grade teacher charged with sexual abuse, new federal law makes it illegal to possess Eagle feathers, an exclusion exists for certain Indian tribes, former ATF officer killed while walking dog in his neighborhood in Woodbridge, a suspect was apprehended by an off duty PG county police officer, man and 2 young daughters die from Glenarden fire, and the beat goes on…..

February 21, 2013 Clear and Cold

February 21, 2013 Maryland keeps top national rankings on AP tests, Pittsburgh Police Chief resigns amid FBI probe, Stanford raises 1 billion dollars setting schools fundraising record, Ray Nagin pleads not guilty in bribery charges, Prisoner in Kentucky State Penitentiary charged with threatening Obama and his family, New York city bus drivers return to work after a month long strike, woman’s body found in hotel’s roof top water supply, Sushi houses nationally cited for fraud by offering less expensive fish than those ordered by patrons, NASA’s Curiosity rover drills into Mars and collect samples, young people nationally cutting calories slightly, New York Times to sell the Boston Globe, Google introduces Google Glass glasses that perform many of the same tasks as smartphones, except they respond to voice commands instead of fingers touching a display screen, Bank of America Chief Executive awarded a 73 percent pay increase in 2012 bringing his pay package to 12.1 million making him one of the best paid CEOs, Living Social gets 110 million boost from investors, free online courses growth boosted by foreign colleges, Hispanics and blacks have higher poverty rates than whites and Asians in Maryland and Virginia, what a shock….and the beat goes on

Raylen Jackson Wins 10 year old girls High Point at 27th Black History Swim Meet

The 27th Annual Black History Invitational Swim Meet, February 17 -19, 2013, held in Washington, D.C. at the Takoma Aquatics provided the opportunity for Raylen Jackson, swimmer for D.C. Parks and Recreation Wave Swim Team, to compete in the following events: 10 and under girls: 200 yard Freestyle, 200 yard Individual Medley, 100 yard Freestyle, 100 yard Backstroke, 100 yard Butterfly, 50 yard Backstroke, 50 yard Butterfly, and 50 yard Freestyle and finished 1st place in each event. Raylen also helped her 200 yard Medley Relay team finish first and her 200 yard Freestyle Relay team finish third. Her medal total amounted to 8 individual gold and 1 relay team gold for a total of 9 gold and 1 relay team bronze. All total Raylen finished with 10 medals and the distinction of 10 and under girls high point winner with a perfect individual point total of 160.

February 20, 2013 Cold and Clear

5 arrested in shooting of Suitland High Student over shoes, Sixth student slain in Md. As Suitland hign school student slain yesterday, Md. Ranks first in the nation in AP exams, Va. Slips to fifth, D.C. area governments bracing for sequester, gas prices soaring across the nation, Marriot profits above expectations. Profits of 56 cents a share gained in the three month period ended Dec. 28 which is up 141 million or 41 cents per share a year ago, Capital One to sell Best Buy store credit accounts to Citicorp, most store credit accounts usually funded by only a few banks,

February 20, 2013 update

4 year old who sustained injury from fire in the 2600 block of 33rd Street SE has expired. Fire remains under investigation.

February 19, 2013

February 19, 2013
Parent company of Reader's Digest has filed for Chapter 11, teen killed in apparent robbery in Temple Hills area, and I have the flu...and the beat goes on...

February 18 2013

February 18 2013
Persian Gulf donor spending millions to help rebuild Joplin Missouri, in schools toy gun or pointed finger can get you in trouble, Northern Virginia Training Center, Dana Patrick locks up the top spot in Daytona 500 first woman to do so....and the beat goes on.....

February 17, 2013

February 17, 2013 Cloudy and cold
Gabby Giffords takes gun control debate to her old colleagues in 113th congress, leaks at the Vatican from personal butler if Pope, future retirees face fiscal challenges unlike their parents, 110 million to be cut from national parks budgets, Job Corps has a freeze on new recruits secondary to budget shortfalls and reported mismanagement, horse meat finding it's way into processed beef used in TV dinner type consumer offerings, also check your specialty rices and olive oil, 3 members on DC Council eyeing the mayor's job: Wells, Bowser, and Catania, peeping Tom landlord caught filming nude women tenants and their companions using sophisticated cameras hidden throughout residences, GameStop stores implicated in stolen cell phone deals, charges denied, DC principal accused if fraudulent use of DC relatives address so her grandson could attend Langdon campus where she word, the boy resides in Fort Washington with her, woman bitten by fox in Rock Creek park, three young women sought in robbery of woman in 500 block of Rhode Island ave NE, Black History Swim meet at Takoma Aquatic winds down today seeing thirty teams from Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Va, Md, DC and other places, John Stewart III CEO of Stewart Funeral Homes dies....and the beat goes on......

February 17 2013

Fire in 2600 block of 33rd Street SE. Fire broke out around 3;30 a,m. The Lewis family escapes unharmed .

February 16 2013

February 16 Clear and Cool
A meteor hits earth injuring 48 people in Russia, Jesse Jackson Jr. Accused of misusing 750,000.00 on gifts and luxury items to include a 48000.00 watch, new health law to increase costs across the board, Good Counsel Jr who is undefeated in wrestling is losing hope of winning in the 2020 Olympics. While he will make it in 2016 his age puts him at a disadvantage. 2020 the international Olympic committee will remove wrestling, Facebook probing hacker attack, billionaire investor Carl Icahn took a 13 percent in Herbalife, BMW recalls over 30000 X5 SUVs to fix an oil leak that can affect the power assist breaks (2007-2010 models), and the beat goes on....

February 15 2013

February 15 2013
Oscar Pisotius accused in shooting death of girlfriend. He is the double amputee who competed in Olympics, fish studied for effects of drugs as waterways are increasingly exposed to drugs from manufacturing and human waste containing the pharmaceuticals, Tiffany sues Costco as engagement rings from Tiffany are sold. Costco is not licensed to sell Tiffany. Carier, Breitling, Chanel and Movado licenses Costco though, Warren Buffet buys Heinz, rabid fox bites woman in Rock Creek park, PG Libraries facing cuts, document array airs February 23 on Cool Disco Dan, DC based graffiti artist, Silver Spring woman dies after kitchen fire, child care subsidies stagnancy threatens parents in DC, 7 Metro Stations to shut down Friday at 10 for track work: stadium armory through onto Largo and Deanwood and Minnesota Ave, rash of burglaries in Georgetown awaken police, and the beat goes on.....

February 14 2013

February 14 Happy Valentines Day
Student killer at University of Maryland "acted oddly" days before the shooting, drug firms ordered to pay for Motrin side effect (toxic epidermal necrolysis), horrible rash like wasting away of skin, New Delhi experiencing the use of sex selective methods to eliminate the births of girls by parents seeking boys, Facebook recruiting a head of diversity, Toys R Us CEO to step down resulting from poor toy sales this past season, DC seeking to decrease wrongful convictions, Alexandria sheriff's deputy shoots and kills suspect in his Fort Washington home. The intruder was 20, 94 year old man found dead in Alexandria suffered trauma to upper body, law firm Crowell $ Moring to review Human rights watch claim DC police failed to investigate sexual assault claims...$$$, DC Cab commission seeking red to be color of all cabs, Ann Clymer, 75, dies she waged war against drunk driving after her daughter was killed by a drunk driver in 1985, 44 year old man jumps to death in front of yellow line train yesterday, Spingarn high playing its last basketball game tonight against Luke C. Moore the school shuts its door at the end of this school year. Dave Bing , Earl Jones, Elgin Baylor, and Sherman Douglas were stars there, DC hosts the 27th annual Black History swim meet at Takoma Aquatic Center this Fri, Sat, and Sun. 900 swimmers from around the country will compete in this historic event, and the beat goes on....

February 13 2013

February 13, 2013
Obama talks budget,climate change, education, immigration reform, foreign policy, energy, counter terrorism, health care, transportation, voting rights, fair and equitable wages and gun violence...manhunt appears over for former LA police officer, university of Maryland student shoots two roommate and then himself...family reports he was mentally ill on medication...sweat equity used to rehab gutted apartments in SE for the homeless...Gray officials in battle over truancy bill aimed at parent accountability, Gabby Douglas honored at Va. state assembly, 94 year old woman struck and killed in NW, Anita Allen, first appointed DC school board president dies at 87. She lost to Marion Barry in first election who she charged with having an agenda to further his political career... She called good money with that one...Greenbelt vying 75 acres of Metro land as sight of FBI headquarters... Horace and Dickie's in today's WP food section...Christian Louboutin styles a chocolate pump for valentines day..35 dollars... FYI a designer made a style if shoe out of chocolate...the best if both worlds huh ladies eat it, look at it or try and wear it... And the beat goes on....

February 12, 2013 Sunny and unseasonably warm

Pope retiring due to health....North Korea test nuclear weapons and 4.9 Earthquake happens shortly after...manhunt continues for ex-policeman in LA...2 men arrested in connection of Chicago honor roll student who performed in inaugural parade..DMV has 14% of top 4% of wage earners in nation with incomes of 190k or more...300 adults and 600 children occupy DC General Shelter nightly homeless advocates cry foul...400 million dollar surplus can't be used for them?...Obama to deliver state of the union address tonight...theft of electronics on Metro continue to rise...search continues for killer of Capitol Heights woman...DCPS and Charters transferring large numbers of students...California group vying for largest charter school proposal....and the beat goes on.....