In a the Prince George鈥檚 County Police Department鈥檚 Financial Crimes Unit said it is investigating multiple reports of suspects pretending to be Pepco employees to gain access to victims鈥� homes, often targeting elderly residents.

In the scam, suspects show up unannounced, claiming an alarm or system alert has detected a dangerous electrical issue. Once inside, the suspect convinces the victim that immediate repairs are needed and asks for payment by check. No actual work is ever performed, police said.

Police received one report of the scam in 2025, in which a victim lost $18,500. So far this year, three cases have been reported. In one, the scammer successfully stole $8,300, while two other attempts were unsuccessful.

Pepco spokesman William Ellis stressed that the company does not operate that way.

鈥淣o, we would never ask to come into a customer’s home at Pepco,鈥� Ellis said. 鈥淭here may be challenges where a customer may ask us to come out and check their meter, but that is when a customer is requesting us to come out.鈥�

Ellis added that legitimate Pepco work is typically performed outside.

鈥淚f there’s any emergent work that we’re doing on our system, that is typically done under our power lines, on the curb, not in a customer’s home,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o if any time a contractor or someone is asking to come in their home, misrepresenting Pepco, that should be an immediate sign for our customers.鈥�

Ellis said scammers often prey on vulnerable residents during periods of extreme weather.

The police department is also warning about so-called 鈥渃arrier scams,鈥� in which suspects impersonate federal agents or government officials through phone calls, texts or emails.

Victims are told their bank accounts have been compromised and are instructed to withdraw cash for 鈥渟afekeeping.鈥� A carrier then arrives in-person to collect the money, or victims are directed to deposit funds into cryptocurrency ATMs.

In the last month, police said three carrier scam reports have resulted in losses totaling more than $105,000.

Police urge residents to never give cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, gold or other valuables to unknown individuals, regardless of claims that they represent banks or government agencies. Anyone concerned about account security should contact their bank directly using verified phone numbers.

Residents who believe they are victims of a scam are encouraged to contact the Prince George鈥檚 County Police Department鈥檚 detectives at 301鈥�516鈥�1464. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Solvers at 1鈥�866鈥�411鈥慣IPS .

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For Phillip Warfield, a U.S. history PhD candidate and church historian at Arlington鈥檚 Community Praise Church, the milestone offers an opportunity to reflect not only on the observance鈥檚 evolution, but also on the long, ongoing struggle to safeguard and interpret Black history.

Warfield said the very origin of Negro History Week was rooted in restoring erased stories.

“It was this recovery of Black history 鈥� Black people were looking to celebrate everyday Black contributions to United States history,” Warfield said. “Over the past 100 years, we’ve gone from celebrating great men to (celebrating) everyday people and everyday figures, and that part has never changed.”

The women behind the movement

While Dr. Carter G. Woodson created Negro History Week, Warfield emphasized that its national growth came from Black female teachers and club women.

“One of the ones that I’m thinking of right now is the National Association of Colored Women 鈥� many of them were teachers, and so once they took hold of this, it was easy for them to disseminate Black knowledge in the classroom,” he said.

Warfield credits those women with expanding the teaching of Black history even beyond the efforts of Woodson.

“Black history (was) being taught informally in churches and community centers, where previously it may have only been reserved for a formal classroom experience. Now you’ve got it everywhere, and these Black women, Mary McLeod Bethune and others, (were) leading this charge.”

In Washington, D.C., he highlighted Nannie Helen Burroughs as an especially important voice.

“Nannie Helen Burroughs, a local D.C. educator, (founded) her National Training School for Girls and made sure, through her own public speaking and through influence, that Black history would be taught locally,” Warfield said. “Every single city has their own Nanny Helen Burroughs, and I just want to make sure that we remember people like her.”

A new wave of historical erasure

In 2025 and 2026, debates over how the nation remembers its past reached a new peak as federal actions targeted historical interpretation and even threatened landmark monuments.

In 2025, a Justice Department opinion opened the door for U.S. presidents to shrink or revoke national monuments, placing even recently established sites 鈥� such as the Emmett Till and Mamie Till鈥慚obley National Monument 鈥� at risk. CBS 小萝莉影视 that the monument, designated in 2023 across Mississippi and Illinois, became vulnerable amid anti鈥慏EI initiatives and budget cuts.

Simultaneously, the Trump administration ordered a review of how American history is presented at National Park Service sites. By 2026, dozens of signs and exhibits addressing subjects such as slavery, Black history, Native American history, and LGBTQ history had been removed or from national parks following the “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” executive order.

Warfield said these modern battles fit into a long pattern of pushback.

“From the very beginning, Negro History Week was a reform movement 鈥� every single moment has been a moment of recovery of Black history,” he said. “This 鈥� is just another chapter, but Black people have always found a way to tell the truth, and we’re not going to stop doing that.”

He connected monument disputes to a deeper need to contextualize history thoughtfully.

Citing the Lincoln Emancipation Monument in Washington, D.C., he said: “I think it’s important that we contextualize what monuments are created, and why they’re put up in the first place 鈥� They can even decide that we’re going to tear these things down 鈥� but we know about it. Knowledge doesn’t die.”

Warfield believes the founder of Negro History Week would see today鈥檚 observance as part of the continuum he envisioned.

“He wanted this to expand to the month, expand to the year 鈥� Woodson, I believe, would see this as a natural continuation,” he said.

Warfield closed with a reminder for those feeling discouraged.

“If you’re feeling discouraged about the ways that Black history is under attack, know that you’re not alone in history 鈥� You see something that’s missing, you put it there. Don’t wait for somebody to tell you.”

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Karine Jean-Pierre made history as the first Black and openly gay White House press secretary 鈥� one of the most visible and scrutinized positions in American politics. Now, after stepping away from both the Biden administration and the Democratic Party, she鈥檚 speaking for herself in a new memoir, “” (Legacy Lit).

鈥淚 use a particular moment in time to pull back the curtain and give people a taste of what it was like being in the White House,鈥� Jean-Pierre told 小萝莉影视. 鈥淏ut really, the book is trying to meet the moment where we are and (ask) how do we move forward?鈥�

In the memoir, Jean-Pierre writes candidly about her disappointment in Democratic leaders who, she said, abandoned and betrayed President Joe Biden when they pushed him out of the 2024 race. As press secretary, she had a front-row seat to that moment 鈥� and a microphone to defend him.

鈥淚 was living it, breathing it,鈥� she recalled. 鈥淚 was going to the podium, responding constantly to governors, Democratic leaders and congressional members 鈥� it was a coordinated campaign. And I thought, ‘Wow, this is how we鈥檙e treating someone who鈥檚 given fifty years to public service? Why would I want to be part of a party that destroys someone in that way?’ It really made me think 鈥� it was a devastating time not just for me, but for so many others.鈥�

Too much loyalty or not enough?

Jean-Pierre’s book also explores the complicated dynamics between Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who Jean-Pierre once served as chief of staff during the 2020 campaign. Harris, in her own memoir, wrote that 鈥渞eckless loyalty鈥� to Biden had stifled the party. Jean-Pierre sees it differently, arguing the party failed to show sufficient support at the right time.

鈥淚n 2023, after the midterms, no one told him not to run,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n fact, (Democrats) told him to run. It was given to him to make that decision like any other incumbent. It wasn鈥檛 until after the debate that people started to say, 鈥榊ou shouldn鈥檛 have done it.鈥� If they wanted that conversation, the time to have it was 2023. And I think it hurt us to have done it the way that we did.鈥�

Struggling as a ‘first’

Jean-Pierre also reflects on the challenges of being a 鈥渇irst,鈥� drawing parallels between her own experiences and those of Harris as arguably the two most visible women of color in the Biden administration.

鈥淟ook, I think it鈥檚 layered,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e a first, people support you to be that first, right? And they say, 鈥極h my gosh, we鈥檙e going to break this glass ceiling, we鈥檙e going to make sure you get there,鈥� and then they don鈥檛 support you. That鈥檚 real, and that鈥檚 the story of anybody who鈥檚 been othered, anybody who鈥檚 been a first. There鈥檚 this groundswell to get you to that position, and then you鈥檙e judged differently, held at a different standard. It鈥檚 almost as if, ‘oh, now you got it. What else do you need?’鈥�

So, were her and Harris鈥� presence mere window dressing?

鈥淚鈥檓 not necessarily saying it isn鈥檛 true. There鈥檚 a lot of truth to that,” Jean-Pierre said.

“But I will say that, you know, I did work for an administration or a president 鈥� that鈥檚 not the other people who called me into the Oval Office and wanted to hear what I had to say, who called me from time to time, like, 鈥極K, what鈥檚 going on?鈥� I traveled with him for more than 95% of the time. But there were times I had to fight for that, not because of him, but because of others. And I write about that in the book, where I had to fight to be in the room.鈥�

This reflection, she said, echoes Harris鈥� own experience: navigating expectations, breaking barriers, and striving to be fully seen in positions historically denied to Black women.

Beyond the political drama, Jean-Pierre’s memoir听argues for something deeper: a reevaluation of America鈥檚 political structure.

鈥淭he two-party system isn鈥檛 working,鈥� Jean-Pierre said. 鈥淥ne party has lost their minds, and the other party feels like they鈥檝e lost their spirit, they鈥檝e lost their fight. Millions of people are independents. Young people are becoming more and more independent because they don鈥檛 see themselves in either party 鈥� that should send a signal.鈥�

Despite the disillusionment 鈥� and the many sleepless nights in the waning months of the Biden presidency 鈥� Jean-Pierre still carries gratitude for her historic role.

鈥淚 grew up in a working class family,鈥� she reflected. 鈥淭here were moments I would walk through the West Wing and (see) my office right there, a stone鈥檚 throw away from the Oval Office 鈥� I would have to pinch myself.”

鈥淯ltimately, I鈥檒l never have any type of job like that 鈥� I really appreciate the opportunity to have had (it),” she said.

Asked what readers can expect from her book, Jean-Pierre was direct: 鈥淚f you care about this country, about where we go next, and you want a road map 鈥� this is the book for you.鈥�

Jean-Pierre will appear at D.C.’s Politics and Prose on , and at Mahogany Books at National Harbor on .

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When she takes the stage Sunday to perform her unique blend of soul, jazz, gospel and folk at , she鈥檒l be stepping into an area she says has always met her with 鈥渨armth, soulfulness and deep knowing.鈥�

Wright has performed in the D.C. region many times over the years since the release of “Salt,” her 2003 debut album, but the timing of her appearances in 2025 have coincided with major local political tremors.

After signaling plans to take over the Kennedy Center on social media days earlier,听President Donald Trump to serve as the chairman of the Kennedy Center on Feb. 12. The center’s president Deborah Rutter, a Biden appointee, was fired. Wright was scheduled to perform that night.

She remembers the evening vividly, not only because of the outrage and uncertainty swirling around the arts community, but because she became 鈥� in her words 鈥� an 鈥渦nhired usher at a threshold,鈥� offering grace and whatever comfort she could as staff worried about their futures.

鈥淚 was literally the last artist to slide under the gate before everything changed,鈥� Wright said in an interview with 小萝莉影视. 鈥淚 walked through the Kennedy museum and galleries with some of the staff who were worried that they wouldn鈥檛 be able to retain their jobs. We were in it together.鈥�

For Wright, this was not an unusual occurrence.

鈥淚 do find myself at very interesting thresholds where things are ending and where they’re beginning,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s happened so many times in my life in different ways. I don’t know why it happens, and I’m just glad for that very odd assignment. I’m around when I’m needed, and I just trust the arrangement of that, and I just give what I have to give.鈥�

That sense of 鈥渟howing up at thresholds鈥� has followed Wright throughout her career 鈥� in moments both public and deeply personal. One of the most striking came in 2016, when she learned that her April 2016 Minneapolis concert was before he died.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not something you want to be known for, but it鈥檚 true,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hen I heard Prince was coming, I thought, 鈥楾he band鈥檚 gonna play all crazy 鈥� they鈥檙e gonna be so excited, (it鈥檒l be) musical turbo and I won鈥檛 be able to breathe or get a word in edgewise.鈥� But then I was also like, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e the daughter of a minister and a gardener. Just feed him. He needs to sit at the table, too, and be nurtured. Do your job.鈥欌��

Now, the Strathmore performance comes at another uncertain time for the D.C. region as area residents navigate the effects of the government shutdown.

Wright believes her music is intended to nurture in moments like these.

For Wright, the connection with D.C. audiences runs deep.

鈥淲hat I love about the audience(s) and the people of D.C. is that they understand they are the place that is the capital of so much history,鈥� she said.

She describes local listeners as unusually attuned to the intersections of history, identity and art that her music explores; that jazz, gospel and folk all feed into one another.

鈥淚f genres were lenses, then I am in a place where a few of them overlap. A stream feeds a creek, (which) feeds a lake, (which) feeds a river,鈥� Wright analogizes.

鈥淭hey get it. There鈥檚 not as much explaining to do鈥�

At the Strathmore, Wright said, she looks forward not only to the music, but also to reuniting with the venue鈥檚 staff, whom she calls 鈥渞eally beautiful people鈥� she met when appearing there last May in a to her mentor and inspiration, Bernice Johnson Reagon.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible hall,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou come there with your soul full of everything you鈥檝e been carrying, and (as an artist) you pull out the best, because it鈥檚 a place to be heard deeply.鈥�

The concert is expected to draw a capacity crowd, adding another chapter to Wright鈥檚 long-running relationship with D.C. audiences. For her, the night will be less about performance than about presence.

鈥淚 want people to actually feel joy and courage about being here right now,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want people to remember enough, to feel enough, to release enough, to receive enough 鈥� and be grateful that they鈥檙e here right now.鈥�

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For decades, John F. Kennedy has remained one of America鈥檚 most scrutinized presidents, with thousands of books chronicling his politics, scandals and assassination. But bestselling author J. Randy Taraborrelli says his new biography seeks to move past the mythology to uncover the man himself.

鈥�,鈥� published by St. Martin鈥檚 Press, is the sixth book Taraborrelli has written about the Kennedy family 鈥� and his first to focus squarely on the 35th president. The book quickly became an instant New York Times bestseller and was named one of Amazon鈥檚 best books of July.

鈥淭his book is about a man鈥檚 journey, an imperfect man who, through trial and error, worked toward becoming a better person,鈥� Taraborrelli told 小萝莉影视 in an interview for The Book Report. 鈥淗e figures out that in order to be a great leader, he needed to first become a great man 鈥� and he does both of those in tandem.鈥�

Drawing from 25 years of research, Taraborrelli weaves together oral histories, taped interviews, FBI and CIA files, and documents from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.

He said the most surprising discovery came from an interview with Janet Des Rosiers, Joe Kennedy鈥檚 longtime secretary, who revealed she also acted as his surrogate wife with Rose Kennedy鈥檚 knowledge. That revelation, Taraborrelli said, sheds light on JFK鈥檚 own troubled marriage.

Her story informs who JFK was as a husband to Jackie, according to Taraborrelli. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e raised in a family (like that), then what do you bring to your own marriage?鈥� asks Taraborrelli.

The biography also introduces readers to Joan Lundberg, a little-known woman who carried on a three-year relationship with Kennedy during a low point in his marriage. Taraborrelli said their bond, which resembled therapy more than romance, helped Kennedy eventually reconnect with his wife.

The author emphasizes that his book is not a salacious 鈥渢ell-all.鈥� Instead, it explores the relationships that shaped Kennedy鈥檚 conscience 鈥� a conscience Taraborrelli said both burdened and motivated him.

鈥淲hen you have a conscience, your behavior, if it鈥檚 unconscionable, really hits you hard,鈥� he said. In Taraborrelli’s narrative, Kennedy was tormented by some of his choices, and over time, he learned to take accountability 鈥� with Jackie and with the country.

Taraborrelli points to Kennedy鈥檚 response after the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion as a defining moment. Rather than shift blame for the fiasco 鈥� inherited from the Eisenhower administration, Kennedy accepted responsibility. The decision boosted his approval ratings to 85%.

鈥淎ccountability (is) what people want from their leaders,鈥� Taraborrelli said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 a hopeful story to tell in these really fractured times 鈥� that kind of hope, I think, is needed right now.鈥�

The subtitle, 鈥淧ublic, Private, Secret,鈥� mirrors Taraborrelli鈥檚 . He said it reflects the three sides of Kennedy鈥檚 life: the public figure, the private man and the “secret” self only a few ever saw.

“Jackie told me face-to-face one time, ‘What’s the point of a biography if it doesn’t tell a person’s secrets?'” Taraborrelli recalled of his time working with the former first lady when she was an editor at Doubleday Publishing.

“My job as a biographer (is) to invade my subjects’ privacy. If you want to do a good book, you have to be revealing and honest. And I try to do that along with being empathetic.”

鈥淚t鈥檚 not always an easy read,鈥� Taraborrelli said. 鈥淏ut if you stick with it, you鈥檒l get a lot out of it. You do see the full picture of a man as he grows into himself, and maybe that might help someone else do the same thing.鈥�

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Around 9:40 a.m., security staff flagged down a patrol officer in Southeast D.C. after spotting a 9 mm handgun inside a student鈥檚 backpack as it passed through the school鈥檚 X-ray machine, according to a police report from the Metropolitan Police Department. The bag was taken to the security office, where police recovered unregistered ammunition, a sandwich bag containing a 鈥済reen leaf substance鈥� and THC wax.

The student was arrested and charged with carrying a pistol without a license, possession of a controlled substance and possession of unregistered ammunition, officials said.

In a letter to parents, Principal William Haith emphasized that the weapon did not make it past the checkpoint, that no one was harmed, and that classes continued without disruption.

鈥淲eapons of any kind, including toy or replica weapons and weapon accessories, are not allowed at DC Public Schools,鈥� Haith wrote. He added that counselors on Ballou鈥檚 counseling wellness team are available to students who may be distressed by the discovery.

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The sound of tap shoes is echoing once again in the nation鈥檚 capital as the kicked off its 17th year Monday, bringing dancers from around the world together for a week of performance, history and community.

The festival, cofounded by D.C. natives and sisters 鈥� acclaimed internationally as the 鈥� has grown from a local showcase into a global gathering of artists. It features master classes for all levels, student showcases, jam sessions and an all-star concert that’s open to the public Friday night at the Westin City Center.

For Maud Arnold, the event is deeply tied to her roots.

“D.C. is such a haven for arts, and this is why we wanted to bring back the D.C. Tap Festival here to D.C. to become a capital for tap,” she said in an interview with 小萝莉影视.

“We鈥檙e very proud of that, and we鈥檙e proud to be from D.C., because that D.C. flavor adds so much to (us) as well.”

Arnold added that her connection to Washington 鈥� and to 小萝莉影视 鈥� goes back generations.

“I鈥檓 from D.C. 鈥� I grew up listening to 小萝莉影视 on the radio in the car with my mom and my grandma,” she said.

The festival is designed to be inclusive, emphasizing shared experiences between dancers of all skill levels.

“There鈥檚 no competition. It really is about family and building this tap dance family that is taking place in D.C., but is a global tap dance family,” Arnold said.

“We have people coming from Brazil, from Europe, all over the United States, and it is so diverse.”

An online festival during the pandemic

That sense of community was tested during the COVID-19 pandemic. When in-person gatherings shut down, the Arnolds moved the festival online 鈥� and found an even wider reach.听

“Even during the pandemic, we still did the online Tap Fest, and that was global. We had over 35,000 students from all over the world, from 53 countries,” Arnold said.

Beyond the excitement of classes and performances, the festival carries a serious mission: preserving the history of tap as a uniquely American art form.

“Carrying forward the tradition and the history of tap dance is vital. Tap dance history is Black history. It鈥檚 American history,” Arnold said.

Tap鈥檚 inclusiveness, she added, is part of what makes it powerful.

“It was created by African Americans, but it is such a welcoming art form,” she said. “You don鈥檛 have to be skinny, you don鈥檛 have to look a certain way. Gregory Hines used to say, ‘If you have a pair of tap shoes, you鈥檙e part of the family.'”

The late great Gregory Hines was a Tony Award-winning actor, professional tap dancer and the creator of National Tap Dance Day.

Tap is connection

For Arnold, tap is more than movement or music 鈥� it鈥檚 a form of communication and connection.

“It鈥檚 a dance for freedom. It鈥檚 a dance of community and communication,” she said. “At the end of the day, it鈥檚 joy, and I think the world needs more of that.”

The D.C. Tap Fest is part of a larger network of events the Arnold sisters produce, including the Hollywood Tap Festival in Los Angeles with mentor Debbie Allen.

But for the Arnolds, the hometown festival remains special. While growing up in the District, both attended the Duke Ellington School of the Arts and trained with local instructors such as the late Toni Lombre, who opened doors for many young Black dancers in D.C.

Allen, a longtime supporter and mentor, continues to influence their work. Arnold said Allen’s advice resonates as they push to keep tap alive for new generations: “Keep doing the work, focus and keep it positive, uplifting and community-based.”

With dancers spanning continents and generations, the sisters are proud to see D.C. at the center of it all.

“D.C. 鈥� stand up for D.C.,鈥� Arnold said. “This is our city. The arts are a huge heartbeat and lifeline for our city, and we just have to continue to fight for what鈥檚 right 鈥� for equality, equity, the arts and diversity.”

The D.C. Tap Fest runs through Monday. More information, including tickets for the all star concert, is

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Twelve people are in custody following a sweeping, multistate law enforcement operation targeting a drug trafficking ring accused of flooding the D.C. region with PCP and fentanyl, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced Tuesday.

The arrests come one year to the day after the launch of an investigation led by the FBI鈥檚 Washington Field Office in partnership with the Drug Enforcement Administration and D.C. police.

Agents executed approximately 20 residential search warrants early Tuesday morning in D.C., Maryland and Los Angeles. Authorities ultimately seized 18 firearms, more than $50,000 in cash and two kilograms of suspected narcotics including powder fentanyl, cocaine and crack.

鈥淭his investigation is the culmination of a , and last week on Aug. 21 my office indicted eight individuals for PCP and fentanyl trafficking as well as conspiracy,鈥� Pirro said at a news conference Tuesday afternoon.

鈥淲e are dealing with serious narcotics trafficking, including a 17-gallon shipment of PCP intercepted earlier this year outside of Topeka, Kansas.鈥�

Pirro said eight individuals were indicted last week, and seven of them have now been taken into custody. Those arrested include suspects from California, Baltimore and the greater D.C. region.

Among those indicted and arrested are:

• Thomas Wilton Hancock, Jr., 43, of Baltimore
• Eric 鈥淢arbury鈥� Prather, 43, of D.C.
• Reginald Lassiter, 39, of D.C.
• Leonard Edwards, 52, of D.C.
• Darryl Riley, 39, of D.C.
• Michael Thomas, 49, of Los Angeles
• Sarda Smith, 36, of Oxon Hill

One indicted individual remains at large under a sealed indictment.

Five additional defendants were arrested Tuesday on related charges, including a felon in possession of a firearm, conspiracy to distribute narcotics and illegal reentry into the United States. One of the additional defendants had been deported three times before being found in possession of a firearm.

鈥淭his is what the President is talking about 鈥� this is part of cleaning up the district and the nation鈥檚 capital,鈥� Pirro said. 鈥淭hese arrests, and the seizure of all these weapons indicate the seriousness of the crime that is occurring in our community.鈥�

Officials said the trafficking operation centered around the 2900 block of Knox Place SE, a neighborhood Pirro described as having 鈥渁n inordinate amount of violent crime,鈥� including at least five homicides in the past year.

The D.C.-based dealers allegedly sourced drugs from Baltimore, with a coconspirator importing large volumes of narcotics from California.

The charges carry significant penalties; six of the eight indicted defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 years, while two face at least 15 years minimum.

At Tuesday鈥檚 news conference, Phil Bates, acting assistant director in charge of the FBI鈥檚 Washington Field Office, emphasized the scope and impact of the investigation.

鈥淥ver the last year, the FBI led an investigation into this violent drug trafficking ring based in Southeast D.C.,鈥� Bates said. 鈥淭heir network stretched from coast to coast. That鈥檚 12 violent drug traffickers and 18 firearms that are no longer on our streets.鈥�

In addition to firearms, agents recovered a pill press commonly used to manufacture fentanyl tablets. Seized weapons included an AR-style rifle, a shotgun and a Draco-style pistol.

Pirro praised the coordinated efforts of federal and local agencies for 鈥渁 very sophisticated and almost flawlessly executed operation.”

鈥淲hat we do is we work our way up the chain, and we got some major, prolific drug dealers,” Pirro said.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sitara Witanachchi, Matthew W. Kinskey and John Parron of the U.S. Attorney鈥檚 Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section.

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Heading into back-to-school season as the club approaches its 50th anniversary, its director said the focus remains on keeping the sport affordable and accessible to the community.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to me that any kid who wants to put on a pair of skates has an opportunity to do so,鈥� said Christine Wilson Brinton, skating director of the club, in an interview with 小萝莉影视. 鈥淚 really want skating to be for everybody, not just for the super talented or the super wealthy.鈥�

Brinton, who has been with the club for 23 years, runs a learn-to-skate program in addition to its competitive skating program, which fields seven teams with skaters as young as four and five years old 鈥� and even an adult team.

鈥淲e do synchronized skating, and we do production, which is like a theater-on-ice group,鈥� Brinton said. 鈥淪o we have something for everybody in that age group. When we do our tryouts, everybody gets an invitation to something. So we don鈥檛 do cuts.鈥�

For Brinton, skating is about something higher than performance or competition.

鈥淚 think these are life lessons, far more than just skating lessons,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t’s scary to be out there on that ice all by yourself. It’s scary to throw yourself in the air wearing a little dress and tights on a hard surface with blades on your feet. So it really builds their confidence.鈥�

The Bowie Figure Skating Club has competed locally and across the country, traveling to California, Minnesota and Florida 鈥� and even overseas to Thailand. Along the way, the club has picked up its share of trophies and banners. But Brinton said winning isn鈥檛 the only measure of success.

鈥淚’m a weird coach, because my success isn’t really about the banners,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 have a skater who just got her medical degree, and she says, 鈥楳iss Chris, you told me when I was 17 I could be a doctor.鈥� When she got her white coat, she emailed me. So for me personally, that鈥檚 my success.鈥�

The club is preparing for its Fall 鈥渢eam preview,鈥� a four-week session on Thursday nights in September 鈥� beginning Sept. 4 鈥� where children and adults can meet coaches, learn about the different programs available at the Ice Arena, and try skating for the first time.

鈥淲e love reaching out to the community. We just invite everyone to come out and see us,鈥� Brinton said.

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Fire engines were on display outside while inside, kids skated alongside firefighter hockey players and learned essential safety tips from Chief Deputy Bino Harris.

Firefighter and hockey player Jonathan Di Iorio said the event builds connections beyond emergencies, and 13-year-old skater Hope Wilson called it unforgettable. Organizers said the camp fosters trust, teamwork and awareness 鈥� all while giving kids a chance to enjoy the ice.

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A new assisted living home in Prince George鈥檚 County, Maryland, is aiming to blend comfort, cultural connection, and around-the-clock care when it opens later this month.

, a Black-owned, husband-and-wife-run residence, will begin welcoming seniors on Aug. 22 in Upper Marlboro. Owners Flora and Beks Amadi said their goal is to provide what they call 鈥渃ompassionate care, guided by grace鈥� in a setting that feels more like a home than an institution.

鈥淭o be a resource for families, and for the growing population that needs this type of service 鈥� especially in our communities 鈥� you can鈥檛 really quantify that,鈥� Beks said in an interview with 小萝莉影视.

The five-bedroom, four-bath residence features private and shared bathrooms, motorized beds, and amenities such as Jacuzzis in some rooms. 鈥淓ach room is specific to the individual 鈥� with color, style and taste,鈥� Flora said. 鈥淲e range between twin beds to queen-size beds, and some even have Jacuzzis.鈥�

In addition to the physical comforts, the Amadis said the home will offer licensed staff available 24/7 to assist with daily living activities, including medication administration, help dressing and grooming, and hair or nail care. Meals will be personalized to residents鈥� preferences, and respite care will be available for families needing short-term stays.

鈥淲e will provide 24/7 care 鈥� assistance with dressing, grooming 鈥� if you need your hair done, we鈥檒l bring in a licensed beautician to do that for you,鈥� Flora said.

鈥淥r a barber for our male clients,鈥� Beks hastened to add.

The couple鈥檚 approach also addresses a broader inequity in elder care.

by The Associated Press and CNHI 小萝莉影视 found that Black Americans account for about 9% of those over 65 in the U.S., but represent just 4.9% of residents in residential care communities 鈥� all while making up roughly 16% of nursing home populations. Experts say the disparity stems from affordability, location, and lack of culturally competent options.

For many Black families, assisted living is either inaccessible or unfamiliar.

Flora said, 鈥淧eople don鈥檛 want to leave their loved one anywhere because they鈥檙e like, 鈥楾hey鈥檙e not gonna take care of them.鈥欌�� Both Beks and Flora experienced hardships securing elder care for their own parents.

The Amadis designed their offering to address those concerns directly, positioning Heaven鈥檚 Hands Wellness as both a culturally affirming and emotionally reassuring alternative for both residents and their families.

鈥淭his is so personal to us,鈥� Flora said. 鈥淚t’s very much rooted in our spiritual beliefs, in our upbringing.鈥�

Their own professional backgrounds inform the home鈥檚 design: Flora鈥檚 experience in media, property management, and wellness branding fuses with Beks鈥� expertise in finance and operations.

鈥淭his is something where all my worlds (blend) into one,鈥� Flora said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 my most purpose-driven work yet.鈥�

For Beks, the mission is clear. 鈥淭hese seniors are our parents, our loved ones,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey deserve the care.鈥�

Heaven鈥檚 Hands looks forward to welcoming Medicaid and Medicare clients in the future, as they accept private pay in the meantime. They鈥檙e also developing partnerships with churches, nonprofits, and public agencies serving older adults.

More information is available about Heaven鈥檚 Hands Wellness鈥� grand opening on Aug. 22. at .

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One year after former Minnesota Vikings cornerback and Prince George鈥檚 County native Khyree Jackson died in a car crash, his family is channeling their grief into action 鈥� launching a foundation in his name and giving back to the community he loved.

On Monday, which would have been Jackson鈥檚 26th birthday, his parents, Ebbony and Raymond Jackson, hosted the inaugural 鈥淜hy Day鈥� at Dr. Henry A. Wise Jr. High School, their son鈥檚 alma mater. The celebration included giveaways of free school supplies, haircuts, cupcakes, pizza and donated sports gear from the Minnesota Vikings, the Washington Commanders and the University of Oregon.

鈥淲e miss Khyree dearly,鈥� Ebbony Jackson told attendees. 鈥淲e just try to pour into the foundation to help us get through every day of missing and not having our son.鈥�

The event also marked the first scholarships awarded by the Khyree Jackson Foundation 鈥� $1,000 each to Wise High School seniors, Jade Medley and Ijah Simmons. The recipients maintained at least a 2.5 GPA and wrote essays demonstrating the foundation鈥檚 (and Khyree鈥檚) core principles of determination, faith, perseverance and humility.

鈥淲e鈥檙e hoping that one day they鈥檒l be able to remember this day and say, 鈥楬ey, you guys helped catapult me into my college time,鈥欌�� Raymond Jackson said. He added that the family wishes to make the event an annual one 鈥� and the scholarships bigger.

鈥淎ll the support we get makes everything even better,” Raymond Jackson said. “So the more we get, the more we can do.”

The foundation was launched in partnership with the Vikings earlier this year and focuses on education, youth development and driver safety 鈥� a cause deeply personal to the Jackson family. Khyree and two of his best friends died in July 2024 in a car accident.

鈥淲e want to partner with driver education programs to make sure young drivers are making smart choices when they鈥檙e behind the wheel,鈥� Ebbony Jackson said. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 a way for us to project what driver safety looks like for people who are beginning to drive or people in their 20s, that鈥檚 what we want to do.鈥�

A highlight of the day was the unveiling of the 鈥淟ocker of Hope鈥� 鈥� filled with donated football gloves, bags and other gear 鈥� which was given away to children in attendance.

For the Jacksons, the event was both a celebration and a step in their healing process.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been extremely busy, with the foundation, the scholarships, giving back,鈥� Ebbony Jackson said. 鈥淚t brings joy to your heart to see all the kids getting school supplies and how happy the scholarship recipients are. We鈥檙e sad, but we got to smile. We got to congratulate people. (And) we got to do this to honor Khyree.鈥�

More information about the Khyree Jackson Foundation鈥檚 initiatives, including ways to donate, is .

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, near Sapling Ridge Lane in Brookeville, shortly after 6:15 p.m. for a report of a two-vehicle crash “involving a car and a motorcycle.”

Upon arrival, authorities found a man who was riding a black Triumph motorcycle. He was declared dead at the scene.听

Police said that a man driving a silver 2013 BMW 128i wasn’t injured, but remained on the scene following the crash.

The cause of the crash remains under investigation.

A map of where the crash happened is below.

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Spokesman Doug Alexander, with the Mount Airy Volunteer Fire Company, said first responders were called to the 200 block of Watersville Road near Mount Airy Middle School just before 5:30 p.m.

One of the first responding police officers with the Mount Airy Police Department had attempted to stop the teenager from being pulled into a nearby drainage pipe by the current of the floodwaters, but was unable to do so.

“The water was moving so fast, and it was about waist or chest deep for this police officer,” Alexander said, adding that initial rescue efforts proved difficult even with the assistance of firefighters.

“Two or three of the firefighters went in the water to assist him, and they tried to affect the rescue, but the pressure of the moving water and the small diameter of the pipe made it very difficult for them to affect the rescue.”

The incident prompted a multi-agency response, including divers from nearby volunteer fire departments and first responders from Howard County.

By the time officials were able to get to the teen, he had already drowned.

Alexander said the heavy floodwaters were the result of a bursting stormwater pond located across the street from where the teenager had been near the school. It was the day’s downpour that led to the drainage ditch being overwhelmed.

“The amount of water in there was just tremendous,” he said. “The flow was so great that this child didn’t have a chance to 鈥� once he was in it, he couldn’t get out.”

In light of the incident, Alexander is warning the public to ensure children are being supervised anytime they’re around moving water.

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In March 1988, students at Gallaudet University in D.C., the world鈥檚 only liberal arts university for the Deaf and hard of hearing, sparked a civil rights movement that changed history.

After the university鈥檚 board selected a hearing woman, Elisabeth Zinser, as president 鈥� despite two qualified deaf candidates being finalists 鈥� students, faculty, alumni and staff erupted in protest. They demanded that Gallaudet be led by someone who truly represented its community: a deaf president.

“I was shocked,” recalled student leader Jerry Covell in an interview with 小萝莉影视. “I really did not expect them to do something that stupid. We were taught to communicate what the students would like to see to the board, and this was their response? We were asking for the first deaf president, and they (were) like, 鈥極h, the first woman president in history. They were trying to make it sound so wonderful that it was the first woman, and it did not fit the bill.”

Now, 37 years later, the movement is being memorialized in a new documentary, ,” co-directed by Gallaudet alum Nyle DiMarco and Oscar-winner Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth”). The film, which premiered at Sundance and is streaming on Apple TV, currently holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movement that followed 鈥� the Deaf President Now (DPN) movement 鈥� shut down the Northeast D.C. campus for eight days. Students issued four demands: (1) appoint a deaf president, (2) resignation of the board chair Jane Spilman, (3) establish a 51% deaf majority on the board, and (4) guarantee no reprisals against student protesters.

Bridgetta Bourne-Firl, the only woman among the four core student leaders now known as the “DPN4,” said the experience forced her to reconcile her passion for gender equity with the urgent need to center Deaf identity.

“I consider myself a feminist,” said Bourne-Firl. “(But) when I saw Deaf women in support of the DPN movement, it made me reframe my thinking. Asking for a Deaf president? It had never happened before. If the Board knew Deaf history at all, they would have reacted differently. They were paternalistic 鈥� they wanted to ‘help’ Deaf people.”

The protests became a watershed moment in disability rights. Zinser ultimately resigned, and Gallaudet appointed Dr. I. King Jordan, a deaf man, as its eighth 鈥� and first Deaf 鈥� president.

“The documentary is so important,” said Greg Hlibok, who served as student body president in 1988. “Young people today don鈥檛 always realize the access they have wasn鈥檛 just given 鈥� it was fought for. DPN led directly to the ADA. It changed lives.”

Despite being depicted in the documentary as the “quiet” one of the group, Hlibok said the film oversimplifies his role: “It was about a team effort, and everybody within that team has a different personality. (But) every Hollywood film likes to see a contrast, and that’s the way it was portrayed.”

Tim Rarus, another student leader, said they were intentional in keeping their demands focused. “This was all new to us,” he said. “We felt it was important to keep the message simple. And we realized that without support from faculty and staff we might not have achieved as much as we did. Also (having support) from the hearing community, we felt, was also important.”

A Legacy Rooted in Family and Community

One unifying thread among the DPN 4 is that each of them came from Deaf families, giving them a foundational sense of identity and purpose from a young age.

“My parents were both deaf,” said Hlibok. “And when you鈥檙e born deaf, you automatically become an advocate for yourself for the rest of your life. I was born in the ’70s (when) there weren’t many resources to support Deaf people. We had 19 Deaf clubs around New York (where) we were constantly exchanging information with one another, supporting one anther, and we started advocating for access. My parents were involved in a protest (when) CBS wanted to force Deaf people to buy a separate, distinct product to see captions on certain channels. That was the first protest that I was part of, and that stuck with me.”

Bourne-Firl echoed that sentiment: “All four of us have a legacy of coming from Deaf families. We also were raised in the Deaf school environment, where we had Deaf adults around us who empowered us, who got us involved in efforts of activism. We were involved in Junior NAD (National Association for the deaf) leadership camps for youth (where) we received a lot of formal and informal training in leadership.”

“We have Deaf parents and grandparents who are our ancestors, who truly hold the legacy,” she continued. “They are our role models who stood behind us and made us who we are.”

Rarus shared a piece of advice passed down from his mother. “My mom always said to me, 鈥楤eing Deaf is a full-time job.鈥� I didn鈥檛 realize what she meant at first, but over the years I realized how much we have to educate, how much we have to advocate, and how much of a task that is in and of itself.”

Covell agreed. “It is better (for us) than it was for our parents. And it was better for our parents than it was for our grandparents. So it has gotten better 鈥� and I think DPN, and really the movie as well, gives a lot of Deaf people (and) other disabled people the feeling of, ‘Oh, we can do this. We can make systemic or institutional change.'”

The Work That Remains

All four activists agree: DPN was just the beginning. The Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law in 1990. Captioning improved. Interest in ASL and Deaf culture has grown. But major gaps remain.

“We have made great strides since then, except in one area that we’re still stubbornly behind in, which is employment,” Hlibok said. “Seventy percent of individuals who are disabled are either unemployed or underemployed. People are wanting to show up to work, to be members of society, but are not given the space to participate.”

Bourne-Firl hopes the documentary sparks global awareness 鈥� not just of what Deaf people can do, but what they deserve from the start.

“What’s so very critical is that (Deaf children) have access to language early. Deaf people, Deaf children, still don’t have access to the critical component of communication that makes them able to thrive because of what doctors tell their parents,” she said. “It鈥檚 the system that prevents Deaf children from being who they can be 鈥� the system fails them. It’s not (simply) because they are Deaf.”

And for Covell, the film is proof that history doesn鈥檛 have to fade.

“What happened in 1988, people have already forgotten. But images stick with people, and that鈥檚 now what鈥檚 capturing us,” he said. “(People) see the movie and typically say things like, 鈥業 didn鈥檛 realize Deaf people did that.鈥� So for the public to get this film, it鈥檚 a positive.”

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