Ken Duffy – Ƶapp News Washington's Top News Fri, 08 Oct 2021 23:48:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 /wp-content/uploads/2021/05/WtopNewsLogo_500x500-150x150.png Ken Duffy – Ƶapp News 32 32 Montgomery Co. offers free rides to COVID-19 vaccination, testing sites for seniors, people with disabilities /montgomery-county/2021/10/montgomery-co-offers-free-rides-to-covid-19-vaccination-testing-sites-for-seniors-people-with-disabilities/ /montgomery-county/2021/10/montgomery-co-offers-free-rides-to-covid-19-vaccination-testing-sites-for-seniors-people-with-disabilities/#respond Fri, 08 Oct 2021 23:22:13 +0000 /?p=22900689&preview=true&preview_id=22900689 Montgomery County, Maryland, is getting the word out about a way for the elderly and those with disabilities to catch a free ride if they’re in need to get to and from a COVID-19 vaccination or testing location.

Action, Anytime and Regency/Barwood taxi companies are partnering with the county to offer the roundtrip rides at no charge.

The county Department of Transportation will reimburse each company with money funded by an Enhanced Mobility Grant from the Council of Governments.

Participants ages 65 and older and those with a disability must call ahead of time to Connect-A-Ride and obtain a code before booking a taxi. Then they sign a voucher at the end of the trip.

“Programs like these are imperative to the County’s fight against the pandemic,” says County Executive Marc Elrich in news release. “Transportation should not be an obstacle to vaccination and testing.”

And even though it’s being billed as a free transportation program in relation to COVID-19, the county isn’t making any restrictions on other usages.

“This program provides curb-to-curb service and while its being promoted for COVID-19 vaccination and testing, it can be used for any purpose among eligible community members,” said Transportation Director Chris Conklin.

Anyone riding in a taxi is also required to wear a face covering for the duration of the trip.

Connect-A-Ride can be reached at 301-738-3252. Participants need to provide their name, address, phone number and age to receive a “Free COVID Taxi Code.”

Once the code is received, you can call one of the three taxi companies involved to grab a ride:

  • Action Taxi: 301-840-1000
  • Anytime Taxi: 301-637-9292
  • Regency/Barwood Taxi: 301-990-9000 or 301-984-1900

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Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: | |


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Study finds violence, injury against adolescents most likely occurs at home, rose during pandemic /baltimore/2021/10/study-finds-violence-injury-against-adolescents-most-likely-to-occurs-at-home-rose-during-pandemic/ /baltimore/2021/10/study-finds-violence-injury-against-adolescents-most-likely-to-occurs-at-home-rose-during-pandemic/#respond Fri, 08 Oct 2021 04:30:01 +0000 /?p=22897137&preview=true&preview_id=22897137 A new study finds more than half of all violence-related injuries sustained by adolescents are linked to family members, with the most likely location where it happened at home.

Researchers with Johns Hopkins Children’s Center in Baltimore looked at data concerning visits to its emergency department before and during the pandemic.

The study looked at more than 800 cases involving children from 10 to 15 years old.

It found almost 55% of all violence-related injuries involved a family member, most often a parent or guardian, and that there was around a 10% greater chance that it takes place at home.

The likelihood of home violence leading to adolescent injuries went from nearly 82% before COVID-19 took hold, compared to more than 92% after the virus took a firm hold on the U.S. and the entire globe.



The study also found that factors involving alcohol, illegal drugs and weapons by either the patient or the other party leading to violence and injuries also rose during the pandemic.

“We know that exposure to family violence increases a child or teen’s risk for perpetrating violence in their own future relationships,” , head of the center’s pediatric emergency medicine division, said in a news release.

“The emergency department plays an important role by identifying at-risk youth, initiating preventive interventions and stopping the negative cycle,” Ryan said.

The center plans to present its findings on Sunday at the American Academy of Pediatrics 2021 National Conference and Exhibition in Philadelphia.

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Former President Trump’s battle to return to social media /social-media/2021/10/former-president-trumps-battle-to-return-to-social-media/ /social-media/2021/10/former-president-trumps-battle-to-return-to-social-media/#respond Thu, 07 Oct 2021 03:58:32 +0000 /?p=22893817 Former President Donald Trump relied on social media throughout his presidency, but now, he fights to regain his status on any platform.

Shortly after the Capitol riot, Twitter decided to suspend Trump’s account permanently. He is also in the middle of a two-year suspension from Facebook following the events on Jan. 6.

Ever since his removal from both social media platforms, the former president has been trying to get back into the fold with his own site, with talks of creating a new social media platform.

Nine months later, no new site has been created.

Reports say coming up with a clear plan forward.

Tom LoBianco, Yahoo News contributor and author of the Mike Pence biography, joined Ƶapp to talk about some of the reasons Trump can’t get the platform off the ground.

Listen below.

Yahoo News contributor Tom LoBianco speaks with Ƶapp's Ken Duffy.

 

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Jail time for former DC police employee for bribery, insurance fraud schemes /dc/2021/10/jail-time-for-former-dc-police-employee-for-bribery-insurance-fraud-schemes/ /dc/2021/10/jail-time-for-former-dc-police-employee-for-bribery-insurance-fraud-schemes/#respond Wed, 06 Oct 2021 23:01:46 +0000 /?p=22893226&preview=true&preview_id=22893226 A former D.C. police worker who took money from people who received access to confidential traffic crash reports was sentenced to 78 days in jail for accepting the bribes and insurance fraud in a separate case.

Kendra Coles, 46, of Beltsville, Maryland, once worked with the department’s Patrol Services and School Safety Bureau. She will do her time behind bars on weekends, after the judge cited “mitigating factors” in outlining the sentence, .

Back in 2015, prosecutors said Coles started working with so-called “runners,” who paid her more than $40,000 over a period of time to get their hands on Traffic Crash Reports.

The “runners” would in turn pass the information about the crash victims to attorneys seeking clients.

An D.C. police audio found Coles accessed the system more than 3,000 times between June and October 2017 alone to tap into the crash report data.

Separately, Coles conspired with a family friend to make her car “disappear” and set in on fire so she could file a false insurance claim. Coles was looking at expensive car repairs and unpaid parking tickets to cover and received more than $1,000 from her insurer after filing a false theft report.

Coles will also serve three years of probation and is also required to pay more than $6,000 in restitution to an insurance carrier, as well as a $40,000 forfeiture money judgment.

Back in May, another D.C. police employee was sentenced for illegally giving out personal information on traffic accident victims in exchange for more than $40,000 in cash bribes over a two-year period.

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Park Service seeks public input on plan to reduce deer population in DC-area parks /local/2021/10/park-service-seeks-public-input-on-plan-to-reduce-deer-population-in-dc-area-parks/ /local/2021/10/park-service-seeks-public-input-on-plan-to-reduce-deer-population-in-dc-area-parks/#respond Tue, 05 Oct 2021 23:38:17 +0000 /?p=22889882&preview=true&preview_id=22889882 The National Park Service is again seeking public input into a proposed plan to cut the number of deer roaming across specific areas in the National Capital Parks — East region.

NPS just completed its environmental assessment based on the last public comment period, showing what kind of impact there would be if the matter is handled different ways.


  • More D.C. News

  • Some of the areas involved include Anacostia Park, Greenbelt Park and Fort Washington Park, which are among 20 locations targeted by the plan.

    Based on NPS’ documentation, the service wants a management strategy that would utilize sharpshooters who are “highly trained firearms experts experienced in conducting wildlife reduction operations.”

    The operation would be conducted at night during the fall and winter months.

    In a news release, NPS said the plan’s purpose is to “support long-term protection, preservation and restoration of native vegetation and other natural and cultural landscapes.”

    “Within forests, deer can significantly reduce forest regeneration by damaging and eating tree seedlings and saplings,” NPS said. “Over time, this can degrade forests and the habitat they provide for other animals and plants.”

    Within its environmental assessment, NPS cited data gathered from 2019 to 2020 in Fort Dupont, Kenilworth Park and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, and Anacostia Park that had an average of nearly 200 deer per night.

    Deer density was as high as 175 animals per square mile.

    NPS said the goal is to reduce density to between 15 to 20 and could be achieved “in approximately five to 10 years.”

    Disposal of the deer could involve meat donations to local charitable organizations and nonprofit food banks.

    NPS also said it explored other alternatives but found “there are no known non-lethal controls that are effective, as well as feasible, for National Capital Parks — East to implement.”

    The public comment period runs through Nov. 8. Comments online.

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    Georgetown University accepting applications for bachelor’s degree program for Md. prisoners /local/2021/10/georgetown-university-accepting-applications-for-bachelors-degree-program-for-md-prisoners/ /local/2021/10/georgetown-university-accepting-applications-for-bachelors-degree-program-for-md-prisoners/#respond Tue, 05 Oct 2021 02:42:49 +0000 /?p=22886471&preview=true&preview_id=22886471 Georgetown University in D.C. is now accepting applications for a new program that allows inmates in Maryland prisons to get a college education.

    The university will choose 25 inmates who will be transferred to Patuxent Institution in Jessup to enroll in the five-year program that begins in January 2022.

    “We are trying to contribute to a better society,” Marc Howard, director of Georgetown University’s Prisons and Justice Initiative, said.

    The idea was first set in motion back in April, when the Prisons and Justice Initiative, or PJI, signed an agreement with the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to launch the program.

    Inmates who qualify can seek a liberal arts degree with completion of 120 credit hours with a specialty in cultural humanities, interdisciplinary social science or global intellectual history.

    Howard said the pandemic slowed down the timeline to accept applications for the program, which is funded through a $1 million three-year grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

    Howard said there’s a lot of research that shows that when people acquire an education while incarcerated, they never go back to crime.

    “If we care about public safety and reducing costs, keeping in mind it costs almost $50,000 a year to incarcerate somebody, we are trying to contribute to a better society,” Howard said.

    PJI already offers classes to people held at the D.C. Central Detention Facility, where inmates can earn credit for college courses.

    Howard said those jail inmates can’t be offered a shot at a full degree, since their stays are usually shorter and the jail is much more transient.

    He also addressed critics who feel prisoners who are doing time shouldn’t be offered a chance at a college education.

    “In no way are we trying to reward people for the mistakes that they made,” Howard sad. “But we are really trying to create safer communities. Prison education is the no. 1 method for doing that, and we want to be a part of that effort.”

    Applications will be accepted until Oct. 29, and Howard said they expect to have hundreds of applicants.

    Information on applying can be found on the .

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    Ex-Homeland Security chief defends Border Patrol horse units but ‘not necessarily for crowd control’ /national/2021/10/ex-homeland-security-chief-defends-border-patrol-horse-units-but-not-necessarily-for-crowd-control/ /national/2021/10/ex-homeland-security-chief-defends-border-patrol-horse-units-but-not-necessarily-for-crowd-control/#respond Fri, 01 Oct 2021 21:28:44 +0000 /?p=22876753&preview=true&preview_id=22876753
    U.S. Customs and Border Protection mounted officers attempt to contain migrants as they cross the Rio Grande from Ciudad Acuña, Mexico, into Del Rio, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
    A former head of Homeland Security believes U.S. Border Patrol’s mounted horse units should receive a second look, Ken Duffy reports.

    A former head of Homeland Security believes U.S. Border Patrol’s mounted horse units are needed to do the job but believes the way they’re used by the agency and all police departments in certain circumstances should receive a second look.

    Janet Napolitano, who served as Homeland Security Secretary under President Obama from 2009 to 2013, spoke exclusively to Ƶapp about the recent controversy surrounding the handling of a surge in Haitian migrants at the southern border.

    U.S. Border Patrol was heavily criticized for using a mounted horse unit to confront Haitian migrants crossing the Rio Grande on Sept. 19.

    Napolitano, who is now a public policy professor at the University of California Berkeley and head of their Center for Security and Politics, said the federal government faced an “extraordinarily difficult” situation handling the flood of Haitian migrants.

    But Napolitano said the use of Border Patrol horses is “an essential tool” and that the matter of general immigration policy should be taken up in Washington.

    “I think one of the things that the Haitian episode demonstrates is that we really do need to go back and look at our immigration law and that’s the job of Congress if they were able to get to some of the serious underlying issues in our country,” said Napolitano.

    While saying she wouldn’t directly comment on what happened in Del Rio, Napolitano did indicate that some reform is required.

    “Where the horseback units are most useful is in the isolated parts of the [southern] border, not necessarily for crowd control,” Napolitano told Ƶapp. “That appears to be the way they were used in Del Rio.”

    The use of mounted horse units by U.S. Border Patrol in Del Rio, which falls under U.S. Customs and Border Protection, is currently suspended pending an investigation.

    Napolitano said the use of mounted horses by Border Patrol and urban police departments can also “be open to question.”

    When pressed on what in particular should be questioned concerning local law enforcement usage of mounted horse patrols, Napolitano referenced police responses to protests.

    “The uses of horses for crowd control is something that should be reexamined,” said Napolitano.

    Mounted horses are used by dozens of police departments across the country, and a handful of police departments in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area at the local and federal levels.

    U.S. Park Police have utilized mounted horse units in D.C. for crowd control, including during the clearing of demonstrators near Lafayette Square by the White House in June 2020.

    The Metropolitan Police Department in D.C. had a mounted unit, which consisted of four officers and four horses, until August 2020, when it was disbanded due to budget cuts.

    Baltimore City Police Department confirmed to Ƶapp that its horse unit is now under the Department of Recreation and is “not used in an enforcement capacity” and “now limited to community engagement.”

    The Montgomery County, Maryland, division of Maryland-National Capital Park Police said it currently has 14 horses that are used for various assignments including patrol purposes, community events and crowd control.

    Prince William County Police Department in Virginia has two horses that are owned by the National Park Service and are typically used for ceremonies, celebrations, school visits and community engagement.

    A county police spokesman said the horses are trained for crowd control “but we don’t use them for that purpose.”

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which oversees Border Patrol, recently confirmed to Ƶapp that all southwest sectors except for Yuma Arizona have horse units, while there is only one along the entire northern border in Spokane, Washington.

    Asked if there was an imbalance on the placement of units, Napolitano thinks border control is putting the horses where the need is greatest.

    “The horseback units are designed because there are large stretches of the southwest border where horses are really the best way to patrol the border,” said Napolitano, who was also asked if Border Patrol should disband all horse units over the incident in Del Rio.

    “I don’t think so,” said Napolitano. “I think when properly used, they expand the ability of the Border Patrol to police the border.”

    Napolitano thinks the Biden administration is doing the best it can handling immigration but offered a solution to deal with what she calls “too restrictive” immigration policy.

    “When we’re too restrictive, it doesn’t really match the reality of what our economy requires and the appreciation of our values,” Napolitano said.

    “I think [it] should combine effective border control with a greater ability for people to enter the country legally,” said Napolitano, “Either through temporary work visas or through greater use of asylum.”

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    Arlington elementary school worker held without bond, charged with sodomy and battery /arlington/2021/09/northern-virginia-elementary-school-worker-arrested-accused-of-sex-crimes/ /arlington/2021/09/northern-virginia-elementary-school-worker-arrested-accused-of-sex-crimes/#respond Thu, 30 Sep 2021 00:06:12 +0000 /?p=22868530&preview=true&preview_id=22868530 A man who serves as an instructional assistant at an Arlington County, Virginia, elementary school was arrested on sex crimes charges and is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

    Jonathan Almanza Zapata, 30, of Arlington, is accused of sexually assaulting and inappropriately touching a juvenile during an almost two-year period between September 2016 and June 2018, .

    Zapata is charged with forcible sodomy and aggravated sexual battery.



    Authorities received a call about the allegations last Sunday. On Wednesday, police headed over to a residence on North Pershing Drive in the Douglas Park neighborhood, where Zapata was taken into custody.

    He currently works for Carlin Springs Elementary School, where he has been placed on administrative leave following his arrest.

    Police also said their initial investigation found that Zapata had no inappropriate contact with kids at the school. They want to know if there are others who believe they may have had an inappropriate encounter with Zapata.

    They can call Detective S. Gomez with the Arlington County Police Department at 703-228-4173. Information can be reported anonymously through the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

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    Montgomery Co. to honor victims of 19th century lynchings in Rockville /montgomery-county/2021/09/montgomery-co-remembrance-weekend/ /montgomery-county/2021/09/montgomery-co-remembrance-weekend/#respond Fri, 24 Sep 2021 22:00:49 +0000 /?p=22842029&preview=true&preview_id=22842029 Montgomery County, Maryland, is devoting this weekend to paying respects to the victims of racial injustice dating back more than a century.

    John Diggs-Dorsey and Sidney Randolph were two Black men who were lynched during the 19th century in Rockville.

    The county is designating this Saturday and Sunday — Sept. 25 and Sept. 26 — as Remembrance Weekend.

    The commemoration events will be carried by Montgomery History and the Montgomery County Lynching Memorial Project, in conjunction with the Montgomery County Remembrance and Reconciliation Commission.

    Ever since George Floyd’s death in May 2020, many areas of the U.S. have undergone a racial reckoning by re-examining the ways in which they mark history, especially in terms of who and what is honored from decades and even centuries gone by.

    County Executive Marc Elrich told Ƶapp that he believes the notion of a racial reckoning has been around for some time, but no one’s ever really taken the steps to show that it’s been absorbed.

    “Every once in a while we get awakened,” Elrich said. “The question is, can we stay awakened and can we start translating what we know [and what] we need to do into actions that can make it possible.”

    On Saturday, Montgomery History will host a virtual discussion titled “Unwritten Law: A Symposium on the Lynchings in Rockville” from 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

    Historians will share accounts about the lynchings and analyze how similar murders were carried out throughout Maryland and the country during the late 1800s.

    Then, on Sunday, people will take part in a pilgrimage walk from the old county jail to the area in which both men were killed, passing by other sites that were part of what was once a vibrant African American community.

    The ceremony will also include a soil collection, music and reflections by community leaders.

    A member of the Equal Justice Initiative from Montgomery, Alabama, will also participate.

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    Montgomery Co. Executive’s son contracts ‘very mild’ breakthrough case of COVID-19 /montgomery-county/2021/09/montgomery-co-executives-son-contracts-very-mild-breakthrough-case-of-covid-19/ /montgomery-county/2021/09/montgomery-co-executives-son-contracts-very-mild-breakthrough-case-of-covid-19/#respond Fri, 24 Sep 2021 00:23:42 +0000 /?p=22836267&preview=true&preview_id=22836267 Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich says his son came down with COVID-19 following a trip visiting with family.

    Elrich told Ƶapp that his son, who lives in Medellín, Colombia, and was fully vaccinated, was recently visiting family between late August and early September.

    More than a month after returning to Colombia, Elrich said his son fell ill, texting him a message about his positive test for COVID-19.

    “He had a very mild case,” says Elrich. “He was uncomfortable, didn’t have much energy and was pretty lethargic for about five days and returned to normal.”

    Elrich said he was surprised at his son’s quick recovery.

    “He’s kind of the good example of the minimal effect that COVID-19 might have on a vaccinated person, but he still got it,” Elrich said

    Elrich said he himself did not have to get tested over his son’s illness.

    The county executive also has another pressing matter to deal with at the local level: whether to toughen up the current vaccine policy for all county workers.

    Employees were told to submit proof of vaccination status by Sept. 18 or submit to weekly testing. But many members on the county council are calling for something more even stricter, even if it means firing a worker who isn’t vaccinated.

    Elrich said he’s a “big believer” in vaccine mandates, but is still in the process of hashing out a final decision.

    “We would have to get really aggressive about that [testing] if we’re going to make it work at all,” Elrich said. “We may have to consider that you can’t work if you’re not willing to keep not just yourself safe but particularly your coworkers and county residents who might have to access services safe.”

    While saying some workers are in departments that “you can pretty easily fill the spaces” if they’re fired for not getting the vaccine, there are others that are not so simple.

    “In some of these departments — particularly ones that require long periods of training — it’s a major effort to recruit people now for police and fire,” says Elrich. “You could wind up short-staffing your departments for long periods of time and we have to weigh what the impacts will be.”

    Elrich said he’s still waiting for more information before making a final recommendation.

    “We’re hoping that we get the updated data from the unions over the next week or so, then we’ll map out where we’re going to go on the testing,” Elrich said.

    from three unions representing thousands of workers include police offices and firefighters, inferring that a tougher vaccine policy would “draw an unnecessary line in the sand” that could lead to “counterproductive conflict.”


    Listen to County Executive Marc Elrich’s conversation with Ƶapp’s Ken Duffy here:

    Montgomery County Executive March Elrich speaks with Ƶapp's Ken Duffy

    More Coronavirus News

    Looking for more information? D.C., Maryland and Virginia are each releasing more data every day. Visit their official sites here: | |

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    Richmond unveils Emancipation and Freedom Monument, erected in place of Gen. Lee statue /virginia/2021/09/richmond-unveils-emancipation-and-freedom-monument-erected-in-place-of-gen-lee-statue/ /virginia/2021/09/richmond-unveils-emancipation-and-freedom-monument-erected-in-place-of-gen-lee-statue/#respond Thu, 23 Sep 2021 02:17:31 +0000 /?p=22829624
    Emancipation and Freedom Statue
    The Emancipation and Freedom Statue was unveiled in Richmond. (Courtesy Twitter/Gov. Ralph Northam)

    Two weeks after a statue of a Confederate general was removed from Monument Avenue in Richmond, Virginia, a new monument is being put in its place.

    Elected leaders were on hand for the dedication of the Wednesday, which features statues of two people: in one hand holding a document up with the other and and chains dropping to the ground.



    Virginia Gov. Ralph Northman said they are symbols of a Virginia that’s taken a hard look at what they need to do better, and how they need to get there.

     

    “These figures embody the power of emancipation and the power of freedom,” Northam said. “We are all at an important point in America and in Virginia as we reckon with how Virginia’s racial history shapes our present day and how we tell that story so that everyone understands it.”

    Northam said the new statues represent the commonwealth’s dedication to racial justice.

    “Our public memorials are symbols of who we are and what we value,” Northam said. “They’re symbols of a Virginia that is reckoning with ugliness and inequality. A Virginia that’s taken a deep hard look into what we need to do better and how to get there. We are all at an important point in America and in Virginia as we reckon with how Virginia’s racial history shapes our present day and how we tell that story so that everyone understands it.”

    Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney also attended the dedication of the statues, saying “Richmond and Virginia have come a long way … the monument that we unveil today will withstand the test of time.”

    Virginia State Sen. Jennifer McClellan also commemorated the unveiling, saying “Emancipation was not a moment, it was a movement.”

    “From the beginning, there were acts of resistance, rebellion, and self-liberation, as a people stolen from their homeland, put in chains, raped, beaten and murdered pushed on for freedom and equality,” she said. “The resilience of the African American spirit and we will continue to push on until the words of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and equality apply to all.”

    The ceremony was held two weeks after a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was taken down from Monument Avenue.

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    COVID-19 cases ‘holding steady’ in Anne Arundel, while school bus driver shortage remains a ‘crisis’ /anne-arundel-county/2021/09/covid-19-cases-holding-steady-in-anne-arundel-while-school-bus-driver-shortage-remains-a-crisis/ /anne-arundel-county/2021/09/covid-19-cases-holding-steady-in-anne-arundel-while-school-bus-driver-shortage-remains-a-crisis/#respond Wed, 22 Sep 2021 05:43:40 +0000 /?p=22825232&preview=true&preview_id=22825232 Leaders in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, addressed the community Tuesday about COVID-19 numbers and other matters, including the police department’s body worn camera program and the struggle to hire and retain school bus drivers.

    County Executive Steuart Pittman said the seven-day average of COVID-19 cases is still in the “17 to 20 range,” noting hospitalizations are also in excess of 50 for county hospitals, which recently forced doctors to delay a small number of elective surgeries.

    “I keep hoping that each week I’ll be able to say that Delta has run its course and we’re dropping, but we seem to be holding steady,” said Pittman at a news conference.

    County Health Officer Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman said 76% of everyone 12 years old and up who is eligible for a vaccine has received at least one dose but stresses “we’ve got to get that number higher.”

    Pittman said the county currently has more than 1,000 school kids in quarantine due to COVID-19 cases, but he is pleased to hear Pfizer’s recent data showing their vaccine is safe for kids between 5 and 11 years old.

    “We’re prepared to start the vaccination of those kids,” said Pittman, who is also happy that the public school system will now require either vaccinations or weekly testing of teachers and student-athletes by Nov. 22.

    “I’m looking forward to the day when federal, state government or school board makes the decision that vaccines will be mandated for all kids to come to school,” says Pittman.

    Pittman also addressed the ongoing problem of hiring and retaining school bus drivers.

    The county executive said it’s especially bad for the Annapolis region, saying “it continues to be a crisis.”

    “We’ll be meeting with the contractors themselves asking what will it take to give them the incentives,” said Pittman. “Any bonuses that they need to be able to hire the drivers they need — we’re working with the state on that.”

    To alleviate the strain, Pittman said county buses in the Annapolis area have been offering free rides for some students.

    “Ridership is increasing, and that’s a positive sign,” says Pittman.

    Pittman also commended the police department’s recent announcement that all officers have now been trained and equipped with body-worn cameras.

    The department set a Sept. 15 deadline to complete training and fit all officers with a camera saying he has no doubt it’s already building trust between communities and police.

    “I’ve heard from a lot of officers [who say] now that they have them that they understand the benefits,” said Pittman. “It’s working very well.”

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    Gabby Petito case rekindles debate about selective coverage, consumption of missing persons stories /national/2021/09/gabby-petito-case-rekindles-debate-about-selective-coverage-consumption-of-missing-persons-stories/ /national/2021/09/gabby-petito-case-rekindles-debate-about-selective-coverage-consumption-of-missing-persons-stories/#respond Tue, 21 Sep 2021 02:46:45 +0000 /?p=22821645&preview=true&preview_id=22821645
    Ƶapp's Ken Duffy speaks to Zach Sommers, a criminologist and sociologist, who studies missing persons cases.

    News organizations and much of the public at large are transfixed on the story of Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, who went missing during a trip with her fiancée Brian Laundrie.

    Authorities recently found human remains in Grand Teton, Wyoming that are believed to be those of the missing 22-year-old. The search is also on for Laundrie, who appears to have vanished without a trace.

    While many are looking for answers to what happened, others are also wondering why this missing persons case is elevated and so intensely covered over others.

    “It’s fair to say that it’s troubling,” said criminologist and sociologist Zach Sommers, who conducted a study into online news coverage of missing persons cases in terms of race and gender.

    PBS news anchor Gwen Ifill is credited with first coining the phrase when it comes to which stories are intensely covered and consumed by readers and news watchers.

    Sommers’ study, titled “: An Empirical Analysis of Race and Gender Disparities in Online News Coverage of Missing Persons,” was published in 2016.

    The study took a look at every missing persons case covered by several media groups in the year 2013. They include the Star Tribune of Minneapolis, the Chicago Tribune, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and CNN.com.

    “[On the question of] who received any news coverage at all, we see whites, women and girls overrepresented,” said Sommers. “Within the folks that gets news coverage, [there’s] more coverage intensity and a greater number on average of articles about white missing people, women and girls.”

    Sommers says it’s a reflection of trends seen more broadly in American society when it comes to culture, racism and even the makeup of newsrooms.

    “We are ready, willing and able to accept the idea of ‘damsels in distress,’ [which is] a trope we see consistently,” said Sommers.

    “With respect to race, we are just more readily willing to accept that there is a victim who is in need of saving or a case that we should care about when it’s a white person,” Sommers said.

    Even though his analysis closely examined certain factors in coverage, Sommers stresses that it doesn’t lessen the seriousness of Petito’s case.

    “None of this is to undersell the importance,” said Sommers. “It’s just that cases like this should get attention about all kinds of individuals not just those who look a certain way or fit into certain types of stereotypes that we’re used to seeing.”

    Sommers even recommends solutions to buck the trend, which includes more diverse newsrooms and the general public changing their news consumption.

    “Lending your attention and clicks to stories of missing persons of color or faces that we don’t necessarily see as commonly in this context can be a really tangible step we can take as individuals,” said Sommers.

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    Child psychologist on reports of Instagram’s negative impact on teen girls /lifestyle/2021/09/child-psychologist-on-reports-of-instagrams-negative-impact-on-teen-girls/ /lifestyle/2021/09/child-psychologist-on-reports-of-instagrams-negative-impact-on-teen-girls/#respond Fri, 17 Sep 2021 00:29:31 +0000 /?p=22809097&preview=true&preview_id=22809097 This Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, mental health experts are starting to share their thoughts on new reports that Facebook was told that Instagram has a negative impact on teenage girls.

    detailing research presented to Facebook, which kept the information a secret.

    “It’s troubling that anyone would conduct research and not disclose the findings,” said Dr. Kim Burgess, founder of the Pediatric Psychology Center in Rockville to Ƶapp.

    “That isn’t ethical,” Burgess said. “The public has a right to know what the information is showing.”

    In a 2020 slide presentation, according to the Wall Street Journal, researchers told Facebook that more than 30% of teen girls said when they felt bad about their bodies, viewing Instagram made them feel worse.

    Another presentation found that, among teens who reported suicidal thoughts, 13% of British users and 6% of American users traced the desire to kill themselves to Instagram.

    Burgess, author of said that when a teenage girl’s has a negative body image, it indirectly plays into suicidal thoughts.

    “When people experience a negative or distorted body image, it creates thoughts about ourselves of insecurity, of anxiety, about how we’re coming across to others,” says Burgess. “All of that creates the anxieties and adds to depression. It becomes very unhealthy.”

    Listen to an extended interview with Dr. Kim Burgess on Instagram’s impact on young girls self-image.

    Dr. Kim Burgess on Instagram and young girls

    Instagram’s head of public policy, Karina Newton, made a .

    Newtown said it “focused on a limited set of findings and casts them in a negative light”

    “Issues like negative social comparison and anxiety exist in the world, so they’re going to exist on social media too,” Newton said. “That doesn’t change the fact that we take these findings seriously”

    But back in May, Adam Mosseri, who is in charge at Instagram, told reporters that he had seen research suggesting its effects on teenagers’ mental health was probably “quite small”

    In response to the reports, many are sharing experiences of how body shaming impacted their lives.

    Mallory Hagan, who was crowned Miss America in 2013, was photographed at the beach shortly after winning her title and experienced body shaming. Both on social media and in the press.

    “What we should be focused on as a society is how are we treating ourselves and our bodies so that we can perform to the best of our abilities,” Hagan told Ƶapp. “I think so many of us would hopefully argue that our worth is in how we contribute to the world.”

    Ƶapp's Dimitri Sotis's interview with former Miss America Mallory Hagan

    Instagram has proposed creating a separate social media app for kids under 13 years old.

    But Burgess claims measures like that will have no impact, and will simply drive children to the original app.

    “Kids are going to want the one they can’t have,” says Burgess. “When they’re told they can’t do something, or can’t have something, it’s human nature to want it more.”

    Burgess has some advice for teen girls to reduce depression that may be linked to social media use.

    “Stop checking out the likes on their post and the number of followers, to not be obsessed about that,” says Burgess. “They should focus on it being about themselves. It’s a much healthier way to go.”

    Ƶapp’s Dimitri Sotis contributed to this report.

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    Treasurer sentenced to 3 years after stealing $1.5 million from DC ballet school /dc/2021/09/treasurer-sentenced-to-3-years-after-stealing-1-5-million-from-dc-ballet-school/ /dc/2021/09/treasurer-sentenced-to-3-years-after-stealing-1-5-million-from-dc-ballet-school/#respond Thu, 16 Sep 2021 01:10:03 +0000 /?p=22804973&preview=true&preview_id=22804973 A federal judge sentenced a woman in charge of funds for a D.C. ballet school to 42 months in prison for embezzlement.

    The U.S. Attorney’s Office in D.C. said 60-year old Sophia Kim was also comptroller for the Universal Ballet Foundation which operates the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Northeast.

    Between Jan. and Sept. of 2018, prosecutors say Kim stole more than $1.5 million in the form of unauthorized cash withdrawals from the non-profit’s accounts, including debit and credit card charges.

    Kim also wrote out 68 unauthorized checks to “Cash” and “Sophia Kim.”

    More than $1 million of the stolen money was taken while she was at MGM National Harbor Casino in Oxon Hill, Maryland.

    Back in 2012, prosecutors said Kim was found guilty in Virginia for filing a false tax return and tax evasion. She did it all while working as a bookkeeper and treasurer for another nonprofit and was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

    As part of her sentencing for stealing from the Universal Ballet Foundation, Kim was ordered to pay full restitution to cover the money taken, plus an identical amount in a forfeiture money judgment.

    Kim will also be on 4 years supervised release once her prison term is competed.

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