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Tag: valerie bonk

  • Frederick police say untested bedding area identified killer in 37-year-old cold case – WTOP News

    The 1988 murder of a 23-year-old woman was solved after detectives in Frederick, Maryland, retested DNA evidence.

    Detectives in Frederick, Maryland, said an untested section of bedding held the key to identifying who killed a 23-year-old woman in her apartment more than 37 years ago.

    Delores Marie “Mooda” Thompson was found dead in her apartment in the 100 block of S. Market on Feb. 1, 1988, according to a Frederick Police Department news release. Police said she died of “ligature strangulation” and that the case included evidence of a sexual assault.

    At the time of her death, police said DNA testing was “in its infancy” and samples of evidence failed to find an “identifiable suspect profile.”

    For nearly four decades, “her family has lived without answers,” said Frederick Police Chief Jason Lando. “Today, we can finally give them closure.”

    This year, detectives looked again at the evidence in the case using updated DNA equipment and techniques on a small area of bedding not previously tested, police said in the release.

    DNA on the bedding matched the profile of convicted offender Calvin Ziegler, police said. Ziegler was interviewed in the case following Thompson’s death and was known as having “frequently visited the victim’s apartment.”

    Ziegler died in 2010, according to police.

    After a review of the forensic findings, the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office issued a formal letter confirming that the evidence supports the identification of Ziegler as the contributor of the DNA and the person responsible for Thompson’s homicide.

    “Because the identified individual is deceased, criminal charges are not possible; however, the case will be listed as closed based on the evidentiary findings,” police said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • What are some of the mental health benefits of going to a ‘friendsgiving?’ A local psychiatrist weighs in – WTOP News

    An Inova psychiatrist says that the “friendsgiving” tradition could be a good way to de-stress and center yourself.

    Family Thanksgiving gatherings can be stressful. A local psychiatrist says that a “friendsgiving” could help give you a break this holiday season.

    “It makes sense that friendsgiving, to me, would be beneficial,” said Sam Schiavone, division chief of inpatient adult psychiatry at Inova in Falls Church, Virginia. “It’s more colloquial.”

    He said that the tradition could be a good way to de-stress and center yourself.

    “It’s (friends) that you’ve made and sought and get along with and now you’re spending time together, good quality time, and giving thanks to each other. Just celebrating the friendship that you made, rather than celebrating the holiday,” he said.

    Schiavone said just being grateful is a good thing for your mental health.

    “Being with people that you love and they love you is going to make you feel more connected, more grounded,” he said. “Just by virtue of social connection, that has been shown to improve well being.”

    Being grateful actually impacts your mood, which could help when we might be stressed about going to a traditional Thanksgiving with family you haven’t seen in awhile.

    “Giving thanks does a trick in our brain where it feels like we’re also getting thanks. So we tend to feel happy and good when we’re praising others,” he said. “A lot of healthy chemicals, neurotransmitters get expressed when we receive things, but even when we give thanks.”

    And when it comes to traditional Thanksgivings with family, he said tell them you’re grateful for them, and some physical touch can go a long way too.

    “Just hugging family members, hugging friends can release good happy chemicals in the brain, like oxytocin,” he said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Valerie Bonk

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  • A Virginia Tech researcher explains the dangers behind ultra-processed foods – WTOP News

    A professor who helped conduct a new study showing harms from ultra-processed foods explains what they are and why we should avoid them.

    Consuming ultra-processed foods can cause harm to major organs, in addition to a host of other health problems, a new study published Tuesday in the medical journal the Lancet revealed.

    Another report released Thursday from researchers at Virginia Tech shows that young adults are more vulnerable to indulging in ultra-processed foods, according to Brenda Davy, a professor in the school’s Department of Human Nutrition, Foods and Exercise, who helped conduct the study.

    Davy told WTOP that people need to pay attention to what they’re buying to avoid ultra-processed food, which are dangerous to our health.

    “An ultra-processed food is most easily recognized by having ingredients that would not be used in home cooking,” Davy said.

    Her study tested young adults who were put on diets with ultra-processed foods. After two weeks, the adults aged 18 to 21 ate more calories using a diet that was high in ultra-processed food even though they weren’t hungry. But this wasn’t true for adults in the 22-25 age group, Davy said.

    The study’s results suggest that adolescents may be more vulnerable to ultra-processed foods, which can be addictive.

    Some examples of ultra-processed foods include “things like Sunny Delight, rather than 100% fresh orange juice,” she said. “A Pop-Tart, which would be an ultra-processed food, compared to a homemade banana nut muffin.”

    “When you’re shopping at the grocery store, if you pick up an item and look at the ingredient list, if you see things like ‘fat, flour, oil, salt, sugar,’ those are things that are typically used in home cooking,” she said. “Those would not be considered ultra-processed ingredients.”

    “On the other hand, if you saw very long-sounding chemical names that you do not recognize, that’s one tip off of an item considered an ultra-processed food,” she added.

    She said the research released this week shows that these ingredients could be more dangerous than you think.

    “Ultra-processed foods are linked to increased risks of obesity and weight gain and a whole host of chronic diseases like Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases,” Davy said.

    She said in order to avoid ultra-processed foods, people should “prepare as many of their meals as possible at home.”

    “That might help folks reduce their risk of some of these chronic diseases related to their diet,” she said.

    Davy said that there are some advantages to food processing by manufacturers.

    “One of the biggest advantages for using processed foods is that they do have a longer shelf life,” she said. “That is an important benefit of ultra-processed foods.”

    But she said that one of the big drawbacks is how addictive they can be.

    “They may drive us to overeat them,” she said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Loudoun County schools see a major increase in the number of students unable to pay for school lunches – WTOP News

    Unpaid school lunch debt is becoming a primary issue in Loudoun County Public schools as food insecurity continues to impact the D.C. area.

    Unpaid school lunch debt is becoming a primary issue in Loudoun County Public Schools as food insecurity continues to impact the D.C. area.

    “Our unpaid meal date has increased year over year,” Sharon Willoughby, chief financial officer for Loudoun County Public Schools, said during a joint meeting of the Loudoun County Board of Education and Loudoun County Board of Supervisors on Monday.

    She said unpaid meal debt is up 52% compared to last year. And requests to be included in the Free and Reduced Lunch program have jumped 180%.

    “This year, we’re off to the same trend, where we will most likely be exceeding last year’s unpaid meal debt,” Willoughby said. “After the pandemic, LCPS, along with other school divisions across the nation, has seen their meal debt really increase just across the board.”

    She said debt status will not stop students from getting their lunches, but families are getting notifications if they have a negative balance that’s over $5.

    Students with a negative balance are not allowed to get extra items in the lunch line but will still get a breakfast and lunch.

    Willoughby said school meal prices have increased by 20 cents a meal to address the rising cost of the program. Lunches now cost $3.55.

    “We understand the need of having students have food in their stomachs in the morning so they can focus on the day,” Loudoun County Board Supervisor Sylvia Glass said.

    At the end of a fiscal year, any outstanding meal debt is absorbed by the school system and does not roll over into the next school year. Families then start with a zero-dollar balance even if they can’t pay their meal debt.

    LCPS has partnered with Giant Food and some other organizations to help with donations to cover some of the unpaid debt.

    “You may notice when you check out at the grocery store sometimes you have the option to round up for a certain charitable cause. One of those causes has been donating to the school nutrition program,” Willoughby said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Judge hears arguments in a lawsuit to halt ICE arrests without a warrant in DC – WTOP News

    Some D.C.-area residents shared their stories about being arrested without a warrant by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a hearing Wednesday for a lawsuit aimed at stopping illegal arrests of people perceived to be immigrants.

    Some D.C.-area residents shared their stories about being arrested without a warrant by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement during a hearing Wednesday for a lawsuit aimed at stopping illegal arrests of people perceived to be immigrants.

    “I was detained by D.C. police and then ICE arrived,” said a plaintiff named Elias through a representative who read his story in U.S. District Court because he is currently in the hospital.

    Elias was arrested by ICE and said he was detained for more than 8 hours. At the time he was detained, he was headed to D.C. for a dialysis appointment, which he has three times a week.

    “I didn’t have my medication with me and I felt very ill. My family was suffering not knowing what will happen to me,” Elias wrote.

    He is one of four plaintiffs represented in Escobar Molina et al. v. the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a lawsuit challenging what they allege are illegal arrests by ICE without warrants or probable cause.

    The plaintiffs are being represented by the ACLU of the District of Columbia, Amica Center for Immigrant Rights, CASA, the National Immigration Project, the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, and the law firm of Covington, Burling LLP.

    “People are still experiencing these harms day in and day out in the streets of D.C. So we certainly do hope that the court will rule urgently on these issues,” Yulie Landan, staff attorney with the National Immigration Project, said.

    During the hearing, U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell listened to arguments in a motion for a preliminary injunction in the case led by CASA to put a stop to the arrests while the case is being considered. They are also asking for class certification of the plaintiffs.

    “We recognize that there are individuals who are impacted by this unlawful policy and practice, far beyond the individual plaintiffs who have bravely put their names and their information before the court,” said Aditi Shah, staff attorney with the ACLU of the District of Columbia.

    Judge Howell asked for more information from both parties in the case with a deadline of Tuesday, Nov. 25.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Where’s the best place to retire? A look at new rankings from US News and World Report – WTOP News

    The latest rankings from U.S. News and World Report on the 2026 best places to retire could be a place to start, and some of the top places might surprise you.

    Are you planning for retirement? Finding the place to settle in could take a lot of research. The latest rankings from U.S. News and World Report on the 2026 best places to retire could be a place to start, and some of the top places might surprise you.

    “There’s a lot of geographic diversity in the new rankings,” said U.S. News and World Report contributing editor Tim Smart.

    Midland, Michigan, came in at the No. 1 spot, followed by Homosassa Springs in Florida and the Woodlands and Spring, both in Texas.

    Lynchburg, Virginia, came in 10th; Harrisonburg came in 77th. Ellicott City in Maryland came in 89th.

    “Midland, Michigan did, in fact, secure the top spot in the rankings, mainly because of good scores on quality of life, affordability and the overall tax environment for retirees,” Smart said.

    He said the best places to retire list expanded its reach this year, looking at more than 850 U.S. cities, and ranking the top 250.

    “This was more granular and focused on cities. We also looked at population and migration patterns of seniors, 55 plus, to see where people were going and have been going,” Smart said.

    For the rankings, they surveyed people 45 and up on what matters most to them. And for the first time in several years, quality of life ranked higher than affordability.

    “While inflation is still higher than people would like, I think people have come to grips with that, and now maybe they’re thinking quality of life is what really matters,” Smart said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Valerie Bonk

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  • Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott gives historic donation to Howard University – WTOP News

    MacKenzie Scott, a philanthropist and the former wife of Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, is continuing to give major gifts to those who need it.

    MacKenzie Scott, the billionaire philanthropist and former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, is continuing to give major gifts to those who need it.

    This time, she donated to $80 million to Howard University.

    Wayne Frederick, the interim president and president emeritus of Howard University, told WTOP the donation will have a huge impact, especially during the government shutdown.

    “We’re deeply grateful,” he said.

    This is the second gift Scott gave to the historically Black university. She also gave the university $40 million in 2020.

    Scott’s gift comes at a time when the university’s professors, staff and students could use some extra help.

    “Because of the government shutdown, dollars flowing from the federal government to institutions like ours has slowed down,” Frederick said. “So whether it’s students on grants, loans, things of that nature — 80% to 90% of the funds that come into this institution have some tie to a federal source.”

    He added that they plan to use the funds to “alleviate any concerns or needs from students, and … help pay our employees.”

    The gift came unrestricted as well, a fact that Frederick said means a lot to the university.

    “Paying the bills, paying people every day, it’s going to be a significant help. For students, we have students who rely on a wide variety of federal assistance,” he said.

    The total is $63 million to the university and $17 million to its College of Medicine.

    “The fact that it comes with that confidence that … ‘I trust you to go spend it as you see necessary to fulfill your mission.’ There’s also a huge vote of confidence as well,” Frederick said.

    Frederick said the gift to the medical school will help accelerate the expansion of its new Academic Medical Center.

    “It’s a kind of gift that will transform aspects of what we do here at the institution,” he said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Valerie Bonk

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  • Prince George’s County woman convicted of attempted murder after shooting teen daughter – WTOP News

    A woman was convicted of attempted murder for shooting and seriously hurting her 13-year-old daughter during an argument in 2024 in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

    A woman was convicted of attempted murder for shooting and seriously hurting her 13-year-old daughter during an argument in 2024 in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

    Talecka C. Brown, 33, has been convicted of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree child abuse, first-degree assault, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, according to a news release.

    Brown shot her daughter in the neck during an argument in their Seat Pleasant home in September 2024 shortly after she came home from school. Her daughter told police that she was walking down the stairs when her mom shot her.

    She faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

    “It is unimaginable that a mother would turn on her own child in such a violent way,” State’s Attorney Tara H. Jackson said in a release.

    Brown’s sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 19, 2026.

    “A mother has a duty to love, protect, and nurture her child, not cause them harm,” Jackson said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Valerie Bonk

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  • Remains found at three-alarm fire in Loudoun County – WTOP News

    Fire officials in Loudoun County, Virginia, confirmed Sunday that they found remains at the scene of a three-alarm fire that broke out early Friday.

    Fire officials in Loudoun County, Virginia, confirmed Sunday that they found remains at the scene of a three-alarm fire that broke out early Friday.

    The remains were found when the Loudoun County Fire and Rescue Fire Marshal’s Office was investigating the cause of the blaze at the 20000 block of Riptide Square in Sterling.

    Investigators said that because the spread of the fire happened so fast, it hindered firefighter access to the scene. Several structural collapses were also reported.

    The fire impacted two townhomes and damaged a third, according to a news release. Eight residents were displaced by the fire and several are receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.

    It took crews about an hour of firefighting before the fire could be controlled enough to allow for  salvage and overhaul operations.

    Units from nine stations in Loudoun County, as well as firefighters from Fairfax County and multiple command and safety officers, responded to the scene Friday morning.

    One firefighter was transported to be examined for a minor injury, according to the release.

    The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is currently investigating the cause of death of the person found in the fire.

    Below is a map of where the fire occurred.

    (Courtesy Google Maps)

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Fairfax nurse receives prestigious national honor after changing way premature babies were fed – WTOP News

    A Virginia NICU nurse’s innovative approach to infant feeding has earned national recognition with the prestigious Magnet Nurse of the Year Award for leading a culture shift in neonatal care.

    A D.C.-area nurse had an idea to change the way her hospital fed babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and her project just won her national recognition.

    “It is a big deal, and it was shocking,” said Renee Bloom, who is an NICU RN Unit Supervisor at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Virginia.

    Bloom, 61, has been a nurse since 1986 and has worked in various units throughout her career.

    She was recently named one of five nurses nationally to be awarded with the Magnet Nurse of the Year Award. It honors nurses who excel in nursing practice and innovation.

    “It’s the first Magnet Nurse of the Year that we have received at all of our Inovas,” Bloom said.

    The project she was recognized for has been in the works for years.

    Previously, NICUs fed babies every three hours and they found as the children grew, “that we were almost force feeding these kids to eat, and we’re just like, ‘there’s something wrong with this,’” she said.

    So they started looking at other ways to know when to feed them. And they came up with readiness cues.

    “You’re watching their stress cues as you feed them. You watch what quality of what that feeding was like. You know when to stop,” Bloom said.

    And they found the babies were getting out of the NICU faster.

    “Our kids ended up going home about six days sooner,” Bloom said. “It’s a whole progression. We felt … we were getting them to full oral feeds faster.”

    Now, it’s a whole cultural change at her NICU and others at Inova. She said not having feeding issues helped the NICU babies avoid other issues, such as speech or developmental trouble.

    “This affects them long term. And all three other NICUs now do infant-driven feeding,” she said.

    Bloom said the award was less of a personal achievement and meant more for her because her team and their project was chosen to be recognized.

    “It definitely feels like a team win for our NICU, that we were able to change the culture for these babies and not affect them later on down the road,” she said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Black lab in Howard County is joining forces with fire department to help detect arson – WTOP News

    When it comes to detecting arson, Howard County announced that a new member of the team was hired for his nose to help detect fires set intentionally.

    Beacon demonstrates his skills with his handler, Captain Craig Matthews.
    (Courtesy Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services)

    Courtesy Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services

    Beacon and his handler Captain Craig Matthews
    Beacon and his handler, Captain Craig Matthews during the swearing-in ceremony.
    (Courtesy Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services)

    Courtesy Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services

    Howard County Fire Chief Louis Winston, Captain Craig Matthews and Howard County Executive Calvin Ball
    Howard County Fire Chief Louis Winston, Captain Craig Matthews and Howard County Executive Calvin Ball during Beacon’s swearing in ceremony.
    (Courtesy Howard County Government)

    Courtesy Howard County Government

    Beacon and his handler Captain Craig Matthews
    Beacon and his handler, Captain Craig Matthews.
    (Courtesy Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services)

    Courtesy Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services

    When it comes to detecting arson, four legs is better than two. Howard County has announced a new member of the team hired for his nose to help detect fires set intentionally.

    After his handler stepped in to help him get sworn in, since he has paws and not hands, the 2-year-old black Labrador retriever was celebrated as the newest member of the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services as an arson accelerant detector.

    He went with his trainer to complete the canine accelerant detection program hosted by Maine State Police.

    “Beacon and Captain (Craig) Matthews will assist not only here in Howard County, but at fire scenes throughout the Baltimore, Washington Metropolitan Area,” said Fire Chief Louis Winston.

    This is because there’s only a handful of arson dogs like Beacon in the area. Arson dogs can do in seconds and minutes what takes humans days or weeks when it comes to locating evidence of gasoline, lighter fluid or kerosene.

    Captain Craig Matthews, with the Department’s Office of the Fire Marshal, and Beacon’s handler, explained how it works.

    “Beacon is a food reward dog, unlike your typical police dog that is play, can’t throw a ball or a Kong in a fire scene, because it’s unsafe for to do so for the dogs,” Matthews said.

    He said that many of the fire scenes have holes in the floor, broken glass or sharp metal objects, so they do a food reward system instead of toys.

    “So when Beacon finds the source of an ignitable liquid, he will then sit and he will use his nose to point to that spot, and then I will reward him with a small handful of food,” Matthews said.

    Beacon and his trainer are expected to respond to an average of 80 investigations in a year. Beacon is the fifth arson accelerant detection canine to serve Howard County and second to accompany Matthews.

    The swearing-in is timely as October is Fire Prevention Month.

    “Each time Beacon is out, things will be a little bit better and a little bit safer for everyone,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Man arrested in cold case murder of Annapolis woman 36 years later – WTOP News

    Police in Annapolis, Maryland, arrested a man Thursday and charged him in the cold case murder of a woman who was killed in 1989.

    Police in Annapolis, Maryland, said they have found the man responsible for the cold case murder of a woman 36 years ago.

    Garnet Elizabeth Griffith’s body was found on Kensington Way in Annapolis on Jan. 12, 1989, while officers were responding to a 911 call.

    Police said she suffered injuries consistent with a gunshot wound, according to a news release.

    After following new leads, the Annapolis Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division, in collaboration with partner agencies, arrested William Cook Jr., on Thursday at his home in Annapolis.

    “The arrest in this case is a testament to the unwavering commitment of our detectives, both past and present, to seeking justice for every victim. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to the men and women of the Annapolis Police Department, past and present, who never gave up on this case,” Annapolis Police Chief Ed Jackson said in a news release.

    Cook, 53, is facing charges of first- and second-degree murder as well as first- and second-degree rape, according to online court documents. He’s being held without bond.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Water cremation added as funeral option in Montgomery County – WTOP News

    Cremating remains through a process involving water for a more sustainable option is now approved in Montgomery County, Maryland.

    Cremating remains through a process involving water is now approved in Montgomery County, Maryland, with supporters arguing it’s a more sustainable and affordable option.

    Water cremation, or alkaline hydrolysis, uses water, alkaline chemicals and heat in a watertight vessel to “accelerate the natural decomposition process,” according to a news release from the Montgomery County Council.

    The council unanimously approved the new zoning amendment to facilitate the process, which is already available in 20 states.

    It was legalized in Maryland in 2024 under the Green Death Care Options Act.

    “Families have been asking for this choice because it’s safe, sustainable, and more affordable than other options,” Montgomery County Council member Natali Fani-González, who introduced the amendment, said in a news release. “This legislation ensures that Montgomery County residents no longer have to look outside our borders to honor their loved ones in a way that reflects both dignity and environmental responsibility.”

    Water cremation creates an ash that can then be placed in an urn and returned to families.

    The byproduct of water cremation is 95% water, which is “safely discharged as wastewater after pH adjustment,” according to the news release.

    There are no direct emissions or smoke from the process, according to the council.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Portions of George Washington Memorial Parkway in Virginia to be closed for tree maintenance – WTOP News

    If you’re planning to travel on George Washington Memorial Parkway starting on Wednesday, you’ll want to make a plan ahead of time for upcoming road closures.

    If you’re planning to travel on George Washington Memorial Parkway starting on Wednesday, you’ll want to make a plan ahead of time for upcoming road closures.

    The National Park Service is closing the southbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway from Tulane Drive to Morningside Lane between 8 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 1, 2, 6 and 7 to complete tree trimming.

    Traffic will be diverted from the parkway onto Park Terrace during the tree work.

    A map of the detour for tree trimming on the George Washington Parkway. (Courtesy The National Park Service)

    These closures support the National Park Service’s mission to preserve safe access to the parkway while protecting the scenic and natural resources along the Potomac River corridor.

    “This is part of the park’s larger efforts to conduct tree maintenance along the George Washington Memorial Parkway between Mount Vernon and just south of Alexandria,” the National Park Service said in a news release.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Doctors in Virginia say focused ultrasound could soon be used as a treatment for addiction – WTOP News

    Treatment for addiction could be a lifelong journey. Doctors in Virginia are experimenting with an incision-free brain procedure that might help.

    Treatment for addiction could be a lifelong journey. Now, doctors in Virginia are experimenting with an incision-free brain procedure that might help.

    Focused ultrasound was pioneered at UVA Health to treat essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease.

    “What we wanted to find was a treatment that can target those deep areas, like deep brain stimulation, but also be non-invasive,” said Dr. James Mahoney, an associate professor and clinical neuropsychologist at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

    He said they’re researching the ability to use focused ultrasound on patients with addiction and substance use disorders.

    “By being able to target those areas of the brain, which are really the center of the reward circuit, this can work for multiple substances and multiple types of addictions,” he said.

    Mahoney said patients will have to wear a special helmet that has thousands of transducers that stimulates certain areas of the brain with ultrasound.

    “Everything is MRI focused,” he said. “So we take a picture of the individual’s brain, and then we match it with the helmet … and by matching up kind of where the transducers are in the area of the brain that we want to target.”

    In trials, they’re seeing one course of the 20-minute treatment go a long way.

    “We’ve seen not only a reduction in craving — which is what we were really targeting, what we were trying to reduce — but we were also seeing those functional changes as well, and that was after a single treatment of focused ultrasound. So very positive results,” he said.

    Dr. Daisy Thompson Lake, an assistant professor and a clinical neuroscientist at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, said it will most likely be used in combination with other treatments for substance abuse.

    “We certainly don’t believe this is pop into a clinic, have a quick focused ultrasound, and you never want drugs again. Because there’s so many different reasons people become addicted, and there’s also so many different reasons that people might go back to drug use,” she said.

    While the treatment program is not currently in practice for the public, Mahoney said they’re working on getting regulatory requirements fulfilled.

    “The hope is to make it so that we’re able to get a scalable version of this out to the public as soon as possible,” Mahoney said. “I don’t think it’s on the too-distant horizon.”

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  • How should federal employees prepare for a potential government shutdown? – WTOP News

    A last-minute compromise to avoid a government shutdown doesn’t look probable as the deadline approaches. Federal News Network Federal Drive host Terry Gerton has tips on what federal workers could be doing.

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    How should federal employees prepare for a potential government shutdown?

    A last-minute compromise to avoid a government shutdown doesn’t look probable as the deadline approaches. Federal News Network “Federal Drive” host Terry Gerton has tips on what federal workers could be doing.

    As of Friday afternoon, Congress has four days to agree on a stopgap bill that would avoid leaving thousands of federal employees without pay or without a job entirely.

    The first thing Gerton recommended federal employees do is address if you have rent or loans that will have payments due during the potential shutdown.

    “Talk to creditors, landlords, those kinds of things, to let them know that this may be coming up, and see if they can negotiate or are covered by some extenuating period of time when they may be able to make reduced payments or may be able to delay those payments,” Gerton said.

    In the event of a shutdown, this time around would be different for one group in particular — those who opted into the deferred resignation and retirement program, whose last day on the federal payroll is Sept. 30.

    “They may not have had their paperwork processed,” she said. “They may not have their retirement package submitted, and it’s not clear whether on Oct. 1, if we’re in a shutdown, agency/HR folks are going to be around and able to process those retirements.”

    The good thing is federal workers receive back pay following a shutdown.

    In 2019, Congress passed a law ensuring federal employees, regardless of their status during the shutdown and who are actively on the federal rolls, would be entitled to back pay for the duration of the shutdown.

    While they will eventually get paid, the furloughed workers as well as those who remain on the job may have to go without one or more of their regular paychecks, depending upon how long the shutdown lasts, which will create financial stress for many families.

    “That helps a little bit in that, at the end of the shutdown, you’re going to get a check that covers their back pay,” Gerton said.

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  • Searching and applying for after-school programs in DC is now at your fingertips – WTOP News

    Looking for after-school or weekend programs for your children in D.C.? A new website from the District aims to help you out.

    Looking for after-school or weekend programs for your children in D.C.? A new website from the District aims to help you out.

    “We’ve been constantly hearing families say that they don’t know where or how to access out of school time, meaning after school and summer programs for D.C.’s children and youth,” Shontia Lowe, executive director of the D.C. Deputy Mayor for Education’s Office for Out of School Time, said. “The problem was access and information.”

    She said a new website the District launched aims to fix that issue.

    The portal, called MOST-D.C., is a one-stop shop for finding after-school programs for kids.

    “So families can log into the portal and search for programs by ward, by location, by school, by program type, to determine what are the best programs to meet the needs of the students,” Lowe said.

    It’s offered in English and Spanish and they’re adding additional languages soon. There are more than 1,000 summer and after-school programs on the site now, and administrators will continue to add more.

    “Families may traditionally perhaps prioritize a program that’s close to their school, close to their work or close to their home. They don’t have to choose. They can see all of the above through the most.dc.gov portal,” she said.

    There are currently more than 6,500 parent accounts and more than 8,000 students linked to programs on the site. They hope that number will grow even more.

    Funding for the website was rolled out in Mayor Muriel Bowser’s most recent budget.

    “My hope is that MOST-D.C. becomes a household name in families, for families across the wards,” Lowe said. “Families have a plethora of programs to choose from.”

    Find the portal online here.

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  • New program in Virginia aims to increase the number of living donor transplants – WTOP News

    A new program just launched in Virginia is aiming to increase the number of living donors that can help patients get the transplants they need sooner.

    Living donor first — that’s the slogan of a new transplant program in Virginia.

    When someone needs a kidney or liver transplant, they could wait years before they get a call, if they even get one at all. A new program just launched in Virginia is aiming to increase the number of living donors that can help patients get the transplants they need sooner.

    “It’s putting the concept of living donor right up front, so that when patients come in, it’s in the forefront of their mind,” said Dr. Shawn Pelletier, director of the transplant service line and chief of the Division of Transplant Surgery at U.Va. Health.

    He said their new program, “Living Donor First,” aims to educate patients and the public about the option of living donors and the benefits to patients.

    They have new signs and pamphlets to inform patients of their options, and they have people ready to assist anyone needing any direction about the process on finding a living donor.

    For kidney patients, living donors are “almost always the best option. The potential recipient doesn’t have to wait on the list for a deceased donor, that might take four to seven years,” he said.

    And for liver transplant patients?

    “You have to wait till you’re the sickest person on the list, and that’s obviously not the best strategy to plan a big operation,” he said.

    He said anyone — family, friends and strangers — can be living donors.

    “You don’t even necessarily have to be compatible or the same blood type,” he said. “We really want everyone thinking of, you know, the potential of being a living donor, and the fact that by doing this, you are literally saving someone’s life.”

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  • Do you have large, thick webs on your trees? They could be from fall webworms – WTOP News

    It’s webworm season. The squirmy bugs are actually caterpillars and they can create some sticky situations in area trees.

    It’s webworm season. The squirmy bugs are actually caterpillars and they can create some sticky situations in area trees.

    “They develop this web around them to protect them from the birds,” Lou Meyer, a certified arborist for the The Davey Tree Expert Company, said.

    He said while webworms are caterpillars and not worms, the “web” part of their name definitely describes them.

    “Looks like giant spider webs, and you’ll notice that some of the leaves are gone, and that’s where the web worms are feeding on those leaves,” he said. “The webs themselves are this really high tensile strength web. It’s kind of hard to break them.”

    And those webs can get rather large.

    Fall webworm in Woodbridge, Virginia.
    (Courtesy Judy Gallagher)

    Courtesy Judy Gallagher

    Webworms
    An infestation of fall webworms in Boyds, Maryland.
    (Courtesy Sue Ann)

    Courtesy Sue Ann

    webs on bush
    The webs from fall webworms.
    (Courtesy Ryan Hodnett/Creative Commons)

    Courtesy Ryan Hodnett/Creative Commons

    “I’ve seen them as big as, you know, 2 feet long by 2 feet wide. So they’re pretty darn big,” he said.

    They are native to the mid-Atlantic region and show up in late August or September.

    “They feed on over 100 species of trees, so they’re prolific throughout the area,” he said.

    While they can be an eyesore to some, he said they are harmless.

    “They are not damaging the tree to any degree that we would be concerned,” he said.

    So how do you clear them up if you want them gone?

    “If you really want to manage them, you can prune out those webs when you see them,” he said. “If they’re really high up, if you can reach them with a pole, pruner, that’s fine, clip them right out and then dispose of that.”

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  • Another year, another rise: Maryland hospitals see 4th consecutive year of medical error spikes – WTOP News

    Medical mistakes that led to either death or severe disabilities are apparently on the rise in Maryland, according to a new report from the state’s Department of Health.

    Medical mistakes that led to either death or severe disabilities are apparently on the rise in Maryland, according to a new report from the state’s Department of Health.

    The report, highlighting data from fiscal year 2023, marks the fourth consecutive year that Maryland hospitals have seen an increase in such incidents, starting with the increase in 2020.

    In fiscal 2023, the Maryland Department of Health said there were 957 adverse events reported, including 808 Level 1 events.

    Level 1 events are described as “an adverse event that results in death or serious disability.” The latest report marked a 5% increase in such incidences, according to the report.

    Pressure injuries were the most frequently reported Level 1 event for the latest report, but were down 2% from the previous year. These types of injuries include ulcers, which commonly happen because of failure to turn and reposition patients with limited mobility and offload pressure in hospital beds, the report found.

    Medical tubes and devices caused 30% of in-hospital pressure injuries. “Proper positioning and securing of medical tubes and devices is crucial to pressure injury prevention,” the report states.

    Falls were the second-most reported event, with a 22% increase from fiscal 2022, according to the report.

    (Courtesy Maryland Public Health Administration)

    The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reports that more than one-third of hospital falls result in injury, including serious injuries such as fractures and head trauma.

    The state report mentions one fall patient in particular who was transferred from an outside hospital with leukemia. The nursing staff at the hospital assessed the patient as a “standard fall risk,” as they had no prior fall history.

    However, that patient was later diagnosed as nonverbal with a subdural hematoma after they hit the back of their head on a closet door while walking to the bathroom, according to the report. At the time of the fall, the patient was reported as having a “sudden urinary and fecal incontinence.”

    The report stated that the patient had become nonverbal during CT testing.

    An investigation into that incident revealed the patient should have been classified as “high-risk” due to their “diagnosis, comorbidities, and medications,” the report said. Investigators also believe the IV pole was a factor in the fall.

    “Since the patient’s risk for falls was not assessed accurately, appropriate interventions were not in place, such as a room closer to the nursing station or the use of a bed alarm,” the report stated.

    Delays in treatment are the third-highest reported event, and may happen due to “inadequate assessments, communication failures, or human factors, such as timely diagnostic testing, labs, and imaging.”

    The department said the trend of increased medical mistakes could be caused by workforce shortages and residual effects from the pandemic.

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