Remembering Shalita Middleton

They came by the hundreds Tuesday to the 19Th street Baptist church, which is actually located on 16Th street, NW for Shalita Middelton's funeral. There was a busload of students including her cheerleader squad from Delaware State University, in Dover where Shalita was a 17 year old freshman.

Her former classmates from the District's Woodrow Wilson Senior High were there, along with faculty members and cheerleaders.

I was able to talk with a couple of her classmates and the President of Delaware State. Shalita's mom was brought over and gave me a warm hug. Her baby had died last week from the injuries she received in September when shot on the Delaware State campus.

Click on the link to view my report on the funeral, including comments from Shalita's classmates and the DSU President.
http://www.wusa9.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=64594

The Redskins Humiliation!

Photo Courtesy of the Washington Post

I don't cover sports or pretend to know more than Bert Haber, Levan Reid or Sara Walsh who I look to for insight when it comes to the home teams;

but I am a fan and have followed the Skins for more than 30 years.

It seems to me that yesterday's loss to the New England Patriots tells us as much about the Washington Redskins as it does about the Patriots who are the best team in the league.

Let's face it, the home team is not a top tier NFL team. That's a place for the Pats and Colts...The next level might see the Cowboys, Steelers and maybe San Diego and the Giants...

As for the Patriots running up the score. I don't have a problem with how they played the game. In professional boxing you don't stop punching when you have an opponent almost out for the count.

I rather like the idea of going for a first down when you are not backed up to your own goal line, rather than settling for the three point field goal. Both Coaches, Joe Gibbs and Greg Williams said afterwards they didn't have a problem with New England trying to score seven instead of three.

I appreciate how London Fletcher summed up yesterday's loss and what it revealed about the Washington Redskins. He told the Washington Post.

"We got utterly embarrassed in every facet of the football game," said linebacker London Fletcher, a vocal leader in just his first season with the team. "This loss falls on everybody in this organization. I feel like we've got to let it simmer and stew, because I don't ever want to have this feeling again. I don't think you just move on. There's a lot of stuff that happened on this football field today that has to be corrected if we're going to get to our ultimate goal this year."

Tyler Perry, I Apologize!

I must admit I had no interest in seeing Tyler Perry's latest movie, "Why Did I Get Married". I figured it was just another girl flick or a movie with a weak script. I was wrong on both accounts. It's actually good; entertaining with some lessons for all married couples, young and old. Check out the trailer. http://www.whydidigetmarriedthemovie.com/

Library Demolition is a Welcome Sign!

On Thursday, Oct. 11, the District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) began demolishing the Benning Neighborhood Library, the second of four slated to take place throughout the D.C. Public Library (DCPL) system to make way for new permanent neighborhood libraries. The site will be cleared and seeded by early December.

Family in Mourning in Need of Help!

The family of Shalita Middleton is in need of some help during a most difficult time. You know that Shalita died this week from the wounds she sustained when shot on the campus of Delaware State University. Funeral services for the Wilson Senior High grad will be held on Tuesday, October 30th at Nineteenth Street Baptist Church located at 4609 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20011. The viewing will be held from 10am to 12pm and the funeral service will begin at 12pm.

A fund has been set up to assist in the payment of the family’s funeral expenses. Contributions can be sent to “Funds For the Benefit of Shalita K. Middleton”, c/o Bank of America, P.O. Box 2525, Hartford CT 06146-2525. Any assistance that the family can get in that regard would be greatly appreciated

Is It Real or Fake?

Reuters caught a Dutch magician appearing to Levitate in Lafayette Park across from the White House. We're not sure if he had a permit for this demonstration; but it does appear interesting, don't you think?

Click HERE to see for yourself.

Troubled UDC Giving Money Back to City!

The first reaction of faculty and students was "You have got to be kidding"? I visited The University of the District of Columbia, The city's public university, on Monday after the Examiner newspaper broke the story that the school was returning 18 million dollars to the DC Government's Treasury because the administration had not spent the funds by the end of the last fiscal year in September.

In but a few minutes on the Van Ness campus I had faculty members telling me they had not been paid. Students complaining about the lack of computers, paper, and can you believe there is no student center on the campus and no certain plans of even building one in the future? After 9pm there is no place to study on the commuter campus.

The physical structure begs for needed repairs. The President's office where I interviewed Stan Jackson, the interim Pres, was hot as an oven. He kept apologizing. It was near 80 degrees outside.


The point is UDC has no right to return money to the city's coffers. Jackson says it's not as high as 18 million, but he also confirms that past administrations have been returning unspent sums for the past five years. He blames a lack of accountability while bringing in the Inspector General and a yet to be named private auditor to go over the books. Jackson has fired some people and hints that others might also be shown the door.

One source says the fired former President, William Pollard improperly transferred millions into a discretionary fund only to try and put the millions back into the general pool with little or no documentation.

The source says $500,000 was spent one year for catering while part time faculty members are paid $1800 per course.

Only $88,000 per year for the Mass Media Visual and Performing Arts department with more than 400 majors?

One student complained that "we need a football team and a band"..The stuff most colleges have.

There seems to have been a lack of accountability for what's happened at UDC on every level; from the Board of Trustees, ..all the way up to the DC Council and Mayor.

As usual it's the students..about 5,500 of them who lose and I have learned over the years that UDC students are often far more motivated than students at our other bigger campuses. For many UDC, is their first and only chance at improving their position in life.

Snitching to the Cops!

Maybe you have seen the TV reports about young people who refuse to talk with Police...about anything. If they see a crime, regardless of how brutal they won't talk. If their own family member is hurt or killed, chances are they're not talking with police.

There are two reasons for this. Number one is that co-operating in a police investigation can get you killed in some parts of this city. Criminals will do anything to intimidate potential witnesses, including killing them or their loved ones. I've covered such incidents.

Another reason why people in tough neighborhoods don't talk to cops is that it's the code. Your don't "Snitch" to police, for whatever reason.

It's this second excuse that law abiding community activists are trying to change. If more people would speak up there would be less crime and certainly less violent crime.

The group Peaceaholics includes a lot of young people who come from the streets and the criminal justice system. They have changed and now they have set out to change their communities.

Click on this link to listen to the new street definition of snitching.

Fenty decision on Meters in Cabs was an easy one

DC Mayor Adrian Fenty made a decision on Wednesday that many observers of DC government say should have been made years ago--end the taxicab system of charging fares by geographic zones-- and replace it with a time and distance meter system like every other major US city.

DC's taxicab industry has been broken for decades with passengers being short changed or taken for a ride at every turn. Where to begin? Bogus hacker licenses; fraudulent taxi vehicle inspection stickers; passing up black passengers on the streets, among them this reporter, a DC Councilman and the Chairperson of the Taxi Cab Commission.

The zone system is but the biggest scandal. Everybody gets ripped off by either a dishonest hacker who passes through multiple zones in order to collect the biggest fare; or an honest cabbie who really Doesn't know how to get to where you want to go and ends up charging you whatever he can collect!

The millions of tourists who come to DC will appreciate the same meters they see back home.

Local residents can become more confident about their ride when they actually see the time, distance and fare in front of them. No longer will the majority of good, hardworking cab drivers have to constantly explain the actions of the bad operators.

Fenty will get the credit and deservedly so; but it wasn't really a tough decision for the new young Mayor and there is no political cost. Three fourths of the city's sixty five hundred cabbies live outside the District and can't vote.

The cabbies won't complain about the change because they know they recently caught a break from the City.
The DC Council cut the commuter cab drivers some slack by grandfathering them into a bill that requires all future drivers to live in the city in order to register their cabs and put them on DC streets.

In making the change to meters the Mayor is sending a message to the industry and the taxicab commission.

“As we work to become a world-class city, it is essential that all aspects of District government are user friendly, fair and efficient for residents and visitors alike,” said Fenty. “District residents are overwhelmingly in favor of modernizing and simplifying the fare system. By switching to time and distance meters, we meet the needs of the residents and standardize the experience for every taxi passenger.”

The Fenty administration promises to work with the District of Columbia Taxicab Commission to create a timeline and transition plan for all DC taxis.

Better Late Than Never For Fun Fair Closing?

Here's a followup to a blog of a few weeks ago...residents in the Mount Vernon square area are finally getting the relief their sought against Fun Fair Video which apparently was offering up a lot more than adult movies. Here;s the release from the DC Attorney General's office.


JUDGE CLOSES DOWN FUN FAIR VIDEO


Judge Susan Winfield today granted a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) requested by the Office of District of Columbia Attorney General Linda Singer which orders Fun Fair Video to immediately discontinue all business.



The Court ordered that Fun Fair Video may not use the premises for any purpose until further order of the Court. A status hearing is set for Friday, October 19, at 10:30 a.m. before Judge Gerald Fisher in Courtroom 519.



Singer's office on Monday requested D.C. Superior Court to order the adult entertainment shop to immediately stop operating because it was doing so without a certificate of occupancy.



Singer, who has been working closely with Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) Director Linda K. Argo to shut down the shop, said, "Fun Fair Video's doors have been open far too long and it's time that they finally close. I don't care whether you're running a hardware store, a corner grocery or an adult entertainment shop - if you don't have a certificate of occupancy, you are not going to do business in the District."

Fun Fair Video is located at 919 5th St., N.W., and specializes in the sale of erotic entertainment, including videos that show explicit sexual activity. On November 19, 1996, its owner, JMM Corporation, obtained a certificate of occupancy to operate a video membership store at this location. The certificate of occupancy stated that the allowed use was "not sexually-oriented". No other uses were authorized.

After a series of inspections, DCRA revoked Fun Fair's certificate of occupancy because a significant and substantial portion of Fun Fair Video's business was observed to be sexually oriented and because the certificate of occupancy did not authorize the mechanical amusement machines found on the premises.

DCRA also revoked JMM's mechanical amusement machine license finding that "public decency was compromised by the activity in and around Fun Fair Video."

JMM did not close Fun Fair Video, but instead appealed these revocations to the Board of Zoning Adjustment (BZA). On October 1, 2007, the BZA issued a written order denying the appeal. Today, the Office of the Attorney General is requesting the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to order Fun Fair Video to immediately cease operating because it is doing so without a certificate of occupancy.

Another March, Will This be Any Different?

They marched by the hundreds; down Martin Luther King Avenue on Tuesday.

There were youth advocates, ex-offenders and community activists. DC Mayor Adrian Fenty was there, the only elected official to show, it seems.

There were some young adults and teenagers, none of them wanted to do interviews. A few guys even covered their faces. The number of teenage boys and girls wasn't nearly enough to make a real impression; Maybe because the rally was held at noon on a school day.

They were all calling for an end to the violence and for black men in particular to take back their communities and live up to their responsibilities as fathers.

One could be excused for thinking aloud, "been here before ...all this looks, feels and sounds the same'.

Meanwhile DC police were announcing that 19 year old Clifton Coleman had been arrested for allegedly shooting his 15 year old girlfriend in the face on Monday; Reports say Coleman is telling police he may have info on the slaying of slaying of De'Onte Rawlings last month.

Does that make Coleman a "snitch" or a "good citizen". It's hard to tell as hard working community groups like Peaceaholics and Alliance of Concerned Men are trying to convince people to change their definitions and begin co-operating with Police in these violent cases. Can police keep informants and their families safe? That may be the real issue.

Mayor Fenty told Tuesday's crowd that the city will respond with better schools, recreational programs and jobs.

Tyrone Parker of the Alliance of Men says there are people working hard to make a difference but they need the city to step up with the resources.

Fenty responds that "adults in the community must also step up". They're both right or Tuesday's march was just another waste of every body's time.

A DC Youth Explains Why He is Packing a Gun!

DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier is putting a Gun Recovery Unit on the streets to try and combat the escalating killings and woundings...many of them with teens and young adults as victims and assailants.

Back in the 1990's these cops which included the Delta Unit in Southeast under Lieutenant Lowell Duckett were effective. They captured a lot of guns and locked up a lot of people ...

Before the new Gun recovery Unit hits the streets, the undercover cops might want to give a listen to what a really young crack dealer told me while pulling a gun out of his jeans...

I don't know who the kid was or if he is still alive...I've prayed that he survived the streets...returned to school and maybe found his way into college or some trade; but how likely is that?

To view the report that includes the young gunman's interview click on the link below.Click here to watch the youth with gun story.

More Twists in the De'Onte Rawlings Story

Tragedy continues to follow the family of De'Onte Rawlings and Mayor Adrian Fenty is again caught in the middle of a dispute with some DC Police Officers.


Here's what I know...A relative who had been staying in the home of De'Onte Rawlings died a few days ago and two uniformed DC police officers responded to the residence in Southeast to process or investigate the "natural causes". This is routine as Police must show up at any kind of death in the city.

Also showing up at the Rawlings home was Greg Lattimer the family attorney who this week told me he will file a 100 million dollar lawsuit against DC police and the City for the police slaying of the 14 year old De'Onte Rawlings.

Stay with me on this....

According to two sources Mayor Adrian Fenty calls the Rawlings residence while everyone is there.

He is returning a call Mister Rawlings had made to him to complain about a relative getting a parking ticket during De'Onte's funeral two weeks ago. Mayor Fenty had used funds from his constituent service coffers to pay for De'Onte's funeral.

This angered DC Police as did the Mayor's public comments immediately following the slaying. The FOP had accused Fenty of taking sides with the Rawlings family against the two police officers involved in the shooting.

According to my sources who were in the room, Fenty tells Mister Rawlings he can't do anything about the tickets. The Mayor also expresses shock at hearing that the family has been hit by yet another death. Mister Rawlings, on his cell phone, had the Mayor on "speaker" so everyone in the room could hear.


This is where it gets interesting...

Everyone agrees, Mr Rawlings goes into a rant, telling Fenty "I want those two police arrested for killing De"Onte".

This is where the parties disagree on what happened; Fenty, according to the two uniformed Officers who relayed their concerns to others, tells Mr Rawlings that "We'll Get them".

Attorney Lattimer disputes that. He says the Mayor told Mister Rawlings that a Grand Jury would probably get the case and there would have to first be indictments.

The two uniformed officers were adamant and reported what they heard to the FOP. One of them said they were so upset by the Mayor's conversation they left the room.

Mayor Fenty has said repeatedly the shooting death of the Southeast teen "raises questions"; but he challenged anyone to find and statement where he has sided against police.

Fenty brought in the Justice department to investigate the shooting. He hasn't added to his earlier remarks even with the Medical Examiner's report that concludes Rawlings was shot in the back of the head and his hands had no gun powder residue which suggests he hadn't fired a gun. Police say the teen was killed during a running gun battle with police.

I've got a call into the Mayor's office...will post later with more info on this...

City is Sued by Deaf Citizens

A group representing the District's deaf population has filed a class action suit. Here's part of the release.

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 11, 2007 – The District of Columbia government routinely discriminates against its citizens who are deaf and hard 0f hearing by failing to provide for adequate communication with D.C. government agencies, according to a class action lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court today.

The lawsuit, filed by two D.C. residents who are deaf and the Equal Rights Center, a non-profit civil rights organization, claims that the District government regularly violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the federal Rehabilitation Act, and the D.C. Human Rights Act by failing to provide reasonable accommodations, such as qualified sign language interpreters and teletypewriters (“TTY’s”), to assure adequate communication with members of the public who are deaf or hard of hearing. As a result, residents who are deaf and hard of hearing are routinely denied access to D.C. government services, benefits, activities, and programs.

I'll keep you posted on the City's response

De'Onte Rawlings Attorney to ask for $100 Million

The Attorney for De'Onte Rawlings tells me that he is going to file a wrongful death suit against the Metropolitan Police Department and DC Government and he'll ask for in the neighborhood of $100 million dollars.

Greg Lattimer says his own investigation has concluded that De'Onte did not steal police officer James Haskel's mini bike which prompted Haskel and his police partner Anthony Clay to show up at Highland Dwellings on September 17Th.

Lattimer further claims his probe and the Medical Examiner's autopsy conclude that the 14 year old youth did not have a gun that night and did not fire at the officers.

Lattimer says he has confirmed from Highland dwelling neighbors that Officer Haskel and De'Onte Rawlings have had prior encounters; that Haskel has "harassed the boy" in the past about alleged drug activity and shootings in the area.

The Attorney says De'Onte was sitting on his own ten speed bike that night...and that he has talked to witnesses who say they saw the off duty cops circling the area in their personal vehicle and then later peering out the windows with their guns drawn and still later chasing De'Ontes into the "cut" where a single shot was heard.

Police contend that the officers were fired on first by De'Onte and did not have time to identify themselves as Officers.

The Autopsy report says Rawlings was killed by a single shot to the back of the head. It also says the teen suffered from numerous cuts and bruises caused by blunt force trauma.

Lattimer contends De'Onte was either physically beaten or struck by the officers vehicle before he fled and was shot. Police have said the teen was shot during a running gun battle with the officer.

A well connected police source argues the cuts and bruises could have resulted from his fall after being shot.

Greg Lattimer in our conversation Wednesday charges Police and Justice Department Officials have completed their preliminary report which is sitting on Police Chief Cathy Lanier's desk;

Police spokesperson Traci Hughes this afternoon said the DC Attorney General would respond once a lawsuit is filed. Hughes says there is no news on the Justice department investigation into the Rawlings slaying. She says the US Attorney and FBI are conducting the probe while MPD is looking into whether the officers followed administrative policy.

Hughes wouldn't confirm if there is a preliminary report on Police Chief's Cathy Lanier's desk.

Lattimer says he talked to as many as 30 people who claim to have seen police chasing De'Onte. Lattimer says his witnesses never saw the teen with a gun or on a mini bike. The medical examiner found no gun residue on the teen and the gun police say he was firing has not been recovered.

Lattimer says he'll file the 100 million dollar lawsuit on behalf of the Rawlings family next Thursday or the following Monday.

Meanwhile I talked with an elderly woman, Mary Whittaker, a 19 year resident at Highland Dwellings. She told me she was outside when De'Onte was killed. "I heard three shots" she said and then went into the house. Ms Whittaker says a number of people retreated quickly into their homes as they always do when they hear gunshots in the Southeast neighborhood.

De'Onte Rawlings Update

The following information was taken from Valencia Mohammedi's column in the Afro American on Tuesday, October 9th..


...almost two dozen youth say they witnessed the incident. . .

A group of elderly women, who said they were less than 15 feet from the shooting, claim to have heard only one shot fired and saw no identification by the police officer. "We didn't look around the corner to see what happened because shots are being fired in this area all the time. That's why they [police] have that thing on top of that building over there," said 80-year-old, Mary Whitaker

The device the women were referring to is known as a "shot spotter." The FBI installed shot spotter or gunshot location system technology is a device used for rapid response tactical deployment of police to a crime scene involving firearms.

DeOnte's family and friends are demanding the FBI determine from the technology how many shots were fired; the direction from which the shots were fired; whether DeOnte shot at the officer and if the officer shot DeOnte at close range.

The other account was that a car with dark tinted windows kept circling the alley and that there was no identification by police. Because there have been ongoing feuds in the neighborhood, someone began to shoot (not Deonte) at the vehicle fearing it was a driveby. The police officer shot at DeOnte. The victim fell between a fence and Whitaker's home.

Neighbors said although police found several casings in the area, they could be linked to other shootings in the area, not this incident.

De'Onte Rawlings Autopsy Dispute

DC Police sources and the attorney for De'Onte Rawling's family have different interpretations of what the Medical Examiner found during the autopsy of De'Onte Rawlings.

A well connected Police source says the unexplained injuries to the 14 year old's face, shoulder, buttocks, head and left side of the body could have come after he was struck by the police bullet and crashed to the ground...

Police claim the teen was shot and killed during a running gun battle with an off duty Police officer who returned fire after being fired on...

Greg Lattimer calls the police source account "hocus pocus" and says there is no way De'Onte could have fallen off a mini bike and sustained blunt force trauma to both the front and backside. "You either fall forward or backward" said Lattimer who is planning on filing a multi million wrongful death lawsuit against Police and the DC Government.Lattimer claims De'Onte was either beaten or struck by the police officers private vehicle before he was shot while fleeing police. . The Medical examiner concluded the teen died from a single gunshot wound to the back of the head.He further concluded there was no gunpowder residue on the teen's hands which indicates he had not fired a gun.

The Kingdom

Saw the blockbuster the kingdom this past weekend...Let's give it two stars..lots of action and mayhem which this reporter likes; but really...what arrogance! Our team headed by Jamie Fox takes no losses after stumbling into the enemy's armed encampment and why did the Saudi Colonel who tried to help us, get killed? Script was weak...reminded me of the old John Wayne war movies..click on the link below to see the trailer for the kingdom

http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/thekingdom/index.html

Doing It in the Park

From Metroblogging...

Rock Creek is My Nature Fix
posted by Wayan at 10:14 AM on October 03, 2007
Wayan's DC PhotosNow that the fall is here, and the weather perfect, where do you go for your green fix? Where is your bit-o-nature?
For me it's Rock Creek Park. Closed to traffic, and open to cyclists and runners, the roads and trails are the perfect mix of urban and wild. Nature and man coexisting in the middle of Washington DC.
It also helps that I live a short run away and I can have brunch after my bike.
But still, I don't understand those that travel far to see big trees and little streams. We have a whole wild world right in our midst, no state line crossing needed.
No hour-plis on highways or backroads, this is what you can see in minutes, for hours.

Trouble at UDC?

Jonetta Rose Barras reports in her most recent e-column that huge sums of money are being scrutinized at UDC.

"UNIVERSITY of the District of Columbia officials may have misappropriated as much as $10 million in local and federal funds. The Inspector General has been asked to conduct a thorough audit of several programs where the misspending may have occurred, say sources at the school."

“UDC’s budget is a false statement. Money is being reprogrammed all the time, “ says one senior official at the school, adding, “In some instances money was spent without contracts.

“[Former President William] Pollard might even be in trouble,” continued the source. “He took money from the reserve fund and created a discretionary fund that exceeded the legal amount.”

At issue are three programs: workforce development, allied health, and a training project to place teachers in charter schools. Also under scrutiny is the so-called discretionary fund created and used by Pollard, who was forced out of office in June. The board of trustees appointed Stanley Jackson as acting president

Autopsy Report for De'Onte Rawlings

The DC Medical Examiner has concluded that 14 year old De'Onte Rawlings died from a single gunshot wound to the back of the head.

His report also shows the teen's body displayed numerous cuts and bruises from blunt force trauma.

Greg Lattimer, Attorney for the family charges De'Onte was beaten by off duty DC Police officers James Haskel and Anthony Clay or struck by their vehicle before he was shot while trying to flee.

The officers say they were in the neighborhood looking for a mini bike that had been stolen from Haskel's garage. They claim the teen fired on the officers first and was then shot during a pursuit.

The Medical examiner concluded there was no powder residue on the teen the day after the shooting when the autopsy was done; Lattimer says this confirms the family's contention that the 14 year old never possessed or fired a gun.

The FOP is refusing comment after yesterday accusing Mayor Adrian Fenty of siding with the family over police; But one police source said he found nothing in the autopsy report to dispute the off duty police officer's claims.

Mayor Fenty's initial reaction to the autopsy was to reiterate his earlier position that they are questions surrounding the slaying of De'Onte Rawlings and that's why he asked the US Attorney and the FBI to investigate.

To view the entire De'Onte Rawlings Autopsy report click on the links below.

Click HERE to read page 1
Click HERE to read page 2
Click HERE to read page 3
Click HERE to read page 4
Click HERE to read page 5
Click HERE to read page 6
Click HERE to read page 7
Click HERE to read page 8
Click HERE to read page 9
Click HERE to read page 10

Barry Robbed!

DC Councilman Marion Barry isn't talking about it..much; but he confirmed to this reporter today that his rented duplex in Southeast was burglarized.

Barry says "they kicked in the back door and came through that way". The former four term Mayor says his wrist watches and other jewelry were stolen along with lots of clothes belonging to his son, Christopher.

I ran into Barry at the Highland Dwellings housing project where he showed up, along with Mayor Adrian Fenty to help the anti violence group, Peaceaholics, announce plans for stopping the shootings while taking back the community.

Baseball Stadium Jobs

Artist"s Rendering DC baseball Stadium

A story in today's Washington's Post confirms what we reported first on Nine news now...that efforts to hire DC residents for 50 percent of the jobs at the new publicly funded baseball stadium have fallen short.

Nine News Now reported last week that roughly 35 percent of the jobs at the new stadium going up in Southeast had gone to city folk.

The Post story today put the figure at about 32 percent. The construction firms charged with hiring blame the city's poorly trained workforce...

It's going to be interesting to see if 50 percent of the jobs at the new Convention center Hotel construction site will go to DC residents. That's the agreement for the Marriott project that will get lots of government funding....the DC government has at least eight months to get people into training before construction begins.

No News is Bad News in Slaying Probe

Okay, it's been two weeks now and the public is still left in the dark about what happened between a couple of off duty plainclothes DC police officers and 14 year old De'Onte Rawlings.


Police say the kid had a gun and opened fire on them while riding away on one of the officer's stolen mini bike. De'Onte was shot and killed by one of the officers who says he was giving chase and returning fire. The bike has been recovered far away from the Southeast neighborhood and we can assume every available cop is now looking for "the kid's gun" which seemed to have vanished on the scene.


De'Onte's family insists that he never had a gun. Some neighbors say someone else may have fired on police. Their personal vehicle reportedly showed signs of having been hit; but that same vehicle was driven away from the scene and later returned.


This all sounds fishy to a lot of people; but here's one suggestion from a reporter who has been in the streets for decades. Money!!!!! How about offering a reward for anyone who can produce the gun that Police say De'Onte Rawlings was firing that evening?


If it's enough money, someone will come forward even if it means turning on family; as long as they can remain anonymous and be protected. Witness protection may be necessary in this case.

One law enforcement source says a money reward could pose a problem in that no one has determined what if any crime has been committed on either side. Okay! But I'm sure the FBI which is now conducting a probe has the means to pay informants handsome sums if it means bringing someone to justice or perhaps in this case clearing the names of a couple of career cops and a department that already is strapped with 143 murders...12 more murders than this city had in all of last year...