What a DIY Home Security System Will Cost You After 5 Years

(Click on the image for the Consumer Reports article)

"CR’s experts did the math on systems from the major players. Now all you have to do is decide."

The Newest Ways to Deal With Robocalls

(Click on the image for the Consumer Reports article)

• Know Their Tricks: The latest version of spoofing is what's known as neighbor spoofing. Robocallers transmit a number with the same area code and exchange as your own. "It encourages people to answer the phone because they think it's somebody in their community
• What to Do:
  Use Call Blocking
  Don't Answer Unfamiliar Calls
  Require Caller Input
  Block Anonymous Calls
  Don't Engage
  Don't Blame Your Neighbors

You Can Prevent Theft from Auto

Home Care: How to Give Your Parents the Help They Need

(Click on the image for the Consumer Reports article)

Caregiving is hard work for adult children, and hiring help is costly. These smart strategies can make your tasks easier.

How to Report Water Issues to WSSC

(Click on the image to use the tool)

You will need to create an account the first time.
This is an example of what comes back:

Or call 301-206-4001 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

2017 Snow Summit

(Click on the image for the briefing)

• Park Off the Street
• If You Must Park on the Street, Park on the Even Side of the Roadway
• Never Park on a Snow Emergency Route
• Clear Sidewalks Abutting Your Home (Front, side, & rear)
• Make Sure Students Can Use Your Sidewalk to Get to School!
• Clear Driveways and Mailboxes after Plowing Is Completed
• Stay off Roadways, If Possible
• If You Must Drive – Use Extra Caution
• Bridges, overpasses and cold spots freeze more quickly
• Wait twenty-four (24) hours after the snow stops before calling to request snow and ice removal services
• Double shovel, avoid trouble – shovel a few inches at a time
• If You Earn Money Shoveling Snow – Email TCA with Your Contact Information, the Area You Will Work In, and How Much You Charge (for Those of Us Who Can't Shovel)

Falls Awareness & Prevention Guide

(Click on the image for the guide)

• Each year, one out of three Americans over age 65 falls.
• Falls are the leading cause of injury to seniors in the United States.
• Fortunately, there are many things seniors can do to help prevent falls, and maintain health and independence.
• According to the National Hospital Discharge Survey, more than 90% of hip fractures are caused by falling. Three-quarters of all hip fractures occur in women.
• Approximately 25% of hip fracture patients will make a full recovery; 40% will require nursing home admission; 50% will be dependent upon a cane or a walker; and 20% will die within one year of the fall.

It Can Happen Here Too: Garage door opener burglaries

(Click on the image for  Neal Augenstein's WTOP report)

A rash of burglaries in Loudoun and Prince William Counties had one thing in common: the crook or crooks got into the houses using a garage door opener.
Since Oct. 13, the Loudoun County Sheriff says five burglaries have been reported in the Sterling area, in which residents were home while the suspect used a garage door opener from unlocked cars parked in driveways to gain entry.
Prince William County had several similar residential burglaries Oct. 8, in Manassas. Police say surveillance video captured suspects using garage door openers from unlocked cars to get into the homes.

• Don't leave your garage door opener in your car parked in your driveway! It's a key to your home.
• Double lock the door from your garage to your home.

Reduce the costs of healthcare in Maryland

(Click on the image for more information)

• The Maryland Health Care Commission is providing this cost and quality information so that patients and providers are aware of how cost and quality differs among hospitals.
• With this information everyone in Maryland can join a statewide conversation to better understand the differences in cost and quality that exist, work together to find solutions to reduce those differences, and help patients make the best choices for their care.

Beltway Speed Cameras Net Thousands of Citations

(Click on the image for Adam Tuss' News4 report)

The speed cameras are making the Beltway safer - drivers are slowing down:

	NB Outer Loop	SB Inner Loop	Total
July	12,896	222	13,118
Aug	7,434	11,902	19,336
Sep	2,765	5,316	8,081
Totals	23,095	17,440	40,535

Data from http://safezones.maryland.gov/locations.html

Why You Need To Keep Your Devices Updated!

(Click on the image for the Consumerist article)

• Researchers have discovered and disclosed a massive WiFi vulnerability that puts everyone’s private data at risk. How massive? Basically, if you can read this story, congratulations — you’re almost certainly affected.
• But there is good news: This flaw is patchable.
  Device manufacturers were all notified about the flaw before it was made public, and are working on updates to fix this particular danger. The best thing any home user can do is install security updates as soon as your devices prompt you to, and make sure you keep any computer, phone, or connected device as up-to-date as the manufacturer allows.

Equifax breach may mean scammers can target more seniors

(Click on the image for Michelle Singletary's report in The Washington Post)

• More than two-thirds of caretakers reported that a scammer had targeted their elderly relatives, according to a new survey of more than 1,700 people conducted by the Cooperative Credit Union Association (CCUA), a New England-based trade group. 
• The survey found that, most often, the attempted fraud was initiated with a telephone call. Nearly 22 percent of scam attempts were made via email or another online contact. 
• The CCUA also found that caregivers are worried about their elder relative’s ability to spot a fraud. And they’re right to be concerned. More than a quarter of respondents said that the elders under their care had fallen victim to at least one financial scam.

Read the article for what you can do to help protect an elderly relative.

Officers Proudly Wearing Badges Marking Breast Cancer Awareness Month

(Click on the image to hear Sonya)

It’s estimated that one in eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Almost all of us know someone who is either right now or has in the past bravely battled this disease. In a show of our unwavering support to those affected by breast cancer, Prince George’s County Police Officers are proudly wearing pink badges to mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Our officers purchased more than 500 of the badges, helping raise more than $2,500 for Susan G. Komen Maryland.

One of our officers, Sergeant Sonya Lancaster, is a breast cancer survivor. Please take a moment to hear her thoughts on the PGPD badges and the effort to raise awareness and funding for those impacted by this disease. We thank Sergeant Lancaster for bravely sharing her story.

On Friday, Chief Hank Stawinski will present a check for the money raised by the sale of the pink badges to a representative of Susan G. Komen Maryland. The presentation will take place at 11:00 am at the “Chief on the Go” event at the National Harbor. We hope residents across the county join us on Friday.

School Employees and Parents Uninformed about the Grade Tampering Hotline

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

If you want to report what you believe is grade tampering in Prince George's County Public Schools, call 833-535-6103 or email PGCPSSpecialReview@alverezandmarsal.com.

Don't Be a Victim of Gas Station Theft

(Click on the image for the short video clip)

Please take a moment to watch this surveillance video from a gas station in Camp Springs. On the video, a thief sneaks up to a car as the unsuspecting driver is pumping gas. Within seconds, the suspect snatches an item from the front seat and then quietly gets back into the getaway car. Two cars were targeted at this gas station. [More information here.]
[Avoid being a victim of this kind of crime by locking your car doors and keeping your purse with you.]

Russia Has Turned Kaspersky Software Into Tool for Spying

(Click on the image for Shane Harris and Gordon Lubold's report in the Wall Street Journal)

WASHINGTON—The Russian government used a popular antivirus software to secretly scan computers around the world for classified U.S. government documents and top-secret information, modifying the program to turn it into an espionage tool, according to current and former U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter.
The software, made by the Moscow-based company Kaspersky Lab, routinely scans files of computers on which it is installed looking for viruses and other malicious software. But in an adjustment to its normal operations that the officials say could only have been made with the company’s knowledge, the program searched for terms as broad as “top secret,” which may be written on classified government documents, as well as the classified code names of U.S. government programs, these people said.
[You should consider this when you decide on an anti-virus program.]

MGM National Harbor Gaming Floor Expansion

The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Commission approved MGM National Harbor's request to expand their gaming floor to include additional VLTs and table game space on the second floor of the existing building.
MLGCA June 29, 2017 Minutes (see page 6)
MGM Request
MLGCA Staff Memo

2017 Local Development Council Grant Recipients

(Click on the image for the list)

How to put fallen leaves to work for your lawn, garden

(Click on the image for Mike McGrath's article on WTOP)

Tips:

• Do not let whole leaves lay on lawns
• Mow, mow, mow your leaves …

Protect Your Personal Information

(Click on the image to see how)

More information here.