A Georgetown CBD shop tries to navigate the legal and community challenges in DC.
Guests:
Special congressional election in Maryland
Taxpayers are warned to review all documents before submitting taxes.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is warning taxpayers to look out for ‘ghost’ tax return preparers. A ghost preparer is someone who print tax returns but refuse to sign the tax return they have prepared with electronically and physically.
Ghost tax preparers may promise a bigger return that seem tempting but taxpayers are warned to steer clear. “They may invent income so that you qualify for tax credits, they may claim fake deductions so that you qualify for a larger refund,”said IRS spokesperson Michael Devine.
According to the IRS this can move into tax fraud and cause real issues for those involved.
“Taxpayers should verify both their routing and bank account number on the completed tax return for any direct deposit refund. And taxpayers should watch out for ghost preparers inserting their bank account information onto the returns.,” says the IRS.
The deadline to file taxes is April 15.
After 35 years of success, fans can relive the experience all over again.
Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey‘s breakout roles are coming back to the big screen. As The Color Purple celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, fans and a new generation of people will be able to relive it.
The film, based on the Pulitzer prize winning book by Alice Walker, first debuted in 1985 and stars Goldberg, Winfrey, Margaret Avery, Danny Glover and Adolph Caesar. It follows the life of Goldberg’s character Celie as she navigates life after abuse.
As February is Black History Month, Fanthom Events and Turner Classic Movies are re-releasing the movie on February 23.
When it first premiered, The Color Purple gained 11 Academy Award nominations and grossed $142 million after a $15 million budget. Goldberg was nominated for and won a Golden Globe for her role.
Winfrey has helped the legacy of the film live on when she and Broadway producers created a Broadway musical based on the film. The songs were written by Earth, Wind & Fire and Fantasia made her Broadway debut on the stage. The show closed in 2008 but was revived in 2015 starring Jennifer Hudson and Orange is the New Black’s Danielle C. Brooks.
Turner Classic Movie host, Ben Mankiewicz will provide commentary and never before seen insight into the making of the movie.
The Color Purple will be played in theaters nationwide February 23 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Jay-Z’s response was that he still supports protesting, kneeling and Kaepernick, but he’s also interested in working with the league to make substantial changes.
Video of Beyoncé and Jay-Z sitting while Demi Lovato sang the national anthem at the Super Bowl has surfaced online.
TMZ posted the video Sunday of the celebrity couple sitting along with daughter Blue Ivy at Hard Rock Stadium, where the San Francisco 49ers were playing the Kansas City Chiefs.
Jay-Z, a co-producer of the halftime show featuring Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, announced his Roc Nation company had entered a partnership with the NFL for events and social activism last year. The rapper received immediate backlash since he had become one of the biggest supporters of Colin Kaepernick, who sparked a fissure in the NFL when he decided to kneel when the national anthem was played before games to protest the killings of blacks by police officers.
Jay-Z’s response was that he still supports protesting, kneeling and Kaepernick, but he’s also interested in working with the league to make substantial changes.
Representatives for Jay-Z and Beyoncé didn’t immediately reply to emails seeking comment.
A man has died after being shot Sunday night in Southeast, DC.
An Amtrak train heading to New York from Washington, DC struck a person trespassing on train tracks in Lanham.
“We never lost faith,” Mahomes said. “That’s the biggest thing. Everybody on this team, no one had their head down. We believed in each other. That’s what we preached all year long.”
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes needed just the waning minutes of Super Bowl 54 to end a whole lot of frustration.
A championship 50 years in the making for the Kansas City Chiefs.
A two-decade wait for an NFL title for coach Andy Reid.
All it took was falling behind by double digits in the postseason, again. Then Mahomes found his mojo. The 24-year-old quarterback who was selected Super Bowl MVP, led the Chiefs to 21 straight points in the final 6:13 for a 31-20 victory Sunday over the San Francisco 49ers.
.@PATRICKMAHOMES TO @TKELCE 🚨
Here come the @Chiefs! #ChiefsKingdom
📺: #SBLIV on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/L1IzAmwSy4— NFL (@NFL) February 3, 2020
The Chiefs (15-4) trailed 24-0 and 17-7 in their previous playoff games, both in the first half. In the big game, they nearly didn’t have time for a comeback.
Kansas City’s fans in the crowd of 62,417 at Hard Rock Stadium got little opportunity to chant and do the tomahawk chop as KC fell behind 20-10 in the third quarter. Mahomes even threw his second interception of the night after they fell behind.
But the vaunted 49ers defense wilted late and Mahomes brought the magic that makes him so special.
He completed passes of 44 yards to Tyreek Hill and 38 to Sammy Watkins. The touchdowns came on short throws to Travis Kelce to cut the deficit to three and to Damien Williams for the lead. The first NFL title in Reid’s two-decade career was clinched by Williams’ 38-yard TD run, sending red-clad Chiefs fans into chants of “Andy!” Andy!”
Reid, 61, won a Super Bowl ring with the 1996 Packers while in charge of tight ends. He’s been seeking one as a head coach since being hired by Philadelphia in 1999. The Eagles lost in their only trip to the big game under Reid after the 2004 season.
“This is what it’s all about,” Reid said as confetti fell and the Chiefs celebrated the climax of the NFL’s 100th season. “What a great team, great coaches. Appreciate every bit of it.”
Mahomes found Hill, whose bobble led to the second San Francisco pick, for 44 yards on a third-and-15 — the first long pass completed by Kansas City. A 20-yard pass interference call on Tarvarius Moore, who had that earlier pick, put the ball at the 1 and Kelce was wide open for the score.
On 3rd & 15… @PatrickMahomes to @Cheetah! 😱 #ChiefsKingdom
📺: #SBLIV on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/9jKaUgio82— NFL (@NFL) February 3, 2020
The Chiefs defense, confounded by the Niners’ misdirection much of the game, got stingy and forced a three-and-out. Mahomes soon hit Watkins down the right sideline behind Richard Sherman for a 38-yard gain, leading to Williams’ first score.
San Francisco (15-4) had nothing left in the fourth quarter, and its coach, Kyle Shanahan saw yet another late-game meltdown by his team. Three years ago, as offensive coordinator in Atlanta, he was part of the Falcons’ Super Bowl collapse and loss in overtime to New England.
“We’ll lick our wounds and we’ll get over this,” Shanahan said.
Kansas City, an original AFL franchise, won the final Super Bowl before the full merger, beating Minnesota in 1970. Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt even coined the phrase Super Bowl.
Now the Hunt family can add a Vince Lombardi Trophy to the Lamar Hunt Trophy earned with the AFC crown.
“It’s a beautiful trophy,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said. “I’m so happy for our players, coaches and fans. And especially Andy Reid. Nobody deserves this trophy more than Andy Reid.”
San Francisco went 4-12 in 2018 and Shanahan was on something of a hot seat this season. He came close to a ring once again, but down the stretch the Niners couldn’t slow the no-huddle attack at which Mahomes, Hill, Kelce, Williams and all the other Chiefs excel.
“We have heart,” Mahomes said. “We never give up and those guys around us, the leaders on the team , have that mindset that we never give up.”
The fourth quarter fireworks by the Chiefs were along the lines of the expected offensive explosion. Earlier, there were some strong drives but not a lot of huge plays.
After a tribute during the pregame ceremony to basketball superstar Kobe Bryant, who died a week ago in a helicpoter crash along with eight others, and Pro Football Hall of Famer Chris Doleman, who died Tuesday night of brain cancer, the 49ers used up nearly six minutes on their opening drive, yet got only Robbie Gould’s 38-yard field goal. Kansas City took up 7:26 for its next march, including a fourth-and-1 run by Williams on a direct snap to the 49ers 1. All four Chiefs in the backfield spun around before the snap.
Mahomes took it in to end the 15-play series on a run option.
The 7-3 deficit was the first for San Francisco since Game 15. It soon became 10-3 after Jimmy Garoppolo’s ill-advised lob under pressure was intercepted by Bashaud Breeland. Another fourth-down gamble paid off for KC, with Williams gaining 3 on a pitchout. But the Chiefs stalled and Harrison Butker kicked a 31-yard field goal.
San Francisco needed a spark and, as it often has this season, the running game provided it. Gouging the Chiefs in the trenches, the 49ers gained 53 yards on five straight rushes before Garoppolo hit on a pair of passes. The second completion, over the middle to Kyle Juszczyk, saw the fullback look like anything but with a nifty open-field move past safety Daniel Sorensen — perhaps Kansas City’s best tackle. J uszczyk surged into the end zone for a 15-yard TD to tie it at 10.
Once more, Garoppolo was brilliant on a drive after being picked off. He improved 39 for 42 for 461 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions with a 136.2 rating on such series after the TD.
Gould’s 42-yarder gave the Niners their first lead, capping the opening drive of the second half. Again, their misdirection plays kept the Chiefs off-balance on defense.
As Garoppolo did in the first half, Mahomes then threw into heavy coverage trying to hit Hill and was picked by Fred Warner. It was the first interception of Mahomes in five postseason games.
And it paid off with another efficient series for the Niners, keyed by a 26-yard completion to Kendrick Bourne on third down. Raheem Mostert, the star of the NFC title game, surged in from the 1 for a 20-10 edge.
Hardly unfamiliar territory for Kansas City.
“We have an ability as a team not just on offense, as team, to figure out what the other team is doing and put our foot in the ground and say enough is enough,” Kelce said. “It’s special.”
The Ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc are hosting their “Golden Jubilee Gala
It’s Black History Month and the ladies of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority are honoring our past, answering today’s call, and shaping the future. The Montgomery County Alumnae Chapter is celebrating 50 years of service with a Golden Jubilee Gala. My guest is Mona Williams – President of the Montgomery County Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
Montgomery County Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is hosting its 50th Anniversary Celebration Friday, March 6th at the Marriott Bethesda. Proceeds will benefit the chapter’s STEM Program. More information here:
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:40 on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 96.3 WHUR.
Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.
Listen to this mornings segment here:
McDonalds & WHUR 96.3 Honor DMV Black Excellence!
Fifth generation Washingtonian out of Roosevelt Senior High School and Park Community College in Danbury Connecticut. Making change while practicing the principles of non violence. Co founder of DON’T MUTE DC, where he and HU professor Natalie Hopkinson created the petition of over 80 thousand signatures to bring the music back to 7th and Florida AVE North West—a movement that’s changing gentrification everywhere! Thank you Ron Moten!
Denise C. McCain is a foremost domestic violence expert, researcher, visionary leader, and trailblazer in the movement to break the cycle of violence.
She brings more than 25 years of experience to the field of domestic violence where she has worked on the front lines as a grassroots advocate, a domestic violence program director, and government administrator for federal Violence Against Women Act funded programs. She is the former Maryland State Coordinator of Victim Services for the Governor’s Office of Crime Control & Prevention, where she served as a legislative liaison working to ensure compliance and implementation of statutory crime victim’s rights. As a researcher, Ms. McCain also conducted a multi-jurisdictional case study of four counties in Maryland, to include Prince George’s County, which examined the effectiveness of the coordinated community response to domestic violence.
In June 2016, Denise was appointed as the Director of the Prince George’s County Family Justice Center (PGCFJC), a multi-disciplinary “one stop shop” service delivery system that provides an array of comprehensive, co-located services for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, elderly abuse and teen relationship violence.
The Reverend Dr. Bernard L. Richardson is the fourth Dean of the historic Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel. As the appointed officer for religious affairs at the University, he coordinates the wide array of ministries sought by students and their parents, faculty, staff, and the community at-large; directs and participates in religious services and public programs; and serves as the liaison between the University and religious organizations.He established and is the Director of the Howard University Spiritual and Ethical Dimensions of Leadership Initiative, which was awarded $2.5 million from the Lilly Endowment. The revitalization of creative religious programming under his leadership has garnered national attention. Most notably the reknown Howard University Alternative Spring Break and the Sunday Chapel Service, which is broadcast on WHUR-FM, reaches a vast audience and is rated first in its time slot among all radio broadcasts in the metropolitan area.
Dr. Richardson is a tenured Associate Professor at the Howard University School of Divinity, and has made scholarly contributions in the area of pastoral care and counseling. He has lectured and conducted courses/seminars at colleges and universities nationwide, including the Parks/King Lecture at Yale University.
Saymendy Lloyd grew up believing that there was no higher calling than to further the foundation of humanity in the world, a mindset instilled by her parents The Rev. Dr. J. Edwin Lloyd Sr. and Emma Lloyd. Their drive to improving the quality of life and community betterment blazed the trail for their daughter, Saymendy deep devotion to public service, social justice, and human rights activism. Rev. Dr. J. Edwin Lloyd Former President of the Liberian Red Cross, and past Chaplain General of the Arm Forces and his wife Emma led millions and housed hundreds of war tracking victims in exile, evidenced a strong ethic, human service, civic responsibility and that faithfulness is the training ground for greater service, this mindset would later characterize their Activist daughter. Her parents taught all of their children to serve God, community, and take initiative where ever they go. Her mother’s nurturing nature has been the catalyst in many of Saymendy initiatives.
Her significant role in the relief effort to aid victims in Louisiana after hurricane Katrina was yet another stride in her continuing efforts to assist those faced with displacement to the D.C. Metro area. President George Bush then recognized Saymendy. has continued to support almost all hurricane efforts. In 2002, Lloyd led the rescue of the Uganda 25 after being victimized and left homeless in the USA. She helped to organize what is now known as The Office of African Affairs in D.C., a government agency to serve Africans in the Diaspora.
She served as the chair of the Citizen Advisory Council for the Department of Corrections, while also preparing inmates for a successful entry into federal prisons and re-entry into the community. Upon his election as Mayor of the District of Columbia, Adrian Fenty requested Saymendy to serve as a member of the Transitional Team of the DC Department of Correction, alongside Paul Quander, former D.C. Deputy Mayor for Public Safety, she was instrumental in leading a very smooth transition.
Since 2003, Lloyd has maintained her weekly trips to the jail, where she services all populations and is well known for her unique gift of transformation through Life Coaching and; impacting men and women, at the same time, aiding families and children of those incarcerated. Moreover, Saymendy is known to calm units of uncontrolled men, preparing inmates for sentencing and is highly respected by judges and lawyers alike. In a society where people will not likely open their doors to ex-offenders due to fear, Saymendy provides a welcoming relief in a home without a grant to house returning citizens upon their release from jail or prison who has no place to go, but, have shown to be ready for a change and in need of the necessities of life.
She also started Tiding and Joy, a Christmas party for children of incarcerated parents who are victims of conditions beyond their control at the result of their parent/parents incarceration; while also working with family members to aid in the reduction of crime and the recidivism rate. With just 56 kids, the party was organized years ago, today over 600 are served each year.
Bahiyyah M. Muhammad is Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Inside Out in the Department of Sociology and Criminology at Howard University. Her research interests are criminal justice pedagogy, juvenile justice and familial imprisonment, focusing specifically on children of incarcerated parents. Her research has been published in the Journal of Criminal Justice and Law Review, Journal of Gender, Social Policy & The Law, and the American University Business Law Review. She is currently the principle investigator for the “Far From The Tree: Success Stories Among Children of Prisoners” project and evaluator for the “Credible Messengers Project: Mentoring At-Risk Youth in the District of Columbia”. Her global ethnographic research with children of incarcerated parents is ongoing in Africa, Asia, Europe, Dubai and the Caribbean. Dr. Muhammad serves as a 2017-2018 Franklin Fellow at the U.S. Department of State. In this position, she reviews the U.S. policy on human rights for children and helps to design new approaches to assist the U.S. government in addressing the issue. Dr. Muhammad serves within the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor in the Office of Multilateral and Global Affairs. Bahiyyah Muhammad completed her M.S. in Corrections Administration at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and her Ph.D. in Criminal Justice at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. She has also taught at the New School-Eugene Lang College, Rutgers University-Newark Campus and West Chester University.
Jessica Brown is a nationally recognized financial aid expert. As Founder of College Gurl, President of The College Gurl Foundation, and Author of How to Pay for College When You’re Broke, Jessica educates students and families on how to make the best-informed decisions
around financing a college education. Named the Financial Aid Fairy Godmother, her mission is to ensure students have access to an affordable and quality education. Additionally, she mentors and exposes Washington Metropolitan area high school students to college through her nonprofit, The College Gurl Foundation.
Jessica speaks all over the U.S. at a host of schools, universities, organizations, and news networks. Additionally, Diversity Inc., Strayer University, and The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation have sponsored her efforts. She has recently been featured on BET News, FOX
Business Network, and several other news outlets. Also, she is a graduate of Howard University, Strayer University, and is currently seeking her PhD in Higher Education Administration.
Moreover, Jessica’s philanthropic efforts have awarded her the 2019 Outstanding Community Service Award of Excellence from Odyssey International, 2018 Dreamer Award from Dream4It Foundation, and 2018 Power of She Award from Iota Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc.
Kelvin W. Washington is a native of Scotlandville, Louisiana where at Southern University he earned the Bachelor and Master’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education. He began his teaching career at Livonia High School in Louisiana and 1987 moved to Detroit, Michigan where he was appointed Director of Bands at Nolan Middle School and McKenzie High School. Before coming to Howard University, he held collegiate appointments as Chief Arranger and Assistant Director of Bands at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; and Director of Bands at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
He is currently in his twenty-fifth year as Conductor of the Howard University Wind Symphony and Director of the Howard University “Show Time” Marching Band. He shares a role as Director of the 369th Experience in addition to being an active Past-President of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities – National Band Directors Consortium. Mr. Washington is a Conn- Selmer Educational Clinician; he serves as an advisory to the Dr. William P. Foster Project for the National Band Association. He is a Past Governor of the Eastern Division of Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary National Band Fraternity, a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfornia, the National Band Association and College Band Directors National Association. He is adjudicator, clinician, arranger, conductor, and touring musician. In his role as a touring musician, he has engaged in performances across the United States; in Canada; Poland; England; and Scotland.
Kenyatta M. Hazlewood BSN MPH RN works at Howard Unviersity Hospital, a Level 1 Trauma Center, where I serves as the Trauma Program Manager. As the Trauma Program Manager, Ms. Hazlewood is responsible for developing, organizing, implementing, coordinating and evaluating functions of the interdisciplinary Trauma Service. I held previous positions as the Injury Prevention and Outreach Coordinator and Trauma Educator at George Washington Unviersity Hospital (Level 1) and Prince George’s Hospital Center (Level 2). In those positions I identified national trends as they applied to targeted populations. Her other duties included organizing, presenting and evaluating injury prevention programs in the community and providing trauma education to nurses and physicians. Kenyatta implements programs and education surrounding Trauma injuries, especially in violence and falls prevention and motor vehicle safety. I also is a founding member of the District of Columbia Trauma Coordinators Collaborative (DC-TIPCC).
Kenyatta is the past chair and co-chair of the Society of Trauma Nurses Injury Prevention Committee and an author and faculty of the American Trauma Society’s, Injury Prevention Course. I is a member of the faculty team that teaches the course nationally. Prior to being a nurse Kenyatta worked on various projects within the District of Columbia Department of Health including the initiation of OraQuick HIV testing and working to expand the District’s Immunization Registry.
I earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Health Management and a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from Howard University, and her Masters of Public Health from The George Washington University both in Washington, DC. I enjoys time with her daughter, husband and dog.
YANICK RICE LAMB loves sharing her expertise with students at Howard University, where she is a professor and former chair of the Department of Media, Journalism and Film. She teaches everything from Multimedia Storytelling to Media Entrepreneurship, where she helps students make their business dreams come true.
Practicing what she preaches, she has helped to launch 101Magazine.net and TruthBeTold.news, the first collegiate fact-checking site. The award-winning journalist and author is co-founder of the health website FierceforBlackWomen.com and was founding editor-in-chief of BET Weekend magazine. She was also editor-in-chief of Heart & Soul magazine and has been an editor at The New York Times, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Essence and Child magazine. When she isn’t teaching, she’s taking classes toward a doctorate in medical sociology at Howard.
Professor Lamb enjoys reading with her 7-year-old grandson and researching their family history. She’s also co-authored a few books, such as Born to Win: The Authorized Biography of Althea Gibson, The Spirt of African Design and Rise & Fly: Tall Tales and Mostly True Rules of Bid Whist. Next up is Nursing Wounds, a novel about family secrets and a mysterious death.
Don Hayes was installed as Pastor of the Oakland Baptist Church on April 2, 2006. A native of Washington, DC, he is the 9th pastor in the 120 year history of the Oakland Baptist Church. He and his wife, Gloria, have two adult children –Kianna (Michael) and Quentin (Kashira), and one granddaughter, Harper.Pastor Hayes has shown himself to be a capable teacher; nonetheless, he continues to be teachable and is a strong advocate for education and training. Most recently, he has received his MD from Liberty University and he holds a Master’sDegree in Management and Leadership from Johns HopkinsUniversity. Pastor Hayes is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and serves as Chaplain for the FBI. He sits on several Boards, including Offender Aid and Restoration (OAR), County Corrections Gospel Mission, and Assist Pregnancy.A resident of Alexandria, Virginia, Pastor Hayes has been employed with the Alexandria Police Department since 1981 and is currently the Assistant Chief of Police. He also serves as theChaplain for the Department. During his tenure, he received numerous awards –including Officer of the Year.He is passionate about proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ, making the Word of God relevant in the lives of believers, and building the Kingdom of God in the congregation and community.
Best practices to keep football party foods from making people sick.
Beal says he feels disrespected
Report: Bolton Book Claims Trump Directed Him To Call Zelensky
The man accused of drawing up a hit list against prominent politicians and journalists to be sentenced today.
Christopher Hasson, 50, faces a maximum of 31 years in prison at sentencing by U.S. District Judge George Hazel. He pleaded guilty in October to possessing unregistered and unserialized silencers, being a drug addict in possession of firearms and illegal possession of tramadol, an opioid painkiller.
Federal prosecutors recommended a 25-year prison sentence for Hasson. They have called him a domestic terrorist and self-described white nationalist who was intent on carrying out mass killings. But they didn’t file any terrorism-related charges against him.
Defense attorneys urged Hazel to spare Hasson from a prison term and sentence him to jail time served since his February 2019 arrest. Hasson’s lawyers accused Justice Department prosecutors of fabricating a bogus narrative that the married father of two grown children was planning a terrorist attack.
After Hasson’s arrest, prosecutors filed a memo in which they said the Coast Guard officer “intends to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country.” They also said Hasson drafted and tried to delete a June 2017 email in which he wrote that he was “dreaming of a way to kill almost every last person on the earth.”
Prosecutors claim Hasson drew up what appeared to be a computer spreadsheet hit list naming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic presidential hopefuls, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren. He also mentioned several network TV journalists, including MSNBC’s Chris Hayes and Joe Scarborough and CNN’s Chris Cuomo and Van Jones.
Hasson’s attorneys urged the judge to “strip away all of the speculation and rhetoric” and sentence Hasson “proportionately” for the crimes to which he pleaded guilty.
“The government’s unproven claims about his private thoughts and beliefs and its conjecture about his plans and motives have no place in the sentencing courtroom and should have no bearing on the outcome,” they wrote.
Hasson ordered at least 4,650 tramadol pills from internet distributors and had them shipped to his homes in Maryland and Currituck, North Carolina, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Windom. The prosecutor said Hasson consumed most of the pills, often at work.
Safeway’s distribution center in Upper Marlboro will close in August with more than 500 employees potentially losing their jobs.
Police have arrested a teenager for leaving explosives in the mailbox of a Rockville home.
There’s plenty to do and see around town this weekend
WEEKEND HAPS
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:40 on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 96.3 WHUR.
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Rules for Big Game 54
In Willborn’s World! Thurssday, January 30th we are talking Superbowl 54 etiquette. If you missed it, check out the Audio below to hear what The Stress Reliver has to say!
Be sure to check out Willborn’s World with “The Stress Reliever” George Willborn every Thursday in the 6pm hour with Allison & Marc in the Afternoon right here on WHUR. I don’t know how you see it but that’s how I see it, in Willborn’s World!
Journalists weigh-in on reporting the death of Kobe Bryant
Her first public move since her husband and their daughter, Gigi, died tragically in a helicopter crash
AMPM Entertainment Report for today, Thursday, January 30th was filled with the latest surrounding Fecilia Sonmez, Vanessa Bryant and Ciara and Russel Wilson. If you missed it, check out the Audio below to hear what Allison, Marc and Coka-Lani has to say!
Still want to know more? If you want all the details.. be sure to click on the links below to get the full story on each headline!
Washington Post reverses suspension of reporter who tweeted about Kobe Bryant. Click for full story.
Vanessa is thanking the “millions of people who’ve shown support and love during this horrific time.” Click for full story.
CIARA & RUSSELL WILSON ARE EXPECTING!!!… #3. Click for full story.
The endorsement comes about a week after Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City, publicly announced support for D.C. statehood.
Allison’s Timeline for today, Thursday, January 30th was filled with the latest surrounding D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, PGC Layoffs and Agent Penis. If you missed it, check out the Audio below to hear what Allison has to say!
Still want to know more? If you want all the details.. be sure to click on the links below to get the full story on each headline!
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser endorses Michael Bloomberg for president. Click for full story.
Parent Company of Safeway to lay off 520 in Prince George’s County, MD. Click for full story
Woman charged in CIA trespass seeking ‘Agent Penis’ arrested again, held. Click for full story.
With reparations comes an apology, Steyer thinks its long overdue!
Presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg gets a nod from DC’s mayor
Bowser added that Bloomberg is a problem-solver with a proven track record of getting things done. Bloomberg, who was elected mayor of New York as a Republican, announced in November that he would seek the Democratic presidential nomination.
“I want her to have friends in the neighborhood; I want her to be close to home, and if that school is right for her, that is probably where she is going.”
Mayor Muriel Bowser attended a D.C. Public Charter School meeting where she announced she will be sending her daughter, Miranda, to their local elementary school, according to the Washington Post.
Their assigned school is Shepherd Elementary School in Ward 4 D.C.
Mayor Bowser adopted Miranda in September 2018 and she is almost the preschoole age for D.C, three-years-old.
Bowser would be the first elected mayor to send their child to their neighborhood school. Although most of the elected officials did not have school-aged children, she would be on of the few to attend the assigned school.
“I would rather not spend an hour commuting,” Bowser said. “I want her to have friends in the neighborhood; I want her to be close to home, and if that school is right for her, that is probably where she is going.”
U.S. Postal Service honors black journalist with a postage stamp.
“When we make students go to the nurse to get menstrual hygiene products, potentially waiting in line behind students with actual medical needs, we cause them to miss more class time.”
Maryland lawmakers have created a bill so free menstrual products are available in schools.
“…requiring a public school to install menstrual hygiene product dispensers in at least two restrooms on or before October 1, 2020, and in all restrooms on or before August 1, 2024; and defining ‘menstrual hygiene products’ as size-appropriate tampons or sanitary napkins for use in connection with the menstrual cycle,” reads the synopsis.
Delegate Kirill Reznik sponsored the bill and said the providing the products in disensers would alleviate the stigma around menstruation.
“When we make students go to the nurse to get menstrual hygiene products, potentially waiting in line behind students with actual medical needs, we cause them to miss more class time,” he wrote to NBC Washington.
He took to Twitter to congradulate Virginia’s Senate for recently passing a similar bill.
“Way to go #Virginia Senate. Hopefully, Maryland is not far behind. #periodequity“
Way to go #Virginia Senate. Hopefully, Maryland is not far behind. #periodequityhttps://t.co/Ms1yPYnqyp
— Kirill Reznik (@DelegateReznik) January 24, 2020
According to the State of the Period study, more than 84 percent of students in the United States have missed class time or know someone who has because they did not have access to menstrual products.
New York, California, and Illinois have made similar initiatives to provide mentrual products to students.
“We’ll hit the keys, play the parts and sing the lyrics that helped pave the way for musicians like myself to trust our artistry and challenge ourselves to be bold.”
Raphael Saadiq was chosen to be the executive music producer for National Geographic’s Genius:Aretha.
The prodution is the “first-ever, definitive and only authorized series of Franklin’s life,” according to the press release. Harriet‘s Cynthia Erivo is playing the title role.
“It’s an honor to share Aretha’s genius with the world alongside the incredibly talented Cynthia Erivo and Terence Blanchard,” Saadiq said in Billboard. “We’ll hit the keys, play the parts and sing the lyrics that helped pave the way for musicians like myself to trust our artistry and challenge ourselves to be bold.”
According to the release by National Geographic, Fox 21 Studios and Imagine Television Studios, “[Saadiq] is responsible for producing, arranging and recording all of the original song elements within the series featuring live performances.”
The statement also noted that Harriet and BlacKkKlansman composer Terence Blanchard will score the series, according to Shadow and Act.
“We’re serving the Queen of Soul and we’re thrilled and blessed to have deep soul brothers like Raphael Saadiq and Terence Blanchard on our team,” said Suzan-Lori Parks, the showrunner and executive producer of the series. “They’re both accomplished musicians with diverse backgrounds–both have broken down barriers with the power of music.”
Saadiq currently on his nationwide “Jimmy Lee Tour”.
The four-night, eight-episode series will air May 25 at 9 p.m. ET on the National Geographic Channel.
The hashtag #GirlDad is taking over social media in honor of Kobe Bryant.
There was an outpour of memories of Bryant being shared across social media. However, one memory in particular began to takeover. ESPN anchor, Elle Duncan, recalls an encounter she had with Bryant that has now sparked the hashtag #Girldad.
Duncan said, “He died doing what he loved the most, being a dad, being a girl dad.” Social media immediately began to show positive reactions to Duncan’s post. Now celebrities and fans across the world are joining in on #Girldad with their own posts.
Artist, Timbaland, took to Twitter posting a photo of him and his daughter saying, “My Baby Reign #girldad.”
Rapper, Bow Wow, said on Instagram, “#girldad I LOVE YOU SHAI.”
Mark Jones of ESPN said on twitter, “ I’m a grateful #GirlDad… It doesn’t get any better…”
Sportscaster, Mike Hill, also said on Twitter, “#girldad and SO PROUD TO BE.”
The hashtag can be found on all social media platforms and everyone is joining in. Bryant is survived by his wife Vanessa Bryant and three daughters.
Family of man allegedly killed by a Prince George’s County police officer speaks out.
“I’m not doing well, I’m sick,” Shaq reveals.
Shaquille O’Neal has finally spoken out on the passing of former Los Angeles Laker and NBA legend Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others.
During his January 26 episode of ‘The Big Podcast with Shaq,’ O’Neal begins by saying “I’m not doing well, I’m sick.” He continued stating that he was just getting over the death of his sister and hadn’t been sleeping or eating. O’Neal says hearing about Bryant’s passing gave him the same effect and he’s been thinking on all the things he could have done differently.
“We still are the best duo ever created. That’s never going to change,” O’Neal said during the podcast. “I have a little brother, but I really lost a brother yesterday.”
O’Neal also said he knows people will bring up past disagreements he had with Bryant but that he was still his brother.
“All this stuff that is documented between us, it was never a dislike. This is what brothers do. … I am the first to say, ‘Hey, I got four rings and I know I couldn’t get three without him.'”
There’s no words to express the pain Im going through with this tragedy of loosing my neice Gigi & my brother @kobebryant I love u and u will be missed. My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. IM SICK RIGHT NOW pic.twitter.com/pigHywq3c1
— SHAQ (@SHAQ) January 26, 2020
O’Neal’s full interview is available online.
Bowser says Bloomberg has a plan to improve the quality of life for all Americans.
D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser has announced she is giving her support to presidential candidate and former New York Mayor, Mike Bloomberg.
We can resolve our most pressing problems if we have the right leader to turn innovative ideas into reality@MikeBloomberg is a problem-solver with a proven track record of getting things done. He’s a mentor & friend & I’m proud to endorse him for president. #MikeWillGetItDone pic.twitter.com/40jBr4XxSz
— Muriel Bowser (@MurielBowser) January 30, 2020
In a tweet announcing her endorsement, Bowser calls Bloomberg a mentor and friend as well as “the only candidate who will unify the country and defeat Donald Trump…”
Bloomberg who ran as a republican during his campaign for mayor of New York, is currently polling at 8%-10% with voters, which puts him fourth amongst democratic nominees.
During the U.S conference of Mayors Winter Meeting, Bloomberg praised Bowser saying, “She is doing a terrific job, and I hope that someday soon we’ll be calling her ‘Governor Bowser,” A note to his support for D.C statehood.
Bowser’s endorsement of Bloomberg for president isn’t random, the two have interacted before and earlier this year she called him an important voice in the race for president.
An important voice is entering the race for President.
From climate change to common sense gun reform, @MikeBloomberg doesn’t just talk the talk, he walks the walk.
Democrats — let’s get out and vote in 2020https://t.co/I2nkvbpkfe
— Muriel Bowser (@MurielBowser) November 8, 2019
According to WAMU, Bowser is set to formally endorse Bloomberg this afternoon at the Atlas Performing Arts Center on H Street NE.
D.C. will hold its primary election on June 2.
Find out the latest Entertainment News about the late Kobe Bryant and the feud with the two Don’s and more…
AMPM Entertainment Report for today, Wednesday, January 29th was filled with the latest entertainment news about Cicely Tyson in the TV Academy Hall of Fame, the Late Kobe Bryant, Donald Trump vs Don Lemon and The Daycare “Bellygate”. If you missed it, check out the Audio below to hear what Allison Marc & Coka-Lani has to say!
New TV Academy Hall of Fame Inductees Include Cicely Tyson. Click here for full story.
Trump Attacks Don Lemon For What A White Republican Said On His Show. Click for full story.
Florida mother upset after daycare worker writes on baby’s stomach. Click for full story.
Being a Girl Dad Is The Best Thing Ever. Click for full story.
Ciara says Russell’s best quality is the way he loves their kids.
Ciara and Russell Wilson are expanding their family. The couple posted on their respective Instagram’s announcing they are expecting baby number 3.
The couple has been married since 2016 and welcomed their first child, daughter Sienna Princess Wilson, in 2017. Ciara has a son, Future Zahir Wilburn, from her previous relationship with rapper Future.
On an episode of Red Table Talk, Ciara opened up about Russell’s experiences in fatherhood.
“Russ jumped right in. He was changing diapers. He was so proud of Future’s first steps. When I go to teacher-parent conferences he’s at every one of them with me, and I make sure I schedule so he can be there because those details matter to him,” Ciara said. “It’s honestly one of the most sexiest things about him to me. Because the way he loves my son and also they way he loves our kids.”
Congratulations to the happy couple.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B78hssClqzr/
Old Bay fans rushed to buy the hot sauce, crashing its website in the process.
Old Bay announced that they were releasing a new product that is infused with its signature flavor. Old Bay hot sauce became available for online ordering on January 29th but many unlucky customers couldn’t get their hands on it as it sold out instantly.
Your ❤️ for all things OLD BAY may have broken the Internet. 🔥 Thanks for always being ready to try something new. SOLD OUT, but RESTOCKING. Please stay tuned!
— OLD BAY (@OLDBAYSeasoning) January 29, 2020
Old Bay responded to concerned fans on Twitter after the surge of customers crashed the website.
PSA For the 1K+ of you still on our website: #oldbayhotsauce will not be restocked today, but more will be coming soon! We got you guys. Seriously, it's coming.😋
— OLD BAY (@OLDBAYSeasoning) January 29, 2020
Old Bay is owned by Hunt Valley-based McCormick & Co., an American food company. According to the Baltimore Sun, the company stated the new hot sauce is “tangy with a kick of heat, and that distinctive Chesapeake flavor.”
Although only available online now, over the next month, the sauce will soon be available in stores like Acme, Giant, Food Lion, Martin’s, Safeway, Wegmans and Weis for a limited time only.
Fans were noticeably excited for the release of the limited edition hot sauce and hope it stays around even longer.
https://twitter.com/SirForde/status/1222519425884205057
As a Maryland resident, I should be entitled to a free bottle of this new Old Bay hot sauce https://t.co/YFx5kcKysm
— A Nats Fan (@NatsCurlyW) January 30, 2020
A 10-ounce bottle of the hot sauce will have a suggested retail price of $3.49 and is available for online purchase for a limited time once restocked.
https://twitter.com/mindykaling/status/1222768145548468224
The Top Flight Corvette Club is hosting it’s annual “Sweet Affair”.
Cool cars… Cool people. That’s right, I’m talking about the Top Flight Corvette Club and they are gearing up for their Annual Sweet Affair Dinner and Dance. My guest is Beverly Harris – President of the Top Flight Corvette Club
Top Flight Corvette Club presents it Annual Affair Dinner and Dance February 8th from 7pm to midnight at Crowne Plaza Greenbelt. More information here:
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:40 on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 96.3 WHUR.
Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.
Listen to this mornings segment here:
AUDIO:
GUEST: Shahidah Williams………….Financial Expert & Consumer Advocate
Twitter is @ThruMyLovlieyez my
Instagram: is @ShahidahSpeaks.
GUEST: Perry Flemming……….Director of Consulting with Experian
So what is really going on with the Coronavirus and the reboot of an “All-Black Friends”?!
Allison’s Timeline for today, Wednesday, January 29th was filled with the latest surrounding the incident with the Prince George’s County police officer shooting in Temple Hills, MD, The CoronaVirus, and David Schwimmer suggestion for an “All-Black Friends”. If you missed it, check out the Audio below to hear what Allison had to say!
A Prince George’s County police officer is facing a murder charge in connection with the fatal shooting of a handcuffed man inside a cruiser in Temple Hills. Click here for full story.
General Motors, the largest U.S. automaker in China, told employees there that it will keep its Chinese factories shut down through Feb. 9, Click here for full story.
David Schwimmer recently proposed an all-black version of his blockbuster NBC sitcom Friends, which sounds like a cool idea at first — until you remember Friends is basically the all-white reboot of the Fox sitcom Living Single. Click here for full story.
A Prince George’s County police officer is charged with killing a man in his custody.
Howard University College of Dentistry is hosting their annual health fair.
Proving healthy smiles for youth across the DMV. That’s the goal of the Annual Give Kids A Smile Health Fair hosted by the Howard University College of Denistry. My guests are Yemisi Thomas and Matthew Stephens- Howard University College of Dentistry
Give Kids A Smile and Student Council Health Fair is Friday, February 7th from 8am to 5pm at Howard University College of Dentistry – 600 W Street, NW DC. More information here:
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:40 on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 96.3 WHUR.
Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.
Listen to this mornings segment here:
The move comes after multiple incidents of children being handcuffed by DC police officers went viral
The late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant’s black-and-white photograph will be on display at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery in D.C. on the first floor until further notice.
Jack Evans plans to run for his vacated Ward 2 council seat again. He was DC’s longest-serving elected official before he resigned just over a week ago amid ethics violations. Full story.
He wants to know why they can’t be considered pop
50 Cent shared a throwback video of him and Kobe Bryant on Instagram and vowed he is no longer fighting with people looking for smoke… Full story.
Our forever First Lady Michelle Obama joins her husband Barack Obama on the Grammys’ winners list in the 2020 Grammys’ spoken word category for her audio edition of “Becoming.” Full story
Tyler, the Creator speaks on the Grammy Categories: ‘Urban’ Is Just ‘A Politically Correct Way to Say the N-Word’. He wants to know why they can’t be considered pop. Full story.
WHUR’s News Director Renee Nash is at the Police Headquarters.
Landover, Maryland (Tuesday, January 28th, 2020) – Prince George’s County Police have charged one of their own with murder in the death of a handcuffed man inside a police cruiser. Chief Hank Stawinski, calling it one of the most difficult days of his career, announced that Corporal Michael Owen is in custody facing second degree murder, manslaughter, and a host of other charges. Owen is accused of shooting 43-year-old William Green Monday around 7:20pm after he pulled Green over for allegedly striking several vehicles while driving on St. Barnabas Road in Temple Hills.
Chief Stawinski was joined by Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks and County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy in making the announcement at police headquarters in Landover. Stawinki says Green was shot seven times while handcuffed and there was no justifiable reason for the shooting. Corporal Owen has been with the police department for 10 years. Police records show he was involved in another officer-involved shooting in December 2011. Owen is in police custody awaiting a bond hearing.
Alsobrooks has ordered Stawinski to direct an independent review of the department’s training practices to make sure an incident like this never happens again.
Last year’s filing season was an adjustment for taxpayers and industry professionals alike as it was the first under a massive overhaul of federal tax law. While this year’s season is expected to be more sedate, there are a few tweaks to be aware of.
It’s that time again.
The IRS began accepting and processing tax returns for individuals on Monday.
Last year’s filing season was an adjustment for taxpayers and industry professionals alike as it was the first under a massive overhaul of federal tax law. While this year’s season is expected to be more sedate, there are a few tweaks to be aware of.
STANDARD DEDUCTION
The standard deduction doubled under the new tax law that took effect in 2018. In turn, the number of taxpayers who took that instead of itemizing on their taxes jumped sharply. An estimated 90% of taxpayers are expected to take the deduction this year.
While the standard deduction usually increases each year for inflation, it’s worth keeping the figure in mind as taxpayers adjust to the new system. Some people may still want to run through the exercise of deciding whether to itemize or not. The decision comes down to whether your deductible expenses are greater than the standard deduction. Tax preparation software or a tax professional can walk you through this with ease.
Single individuals now get a standard deduction of $12,200 and married individuals filing jointly qualify for a standard deduction of $24,400. Head of household individuals get a standard deduction of $18,350.
HEALTH INSURANCE
New this year: There is no longer a penalty on federal taxes for not having health insurance, something that was put in place by the Affordable Care Act. However, some states may still penalize you for not having health insurance, warns Lisa Greene-Lewis, a CPA and tax expert at TurboTax.
DIVORCE
Anyone who got divorced after 2018 and pays alimony can no longer deduct alimony payments. And ex-spouses who receive alimony are no longer required to claim it as income. Got divorced before 2018? The old rules still apply unless you update your decree to state specifically that the new rules are reflected.
EXTENDERS
Congress recently passed a bill that include a few tax extenders, which renew tax provisions that had expired or were going to expire soon. Here are a handful that you may want to take note of:
— People who are required to pay private mortgage insurance along with their mortgage can once again deduct it. Kathy Pickering, chief tax officer at H&R Block said that this represents a substantial expense for some — in the $2,500 to $4,500 range.
— Another home-related extender: a $500 lifetime credit for making certain energy efficient improvements to your home, such as the purchase of a high efficiency furnace. While many people have already taken advantage of this in years past, Pickering said newer homeowners may want to consider if they can benefit.
— People who suffered a foreclosure and had their debt canceled just got some relief.
The IRS considers that canceled debt as income and therefore subject to taxes. However, there had long been a provision that would waive this if the foreclosure was on a primary residence. Last year, that was not the case.
The waiver has now been reinstated and is extended retroactively, so people who had to pay tax on a canceled debt of this sort can file an amendment. Pickering says this is a provision that impacts few people but “has an extraordinary financial impact.”
— To claim medical expenses on your taxes, the total must exceed a certain percentage of your adjusted gross income. That threshold was set to go up to 10% this year, making it harder for as many people to qualify. But the law extended the prior threshold of 7.5%.
CRYPTOCURRENCY
The IRS has been trying to keep up with the popularity of cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin. Tax experts say it’s a grey area that is slowly being clarified. But for now, cryptocurrency is generally seen as property not currency. So, anyone who trades in it faces the same tax implications as if they were trading stock.
The IRS said it is aware many taxpayers have improperly reported or failed to report transactions in the past. As such, it is increasing its educational efforts and criminal investigations. Additionally, all taxpayers will have to answer a question about their involvement in any virtual currency transactions. If they have received, sold, sent, exchanged or otherwise acquired any virtual currency, they must fill out a new form.
Tax experts say there may still be some confusion but suggest anyone who does trade cryptocurrency should keep close track of all their own activity to make sure they are not stepping on the wrong side of the law.
FREE FILE
The IRS has long offered options for many taxpayers to file online for free, but it may be a bit easier to navigate this year.
Taxpayers can use the IRS Free File system, which is provided by a number of tax preparation companies, if they make less than $69,000 a year.
However, reporting by non-profit news organization ProPublica found that some tax preparation companies had added code to their Free File pages that hid them from search engines and diverted many users to paid products. The IRS has since updated its agreement with the tax prep industry and the companies are barred from hiding their free products.
Additionally, the IRS has tried to help avoid consumer confusion between the IRS Free File system and free or low-cost versions offered by the companies themselves. To make sure you are using the IRS Free File system, go to IRS.gov/freefile to review your choices.
Other options to file for free remain intact. These include those provided by the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program or Tax Counseling for the Elderly, offered by AARP, as well as the IRS Free File Fillable forms, which are electronic versions of its paper forms.
The life and legacy of Kobe Bryant
AUDIO:
Kelley Evans………..Editor, Writer, and Producer with ESPN
Jeff “Coach” Wims……Announcer with HUR Voices with Sirus XM Ch. 141
Phone Guest: Tracey Murray………..Former Assistant Coach with Los Angles Lakers
Randy Waldman, a helicopter flight instructor who lives in Los Angeles, said the radar tracking data he’s seen leads him to believe the pilot got confused in the fog and went into a fatal dive.
CALABASAS, Calif. (AP) — A veteran pilot who plunged into a Los Angeles-area hillside, killing Kobe Bryant and eight others, had tried to avoid fog so heavy that it had grounded police choppers, authorities said.
But even experienced pilots may have only seconds to act when they are blinded by weather, an expert said as investigators began scouring the wreckage for clues to Sunday morning’s crash.
The NBA postponed the Los Angeles Lakers’ next game against the Clippers on Tuesday night after the deaths of the retired superstar and the other victims.
Bryant’s death at age 41 was mourned around the world in an outpouring of shocked grief. And while the official investigation into the cause of the crash was just beginning and crews were still working to recover the bodies, experts and armchair pilots alike already were flooding social media and the airwaves with speculation.
One popular theme was the weather. Dense fog had settled along part of the flight path.
The chartered Sikorsky S-76B was a luxury twin-engine aircraft often used by Bryant in traffic-jumping hops around the LA area’s notoriously congested sprawl. It was heading from John Wayne Airport in Orange County to Camarillo Airport in Ventura County when it crashed in Calabasas.
Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and the other passengers were heading to Bryant’s Mamba Sports Academy, a youth sports center in Thousand Oaks. Bryant was to coach a basketball tournament there in which his daughter was supposed to play.
Also killed were John Altobelli, 56, longtime head coach of Southern California’s Orange Coast College baseball team; his wife, Keri; and daughter, Alyssa, who played on the same basketball team as Bryant’s daughter; and Christina Mauser, a girls’ basketball coach at a Southern California elementary school.
The pilot, Ara Zobayan, was chief pilot for the craft’s owner, Island Express Helicopters. He also was a flight instructor, had more than 8,000 hours of flight time and had flown Bryant and other celebrities several times before, including Kylie Jenner.
“He was such a nice man,” Jenner wrote on Instagram.
Randy Waldman, a helicopter flight instructor who lives in Los Angeles, said the radar tracking data he’s seen leads him to believe the pilot got confused in the fog and went into a fatal dive.
The aircraft’s speed “means he was completely out of control and in a dive,” Waldman said.
“Once you get disoriented your body senses completely tell you the wrong thing. You have no idea which way is up or down,” he said.
“If you’re flying visually, if you get caught in a situation where you can’t see out the windshield, the life expectancy of the pilot and the aircraft is maybe 10, 15 seconds,” Waldman said.
Some experts raised questions of whether the helicopter should have even been flying. The weather was so foggy that the Los Angeles Police Department and the county sheriff’s department had grounded their own choppers.
“He could have turned around and gone back to a safer place with better visibility,” Waldman said.
However, “a lot of times somebody who’s doing it for a living is pressured to get their client to where they have to go,” Waldman said. “They take chances that maybe they shouldn’t take.”
The helicopter was flying around Burbank, just north of Los Angeles, when the pilot received air traffic control permission to use special visual flight rules, allowing the helicopter to fly in less-than-optimal visibility and weather conditions.
Zobayan was told to follow a freeway and stay at or below 2,500 feet (762 meters), according to radio traffic. The pilot didn’t seem overly concerned although at one point, he asks air traffic controllers to provide “flight following” guidance but is told the helicopter is too low for that radar assistance.
About four minutes later, “the pilot advised they were climbing to avoid a cloud layer,” Jennifer Homendy of the National Transportation Safety Board said Monday.
It was his last message to air traffic controllers.
“When ATC asked what the pilot planned to do, there was no reply,” Homendy said. “Radar data indicates the helicopter climbed to 2,300 feet (701 meters) and then began a left descending turn.”
Two minutes later, someone on the ground called 911 to report the crash. The helicopter had slammed into a hillside and burst into flames.
Details of what followed are still under investigation but there are indications that the helicopter plunged some 1,000 feet (305 meters). It was flying at about 184 mph (296 kph) and descending at a rate of more than 4,000 feet per minute when it struck the ground, according to data from Flightradar24.
The helicopter’s rapid climb and fast descent suggest the pilot was disoriented, said Jerry Kidrick, a retired Army colonel who flew helicopters in Iraq and now teaches at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona.
Disoriented pilots must instantly switch from visual cues to flying the aircraft using only the machine’s instruments, he said.
“It’s one of the most dangerous conditions you can be in,” Kidrick said. “Oftentimes, your body is telling you something different than what the instruments are telling you.”
On Monday, NTSB investigators scoured the area to collect evidence and Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies on horseback patrolled the brushy Calabasas hillside. Homendy said the NTSB expected to be on the scene for five days.
“It was a pretty devastating accident scene,” she said of the widespread wreckage. “A piece of the tail is down the hill. The fuselage is on the other side of that hill. And then the main rotor is about 100 yards (91 meters) beyond that.”
Homendy urged people with photographs of weather in the area at the time of the crash to send them to the NTSB. However, she said investigating teams would look at everything, from the pilot’s history and actions to the state of the helicopter and its engines.
“We look at man, machine and the environment,” she said. “And weather is just a small portion of that.”
___
Condon reported from New York and Koenig from Dallas. Associated Press writer Brian Melley also contributed to this story.
A man shot and killed while sitting in a Prince George’s County police cruiser. Than man;s hands were cuffed behind his back and sitting in the front seat of the cruiser.
Youth 12 and under will no longer be handcuffed when being detained by DC police.
The deadline for the Events DC’s Grants is March 1st.
Important information this morning for non-profit organizations in the District. Events DC is launching another round of Community grants and the deadline to apply is fast approaching. My guests are Jennifer Lawrence – Director of Community Engagement and Government Affairs for Events DC and Theresa Dubois – Senior Community Engagement Manager for Events DC
Events DC is launching the 2nd cycle for its FY20 Community Grant Program. The program provides financial support to non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting youth sports or performing or cultural arts in DC. The application deadline is March 1st. More information here:
Tune in to Taking it to the Streets, weekday mornings at 6:15, 7:08 and 8:40 on the Steve Harvey Morning Show on 96.3 WHUR.
Follow me on facebook and twitter at @bobbygailes for updates and to stay connected.
Listen to this mornings segment here:
AUDIO:
Dr. Michelle Day……..chief radiologist at two Baltimore hospitals
Charrise Jackson Jordan…..Real Housewives of Potomac cast member Charrise Jackson
Guest: Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson……… Christan Radio Host, Author, Pastor, Counselor, and Christian Radio Host
Why Men Shouldn’t Marry A Woman With Several Degrees
The Best urban contemporary album goes to: Lizzo “Cuz I Love You,”
Jay-Z, Beyonce and Others Exude Black Excellence at 2020 Roc Nation Brunch…full story.
Diddy railed on the Grammys Saturday, saying it’s turned a blind eye to black artists … notably, hip-hop artists. Full story.
The 62nd annual Grammy Awards, Alicia Keys, Boyz II Men, Lizzo, and Billie Eilish…Full story.
