As budget cuts loom, hundreds rally to tell Metro board: ‘Leave the bus lines alone’

(Click on the image for the Washington Post report)

By Faiz Siddiqui
Osama Iqab unfurled a poster-size photograph of a crammed 18P Metrobus, hoping the image would stick with Metro board members and convince them to preserve his bus route — which is slated for elimination to help close a looming budget gap.
“I would more than love to live in D.C.,” the 28-year-old told the board Monday night as he explained that he lives in Burke Centre in Fairfax, Va., because his family there depends on him. “If you get rid of those routes, you’re literally getting rid of a major transportation mode for me to get into work.”
Among the early speakers was Indian Head Mayor Brandon Paulin, 21, the youngest mayor in Maryland’s history and an ardent defender of the W19 route, which is slated for elimination. He said the route is the town’s only commuter bus into the District, depositing riders on the city’s southeast edge at Southern Avenue.
“In Charles County, it’s not like calling an Uber’s really easy,” Paulin said. “To my constituents, there are quite a few that said they’re going to have to find a new job. To me, that’s not acceptable. We can’t leave families on the streets.”
[Metro proposes to "Eliminate service or modify routes P17 and P19 to operate between Southern Ave Station and Fort Washington instead of downtown DC."]

Maryland lawmakers to push for recreational marijuana

(Click on the image for the Washington Post report)

By Ovetta Wiggins and Fenit Nirappil:

"A group of Democratic lawmakers in Maryland want the state to join a growing number of others that have legalized marijuana for recreational use, taxing and regulating sales of the drug similar to the way the state deals with alcohol.

Legislators said Monday that adults ages 21 and older in Maryland would be able to possess and grow limited amounts of marijuana if the two bills sponsored by Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery), Del. Curtis S. Anderson (D-Baltimore) and Del. Mary L. Washington (D-Baltimore) are approved."

Contact our Annapolis delegation to let them know how you feel about this proposed law:

Sen. Muse, anthony.muse@senate.state.md.us

Del. Walker, jay.walker@house.state.md.us

Del. Valderrama, kris@krisvalderrama.org

Del. Knotts, tony.knotts@house.state.md.us

Travel Ban Impacts DPIE Director’s Family

(Click on the image for the Washington Post report)

By Bill Turque:
"[Haitham] Hijazi, who was born in Syria, came to the United States as a young adult and is now director of permitting, inspections and enforcement for the Prince George’s County government.

Hijazi’s elderly parents, green-card holders for 20 years, are caught up in the chaos touched off by Trump’s executive order temporarily banning citizens from seven majority-Muslim countries, and refugees worldwide, from entering the country.

“Hijazi’s six children, four sons and two daughters, are all professionals, including one who is an attorney and another who followed him into engineering.

There are also 15 grandchildren, part of a large extended family that has settled in Prince George’s.

“Ultimately, we’ve become 100 Hijazis,” he said. “All citizens here.””

Tantallon Eagle Scout Assists the Conservancy

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Tantallon Eagle Scout, David Korendyke, and his fellow Boy Scouts marked the boundary of the 72-acre forested property, across from St. John's Episcopal Church, now known as Broad Creek Woods.
Broad Creek Woods has been incorporated into the Broad Creek Historic District.

How My Mom Got Hacked

(Click on the image for the New York Times article)

This New York Time article is two years old but ransomeware was used to infect "70 percent of storage devices that record data from D.C. police surveillance cameras eight days before President Trump’s inauguration, forcing major citywide reinstallation efforts, according to the police and the city’s technology office." according to a January 27, 2017 article in the Washington Post. Maryland hospitals have been attacked by ransomeware. It happens all the time to ordinary PC users.
Practice "Safe Computing" - don't click on unfamiliar web links and be careful about opening emails.

Prince George's County Schools Enjoy Graduation Rate Spike

(Click on the image for Tracee's report)

By Tracee Wilkins:
Students in Prince George’s County are really making the grade when it comes to graduation rates. Bureau Chief Tracee Wilkins spoke to some scholarship award winners to learn the secret to their success.

Get a wrong number asking 'can you hear me?' Police say you better hang up

(Click on the image for the WJLA report)

If you receive a phone call from someone you don't know asking "can you hear me," it would be in your best interest to probably hang up.
A new scam could make you a potential victim if you answer yes because that response is recorded by fraudsters and is used to make unauthorized charges on a phone or utility bill.
"Don't answer a phone call from a number you don't know"

Police Are Hiring!

Neighborhood Watch and 'Nextdoor' Help Police Arrest Serial Burglary Suspect

(Click on the image for the WJLA report)

by Don Parker, ABC7:
With the help of Neighborhood Watch and a social media platform, police have arrested and charged a 19-year-old Alexandria man, Nicholas Cormier, with a series of residential break-ins.
After homeowners in the Hayfield View and Glenwood Mews communities reported numerous burglaries between January 10 and January 15, police worked with Neighborhood Watch and alerted the neighborhoods with “Nextdoor,” a social media platform, according to a release from the Fairfax County Police Department.
One of the homeowners gave police surveillance video from his home and police developed a description of the suspect.
On Sunday evening, January 15, an officer responded to a call about a man acting in a suspicious way in the 5600 block of Glenwood Mews Drive. While talking with the man, who turned out to be Cormier, she noticed he was wearing jewelry similar to items reported stolen in one of the burglaries.
The officer sent photographs of the jewelry to detectives and it was positively identified by one of the burglary victims. [Read Don's report here.]

Early Voting Helped Bring Out Tantallon Voters

• The General Election brought out about twice the number of Primary voters.
• More than half the voters in the General Election used Early Voting or Absentee Ballots.

Maryland Politicians Feud Over Medical Center for Prince George’s County

(Click on the image for Tracee's report)

By Tracee Wilkins, News4:
Maryland lawmakers are in a feud over funding for a new medical center in Prince George’s County.
County elected officials called out Gov. Larry Hogan and other state politicians, saying they’re playing games with the county's health care.
“We’re going to demand quality of service in Prince George’s County in the southern region, and we’re going to demand a quality hospital,” County Executive Rushern Baker said.
“Every time we get there, the post gets moved further away,” Council member Dannielle Glaros said.
The regional medical center proposed for Largo is expected to heal the county's broken medical system. Officials are depending on cardiac surgery dollars to make money.
“We want to be in a position by the time we open that regional medical center of those marquee programs, and the one that is the example is the cardiac surgery program,” said John Ashworth of University of Maryland Medical System, the hospital’s partner.
But the state's health commission is considering approving another heart program 30 minutes away at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Prince George’s County politicians say that will cut into the number of patients their facility can attract. [Read the rest of Tracee's report here.]

Prince George's County Police Athletic League

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PAL Mentorship Program:
The Badges for Baseball program is a coed mentorship program were Law Enforcement and youth come together for activities, field trips and open discussions talking about various topics. This program not only builds relationships between our youth and law enforcement, but teaches youth about respect, responsibility, leadership, teamwork, communication, sportsmanship and living a healthy lifestyle. The 2017 mentorship program will be a year long commitment meeting every other week throughout the year. A complete schedule will be available soon.

As Trump Takes Office, What's Top of Consumers' Minds?

(Click on the image for the report)

From Consumer Reports:
Top of mind, according to our inaugural CR Consumer Voices Survey, are important subjects where significant policy changes could unfold very soon. Quality healthcare, followed by its affordability, overwhelmingly top the list, together totaling 31 percent of all responses. Other priorities include matters that have long been fundamental to American life, such as affordable education, and food safety and quality. People told us they’re also feeling squeezed over the high price of necessities like energy, food, taxes, and housing.
Newer and fast-evolving concerns also came up, including how their personal data will be secured in a complex digital age and whether affordable, clean energy options will continue to be available.

Assessing Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent US Elections

(Click on the image for the report)

Pr. George’s liquor commissioner accused of bribery resigns

(Click on the image for the report)

By Fenit Nirappil and Ovetta Wiggins
A Prince George’s liquor commissioner accused of accepting bribes resigned his post on Friday, and Gov. Larry Hogan (R) called for reforming Maryland’s system of regulating alcohol sales, which he called “antiquated” and “without oversight.”
Commissioner Anuj Sud was one of four people charged Thursday in a long-running federal corruption investigation, along with two business owners and the administrator of the liquor board. Prosecutors say more people will be charged in connection with the case, including a former elected official and a state lawmaker, whose names have not been released.
Prosecutors say Sud accepted bribes from a lawyer representing restaurants and liquor stores with business before the Prince George’s Board of License Commissioners. The state-appointed panel wields significant power over the finances of around 600 business outlets in the county by authorizing alcohol sales, issuing fines for rule-breakers and suspending or revoking licenses in response to serious infractions.  [Read the entire report by clicking on the image]
[The Post links to the actual charging documents are here and here. Statement of County Executive Baker Regarding FBI Raids and Arrests.]

MGM National Harbor: $42M in 3 Weeks ($2.2M Local Impact Grants)

Maryland Gaming Resources & Information: MGM National Harbor in Prince George’s County, which held its grand opening on Dec. 8, generated $41,934,028 from both slot machines and table games in just over three weeks.

Chief Stawinski Appeals to Community for Help in Reducing Homicides

(Click on the image for Tracee's video report)

Prince George's Co. Police Address Rising Homicide Rate (News4)

In Prince George's County, homicides have gone up from 54 in 2014 to 77 in 2015 to 97 in 2016. Police Chief Hank Stawinski says there's a connection between rising homicide rates and the decriminilization of marijuana. Bureau Chief Tracee Wilkins talked to the chief about his plan to reverse the trend.