D.C. DISPOSABLE BAG FEE BILL SIGNED

[PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLEIMAGES.]

SOME DC RESIDENTS MIGHT REALLY START TAKING THOSE "GO-GREEN" REUSABLE BAGS A LITTLE MORE SERIOUSLY.

DC MAYOR ADRIAN M. FENTY SIGNED A BILL YESTERDAY THAT WILL ADD A 5-CENT FEE TO EACH DISPOSABLE BAG USED AT GROCERY, DRUG, CONVENIENCE, AND LIQUOR STORES IN THE DISTRICT. THE FEE IS NOT SET TO GO INTO EFFECT UNTIL JANUARY 1.

ACCORDING TO DC AUTHORITIES ALL MONIES RAISED FROM THE FEE WILL GO TOWARD CLEANING THE ANACOSTIA RIVER. THE FEE IS PROJECTED TO RAISE CLOSE TO $3.5 MILLION ANNUALLY.

AUTHORITIES SAY THE MONEY WILL ALSO BE USED EDUCATION AND PROVIDING RESIDENTS WITH REUSABLE BAGS.

-LYNEE COAN, GT NEWS

SLAYING IN SE, DC

THE DISTRICT IS THE HOME OF YET ANOTHER TRAGEDY.

DC POLICE HAVE REPORTED ANOTHER HOMICIDE IN SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON. ACCORDING TO POLICE, 26- YEAR-OLD ANTHONY REGINALD FORD WAS SHOT TO DEATH EARLY MONDAY MORNING ON 58TH STREET IN SOUTHEAST.

POLICE SAY FORD WAS FOUND WITH MULTIPLE GUN SHOT WOUNDS AROUND 1 AM, TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL, AND LATER PRONOUNCED DEAD.

POLICE ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE INCIDENT AND ARE OFFERING A REWARD OF UP TO $25,000 TO ANYONE WITH INFORMATION THAT LEADS TO AN ARREST AND CONVICTION IN THIS CASE.

-LYNEE COAN, GT NEWS

METRO MAY FINDS CLUES ABOUT CRASH

[PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLEIMAGES.]

METRO OFFICIALS MAY HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT CONTRIBUTED TO LAST MONTH'S TRAGIC RED LINE TRAIN CRASH.

OFFICIALS SAY THE MALFUNCTION WAS TRACED TO "FLICKERING" IN A TRACK CIRCUIT. ITS BEING CALLED A "FREAK OCCURRENCE" THAT SOME AT METRO SAY THEY NEVER KNEW WAS POSSIBLE.

BUT EXPERTS SAY THAT THIS TYPE OF MALFUNCTION IS KNOWN AND PREVENTABLE. IN FACT, THE BAY AREA TRANSIT SYSTEM IN CALIFORNIA, RECOGNIZED THIS POSSIBILITY AND INSTALLED A BACKUP SYSTEM, CALLED THE SEQUENTIAL OCCUPANCY RELEASE SYSTEM, WHICH PROVIDES PROTECTION AGAINST FLICKERING TRACK CIRCUITRY. METRO HAS NOT.

METRO OFFICIALS SAY THAT LIKE OTHER SYSTEMS IN THE US, ITS SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO BE "FAIL SAFE".

ACCORDING TO METRO, ITS SYSTEM RELIES ON THE HELP OF TRACK CIRCUITS TO KEEP TRAINS AT SAFE DISTANCES. THESE CIRCUITS ARE DESIGNED TO DETECT TRAINS AND SEND THOSE FREQUENCIES TO THE NEXT TRAIN. IF IN FACT A TRAIN GETS TOO CLOSE, THE SYSTEM IS SUPPOSED TO SEND A "ZERO" SPEED SIGNAL THAT WOULD FORCE THE MOVING TRAIN TO STOP.

THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD SAYS THAT IF THE CIRCUITS DID MALFUNCTION ON THE DAY OF THE JUNE 22ND RED-LINE CRASH, THEN THEY SENT A "CLEAR" SIGNAL TO THE STRIKING TRAIN.

-LYNEE COAN, GT NEWS

3 PG COUNTY HOMES INVADED IN ONE MORNING

[PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLEIMAGES.]

POLICE ARE TELLING PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY RESIDENTS TO BE CAUTIOUS; EVEN OF THE POLICE.

YESTERDAY A GROUP OF MEN, POSING AS POLICE, INVADED THREE HOMES IN THE COUNTY. ACCORDING TO POLICE THE SUSPECTS BOUND THEIR VICTIMS AND DEMANDED MONEY FROM THEM.

THE SUSPECTS HIT AN APARTMENT BUILDING IN DISTRICT HOUSE, A TWO-STORY HOME IN GLENARDEN, AND A TOWN HOUSE IN DISTRICT HEIGHTS. POLICE SAY THE THREE MEN HAD INVADED ALL THREE HOMES BY 6 AM YESTERDAY MORNING.

VICTIMS SAY THE INTRUDERS POINTED GUNS AT THEM WHILE TAKING CASH AND A FLAT SCREEN TELEVISION. THEY TOOK NOTHING FROM THE FIRST HOME, BUT DID BIND THE WOMAN LIVING THERE IN FRONT OF HER CHILDREN, AGES 7 AND 4.

INVESTIGATORS SAY THE BELIEVE THE SAME GROUP IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THREE HOME INVASIONS.

-LYNEE COAN, GT NEWS

DC SEES 5TH WEEKEND SLAYING

[PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLEIMAGES.]

WHILE MANY FAMILIES ENJOYED GOOD FOOD AND FIRE WORKS, ONE FAMILY FACED A TRAGEDY. FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND MARKED THE FIFTH WEEKEND SLAYING IN A ROW IN THE DISTRICT.

DC POLICE SAY THAT 20-YEAR-OLD DELONTE ELLIOTT WAS SHOT AND KILLED SUNDAY. THE SHOOTING TOOK PLACE IN THE 300 BLOCK 34TH SE.

DC POLICE HAVE ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HAVE MADE AN ARREST IN ANOTHER SHOOTING HOMICIDE CASE. THEY HAVE TAKEN 35-YEAR-OLD THOMAS JONES INTO CUSTODY FOR THE FATAL SHOOTING OF LEE-ANTE BROWN OF NORTH CAPITOL STREET.

-LYNEE COAN, GT NEWS

FUNDING CUTS NOT GOOD FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES

[PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLEIMAGES.]

STUDENTS THINKING ABOUT ATTENDING COMMUNITY COLLEGE OVER THE NEXT YEAR MAY HAVE TO THINK AGAIN.

ACCORDING TO EDUCATION OFFICIALS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WILL PROBABLY BE TURNED DOWN FROM ATTENDING COMMUNITY COLLEGES. THE REASON? EDUCATION OFFICIALS SAY THE MAIN REASON IS STATE FUNDING CUTS.

THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HAS SAID THAT IT WILL HELP THE COUNTRY'S ALMOST 1,200 COMMUNITY COLLEGES, WHICH STATISTICS SAY EDUCATE OVER 12 MILLION STUDENTS, MOST OF WHICH ARE AFRICAN AMERICAN AND HISPANIC.

IN OUR REGION, COMMUNITY COLLEGE OFFICIALS SAY THEY ARE TRYING TO FIND WAYS HANDLE THE SITUATION WITHOUT REJECTING STUDENTS. RISING ENROLLMENT IS MAKING THAT VERY DIFFICULT FOR SOME.

WANT TO READ MORE... FOLLOW THE LINK!

The Washington Post

-LYNEE COAN, GT NEWS

TODDLER LEFT IN CAR FOR EIGHT HOURS DIES

[PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLEIMAGES.]

A 23-MONTH-OLD TODDLER FROM HOWARD COUNTY MARYLAND HAS DIED.

ACCORDING TO HOWARD COUNTY POLICE, THE GIRL DIED OF HEATSTROKE YESTERDAY WHEN ONE OF HER PARENTS LEFT HER STRAPPED IN A CAR SEAT FOR EIGHT HOURS.

POLICE SPOKESMAN SAY THAT EMERGENCY PERSONNEL RESPONDED TO THE CHILD'S ELLICOTT CITY HOME AROUND 5 PM ON JUNE 25TH. POLICE ARE CALLING THE INCIDENT UNINTENTIONAL AND NO CHARGES ARE BEING FILED.

-LYNEE COAN, GT NEWS