Workers Fight Against Illegal Dumping in Prince George's County

(Click on the image for Aimee Cho's News4 report)

Workers are trying to remove trash and illegal signs in Prince George's County, Maryland. The "Litter Blitz" is an effort to stop illegal dumping.

Maryland Business Express designed to assist entrepreneurs

(Click on the image for the site)

From the Cumberland Times-News:

• The Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation has unveiled Maryland Business Express, a new website that will make it easier for Maryland’s small business owners and entrepreneurs to plan, start, manage and grow their business.
• The Plan and Start sections list orderly steps that guide entrepreneurs through the process of developing a business plan, registering a business, and applying for tax accounts and licenses. The Manage and Grow sections help business owners remain in good standing, make legal changes to their business and find additional programs that best fit their needs.

Make Streets Safe for Our Kids (and Us)

(Click on the image for Laura Bliss' CityLab report)

• ". . . there is a culture that cars come first. And pedestrians are basically speed humps. Our kids are speed humps.”
• “More important than redesigning our streets (although of course important) is redesigning the way we deal with drivers who routinely break laws and drive recklessly but suffer no consequences"

'Won't You Be My Neighbor'

"The greatest thing we can do

is to help somebody know that they are loved

and capable of loving" - Fred Rogers

Good neighbors make good neighborhoods!

Will speed cameras make Indian Head Highway safer?

(Click on the image for John Domen's WTOP report)

• “It’s like the autobahn,” said Del. Tony Knotts, one of the three representatives in Maryland House District 26, through which Route 210 runs. The entire Prince George’s County delegation supports Knotts and Del. Kris Valderrama in their efforts to put speed cameras along the road.
• The unprecedented move has run into opposition in Annapolis, which traditionally has only allowed speed cameras to be placed in construction zones and near school zones, not high speed highways.
• Earlier this week, before it could clear the House of Delegates, a bill that would allow speed cameras on Route 210 was amended to allow just a single camera placed in the southbound lanes at Old Fort Road.
• The bill’s fate in the Senate is far from certain. “It’s needed,” Valderrama said.
• “We definitely have our challenges,” conceded Maj. James Keleti, the commander of the 7th Police District with Prince George’s County Police. “We know speed is an issue. We know people talking on their cellphones, using hand held devices is an issue.” He said officers conducting traffic stops have been rear-ended by cars speeding down the road. He shared a story about an officer who clocked a car going 116 mph in a 55 mph zone during a traffic stop last October.

Woman on Way to Job Interview Hit, Killed on Indian Head Highway

(Click on the image for Tracee Wilkins' News4 report)

• A 24-year-old woman on her way to a job interview was killed Thursday as she crossed what has been called the most dangerous road in the D.C. area. Samira Jenkins was hit by a car near the intersection of Indian Head Highway (Route 210) and Kerby Hill Road, her family says. She was pronounced dead at the scene. "One day you're laughing and smiling, and the next day, she's gone," Jenkins' brother, Derrick Patterson, said. "You just wish you could have that time back and you can't."
• Prince George's County police say that according to the preliminary investigation, Jenkins, of Oxon Hill, was hit in a crosswalk of Indian Head Highway. Investigators are working to determine if she had the right of way.
• AAA calls Indian Head Highway one of the most dangerous roads in the D.C. area.
• Posted on the Police Blog
• On WJLA: 'Woman struck, killed by car in Prince George's County while going to job interview'
• Teresa Settle: "So, so sad. Sending prayers to her family and friends as well as the driver. That person whether at fault or not has to live with the fact that they killed someone. A hard thing to live with. Another young life taken in an instant. Life certainly isn't fair and no parent should have to bury a child."

Resource Guide for Aging Drivers

(Click on the image for the brochure)

• No matter your age, driving is one of the most complex everyday things we do. The remarkable human brain allows you to juggle the competing tasks of paying attention to the roadway environment AND controlling your vehicle. Driving decisions need to be made in an instant.
• Maryland has more than 4.3 million licensed drivers. People are living longer, remaining active later in life, and many will want to continue driving as long as possible.
• Maryland’s largest group of licensed drivers is now 50 – 59 years old – about 815,000 drivers since the year 2000, and many of them are part of the Baby Boomers. This age group has grown by 36% since the year 2000.
• Drivers age 65 and older now make up 17% of all Maryland drivers.
• The group of Maryland drivers age 90 and older is 2-1/2 times larger since the year 2000 – now about 20,000 drivers.

Nuisance Abatement Board & the Administrative Hearing Process

(Click on the image for the brief)

• The Nuisance Abatement Board helps neighborhoods that have experienced noise pollution and other types of nuisances.
• Complaints can only be referred to the Nuisance Abatement Board from the local, state or county agency to which the nuisance was reported. [So use CountyClick/311 to complain!]
• The Administrative Hearing Process reduces the current 9 month (or more) process to about a 3 month process while giving violators due process.

Overview of Services for Veterans

(Click on the image for the document)

Information on State-level programs that benefit veterans.

"It Offends the Dignity of Our Nation that Our Children Attend Our Schools in Fear"

(Click on the image for Chief Stawinski's testimony)

Chief Hank Stawinski's testimony before America Speaks Out: Protecting Our Children from Gun Violence, Democratic Policy and Communications Committee United States Senate, March 7, 2018.

Chief Stawinski was accompanied by Tammi Ramzziddin, the widow of Corporal Mujahid Ramzziddin who was killed in the line of duty recently. In addition to the Chief, survivors and family members from Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech and other school shooting testified.

Read Dick Uliano's WTOP report.

Lost sleep from time change can mean a car crash

(Click on the image for Kristi King's WTOP report)

Warning signs that indicate you need to get off the road include:

• Frequent yawning or blinking
• Driving past your exit or turn
• Not remembering the past few miles driven
• Drifting into other lanes
• Hitting rumble strips

Most crashes that involve drowsy driving happen very early in the morning, after lunch when one has eaten something heavy, or late at night.

Voicemail on a Tantallon Neighbor's Phone

"Hi my name is officer Marcus Brown and I am calling from criminal investigation division of IRS. The matter at hand is extremely time sensitive and urgent as after audit we found that there was a fraud and misconduct on your tax which you are hiding from the Federal government. This need to be rectified immediately so do return the call as soon as you receive the message. The number is 877-777-6802. I repeat again 877-777-6802. Thank you."
Here's what the real IRS says:
"Don't be fooled by surprise phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents with threats or promises of a big refund if you provide them with your private information," said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "If you're surprised to get a call from the IRS, it almost certainly isn't the real IRS. We generally initially contact taxpayers by mail."
Scammers make unsolicited calls claiming to be IRS officials. They demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill. They con the victim into sending cash, usually through a wire transfer or a prepaid debit card or gift card, like an iTunes card. They may also leave “urgent” callback requests through phone “robo-calls,” or via a phishing email.
Many phone scams use threats to intimidate and bully a victim into paying. They may even threaten to arrest, deport or revoke the driver’s license of their victim if they don’t get the money.

3 door-to-door scams even smart people fall for

(Click on the image for the WTOP article)

Scam 1: Fake utility workers
Scam 2: Fake census surveyors
Scam 3: Fake home security offers
[Tantallon Neighbors report packages stolen by door-to-door "sellers"]

‘I Was A Little Scared:’ 14-Year-Old Charged in Maryland High School Shooting Threat

(Click on the image for Tracee Wilkins' News4 report)

Police have arrested a boy accused of using a North Carolina man's photo and name on social media to threaten a Maryland school with a shooting spree.
A 14-year-old boy has been charged with making a threat of mass violence, Pringe George's County police said.
Police say the boy had no means to carry out the threat, which spread fear and sent Crossland High School into lockdown on Tuesday.
[Also watch Chief Stawinski's message on the incident and his update about school threats.]

FREE Summer Enrichment Program Howard University - Rising 9th & 10th graders

The application process opens on March 12, 2018.

Beware of storm-related scammers (AKA Woodchucks)

(Click on the image for Michelle Basch's WTOP report)

In the aftermath of Friday’s storm, D.C. area police are warning homeowners to beware of storm scammers.
They are people who come from outside the area and go door-to-door, promising tree trimming, tree removal and even home improvement work on the cheap.
That may sound good, but these people are unlicensed, uninsured and have ripped off numerous residents — many of them senior citizens.
Lt. Michael Hartnett with Montgomery County police called these criminals “woodchucks.” He said, “They have no regard whatsoever for the trees. All they’re doing is trying to make money off of you.”
When the scammers start work on your property, they may tell you they’ve found other problems that they can fix.

• If you need to hire a tree service or home improvement company, Hartnett suggested getting a recommendation from someone you personally know or the Better Business Bureau, instead of relying on online reviews.
• In Maryland, tree care companies must be licensed. Through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, you can find a licensed tree expert or make a complaint against a tree company.
• A license is also required in Maryland to do home improvement work. You can check the license status of a person offering services on the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
• Maryland has a “Door-to-Door Sales Act” that offers some protections for consumers.

Nearly 60 Fatalities on MD 210 in Ten Years

Prince George’s police, FBI team up to solve robberies faster.

(Click on the image for Lynh Bui's Washington Post report)

"By targeting serial robbers, leaning on a partnership with the FBI and improved intelligence sharing with neighboring departments, the county solved 74 percent of its commercial robberies in 2017, a 20 percentage-point leap compared with the year before and more than double the success for police departments on average nationwide."