D.C. Metro stop-signal violations pose grave danger, prompt federal probe

Here is the latest Local News from the Washington Times.

D.C. Metro stop-signal violations pose grave danger, prompt federal probe

Most car drivers know they should stop at all red lights, but for some Metro train operators, the stop signal has been more of a suggestion than a command.

Two red-light violations by subway train operators last month have drawn attention to Metro safety, even as the Federal Transit Administration …

John Hinckley likely to register to vote after settling in Virginia

The conditions of John Hinckley Jr.’s full-time release from a psychiatric hospital after a three-decade long commitment are a laundry list of dos and don’ts meant to help him assimilate into society — he can’t own a gun, he must work or volunteer three days a week, and he can’t …

Baltimore police used excessive force, targeted black residents: Justice Department report

The Justice Department is set to release a blistering critique of the Baltimore Police Department on Wednesday, with the long-awaited review finding that officers routinely stopped, frisked or arrested black residents with little legal justification, according to media reports.

Among the findings reported by the Baltimore Sun, police officers also …

Power stuggle on D.C. Council

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Meet Rosemary Smith.

An 80-plus-year-old woman, she is a fourth-generation Washingtonian who is as straightforward as many politicos are crooked truth-avoiders, and as opinionated as A-list commentators.

Another noteworthy thing is that you do not have to live in or around the nation’s capital to appreciate her political and …

Larry Hogan, Maryland governor, requests business disaster declaration after Ellicott City flooding

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Gov. Larry Hogan has asked the U.S. Small Business Administration for a disaster declaration for Howard County due to flash flooding.

The governor made the request in a letter on Tuesday.

An approved disaster declaration would enable businesses, homeowners and renters to apply for low-interest loans …

NAACP leaders stage sit-in at Bob Goodlatte’s GOP office in Va. over voting rights

ROANOKE, Va. (AP) — Two NAACP leaders were arrested in a sit-in for voter rights at the Virginia office of House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte.

Media outlets report that national NAACP President Cornell William Brooks and youth division director Stephen Green were arrested Monday after protesting with local civil rights …

Woodrow Wilson Center, D.C. think tank, rejects charges of helping spur Turkish coup

The Woodrow Wilson Center, one of Washington’s best-known think tanks, is defending itself against charges that it played a role in the failed military coup against the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month.

The charges, played up prominently on Turkish newspapers in recent days, are a sign …

Fox 5 DC launches podcast for staff to discuss topics uncensored

WTTG, the District’s Fox affiliate, has launched a new podcast, “I Still Have a Keycard,” which premiered Monday, Fox 5 Vice President and News Director Paul McGonagle announced.

In the new podcast, Fox 5 staffers will riff, uncensored, with one another on a variety of topics from workplace romance to …

Rigged D.C. elections set up White to replace Orange

The Democrats clearly know how to get into City Hall, but they don’t know nothin’ about nothin’ when it comes to filling voluntary vacancies on the D.C. Council.

If a lawmaker dies, the rules and laws kick in automatically. Let a lawmaker say, “Kiss my butt, I’m outta here,” and …

D.C. Democrats to appoint Robert White to complete term of D.C. Council member Vincent Orange

The D.C. Democratic Party will likely appoint city activist Robert White next week to the at-large D.C. Council seat being vacated by Vincent Orange.

In an interview with The Washington Times, Mr. White confirmed Monday that he has been in talks with council member Anita Bonds, who also heads the …

Scott Silverthorne, Fairfax mayor, to resign after arrest in Virginia drugs-for-sex sting

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Fairfax Mayor R. Scott Silverthorne is resigning after his arrest last week in which police say he attempted to trade drugs for sex in a sting operation.

City officials said in a news release Monday that Silverthorne’s resignation will be effective as of noon Thursday. The …

Helen Bentley, former Maryland congresswoman, dies at 92

TIMONIUM, Md. (AP) — Helen Delich Bentley, a former Maryland congresswoman who was an expert on the maritime industry, has died. She was 92.

A spokesman for the family said Bentley died shortly after 1:30 p.m. Saturday at her home in Timonium, where she was receiving hospice care.

Bentley, a …

Vincent Orange to resign from D.C. Council

D.C. Council member Vincent Orange will resign his legislative post just a week after he ignited controversy for accepting a job as head of the D.C. Chamber of Commerce.

Mr. Orange will officially announce his resignation Monday, but sources have told both WAMU and The Washington Post that the longtime …

Federal court puts Maureen McDonnell appeal on hold

A federal appeals court has put on hold former Virginia first lady Maureen McDonnell’s appeal of corruption convictions to give prosecutors and her attorneys more time to analyze the Supreme Court decision that overturned her husband’s conviction.

Former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell’s bribery conviction was overturned in June, …

Richard ‘Scott’ Silverthorne, Fairfax, Va., mayor, arrested for meth sales

The mayor of Fairfax, Virginia, was arrested Thursday after police say he gave methamphetamine to an undercover police officer in return for sex.

Richard “Scott” Silverthorne, 50, was arrested Thursday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Tysons Corner after police received a tip about a meth distributor last month, Fairfax …

Unions blast charter school funds, Philly dummies dumpster dive

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Let’s momentarily step away from the new 24/7 reality show “Republican Apprentice.” (Spoiler alert: Donald Trump is trying to prove he never was on the Republican reservation.)

Now onto the respite.

This item falls into Forrest Gump’s “stupid is as stupid does” category.

The weekend after the Democrats held …

D.C. police credit violent crimes unit for homicide rate drop

The homicide rate in the District is falling after last year’s dramatic spike in killings, and D.C. police attribute the reduction to the swift action of a new unit charged with getting violent criminals off the streets quickly.

As of Tuesday, 74 homicides had occurred in the District compared to …

Hundreds of visitors get a whiff of the corpse flower at the U.S. Botanical Garden

The stench of the blooming corpse flower attracts carrion-loving insects and birds in the wilds of Western Sumatra, but in the District only tourists. Playing Pokemon Go.

Hundreds of people waited 30 minutes in line at the U.S. Botanical Garden Tuesday to witness the rare peak bloom of the 7-foot-tall …

Nicholas Young, D.C.-area police officer, charged with attempting to support ISIS

A police officer who worked for the law enforcement agency responsible for security in the Washington, D.C. subway system was arrested and charged Wednesday with providing support for the Islamic State.

The Justice Department said 36-year-old Nicholas Young, who has worked for the Metro Transit Police Department since 2003, provided …

Paul Wiedefeld, Metro GM, moves into Phase 3

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Hear ye! Hear ye! Job cuts at the region’s Metro system are coming.

Metro General Manager Paul J. Wiedefeld’s court is scheduled to be in session on Wednesday, and the audience will mostly be managers and senior-level employees. The czar is holding a meeting Wednesday with managers and others …

National Arboretum fears Pokemon influx would trample flora

The U.S. National Arboretum stands out for its lack of crowds as tourists flock to the nation’s capital this summer, cellphones in hand, searching for Pokemon.

Jillian Aldebron, a volunteer and visitor services manager at the arboretum, says that staffers haven’t seen a spike in attendance due to the popular …

D.C. gun advocates fight to legalize Tasers

Second Amendment advocates are broadening attacks on laws that limit self-defense options, with three D.C. residents suing the District over the city’s ban on the possession of stun guns and Tasers.

In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in federal court, the residents argue that the ban on “destructive devices” is unconstitutional …

Joy Maloney, Va. school board member, arrested at Donald Trump rally

A Virginia school board member was arrested Tuesday for allegedly blocking people from entering a Donald Trump rally in Ashburn.

Loudoun County Sheriff’s deputies arrested county school board member Joy Maloney at about 9 a.m. after witnesses said she tried to prevent rally goers from entering Briar Woods High School, EAGNews.com …

Olympics considering returning softball in 2020

After 12 years on the bench, softball is eyeing its second at-bat on the Olympic stage — a prospect that reignites the dreams of female players worldwide to bring home the gold.

The International Olympic Committee will decide Wednesday whether softball will make its comeback in the 2020 Tokyo Summer …

John Hinckley out, NBA in with Events DC plans

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

John Hinckley, the man who tried to assassinate Ronald Reagan, is out. The NBA and WNBA basketball teams are in — and add to that list whatever other “entertainment” proposals that pop into the minds of Events DC staffers.

That’s essentially the lineup for the proposed sports facility to …

D.C. law enforcers, community leaders for annual National Night Out

The 33rd annual National Night Out kickoff event in the District on Tuesday aims to bring together local law enforcers and residents at River Terrace Park in Northeast in an effort to have fun amid lessons in crime prevention.

“Across the country, we’re trying to address these relationships and provide …

Washington Wizards training facility price jumps by $10M

Shovels haven’t even hit the ground yet, but the tab for the new multimillion-dollar Washington Wizards practice space and entertainment arena already is expanding: The city agency tasked with shepherding the project says the extra millions are necessary to build a competitive facility in a growing region.

In a letter …

D.C. Metro derailment during ‘Safe Track’ work alarms riders

Commuters on the Silver and Orange lines said Monday that their confidence has been shaken in Metro safety following a train derailment, but added that they will continue to ride the rail for want of better options.

Friday’s derailment, in which one person was slightly injured, occurred near a section …

Ellicott City: Historic Maryland town faces long recovery after flooding

WASHINGTON (AP) — The picturesque Main Street of Ellicott City, Maryland, faces a months-long recovery that could cost hundreds of millions of dollars after devastating flooding that damaged nearly every home and business along the road, officials said.

Two people were killed when the town about 14 miles west of …

D.C. Metrorail’s Orange, Gray lines still have closures

A portion of Metro’s Orange and Silver lines remained closed through Sunday to allow for repairs and a continuing investigation into a subway train derailment Friday morning that injured one person.

The derailment occurred about 6:15 a.m. Friday when an outbound Silver Line train jumped the tracks as it approached …

Metro to close portions of Orange, Silver lines through Saturday after derailment

Metro rail service on one section of the Orange and Silver lines will be suspended at least through Saturday after a train derailed at a northern Virginia segment Friday morning.

Service between West Falls Church/McLean and Ballston stations will remain suspended at least through the end of Saturday to allow …

MARC commuter service suspended on Camden line following collision with car

WTOP Radio on Friday afternoon reported that MARC commuter rail service on the Camden Line has been suspended between Greenbelt and Muirkirk, following an incident involving a car on the tracks.

The accident occurred at an at-grade intersection in Beltsville around 5:15 p.m.

“One person in the vehicle …

Bob McDonnell’s corruption case put on hold after Supreme Court ruling

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court has put former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s corruption case on hold to give prosecutors and defense attorneys more time to analyze the Supreme Court ruling.

The high court overturned McDonnell’s corruption conviction in June, saying his actions were distasteful but didn’t necessarily …

D.C. Metro train derails; 2 passengers evaluated for injury

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Metro says a train has derailed in northern Virginia and fire officials say two of about 75 passengers on the train are being evaluated for minor injuries.

Metro spokesman Richard Jordan says two cars derailed at the East Falls Church Metro station platform Friday morning, but …

Inner City-Inner Child teaching artists embrace alternative styles to reach different children

Each preschooler sitting on the classroom rug held a drum — some made from empty coffee cans, others from sand pails with neon duct tape stretched taut across the opening.

But they all wanted a turn with the caxixi shaker, a hollow gourd covered with netting studded with puka shells.

…

Karl Racine, D.C. attorney general, nabs school frauds

It has been an inside joke since the 1960s and ’70s. What do parents do when their children are prepubescent? Move to Maryland or Virginia.

Two decades later the chuckles came when someone asked, “What do D.C. school employees do when the 3 o’clock bell rings?” Drive home to Maryland …

Parents who sent kids to D.C. schools illegally face thousands of dollars in fines

A couple who enrolled their children in D.C. schools but lived in Maryland and Virginia are facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines.

According to D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine, Alan and Candace Hill avoided paying non-resident tuition for their children by listing their address as a city apartment …

John Hinckley, Reagan shooter, can leave hospital to live in Virginia: Judge

A federal judge on Wednesday ordered that John Hinckley Jr. is no longer a danger 35 years after he tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan, and can be granted full-time release from the Southeast Washington psychiatric hospital where he has been treated for the last three decades. The decision that …

Marilyn Mosby never should have charged officers in Freddie Gray death, lawyers say

Baltimore State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby’s decision to drop charges in the remaining trials connected to the death of Freddie Gray shows that she didn’t have the evidence to prosecute the six police officers in the first place, said several lawyers who have followed the trials.

“It was an excellent decision …

Virginia Quilt Museum exhibit takes closer look at national parks

A new art installation at the Virginia Quilt Museum rivals the quilting skills of grandmothers and home ec students alike.

Each of the 177 small quilts in the “Inspired by the National Parks: Celebrating 100 Years” exhibit are available for viewing at the museum in Harrisonburg. The textile masterpieces, handmade …

John Hinckley release shows too quick a judgment

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Is John Hinckley “cured”? Who’s going to take the weight for killing James Brady?

Did Freddie Gray Jr. kill himself? Should anybody take the weight for his death?

With the Democratic Party’s ongoing kumbaya moment in Philadelphia sucking the wind out of front page-worthy news, this is as good …

Red Line repairs in August to cause major delays

If you ride the Red Line, don’t head to work, head to the beach, Metro officials are saying as they encourage Maryland commuters to stay off the busiest subway line for much of the month of August while tracks are repaired.