Sophie Kaplan

Montgomery County officials work to create police advisory commission

Montgomery County Council members on Monday began working out the details for creating an advisory panel to help improve relations between the community and county's troubled police department.

September 9, 2019

Piano Man Superstore in College Park, Maryland, downsizing, moving

Nick Marjaritas is no Billy Joel, but he nonetheless considers himself the Piano Man -- so much so that he applied the name to his store in College Park.

September 5, 2019

D.C. Council to hold hate crimes enforcement hearing

D.C. Council member Charles Allen said Wednesday he will schedule after summer recess a hearing on the increase of hate crimes in the city and the lack of prosecution of those crimes by the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.

September 4, 2019

Prince George’s County schools expand student support services

Schools reopened Tuesday in Prince George's, Montgomery and Arlington counties, welcoming parents and students after Labor Day weekend for the first day of the school year.

September 3, 2019

Only slight decrease in newly diagnosed HIV cases last year in D.C., says report

A new report shows that there was only a slight decrease in newly diagnosed HIV cases in the District last year, indicating that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is far from meeting her goal of halving the number of new cases by 2020.

September 2, 2019

D.C. area schools to open with new leadership, facilities

Arlington, Montgomery and Prince George's counties are ready for the start of the school year with new facilities, new leadership and a focus on safety and health.

August 29, 2019

Montgomery County may revise order banning ICE from secured jail areas

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich is thinking about revising his executive order banning federal agents from secured areas of the county jail following its release of an illegal immigrant charged with rape for whom immigration enforcement officers had issued a detainer.

August 28, 2019

Farmer’s Almanac predicts colder-than-usual winter for D.C. region

The end of summer in the D.C. area can mean only one thing -- winter is coming. And the 2020 "Farmers' Almanac" says it's going to be a colder-than-usual season.

August 27, 2019

D.C., Fairfax County schools welcome students

Schools reopened Monday in the District and Fairfax County, with officials greeting parents and students after a long hot summer vacation.

August 26, 2019

D.C. area schools to tackle student safety, achievement gap

School starts Monday in D.C. and Fairfax County, and officials are gearing up to tackle issues such as closing the achievement gap, updating curricula and facilities, and ensuring kids feel safe.

August 22, 2019

Jack Evans’ rivals use D.C.’s Fair Elections Program to finance council campaigns

The five Democrats vying to unseat D.C. Council member Jack Evans of Ward 2 in next year's primary are financing their campaigns under the city's new Fair Elections Program, which matches every $50 in private donations from residents only with $250 in public funds.

August 21, 2019

Maryland State Fair organizers beef up security measures after mass shootings across U.S.

Organizers of the Maryland State Fair say security and safety are of the utmost concern, in the wake of recent mass shootings at so-called soft targets across the country.

August 20, 2019

D.C. students’ PARCC scores growing steadily

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Monday announced that an annual assessment of city students' readiness for college and careers has seen steady growth for the fourth consecutive year.

August 19, 2019

Boy Scout installs sign at Douglass Memorial Cemetery in Alexandria, Virginia

A Boy Scout raised funds to install a new sign at the forgotten Douglass Memorial Cemetery in Alexandria to honor the legacy of the former slaves and freedmen buried there.

August 15, 2019

D.C. won’t accept plan for temporary shelter for unaccompanied migrant children

D.C. officials are speaking out against the federal government's plans to construct a temporary shelter for unaccompanied migrant children in the District.

August 14, 2019

Homeless community in D.C. clashes with city’s encampment protocol

Homeless people living in tents under the overpass at First and G streets NE waited anxiously Tuesday for workers from several D.C. agencies to execute the city's encampment protocol.

August 13, 2019

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library undergoing $221 million renovation

The D.C. Public Library system's centerpiece, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, is undergoing a $221 million renovation that will include new spaces to boost training for the city's hospitality industry.

August 12, 2019

Montgomery County Public Schools contract with BusPatrol America questioned

Montgomery County's inspector general is questioning the school system's bus-camera contract with a company that was involved in a bribery scandal in Texas, noting that all of the revenue from bus-camera tickets goes to the company.

August 8, 2019

Jack Evans reaches settlement with D.C. ethics board

D.C. Council member Jack Evans has agreed to a consent settlement with the city's ethics board to resolve its concerns about his reprimand by the council for his use of official resources to conduct personal business.