At a press conference on Tuesday, the relatives of Miguel Ángel Luna González, José Mynor López and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, described the tragedy as “deadly negligence.”

In the lawsuit, the group is asking for an amount of money that was not specified at the conference, as well as work permits to be able to “live with dignity in the United States.”

“We seek justice, not for ourselves, but for all essential immigrant workers and families. We hope that no one ever has to live a tragedy like this and that justice means preventing future tragedies,” said Carmen Luna, Miguel Luna’s wife.

The lawyer in the case, Matthew Wessler, explained that his goal is to bring transparency, focusing on the families’ requests. The lawyer added that this was not a simple accident because the ship was allegedly not in a condition to sail and that these lives were lost due to a lack of responsibility.

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The tragedy occurred March 26 when the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed after the cargo ship Dalí hit it due to a suspected power outage on the ship. Six Hispanics were working on the bridge that fell into the cold waters of the Patapsco River.

The executive director of CASA, Gustavo Torres, also participated in Tuesday’s press conference, questioning the lack of security measures at the scene of the accident, as well as the absence of a rescue boat.

“Grace Ocean is choosing impunity over justice. Only for money and for their own interests, they are trying to eliminate their responsibility that they have with these families, but you know what? We are not going to allow it,” he said.

Through a statement sent to NBC News, a spokesperson for Grace Ocean Private Limited responded that by court order, any claim against the owner of the Dalí must be filed before Sept. 24.

The spokesperson added that, for the moment, the company will not offer any comment on these accusations.

Julio Cervantes Suárez was the only survivor of the tragedy. See his story here.

A meals tax would be assessed on all prepared foods – including drinks sold along with them – from restaurants, cafeterias, coffee shops, food carts and ready-to-eat grocery items.

At 1%, a meals tax would generate $33 million. The top rate allowed – 6% – would mean $198 million.

Kyle Schoenberger said he opposes any sort of meals tax because he believes it could hurt the restaurant he works for and, in turn, his livelihood.

“We’ve also heard feedback from people in terms of how much they’d still go out if the tax is raised, and that would affect our income as well,” he said.

Timmy Norton of the restaurant group Great American Restaurants said he’s concerned about the impact on lower income residents who spend a bigger percentage of their budget on prepared foods.

“I don’t think this is a necessary tax, because, again, it’s a single-industry tax that is solely going to impact lower-middle class folks and working class folks the most,” he said.

In a budget committee session Tuesday, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors wanted to get a fuller picture of how adding several other types of taxes might work to slightly shift the heavy reliance on property taxes.

“All we signaled was to get the information today,” Chairman Jeff McKay said.

Supervisors say a meals tax could ease the burden on property owners.

“The opportunity here is to identify what options we might have other than the residential tax rate as a way to provide for some of the critical services,” Franconia District Supervisor Rodney Lusk said.

Many Northern Virginia jurisdictions – including Arlington, Alexandria and Prince William County – already have food taxes, ranging from 3% to 5%.

If the Board does decide to move ahead with the tax, the staff recommends doing it as part of next year’s budget process, meaning a possible vote in spring 2025. If it wins approval, the earliest it could be collected would be January 2026.

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Medics evaluated 24 students and four adults, and they required no further medical attention, DC Fire and EMS said. One adult was taken to a hospital to be evaluated.

Cleveland Elementary School, on 8th Street NW in the Shaw area, was evacuated because of what school officials initially called “an unknown odor.”

DC Fire and EMS were called to the school shortly after 10:30 a.m. after several people reportedly felt sick.

News4 video shows students and staff members being evacuated to the parking lot of a nearby church. Students were dismissed to their families, DC Public Schools said.

A hazmat crew responded to determine the source of the stench. Large fans could be seen at an entrance to the building.

The source of the odor was asphalt work at an “adjacent construction site,” DC Fire and EMS concluded.

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No hazardous meter readings were found, according to the department.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

The Iran-backed militant group blamed Israel for the deadly explosions, which targeted an extraordinary breadth of people and showed signs of being a long-planned operation. How the attack was executed is largely uncertain and investigators have not immediately said how the pagers were detonated. The Israeli military has declined to comment.

Here’s what we know so far.

Why were pagers used in the attack?

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah previously warned the group’s members not to carry cellphones, saying they could be used by Israel to track the group’s movements. As a result, the organization uses pagers to communicate.

A Hezbollah official told The Associated Press the exploded devices were from a new brand the group had not used before. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press, did not identify the brand name or supplier.

Nicholas Reese, adjunct instructor at the Center for Global Affairs in New York University’s School of Professional Studies, explains smart phones carry a higher risk for intercepted communications in contrast to the more simple technology of pagers.

This type of attack will also force Hezbollah to change their communication strategies, said Reese, who previously worked as an intelligence officer, adding that survivors of Tuesday’s explosions are likely to throw away “not just their pagers, but their phones, and leaving their tablets or any other electronic devices.”

How could sabotage cause these pagers to explode?

With little disclosed from investigators so far, multiple theories have emerged Tuesday around how the attack might have been carried out. Several experts who spoke with The Associated Press suggest that the explosions were most likely the result of supply-chain interference.

Very small explosive devices may have been built into the pagers prior to their delivery to Hezbollah, and then all remotely triggered simultaneously, possibly with a radio signal.

By the time of the attack, “the battery was probably half-explosive and half-actual battery,” said Carlos Perez, director of security intelligence at TrustedSec.

A former British Army bomb disposal officer explained that an explosive device has five main components: A container, a battery, a triggering device, a detonator and an explosive charge.

“A pager has three of those already,” explained the ex-officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he now works as a consultant with clients on the Middle East. “You would only need to add the detonator and the charge.”

After security camera footage appeared on social media Tuesday purporting to show one of the pagers explode on a man’s hip in a Lebanese market, two munitions experts also said that the blast appeared to be the result of a tiny explosive device.

“Looking at the video, the size of the detonation is similar to that caused by an electric detonator alone or one that incorporates an extremely small, high-explosive charge,” said Sean Moorhouse, a former British Army officer and explosive ordinance disposal expert.

This signals involvement of a state actor, Moorhouse said. He adds that Israel’s foreign intelligence agency, the Mossad, is the most obvious suspect to have the resources to carry out such an attack.

N.R. Jenzen-Jones, an expert in military arms who is director of the Australian-based Armament Research Services, agreed that the scale and sophistication of the attack “almost certainly points to a state actor,” and that Israel had been accused of carrying out such operations in the past. Last year, AP reported that Iran accused Israel of trying to sabotage its ballistic missile program through faulty foreign parts that could explode, damaging or destroying the weapons before they could be used.

How long was this operation?

It would take a long time to plan an attack of this scale. The exact specifics are still unknown, but experts who spoke with the AP shared estimates ranging anywhere between several months to two years.

The sophistication of the attack suggests that whoever is behind it has been collecting intelligence for a long time, Reese explained. An attack of this caliber requires building the relationships needed to gain physical access to the pagers before they were sold; developing the technology that would be embedded in the devices; and developing sources who can confirm that the targets were carrying the pagers.

And it’s likely the compromised pagers seemed normal to their users for some time before the attack. Elijah J. Magnier, a Brussels-based veteran and a senior political risk analyst with over 37 years experience in the region, said he has had conversations with members of Hezbollah and survivors of Tuesday’s pager attack. He said the pagers were procured more than six months ago.

“The pagers functioned perfectly for six months,” Magnier said. What triggered the explosion, he said, appeared to be an error message sent to all the devices.

Based on his conversations with Hezbollah members, Magnier also said that many pagers didn’t go off, allowing the group to inspect them. They came to the conclusion that between 3 to 5 grams of a highly explosive material were concealed or embedded in the circuitry, he said.

What else could have happened?

Another possibility is that malware could have been inserted into the operating system of the pagers — somehow causing the device batteries to all overload at a specific time, causing them to burst into flame.

According to a Hezbollah official and Lebanese security officials, the pagers first heated up and then exploded in the pockets, or the hands, of those carrying them Tuesday afternoon.

These pagers run on lithium ion batteries, the Hezboolah official said, claiming the devices exploded as the result of being targeted from an Israeli “security operation,” without elaborating further.

When overheated, lithium ion batteries can smoke, melt and even catch on fire. Rechargeable lithium batteries are used in consumer products ranging from cellphones and laptops to electric cars. Lithium battery fires can burn up to 590 C (1,100 F).

Still, Moorhouse and others noted that images and video footage seen Tuesday more strongly resembled the detonation of small explosive charge, not an overheating battery.

“A lithium ion battery fire is one thing, but I’ve never seen one explode like that. It looks like a small explosive charge,” said Alex Plitsas, a weapons expert at the Atlantic Council.

Among those pointing to the likelihood of a supply chain attack is Jenzen-Jones, who adds that “such a large-scale operation also raises questions of targeting” — stressing the number of causalities and enormous impact reported so far.

“How can the party initiating the explosive be sure that a target’s child, for example, is not playing with the pager at the time it functions?” he said.

Technology and privacy researchers at Consumer Reports did some digging to find out if different chatbots could answer health-related questions accurately.

“To find out, we quizzed a handful of popular, general-purpose AI chatbots to see if their advice on health and safety topics matched that of our experts,” said Consumer Reports’ Courtney Lindwall.

Question 1: How many carbon monoxide detectors do you need?

CR says, homeowners should have a carbon monoxide detector on each level, outside each sleeping area, in the basement and near — not inside — an attached garage.

“For the most part, Google Gemini got this answer nearly right, but it erred slightly when it suggested putting a CO alarm inside an attached garage. Attached garages are usually not temperature-controlled, which can damage the alarm’s battery or sensor,” Lindwall said.

Question 2: How to filter PFAS from tap water?

Consumer Reports recommends a water filtration system with the National Sanitation Foundation certification code NSF/ANSI 53 and double-checking that the manufacturer specifically claims that its product removes PFAS.

“AI’s answer lacked key details. Using Microsoft Copilot’s advice, consumers may feel confident buying any activated carbon or reverse osmosis filter to eliminate PFAS in their water. However, not all filters of these kinds are designated for PFAS removal,” Lindwall said.

Question 3: Can kids play with water beads?

Consumer Reports says absolutely not. The popular children’s toys carry high risks if ingested, like bowel obstruction, blocked airways and infections. Water beads have also reportedly led to deaths and thousands of emergency room visits, Lindwall said.

“AI’s answer was dangerous and inconsistent. Meta AI failed to highlight the significant safety risks of water beads, aside from a passing reference to a need for parental supervision,” she said.

Consumer Reports said it’s okay to use AI as a starting point, but it’s important to always check the source material.

It also doesn’t hurt to ask questions more than once and compare answers.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, students must turn off their phones and keep them stored away all day, including during lunch and between class periods, according to the guidance the Virginia Department of Education released Tuesday.

“This guidance will ensure K-12 Virginia students have a distraction-free environment to focus on learning and reduce the alarming mental health crisis and chronic health conditions from cell phones and social media affecting Virginia students,” the education department said in a release on Tuesday.

How does the cellphone ban differ for Virginia elementary, middle and high schools?

In terms of age-appropriate restrictions, the policy varies for elementary and secondary public schools.

• Elementary: If a parent determines an elementary student needs to take a cellphone or personal electronic communication device to school, it must be stored, off and away from the student during the school day. Students can’t use them on school grounds before or after school.
• Middle school students should not have easily available cellphones or personal electronic communication devices during the bell-to-bell school day. School systems should create local policies to determine whether or not students can use phones and devices on school property before and after school.
• High school students should not have easily accessible cellphones or personal electronic communication devices during the bell-to-bell school day. Students may use their cellphones on school grounds before and after school.

The “bell-to-bell” definition of cellphone-free education was also part of the draft guidance the VDOE put out in August.

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Where will students put their cellphones during the day?

While the VDOE said students cannot have their cellphones “on their person” during the bell-to-bell school day, including in their pockets, it’s up to school districts to decide how and where to store the cellphones.

School districts might allow students to store their phones in backpacks, lockers, locked pouches or in a designated place in the classroom, among other options, the VDOE said.

Some local districts have already put their own restrictions into place. In Fairfax County, schools are using magnetic pouches to keep kids off their phones.

Are there any exemptions to Virginia’s school cellphone ban? What about emergencies?

The education department said it received thousands of public comments and feedback before finalizing the policy.

Parents of children with medical needs, particularly those who use apps for health monitoring, voiced their concerns. The VDOE said those students can get a medical exemption to the bell-to-bell policy included in their Individualized Education Plan, 504 plan and/or individualized health care plans.

Many parents also said in their feedback to the state they were concerned about how to reach their children during emergencies.

“It became very apparent there are general gaps in parent, teacher and school communication resulting in parents feeling like they must communicate directly with their child for both emergency and non-emergency situations,” the VDOE said. “Specifically, concerns focused on the ability for a parent to contact their child in a school-based emergency including during or immediately after lockdowns.”

In cases of emergencies, the VDOE’s guidance states that local school districts must come up with plans to communicate directly with parents and establish reunification plans for children and parents.

School divisions must also publicly share how staff are trained to manage crisis and emergency situations, re-unification plans and the family notification process during crisis situations. Read here for more about the guidance for how schools should handle emergencies.

What’s next for Virginia’s school cellphone ban?

The state education department is set to release an “administrator’s toolkit” on Thursday to help school leaders implement their cellphone policies, and districts must adopt and implement policies that align with the state’s “bell-to-bell” guidance by Jan. 1, 2025.

State education officials plan to review the guidance at the end of the school year to consider ways to refine and improve it, the VDOE said.

Go here to read the VDOE’s complete guidance for cellphone-free education.

Sean “Diddy” Combs pleaded not guilty in court Tuesday to federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. An indictment says the music mogul “engaged in a persistent and pervasive pattern of abuse toward women and other individuals.”

Combs was arrested late Monday in Manhattan, roughly six months after federal authorities conducting a sex trafficking investigation raided his luxurious homes in Los Angeles and Miami. Read the indictment.

Over the past year, Combs has been sued by people who say he subjected them to physical or sexual abuse. He has denied many of those allegations, and his lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, said outside the courthouse Tuesday morning that Combs, 54, would plead not guilty and that he would “fight like hell” to get his client released from custody.

Here is the latest:

Combs held without bail

After Combs pleaded not guilty to the three federal charges he faces, the judge denied him bail, ordering the entertainment star be sent to jail while awaiting trial.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robyn Tarnofsky announced the decision Tuesday after hearing lengthy arguments from prosecutors and Combs’ lawyers. His attorneys proposed that he be released on a $50 million bond to home detention with electronic monitoring, but the judge sided with prosecutors who argued that Combs not only posed a safety risk to the community, but also that he was a flight risk because of his wealth.

Combs showed few expressions and little emotion during the plea hearing, appearing solemn in a black T-shirt, sweatpants and Air Jordan sneakers. At least three of his sons and eight family members were in the courtroom for the hearing.

Prosecutors argue in court that Combs should remain jailed

Federal prosecutors have asked that Combs be jailed without bail, while his attorneys have proposed he be released on a $50 million bond.

In court Tuesday afternoon, Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson said the government is seeking Combs’ detention on “multiple bases,” including the severity of the charges against him and the potential punishment of life in prison. She argued that he is a flight risk and there is a risk of witness intimidation.

“Mr. Combs physically and sexually abused victims for decades,” Johnson said. “He used the vast resources of his company to facilitate his abuse and cover up his crimes. Simply put, he is a serial abuser and a serial obstructor.”

Combs enters a not guilty plea

Sean “Diddy” Combs has pleaded not guilty to federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges.

Combs stood up to enter his plea in a New York courtroom Tuesday. His hands were not cuffed but he held them behind his back.

An indictment unsealed Tuesday alleges Combs presided over a sordid empire of sexual crimes, coercing and abusing women for years while using blackmail and shocking acts of violence to keep his victims in line.

Comb’s attorneys request Diddy’s release on $50M bond

A motion for bail from Combs’ attorneys proposes he be released on a $50 million bond secured by his home in Miami.

The motion filed Tuesday also proposes his detention at home with GPS monitoring, with his travel restricted to federal districts in south Florida and southern New York.

The motion says Combs will turn over his passport and that he is attempting to sell his private jet. It says he has remained in the country even though there were no restrictions on his travel, and that his attorneys have kept authorities updated on his location.

It adds that “conditions at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn are not fit for pre-trial detention.”

Prosecutors describe Combs’ alleged violence, including kidnapping and arson

Prosecutors say Combs repeatedly engaged in violence towards his employees and others.

In a court filing Tuesday, prosecutors say Combs and an unidentified co-conspirator kidnapped someone at gunpoint a few days before Christmas in 2011 in order to facilitate a break-in at another person’s home. They say multiple witnesses, police reports and other records corroborate the incident.

The detention memo also says that two weeks later, Combs’ allies set fire to a vehicle by slicing open its convertible top and dropping a Molotov cocktail inside.

Prosecutors say police and fire department reports document the arson and that multiple witnesses heard Combs brag about his involvement.

Prosecutors say Combs is a flight risk

Prosecutors say Combs should be denied bail because he is a serious flight risk.

In a detention memo filed in court, prosecutors say Combs has “seemingly limitless resources” to flee, pointing out that his net worth is close to $1 billion, including over $1 million in personal cash on hand as of last December.

They said he has had a personal plane for international travel since 2019, along with multiple vehicles in multiple locations.

The letter says Combs “has the money, manpower, and tools” to flee without detection.

Prosecutors urge court to deny Combs bail

Prosecutors say the violence Combs exacted on his victims was so extreme that he should be denied bail.

In a detention letter written for the federal judge overseeing the music mogul’s case, prosecutors described how Combs would assault women, employees and others “by throwing objects at them, choking them, pushing them, kicking them, and slamming them against walls and on to the ground.”

The letter says the violence was sometimes spontaneous and sometimes premeditated, including “resorting to kidnapping and arson when the defendant’s power and control were threatened.”

Prosecutors say Combs’ “disposition to violence cannot be reasonably prevented through bail conditions.”

The letter also says Combs should be denied bail because he has already reached out to potential witnesses in the case and that further attempts at witness tampering are likely.

Prosecutor says Combs was enabled by staff in his alleged crimes

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams says Combs did not act alone.

During a news conference Tuesday, Williams said Combs’ security and household staff, as well as operators high up in the music industry were complicit. Williams says they cleaned up damaged hotel rooms and “delivered large quantities of cash to Combs to pay for the commercial sex workers.”

Williams says the investigation is ongoing, and is urging “anyone with information about this case to come forward and to do it quickly.”

US Attorney says he wants Diddy detained ahead of trial

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, whose office is bringing the case against Sean “Diddy” Combs, says the music mogul led a criminal organization that carried out kidnapping, forced labor and sex trafficking, among other crimes.

Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, Williams said authorities will seek to have Combs detained while he awaits trial.

He spoke before a display board showing images of some of the items recovered in searches of Combs’ homes in Los Angeles and Miami in March, including AR-15s and a drum magazine containing dozens of rounds of ammunition. He says agents also seized electronic devices that contain images and videos of sexual encounters.

Williams says: “Combs led and participated in a racketeering conspiracy that used the business empire he controlled to carry out criminal activity, including sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and the obstruction of justice.”

Combs’ lawyer, Marc Agnifilo, has said he will fight to keep his client free. He says Combs is innocent and will plead not guilty.

Cassie Ventura declines to comment on Combs’ indictment

Comb’s former longtime girlfriend, whom he was seen attacking in a March 2016 security video, has declined to comment on the federal case against him.

Douglas Wigdor, an attorney for the singer Cassie Ventura, said in a statement released before Combs was due to appear in court Tuesday that neither he nor his client have anything to say on the matter.

Wigdor says: “We appreciate your understanding and if that changes, we will certainly let you know.”

Ventura reached a settlement with Combs last November, one day after filing a lawsuit containing allegations of beatings and abuse by the music producer.

Combs’ Lawyer says Diddy is innocent

Outside the Manhattan courthouse early Tuesday, Combs’ lawyer, noted that his client came to New York City voluntarily because they knew the charges were coming.

Marc Agnifilo said: “Not a lot of defendants do that. He came to New York to, to basically engage the court system and start the case.”

Though the indictment was not unsealed at the time of his comments, Agnifilo said they know what the charges will be and that Combs is “innocent of these charges.” He vowed to “fight like hell” to get Combs released from federal custody.

Prosecutors say injuries of Combs’ victims sometimes took weeks to heal

The indictment alleges Combs hit, kicked and threw objects at victims, and sometimes dragged them by their hair, causing injuries that often took days or weeks to heal. It says Combs also threw people around, choked and shoved them.

Prosecutors say his employees and associates witnessed his violence and, rather than intervening, helped him cover it up, including by preventing victims from leaving, and locating and contacting victims who attempted to flee.

Authorities say Combs was the head of a criminal enterprise

The indictment describes Combs as the head of a criminal enterprise that engaged or attempted to engage in activities including sex trafficking, forced labor, interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution, drug offenses, kidnapping, arson, bribery and obstruction of justice.

He’s accused of striking, punching and dragging women on numerous occasions, throwing objects and kicking them, and enlisting his personal assistants, security and household staff to help him hide it all.

The officer was hit by a vehicle in the 2900 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, in the Congress Heights area, police said at about 2:40 p.m. Tuesday.

The officer was conscious and breathing, police said. No information on the extent of the officer’s injuries was immediately released.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Police were searching for the suspect and vehicle. News4 video shows several officers in the block on a rainy afternoon.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

In a hearing Tuesday, the Council voted to reorganize the Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs, which White had chaired, splitting it into two subcommittees to be overseen by other councilmembers. This now leaves White without a committee chairmanship.

White, the Ward 8 councilmember, still will be allowed to vote on legislation and other Council matters.

The council voted unanimously with White voting “present” on the matter. There was no public debate or discussion on the vote.

Tuesday’s meeting was the first time the D.C. Council has met since White was arrested and charged with taking a bribe to steer government contracts. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The D.C. Council has hired a law firm to conduct an independent investigation of White, which will cost D.C. taxpayers $400,000, an official told News4.

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However, White’s colleagues on the Council voted to close their discussion of the investigation to the public. News4’s Mark Segraves was one of the reporters forced to leave the meeting.

By law, Council meetings are open to the public, but just a few minutes after starting, the members voted to close the meeting to the public while they discussed their investigation into their colleague.

“We have to close the doors to the public because we’re discussing a sensitive personnel matter and an ongoing investigation,” Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie said. “As experienced as you are, Mark, you know that it’s important to preserve the integrity of an investigation, and as it’s just beginning, there’s certain things that we have to discuss that are not yet for public domain, and we intend fully to be transparent.”

McDuffie is heading the ad hoc committee that will decide what discipline, if any, to recommend the Council impose on White, including the possibility of removing him from office.

“We have to do what’s in the best interest of the public while holding our colleague accountable,” McDuffie said. “That is exactly what I intend to do, conduct a thorough, independent investigation.”

McDuffie told reporters the Council has engaged a private law firm to conduct the investigation.

When asked about the cost of the law firm’s fee, McDuffie responded: “I can tell you it’s $400,000.”

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has said the independent investigation will look into both the bribery charge and also whether White actually lives in Ward 8, as required by law. White was arrested in Ward 6, where he was living, according to prosecutors.

White did not show up in person for Tuesday’s Council hearing but did participate in the Council’s breakfast meeting and hearing virtually.

The council voted unanimously to reorganize White’s committee, with White voting “present” on the matter. There was no public debate or discussion on that vote.

Mendelson says the findings of the independent investigation will determine whether the D.C. Council votes to remove White from the Council entirely. That investigation will take months, and any vote to remove White would not come until early next year, Mendelson said, meaning White can continue to vote on legislation in the meantime.

“However one feels about the indictment – and I certainly think the charges are very serious and damning – however one feels, the reality is that the voters elected him,” Mendelson said. “He is an elected member, and the only way to stop that is to expel him.”

“I’m relatively confident that the Council will dispose of this matter no later than the beginning of the new year,” he said.

The National Zoo is in the midst of a campaign to raise $25 million for its giant panda program, with the goal of funding it through 2035. The funds will go toward panda research and to “innovate new techniques” for keeping pandas healthy and conserving the species and its habitats in the wild, the zoo said.

On Tuesday, the zoo announced that Rubenstein, billionaire co-founder and co-chair of the Carlyle Group, pledged $10 million to that campaign.

Rubenstein — whose name may be familiar to National Zoo visitors who see it emblazoned above the David M. Rubenstein Family Giant Panda Habitat — has now donated a total of $22 million to support the zoo’s giant panda program.

“David Rubenstein’s long-term support has transformed our giant panda program and, in turn, the future of this magnificent species and its native habitat,” Brandie Smith, zoo director, said in a press release about the donation. “David understands the work to save giant pandas is larger than one person, one organization or one nation. We are deeply appreciative of his commitment to preserving biodiversity.”

The new donation comes as the National Zoo prepares for a new pair of pandas to make their home in D.C.

The zoo hasn’t announced a specific date for the pandas’ arrival, but has said that they will be here before the end of the year. The buzz is growing as new billboards and a specially dedicated webpage pop up around the District.

The new pandas, male Bao Li and female Qing Bao, will live in D.C. for at least 10 years after their arrival, according to a 10-year cooperative giant panda research and breeding agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association. Both are 3 years old.

If you’ve been in D.C. for awhile, you might recognize the name of Bao Li’s mother: Bao Bao, who was born at the National Zoo in 2013. She moved to China after she was grown, and gave birth to Bao Li there.

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1. Rain, finally
2. Steadiest rain Tuesday night
3. Showery into Thursday
4. Mild, dry weekend

We are long overdue for a soaking rain and parts of our area are finally going to get one.

Daytime highs will be in the mid- to upper 70s and overnight lows will be in the mid-60s through Thursday. As of now, this unsettled pattern looks to break down just in time for Friday and the weekend.

How much rain will D.C. get this week?

Rainfall will impact our entire area mid-week but with widely differing amounts. The lowest amounts will be over northern and northeastern Maryland while the highest will be over central Virginia.

Since this rainstorm has a tropical connection, rainfall rates could be heavy at times and localized amounts of more than 2 inches will be possible.

The majority of the D.C. metro area should expect around an inch of rain. Expect light rain this morning and scattered showers on Wednesday afternoon but the heaviest rain will come overnight tonight.

That tropical connection will also keep us quite humid with dew points in the mid-60s from today all the way into Friday.

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Drier weather to come this weekend

A change in wind direction should allow for the return of sunshine by Friday afternoon. The return on the sun will allow most areas to jump back into the low 80s.

A cold front will move through Friday night so the weekend will be dry and cooler. Highs will be in the mid-70s on Saturday and the low 70s on Sunday.

That mainly dry pattern will last well into next week. These raindrops will be appreciated but they will do little to alleviate the long-term drought.

Weather radar

Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.

10-day forecast

Quickcast

TODAY:
Cloudy, Breezy, Cooler
Few AM Showers
PM Rain Likely
Wind: Northeast 12-22 mph
Chance Of Rain: 80%
HIGHS: 72° – 78°

TONIGHT:
Cloudy And Humid
Rain, Moderate At Times
Rainfall Up To 1″
Chance Of Rain: 80%
Wind: Northeast 10-15 mph
LOWS: 62° – 68°

WEDNESDAY:
Cloudy And Humid
Showers Likely
Rainfall Around 0.25″
Chance Of Rain: 80%
Wind: Northeast 10-15 mph
HIGHS: 72° – 76°

THURSDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Widely Scattered Showers
Rainfall Under 0.10″
Wind: North 5-10 mph
Chance Of Rain: 40%
HIGHS: 75° – 80°

FRIDAY:
Cloudy Morning
Some Afternoon Clearing
Warmer, Dry For Most
Wind: North/Northeast 10 mph
Chance Of Rain: <20%
HIGHS: 78° – 84°

Sunrise 6:52 Sunset 7:12
Average High: 80° Average Low: 64°

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.

The young tan and white dog, described as a “pit bull-type,” strayed from her home near Eli Place Southeast on Wednesday, Sept. 11. When Louisa showed up at home two days later, her owners saw she was shot between the eyes, the Humane Rescue Alliance said.

An X-ray at an emergency veterinary hospital revealed that a bullet was lodged in Louisa’s neck. Humane law enforcement officers then met with the family and took the dog to another emergency hospital to do more advanced testing and determine the scope of her injuries, the HRA said.

Veterinarians believe the bullet entered between her eyes, grazed her tongue, traveled through her throat and then ended up in her neck. More imaging revealed Louisa had multiple facial fractures and the dog’s throat was swollen, making it difficult for her to breathe.

The veterinarians were able to remove the bullet without doing surgery and they treated the abcess in her throat, the HRA said.

“It is miraculous that this dog was able to survive a gunshot wound to the face without suffering a more serious injury,” said Chris Schindler, senior vice president of Animal Welfare, Field Response and Rescue at the Humane Rescue Alliance. “We are determined to find out who is responsible for this act of alleged animal cruelty, and we need the community’s help.”

The HRA is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction in the case.

Officers are looking for anyone who may have heard gunshots, saw Louisa or noticed anything unusual in the area of 3300 block of Eli Place SE from Wednesday, Sept. 11 to Friday, Sept. 13. Anyone with information can call 202-723-5730, option 3.

Veterinarians are monitoring Louisa, and she’s expected to make a full recovery. HRA said she’ll be reunited with her family soon.

Fall season is here so it’s time to pull out boots and jackets to really set the cozy mood.

As the leaves turn orange and prepare to fall from the trees, now is the perfect time to pick some apples, get lost in a corn maze or pick out the perfect pumpkin for decorating or baking!

Here are some fall festivals to check out in Virginia and Maryland.

Maryland corn mazes, pumpkin patches and apple picking

Maryland Corn Maze: Taylor’s Version

📅 Sept. 14 through Nov. 3
📍 389 Gambrills Road, Gambrills, Maryland
💲 $17.95
🔗 Details

Maryland Corn Maze (Taylor’s Version) is open for all Swifties and non-Swifties alike!

Can’t get enough of Taylor? Visit the maze on Oct. 2 to listen to singer Kanin Wren’s Taylor Swift Experience live concert.

Answer Swift-themed quiz questions to find your way out of the maze. Don’t miss out on the Flashlight Nights if you want a challenge.

Pick your own pumpkins and explore the farm yard complete with a bounceyard, rodeo roping area and slingshots.

Gaver Farm Fall Fun Fest

📅 Through Nov. 5 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily)
📍 5501 Detrick Rd Mt. Airy, Maryland
💲 $14.50-$23 (Kids under 24 months are free)
🔗 Details

Gaver Farm has all of your fall fun needs. From sunflowers to pumpkins to apples — there’s just about everything for everyone.

This family-friendly affair offers over 65 attractions including the “Fun to the Core” Corn Maze, animal meet-and-greets, a zipline and pedal karts.

Guests can pick their own pumpkins, apples and sunflowers after riding a free hayride out to the fields. Don’t miss out on the sunflowers — the farm expects blooms through Sept. 22! The farm provides all the tools needed to make picking seamless.

Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival

📅 Sept. 21 through Nov. 3
📍 22222 Davis Mill Road Germantown, Maryland
💲 $11-$22 (Make a reservation ahead of time to avoid higher prices)
🔗 Details

The Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival is bigger and better than ever!

Hunting for the perfect pumpkin? This year, guests have three options. You can drive to the pumpkin patch for the classic picking experience, get a pumpkin at the festival’s market or visit the Pumpkin Yard to get pre-picked pumpkins.

You aren’t just limited to picking your own pumpkin. Once you purchase a ticket, you can take hayrides, visit some backyard buddies, turn through the Twisted Corn Maze and jump in the Corn Pool.

Magnolia Meadow Farms

📅 Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 27
📍13001 Creagerstown Road, Thurmont, Maryland
💲 $15 (online)/$20 (walk-in)
🔗 Details

Magnolia Meadow Farms says it is home to Maryland’s largest corn maze along with family-friendly activities like mini ziplines and a barrel train.

Don’t miss out on Moonlit Maze Nights on Oct. 5 and Oct. 26 where you can try out the corn maze under the stars for a good cause.

If you don’t want to stick to just pumpkins, you’re in luck! You can wander into three different fields to have your pick at sunflowers, pumpkins, gourds or cut flowers.

If you tire out from the fun, private campfires are available on-site. Reserve a campfire in case you want to get your own views of the farm away from the crowds.

Montpelier Farms Fall Festival

📅 Sept. 13-Nov. 3
📍 1720 North Crain Hwy, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
💲 $19.95 in advance/$24.95 at the gate
🔗 Details

Spend all day at the Montpelier Farms Fall Festival with its 7-acre corn maze, Barnyard Basketball and other fall activities. Try your hand at pumpkin bowling or tug of war. When it gets chilly at night, cuddle up by the public bonfire with loved ones.

If you want to pick your own pumpkins, you can visit the patch without purchasing a ticket to the festival — just pick your favorite (or favorites) and buy it there!

Virginia corn mazes, pumpkin patches and apple picking

Cox Farms Fall Festival

📅 Sept. 14 through Nov. 5
📍 15621 Braddock Rd., Centreville, Virginia
💲 $10-$25
🔗 Details

Cox Farms has just about everything you can think of when it comes to fall fun. The Fall Festival is a family-fun affair and there are many activities that you can choose from. You can ride the hayride, visit several attractions like themed slides, taste different apples and feed goats.

If you’re looking for a corn maze filled with surprises, the Cornundrum is just for you. Wind through the maze and you’ll come across pirates, caves and the Vortex!

The fun doesn’t stop there. Go back for spooky scares at their Fields of Fear starting on Sept. 20.

Great County Farms

📅 Aug. 31 through Sept. 30
📍 34345 Snickersville Turnpike, Bluemont, Virginia
💲 $12-$16 (advance tickets are highly recommended for weekends)
🔗 Details

If you’re looking for fresh pressed cider, apple picking and a fun corn maze, Great County Farms is for you!

You can visit the apple orchard, get lost in their 15-acre corn maze and the 15-acre play area that features the Farm Ninja Obstacle Course.

On weekends, guests can enjoy perfect fall activities like live music and visiting a snack bar complete with kettle corn and roasting marshmallows. You can even learn how to learn to press a bushel of apples!

Want to beat the weekend crowds? No worries! Guests can visit the farm during the week along with the weekend.

Wayside Farm

📅 Sept. 21 through Oct. 27
📍 5273 Harry Byrd Highway, Berryville, Virginia
💲 $17-$25 (Depending on ticket type)
🔗 Details

With great power comes great responsibility, and if you have great navigation skills, you can use that power to guide your group out of Wayside Farm’s Spiderman-themed corn maze! Make sure not to get lost in the mazeverse.

There are plenty of fun activities to choose from, including pig races and pumpkin smashing. If you’re interested in the pumpkin patch, reserve a spot in advance. The ticket will cover the first $20 worth of pumpkins.

Leesburg Animal Park’s Pumpkin Village

📅 Sept. 21 through Nov. 5 (closed on Tuesdays)
📍 19246 James Monroe Hwy, Leesburg, Virginia
💲 $18.95-$22.25 (weekend tickets must be purchased in advance)
🔗 Details

If you love the zoo and autumn equally, Leesburg Animal Park’s Pumpkin Village might be the place for you. There’s a whole bunch of family-friendly activities to enjoy such as a kiddie hay maze, animal petting and feeding and pony rides (for an extra fee).

Up the fun factor on the weekends and Columbus Day with live entertainment, face painting, free cider, apple and pumpkin cookie tasting.

Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.

The report – “Bias at the Core? Enduring Racial Disparities in D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Stop-and-Frisk Practices” – accuses the department of discriminatory practices, saying Black people in the District are overwhelmingly more likely to be searched.

As part of a D.C. law passed in 2016, the Metropolitan Police Department is required to collect data around how often it conducts stop-and-frisk searches. This is the third time the ACLU-DC has analyzed that data, which it says shows D.C. police is moving in the wrong direction on this and the searches do more harm than good for both police and the community.

“There is a power dynamic at play, even if you know you weren’t doing anything at all. The fact that a police officer is approaching you can be very nerve-racking,” said ACLU-DC Policy Advocacy Director Scarlett Aldebot.

According to the report, in 2022, 68,244 people were stopped, resulting in less than 1% of guns being seized.

Last year, there was an increase, with 68,561 people stopped and searched with 1.2% ending with a gun recovery.

“When you really look at the harm of the practice on an individual and on communities and you look at what we’re actually generating from those stops, we find that that doesn’t outweigh the rationale for these stops or the manner in which they’re being conducted,” Aldebot told the I-Team.

The report found that most of the stops occurred in D.C.’s predominantly Black Wards of 7 and 8, although the practice happens throughout the city.

According to the data, Black people were stopped more than anyone. “We are at a place where I think we could call it a pattern. It’s pretty egregious,” said Aldebot.

In 2023, Black people made up 44% of the city’s population, but accounted for 70.6% of stops. White people represented almost 40%, with less than 12% of stops. Hispanic people made up 7.3% of stops, while making up 11.5% of the population.

“If you really want to think of that, just kind of in a in a patterned way, that is one Black person stopped every ten minutes for those two years,” said Aldebot.

“Twenty-three percent of the stops, or close to 16,000 of them, resulted in an arrest,” a D.C. police spokesperson told News4.

It’s unclear how many of those ended with a conviction.

Monday night, a D.C. police spokesperson responded to the ACLU report, telling the I-Team:

“The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) continues its commitment to transparency by publishing comprehensive stop data twice a year, which supports the work of partners such as the ACLU in studying this data. However, it would be helpful for the public if descriptions about the data were also transparent. For example, whereas the ACLU gives the impression that all of the 68,940 stops in 2023 were “stops and frisks,” this is not at all accurate. Of the almost 69,000 stops, only 4,471 (less than 7%) included a protective pat down, sometimes called a frisk. Only 1% include a consent search. More broadly:

• The stops had a clear purpose. Almost 4 of every 5 stops resulted in enforcement action, either a ticket (58%) or an arrest (23%). The rest ended with investigation or other public safety response, such as mediating a dispute, educating a violator, or referral to services.
• The stops included many people traveling in or through the District. Sixty percent of the stops were traffic stops. Only 30% of the vehicles stopped and issued tickets for traffic violations were registered in the District; 70% were registered in another state.
• Most stops were resolved without any physical contact between the officer and the person stopped or his or her property. Only 10% of stops involved a protective pat down or a pre-arrest search of either a person or property.
• MPD stops play a vital role in supporting Vision Zero and making our streets safe for all users. Fifty-eight percent of all stops result in a ticket. Of these, almost one-third of the tickets were warning tickets. Eleven percent of arrests include a charge for a criminal traffic violation.
• Most stops are for traffic violations and have nothing to do with gun or gun crimes, but some stops help remove a significant number of guns from our neighborhoods. In 2023,MPD officers were able to remove 2,057 guns—64% of all guns recovered—from DC streets as a result of police stops.^[1]
• Most stops are brief. More than three out of four were resolved in about 15 minutes; 86% lasted 30 minutes or less.

The Department is committed to fair, professional, and constitutional policing in all aspects of its work as it strives to safeguard people and property in the District of Columbia. The Department works continuously to strengthen its service to the city. In the past year, the Department has focused on providing updated and comprehensive training for all its officers on the Fourth Amendment, including 10 hours of online and classroom training developed in partnership with the US Attorney for the District of Columbia. The Department is also supporting an independent study on Equity in Traffic Stops conducted by the University of Connecticut Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy. Researchers regularly stress that disparities, in and of themselves, are not sufficient evidence of racial profiling. We expect this study to be available in Fiscal Year 2025.

 ^[1] The stop data only indicates that one or more guns was recovered. It does not indicate how many guns were recovered. This comes from another data system.“

The ACLU-DC argues the practice is ineffective and has a chilling effect that harms police relations with the community.

“Communities are less likely to call the police when there is something harmful going on – even if they themselves are experiencing a harm – because of that lack of trust that bias policing can engender in people,” said Aldebot. “We have to really ask ourselves what practices are making us safer and which practices are not.”

Reported by Tracee Wilkins, produced by Rick Yarborough, shot by BJ Forte and edited by Steve Jones.

Millions of people can’t vote every year because they don’t register in time, update their registration or know how to register, according to the National Voter Registration Day website.

In just a few minutes, you can register to vote or make sure your registration is up to date with your current name, address and party affiliation.

With just seven weeks to go before the 2024 election, here’s how to make sure you’re ready to vote.

Find information for your state below. You can also use National Voter Registration Day’s online tool.

When is the 2024 election?

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024.

Washington D.C. voter registration deadline

The deadline to register or update your registration online is Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.

Check your registration status here.

Register or update your registration online here.

Same-day registration is also available during early voting and on Election Day. Make sure you bring proof of residence, such as a utility bill, lease, pay stub, bank statement or government-issued photo ID.

Early voting runs Monday, Oct. 28 through Sunday, Nov. 3.

Maryland voter registration deadline

The deadline to register or update your registration online is Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.

Check your registration status here.

Register or update your registration online here.

Same-day registration is also available during early voting and on Election Day. Make sure you bring proof of residence, such as a utility bill, paycheck, bank statement or government-issued photo ID.

Early voting runs from Thursday, Oct. 24 to Thursday, Oct. 31.

Virginia voter registration deadline

The deadline to register or update your registration online is Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.

Check your registration status here.

Register or update your registration online here.

Same-day registration is also available during early voting and on Election Day. If you register during early voting or on Election Day, you will vote using a provisional ballot. Bring an acceptable form of ID. If you don’t bring an acceptable ID, you can instead sign an ID Confirmation Statement.

Same-day registration is a somewhat new option for Virginia voters; the General Assembly approved same-day registration ahead of the 2022 election.

Early voting runs from Sept. 20 to Nov. 2.

West Virginia voter registration deadline

The deadline to register or update your registration is Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024.

Check your registration status here.

Register or update your registration online here.

Make sure to meet the deadline; same-day voter registration is not available, according to Rock the Vote.

Early voting in-person runs from Oct. 23 to Nov. 2, 2024.

Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.

Ayuk Etta, 40, of Lanham was standing outside a Mercedes near Route 50 when he was struck by a Honda.

The crash spilled across multiple lanes of traffic.

The 19-year-old driver of the Honda and its four passengers are expected to be OK, Maryland State Police said. Two passengers in the Mercedes were treated at a hospital and released.

Road safety experts say people should never get out of a vehicle along a stretch of road like that unless they are certain it’s safe to do so.

“If you don’t have a Jersey wall or something to get behind and you don’t feel safer outside your vehicle, sometimes staying in the vehicle is the safer option than being on foot and right close to where your vehicle is,” Maryland State Police Capt. Brian Smith said.

The state’s move over law includes all vehicles on the side of the road as of Oct. 1, 2022.

“One thing we do remind our drivers, as well, if you do become disabled, put your four-way flashers on because that will trigger the move over law for vehicles to move over if they can,” Smith said.

If they can’t, they are required to slow down.

Police believe speed contributed to the crash, which remains under investigation.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

Virginia voters will be able to cast their ballots starting that day at their local registrar’s office. You can find yours here.

Then, voter registration offices will be open for early voting from Saturday, Oct. 26 through Saturday, Nov. 2 at 5 p.m.

The 2024 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Polls will be open that day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as you’re in line by 7 p.m., you will be able to vote.

2024 Virginia voter registration info:

You can register to vote or apply for an absentee ballot online using Virginia’s Citizen Portal. The deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration is Oct. 15. You may still register after this date, though, and vote using a provisional ballot.

If you think you’re already registered but want to make sure, you can do that online here.

Same-day voter registration is also available.

Requesting a mail-in ballot in Virginia:

The deadline to request a ballot by mail is Oct. 25. Your request must be received by your local voter registration office by 5 p.m. that day.

Here are your options for submitting your completed mail-in ballot:

• Bring it to your local general registrar’s office by 7 p.m. on Election Day.
• Bring it to a drop-off location. (Check the instructions provided in your absentee ballot mailing for the locations.)
• Return it by mail. Your filled-out ballot must be postmarked on or before Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 5) and received by your general registrar’s office by noon on the third day after the election.

Virginia voter ID rules:

Voters may provide either an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID confirmation statement at the polls. Here’s a detailed list of other acceptable IDs. Note that you can use a DMV license at any time, even if it’s expired.

Abortion Sep 1

The 10 states where abortion rights will be on the ballot this fall

politics Aug 29

Act fast, be curious when a loved one moves toward political extremism, experts say

Who’s on the ballot in my area?

In addition to the presidential race, Virginia voters will be selecting their choice for one U.S. Senate seat and their U.S. House representative. If you’re not sure what congressional district you live in, you can check on that here.

There are also many local races. Look up candidate lists for your jurisdiction here.

Election Day 2024:

The 2024 general election is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Polls that day will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. As long as you’re in line by 7 p.m., you will be able to vote.

You can find your Election Day polling place here. 

Same-day voter registration is available in Virginia. Here’s info on that.

Ward 8 Council member White pleaded not guilty last week to taking a bribe to help steer government contracts.

Now, the D.C. Council will vote on reorganizing the Committee on Recreation, Libraries and Youth Affairs – splitting it into two subcommittees overseen by other council members, leaving White without a committee chairmanship.

“That will be before the Council tomorrow as a resolution, and I’m not expecting that there will be, I don’t see much debate about that,” Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said. “I think the Council members are supportive.”

Mendelson said the Council will hire an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation into the bribery charge and whether White actually lives in Ward 8 as required by law. White was arrested in Ward 6, where he was living according to prosecutors.

Mendelson said those findings will determine whether the Council votes to remove him or not. That investigation will take months, and any vote to remove White would not come until early next year, Mendelson said, meaning White can continue to vote on legislation in the meantime.

“However one feels about the indictment – and I certainly think the charges are very serious and damning – however one feels, the reality is that the voters elected him,” Mendelson said. “He is an elected member, and the only way to stop that is to expel him.”

“I’m relatively confident that the Council will dispose of this matter no later than the beginning of the new year,” he said.

DC Council Sep 12

DC Council member Trayon White pleads not guilty to federal bribery charge

DC Council Sep 6

DC Council member Trayon White indicted on federal bribery charge

News4 I-Team Aug 29

Internal DC review halts violence interruption contract renewals after Trayon White arrest

White also will remain on the general election ballot in November.

On Monday, Mayor Muriel Bowser said she would not be endorsing any candidate in the Ward 8 race.

Tuesday morning will be the first D.C. Council meeting since White was arrested. It’s unknown if White will attend or vote on the fate of his committee chairmanship.

Here’s what federal prosecutors say Trayon White did

Federal prosecutors say White agreed starting in June to accept $156,000 in bribes in exchange for using his position to pressure government employees to extend violence intervention contracts worth $5.2 million.

He’s accused of accepting envelopes full of cash as he was caught on a hidden camera. Here’s how the FBI broke down the payments:

• June 26: $15,000 cash received
• July 17: $5,000 cash received
• July 25: $10,000 cash received
• Aug. 9: $5,000 cash received

Images included in court documents show what prosecutors say is White receiving envelopes stuffed with cash.

An FBI informant who operated businesses that contracted with the D.C. government agreed to cooperate with authorities as part of an agreement to plead guilty to bribery and bank fraud charges. Several conversations between White and the informant were recorded in a parked car wired for video and audio, including outside White’s home, prosecutors say.

At one meeting, White and the informant discussed contracts the informant had with ONSE. The informant asked White if the contracts would be renewed and said he had $15,000 cash.

Initially, White asked, “What you need me to do, man? I don’t, I don’t wanna feel like you gotta gimme something to get something. We better than that.”

Then he tucked the envelope with the cash into his jacket pocket, prosecutors say.

White is due back in court in mid November for a status hearing. A trial isn’t expected to begin until sometime next year.

News4 sends breaking news stories by email. Go here to sign up to get breaking news alerts in your inbox.

“They sound awful, like ‘Ooop!’” she recently told the I-Team, trying to mimic the sound her car makes as she navigates potholes on the street outside her home in Capitol Heights.

Stewart said she and neighbors have complained about the street for years.

“They won’t fix it,” Stewart said.

A neighbor showed the I-Team a December 2022 letter from the Office of the County Executive telling them, “Staff is investigating your street to identify the potholes you describe,” adding they will “address immediate pothole issues.”

Nearly two years later, any fixes made in the interim have not held up. The street remains in rough condition.

Via 311, the county has received 22 service call requests for Carmody Hill Drive since mid-February 2022. These include calls related to potholes and issues such as illegal dumping and roadway emergencies. Eighteen calls were closed or resolved and four open tickets remain, the county said.

Theodore Flythe, who lives just doors away from Stewart, told the I-Team the street has never looked any better “since I lived here.” He moved onto Carmody Hills Drive 33 years ago, in 1991.

It’s likely not the worst road in Maryland, and maybe not the worst road you drive on, but it’s their road, and after years of complaining, they want it fixed.

“As soon as possible would be fine with me,” Flythe said.

But that won’t happen anytime soon.

What Prince George’s County says about road repairs

“You know, it’s going to take a couple of fiscal years, two or three fiscal years, for us to be able to get our own to some of the streets,” Prince George’s County Director of Public Works Michael Johnson told us.

Every road in the county gets a score through Prince George’s Pavement Assessment & Management System. The residents’ stretch of Carmody Hills Drive got 17.56 points. A perfectly paved road would get 100 points.

The scores are initially determined by a scan of the roads using a camera and a laser-equipped van every five to 10 years. They are updated by an algorithm in the interim.

The I-Team checked all 2,000 miles of Prince George’s County’s roads. We found at least 47 roads rated worse than Carmody Hills Drive. When we shared that list with Johnson and his team, he told us just one of those 47 roads are currently planned for repair.

“The listing that you looked at was really just a very small micro-sample of the total roads. It’s like 6.3 miles of the more than 2,000 miles that we’re operating,” Johnson told us. The I-Team examined every road in the county, but asked Public Works about those that scored lower than Carmody Hills Drive on the county’s assessment program.

Budget figures show the Prince George’s County Paving and Pothole Repair Program has roughly the same amount of money it did in 2019, with just a 3.7% increase. In the interim, the budget had increased, but the county was not able to sustain the higher level.

Johnson said the county has enough money to pave 48 miles of road a year. It costs $750,000 to pave every mile of road. Johnson said the new system is about equity across the county, which means they don’t necessarily tackle the worst roads first.

“Worst first will actually produce – be very expensive to do and will give us a lower overall performance.”

Prince George’s County’s county-wide average road condition has improved since Johnson took over. That’s his stated goal. It’s not up by much, but according to department statistics, the trend is going the right way. Under their system, however, if you live on one of those bad roads, you may have to wait for improvements.

Johnson said any underground utility repairs must be completed before a road can be repaved. And that, Johnson said, is the case on Carmody Hills Drive.

When picking other roads, Johnson said the county spends money fixing a mix of streets already in bad condition and preventing OK roads form getting worse.

The county lists all of its planned repairs for this year here.

‘I don’t think it’s working’

That’s not fast enough for Councilmember Kristal Oriadha, who represents the Capitol Heights neighborhood we visited.

“There is no excuse that I’ve heard in any committee hearing that makes sense to me, because even if you can’t repave the entire road, we should have a better system to actually repair it,” Oriadha told the I-Team.

Council members used to have more input on paving decisions. They don’t under a new system. It may make sense in an algorithm or a budget book, but it is a tough sell on the street.

“I don’t think it’s working. I don’t see that showing up in my community,” Oriadha said.

Flythe, one of the residents, said, “I think we deserve to get to it, for it to be fixed, actually.”

And as she surveyed the divots, Stewart, another resident, shook her head.

“I deserve a nice street,” she told the I-Team.

Go here to see Prince George’s County road conditions.

A jury indicted a Fairfax County, Virginia, man Monday in connection to the slayings of his wife and another man in an alleged plot with the couple’s au pair.

The latest development in a complex case comes more than a year and a half after the victims were found dead in a Herndon home in February 2023. Christine Banfield, 37, was found stabbed several times in the couple’s bedroom, while 39-year-old Joseph Ryan was shot.

The family’s au pair, Juliana Peres Magalhaes, was charged in Ryan’s death almost a year ago. But Fairfax County Police Chief Kevin Davis said as the investigation progressed, “It’s my expectation that we will eventually be able to hold more than just one person accountable for this crime.”

In the wake of the killings, Brendan Banfield and Peres Magalhaes told police they had gone into a second-floor room and found that Ryan had attacked Christine, leaving her seriously wounded. They said Brendan grabbed a gun and shot the alleged intruder and then told Peres Magalhaes to get another gun so they could shoot him again.

The shocking scene was described to detectives as an act of defense. Prosecutors, however, have said evidence pointed to a very different story.

Banfield, 39, is charged with four counts of aggravated murder and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. He’s being held without bond.

“The evidence exists in abundance to give us probable cause to bring these charges forward,” Chief Davis said. “It’s digital evidence, it’s physical evidence, it’s forensics evidence, it’s circumstantial evidence. The detectives, the prosecutors have worked meticulously to ensure that every T is crossed, every I is dotted, but the work still goes on.”

A double killing

Around 7:30 a.m. on Feb. 24, 2023, Peres Magalhaes, a Brazilian national who lived with the family, left the house with the Banfields’ 4-year-old daughter, according to detectives. Peres Magalhaes told police she doubled back to the home because she forgot to grab their packed lunches. She said she saw a car there she didn’t recognize.

She called Christine, but when she didn’t answer, Peres Magalhaes called Brendan, who quickly returned home, authorities said. Minutes later, the husband and au pair entered the home with the little girl. Brendan then went upstairs to the bedroom, where he says he found his wife and Ryan.

Detectives say the two claimed Ryan had attacked Christine, prompting Brendan — a law enforcement officer for the Internal Revenue Service — to fire his gun at Ryan.

Ryan had no obvious connection to the family or to the home. But as detectives began probing how he supposedly found Christine, their case and the witness statements started to diverge.

A fetish site used as a lure?

A search of a computer in the Banfields’ home led detectives to a fetish sex website, prosecutors have said. The site catered to sexual fantasies involving kinks, BDSM and more.

Detectives found a profile for Christine and communications between her profile and Ryan, but authorities said something didn’t add up. They said the way Christine talked to Ryan in their messages was very different than how friends and family described her.

Police believe someone else was communicating with Ryan while pretending to be Christine and scheduled a meetup at the family’s home for that day.

Almost eight months after the killings, Fairfax County authorities arrested Peres Magalhaes and charged her with second-degree murder in Ryan’s death.

“I suspected from the very beginning — and I went to the scene of that double murder — that there was going to be a lot of twist and turns to this investigation. The twists and turns are still on going,” Davis said as the investigation progressed.

An unproven theory

At a hearing in April, prosecutors said they believed Brendan Banfield and Peres Magalhaes were having an affair. They stopped short of saying they believe the pair hatched a plan to get Christine out of the picture.

But they grilled Banfield about the events leading up to his wife’s death.

Prosecutors said evidence they presented at that April hearing showed Banfield and the au pair went to a shooting range together a couple of months before the murders. Then, the month before the killings, Banfield returned and bought a gun there, authorities said.

The au pair told detectives Banfield shot Ryan first, but he was still alive. She said Banfield told her to get the gun that he’d bought at the shooting range to shoot Ryan again, according to detectives. She told police she did.

Detectives also said Banfield and Peres Magalhaes swapped out their phones for new ones in the days before the attack.

Prior to Peres Magalhaes’ October arrest, detectives returned to the home.

Inside the bedroom Banfield had shared with his wife — the room where Christine and Ryan were killed — picture frames were filled with photos of Brendan Banfield and the au pair.

Prosecutors say the au pair’s lingerie was found around the room. They described her as Banfield’s “girlfriend” and “live-in lover.”

The prosecution’s theory is that the killings were part of an elaborate plan so Brendan Banfield and Peres Magalhaes could live their lives without Christine. While the au pair has denied an affair, prosecutors argued in April that the pictures on the nightstand suggested otherwise.

On the witness stand in April, Brendan Banfield largely invoked his Fifth Amendment right to decline answering pointed questions from prosecutors about the events leading up to the killings.

Crime and Courts Oct 23, 2023

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Crime and Courts Oct 19, 2023

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Fairfax County General Court Judge Michael J. Lindner called him an “adverse witness” but also said it appeared prosecutors “may be playing two prospective defendants against each other.”

In a foreshadowing of defense arguments that could be laid out at trial, Peres Magalhaes’ attorney, Ryan Campbell, attempted to cast doubt on who fired the shot that killed Ryan. And he decried prosecutors’ decision to call Brendan Banfield to the stand, saying in April: “It’s been clear from the beginning [Banfield is] the target of the investigation.”

Officers responded to the woman’s home in the 11800 block of Sunrise Valley Drive to conduct a welfare check because of concerns over her mental health, Chief of Police Kevin Davis said. A longtime officer with crisis-intervention training tried to speak with her and get her help, but she attacked him and refused to comply with officers, he said.

The woman’s name was not immediately released. She was 33 and police had several prior interactions with her related to mental health concerns, Davis said.

The officer who was slashed in the face was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries.

Officers responded to the woman’s third-floor apartment after her mental health provider contacted Prince William County police and said she needed to be checked on, Davis said.

Officers knocked on her door, she opened it and then she slammed the door on them. They kept knocking and she opened the door again several minutes later. That’s when she began attacking the officer and slashing him in the face, Davis said.

The injured officer was able to reposition himself. He repeatedly warned the woman to step back.

“Back up! Back up! Please back up!” Davis said he warned her at least eight times.

She “kept coming and coming and coming,” and the officer opened fire.

The woman was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

“The loss of life is something we all regret,” Davis said.

A man who said he lives in the complex said he saw the officer being taken out of the building.

“He just looked very shook. Frightened. Hopefully he’s OK,” he said.

The shooting scene is near Dulles Access Road and Reston Parkway. Chopper4 footage shows a heavy police presence in the area.

The police chief stressed that the veteran officer had been trained on how to defuse crises.

“We don’t have an answer for someone who attacks a police officer by cutting him in the face with a knife. This officer protected himself. Arguably, he protected other residents as well,” Davis said.

Police recovered the knife they say the woman used. A photo shows a kitchen knife with a pink handle.

The investigation is ongoing. The officer who opened fire is on routine administrative leave.

The whole interaction was captured on body camera video that police will release, Davis said.

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Marcus Dwayne Jackson, 39, was arrested and charged with attempted murder, assault and other charges. A witness saw Jackson run toward D.C. after the stabbing on Wisconsin Avenue just before 9:30 a.m., police said.

Medics treated the victim and took her to a hospital, police said. Police did not say where she was stabbed, but said she has serious injuries.

D.C. police officers found Jackson near Chevy Chase Circle and arrested him there. They found a knife on Jackson, police said.

Investigators could be seen going through an olive green backpack the suspect was carrying.

Yellow police tape and numerous officers surrounded the wooden bench near the bus bay at the station as police investigated and commuters waited for their buses Monday morning.

The circumstances surrounding the stabbing are unclear and police haven’t said if the victim knew the suspect.

Stay with News4 for updates to this developing story.

A judge set Dec. 9 as the date after prosecutors and the defense went back and forth at Monday’s quick hearing. Prosecutors wanted the trial to begin early next year, saying they needed time to organize witnesses and prepare. The defense argued for an earlier start.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt has not been seen since the end of July. The 28-year-old originally from Nepal moved to the U.S. for an arranged marriage in 2021. She recently missed her baby girl’s first birthday, and her family members rushed to the U.S. to take care of the child.

Her husband was arrested at the couple’s home last month on a single charge of concealing a body. But in the criminal complaint, police accused him of killing Mamta Kafle Bhatt. Prosecutors have laid out chilling allegations, including that pooling blood was found in the primary bedroom and bathroom of the couple’s home.

Every seat in the courtroom was filled as a few family members and former colleagues showed up to Monday’s hearing along with dozens of supporters from the community. Many hadn’t known Mamta before.

“Everyone who is standing here today is a warrior for Mamta, and every time people show up, it’s going to make Naresh Bhatt feel a little more uncomfortable,” Holly Wirth, who worked with Mamta Kafle Bhatt, said.

Wirth pleaded that anyone with information contact police.

“At the end of the day, somebody knows something. Somebody saw something. And if you could please call that in, that’s where justice is gonna be, and we can bring Mamta home to her family and her daughter,” she said.

Bhatt’s defense team argued in court Friday they believe Mamta Kafle Bhatt is still alive. A judge ordered prosecutors to turn over two pieces of evidence that the defense said could be exculpatory, or help to prove their client’s innocence.

Defense attorneys said Naresh Bhatt waited several days to report his wife missing because Mamta Kafle Bhatt left for several days earlier in the year without telling him where she was going. Naresh Bhatt’s attorneys claim police told him at that time to wait several days to see if she turned up before reporting her missing. They requested the reports from those interactions with police, which the judge granted.

The defense also requested surveillance video that shows a woman picking up Mamta from work two days before she disapppeared. They said they don’t know who the woman is and they want to identify her so they can talk to her. The judge ordered prosecutors to share that video with the defense.

Naresh Bhatt’s attorneys argued for other evidence, including car and cellphone GPS data, but the judge did not grant those requests.

The defense was granted a speedy trial in early September. Prosecutors had argued against a speedy trial, saying it would be challenging to be ready that quickly.

Timeline of Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance

Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a nurse, was reported missing after failing to show up for her shifts at work. Friends said that was highly unusual since she was caring for her baby and often active on social media.

Investigators have conducted multiple searches at the Bhatt home. Search warrants have revealed details about what investigators believe were Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s last days.

A detective wrote that on July 29 – the last day friends heard from Mamta Kafle Bhatt – there were numerous calls with her husband. After that, all calls went to voicemail.

Naresh Bhatt told police his wife destroyed her phone before July 31 — the day he told police that he last saw her.

But on Aug. 1, her phone was pinging in the Aldie area of Northern Virginia. Naresh Bhatt told police he was at a cafe there.

Police say they have video showing Naresh Bhatt at a Walmart purchasing cleaning supplies. He also went to a Walmart in Prince William County and purchased a set of knives. Two of those knives are now missing, prosecutors said.

Police conducted a welfare check on Aug. 2, and Naresh Bhatt reported his wife missing on Aug. 5, police said.

Bhatt was arrested on Aug. 22, one day after investigators were seen in the Bhatt family home.

Passports for Bhatt and his daughter were in full view when police entered the home for a search. Prosecutors said there’s evidence that Naresh Bhatt was in the process of packing up his home and selling his car.

Manassas Park officers and the Prince William County police have searched several parks and communities for evidence. It’s still unknown if searchers found anything relating to the case.

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All northbound lanes of I-495 were closed at Georgetown Pike, the Virginia Department of Transportation said at about 7:40 a.m.

A traffic camera showed the tractor-trailer on its side and a long line of cars stopped.

Drivers were advised to seek alternate routes and expect delays. Drivers were directed onto Georgetown Pike.

“Signal timings are being monitored and adjusted on nearby roads,” VDOT said on X.

Two left lanes were open as of 9:30 a.m. In an update at 11:10 a.m., VDOT said the crash had been cleared and all lanes were back open.

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Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

Officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 1700 block of Rhode Island Ave. NW about 4:35 a.m.

Officers found a male victim with a gunshot wound. He died at the scene, police said. The victim’s name has not been released.

Homicide investigators were called to the scene, which is near the Cathedral of St. Matthew and in sight of the Human Rights Campaign offices.

Police said they were looking for three people who drove off in a white vehicle while wearing black clothing and ski masks.

Much of the block, which is often busy during rush hour, was closed off by yellow police tape on Monday morning. Officers were seen taking photos of a car, and several evidence markers were placed on the road.

Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.

Tito was the third of nine Jackson children, which includes global superstars Michael and sister Janet, part of a music-making family whose songs are still beloved today.

“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved father, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Tito Jackson is no longer with us. We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken. Our father was an incredible man who cared about everyone and their well-being,” his sons TJ, Taj and Taryll said in a statement posted on Instagram late Sunday.

The Jackson 5 included brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Michael. The family group, which was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, produced several No. 1 hits in the 1970s including “ABC,” “I Want You Back” and “I’ll Be There.”

The Jackson 5 became one of the biggest names in music under the guidance of their father, Joe Jackson, a steelworker and guitar player who supported his wife and nine children in Gary, Indiana. As the family’s music careers took off, they relocated to California.

Born on Oct. 15, 1953, Toriano Adaryll “Tito” Jackson was the least-heard member of the group as a background singer who played guitar. His brothers launched solo careers, including Michael, who became one of the world’s biggest performers known as The King of Pop.

Michael Jackson died at age 50 on June 25, 2009.

Speaking to The Associated Press in December 2009, Jackson said his younger brother’s death pulled the family closer together.

“I would say definitely it brought us a step closer to each other. To recognize that the love we have for each other when one of us is not here, what a great loss,” he said, adding he would personally never “be at peace with it.”

“There’s still moments when I just can’t believe it. So I think that’s never going to go away,” he said.

In 2014, Jackson said he and his brothers still felt Michael Jackson’s absence in their shows that continued with international tours.

“I don’t think we will ever get used to performing without him. He’s dearly missed,” he said, noting that his spirit “is with us when we are performing. It gives us a lot of positive energy and puts a lot of smiles on our faces.”

Days before his death, Jackson posted a message on his Facebook page from Munich, Germany, on Sept. 11, where he visited a memorial to Michael Jackson with his brothers.

“Before our show in Munich, my brothers Jackie, Marlon, and I, visited the beautiful memorial dedicated to our beloved brother, Michael Jackson. We’re deeply grateful for this special place that honors not only his memory but also our shared legacy. Thank you for keeping his spirit alive,” he wrote.

Tito Jackson was the last of the nine Jackson siblings to release a solo project with his 2016 debut, “Tito Time.” He released a song in 2017, “One Way Street,” and told the AP in 2019 that he was working on a sophomore album.

Jackson said he purposely held back from pursuing a solo career, because he wanted to focus on raising his three sons: T.J., Taj and Taryll, who formed their own music group 3T. Jackson’s website offers a link to a single featuring 3T and Stevie Wonder titled, “Love One Another.”

Tito Jackson also is survived by his brothers Jermaine, Randy, Marlon and Jackie, his sisters Janet, Rebbie and La Toya and their mother, Katherine. Their father died in 2018.

At around 4 a.m. Sunday, police say someone smashed the windows of at least two cars and damaged a motorcycle inside the garage of The Berkshire Apartments on Massachusetts Avenue.

One woman tells News4 she had more than $4000 worth of personal items stolen from her car.

It wasn’t just the driver-side windshield that was shattered. Resident Gabriela Frederick says her sense of security was too. She and her husband were set to go to church this morning when they realized their car had been broken into.

“I was in tears,” Frederick said. “I’m not a crier, but I was in shock. I just felt so violated.”

Frederick says most of the stolen personal items were expensive gear and tools that her husband was planning on taking to an upcoming trip.

Frederick says her biggest frustration is that the garage door has been broken for the past two weeks and claims residents have been urging management to fix it.

When News4 was there Sunday afternoon, the garage door was open the whole time.

“We pay nearly $200 a month for the garage to have an extra layer of security – and it’s not,” Frederick said.

News4 reached out to Gables Residential – the property management company for The Berkshire – to ask about the break-ins, and have yet to hear back as of Sunday night.

News4 did obtain an email that was sent to residents Sunday afternoon that reads in-part, “We want to inform you about a recent incident involving vehicle break-ins within our community’s parking areas. We are currently working with local law enforcement to address the situation… We understand this situation is concerning, and we will continue to keep you updated as we receive more information.”

“What if I was coming to the car?” Frederick said. “There’s so many things that could have happened – it could have been so much worse.”

Frederick says she’s thankful no one was hurt, but now she’s unsure if she feels comfortable continuing to live there.

“It’s really unfortunate that this has become a norm,” she said. “This cannot be a norm. This is not okay.”

The victims in this case say they’re still figuring out how much it’ll cost to repair everything. At this point, police are still searching for whoever is responsible.

The shooting happened on busy Collington Road in Bowie Thursday morning. The man says he got out of his vehicle to get a hat that had blown out of the car. That’s when he says he was confronted by an officer who fired a shot.

That shot hit another vehicle that was not involved in the incident.

“I thought I died on that highway,” the man said.

He doesn’t want to show his face or give his name, but he wants to share his story.

It was 8 a.m. when a Bowie police officer fired a shot, the man says, after confronting him while he was outside his girlfriend’s car retrieving a hat that had blown out the window earlier.

His girlfriend and their kids were still in their jeep.

“As I was approaching the car, the officer asked me, was I getting in the car, was I with her. I proceeded to say yes, and then all I heard was a shot fired, and then I dropped to the ground,” he said.

He dropped because he believed he’d been shot, but the bullet hit the side of a vehicle that was passing by.

“As soon as my ears stopped ringing, I turned around and asked the officer why did he shoot me,” he said.

But he didn’t get that answer, and that’s the center of an investigation

Bowie Police said the officer had pulled over to assist what was believed to be a stranded driver.

A statement from the department says, “Upon approaching the vehicle, the officer discharged their firearm. The reason for the discharge is being investigated. No one was injured, but an uninvolved vehicle passing by was struck.”

The man who was retrieving his hat said he never even saw the officer draw his weapon.

He shared a video, which he recorded himself, after the shooting

“Why did your officer shoot at me for no reason?” the man asked in the video

“Do you want them to check your head out?” the officer responded.

“Yes sir,” the man can be heard saying.

“Alright,” the officer responded.

The man says no one responded to his questions.

He told News4 he was not under investigation and was not given any commands before the shot was fired.

“I was never told to stop, put your hands up, get on the ground, stand here, none of that,” he said.

He’s asking Bowie Police to release any body worn camera video that shows exactly what happened.

The Prince George’s County Police Special Investigative response team is conducting the investigation.

Bowie’s police chief says in-car and officer body camera will be reviewed as part of the investigation. The officer is on administrative leave.

Local authorities said the U.S. Secret Service agents protecting Trump fired at a man pointing an AK-style rifle with a scope as Trump was playing on one of his Florida golf courses in West Palm Beach.

Here are five things to know about what happened Sunday to the Republican presidential nominee.

Who is the suspect?

Law enforcement officials said the man who pointed the rifle and was arrested is Ryan Wesley Routh.

Records show Routh, 58, lived in North Carolina for most of his life before moving in 2018 to Kaaawa, Hawaii, where he and his son operated a company building sheds, according to an archived version of the webpage for the business.

Routh frequently posted on social media about the war in Ukraine and had a website where he sought to raise money and recruit volunteers to go to Kyiv to join the fight against the Russian invasion. Routh previously told other news outlets that he had been in Ukraine to help its war effort, NBC News reports.

In June 2020, he made a post on X directed at then-President Trump to say he would win reelection if he issued an executive order for the Justice Department to prosecute police misconduct. That year, he also posted in support of the Democratic presidential campaign of then-U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who has since left the party and endorsed Trump.

However, in recent years, his posts suggest he soured on Trump, and he expressed support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

In July, following the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania, Routh urged Biden and Harris to visit those wounded in the shooting at the hospital and to attend the funeral of a former fire chief killed at the rally.

Voter records show he registered as an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina in 2012, most recently voting in person during the state’s Democratic Party primary in March 2024. Federal campaign finance records show Routh made 19 small political donations totaling $140 since 2019 using his Hawaii address to ActBlue, a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates.

Records show that while living in Greensboro, North Carolina, Routh had multiple run-ins with law enforcement, including a conviction for possessing a machine gun in 2022. He was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to online North Carolina Department of Adult Correction records.

The records do not provide details about the case. But a News & Record story from 2002 says a man with the same name was arrested after a three-hour standoff with police. The story says he was pulled over during a traffic stop, put his hand on a gun and barricaded himself inside a roofing business. He owned the roofing company, according to state incorporation filings.

How did this happen?

Local authorities said the gunman was about 400 yards to 500 yards away from Trump and hiding in shrubbery while the former president was playing a round of golf at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.

Ric Bradshaw, sheriff of Palm Beach County, said that when people get into the shrubbery around the course, “they’re pretty much out of sight.” Bradshaw said the entire golf course would have been lined with law enforcement if Trump were the sitting president, but because he’s not, “security is limited to the areas the Secret Service deems possible.”

Trump’s protective detail has been higher than some of his peers because of his high visibility and his campaign to seek the White House again. His security was bolstered days before the July assassination attempt in Pennsylvania because of a threat on Trump’s life from Iran, U.S. officials said.

What has Trump said since the attempt?

In an email to supporters, Trump said: “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!”

His running mate, JD Vance, and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said they spoke with Trump after the incident, and both said he was in “good spirits.” Trump also checked in with several Fox News hosts.

Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close friend of the former president’s, said on air that he spoke with Trump and his golf partner, Steve Witkoff, afterward. They told Hannity they had been on the fifth hole when they heard a “pop pop, pop pop.” Within seconds, he said Witkoff recounted, Secret Service agents “pounced on” Trump and “covered him” to protect him.

Moments later, Witkoff said, a “fast cart” with steel reinforcement and other protection was able to whisk Trump away.

Hannity said Trump’s reaction after this happened — and when it was clear that everyone, including Witkoff, was safe — was to quip that he was sad he hadn’t been able to finish the hole since he “was even and had a birdie putt.”

What is Vice President Kamala Harris saying?

Harris, Trump’s Democratic opponent in the presidential election, posted on X that she had been briefed on the reports of gunshots fired.

“I am glad he is safe. Violence has no place in America.”

The White House said President Joe Biden and Harris would be kept updated on the investigation. The White House added it was “relieved” to know Trump is safe.

What’s next?

Trump has not announced any changes to his schedule and is set to speak live on X on Monday night from his Mar-a-Lago resort to launch his sons’ crypto platform.

Meanwhile, the leaders of a congressional bipartisan task force investigating the July 13 assassination attempt on Trump said they have requested a briefing by the Secret Service.

Donald Trump Sep 15

Donald Trump safe after apparent assassination attempt at Florida golf club

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“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Rep. Jason Crow, D-Colo., said in a statement. They said the task force will share updates.

U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz, a Florida Democrat who is part of the task force, said he “will seek answers about what happened today and then.”

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When it mattered most, Daniels got the job done and picked up his first win as an NFL quarterback, beating the New York Giants 21-18 on Sunday thanks to a franchise-record seven field goals from new kicker Austin Seibert.

“I feel blessed,” Daniels said. “Can’t really complain. It wasn’t the prettiest game, but a win is a win.”

Daniels engineered the go-ahead, 65-yard drive in the final minutes to get the ball into the red zone, setting up Seibert’s 30-yard field goal that won it as the clock expired. Seibert’s 7-for-7 performance came days after he replaced Cade York, who missed each of his two attempts in the season opener.

“I guess that’s a great way to kind of welcome myself to the team and win a football game, so I’m happy with it,” said Seibert, who was good from 27, 45, 26, 27, 29 and 30 yards out. “No reason to make it bigger than it is. Just go out there and do what I do.”

The Commanders (1-1) came back to win an ugly game after the Giants lost kicker Graham Gano to an injury on the opening kickoff. Not having Gano forced New York (0-2) to go for it on several fourth-down situations after punter Jamie Gillan missed an extra point attempt early.

Gano, who said it was unrelated to the sore groin that landed him on the injury report, said his hamstring “doesn’t feel good.”

Daniels was 23 of 29 for 226 yards and rushed for 44 in his second professional start, beating former LSU teammate and fellow top-10 pick Malik Nabers in their first matchup in the league. Nabers was the Giants’ best player with 10 catches for 127 yards and his first career TD reception.

“He did his thing, which I kind of expected just knowing him,” Daniels said after swapping jerseys with Nabers. “He got my first win jersey and I got his first 100-yard game. That’s going to mean a lot to both of us.”

Nabers was targeted 18 times by Daniel Jones, who after a rough Week 1 was a respectable 16 of 28 for 178 yards and two touchdown passes. Nabers dropped a fourth-down pass from Jones, which turned the ball over on downs.

“I’m disappointed,” Nabers said. “No matter how good of a game you can play, that last play came down to me. I’m hurt that I let those veterans down.”

The Commanders overcame going 0 for 6 in the red zone with seven trips inside the New York 25 and multiple false start penalties that derailed drives.

“You can’t have that,” left guard Nick Allegretti said. “But with such a new team, those things will happen. We’ve got to cut them down.”

Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. carried the ball 17 times for a career-high 133 yards. He also made the two longest runs of his pro career: 32 yards in the first half and 40 in the second.

“Great start for me so I can gain the momentum that I need,” Robinson said. “I’m thankful for the opportunities. It’s been a while since I got 17 (carries) in one game, too, so I appreciate all that love from my coaches, and I expect to keep building off of that.”

Ertz’s Milestone

Washington’s Zach Ertz became the 12th tight end in NFL history to surpass 7,500 yards receiving. The 33-year-old veteran made four catches for 62 yards as one of Daniels’ most popular targets.

Injuries

Nabers was cleared after being checked for a concussion late in the first quarter following a big hit from Washington’s Frankie Luvu. … Cornerback Dru Phillips was also evaluated for a concussion and cleared late in the game.

Up Next

Giants: Visit Cleveland next Sunday.

Commanders: Visit Cincinnati on Monday, Sept. 23.

___

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

It’s been 64 days since former President Trump was shot at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and we don’t know the motive behind Sunday’s apparent attempted assassination – but we do know that the environment surrounding the run-up to November’s election is very charged.

In the most recent survey of support for political violence in America from a group at the University of California – Davis, 25% of Americans surveyed believe violence is usually or always justified to advance a political objective.

That’s down a little since last year, but it’s potentially more dangerous as the people who support violence say they are more likely to use a gun in support of that goal.

politics Aug 29

Act fast, be curious when a loved one moves toward political extremism, experts say

Donald Trump Jul 14

Assassinations — and attempts — are woven through America's political history

Experts who study this at American University see the same sort of concern, and to them, some of the most concerning parts of this warning is that we may realize how much our political environment is changing and becoming more violent.

“The conditions of extremism that define our political conversations have gotten worse and have gotten more extensive, to the point where we don’t really appreciate just how badly things have changed,” Brian Hughes, the associate director of the Polarization and Extremism Innovation Lab at American University, said.

“I think people take it as a matter of course that violence is going to be a part of our political process,” he said. “Ten years ago, that would have been shocking to say.”

Following the assassination attempt on former President Trump’s life in Pennsylvania in July, the new acting director of the Secret Service told Congress he was embarrassed by the failings that day.

They’ve since changed Trump’s security and cooperation with local law enforcement.

We expect to learn more this week when a Congressional probe is released.

Officials in Ocean City announced the closure on Sunday afternoon. They did not expand on what type of medical waste was found.

“Until we are confident that the situation is under control, we recommend wearing shoes on the beach and avoiding the ocean entirely,” Emergency Services Director Joe Theobald said in a statement. He added that the city was working with Worcester County health officials to investigate the source of the waste.

The medical waste also washed up in Assateague Island National Seashore which spans Maryland and Virginia. The waste was only found on the Maryland portion of the island, officials said. They have barred beach access on the North End and swimming and wading is forbidden in the Maryland District.

Assateague Island State Park also has a Beach Closure in effect. The Virginia portion of the seashore has not seen medical waste.

Officials said they’ll provide updates as they have them.

U.S. Secret Service agents posted a few holes up from where Trump was playing noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through the shrubbery that lines the course, roughly 400 yards away.

An agent fired and the gunman dropped the rifle and fled in an SUV, leaving the firearm behind along with two backpacks, a scope used for aiming and a GoPro camera, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said. The man was later taken into custody in a neighboring county.

The man in custody was Ryan Routh, three law enforcement officials told the AP. The officials who identified the suspect spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

Records show Routh, 58, lived in North Carolina for most of his life before moving to Hawaii in 2018. In 2020, he made a social media post backing Trump’s reelection, but in more recent years his posts have expressed support for Biden and Harris.

Routh tried to recruit Afghan soldiers fleeing the Taliban to fight in Ukraine, and spent several months in the country, according to an interview with The New York Times last year.

He had a calm, flat demeanor and showed little emotion when he was stopped and didn’t question why he was pulled over, according Martin County Sheriff William Snyder.

“He never asked, ‘what is this about?’ Obviously, law enforcement with long rifles, blue lights, a lot going on. He never questioned it,” Snyder said.

The incident was the latest jarring moment in a campaign year marked by unprecedented upheaval. On July 13, Trump was shot during an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and a bullet grazed his ear. Eight days later, Democratic President Joe Biden withdrew from the race, giving way for Vice President Kamala Harris to become the party’s nominee.

And it spawned new questions about Secret Service protective operations after the agency’s admitted failures in preventing the attempted assassination of Trump this summer.

In an email to supporters after the incident, Trump said: “There were gunshots in my vicinity, but before rumors start spiraling out of control, I wanted you to hear this first: I AM SAFE AND WELL!” He wrote: “Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER!”

He returned to Mar-a-Lago club, his private club in Palm Beach where he lives, according to a person familiar with Trump his movements who was not authorized to discuss them publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump also later shared a message on Truth Social, saying, “I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes – It was certainly an interesting day!”

“Most importantly, I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his Office of brave and dedicated Patriots, and, all of Law Enforcement, for the incredible job done today at Trump International in keeping me, as the 45th President of the United States, and the Republican Nominee in the upcoming Presidential Election, SAFE. THE JOB DONE WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING. I AM VERY PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!”

It was not immediately clear whether the incident would affect his campaign schedule. He was set to speak from Florida about cryptocurrency live on Monday night on the social media site X for the launch of his sons’ crypto platform. He planned a town hall Tuesday in Flint, Michigan with his former press secretary, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, followed by a rally Wednesday on New York’s Long Island.

An email to Trump campaign staffers obtained by AP said, “This is not a matter that we take lightly. Your safety is always our top priority. We ask that you remain vigilant in your daily comings and goings.”

“As we enter the last 50 days of President Trump’s campaign, we must remember that we will only be able save America from those who seek to destroy it by working together as one team.”

Biden and Harris were briefed on the matter and each issued a statement condemning political violence. Harris’ added that she was “deeply disturbed” by the day’s events and that “we all must do our part to ensure that this incident does not lead to more violence.”

Biden said he had directed his team to ensure the Secret Service “has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former President’s continued safety.”

In the aftermath, Trump checked in with allies, including running mate Ohio Sen. JD Vance, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham and several Fox News hosts. House Speaker Mike Johnson said he spent several hours with Trump and called him “unstoppable.”

Fox News host Sean Hannity recounted on air his conversation with the former president’s golf partner, Steve Witkoff.

They had been on the fifth hole and about to go up to putt when they heard a “pop pop, pop pop.” Within seconds, he said Witkoff recounted, Secret Service agents “pounced” on Trump and “covered him” to protect him.

Trump had returned to Florida this weekend from a West Coast swing that included a Friday night rally in Las Vegas and a Utah fundraiser. His campaign had not announced any public plans for Trump on Sunday. He often spends the morning playing golf.

Trump has had a stepped-up security footprint since the assassination attempt in July. When he is at Trump Tower in New York, parked dump trucks have formed a wall outside the building. At outdoor rallies, he now speaks from behind bulletproof glass.

The Florida golf course was partially shut down for Trump as he played, but there are several areas around the perimeter of the property where golfers are visible from the fence line. Secret Service agents and officers in golf carts and on ATVs generally secure the area several holes ahead and behind Trump. Agents also usually bring an armored vehicle onto the course to shelter Trump quickly should a threat arise.

The Palm Beach County sheriff said the entire golf course would have been lined with law enforcement if Trump were the president, but because he is not, “security is limited to the areas that the Secret Service deems possible.”

“I would imagine that the next time he comes to the golf course, there will probably be a little more people around the perimeter,” Bradshaw said. “But the Secret Service did exactly what they should have done.”

Trump was to be briefed in person Monday by acting Secret Service director Ronald Rowe about the investigation into the assassination attempt, according to a person familiar with the plan for the briefing who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Former presidents and their spouses have Secret Service protection for life, but the security around former presidents varies according to threat levels and exposure, with the toughest measures typically being taken in the immediate aftermath of their leaving office.

Trump’s protective detail has been higher than some other former presidents because of his high visibility and his campaign to seek the White House again.

The FBI was leading the investigation and working to determine any motive. Attorney General Merrick Garland was receiving regular updates. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were helping investigate.

“The FBI has responded to West Palm Beach Florida and is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump,” the bureau said.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, said the state would do its own investigation, posting on X that, “The people deserve the truth about the would be assassin and how he was able to get within 500 yards of the former president and current GOP nominee.”

News reporters were not with Trump on Sunday. Bucking tradition, Trump’s campaign has not arranged to have a protective pool of reporters travel with him, as is standard for major party nominees and for the president. Harris does not have a protective pool at all times, but does allow reporters to travel with her for public events.

Snyder, the Martin County sheriff, said the suspect was apprehended within minutes of the FBI, Secret Service and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office putting out a “very urgent BOLO” — or “be on the lookout” alert.

Snyder said his deputies “immediately flooded” northbound I-95 and “we pinched in on the car, got it safely stopped and got the driver in custody.”

—

Richer, Long, Tucker and Miller reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Lindsay Whitehurst and Michael Biesecker in Washington, Michael Balsamo, Jill Colvin, Michelle L. Price and Michael R. Sisak in New York, and Meg Kinnard in Houston contributed to this report.

The robbery happened along the 800 block of N. Glebe Road near Interstate 66.

The victim was shot at least one time during the crime, police said. He was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

Police said four people fled the scene in a vehicle. A description of the car or additional information about what led to the robbery was not immediately available.

Carr started training to become a nurse at Sacred Heart Hospital (now known as St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Campus) in Allentown, Pennsylvania during World War II in 1944. She was just 17 years old.

“As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a nurse and work in a hospital,” says Carr, who as a child spent hours playing “doctor” with her brother and wrapping her dolls in bandages. 

For the past eight decades, Carr has been an almost constant presence at “The Heart,” as the hospital is affectionately called by staff.

Carr left her nursing job at the hospital in 1989 and spent the next three years working at a hospital-affiliated doctor’s office, retiring when she was 65. She started volunteering at the hospital in 1993 after her husband, Edward Carr, died. 

She has volunteered for more than 6,000 hours so far, coming in every Wednesday to offer patients water, cheer them up with flowers, take them to tests and procedures and bring specimens to the hospital’s lab. 

“We call her Amazing Grace,” says Beth Fogel, the hospital’s volunteer engagement specialist, who has known Carr for 20 years. “From the time she shows up in the morning until she leaves in the afternoon, she’s like an Energizer Bunny, always eager to help and so much fun to be around.” 

Carr says she always planned to volunteer at the hospital as a retiree. “I couldn’t imagine my life without it,” she says. “I love the people there, and my health is good, so I’m happy to help however I can.”  

Seeing ‘the best and worst life has to offer’ on the job

Carr grew up in Freeland, Pennsylvania, a small coal town about 50 miles from the hospital. She left Freeland after finishing high school to train at the Sacred Heart School of Nursing, living in a dorm with other student nurses on the hospital’s campus.

While she was studying, Carr served as a cadet nurse. The government subsidized her nursing school tuition as part of the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps, a program that aimed to prevent nursing shortages during the war.

She was paid $15/month during her first year, $20/month the second year, and $30/month in her final year. 

In 1947, Carr graduated from the Sacred Heart School of Nursing and married Edward, her high school sweetheart who had recently returned home from serving in the military during World War II. 

She was then hired to work the night shift from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. on the medical-surgical floors at Sacred Heart, which she did for nearly 20 years while raising four daughters and a son.

“I look back on it now and I don’t know how I did it. I got very little sleep,” she says. “But I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I loved helping people and felt grateful to be doing something I loved.”

Burnout is high in the nursing profession, and Carr acknowledges that she has experienced fleeting waves of stress and exhaustion throughout her career.

“When you work in a hospital, you see both the best and worst life has to offer,” she says. “It was really, really tough watching someone suffer or die from a medical ailment and knowing we couldn’t do more to help them.”

But Carr says the more joyous occasions — such as the birth of a baby or a surgery going well — along with the meaningful relationships she built helped her persevere through the challenges.

All five of Carr’s children, and nearly all of her 12 grandchildren, were born at Sacred Heart.

Her son-in-law, Vincent Burns, was also born at the hospital — Carr met him hours afterward in the newborn nursery. “That little boy later married my oldest daughter, Janet, and now he’s in his 70s,” she says. 

Moments like that have inspired her to continue working at Sacred Heart. “It has given me a greater sense of purpose in life,” she says.

Carr’s passion is infectious: Her daughter, Grace Loring, worked in the pediatric ward at St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Campus for 35 years before retiring.

“At first, I wanted to be a teacher when I grew up, but watching my mom’s dedication to and passion for nursing inspired me to go into healthcare,” Loring says. 

She picks Carr up at her house in Allentown every Wednesday for her volunteer shift and drives her to and from the hospital. 

Her best advice for a long, happy career

The secret to finding a job you love is “quite simple,” according to Carr: Work with people you like. 

At Sacred Heart, Carr has formed close friendships with many of her coworkers, including some of the nurses she started her career with. “We still get together at each other’s house for coffee or dinner and catch up,” she says. 

Carrs’ career advice is supported by an 85-year study from Harvard researchers, which found that positive relationships are what keep people happy throughout their lives. 

This applies to our jobs, too: The study found that the unhappiest jobs tend to be the loneliest and involve more independent work than interpersonal relationships. 

“Positive relationships at work lead to lower stress levels, healthier workers and fewer days when we come home upset,” two of the researchers, Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz, write in their book “The Good Life.”

When Carr isn’t volunteering, she enjoys reading, gardening, visiting with family and watching “Law & Order.” 

But in the past three decades, her favorite pastime hasn’t changed: delivering fresh flowers to patients and catching up with her friends who work at the hospital.

“For me,” Carr says, “nursing isn’t a job, it’s a calling.”

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She died trying to evacuate her burning Silver Spring high rise with her two dogs in February of 2023. Survived by her parents and her brother, her family is now seeking at least $2.3 million in damages against the owner of Arrive Apartments and the property management company, Trinity Property Consultants.

“We are here today because we want to send a clear message to this building and other corporations who are doing the same thing. … I want to say you still have a chance to fix it, to fix all these issues, because no money is going to replace any life,” said her father, Cesar Diaz.

The lawsuit alleges the owner failed to maintain and inspect the building for fire safety measures, that the smoke detectors in the unit where the fire broke out weren’t working, and that the building should have installed fire sprinklers.

“Specifically, the lawsuit alleges that the fire safety door that separated the seventh floor, where the fire broke out, from the fire evacuation stairwell that failed and allowed the door to stay open, letting in dark plumes of smoke that would have disoriented Melanie or other residents who would have relied on that evacuation stairwell for safe passage out of the building,” said Attorney Matthew Christ. “Melanie would have encountered thick, dark smoke that would have disoriented her, and ultimately it suffocated her to death.”

Attorneys for Melanie’s family say it could take a year to two years before a resolution is made.

News4 reached out to Trinity Property Consultants and the owner of the building but we have yet to hear back as of Saturday night.

In the days following the deadly fire in 2023, Trinity Property Consultants did release a statement in which it sent condolences to the Diaz family and all of those affected by the fire. The statement also stated that all fire systems were in working order and everything was up to code the day of the fire.

Prince William County police say they were called to the Sonic Soft car wash on Richmond Highway for a report of a shooting before 4 p.m. When they arrived, they found a person suffering from gunshot injuries.

Police have yet to release any information about the status of the person that was shot.

The focus of the investigation is in the parking lot area right before the entrance of the car port.

Throughout the afternoon, investigators canvassed the area and collected evidence.

News4 spoke with workers inside of the Hangry Joe’s Hot Chicken restaurant. They didn’t want to talk on camera, but told News4 there appeared to be some shouting at the car wash before shots were fired.

Police say this remains an active investigation.

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Butler suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage three weeks ago, while addressing his players after a pre-season scrimmage. On Friday, Potomac, Maryland saw the Bullis community showed up in force to honor the man they called “Coach Ray.”

Many wore shirts or carried signs with the hashtag “play for Ray.” It was an emotional evening, as Bullis football team members mourned a man who pushed them to be both scholars and athletes, and families mourned someone they cared about and who cared about them.

The absence of Butler, whose fatal brain hemorrhage took place on Aug. 24, was deeply felt.

Butler was only 48 years old.

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“The toughest part has been managing feelings. Managing personalities,” said assistant coach Kevin Anderson. “But the best part — I’ve seen strength in these young men that I can carry with me for the rest of my life.”

Butler, who became head coach in 2023, was part of the Bullis security staff for a decade.

He’s credited with reinvigorating the football program, which has seen a number of team members go on to play in Division One schools, and even the NFL.

Friends say Butler could intuitively sense when a student or their family was having a problem, and he would offer help.

A group of parents have created a fundraiser to help Ray Butler’s family with expenses.

And in their home opener, the Bulldogs did indeed play for Ray, pouring their hearts into a 41-0 victory over Bishop O’Connell.

The spectacle will be visible in clear skies across North America and South America Tuesday night and in Africa and Europe Wednesday morning.

A partial lunar eclipse happens when the Earth passes between the sun and moon, casting a shadow that darkens a sliver of the moon and appears to take a bite out of it.

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Since the moon will inch closer to Earth than usual, it’ll appear a bit larger in the sky. The supermoon is one of three remaining this year.

“A little bit of the sun’s light is being blocked so the moon will be slightly dimmer,” said Valerie Rapson, an astronomer at the State University of New York at Oneonta.

The Earth, moon and sun line up to produce a solar or lunar eclipse anywhere from four to seven times a year, according to NASA. This lunar eclipse is the second and final of the year after a slight darkening in March.

In April, a total solar eclipse plunged select cities into darkness across North America.

No special eye protection is needed to view a lunar eclipse. Viewers can stare at the moon with the naked eye or opt for binoculars and telescopes to get a closer look.

To spot the moon’s subtle shrinkage over time, hang outside for a few hours or take multiple peeks over the course of the evening, said KaChun Yu, curator at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

“From one minute to the next, you might not see much happening,” said Yu.

For a more striking lunar sight, skywatchers can set their calendars for March 13. The moon will be totally eclipsed by the Earth’s shadow and will be painted red by stray bits of sunlight filtering through Earth’s atmosphere.

—-

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Military officers played a prominent role in the funeral because Cheptegei held the rank of sergeant in Uganda’s army, said military spokesman Brig. Felix Kulayigye, adding that she deserved a “gun salute that befits her rank.”

Athletes, family members and others delivered their eulogies before thousands in a sports field in the district of Bukwo.

Cheptegei, who was 33, will be buried later on Saturday.

She died after her body suffered 80% burns in the attack by Dickson Ndiema, who doused her in gasoline at her home in western Kenya’s Trans-Nzoia County on Sept. 3. Ndiema sustained 30% burns on his body and later succumbed to his injuries.

According to a report filed by the local chief, they quarreled over a piece of land the athlete bought in Kenya.

The horrific gasoline attack shocked many and strengthened calls for the protection of female runners facing exploitation and abuse in the East African country.

Cheptegei’s body was returned to Uganda Friday in a somber procession following a street march by dozens of activists in the western Kenyan town of Eldoret who demanded an end to physical violence against female athletes.

Cheptegei is the fourth female athlete to have been killed by her partner in Kenya in a worrying pattern of gender-based violence in recent years. Kenya’s high rates of violence against women have prompted several marches this year.

2024 Paris Olympics Sep 10

Man accused of setting Ugandan Olympic marathon runner on fire dies of burns

2024 Paris Olympics Sep 6

Paris wants to honor late Ugandan Olympian Cheptegei by naming sports venue after her

2024 Paris Olympics Sep 5

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Ugandan officials have condemned the attack, demanding justice for Cheptegei. First lady Janet Museveni, who also serves as Uganda’s education and sports minister, described the attack as “deeply disturbing.”

Don Rukare, chairman of the National Council of Sports of Uganda, said in a statement on X that the attack was “a cowardly and senseless act that has led to the loss of a great athlete.”

Four in 10 women, or an estimated 41% of dating or married Kenyan women, have experienced physical or sexual violence perpetrated by their current or most recent partner, according to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey.

Many Ugandan athletes train across the border in Kenya, an athletics powerhouse with better facilities. Some of the region’s best runners train together at a high-altitude center in Kenya’s west.

Cheptegei competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics, finishing in 44th place, less than a month before the attack. She had represented Uganda at other competitions.

—

Muhumuza reported from Kampala, Uganda.

If you want — or need — to travel this holiday season, start planning now because the ideal time to book Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s travel is fast approaching. 

“The most important thing is for travelers to continue to think about planning now and booking in October,” said Hayley Berg, lead economist at travel site Hopper. “That window of low prices is brief, but it can really pay off.”

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But travelers who miss that window might have a last resort: so-called Travel Tuesday, which is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday. 

That day, “pretty much the whole travel industry goes on sale,” said Berg.

Whenever you decide to confirm your reservations, keep in mind that traveling during the holiday season can be fraught with complications, said Sally French, a travel expert at NerdWallet.

“The holidays are a difficult time to travel because not only are you dealing with what’s likely to be tougher holiday weather, but also working with bigger crowds,” said French.

Here’s how to make sure you’re getting a good value. 

When prices will be at their lowest

Prices for holiday travel are slightly higher compared to this time last year, said Berg.

On average, round-trip flights for Thanksgiving — defined as departures from Nov. 24 to 28 — currently cost about $298, according to Hopper’s 2024 Holiday Travel Outlook report. That is up 10% from a year ago and 3% from pre-pandemic levels, the travel site found. 

Prices are expected to fall by about $40 on average until they reach their lowest level in early October, when prices will likely be in line with 2023 levels, the report noted.

Similarly, airfare for Christmas trips — defined as the week of Dec. 21 to 25 — are hovering at an average $406 per round-trip booking, up 4% from a year ago and 13% from pre-pandemic, per Hopper.

However, prices are expected to fall by about $80 from current levels until they reach their lowest point in October, according to the report.

“It’s really important for travelers to be thinking about booking their travel now, so that when October rolls around, they’re ready,” said Berg. 

If you are “super last-minute and want to book something for Christmas or New Year’s,” according to Berg, “one good day to bookmark” is Dec. 3, or this year’s Travel Tuesday. 

“You might get lucky and … swing something last minute,” said Berg, as the deals that day can include major discounts on hotel stays, airfare and rental cars. 

How to avoid holiday the travel ‘domino effect’

During the holiday season, disruptions are more likely to happen because airlines and airports are operating more flights than usual, and bigger crowds can lead to “domino effect” issues, experts say.

An example: if one flight is 15 minutes late pulling away from a gate, that can affect the flow of air traffic for an entire terminal, said Berg.

But the “biggest risks” are usually inclement weather and technical malfunctions, she said.

Here are four key things to consider:

• Avoid flying on peak days. For example, around Thanksgiving, avoid the Sundays before and after the holiday, experts say. In the past years, the Sunday after Thanksgiving set records as the busiest day to fly, or the number of travelers passing through TSA checkpoints, said French.

• Take the first flight of the day. Try to book one of the first flights of the day because you avoid being affected by delays and cancellations, said Berg. You’re two times more likely to be affected by flight delays or cancellations after 8 a.m., she said.

• Allow time for delays and cancellations. If it’s critical for you to be at your destination, “bake in extra time to get there,” and travel a few days in advance, said French. “If it’s really important that you’re there for actual Christmas dinner, fly in a few days early,” she said.

• Broaden your search. It can be helpful to know what other airports are nearby, said French. If you know of other airports, it may help you find more affordable options. It could end up being a longer drive to get to your destination, but it can make sense if it’s critical you get there, she said.

Frederick Moorefield Jr., 63, entered the guilty plea Friday. Investigators found evidence he had engaged in the practice for years. They started investigating after responding to a report of two dead dogs found in a plastic dog food bag in 2018 and later seized veterinary steroids, a blood-stained carpet and jumper cables allegedly used for fatally electrocuting dogs from Moorefield’s home, according to prosecutors.

His co-defendant in the case, Mario Flythe of Glen Burnie, also pleaded guilty in July.

Moorefield was a deputy chief information officer for the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

Prosecutors said Moorefield and Flythe used an encrypted messaging application to communicate with people across the country about dogfighting.

After responding to the report of two dead dogs, investigators found mail addressed to Moorefield inside the bag, and a necropsy determined that the dogs bore wounds and scarring patterns consistent with their having been used in dogfighting, officials said. They said Moorefield had been keeping and training dogs for fighting at his Maryland home for over 20 years.

He was associated with a dogfighting ring that operated in Virginia, Maryland and Washington, D.C. Officials said the ring organized dogfights and members would place bets on the outcomes.

“In the event that one of Moorefield’s dogs lost a fight but did not die, Moorefield killed that dog,” officials with the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a news release Friday. “One method of killing employed by Moorefield involved the use of a device consisting of jumper cables connected directly to an ordinary plug. Moorefield plugged the device into a wall socket and attached the cables to the dog, electrocuting it.”

When agents searched Moorefield’s home in September 2023, they found five pitbull-type dogs being kept in metal cages in a windowless room of the basement. Among the items they seized was a bloody piece of carpet that Moorefield used to test the dogs’ fighting ability, officials said.

One of the dogs had to be euthanized “after exhibiting extreme aggression toward both human caretakers and other dogs,” according to prosecutors.

Moorefield pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in animal fighting and interstate travel in aid of racketeering. He faces up to five years in prison.

An attorney representing Moorefield didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Abdurahman Diaby was found not guilty of murder on Friday for the death of Jayda Medrano-Moore. The jury found Diaby guilty on all other charges, including assault, reckless endangerment and use of a gun during a violent crime.

Now 18, Diaby was 17 at the time of the deadly shooting and was tried as an adult.

Medrano-Moore was shot and killed outside her school in Lanham, Maryland, on Sept. 11, 2023. Witnesses said she had been trying to defend her brother and grab a gun from Diaby.

Diaby testified that the gun went off accidentally and he was acting in self-defense. Leaving court, his family declined to comment.

Diaby faces up to 50 years in prison. It wasn’t immediately clear when he will be sentenced.

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Medrano-Moore was a bright, humble student and dedicated basketball player who dreamed of a professional sports career.

Three more young people still await trial in connection to her death.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

DePrince – born Mabinty Bangura — grew up as an orphan in Sierra Leone, Africa. While at the orphanage, DePrince spotted an image from a magazine that showed an American ballet dancer.

“All I remember is she looked really, really happy,” DePrince told The Associated Press back in 2012. DePrince said she wished “to become this exact person.”

While at the orphanage, DePrince said she struggled through mistreatment, malnourishment and the skin disorder vitiligo.

“I lost both my parents, so I was there (the orphanage) for about a year and I wasn’t treated very well because I had vitiligo,” she told the Associated Press back in 2012. “We were ranked as numbers and number 27 was the least favorite and that was my number, so I got the least amount of food, the least amount of clothes and what not.”

DePrince told the Associated Press that she then walked shoeless for miles to reach a refugee camp after receiving word that her orphanage would be bombed. She, along with two other girls, were then adopted by a couple from Cherry Hill, New Jersey. She then moved to the United States at the age of 4.

“They came to me sick and traumatized by the war,” her adoptive mother told the Associated Press in 2012. “Michaela arrived with the worst case of tonsillitis, fever, mononucleosis and joints that were swollen.”

DePrince said her time in the orphanage impacted her for years. However, remembering how inspired she was by the ballerina image from the magazine, she soon found comfort and inspiration through dance.

DePrince began training in various competitions before attending the Rock School for Dance Education, a prestigious ballet school located in Philadelphia.

“I’m a little bit in disbelief. I have not really processed the enormity of the loss, not even to myself, but the entire field of classical ballet and certainly to the Rock School,” Director of the Rock School Peter Stark told NBC10. “Michaela’s story is really a remarkable tale of human perseverance and you almost have to wonder if there wasn’t divine intervention.”

During her dance journey, DePrince said she experienced racial discrimination. When she was rehearsing for “The Nutcracker” at the age of 8, she was told, “I’m sorry, you can’t do it. America’s not ready for a black girl ballerina,” according to the Associated Press.

She also said that when she was 9 a teacher told her mother, “I don’t like to put money into black dancers because they grow up and end up having big boobs and big hips.”

DePrince was undeterred however and continued to rise in the world of ballet. At the age of 17 she was featured in a documentary film and performed on the TV series “Dancing With the Stars.” She graduated from high school and the American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School and worked at Dance Theatre of Harlem where she was the youngest principal dancer in the theatre’s history.

She also performed in her first professional full ballet back in July 2012 in South Africa.

In 2013, she joined the junior company of the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam and joined the Dutch National Ballet as a student in 2014. She continued to rise through the ranks and break new ground while inspiring a generation of Black and brown girls.

Her celebrity continued to grow when she performed in Beyoncé’s 2016 musical film “Lemonade.” Pop superstar Madonna was also in talks to direct a biopic based on DePrince’s memoir back in 2018.

DePrince later joined the Boston Ballet in 2021 as a second soloist and danced the leading role in the 2021 ballet film “Coppelia.”

“The survival of classical ballet is dependent on diversification. It’s dancers like Michaela DePrince that are literally paving the path forward for the continuation of this artform. We cannot survive without trailblazers and courageous women like Michaela and her loss is a devastating blow,” Stark explained.

In addition to dance, DePrince was also a humanitarian who advocated for children impacted by conflict and violence. She also served as the ambassador for War Child Holland, an independent non-governmental organization that works to ensure children have access to protection, education and psychosocial support.

DePrince’s family and friends have not yet revealed a cause of death or information on memorial services.

“Her life was one defined by grace, purpose, and strength. Her unwavering commitment to her art, her humanitarian efforts, and her courage in overcoming unimaginable challenges will forever inspire us,” a spokesperson wrote on her Instagram page. “She stood as a beacon of hope for many, showing that no matter the obstacles, beauty and greatness can rise from the darkest of places.”

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Fans posted on social media that they were stuck for hours waiting in lines for buses at Jiffy Lube Live, a concert venue near the course about 40 miles west of Washington, D.C., prompting a statement of apology from the LPGA Tour.

“We recognize and deeply apologize to all fans affected by the challenges with shuttling from parking to the golf course,” the statement said. “We’ve made significant changes to our transportation system to mitigate these issues moving forward, and we’re working on ways to express our regret to those impacted.”

Spectators also said the portable restrooms at the parking site were locked while they waited for buses.

In the 20 minutes before Friday’s matches began, a small trickle of fans speed-walked toward the grandstand, but there was no sign of the record crowds that organizers had promised.

“It’s disappointing. It is what it is. You play in these things for years, and things happen,” U.S. captain Stacy Lewis said. “Unfortunately, it was a big one.”

The LPGA said Friday night that it planned to open the gates earlier on Saturday morning, increase the number of shuttle buses and move parking for volunteers to a different location.

Esther Henseleit struck the opening tee shot for Europe in the team competition against the United States as part of an alternate-shot pairing with Charley Hull. Allisen Corpuz followed for the U.S., paired with top-ranked Nelly Korda.

Players frequently describe the opening tee shot at the Solheim Cup as more nerve-wracking than anything in women’s golf, fueled partly by fans who fill grandstands hours in advance to cheer the home team. But with fewer spectators, the home-field advantage was muted.

“You’ve got to get the people here,” former U.S. captain Juli Inkster said as she followed a match on the fourth hole.

The few hundred fans who made it in time for Friday morning’s opening remained quiet for the European tee shots and cheered throughout as the Americans hit theirs, a departure from golf etiquette that players have come to embrace at team competitions.

Once the fans arrived, they were treated to an American rout as the U.S. tries to prevent Europe from capturing the cup for a record fourth straight time. The grandstands were packed when Korda and Megan Khang were greeted by former President Barack Obama ahead of their afternoon better-ball match.

The Americans led by a record 6-2 margin when Friday’s matches concluded, and they could only hope for a full complement of supporters on Saturday morning.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

The deli meat company made the announcement Friday, in a press release posted to their website emphasizing the “regret” and “pain” that the outbreak and subsequent plant closure caused.

“We regret and deeply apologize for the recent Listeria monocytogenes contamination in our liverwurst product,” the release begins. “We understand the gravity of this situation and the profound impact it has had on affected families. Comprehensive measures are being implemented to prevent such an incident from ever happening again.”

Those measures include Boar’s Head permanently discontinuing liverwurst, which was the product that was recalled for causing the listeria outbreak. The “root cause of the contamination” was “a specific production process that only existed at the Jarratt facility and was used only for liverwurst,” the company said.

Other measures include “establishing a “Boar’s Head Food Safety Council” comprised of independent industry-leading food safety experts,” the “creation of an enhanced companywide food safety and QA program” and “appointing a new Chief Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer,” the company said in the release.

The most drastic measure is the closure of the Virginia plant.

“Given the seriousness of the outbreak, and the fact that it originated at Jarratt, we have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close this location, which has not been operational since late July 2024,” the company states in the press release.

Included in that release is a link to the USDA’s “notice of suspension,” which stopped production at the plant and which stated that the USDA would “withhold the federal marks of inspection” that are normally printed on to packaging to show that the facility produced food in a safe way.

Documents obtained by the Associated Press through federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests showed that the plant “repeatedly violated federal regulations,” the AP wrote at the end of August.

The violations included instances of mold, insects, liquid dripping from ceilings, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors and equipment.

Between Aug. 1, 2023, and Aug. 2, 2024, inspectors found “heavy discolored meat buildup” and “meat overspray on walls and large pieces of meat on the floor.” They also documented flies “going in and out” of pickle vats and “black patches of mold” on a ceiling. One inspector detailed blood puddled on the floor and “a rancid smell in the cooler.” Plant staff were repeatedly notified that they had failed to meet requirements, the documents showed.

Recalls Aug 29

Insects and mold found at Boar's Head plant in Virginia amid listeria outbreak, records show

Recalls Aug 15

88-year-old victim in Boar's Head deli meat outbreak underscores risks for those most vulnerable

Inspections at the plant had been suspended and it was set to stay closed “until the establishment is able to demonstrate it can produce safe product,” U.S. Agriculture Department officials said in a statement Thursday. Boar’s Head officials halted production at the Jarratt, Virginia, plant in late July.

With Boar’s Head announcing the indefinite closure, that plant may never reopen.

The union representing employees at the Virginia plant, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400, released a statement on Friday about the plant’s closure.

““Everyone agrees this unprecedented tragedy was not the fault of the workforce, so it is especially unfortunate that the Jarratt plant must close indefinitely and put so many men and women out of work,” the statement reads. Thankfully these workers have a union they can count on to always have their backs. We appreciate the extraordinary efforts Boar’s Head has made to keep our members on the job as long as possible and to ensure everyone is taken care of during this process.”

The union said its members at the plant will be able to transfer to other Boar’s Head plants, or “accept a severance package well above and beyond what is required under the law.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Bhatt’s defense team argued in court Friday they believe Mamta Kafle Bhatt, who hasn’t been seen since July, is still alive and that the evidence could be exculpatory, or help to prove their client’s innocence.

Defense attorneys said Naresh Bhatt waited several days to report his wife missing because Mamta Kafle Bhatt left for several days earlier in the year without telling him where she was going. Naresh Bhatt’s attorneys claim police told him at that time to wait several days to see if she turned up before reporting her missing. They requested the reports from those interactions with police, which the judge granted.

The defense also requested surveillance video that shows a woman picking up Mamta from work two days before she disapppeared. They said they don’t know who the woman is and they want to identify her so they can talk to her. The judge ordered prosecutors to share that video with the defense.

Naresh Bhatt’s attorneys argued for other evidence, including car and cellphone GPS data, but the judge did not grant those requests.

Last week, the defense was granted a speedy trial. A trial date will be decided during another hearing set for Monday.

Mamta Kafle Bhatt has not been seen for over a month. The 28-year-old originally from Nepal moved to the U.S. for an arranged marriage in 2021. She recently missed her baby girl’s first birthday, and her family members rushed to the U.S. to take care of the child.

Her husband was arrested at the couple’s home last month on a single charge of concealing a body. But in the criminal complaint, police accused him of killing Mamta Kafle Bhatt. Prosecutors have laid out chilling allegations, including that pooling blood was found in the primary bedroom and bathroom of the couple’s home.

Timeline of Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s disappearance

Mamta Kafle Bhatt, a nurse, was reported missing after failing to show up for her shifts at work. Friends said that was highly unusual since she was caring for her baby and often active on social media.

Investigators have conducted multiple searches at the Bhatt home. Search warrants have revealed details about what investigators believe were Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s last days.

A detective wrote that on July 29 – the last day friends heard from Mamta Kafle Bhatt – there were numerous calls with her husband. After that, all calls went to voicemail.

Naresh Bhatt told police his wife destroyed her phone before July 31 — the day he told police that he last saw her.

But on Aug. 1, her phone was pinging in the Aldie area of Northern Virginia. Naresh Bhatt told police he was at a cafe there.

Police say they have video showing Naresh Bhatt at a Walmart purchasing cleaning supplies. He also went to a Walmart in Prince William County and purchased a set of knives. Two of those knives are now missing, prosecutors said.

Police conducted a welfare check on Aug. 2, and Naresh Bhatt reported his wife missing on Aug. 5, police said.

Bhatt was arrested on Aug. 22, one day after investigators were seen in the Bhatt family home.

Passports for Bhatt and his daughter were in full view when police entered the home for a search. Prosecutors said there’s evidence that Naresh Bhatt was in the process of packing up his home and selling his car.

Manassas Park officers and the Prince William County police have searched several parks and communities for evidence. It’s still unknown if searchers found anything relating to the case.

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Prince William County officers got a tip about a threat against Unity Braxton Middle School on Sept. 9, police said.

The girl, who police didn’t name due to her age, threatened violence toward the school on TikTok, police said.

After identifying the girl, investigators determined there was no credible threat to students or staff at the school.

Police arrested the girl on Wednesday and charged her as a juvenile with “threats by electronic means.”

Two passengers and the driver of a “senior-living assisted facility transportation bus” were killed, Maryland State Police said in a statement.

Charlie Parker, of Mechanicsville, was the driver, police said. He was 84. The passengers were Cassandra Brown, 61, and Darlene Burrell, 64, both of Waldorf.

Chopper4 video shows the mangled wreckage of the white bus, with catastrophic damage to the front end on the driver’s side.

The crash involving a Sagepoint Senior Living Services bus occurred at Port Tobacco Road and Bowie Road, in a rural portion of the county, shortly before 8 a.m.

According to the initial investigation, the bus was headed west on Port Tobacco Road when “for unknown reasons,” the driver lost control and hit an eastbound dump truck head-on.

All three people were declared dead on the scene. The driver of the dump truck was not injured.

Investigators do not believe either driver was impaired, police said.

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An investigation by the Maryland State Police Crash Team is underway. All lanes of Port Tobacco Road were shut down and later reopened.

Lt. Everett West of Maryland State Police called the crash a tragedy that was affecting first responders.

“I think I can easily speak for all the first responders; it’s a pretty somber mood here today,” he said.

Sagepoint did not immediately respond to an inquiry.

News4 video shows the horrifically mangled bus being towed away.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.

The pedestrian was walking near Franconia Road and Elder Avenue in Springfield when the driver hit him. The driver got out and ran, Fairfax County police said before 7 a.m.

The pedestrian was declared dead at the scene of the crash. His name was not immediately released.

No details about the car or the driver who ran were immediately released.

Franconia Road at Elder Avenue was shut down in both directions as of 8 a.m. Friday.

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This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

News4’s Molette Green surprised the organization with a check for $4,500. The money was raised through NBC4 and Telemundo 44’s Food 4 Families campaign.

For five decades, Meals on Wheels College Park has delivered food and done wellness checks on elderly people and those with disabilities in Prince George’s County.

But it needs extra support now, Lisa Ealley, the chapter’s chairman, said.

“We need money because the funding that we had relied on for so long is drying up. We need volunteers,” Eally said. “We need fresh produce.”

They don’t rely on food pantries or banks, Eally said. The organization depends on community support. Eally shouted out RJ Bentley’s in College Park for donating sandwiches once a week.

Ealley said that the organization heard from some interested potential volunteers while appearing on News4 Today on Friday morning.

If you’re interested in helping, visit mealsonwheelsofcollegepark.org.

The Montgomery County firefighter, a 54-year-old, was hit at about 3 a.m. on the Inner Loop of Interstate 495 near University Boulevard. He was rushed to a trauma center.

Members of the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service and Maryland State Police troopers responded at about 2:40 a.m. to a previous crash involving a tractor-trailer and a Lexus sedan, police said. Several lanes of the highway were “blocked off by traffic cones, flares and two marked patrol vehicles with emergency lights activated,” a statement from police said.

About 20 minutes later, the driver of a BMW sedan sped through the lane closures, smashed into two patrol vehicles with no one inside and hit the firefighter, police said the initial investigation showed.

Photos shared by state police show heavy damage to a trooper’s SUV. All the airbags appeared to have deployed.

Driver Alberto Zurita, 45, was arrested for suspected DUI. The investigation is ongoing.

No information was immediately released on the nature or severity of the firefighter’s injuries.

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All drivers must move over to protect first responders. Maryland’s Move Over Law requires drivers to “make a lane change or slow down when approaching any stopped, standing, or parked vehicle displaying warning signals.” Go here for more information.

Stay with NBC Washington for more details on this developing story.