A year and a half after six construction workers were killed in a work zone on The Baltimore Beltway, the family of one of the workers is suing the state of Maryland and a Gaithersburg-based contracting company.
A year and a half after six construction workers were killed in a work zone on Interstate 695 in Baltimore County, the family of one of the workers is suing the state of Maryland and a Gaithersburg-based contracting company.
The family of Sybil DiMaggio, a 46-year-old mother of two from Glen Burnie, filed a civil case against the state and Concrete General, Inc., alleging negligent safety practices that led to her death when a car crashed into the work site on March 22, 2023. The attorney representing the family, Catherine Dickinson, told WTOP the family is seeking monetary damages.
“Concrete General in particular, as well as the state of Maryland, had certain responsibilities with respect to the safety of the construction site,” Dickinson said. “There were measures that were either not taken or undertaken negligently that led to the circumstances that allowed Ms. DiMaggio and the other individuals to be killed.”
Traffic control signs to warn drivers and protect workers were not posted near the work zone, according to a September 2023 report by Maryland’s Occupational Safety and Health Office. The State Highway Administration was cited with a “serious violation,” which, according to the report, is a violation “where there is a substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result.”
The report also stated that the failure to place the signs near the work zone near Woodlawn left the work crew exposed to “struck-by hazards.” There were no penalties associated with the citation.
Two drivers, who police said were speeding as they approached the work zone, collided, before one of the cars, driven by 54-year-old Lisa Lea, of Randallstown, entered the work zone and struck the six members of the highway crew inside the work zone.
The family’s lawsuit also accuses the two drivers of negligence.
“The lawsuit itself is related to the compensatory damages of the family, the economic loss to them, as well as the noneconomic loss, which is essentially pain and suffering related to this incident and the loss of that family member,” Dickinson said. “This is obviously a tragedy. Her family has been left a pretty profound loss.”
The firm is not representing any of the other families that lost loved ones in the crash.
WTOP’s Jimmy Alexander and Kate Ryan contributed to this report.
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After emergency repairs of an aging water main, an “essential” water use warning has been lifted for 40,000 households in southern Prince George’s County.
WSSC Water crews work on an aging water main in Prince George’s County early Thursday morning.(WTOP/Cheyenne Corin)
WSSC Water crews work on an aging water main in Prince George’s County early Thursday morning.(WTOP/Cheyenne Corin)
After emergency repairs of an aging water main, an “essential” water use warning has been lifted for 40,000 households in southern Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) crews had been working since Wednesday to replace part of a concrete pipe, but the water system began working normally again by 4 a.m. Friday morning.
A release says there may still be discolored water flowing from some faucets. Officials recommend running water till it becomes clear, starting with the lowest point in your home.
Lyn Riggins, with the WSSC, told WTOP the affected communities include Clinton, Rosaryville, Marlton, Brandywine, Accokeek and portions of Fort Washington.
The work was needed, said Riggins, because the WSSC’s fiber-optic monitoring system detected breaks within the steel wires that reinforce the prestressed concrete cylinder pipes at the main, located underneath Dower House Road just south of Maryland Route 4.
“When there’s one or two breaks, that’s not a big deal, but many breaks? That means the pipe is losing its structural integrity,” Riggins said.
Traffic could still be affected along Dower House Road near Old Pike Way, with only one-way traffic as crews restore the road. WSSC tells motorists to be aware of these work zones.
Maisie Derlega, who graduated from Jackson-Reed High School only a week ago, won the national competition’s top prize of $55,000 in scholarship money and a $50,000 technology package for her former high school.
Maisie Derlega sent her Google doodle with the following prompt response: “Every Sunday night is filled with chaos, laughter, and the smell of food in my household. The standing invitation goes to any friends and family in the area. As my life grows and changes, my wish for the next 25 years is that this tradition remains a constant.” (Courtesy Google)
A D.C. high school graduate won the 2024 Doodle for Google competition, with her design gracing the homepage of the search engine website on Wednesday, June 26.
The Doodle for Google contest calls for students to submit creative versions of the Google logo based on a theme. This year’s theme tasked students with representing their wish for the next 25 years through art.
The weekly dinners began a little after the pandemic, when her extended family in the area, including aunts and uncles and 1-, 3- and 5-year-old cousins, would gather around the dinner table to catch up on their weeks and share the delicious food her father cooked.
“It’s really, really fun. And it’s something that I really look forward to,” Derlega said. “My wish for the next 25 years was not for any changes, but more kind of a consistent, to continue having those dinners. Because they mean a lot to me.”
She says that the dinner spawned a group chat and a standing invitation for anyone to come over each Sunday, which has made her feel closer to her family and family friends. The doodle is a window into those dinners, with the evening golden hour illuminating a table full of food and motioning hands.
“I feel like people talk with their hands a lot. And like, there’s always so much happening, like every single person is doing something different,” she explained. “The focus was to kind of show the community that forms around it. And around food, which is something that’s really important to my family, my dad’s a chef.”
Food has always been an integral part of Derlega’s childhood, especially after her father became a chef when she was in fourth grade. Now, he’s a private chef working across D.C. and uses food to express his love for his family.
“I feel like growing up, the way I really connected with my dad was through food. Especially because we’re both kind of creative types. And that’s kind of how we express ourselves,” she said. “I would do a lot of the baking and he would do a lot of the cooking. And so we were in the kitchen together.”
Even thought this doodle was inspired by a tradition specific to her family, Derlega hopes people across the nation can see their own “loved ones” in the art piece.
“I just really wanted to capture that kind of sense of chaos, but also, you know, mutual love and appreciation for each other,” she said. “I also kind of want to tell a larger story of just the importance of family and community, and kind of getting together.”
This is the first time Derlega took part in the Google competition, but she told WTOP in May that she thought the contest was “an incredible way to put yourself out there” and that she hoped to continue her artistic journey no matter how the competition turned out.
Derlega announced Wednesday on NBC’s “Today” show that she will be attending the University of Michigan to study art and design. She hopes to one day create illustrations for media and news organizations.
WTOP’s Scott Gelman contributed to this report.
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Dr. Torcher, a Maryland drag king and sideshow art performer, is famous for being a fire-eater. Now, they are bringing back a tradition of fire-eating at the D.C. Dyke March.
Every week, WTOP is celebrating a Pride Hero who has made a difference in the LGBTQ+ community in the D.C. area as part of our Pride Month coverage. Check back all throughout June as we share these stories on air and online.
Dr. Torcher, a Maryland drag king and sideshow art performer who uses they/them pronouns, is famous for being a fire-eater. Now, they are bringing back a tradition of fire-eating at the D.C. Dyke March.
“Learning to eat fire was a reclamation of my own power,” they told WTOP. Learning the empowering act a decade ago helped Dr. Torcher to deal with PTSD and panic attacks they had after a violent attack years before.
“Doing this kind of thing onstage really helped me to take control of my fear response,” they said.
“People took to it so quickly,” they said. “When they make the decision, ‘I can do this,’ it’s like their whole body changes, and I could see it happen. It was really, really rewarding and validating for me to go through that process with every single one of those people.”
Dr. Torcher and a group of their pupils did a fire-eating demonstration at the 2023 D.C. Dyke March, marking 30 years since the original protest.
Jennifer Miller, a famous circus performer and professor, first introduced fire-eating as an act of LGBTQ+ rebellion and strength at the New York City Dyke March in 1992. Miller wanted to honor two queer people, Hattie Mae Cohens and Brian Mock, who were killed by a racist, homophobic group that set fire to their Oregon home on Sept. 26, 1992.
“And so Jennifer had this idea,” Dr. Torcher said. “Well, what if we reclaim this act of eating fire in a way that shows that as a way to push back against violence, as a way to say, ‘you can set us on fire, and we will survive.’ And what a powerful image.”
March organizers were extremely excited when they pitched the idea of bringing their 10 years of experience with fire-eating to the Dyke March.
“It just felt like this was meant to be. I’m supposed to be here right now and I’m ready to do this,” they said. “So it felt like a real culmination of the journey that I’ve been on with fire.”
Dr. Torcher taught two fire-eating classes, before this demonstration in Dupont Circle at the 2023 D.C. Dyke March.
(Courtesy D.C. Dyke March)
Courtesy D.C. Dyke March
Dr. Torcher leading a fire-eating demonstration at the D.C. Dyke March in June 2023.
(Courtesy D.C. Dyke March)
Courtesy D.C. Dyke March
The Highball Productions team: Dr. Torcher, Vagenesis, Dabatha Christie, and Citrine .
(left to right)
left to right
Dr. Torcher in Billy Flynn costume for Highball Productions’ “SHECAGO” show.
(Courtesy Highball Productions)
Courtesy Highball Productions
The Highball Productions team, Citrine, Dabatha Christie, Dr. Torcher and Vagenesis .
(left to right)
left to right
How drag triggered ‘a total revelation’
Even before they were Dr. Torcher, they always had a love for performance. After working as a stripper to pay for graduate school, they got into improv and stand-up classes.
Onstage, they became increasingly aware of how their more feminine appearance, sporting “long blonde hair” and acrylic nails at the time, made people assume that they would act stereotypically feminine and demure. Instead, they were loud and told “crass, gross” jokes.
They loved upending those expectations, so it seemed like a natural next step to eat fire and swallow swords. After a weekend of sideshow training from a retired “carny” in Pennsylvania, Dr. Torcher was born.
They chose the intimidating stage name because they’re ironically “really stupid and funny on stage.” Plus, they moved to the D.C. area over 20 years ago to get a doctoral degree in anthropology at American University.
For seven years, Dr. Torcher produced and performed in the D.C. Weirdo Show, an inclusive monthly circus show that became increasingly “queer” under their direction.
Eventually, drag “became a natural outgrowth” of their performances. Drawing on a mustache, chiseling their face with makeup, and wearing masculine clothes for performances sent Dr. Torcher on a gender identity journey.
“To look in the mirror and see myself this way was a total revelation,” they said. “It just becomes a way to try this out and play with gender onstage in a really powerful way. And really reflect back to the audience that this is OK, to play with your gender and try different things.”
They started identifying as nonbinary and realized that they had been slowly discovering this part of their identity throughout their performance career.
“I really firmly hold that everything we do onstage is autobiographical,” they said. “Everything I look back on that I’ve ever done on stage, I can see how that’s connected to my inner child … to some form of expression that I wasn’t allowed to do as a person who was socialized to be a girl, I wasn’t allowed to take up space or be loud or be gross.”
Now, Dr. Torcher combines fire-eating and drag performances to spread awareness of different gender identities. They’ve watched acceptance of LGBTQ+ people expand over the past few years, from performing at small-town pride events, like Culpeper Pride, to conversations with their own father, who is “a conservative ex-military guy.”
“He has made the effort to come down and see me perform. And every time he does, he gets more and more comfortable,” they said.
They tearfully recounted how, after their last performance, “he was talking so compassionately about, ‘if I was gay, I would want a space like this.’ It made sense to him. … It was amazing to hear him talk like that.”
Two years ago, they started performing, and more recently producing, for Highball Productions, which “takes musicals and re-envisions them as queered drag extravaganzas, and it is fully rehearsed, fully choreographed, very high quality,” despite having an extremely low cover charge.
“It’s been so wonderful to work with Vagenesis, Citrine and Dabatha Christie. It’s a wonderful team,” they said. “It’s unusual for drag queens to see the value of drag kings and invite us in. And I was really thrilled that they just get it — I don’t have to explain to them why drag kings matter.”
Dr. Torcher and the production company were recently nominated for a number of D.C. Drag Awards after their May production of “SHECAGO” at JR’s, a bar in the Dupont Circle neighborhood.
“We’re looking at expanding out,” they said. “So, for instance, we do have a June show called ‘Twerk-ules,’ which is a musical version of ‘Hercules,’ as you can imagine, and that will be at Shaw’s Tavern.”
From bringing fire-eating demonstrations back to the D.C. Dyke March to spreading the joy of drag musicals with Highball Productions, Dr. Torcher continues to preserve LGBTQ+ history and inspire people to embrace their authentic self.
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The 43rd NCB Capitol Hill Classic will take place Sunday, shutting down major roads from the Supreme Court to RFK Stadium.
The 43rd NCB Capitol Hill Classic will take place Sunday, shutting down major roads from the Supreme Court to RFK Stadium. The 10K, 3K and fun run are also raising money for local students, closing the school funding gap for Capitol Hill Cluster School.
The 10K starts bright and early, at 8:30 a.m. The rest of the races will immediately follow each other, with the 3K starting when the 10K ends and a third of a mile fun run around Stanton Park beginning right after the 3K.
The races are expected to wrap up before Sunday afternoon, but some road closures will last till 1 p.m. The 10K route, which is causing the most closures, is below.
The road closures released by D.C. police are outlined below:
The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking on Sunday, May 19 from 3 a.m. to 1 p.m. and closed from 5 a.m. to 1 p.m.:
C Street, NE from 4th Street to 6th Street
3rd Street, NE from Massachusetts Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
4th Street, NE from Massachusetts Avenue to Maryland Avenue
6th Street, NE from Massachusetts Avenue to Maryland Avenue
The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking on Sunday, May 19 from 3 a.m. to 12 p.m.:
Maryland Avenue from 4th Street to 3rd Street, NE
3rd Street, NE from Maryland Avenue to Independence Avenue, SE
2nd Street, NE from Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue, SE
4th Street, NE from Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue, SE
Constitution Avenue, NE from 4th Street to 1st Street, NE
1st Street, NE from Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue, SE
Independence Avenue, SE from 1st Street to 4th Street
East Capitol Street, NE from 3rd Street to 22nd Street
The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic on Sunday, May 19 from approximately 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.:
Maryland Avenue from 4th Street to 3rd Street, NE
2nd Street, NE from Maryland Avenue to Independence Avenue, SE
2nd Street, NE from Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue, SE
4th Street, NE from Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue, SE
Constitution Avenue, NE from 4th Street to 1st Street
1st Street, NE from Constitution Avenue to Independence Avenue, SE
Independence Avenue, SE from 1st Street to 4th Street
East Capitol Street, NE from 3rd Street to 22nd Street
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Pro-Palestinian student protests on and near George Washington University’s University Yard entered their third day on Saturday with no sign of slowing down.
Students protest the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University in Washington, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Protests and encampments have sprung up on college and university campuses across the country to protest the war.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
AP Photo/Cliff Owen
Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University sit in a tent to avoid the rain in Washington, Saturday, April 27, 2024. Protests and encampments have sprung up on college and university campuses across the country to protest the war.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
AP Photo/Cliff Owen
George Washington University students, who declined to provide their names, hug during a protest of the Israel-Hamas war at George Washington University in Washington, Saturday, April 27, 2024. The student at left is inside the fence of the school’s University Yard, unable to leave because he would not be allowed back in.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
AP Photo/Cliff Owen
George Washington University students protest the Israel-Hamas war at the university in Washington, Saturday, April 27, 2024. President Joe Biden is set to deliver an election-year roast at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday, April 27, 2024, before a large crowd of journalists, celebrities and politicians against the backdrop of growing protests over his handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen)
AP Photo/Cliff Owen
Chalk street graffiti on the campus of George Washington University that reads “Welcome to The DMV People’s University for Gaza,” as students demonstrate on campus during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
George Washington University police officers are seen scanning tents and signs as students demonstrate on campus during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
George Washington University students demonstrate on campus during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
Tents pitched on George Washington University’s campus as students demonstrate during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Saturday, April 27, 2024.
(WTOP/Linh Bui)
WTOP/Linh Bui
George Washington University students demonstrate on the street after police close the student plaza during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
George Washington University police close a student encampment as students demonstrate during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana
A statue of George Washington draped in a Palestinian flag and a kaffiyeh is seen at George Washington University as students demonstrate on campus during a pro-Palestinian protest over the Israel-Hamas war on Friday, April 26, 2024, in Washington.
(AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
The Hatchet, the GW University student newspaper, reported that about 200 demonstrators were outside the yard around 8 p.m.
While many protesters have abandoned the encampment on the yard, WTOP’s Linh Bui saw 15 tents in the new H Street encampment and over 50 protesters waking up on the street Saturday morning.
Most protesters, mix of students and nonstudents, had moved onto the street and surrounding area Friday afternoon — taking their bags and tents with them — after university workers put up metal fencing around University Yard. The student news source reported that there were far less demonstrators in the original encampment as of Saturday morning.
“We’re here to remind people of what’s going on in Gaza, to say that we’re here in solidarity with Gaza and to remind of the fact that there’s still a genocide going on,” Moataz Salim, a GW University graduate student, told WTOP.
As for the encampment itself, GW University had wanted it cleared by 7 p.m. Thursday, and requested D.C. police assistance, but according to reporting Friday by The Washington Post, officials rejected the request.
Police had gathered at the site around 3 a.m. Friday morning and were ready to go in, according to the Post, but were told to stand down.
In a statement to WTOP, D.C. police said the department “has stood in support of the George Washington University Police department as they lead the response to first amendment demonstrations occurring on George Washington University grounds.”
D.C. police said it will continue to monitor the activity both on-and-off the university’s property and that so far, “This activity has remained peaceful.”
Student protesters suspended
The university announced that multiple students will face disciplinary action.
In a statement Friday night, the university said demonstrators “violated several university policies and were trespassing” and several students have been temporarily suspended for participating in the protest.
“The university also said that any student who remains in University Yard may be placed on temporary suspension and administratively barred from campus. Several students have already been notified of their suspensions.”
In an Instagram post, the Student Coalition for Palestine said that seven students “currently face 9 charges of misconduct and are being evicted from their homes.”
“Administrators are actively working to punish students for speaking up against the oppression of Palestinians,” they wrote in the post.
Salim told WTOP seven of the students in the encampment on Friday received suspensions from the university. “And that’s exactly the kind of thing we don’t want, because they’re just here peacefully protesting in solidarity with Gaza, and they’re being punished in a really despicable manner, honestly, by the university.”
A statement from a GW University spokesperson on Saturday said “The university does not comment on individual student conduct cases or ongoing conduct cases, including whether or not such a case exists.”
Salim said the university, the George Washington University Police department and the D.C. police have been “intimidating” them.
‘We’re staying until the demands are met’
Salim told WTOP that protesters have “a list of demands.”
He said they want GW University to be open about “any sort of donor money that they receive, endowments, to disclose all their investments, to have full transparency. And then building on that, to divest from any investments they have in any sort of Israeli tech companies or Israeli weapons manufacturing or weapons technologies companies.”
Salim said protesters also want the university to “end any academic partnerships they have with Israeli institutions.”
He said protesters are also calling on the university “to do a lot more to protect their Black and brown students, especially those who are aligned with our movement and who are pro-Palestinian, like myself.”
“We’re staying until the demands are met. Otherwise they’re gonna have to drag us out of here,” Salim said.
Those demonstrations stretch from the University of Southern California — which canceled its main stage graduation ceremony set for May 10 after its campus was roiled by protests — to Northwestern University in Illinois and the University of Florida.
WTOP’s Linh Bui, Emily Venezky and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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There is plenty going on in the District this weekend, as lovely spring weather finally begins to stick. Make sure to keep these road closures in mind as you are traveling to your Saturday plans.
There is plenty going on in the District this weekend, as lovely spring weather finally begins to stick. Make sure to keep these road closures in mind as you are traveling to your Saturday plans.
The PanCAN PurpleStride 5K will be taking place in downtown D.C. to honor those affected by pancreatic cancer and funding early testing for the disease. A map of the run/walk event is below.
The main event takes place in the nation’s capital but there will be over 60 events to promote PurpleStride across the nation, all organized by the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
The Washington Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi will also be throwing the Kappa En Blanc, an all-white soiree that will take place at the historic Kappa house between Dupont Circle and U St.
The event kicks off the historically African American fraternity’s celebrations for the 100 year anniversary of the Washington chapter’s founding.
The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking and closed to vehicle traffic from Friday, April 26, at 7 p.m. through Saturday, April 27, 2024 at 2 p.m.:
Pennsylvania Avenue from 12th Street to 14th Street, NW
13th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
On Saturday, April 27, the following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking from 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.:
Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street to 12th Street, NW
3rd Street from Constitution Avenue, NW to 3rd Street and D Street, SW
Independence Avenue from 3rd Street to 7th Street, SW
4th Street from Independence Avenue to Virginia Avenue, SW
D Street from 3rd Street to 4th Street, SW
The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic on Saturday, April 27 from approximately 5 a.m. to 12 p.m.:
Pennsylvania Avenue from 9th Street to 12th Street, NW
12th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
11th Street from E Street to Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
10th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic on Saturday, April 27, from approximately 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.:
Pennsylvania Avenue from 3rd Street to 9th Street, NW
9th Street from E Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
D Street from 8th Street to 9th Street, NW
7th Street from Indiana Avenue to Constitution Avenue, NW
6th Street from C Street to Constitution Avenue, NW
Constitution Avenue from 3rd Street to 7th Street, NW
3rd Street from C Street, NW to Virginia Avenue, SW
Independence Avenue from Washington Avenue to 7th Street, SW
4th Street from Pennsylvania Avenue, NW to Virginia Avenue, SW
D Street from 3rd Street to 4th Street, SW
6th Street from Independence Avenue to Maryland Avenue, SW
C Street from 2nd Street to 6th Street, SW
Maryland Avenue from 3rd Street to Independence Avenue, SW
Kappa En Blanc Closures
The following streets will be posted as Emergency No Parking on Saturday, April 27, from 12 p.m. to 12: a.m.:
17th Street from New Hampshire Avenue to S Street, NW
S Street from New Hampshire Avenue to 17th Street, NW
The following streets will be closed to vehicle traffic on Saturday, April 27, from 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.:
17th Street from New Hampshire Avenue to S Street, NW
S Street from New Hampshire Avenue to 17th Street, NW
S Street from 17th Street to 16th Street, NW will be accessible from 16th Street for local traffic only
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A sick raccoon found in College Park, Maryland, tested positive for rabies on Monday, prompting an alert to report anyone that may have had contact with the wild animal to the Prince George’s County Health Department.
A sick raccoon found in College Park, Maryland, last week tested positive for rabies on Monday, prompting an alert urging anyone who may have had contact with the wild animal to reach out to the Prince George’s County Health Department.
A rabid raccoon was captured alive in the 5200 block of Iroquois Street on Thursday, April 11, but the rabies confirmation came five days later, according to a news release from the county’s health department.
Rabies is transmitted by saliva, usually spreading to people and pets that have been scratched or bitten by a wild animal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Rabies is a life-threatening disease that is prevented by starting post-exposure treatment as soon as possible,” said county health officer Dr. Matthew Levy. “The best way to prevent exposure to rabies is to avoid contact with unfamiliar animals and ensure household pets are vaccinated for rabies. Community members should report unusual animal behavior and avoid handling or feeding unknown animals in their community”
The health department also recommends keeping a close eye on pets when they are outdoors and not leaving pet food outside. Rabies in humans can be prevented with four doses of the vaccine over 14 days.
About 900 Marylanders receive preventative treatment for rabies each year after exposure to rabid or potentially rabid animals, according to the county’s health department.
If you or someone you know was exposed to the rabid raccoon found in College Park, officials want you to call the county health department immediately at 301-583-3750, or 240-508-5774 after 4:30 p.m. on holidays or weekends.
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Life Pieces to Masterpieces, a D.C. mentoring program that supports “Black and Brown boys and young men from Wards 7 and 8,” was one of the 11 programs awarded.
March 22, 2024 | D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced the winners of the first-ever “Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Violence Prevention Grant Program.”
Nearly a dozen nonprofits in D.C. have been awarded new funding totaling $1.5 million under the “Leaders of Tomorrow Youth Violence Prevention Grant Program,” D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced Wednesday.
Kids in the Life Pieces to Masterpieces program receiving flowers during their mentoring programming.(Courtesy Life Pieces to Masterpieces)
Kids in the Life Pieces to Masterpieces program receiving flowers during their mentoring programming.(Courtesy Life Pieces to Masterpieces)
Life Pieces to Masterpieces, a mentoring program that supports Black and Brown boys and young men from Wards 7 and 8, was one of the 11 programs chosen, out of over 200 applicants, according to a release from the attorney general’s office.
Andrew Blickle, the director of the mentoring program, told WTOP that the organization solely depends on “philanthropic and government grants” to do their work and is incredibly grateful to receive a grant from this office specifically.
“It’s really vital to us. This OAG funding specifically is especially important, not only because it’s a larger grant than we were expecting, we’re really thrilled to have that,” Blickle said.
“We really support everything that this attorney general is doing and everything that he says about the importance of recognizing … you can’t prosecute your way out of crime.”
Life Pieces to Masterpieces provides after-school and summer programs.
Blickle said he believes creating a safe space for young boys in D.C. is incredibly important work.
“That’s going to create a city that is happier, more hopeful, more peaceful,” Blickle said.
“And ultimately, that’s the work that we do at Life Pieces and so that recognition from the Attorney General means so much to us.”
David Adams, a mentor at Life Pieces to Masterpieces and junior at Delaware State University, also attested to the work that the nonprofit does.
“I started the program, when I was in about second or third grade … and I’ve been a part of it ever since. I’ve never left,” Adams said.
“Life Pieces just surrounded me with people who had my best interests in mind. You know, having all the mentors, the positive male role models, as well as positive woman figures.”
David Adams painting at a Life Pieces to Masterpieces program. (Courtesy Life Pieces to Masterpieces)
Adams agreed that the funding from the office of the attorney general will “means a lot because it really does help the community, it helps the youth, you know, it’s literally saving lives.”
Schwalb recognized in his release that “proactive interventions” from the awarded D.C. programs make an impact in the District.
“The Office of the Attorney General recognizes the critical role local organizations play in helping ensure that young people have the tools and skills necessary for long-term success, and with these grants, we are continuing to put our money where our mouth is,” Schwalb said.
“Prevention work, along with policing and prosecution, is a critical component of any comprehensive public safety strategy that will help keep the District safe now and in the future.”
Blickle added that the largest impact of the program is made by children and young men after they’ve attended Life Pieces to Masterpieces.
“The largest impact that happens at Life Pieces isn’t the impact that we have on our boys and young men, but it’s the impact that they then have on their communities as a whole,” Blickle said.
He points to Adams as a perfect example of that work, as he has helped create a mentoring organization called Brothers in Power at Delaware State that focuses on supporting first-generation college students and young people that aspire to be the first in their family to attend college.
“Really going out and passing that on, and giving back everything that he received from the program is something that’s so special,” Blickle added.
“It’s an important part of our mission, and it’s an important part of the impact that we can have.”
WTOP’s Cheyenne Corin contributed to this reporting.
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Four fraternities at the University of Maryland have filed a lawsuit against the university and officials for the suspension of Greek activity on campus, calling the suspension a freedom of speech violation.
The University of Maryland has lifted the suspension of fraternity and sorority activity on campus for 32 chapters, clearing them to return to normal activities, the university announced Friday evening.
“Effective immediately, we are lifting the temporary pause on new member and alcohol-related activities, and related no-contact orders which the university issued on March 1, 2024. Thirty-two IFC and PHA chapters are cleared to return to normal activities,” the university said in a statement.
Five chapters remain under investigation “as a result of evidence suggesting involvement in hazing or other incidents that threatened the health and safety of our campus community,” the statement read.
The school did not name the chapters it’s still investigating. WTOP has reached out to the school for the chapters it’s still investigating.
The five chapters that haven’t been cleared will continue to be subject to limited restrictions on their activities, according to the university, which added that individual students will also be referred to the Office of Student Conduct for potential violations of the Code of Student Conduct.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, represents three “John Does” who belong to fraternities on campus and asks for an injunction from the federal court for the District of Maryland that would immediately end the university’s suspension. It also asks for the court to declare that the suspension is unconstitutional and put a temporary restraining order in place against the university president and student affairs leadership, according to court documents.
University officials sent a letter to fraternity and sorority presidents informing them of a suspension for misconduct on March 1. They did not describe the alleged misconduct as hazing but instead referred to “activities that have threatened the safety and well-being of members of the University community.”
The suspension applies to all organizations affiliated with the College Park campus’ Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Council, which represent 21 fraternities and 16 sororities.
Fraternities and sororities are barred from any contact with new or prospective members, and barred from hosting any events where alcohol is present, according to the letter.
The letter said the suspension will be in place indefinitely while the investigation took place.
The lawsuit states that this suspension not only restrained students’ free speech and freedom of association, but that the university was breaking their own Code of Student Conduct.
The code says students accused of misconduct must be notified “of the allegations and specific policies they are alleged to have violated,” have access to the evidence of their misconduct and have an opportunity to respond.
The lawsuit alleges that none of these actions were taken and students have been under “unconstitutional restraint” indefinitely during the university’s investigation.
Wynn Smiley, a spokesperson for the Fraternity Forward Coalition, called the university’s investigation “outrageous” in an interview with NBC Washington.
“I’ve never seen a host institution behave in this manner,” he said. “This is egregious behavior.”
According to NBC Washington, a spokesperson says the school expects to update its campus community Friday on the status of the investigation.
The University of Maryland and Office of the President did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A federal judge will hear the request for the restraining order on Monday.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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FedEx announced on Wednesday that the shipping giant would be ending its sponsorship of FedEx Field two years early, a day after the Washington Commanders announced millions in upgrades to the stadium.
Following the announcement that the stadium would be renamed, the FedEx Field sign is seen on Feb. 28, 2024. (WTOP/José Umaña)
Following the announcement that the stadium would be renamed, the FedEx Field sign is seen on Feb. 28, 2024. (WTOP/José Umaña)
The Washington Commanders’ stadium will be getting a new name after more than two decades of being known as FedEx Field. The company is ending its sponsorship of the stadium two years early.
The team tells WTOP that for now the stadium will be called Commanders Field while the Commanders look to secure a new naming rights partner.
FedEx said in a statement to WTOP the package delivery giant is focusing on “broader NFL sponsorship and opportunities” as it gives up the naming rights to the Prince George’s County stadium.
“We continuously review our marketing programs to ensure our investments are aligned with our evolving business objectives,” the statement said. “We believe the future is bright for the Washington Commanders, and we look forward to watching the team evolve under their new ownership.”
The Commanders thanked the delivery company for “its longstanding naming rights sponsorship and their work with our team and community” in a statement.
“We have already started the process of identifying our next stadium naming rights partner — a partner who will play a crucial role in ushering in the next era of not only Commanders football, but also a robust slate of top live events and concerts,” the team’s statement read.
A 2023 internal document detailing investments in the football team and stadium by new owner Josh Harris outlined a provision in the naming rights contract that allowed FedEx to terminate their stadium sponsorship deal if management of the team changed.
The leaked document also said Washington could bring on a higher-paying name rights sponsor in 2024, with a projected $10 million increase in naming rights revenue for the 2024 season.
When will the Commanders’ stadium be renamed?
Matt Winkler, professor of sports analytics and management at American University, said he’s “not surprised” by FedEx’s decision.
Winkler said it was apparent the shipping giant was leaning this direction during the last few years of the Dan Snyder era, citing a letter the company sent then-owner Daniel Snyder in 2020 asking the team to change its name.
“That was the first sort of canary in the coal mine, but a very serious one,” Winkler said.
Winkler believes we will see a short-term naming rights deal, as the team decides where it wants its home to be for the long term. According to Winker, while he is confident the team is already fielding new naming rights offers, especially from some big regional companies, he said finding the right sponsor could take some time.
“We’ve seen the Nationals, you know, have trouble after all these years, finding the right naming rights partner for their stadium. So, it’s not a slam dunk,” he said.
Other stadium changes to come
The announcement comes a day after the NFL team released plans for upgrades to the stadium.
While the team is contractually obligated to play at the Landover stadium through 2027, it has been looking into building a new stadium.
Three police officers were shot and wounded Wednesday morning and the shooter has remained holed up inside a Southeast D.C. home for around seven hours, police said.
D.C. police at the scene of a shooting on Hanna Place in Southeast D.C.
(WTOP/John Domen)
WTOP/John Domen
D.C. police are shown near a scene where three police officers were shot and a fourth suffered minor injuries while responding to a shooting, Wednesday morning, Feb. 14.
(AP Photos/Nathan Ellgren)
AP Photos/Nathan Ellgren
D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith talks to the media, Wednesday, Feb. 14.
(AP Photos/Nathan Ellgren)
A suspect is in custody Wednesday night after police said he shot and wounded three D.C. officers who were attempting to serve an arrest warrant and then holed up inside the home.
The standoff lasted around 13 hours and started when police approached a home on Hanna Place in Southeast D.C. around 7:30 a.m.
During an evening news conference, D.C. Police Chief Pamela Smith said someone inside the home refused to come outside, then shot at officers through the door as they tried to enter the home.
The shooting sparked a massive police presence in the area, closing down several nearby streets and forcing some nearby schools into lockdowns.
How the barricade began
Smith said officers went to the residence to serve an arrest warrant on animal cruelty charges on behalf of the Humane Rescue Alliance around 7:30 a.m. Wednesday when the suspect began shooting at them through the door.
“This morning, our officers attempted to make contact with the individual inside the residence in order to execute the arrest warrant,” Smith said. “The individual refused to come outside. As officers attempted to gain entry, the individual fired upon them.”
Three officers who were shot were taken to hospitals with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. A fourth officer was treated at the scene for minor injuries, Smith said.
Up and down negotiations, gunfire
The suspect seemed to be alone in the home and police negotiators were in “constant communication” with the shooter, though the conversations had ups and downs, the police chief said.
“There were moments when he was very agitated and then there were moments where he was very positive,” Smith said.
As negotiations drew on, gunfire continued hours after officers first showed up to the residence.
“There have been periods of time throughout the day where he has been shooting, which is why we have ensured that we do not want anyone in that area,” Smith said.
Smith added that they do not know the identity of the suspect or if he lives in the barricaded home. Police haven’t confirmed whether the person who they were attempting to serve the warrant to is the shooter.
How wounded officers are doing
The wounded officers were shot in their feet and hands and are expected to recover.
“Our officers are in good spirits, they seem to be doing OK,” Smith said during the earlier news conference after visiting the officers in the hospital.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser also visited the injured officers.
“It goes to show you how important it is to support our police, to make sure we’re hiring the best of the best police, to make sure that as a community, that if we see something wrong, that we call MPD because MPD is going to show up for us every single time,” Bowser said during an event for Valentine’s Day.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden is praying that the officers make full recoveries.
“This shooting is yet another distressing and painful reminder of the toll gun violence is inflicting on families, on our communities and, obviously, on our nation,” Jean-Pierre said at a news conference.
Biden also called on Republicans in Congress to act to “to make sure that communities are safer.”
The Humane Rescue Alliance told WTOP that its Field Services Director Dan D’Eramo, who was on scene, was not injured. HRA wrote in a statement:
“As this dynamic situation unfolds, our thoughts are with our partners at MPD who are being treated in the hospital and we are wishing them all the best in their recovery. We could not fulfill our mission without them. We are also concerned for the safety of the officers who remain on scene, the community members who continue to be affected, and the animals whom we were there to protect.”
Neither police nor HRA have offered details about the alleged animal cruelty that prompted the arrest warrant.
Closed roads, school lockdowns
Police said Benning Road in Southeast D.C. is closed both ways between Southern Avenue and East Capital Street for police activity. G Street is also closed between 46th and 51st Street.
The 700 block of 51st Street between Hanna Place and H Street is closed. And the 5000 to 5100 blocks of Hanna Place are also shut down. Police are asking people to avoid the area as the closure points could change.
On Wednesday morning, WTOP’s John Domen reported from the scene that the road closures around the shooting were “basically paralyzing the entire Marshall Heights area of Southeast D.C.” as police negotiated with the suspect.
“There is just a massive emergency presence here, to the likes that I haven’t seen in a long time here,” Domen said.
Public schools in the area locked down within an hour of the initial shots being fired, including Garfield Elementary School and Plummer Elementary School. KIPP DC LEAP Academy dismissed students from class early.
This is a developing story. Stay with WTOP for the latest.
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A tractor-trailer hauling food products caught fire Thursday morning and began leaking fuel in Germantown, Maryland, according to the Montgomery County fire department.
A tractor trailer that caught fire on Observation Road in Germantown on Thursday morning,(Courtesy Pete Piringer, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service)
A tractor trailer that caught fire on Observation Road in Germantown on Thursday morning,(Courtesy Pete Piringer, Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service)
A tractor-trailer hauling food products caught fire early Thursday morning and began leaking fuel in Germantown, Maryland, according to the Montgomery County fire department.
No injuries from the fire have been reported, but it blocked all lanes as first responders worked to clear the smoldering truck from Observation Drive by the Milestone Shopping Center.
The truck has since been cleared from the roadway and all lanes were reopened at around 2:30 p.m., according to the WTOP Traffic Center.
The fire began around 5:30 a.m., when a fire and rescue spokesperson tweeted that a Wegmans tractor-trailer was ablaze on Observation Drive, between Ridge Road and Shakespeare Boulevard. Drivers were advised to find alternative roads around the wreck.
Officials said the fire was mostly extinguished an hour later, with hazardous material crews remaining on scene to clean up a fuel spill.
The smoldering contents of a tractor trailer that caught fire in Germantown, Maryland. (Courtesy Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service)
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