DC
Local news from WAMU 88.5
Bike Lanes Planned for April
March 19, 2010 - As DC sets aside new bike-only lanes downtown, the agency expects to see more cyclists hitting the streets.
Jim Sebastian is with DC's Department of Transportation. "We're up to about three percent of DC residents bike to work, which is tripled since 1990." Sebastian expects to see that percentage go up, and wants to make cyclists safer on the roads.
A pilot program to lay bike-only lanes will start with Pennsylvania Avenue before moving on to I and J Streets and 5th and 19th Streets northwest. "Bicyclists are not just the lycra-clad racers you see out in the countryside or courriers downtown. These are people going every day in their business suits to work, or to the coffee shop. They're not biking just to bike. They're biking to get somewhere." Work on the bike-only lanes is set to begin in April.
Stephanie Kaye reports...
Marathon Affects Weekend Travel In The District
March 19, 2010 - The Annual Suntrust National Marathon will cause some traffic glitches in the District on Saturday.
Streets will begin closing at 6:45 a.m. as runners line up at RFK Stadium. Once they set off, the race course snakes through six of the District's eight wards along its 26-mile route.
Cars can be parked along streets closed for the race but cannot be moved once the marathon has started -- to prevent accidents between drivers and runners.
Signs have been posted along the streets that are affected. Meanwhile, Metrorail will open at 5 ahead of the race, and some bus routes will be altered to accomodate runners.
More details are available on Metro's website.
Latest D.C. Local News
March 19, 2010 - WASHINGTON (AP) Officials say more than 500 free cab rides were provided on St. Patrick's Day. The Washington Regional Alcohol Program says its SoberRide program provided 525 free cab rides on Wednesday and early yesterday. Rides were offered in Washington and the Maryland and Virginia suburbs.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Metro Fires Texting Driver
March 19, 2010 - By Natalie Neumann
Metro has fired a bus driver who was caught texting by a passenger who posted pictures on a blog.
In the cell phone pictures uploaded on the Unsuck DC Metro blog the driver is caught tapping away on a cell phone with her left hand while holding on to the oversized steering wheel with her right.
The driver, who's name is being withheld by Metro, had been operating buses since October 2007 . Yesterday she was fired.
Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel says under a zero tolerance policy adopted in July 2009, Metro prohibits drivers from talking on cell phones, texting or using a PDA.
"Following an investigation, if it is deemed that someone is doing that they would be removed from service, permanently," Taubenkibel says.
Before Metro had a three strikes policy before a worker would be dismissed.
Taubenkibel says he doesn't have exact numbers, but concedes this is not the only firing of a driver caught texting on the job.
Some C & O Canal features still closed after flood
March 19, 2010 - HAGERSTOWN, Md. (AP) The National Park Service says some boat ramps and campgrounds along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal remain closed by debris from Potomac River flooding early in the week.
Rangers said Friday that nine boat ramps from Spring Gap in Allegany County to Edward's Ferry in Montgomery County are closed.
The Antietam Creek and McCoy's Ferry campgrounds are also closed, along with the Billy Goat Trail near Great Falls.
Park visitors should expect rough conditions along much of the towpath.
Ranger Peggie Gaul says the cost of repairs won't be known until at least next week. But she says the situation is better than in 1996, when two major floods caused $65 million in damage to the national historical park.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Latest D.C. Local News
March 19, 2010 - (AP) Day laborers walking from Long Island and Californians who sold tamales to pay for their trip are expected to rally Sunday in Washington, D.C. All told, tens of thousands of immigrants are expected in the nation's capital to dramatize their pleas for immigration reform.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Former Gang Member Changes Lifestyle
March 18, 2010 - By Elliott Francis
Nineteen-year-old Ivan Cloyd used to belong to a gang where lives were lost regularly.
"I was part of the 'seven and oh' crew...we were beefing with 'fifth and oh,'" he says. "Three of my friends were killed in the same month."
Soon, the Alliance of Concerned Men stepped in. Over many months the group labored to arrange a truce between the two rival gangs, emphasizing a commitment to making a difference instead of spreading violence.
According to Ivan, it worked.
"We all came together, and put our guns down," says Ivan. "And from that day on nothing has happened between us."
A former high school dropout, Cloyd absorbed the advice and guidance he received and took it to another level. He re-entered high school and graduated. Ivan recently registered at Potomac College, and he'll begin studying there in April.
"I'm looking towards a business major; getting a bachelor's, and then I'll probably go to law school," he says. "Then, I'll just let the wind take me."
Rico Rush, president of The Alliance of Concerned Men, says he's proud of Ivan.
"He's just one of many guy's that we work with," says Rush. "There's so many youth out there waiting to shine; we just got to get the platform to help them do that."
Cloyd's also raising a one-year-old daughter and sharing his experience with at-risk youth in D.C.
Latest D.C. Local News
March 18, 2010 - WASHINGTON (AP) An American-Islamic relations group says five young Americans from Alexandria who were charged with planning terror attacks in Pakistan sent letters to their parents detailing alleged torture. The men have pleaded not guilty to the charges in that nation.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
"Hall Of Human Origins" Opens On Anniversary Of Museum's Origins
March 17, 2010 - By Stephanie Kaye
One of the Smithsonian museums turns one hundred years old today. And along with a birthday party, the Museum of Natural History will unveil a new exhibit at the exact time its doors first opened.
Although museum director Christian Samper wasn't there, he says he can imagine the scene.
"When it opened back in 1910, this was the second largest building that existed here, after the capitol. It was a grandiose building, a great place to showcase the world to the people of Washington," says Samper.
To celebrate its 100th year, the museum will be taking a look back...way back.
"We're opening a major new exhibition devoted to the topic of human origins, and asking the fundamental question of what does it mean to be human," he says.
Special events and displays, including an exhibit of photos chronicling the museum's history, will recognize the anniversary throughout the year.
Free Taxi Rides Available During St. Patrick's Day
March 17, 2010 - By Kavitha Cardoza
As St. Patrick's Day celebrations get underway, police are cracking down on drunk driving, and some groups are reminding revelers there are free taxi rides available to help get them home safely.
Almost every person arrested for drunk driving says they wished they had planned a safe ride home, according to Kurt Erickson, with the Washington Regional Alcohol Program.
"Whether it be designating a driver, or using public transportation or at least remembering the number for SoberRide." Erickson says the program covers fares up to $50 and rides are available between 4 p.m. today and 4 a.m. tomorrow morning across the Washington Metro area.
Erickson says drinking and driving affects more than just the driver.
"The randomness of drunk driving is just huge," he says. "A third of drunk driving's victims are non-intoxicated drivers, non- intoxicated passengers, non-intoxicated pedestrians."
Several police and sheriff's departments are planning sobriety checkpoints and extra DUI patrols. The number for SoberRide is 1-800-200 TAXI.
Latest D.C. Local News
March 17, 2010 - WASHINGTON (AP) Several groups are offering St. Patrick's Day revelers free taxicab rides home to help curb drunken driving. The nonprofit organization Washington Regional Alcohol Program is making its SoberRide service is available to residents in Washington and the counties of Montgomery, Prince George's, Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William and eastern Loudoun.
WASHINGTON (AP) The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History is delving into a key question of all time: What does it mean to be human? The museum opens a new hall today dedicated to the story of human evolution.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Irish Organization Pushes A Different Way To Celebrate
March 17, 2010 - By Natalie Neumann
Some celebrate St. Patrick's Day by sporting green clothing and kicking back a few green beers. But one group is pushing people to celebrate differently.
Outside of the Dupont Circle, Linda Murray coaxes passersby to grab a free book.
"Would anyone like a free Irish book for St. Patrick's Day?" she asks.
Murray is a Dublin native who helped found the Irish arts and culture organization Solas Nua, which means new light. The organization is giving away 10,000 books of contemporary Irish literature for St. Patrick's Day.
Volunteers started handing out books at six this morning and have been at 14 Metro stop locations. Murray says it's a great day for creating a sense of goodwill.
"It's also an alternative for celebrating St. Patrick's Day, which is obviously my national holiday," she says.
Sarah Barak grabbed some books from the stand at Dupont. She says the book giveaway shows the Irish culture is more than just partying on St. Patrick's day.
"And of course I know that, but at the same time I haven't read anything from an Irish author in a decade," she says.
Murray hopes the books will get into the hands of people who will read them.
"The idea is hopefully they'll start a love affair with a new Irish writer they didn't know about," says Murray.
Solas Nua will be giving away books until 7 p.m. tonight, or until they run out.
Report On Trips Taken Daily Per Person
March 17, 2010 - By Matt Bush
Older people in the D.C. region are driving more, while younger people are driving less, according to a report from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.
The report analyzed two previous surveys of the number of trips each person takes per day. Those 65 years and older increased their trips from 1994 to 2008. Robert Griffths of COG attributes that to the fact seniors in this region are healthier and wealthier.
"They're making more and more daily trips, probably not in the peak period," he says. "But more trips overall, with the biggest increases being shopping trips, personal business trips, seeing your doctor, or your lawyer, or your banker."
During the same time period, those aged 16 to 24 took fewer trips. Griffiths says social media tools like Facebook and texting allow young people to stay in touch without leaving home.
DCRA Launches Website For Basement Landlords And Tenants
March 16, 2010 - By Rebecca Sheir
The so-called English basement is a widespread rental option in Washington, as row-house buyers often expect to lease their lower level to help with the mortgage. A new website from D.C.s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs is educating landlords and tenants on how to rent out basement apartments legally.
Features on the website is a note from DCRA that says the agency has uncovered a number of illegal rentals recently, including units filled with carbon monoxide from leaky water heaters.
Certainly because there's less air flow in basement apartments, carbon monoxide and other hazards can be a bigger deal, says Barrett Colombo, who has been living in basement apartments like this cozy and rustic unit in Mt. Pleasant, for about three years.
"This is the main room," says Colombo, as he gives a tour of the place. "As you can see, its a shared space. And so we have a kitchen, a couch, and more of a table space."
Though Colombo hasn't encountered anything as hazardous as carbon monoxide, he says basement living does have its drawbacks.
"We saw some kind of terrestrial mollusk coming up out of the drain the other day," he recounts. "I mean, that's part of living near other animals that live at our same level."
The website offers guidelines and checklists for landlords, and a discussion forum for tenants. So far, users have posted items about licenses, exit points, ceiling heights-- but no mention of mollusks yet.
Latest D.C. Local News
March 16, 2010 - WASHINGTON (AP) A D.C. Councilwoman wants the city to change the way it gets rid of surplus property such as fire trucks, chairs and printers. Councilwoman Mary Cheh introduced a bill today to make the changes.
WASHINGTON (AP) Any D.C. public school employee who has sexual contact with a student would be fired under a bill introduced by a D.C. Council member. Earlier in the year, D.C. public schools disclosed that an 18-year-old special needs student allegedly became pregnant by a teacher. That teacher has since been fired.
WASHINGTON (AP) Metro officials say rail ridership rebounded quickly after its blizzard low in February. Officials said yesterday that ridership increased by more than 760,000 trips in a few days.
WASHINGTON (AP) The D.C. council has voted to require inmates leaving the city's jail in evening and early morning hours to have transportation and housing before being released. The bill passed today requires that inmates released between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. must be provided transportation.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Roosevelt High School Reopens After Lockdown
March 16, 2010 - A high school campus in Greenbelt, Maryland has reopened after classrooms there were placed on lockdown earlier today.
Elliott Francis reports...
Bike Riders Gear Up For Spring
March 15, 2010 - By Peter Granitz
Sonya Cednik moved from Los Angeles to Washington two months ago and says she knows the basics of bike maintenance.
Saturday she swung by the Bike House Co-Op for its first free clinic of the year. Outside of a coffee shop in Petworth, volunteer mechanics tune up people’s bikes, and offer one on one tutorials.
Cednik says tightening her brakes isn’t too difficult, but likes the assurance.
"I just didn’t have the tools," she says. "And it’s always nice to have extra advice [on] how to make it better. They were friendly and offered new brake pads if I needed."
The Washington Area Bicyclists Association is also preparing for the spring. Executive Director Eric Gilliand says he supports the D.C. Department of Transportation’s aggressive agenda for things like a new network of bike lanes downtown.
"In addition to adding facilities like doubling the mileage of bike lanes, they’re actually calling for a doubling of people actually commuting to work by bike," says Gilliand.
Gilliand says he’s pushing for the mayor’s budget to set aside money for DDOT’s plans.
Survey: D.C. #2 In U.S., Best Market For Young Adults
March 15, 2010 - New survey results released today ranks D.C. number two in the nation as the best market in the country for young adults. The ranking is the latest installment of Portfolio.com’s U.S. Uncovered series – a monthly collection of U.S. lifestyle trends. Austin, Texas takes the top spot, and the Southwest region was named best region.
"Entrepreneurs looking to jump-start their business and marketers looking for the disposable income of this crucial demographic now know where to focus," said J. Jennings Moss, editor of Portfolio.com.
"The Southwest is making headway in attracting younger crowds and re-establishing itself as a destination for those in their 20s and 30s looking for opportunities during the recession," said Moss.
Behind Austin and D.C. at the top of the list: Raleigh, Boston, Houston and Oklahoma City. Detroit, with a loss of 343,700 jobs in the past five years, sits at the bottom of the ranking, along with two Midwest industrial and two Sun belt metros: Cleveland, Dayton, Tampa-St. Petersburg and Riverside-San Bernadino.
Businesses looking for where the most affluent young Americans will do well to focus on the coasts, according to the Portfolio.com analysis. Metropolitan areas where more than one-third of households under age 45 have incomes of $100,000 or more are led by San Francisco Bay-area metros, while the Northeast Corridor is also well-represented.
For the "Best Markets for Young Adults" survey, Portfolio.com analyzed 67 U.S. metros with populations above 750,000 that offered the best opportunities for workers in their 20s and early 30s. A 10-part formula looked at strong growth rates, moderate costs of living, and substantial pools of young adults who are college-educated and employed.
National Zoo Accused Of Incompetence, Ignorance
March 15, 2010 - By Stephanie Kaye
The National Zoo is being accused of mishandling its experiments to save bats from a deadly fungus.
The experiment to save Virginia's endangered big-eared bat involved creating a colony of the small, flying mammals at the National Zoo's conservation center in Front Royal. Five months into the project, most of the bats are dead. A consultant with the zoo's program says the bats were mishandled by workers, which lead to skin infections and injuries.
The zoo disputes the allegations, saying this species has never been held in captivity before, which led to problems.
The group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility is accusing the zoo of "ignorance and incompetence." Members are asking for the remaining bats to be removed.
A spokesperson for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the Smithsonian is trying to care for the remaining bats and moving them would just cause more stress.
