Bill Clinton gives Howard commencement speech
Howard University’s 145th graduation ceremony for the class of 2013 was welcomed into the real world by president Bill Clinton. President Clinton flew from Haiti to D.C. to give the speech, although he joked that his contribution was the least important part of the ceremony.
Clinton spoke to the 2,687 graduates about making the most of their lives, “Try to do something that will make you happy,” he said. “And, most people are happiest doing what they are best at.” His [...]
National Aquarium closes
The National Aquarium will close its D.C. location in the fall. The aquarium’s location, the Department of Commerce building, will start renovations in the fall, making the move necessary.
The National Aquarium must move by March 2014, but it is scheduling to close on Sept. 30th in order to begin to move the 1,500 animals to the National Aquarium in Baltimore as well as to other locations.
The National Aquarium in Washington D.C. was established in 1873 and opened in 1885. [...]
Pediatrician faces child porn charges
A pediatrician who has practiced in D.C. for many decades has been charged with possessing child pornography. A criminal complaint stated that when FBI officials entered the office of 73-year-old Dr. Robert Dickey, he was viewing a website with child pornography. There’s no indication that the pornography involved his patients.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children learned that images of child porn were being uploaded to this website via Dickey’s address. According to court documents, Dickey has claimed to [...]
DC officer charged with money laundering
Jared Weinberg was arrested on Monday for involvement with a federal money laundering scheme out of Pennsylvania. Weinberg was arrested at his department’s fourth district station.
Weinberg had been employed in his department since February 2012, but his criminal charges predate his employment. A criminal complaint was filed accusing Weinberg of conspiring with a cocaine dealer in order to hide the proceeds of drug trafficking.
D.C. Council takes up truancy bill
The D.C. Council is taking up a bill that makes parents more accountable for their children if they miss too much school. Councilmember David Catania says the bill will provide a means to crack down on frequent school absences.
The bill was approved unanimously by the Council’s education committee, and it will come up to vote during the legislative meeting on Tuesday.
Sequester cuts cause National Mall decline
Spring and summer activities at the National Mall may not occur this year due to sequestration budget cuts. The Fourth of July fireworks will still be taking place, but the annual Sylvan Theatre concert has been canceled.
The National Arboretum will close to the public from Tuesday to Thursday starting on May 13th, and 10 percent of vacant maintenance jobs will not be filled anytime soon, possibly increasing the amount of trash in the area. The National Archives will also [...]
73-year-old woman rescued from Metro tracks
Metro officials say that a group of Metro riders rescued a 73-year-old woman who had fallen onto the subway tracks. The woman fell on Saturday at Dupont Circle station.
A Metro spokesperson said it is unclear how the woman fell onto the tracks, but she was rescued and taken to George Washington University Hospital with a non-life threatening head injury. The services of the train were not affected, as it was not in the immediate area.
Guilty verdict for man charged with Capitol Hill Beating
Twenty-two-year-old Tommy Branch has been found guilty for the near-fatal baseball bat beating of T.C. Maslin.
As Maslin walked home from a Washington Nationals game in August, Branch attempted to rob Maslin and beat him with an aluminum bat, causing a severe brain injury. A jury found Branch guilty of robbing and beating Maslin. He was also convicted of robbing two other men in Adams Morgan.
A spokes person for the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Branch could face up to [...]
Fatal shooting in D.C. was in self-defense
Police say they have no intention of pressing charges against a man arrested for a fatal shooting this week. Police believe Kenneth Brown acted out of self-defense after shooting Thomas Jamison. Brown was arrested on Wednesday.
Authorities found Brown suffering from a gunshot wound, and was arrested for second-degree murder after being taken to the hospital.
Mayor wants access for immigrant licenses
D.C.’s Mayor Vincent Gray wants people living illegally in the country to be able to get a driver’s licenses. The Mayor’s office will introduce a bill on Thursday that would allow D.C. residents to receive a license or a city identification card regardless of their immigration status.
Currently, four states have enacted a similar bill. Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico and Washington state all allow those who do not have legal permission to live in the country to obtain licenses. Oregon Gov. [...]
Smithsonian limits gallery closure to 3 museums
Although Congressional budget cuts have been put into affect, the Smithsonian museum will only close 3 exhibits. Smithsonian officials plan to close off the sections of 3 building between May 1st and Sept. 30th.
As a part of the budget cuts, the museum must reduce its budget by $42 million. The Smithsonian will close a small exhibit space in the National Museum of African Art, a section of the Hirshhorn Museum, and the common area of the Smithsonian Castle. No [...]
Council considers moving mayor primary to June
The D.C. Council would like to delay the primary that would elect next year’s mayor. The primary is currently scheduled for April, 1st 2014, but Council Chairman Phil Mendelson says that is too early. He introduced legislation on Tuesday that would move the primary back to June 11th.
Mayor Vincent Gray has not expressed whether he will be running for re-election, nor has he given an opinion on the proposed legislation.
The original primary date in April was made so [...]