Keara Dowd – 鶹 News Washington's Top News Tue, 28 Sep 2021 18:42:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/WtopNewsLogo_500x500-150x150.png Keara Dowd – 鶹 News 32 32 As Florida braces for Dorian, local volunteers roll up their sleeves /local/2019/09/as-florida-braces-for-dorian-local-volunteers-roll-up-their-sleeves/ /local/2019/09/as-florida-braces-for-dorian-local-volunteers-roll-up-their-sleeves/#respond Sun, 01 Sep 2019 21:37:33 +0000 /?p=20119908&preview=true&preview_id=20119908 Local volunteers from the American Red Cross National Capital Region are among those who have gone to Florida to help with any potential recovery efforts from Hurricane Dorian.

Dorian struck the northern Bahamas as a catastrophic Category 5 storm Sunday, with a record 185 mph winds. While the core of the storm isn’t expected to make landfall on the Florida coast, the state is still expected to get lashed by high winds, heavy rains and storm surge.

Kim Teitelman of Haymarket, Virginia, has responded to 11 natural disasters across the country and is now volunteering at an evacuation center in Orlando.

“Right now, we’re getting huge trucks of cots and blankets and food,” said Teitelman, who also said the center is prepared to convert to a shelter if need be.

Kim Teitelman, a volunteer with the American Red Cross National Capital Region is volunteering at an evacuation center in Orlando, Florida, as the state braces itself for the effects of Hurricane Dorian. (Courtesy Kim Teitelman)

“People will be able to stay here until we find other places for them to go, or they can go back home,” she said.

Mandatory evacuations aren’t yet in place in Florida, so for the volunteers, Sunday was about preparation. They have enough supplies to stay days, or even weeks.

“People here seem really prepared,” Teitelman said, adding that stores still seem well stocked and those shopping don’t appear scared of the impending storm.

Teitelman said that while natural disasters often bring destruction, they also bring out the best in communities. When responding to Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Texas, Teitelman said that she saw families take in complete strangers, sometimes more than a dozen at a time.

“If you ever feel like people are bad, come do this,” Teitelman said. “It’s mostly good. It really warms your heart.”

Source

]]>
/local/2019/09/as-florida-braces-for-dorian-local-volunteers-roll-up-their-sleeves/feed/ 0
DC fire station among busiest in country /dc/2019/08/dc-fire-station-among-busiest-in-country/ /dc/2019/08/dc-fire-station-among-busiest-in-country/#respond Sun, 11 Aug 2019 21:32:54 +0000 /?p=20039840&preview=true&preview_id=20039840 Firefighters and paramedics who spend their days rushing to emergencies are busier in D.C. than those in most other parts of the country.

A survey found that four local fire stations are among the 13 busiest in the country, with D.C.’s Fire Station 30 answering the fourth most calls in the nation.

Station 30, based in Northeast just a few blocks from the Benning Road Metro station, is home to Engine 30, Truck 17 and Ambulance 30.

According to the .

“A lot of those were medical calls,” Vito Maggiolo, a spokesman for D.C. Fire and EMS, said.

The large proportion of medical calls was also reflected in D.C.’s Ambulance 6 in Shaw, which was the fifth busiest ambulance in the country last year, according to the survey.

Maggiolo said that the District’s fire and EMS department is trying to compensate for the large number of medical calls with the Right Care Right Now program, which lets nurses triage callers and assist them in ways other than an ambulance.

“That would allow our ambulances to be available for true emergencies,” Maggiolo said, “and hopefully cut down on these amazing number of runs.”

The stations that beat Station 30 on the list were in Los Angeles, Baltimore, and Nashville, Tennessee. Baltimore’s Steadman station was second, with 30,056 runs last year.

“We’re really proud of the members of the DC Fire and EMS Department who run these amazing number of calls on a daily basis, and provide the kind of service that they do to the citizens,” Maggiolo said.

Maryland’s Gaithersburg Volunteer Fire Department in Montgomery County came in as the 10th busiest in the country, with Prince George’s County’s Silver Hill Volunteer Fire Department sitting at 13th. For Virginia, Fairfax County’s Penn Daw Fire Station near West Potomac High School was the busiest, coming it at No. 28 nationally.

Source

]]>
/dc/2019/08/dc-fire-station-among-busiest-in-country/feed/ 0
Maryland students could win scholarship during tax-free week /education/2019/08/students-could-win-scholarship-during-tax-free-week/ /education/2019/08/students-could-win-scholarship-during-tax-free-week/#respond Sun, 11 Aug 2019 17:48:50 +0000 /?p=20039246&preview=true&preview_id=20039246 Two lucky students will get something extra this Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week: a scholarship.

For the third straight year, the Maryland Retailers Association is holding a contest for a $2,500 scholarship. This year, the University System of Maryland Foundation said it will match that amount if the winning student is enrolled in one of its member institutions, meaning a student could potentially win $5,000.

A news release from the Maryland Comptroller’s office said that individual institutions can also decide to add more money to this prize, meaning the scholarship could get even greater.

“The University System of Maryland is pleased to support this year’s Shop Maryland Tax-Free Week, which is an important and effective way that Maryland students and families can stretch their back-to-school dollars,” said USM Chancellor Robert L. Caret in a statement.” We’re happy to do our part to support this important effort by Comptroller Peter Franchot and the MRA.”

To enter, students must take a photo or video of them shopping during tax-free week, and post it to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with a clever caption and the hashtag #shopmdtaxfree. They have until tax-free week ends on August 17th.

A prize of $1,000 will also be given to the runner-up.

Certain clothing and footwear that cost under $100 are tax-free during this week, as are backpacks that cost less than $40. Check out the.

Source

]]>
/education/2019/08/students-could-win-scholarship-during-tax-free-week/feed/ 0
‘Very disturbing’: Report details alleged abuses at St. Elizabeths Hospital /dc/2019/08/very-disturbing-report-details-alleged-abuses-at-psychiatric-hospital/ /dc/2019/08/very-disturbing-report-details-alleged-abuses-at-psychiatric-hospital/#respond Sun, 04 Aug 2019 21:55:43 +0000 /?p=20013076&preview=true&preview_id=20013076 A new report is recommending that the D.C. Department of Health investigate allegations of patient abuse at St. Elizabeths Hospital.

Advocacy program Disability Rights DC at University Legal Services detailed three cases from earlier this year in which patients at D.C.’s public psychiatric hospital were violently restrained or secluded by staff, in violation of D.C. law and hospital policy.

In one case, a man had fractures in his hip and arm after being restrained, and didn’t receive medical treatment for nearly 16 hours after the incident, despite not being able to walk.

Another incident, which was caught on video, showed a man seemingly calm in a common area before he was surrounded by 13 staff members. Hospital officials said he was threatening members of the staff before he was carried into a restraining room and injected with a chemical restraint against his will, conduct the report calls “very disturbing.”

The third case involved a woman with a history of physical and sexual abuse. The report claimed she was restrained and secluded multiple times, despite the hospital’s policy against using those methods for someone with a history of trauma.

In a statement emailed to 鶹, St. Elizabeths Hospital CEO Mark Chastang said, “Saint Elizabeths Hospital is committed to the highest standards of recovery-focused patient care. We are reviewing recommendations in the report and will continue our work with University Legal Services to make sure every patient gets the best and most appropriate treatment to recover and rejoin family and friends in the community.”

Restraints and seclusion are supposed to be used as last-resort measures, but the report said that staff at St. Elizabeths frequently used them without exhausting other options first.

The hospital’s own internal audit showed a dramatic increase in using the tactics. In 2013, there were only four restraints all year. That number jumped to 782 in 2018. In 2012, patients at St. Elizabeths spent a total of 49 hours in seclusion, in 2018, that number increased to 391 hours.

This isn’t the first time the hospital has been under scrutiny. In 2007, the U.S. Department of Justice gained oversight of St. Elizabeths after an investigation found patient assaults and civil rights violations. That oversight ended in 2014, when it was determined that patient care had improved.

Source

]]>
/dc/2019/08/very-disturbing-report-details-alleged-abuses-at-psychiatric-hospital/feed/ 0
DC stop-and-frisk data to be made public /dc/2019/08/d-c-stop-and-frisk-data-to-be-made-public/ /dc/2019/08/d-c-stop-and-frisk-data-to-be-made-public/#respond Sun, 04 Aug 2019 17:43:15 +0000 /?p=20012439&preview=true&preview_id=20012439 D.C. police have until Sept. 9 to release a sample of stop-and-frisk data to determine if they are fully complying with the Neighborhood Engagement Achieves Results (NEAR) Act.

A D.C. Superior Court judge ruled on Wednesday that the department will have to show data collected from police stops between July 22 and Aug. 18, as part of a lawsuit that was brought by Black Lives Matter D.C., the ACLU, and Stop Police Terror Project D.C.

The groups filed the lawsuit in May of 2018, claiming that the city and police department hadn’t fully implemented the NEAR Act, which was passed by the D.C. Council in 2016. The act requires that police collect more data — including the race of subjects stopped — during officer interactions like traffic stops and “stop-and-frisks.”

In court documents, the department said that the act had been fully implemented as of July 9, but the groups argued that it was impossible to know that without looking at the data that’s been collected. Attorneys for both sides agreed to the timeline, and judge signed off on the order.

After the data is released, the groups will have until Sept. 23 to review it and decide whether to proceed with the lawsuit.

A indicates that all 20 provisions of the law have been implemented.

Source

]]>
/dc/2019/08/d-c-stop-and-frisk-data-to-be-made-public/feed/ 0
100-foot sundae sets DC record on National Ice Cream Day /dc/2019/07/100-foot-sundae-sets-dc-record-on-ice-cream-day/ /dc/2019/07/100-foot-sundae-sets-dc-record-on-ice-cream-day/#respond Sun, 21 Jul 2019 19:53:04 +0000 /?p=19957632&preview=true&preview_id=19957632

As the region has been flirting with almost record-breaking heat, a crowd gathered at in Navy Yard to help set a different kind of record — D.C.’s longest sundae ever.

The sun was nearing its peak as folks topped their portions of the 100-foot long treat with whipped cream, chocolate sauce and M&M’s. The idea came from Ice Cream Jubilee founder Victoria Lai, who wanted to do something special to commemorate National Ice Cream Day. She had no idea it was going to end up being at the end of a nasty heat wave melting the area.

“I just wanted to have a lot of fun with as many people as possible,” Lai said. “It turns out we set the record for D.C.’s longest sundae on D.C.’s hottest Sunday.”

The reception was great, as they had to open up additional tickets once the original ones sold out.

“Everyone’s been really happy, and what’s happier than ice cream?” Lai said.

The flavors were all made-in-D. C. Jubilee originals: Thai Iced Tea, Passionfruit Guava, and Sweet Cream and Honey. It didn’t last long, as people scurried to the shade to enjoy the cool treats once their toppings were in place.

“We didn’t bank on the 100-degree temperatures,” said Jill Frederick, spokesperson for the group that manages The Yards, “but I feel like if you’re going to host an event outside, why not make it with ice cream?”

Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
Ice Cream Jubilee gathered people in Navy Yard on Sunday, July 21, 2019, to break a D.C. record — create the longest ice cream sundae. (鶹/Keara Dowd )
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
It was D.C.’s hottest Sunday, quite fitting to indulge in D.C.’s longest sundae. (鶹/Keara Dowd )
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
The high temps couldn’t melt away the enthusiasm for some ice cream. (鶹/Keara Dowd )
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
Ice Cream Jubilee founder Victoria Lai wanted to do something special to commemorate National Ice Cream Day. She had no idea it was going to end up being at the end of a nasty heat wave melting the area. (Courtesy The Brand Guild )
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
People piled on the toppings before the ice cream melted. (Courtesy The Brand Guild )
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
Even though it was hot, Lai said everyone was happy at Sunday’s event. “What’s happier than ice cream?” (Courtesy The Brand Guild )
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
While there was previously no DC record for the longest sundae, the 100+ foot masterpiece drew over 150 ice cream lovers to The Yards. (Courtesy The Brand Guild )
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
Each participant received a 2-scoop sundae with Ice Cream Jubilee’s signature flavors and customized their treats with an array of toppings. (Courtesy The Brand Guild )
(1/8)
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae
Ice Cream Jubilee longest sundae

Source

]]>
/dc/2019/07/100-foot-sundae-sets-dc-record-on-ice-cream-day/feed/ 0
More than 2 dozen changes to student handbook coming to Fairfax Co. schools /fairfax-county/2019/07/changes-to-discipline-in-fairfax-co-schools-approved/ /fairfax-county/2019/07/changes-to-discipline-in-fairfax-co-schools-approved/#respond Sun, 14 Jul 2019 19:49:21 +0000 /?p=19930132&preview=true&preview_id=19930132 The Fairfax County School Board has approved sweeping changes to the way students are disciplined in the Northern Virginia county.

The new , which was approved by the board on Thursday, includes more than two dozen changes meant to standardize the way discipline is handed down in the school system.

Superintendent Scott Brabrand said the changes will take effect in the fall, and that school administrators will get training in the new handbook before students return to class.

Among the changes, schools will now be required to notify parents of the situation before the student is questioned by administrators or signs a statement about the incident.

The language describing violations is also changing from “disorderly conduct” to “disruptive behavior.” The shift is meant to create more separation between school discipline and the criminal charge of disorderly conduct.

Sandra Evans, who represents the Mason District on the board, proposed changing the language.

“Our parents are our partners when we discipline our students, particularly when our students are in serious trouble at school,” Evans said at the meeting.

The consequences for those violations have also been made more standardized. Chief Equality Officer Francisco Duran said taking the subjectivity out of the process is crucial to solving problems of disproportionality.

“They give a lot more detail as to what that looks like, so it’s not left to interpretation,” said Duran.

The changes follow outside recommendations and an internal review as the system saw certain groups of students face a disproportionate amount of discipline.

Overall, the changes reflect an emphasis on fairness and rehabilitation. Braband said that focusing on second chances is in the best interest for everyone.

“The academic impact for kids who get involved in our process, it doesn’t just impact care and culture, it impacts student success,” said Brabrand.

Source

]]>
/fairfax-county/2019/07/changes-to-discipline-in-fairfax-co-schools-approved/feed/ 0
Red, white and no blues: Area soccer fans celebrate World Cup victory /arlington/2019/07/fans-celebrate-world-cup-title-together/ /arlington/2019/07/fans-celebrate-world-cup-title-together/#respond Sun, 07 Jul 2019 19:44:00 +0000 ?p=19902949&preview=true&preview_id=19902949
Fans at Ireland's Four Courts said they enjoyed being a part of a large community watching the World Cup this summer. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Fans at Ireland’s Four Courts said they enjoyed being a part of a large community watching the World Cup this summer. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
One soccer fan at Ireland's Four Courts said she was always a soccer fan, but she's been encouraged by all the people who were following the women's world cup games. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
One soccer fan at Ireland’s Four Courts said she was always a soccer fan, but she is been encouraged by all the people who were following the women’s World Cup games. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Even at an Irish pub, there were plenty of American flags to go around during the game. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Even at an Irish pub, there were plenty of American flags to go around during the game. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
One soccer fan said she recently returned from France, and people in the tournament's host nation were just as excited about the games as they are in the U.S. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
One soccer fan said she recently returned from France, and people in the tournament’s host nation were just as excited about the games as they are in the U.S. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
(1/6)
Fans at Ireland's Four Courts said they enjoyed being a part of a large community watching the World Cup this summer. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
One soccer fan at Ireland's Four Courts said she was always a soccer fan, but she's been encouraged by all the people who were following the women's world cup games. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Even at an Irish pub, there were plenty of American flags to go around during the game. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
One soccer fan said she recently returned from France, and people in the tournament's host nation were just as excited about the games as they are in the U.S. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
As the seconds ticked down in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Final between Team USA and The Netherlands, the excitement ramped up, as fans got ready to celebrate back-to-back World Cup titles.

After a tense, and scoreless, first half, the crowd at Ireland’s Four Courts in Arlington’s Courthouse neighborhood erupted when USA captain Megan Rapinoe punched home a penalty kick to make it 1-0. Sixty one minutes felt like a long time to wait for the game’s first goal, but fans still enjoyed how dominant the team was all tournament.

Recap: How the U.S. won

“I don’t think that ‘dominating’ is a strong enough word. They were unbeatable,” one fan, Daniel, said. “Probably the best team that’s ever been in a World Cup, honestly.”

The team’s otherworldly play brought a lot of people along for the ride who might not have ordinarily tuned in.

“It’s amazing,” said another fan, Amanda. “Especially being here with everyone else who watches it too, it’s a community. And a country, obviously, but it just makes it so much more exciting.”

Amanda was donned head-to-toe in red, white, and blue, including American flag pants. Little American flags were strewed across the table she and her friends were sharing.

They weren’t the only ones who found community in the game — Shauna said she was glad that other people have gravitated toward a sport she has enjoyed her whole life.

“I’ve always liked soccer,” she said, “but I’m really excited that a women’s sport is finally getting national attention. The fact that this bar is packed — and it’s packed with both men and women — is pretty f—— awesome.”

Cassandra, who just came back from France, the tournament’s host nation, said the excitement surrounding the tournament carried over to the other side of the Atlantic.

“In all the cities I went to, it was packed with Americans,” she said. “Packed in the bars, at the stadium, so the support is there.”

Fittingly, as the last second of the game ticked off the clock, the first song to come through the bar’s speakers was Queen’s “We Are the Champions,” a tune that brought everyone to their feet to sing along together.

Source

]]>
/arlington/2019/07/fans-celebrate-world-cup-title-together/feed/ 0
Prosecutors again ask for new doctor in Catherine Hoggle murder case /montgomery-county/2019/06/prosecutors-again-ask-for-new-doctor-in-catherine-hoggle-murder-case/ /montgomery-county/2019/06/prosecutors-again-ask-for-new-doctor-in-catherine-hoggle-murder-case/#respond Tue, 11 Jun 2019 18:00:00 +0000 ?p=19796068&preview=true&preview_id=19796068 The Montgomery County, Maryland, mother charged with murdering her two children when they were toddlers has again been found incompetent to stand trial.

Catherine Hoggle is charged with murdering her 3-year-old daughter Sarah and 2-year-old son Jacob, who were last seen in September 2014. Their bodies have never been found.

In a court appearance Tuesday, Montgomery County prosecutors again asked Judge Robert Greenberg to grant an independent mental health evaluation of Hoggle.

For the last five years, her mental state has been determined by doctors at Clifton T. Perkins hospital, which is the state psychiatric hospital.

Prosecutors made a similar request back in March, telling the judge that the doctors were doing “a substandard job in evaluating Ms. Hoggle.”

Defense attorneys argued that the state’s attorney can’t merely pick their own doctor when they don’t like the evaluation results.

Greenberg denied the request in April. He’ll issue his ruling on the new request July 3.

Source

]]>
/montgomery-county/2019/06/prosecutors-again-ask-for-new-doctor-in-catherine-hoggle-murder-case/feed/ 0
Changes to Montgomery Co.’s dangerous Capital Crescent Trail could become permanent /montgomery-county/2019/06/changes-to-dangerous-trail-intersection-in-bethesda-could-become-permanent/ /montgomery-county/2019/06/changes-to-dangerous-trail-intersection-in-bethesda-could-become-permanent/#respond Sun, 09 Jun 2019 17:36:33 +0000 ?p=19788210&preview=true&preview_id=19788210 Little Falls Parkway would remain a two-lane road permanently at the Capital Crescent Trail crossing in Bethesda, Maryland, if a in the area is approved by the Montgomery County Planning Board this week.

The road was temporarily narrowed from four lanes to two at the intersection after 81-year-old Ned Gaylin of Chevy Chase was killed there while riding his bike back in 2016. In the two years since the change, there have only been three pedestrian or cyclist crashes, down from six in the two years prior.

The staff recommendation that the board will take up at its Thursday meeting also includes raising the crosswalk and improving lighting in the area.

The plan could also mean changes for the Bethesda Pool. It would turn the pool’s Little Falls exit into a maintenance driveway, limiting the number of cars leaving the parking lot and turning right, directly into the trail’s crossing. A traffic analysis showed this was a main source of congestion.

The changes would cost about $1.4 million.

One of the options that garnered a lot of support during the planning process was the possibility of a pedestrian bridge over Little Falls, which would allow both trail and road traffic to continue independent of one another. But planning board documents show it would have significant environmental impact, not to mention cost. The bridge would have cost around $6 million to build, and cost another $50,000 every year to maintain.

But the plan does call for a new analysis five years after the project is completed to see if traffic and safety issues have been resolved. If not, the recommendation leaves the possibility of building the bridge open.

While there was widespread support to keep the so-called “road diet” in place, many homeowners in the area wanted Little Falls to eventually reopen to four lanes, citing traffic concerns. An analysis shows that so far, the impact on traffic has been minimal.

Source

]]>
/montgomery-county/2019/06/changes-to-dangerous-trail-intersection-in-bethesda-could-become-permanent/feed/ 0
World War II military deaths remembered at National Mall memorial /memorial-day/2019/05/world-war-ii-military-deaths-remembered-at-national-mall-memorial/ /memorial-day/2019/05/world-war-ii-military-deaths-remembered-at-national-mall-memorial/#respond Mon, 27 May 2019 18:45:43 +0000 ?p=19736150&preview=true&preview_id=19736150

Veterans laid wreaths at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall to remember those lost in the war over seven decades ago.

Eleven men who served in either the Pacific or European theaters joined Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, in the commemoration. Kaptur led the fight in Congress to build the memorial.

Among them was retired Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Harry Miller, who lied about his age at 15 to enlist.

“I think this is the greatest thing they ever did,” said Miller, referring to the memorial. “I lost a lot of good friends. In my outfit, there’s only six of us left.”

There were performances Monday morning by a brass quintet from the Army’s band Pershing’s Own, as well as singing from Deana Martin, the daughter of the late Dean Martin.

In addition to Kaptur, representatives from the National Mall and Friends of the National World War II Memorial made remarks honoring the more than 400,000 Americans killed in World War II. It’s a familiar sight for the memorial, which has been celebrating milestones of major battles as the 75th anniversary of D-Day inches closer.

Miller will be going to Normandy for the commemoration next month, thankful that he is healthy enough to make the trip so many others can’t. “I’m happy to be able to go,” he said.

Amid the musical performances and reverent remarks, for the veterans like Miller, the ceremony was an opportunity to look back fondly at their fallen friends.

“I like to keep them in my memory,” Miller said. “That’s the reason I like Memorial Day.”

Here's retired Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Harry Miller, who presented the wreath dedicated to American veterans. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Here’s retired Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Harry Miller, who presented the wreath dedicated to American veterans. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Veterans remember their fallen friends at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Veterans remember their fallen friends at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
A brass quintet from the U.S. Army band Pershing’s Own plays at the memorial on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
A brass quintet from the U.S. Army band Pershing’s Own plays at the memorial on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Roaring applause takes place at the World War II Memorial on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Roaring applause takes place at the World War II Memorial on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
A crowd looks on at the World War II Memorial as veterans lay honorary wreaths on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
A crowd looks on at the World War II Memorial as veterans lay honorary wreaths on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
(1/5)
Here's retired Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Harry Miller, who presented the wreath dedicated to American veterans. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Veterans remember their fallen friends at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
A brass quintet from the U.S. Army band Pershing’s Own plays at the memorial on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Roaring applause takes place at the World War II Memorial on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
A crowd looks on at the World War II Memorial as veterans lay honorary wreaths on Monday, May 27, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)

Source

]]>
/memorial-day/2019/05/world-war-ii-military-deaths-remembered-at-national-mall-memorial/feed/ 0
Om, what? Yoga on the Mall draws thousands /dc/2019/05/om-what-yoga-on-the-mall-draws-thousands/ /dc/2019/05/om-what-yoga-on-the-mall-draws-thousands/#respond Sun, 19 May 2019 18:14:55 +0000 /?p=19705035 As Sunday’s temperatures rose and the sun beamed down, thousands of people grabbed their yoga mats and took to the Lincoln Memorial for Yoga on the Mall.

Thousands gathered in D.C. to practice yoga on the National Mall Sunday, May 19, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Despite sweltering temperatures, thousands brought their yoga mats to the National Mall on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
 Organizers said the crowd was 3,000 strong. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Organizers said the crowd was 3,000 strong. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Temperatures on the National Mall were in the upper 80s on Sunday, May 19, 2019. That didn’t stop some dedicated yogis from bringing out their mats and striking a pose. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Thousands gathered in D.C. to practice yoga on the National Mall Sunday, May 19, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Almost all space around the Reflecting Pond and the Lincoln Memorial was taken by thousands of people striking their best Warrior Poses on the National Mall on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Despite sweltering temperatures, thousands brought their yoga mats to the National Mall on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Despite sweltering temperatures, thousands brought their yoga mats to the National Mall on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
 Temperatures were hovering in the upper 80s, near 90 on Sunday, but that didn't stop these yogis from holding a session on the National Mall. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Despite sweltering temperatures, thousands brought their yoga mats to the National Mall on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
The free yoga class was put on by Metro DC Community Yoga, which had over a hundred instructors and 30 area studios participating. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Despite sweltering temperatures, thousands brought their yoga mats to the National Mall on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
(鶹/Keara Dowd)
(1/9)
Thousands gathered in D.C. to practice yoga on the National Mall Sunday, May 19, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
 Organizers said the crowd was 3,000 strong. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Thousands gathered in D.C. to practice yoga on the National Mall Sunday, May 19, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Despite sweltering temperatures, thousands brought their yoga mats to the National Mall on Sunday, May 19, 2019. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
 Temperatures were hovering in the upper 80s, near 90 on Sunday, but that didn't stop these yogis from holding a session on the National Mall. (鶹/Keara Dowd)

The free class was put on by Metro DC Community Yoga, which had over a hundred instructors and 30 area studios participating.

It was first started 14 years ago by Debra Mishalov, owner of Flow Yoga Center in D.C.

“It’s always good when we get together and come practice yoga outside, especially in this iconic place where so many people have gathered,” said Mishalov.

The 3,000 participants flooded the front of the memorial, and stretched down the sides of the reflecting pool. Krystal Jordan took up yoga to join a community, and is now a teacher.

“No matter where you’re coming from, no matter where you are in life, once you’re done with a class, you feel different,” Jordan said.

Maggie Grant helped organize the event, and she says that yoga and D.C. have a lot in common.

“Our nation’s capital’s motto is ‘E Pluribus Unum,’ out of many, one. And that’s Yoga,” said Grant.

“We don’t talk politics, were all here as one,” she said. “And that’s what’s important.”

Source

]]>
/dc/2019/05/om-what-yoga-on-the-mall-draws-thousands/feed/ 0
Power to the people: DC residents could soon issue parking tickets /dc/2019/05/power-to-the-people-dc-residents-could-soon-issue-tickets/ /dc/2019/05/power-to-the-people-dc-residents-could-soon-issue-tickets/#respond Mon, 13 May 2019 08:10:00 +0000 ?p=19678074&preview=true&preview_id=19678074 A new pilot program that’s part of an overhaul of transportation safety in D.C. would let some residents issue parking tickets on their own.

The Citizen Safety Enforcement Pilot Program is part of a larger “Vision Zero” omnibus bill introduced by Ward 6 Councilman Charles Allen last week.

“It would start small,” . “Just 10 people per ward to be trained, make sure that they’re ready to go.”

Those selected would then use an app from the city to take a picture of the infraction on their phone.

“When they see a vehicle that is blocking a bike lane, blocking a crosswalk, blocking a fire hydrant,” Allen said, “they would have the ability, using an app on their phone, to be able to take a picture, and actually have a ticket that would be issued.”

The bill, , is aimed at addressing a wide range of transportation safety problems, after several high-profile pedestrian and bicyclist deaths last month.

Several other council members have already signaled their support for the bill.

Source

]]>
/dc/2019/05/power-to-the-people-dc-residents-could-soon-issue-tickets/feed/ 0
Calling all sleuths: International Spy Museum opens its doors in DC /dc/2019/05/calling-all-sleuths-new-spy-museum-opens-its-doors/ /dc/2019/05/calling-all-sleuths-new-spy-museum-opens-its-doors/#respond Sun, 12 May 2019 23:05:49 +0000 ?p=19677835&preview=true&preview_id=19677835
Amateur sleuths visit International Spy Museum in D.C. (鶹/Keara Dowd)

On a day that resembled a London scene in a James Bond movie, hundreds came out to L’Enfant Plaza for the opening day of the new International Spy Museum.

The line to get into D.C.’s rebooted spy museum reached down the block at times, as music played outside and volunteers handed out free food. The crowds and pricing did cause some people to leave, but those that stayed enjoyed the new space.

“It was fabulous.” said Deb Whittmayer of Arlington. “The ability to do the interactions as an adult, they were challenging yet fun.”

“One of the folks that was with me, we even got some screams out of her at some of the stations, so it was a great day.”

New International Spy Museum
Opening day at the new International Spy Museum at L’Enfant Plaza. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Kids in face paint at the spy museum in D.C.
Mason and Olivia visited the spy museum and enjoyed getting their faces painted. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
One of the International Spy Museum’s many artifacts, an unmanned drone hanging from the lobby. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
James Bond's legendary Aston Martin  DB5 on display at the International Spy Museum. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
James Bond’s legendary Aston Martin DB5 on display at the International Spy Museum. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Blow-up tank International Spy Museum
A blow-up tank, just like ones used to dupe the German army in World War II, greets visitors outside the International Spy Museum. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
The line to get inside the spy museum in D.C.
The line to get inside the spy museum in D.C. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
"Spy stuff is cooler than regular stuff," says a sign at the new spy museum in D.C.
“Spy stuff is cooler than regular stuff,” says a sign at the new spy museum in D.C. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
(1/7)
New International Spy Museum
Kids in face paint at the spy museum in D.C.
James Bond's legendary Aston Martin  DB5 on display at the International Spy Museum. (鶹/Keara Dowd)
Blow-up tank International Spy Museum
The line to get inside the spy museum in D.C.
"Spy stuff is cooler than regular stuff," says a sign at the new spy museum in D.C.
Visitors still get a cover identity when they walk in, and a series of tests and interactive games along the way challenge their spying abilities. Along with some items from the old place, the new museum features a number of new artifacts and state-of-the-art technology to tell the stories of real-life spies around the world.

Hudson from Philadelphia made the trip down with her family as a present for her 10th birthday.

“Me and my little sister Juliette play spies around the house,” said Hudson. “We spy on our parents.”

Hudson (aka Reagan Robinson, per her Spy Museum identity) also liked all the gadgets on display, like weapons disguised as everyday objects.

“The umbrella is a gun,” she said. “It looks like a regular umbrella, but it’s a gun.”

The museum is open seven days a week. For tickets and other information .

Source

]]>
/dc/2019/05/calling-all-sleuths-new-spy-museum-opens-its-doors/feed/ 0
Planning for Preakness: what you can’t bring to Pimlico this year /other-sports/2019/05/planning-for-preakness-what-you-cant-bring-to-pimlico-this-year/ /other-sports/2019/05/planning-for-preakness-what-you-cant-bring-to-pimlico-this-year/#respond Sun, 05 May 2019 20:31:47 +0000 ?p=19650452&preview=true&preview_id=19650452 If you’re planning on going to the Preakness Stakes this year, you’re going to need to leave that drone at home.

Pimlico Race Course is out with its updated list of things that are banned on Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness days. Frisbees and “oversized carrying devices” are not allowed, along with any outside food or drink.

In previous years, outside food had been permitted in the grandstand, but not this year.

While outside drink is banned, those in the grandstand can bring an empty plastic water bottle. Personal bags are also allowed, but they have to be smaller than 18 inches by 18 inches.

Vaping indoors is a no-go, but people can break out their pens in designated smoking areas.

Race-goers should be hoping for sun, as umbrellas are also not allowed on the premises.

The following items are prohibited everywhere on Black-Eyed Susan and Preakness Days:

  • Drugs or weapons of any kind
  • Outside food or beverage of any kind
  • Glass containers of any type
  • Tents
  • Umbrellas of any kind
  • Balloons, balls, and Frisbees
  • Drones of any kind
  • Selfie Sticks
  • Camelbacks or water bladders of any kind
  • Chairs or folding chairs of any kind
  • Hibachis or barbecues
  • Ladders, scaffolding or other raised devices
  • Bulk or oversized carrying devices
  • Non-folding, or folding, metal furniture
  • Hand carts, or wheeled carts
  • Backpacks and duffle bags
  • Smoking and vaping are prohibited in all indoor and seating sections. Please use designated smoking areas.

The following items are permitted in the grandstand/clubhouse:

  • Beach blankets and suntan lotion
  • Cell phones, cameras (up to 35mm), camcorders and binoculars
  • Clear bags for personal items, no larger than 18″ x 18″
  • Empty, clear water disposable bottles
  • Personal bags including purses, no larger than 18″x 18″ (subject to search)
  • For medical needs and equipment, please see on-site supervisor

The following items are permitted in the Infieldfest:

  • Beach blankets and suntan lotion
  • Cell phones, cameras (up to 35mm), camcorders and binoculars

You can find the . The Preakness Stakes is set for May 18.

Source

]]>
/other-sports/2019/05/planning-for-preakness-what-you-cant-bring-to-pimlico-this-year/feed/ 0