<![CDATA[NBC4 Washington - Top Stories]]> Copyright 2013 http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/top-stories en-us Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:30:58 -0400 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:30:58 -0400 NBC Owned Television Stations <![CDATA[Metro Identifies Problem With Emergency Call Buttons]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:27:08 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Metro+Emergency+Call+Box.jpg

Metro identified a major issue with emergency call buttons on its trains Tuesday.

According to Metro, dozens of trains per day have been without functioning emergency intercoms for a lengthy period.
 
The problem exists with trains that have 6000-series rail cars in the lead. The newer electronics on those cars had trouble communicating with some older cars in the train, specifically 1000- and 4000-series cars, the transit agency said.
 
When that mismatch occurred, drivers could not get emergency messages from passengers farther back in the train, Metro said. That's what happened Monday after two men started fighting aboard a train shortly before the Woodley Park stop. The fight then spilled onto the platform.
 
Passengers aboard the train told News4 they tried to alert the driver of the train by using the emergency call system but got no response.
 
"Honestly, I was terrified," Yasmine El-Sabawi said. "There was a woman in front of me and a couple of other people who were ducking just in case there was gunfire, and to think that the emergency button wasn’t working ... I was right next to it, couldn’t hear anybody responding and I was completely, sort of, paralyzed by my fear."
 
Metro said it reconfigured trains overnight to eliminate the issue before the transit system opened Wednesday. The train where passengers witness Monday's fight did have that problematic configuration of cars, Metro said Wednesday.
 
Metro engineers worked on the issue for months in response to reports of intercom failures from passengers and employees.
"Now that the issue has been identified and verified by engineering staff, we are taking appropriate action to immediately mitigate the situation and resolve it as quickly as possible," General Manager and CEO Richard Sarles said in a statement released Wednesday.
 
Metro also will conduct a review to determine if the issue should have been detected and addressed sooner.
 
The intercom signals are carried from car to car through the “train-line” cable, which also carries audio for PA announcements, electronic commands for the doors and data for LED signs.
 
Engineers determined the signal level in 1000 series cars was too low for a leading 6000-series car to recognize. Different resistors on electronic boards in control panels on the 184 6000-series cars will fix the problem, Metro said. Those upgrade should be complete within 45 days.

The issue with the 4000 series requires a software upgrade in the 4000-series cars for which there is no timetable.

Once the upgrades are complete, 6000-series cars will again be able to lead 1000- and 4000-series cars.

Metro also began spot checks by safety officers of intercoms on trains in service Wednesday morning.
 
Metro has said it also will install new instructions for its emergency call button system in its trains, so that passengers know how to use them in an emergency.
 
But passengers remain concerned that their calls for help on the call buttons went unanswered. "We don't need new instructions on how to use it," El-Sabawi said to NBCWashington via Twitter today. "When there's panic, people are just going to hit the button and it MUST work.
 
"This is Washington, D.C.... is Metro prepared for - God forbid - something like the 7/7 bombings? Buttons won't even work to report a fight," El-Sabawi said.
 

Related Stories:



Photo Credit: NBCWashington.com]]>
<![CDATA[Metro Wants More Tests on Transit Center]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:07:40 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Silver+Spring+Paul+Sarbanes+Transit+Center.jpg

In spite of a 2008 agreement for Metro to take control of the Silver Spring Transit Center, a Metro official says the company will not do so without seeing the results of new tests, according to The Washington Post.

The transit center is two years and millions of dollars over budget due to a series of problems, including weak and cracked concrete and a need for greater steel support in the roadway.

The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority agreed in 2008 to take over the center when it was completed. However, those issues, along with rising costs of maintenance, have caused the company to reconsider that commitment, the Post reported.

According to the Post, Metro's Assistant General Manager Rodrigo Bitar told the Montgomery County Council Tuesday they would need to perform more tests on the center. Metro wants a better sense of maintenance costs and potential future problems with the project.

There would be two new tests: one to see how waterproof the structure is, and one to ensure the strength of key beams and girders, according to the Post.

There is still no set date for when the center might open.

Currently scheduled repair work on the center will begin in July.



Photo Credit: NBCWashington.com]]>
<![CDATA[Driver ID'd in Fatal Montgomery Co. Crash]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:30:59 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Veirs_Mill_Road_crash.jpg

Montgomery County police have identified the man killed when his car struck a utility pole on Veirs Mill Road Wednesday morning.

Roy V. Tjongarero, 29, of Silver Spring was traveling eastbound on Veirs Mill Road when his 2013 Honda Accord left the road near Turkey Branch Parkway and struck a utility pole. Police were called to the scene just after 3 a.m. and found Tjongarero's car on a secondary road.

Tjongarero, who was the only occupant in the car, died at an area hospital.

Police ask that anyone who may have witnessed the accident call the Collision Reconstruction Unit at 240-773-6620.

 

 

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<![CDATA[2 Arrested in Plot to Use X-Ray Weapon]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:05:29 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/handcuffs+hand+cuffs.jpg
Two upstate New York men, one who prosecutors say is a member of the Ku Klux Klan, have been arrested for allegedly conspiring to develop a portable X-ray radiation machine capable of emitting lethal doses of radiation that they intended to use against Muslims and "enemies of Israel."
 
Eric Feight, 54, and Glendon Crawford, 49, were arrested in the FBI sting operation. Prosecutors say they wanted to adapt the device into a system that could be turned on and off from a distance.
 
Officials said the two men wanted the device to be used on unwitting victims who were anti-Israel and that the effects would not be realized until days after exposure. One allegedly sought financing from the Ku Klux Klan and two Jewish organizations.
 
“This case demonstrates how we must remain vigilant to detect and stop potential terrorists, who so often harbor hatred toward people they deem undesirable," said U.S. Attorney Richard Hartunian.
 
Investigators said the device used in the sting was not real and never any danger to the public.  The device that the defendants designed was rendered inoperable, prosecutors said.
 
The head of the New York State Police referred to the case as one that revealed “unthinkable plotting and planning.”
 
Feight and Crawford are charged with material support for terrorism, which carries up to 15 years in prison.  Crawford is from Galway, N.Y., and Feight is from Hudson.    
 
Information on their attorneys was not immediately available.

 

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<![CDATA[News4 I-Team Investigative Unit]]> Thu, 14 Jun 2012 08:22:53 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/iteam-logo2.jpg

Photo Credit: NBCWashington.com]]>
<![CDATA[Miami Heat Fans Left Game 6 Early, Missed Amazing Overtime Win]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:48:47 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/061913+miami+heat+fans+leave+early.jpg

Dozens of Heat fans streamed out of AmericanAirlines Arena Tuesday night in the final minute of the game, missing the incredible comeback by Miami in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

With San Antonio ahead by five points with just 28 second to play, several Heat fans though it was curtains for the 2013 season and started heading to the exits so they wouldn't have to watch the Spurs celebrate on their home court.

"It wasn't our year," said one fan, who was part of the crowd that left the arena before the final buzzer sounded.

"I can't believe they lost, that's the only thing I'm thinking right now," said another fan. "They were oh-so close."

Heat Game 7 Tickets On Sale Wednesday

But when the Heat tied the game with 5.1 second left, several fans tried to make their way back inside, only to be told they wouldn't be let back in due to the policy that prohibits anyone from re-entering the arena.

Fans had to watch the Heat pull out the 103-100 win in overtime on TVs from outside. Miami fans already get a bad rap from the rest of the country, and Tuesday's exodus will only cement their reputation as casual front-runners around the country.

Even though Miami has one of the best attendance records in the NBA since the Big Three came to town three years ago, many regular season home games begin with swaths of empty seats in the lower bowl of the arena thanks to late arrivers.

But that "crime" is nothing compared to missing one of the most amazing finishes in NBA Finals history. Just as people will talk about Ray Allen's gutsy game-tying three-pointer for years to come, so to will they remember the Heat fans who missed it because they wanted to get a jump start on post-game traffic.

PHOTOS: Heat-Spurs Game 6

Tuesday's mini-exodus sparked outcry from Miami natives and national observers. "Gotta beat traffic, you know?" tweeted Miami Herald columnist Dan LeBatard. "So many people have left that I’m honestly embarrassed for this city."

"I think we can agree that leaving an NBA Finals game before its completion is kind of a bad look," said Dan Devine of Yahoo! Sports.

But at least Tuesday's episode was not as bad as the last Game 6 that took place in Miami. During the 2011 NBA Finals, scores of blue-clad Dallas Mavericks fans bought up tickets behind the Dallas bench on the secondary market. This gave the Mavs a bit of a hometown feel as they beat the Heat and clinched their first NBA title.

Game 7 will take place Thursday night. With another championship on the line and Game 6 fresh in their minds, perhaps the Heat fans who left early on Tuesday won't be so foolish to count out their team until the final buzzer has sounded.

Complete Miami Heat NBA Finals Coverage



Photo Credit: NBC6.com]]>
<![CDATA[Ousted Men's Wearhouse Exec Had Board Disputes]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:22:43 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/George_Zimmer.jpg

In a surprise move that shocked many who love "Big and Tall" suits and inexpensive prom tuxedos, the Men's Wearhouse board of directors on Wednesday ousted the face and voice of the company - George Zimmer - from his position as executive chairman, without stating why.

In a statement, the board said it “expects to discuss with Mr. Zimmer the extent, if any, and terms of his ongoing relationship with the Company.”

In light of Zimmer's termination, the Fremont, Calif.-based company also announced that it is postponing its annual meeting of shareholders, which had originally been scheduled for Thursday. The purpose of the delay, the board said, is to re-nominate the existing slate of directors without him.
 
Many know Zimmer from years of commercials where he repeated the same slogan in his folksy voice: “You’re going to like the way you look. I guarantee it.”
 
Zimmer fired back in a statement telling CNBC: "Over the last 40 years, I have built MW into a multi-billion dollar company with amazing employees and loyal customers who value the products and service they receive at MW. Over the past several months I have expressed my concerns to the Board about the direction the company is currently heading. Instead of fostering the kind of dialogue in the Boardroom that has in part contributed to our success, they Board has inappropriately chosen to silence my concerns through termination as an executive officer.
 

 As of Wednesday morning, Zimmer was prominently displayed on the company website, as its founder, including his smiling and pullout quote. There was even a page called "George Zimmer in action" listing his many YouTube videos.
 
And many of his loyal fans quickly jumped on social media, supporting the man they have seen on their television sets for years. "The board is going to hate the way this all turns out. I guarantee it," posted Jack Bagley to the bottom of this story.

The Men's Wearhouse was founded in 1973 and is one of North America's largest specialty retailers of men's apparel, with 1,143 stores.

When Zimmer wasn't selling suits, he spent some time as a medical marijuana activist. Campaign expenditure reports show Zimmer donating more than $150,000 to Prop. 19, an unsuccessful California measure to legalize marijuana in 2010. He also was a major philanthropist to charities he believed in. One was the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, which honored him with an honorary doctor of philosophy in humane letters at a ceremony in San Francisco.

Under his leadership, the Men's Warehouse has been long listted on Fortune's "The 100 Best Companies to Work For" since 1999.

The abrupt departure comes a week after Men's Wearhouse reported that its fiscal first-quarter profit increased 23 percent, helped by stronger margins and an earlier prom season.

In 1971, fresh out of college, Zimmer made his first foray into the clothing industry, working in Hong Kong for six months as a salesman for his father's coat manufacturing business, according to the company website. He was CEO from 1991 to 2011, when he became executive chairman.

In 1973, he and his college roommate opened the first Men's Wearhouse store, which sold $10 slacks and $25 polyester sport coats, in Houston. His personal car was a van with the company logo on the side and clothing racks in the back.

The Men's Wearhouse kept expanding, focusing on large markets where business was sluggish to take advantage of lower real estate costs. It also expanded beyond sports coats and trousers to casual sportswear in the 1980s and then went into the tuxedo rental business in 2000.

Zimmer owned 1.8 million shares of Men's Wearhouse as of the company's May 9 proxy filing, a 3.5 percent stake in the company.

Shares of Men's Wearhouse fell more than 2 percent, or 80 cents, to $36.67 in morning trading. The stock has traded between $25.97 and $38.59 in the past 52 weeks, and ended Tuesday up about 20 percent since the start of the year.


The Associated Press' Anne D'Innocenzio contributed to this report.

 



Photo Credit: AP]]>
<![CDATA[Kids Learn How to "Smoke" Alcohol]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 11:25:32 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/smoking+alcohol+fears.jpg Doctors are growing concerned over a new, potentially dangerous way young people are consuming alcohol: smoking it. Chris Glorioso reports.]]> <![CDATA[Volunteers Sought to Monitor Police Surveillance]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:22:29 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/surveillance7.jpg

One Southern California city is looking for volunteers -- to monitor a new surveillance camera system.

With Banning, Calif., becoming the latest city in Inland Empire to add a surveillance system, Police Chief Leonard Purvis is hoping members of the senior community will apply at the department to join the watch.

The 12 cameras are located at the intersection of Ramsey Street and San Gorgonio Avenue, as well as Repplier and Roosevelt Williams Parks.

The cameras record 24 hours a day and keep up to 30 days of video. Some of the cameras can pan and zoom into areas hundreds of yards away with high-quality resolution.

There are speakers above the cameras so the person monitoring the system can warn the public.

Neighboring Redlands has been using a similar system.

"The chief calls it effective policing," said Liza Kester, a technician with the Banning Police Department.

The idea of installing the cameras came up about two years ago when a 13-year-old girl was raped during daylight hours on a playground set at Roosevelt Williams Park.

Severe budget cuts also played a role, with the department downsizing from 41 officers to 27.

"Burglaries on the rise, thefts on the rise, we wanted to do our part and think outside the box," Purvis said.

Still, some critics don't like the idea of police recording the public 24 hours a day.

"I don't appreciate someone looking over me all the time. I think it goes against what this country stands for," said Matt Buckmaster, who works in Banning.

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<![CDATA[Man Arrested in Connection With UTA Threat]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:26:09 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/UTA-University-of-Texas-at-.jpg

The campus at the University of Texas at Arlington was closed and classes were canceled Wednesday morning due to reports of an armed man headed toward the school.

Dallas police said the incident began when a former UTA student threatened to harm himself with a semi-automatic gun. UTA spokeswoman Kristin Sullivan says the student was last enrolled in 2008 with an undeclared major.

DPD officials said the man barricaded himself in an apartment. While officers searched for the man, police notified UTA officials about the search. Based on that report, UTA took security actions.

"UT Arlington takes these kind of threats very seriously which is why we closed the campus this morning and canceled classes until further notification," Sullivan said.

A UTA emergency alert shortly before 4:30 a.m. Wednesday indicated the campus was closed. Classes and other events were canceled as well.

"There is no imminent threat, however, as a precaution, we're going to make sure the campus is absolutely secure and safe. That's the most important thing," Sullivan said.

At 7:30 a.m., a message posted to the MavAlert Emergency Notifications page on the UTA web site stated the following:

"The UT Arlington campus is closed, and classes, events and summer camps are canceled until further notice as police continue to investigate a report of a man traveling to campus with a gun. Anyone on campus should remain inside. No one should travel to campus."

An alert sent on the MavAlert Emergency Notifications page on the UTA web site stated the campus was reopened around 9:29 a.m. and scheduled events, including classes, would resume at noon.

Additionally, the school has asked for all employees to report to campus as soon as possible.

Sullivan said several thousand people typically would be on campus for summer classes, camps and other activities. UTA's spring enrollment was nearly 34,000 students.

Early Confusion on Threat Details

The alert began as text posted to the school's web site at 4:28 a.m., which stated the following:

"Unconfirmed report Dallas PD informed UTA PD subj. w/ gun may be en-route to UTA campus. If on campus stay indoors/ off campus stay away until further notice."

UTA police said that Dallas police located the individual they believed was possibly headed to the campus. UTA police said that individual was inside an apartment in Dallas but was refusing to come out.

NBC 5 contacted the Dallas Police Department to confirm this information, but dispatch officers said they were unaware of any barricaded subject. The police department later confirmed the information about a man barricaded inside an apartment during a press conference around 11 a.m.

Previously, the university told NBC 5 they planned to release an "all clear" alert. However, an update at 6:17 a.m. stated the following:

"Police continue to investigate unconfirmed reports of a man suspected of traveling to campus with a gun. Stay away from campus or remain indoors until further notified."

NBC 5 's Keaton Fox and Jeff Smith contributed to this report.



Photo Credit: NBC 5]]>
<![CDATA[WATCH: 2nd Round of Potential Juror Questions in Zimmerman Trial]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:46:56 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/061913+george+zimmerman.jpg

The second round of questioning of potential jurors in the George Zimmerman trial was set to begin Wednesday morning.
 
A pool of 40 potential jurors has been reached in the trial, Circuit Judge Debra Nelson announced in court Tuesday, on the seventh day of jury selection in the case.
 
Those potential jurors went through the initial round of questioning, which was focused solely on pretrial publicity.
 
Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder in the February 2012 shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. He has pleaded not guilty, saying he acted in self-defense.

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<![CDATA[Two Additional Arrests Made in NE Murder]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 05:36:03 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Akinwole+Olu+Williams.jpg

Just two weeks after police arrested a suspect on murder charges in connection with the death of 31-year-old Akinwole Olu Williams, two more arrests have been made.

Williams, who often got rides home from co-workers, took the Metro March 14 and was shot right outside of his apartment in the 1000 block of 44th Street NE. He was transported to a hospital and later pronounced dead.

Earlier this month, Deandre Shaheed of Northeast was charged with first degree murder while armed.

Police announced two more arrests were made June 17 - 20-year-old Floyd Neal and 19-year-old Lafeyette Robinson, both of Northeast, were also charged with first degree murder while armed.

Williams' mother spoke with News4 earlier this month, pleading for justice in her son's brutal murder.

"I’m still hurting because no matter what this isn’t going to bring him back," Williams' mother told News4. "They took something that is irreplaceable that no one has the right to do."

RELATED CONTENT:

 

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<![CDATA[Chicago Hospital Allows Visiting Hours for Pets]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:57:43 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/dogs_generic_shelter_puppies.jpg

Sometimes the most effective comfort comes from man's best friend.

Rush University Medical Center took that to heart, adopting a formal policy that allows pets to visit certain patients in their rooms. The hospital became the first facility in the area to officially set such rules in December.

Rush began researching requests for animal visitors in 2010, and in the end, officials decided the reward was worth the risk.

The hospital issued a 21-point list of rules outlining animal visits. Dogs and cats are the only pets allowed, for example, and any messes must be cleaned and sanitized by the handler. Before pets are allowed through the door, the doctor and of course patient must consent to the visit.

Pets must have proof of rabies vaccination and must be groomed and bathed before visiting. They aren't allowed to visit any rooms other than that of the pre-approved patient.

Bernadette Slesinski-Evans and her dachshund Sadie became the first patient to take advantage of the rules.

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<![CDATA[Ex-USC Prof. Wanted by FBI Arrested in Mexico]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:47:09 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/228*120/fbi-list-500-member.jpg

A former USC professor on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted fugitives list for alleged child-sex crimes has been arrested in the resort city of Playa del Carmen in Mexico, authorities said Tuesday - just a day after he was added to the list.

Walter Lee Williams, 65, is wanted on charges of sexual exploitation of children and traveling abroad for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with children. Prosecutor Gaspar Armando Garcia Torres told the Associated Press that Williams was captured late Tuesday while drinking coffee near a park in the Caribbean beach town.

FBI officials confirmed the arrest Tuesday night.

Williams was added to the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list Monday after being indicted on charges of producing child pornography and engaging in sexual acts with minors.

Walter Lee Williams, 64, was the 500th person added to the list since its creation in 1950, the agency announced.

Williams is accused of traveling from Los Angeles to the Philippines in January 2011 to engage in sex acts with two 14-year-old boys and taking sexually explicit pictures of one of them. He allegedly met the two boys online in 2010 and had Internet webcam sessions with them.

Williams was a tenured professor of anthropology, history and gender studies at USC. According to a profile that has since been removed from the USC website, Williams was a founding editor of the International Gay & Lesbian Review and also taught at the University of California, Los Angeles, in the 1980s.

The FBI said Williams preyed upon boys between ages 14 and 17, many of whom live in economically underdeveloped countries.

“Because of his status, he has the means and access to children, and that’s what makes him dangerous,” said FBI Special Agent Jeff Yesensky in a video released by the agency. “He preys on the most vulnerable children.”

Williams was charged in Los Angeles on April 30 with one count of producing child pornography, one count of traveling for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct in foreign places.

The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to Williams’ arrest.

He is a former Palm Springs resident who has an extensive history of travel through Southeast Asia -- specifically the Philippines -- and may travel to Mexico and Peru, the FBI said. He is also affiliated with the Buddhist Universal Association in Los Angeles.

More Southern California Stories:

 



Photo Credit: FBI]]>
<![CDATA[Fort Belvoir to Open New, 270K Sq-Foot Exchange]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 08:18:00 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/216*120/Fort_Belvoir_Exchange.png

Fort Belvoir is unveiling a new, 270,000 square-foot post exchange that military officials say is the largest of its kind on the East Coast and an example of the military's effort to rebrand and modernize the old exchanges.

A special ceremony is planned for Wednesday morning on the base, which has increased in size considerably the past few years under military base realignment.

The new exchange is designed to serve the broader military community, and not just Belvoir families.

It will also feature 22 mall stores, a home and garden section and an expanded food court.

The new Exchange will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
 

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<![CDATA[Mayor Gray Opens New Mixed-Use Apt. Building in NE]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:06:52 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/vincent-gray.jpg

D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray will officially open a new mixed-use apartment building in Northeast Wednesday.

The Nannie Helen at 4800 features 70 affordable housing units, 41 residential parking spaces, a playground and replacement units for residents of Lincoln Heights.

The $19 million building, which is located at 4800 Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE, is within walking distance of several Metro stations.

The ribbon cutting ceremony will begin at 9 a.m.

 

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<![CDATA[Man Smuggles 7 Snakes in His Jacket]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:56:55 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/William-Lamar-061813.jpg

A Tyler snake expert pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to smuggling seven Peruvian snakes into the United States by concealing them underneath his jacket.

William Lamar, 63, was caught with the snakes in August at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. He had purchased the snakes at a market in Lima, Peru, and flew with them in his jacket to Miami and then to DFW, where a Transportation Security Administration officer found them while Lamar was trying to board a commuter flight to Tyler.

Lamar is a partial owner of Colorado-based ecotourism company Green Tracks, according to a representative who answered the phone at the company's listed phone number Tuesday. His biography on the company website states that Lamar also conducts research on reptiles and amphibians for the University of Texas at Tyler.

A university spokesperson confirmed Tuesday that Lamar has been an adjunct professor there but was not able to confirm his current status with the school.

Lamar is the author of at least three books on snakes and reptiles and has been a speaker at an event for the Austin Herpetological Society, among other events in that field.

According to several articles posted online, Lamar has spent decades doing research in the Amazon and leading tours in the region.

According to U.S. Attorney John M. Bales, Lamar stated in an Eastern District of Texas courtroom that he knew he was violating the law by transporting the snakes in his jacket without proper authorization.

Lamar was not available for comment Tuesday.

He could face up to five years in prison at sentencing, according to the U.S. Attorney's office. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

More Dallas-Fort Worth-Area Stories:

Son Remembers Youth Pastor Killed in Crash
Dating Service Delivers Duds, Not Dreams: Former Employee
90,000 Ladybugs Released in Valley Ranch
City Funds New Home After 911 Calls Went Unanswered



Photo Credit: Shutterstock and Green Tracks]]>
<![CDATA[Wanted Man Runs Through Streets of D.C. Without Shoe]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 19:37:09 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Fugitive+Fleeing+061813.jpg

A man wanted on charges in Maryland led police on a wild chase through downtown D.C. Tuesday - all while running without a shoe on.

The suspect, who was already facing trial on unrelated charges, was going through security at a building on Indiana Avenue.

When officers tried to arrest him on a fugitive warrant in Maryland, he sprinted away toward 6th Street and the Archives without one of his shoes. He then boarded a Metrobus, but eight blocks later at 14th and H Streets, police converged, anticipating his arrival.

He then jumped off the bus and led police on a chase, caught on camera by a Czechoslovakian TV news crew.

Within a few blocks, the man was detained by officers.



Photo Credit: NBCWashington.com]]>
<![CDATA[Starbucks to Post Calorie Counts Nationwide]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 04:05:49 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/20121226Starbucks.jpg

Coffee drinkers might soon reconsider splurging on 460-calorie Java Chip Frappuccino at Starbucks.

Beginning next week, the coffee giant will post calorie counts on their menu boards, getting ahead of the federal menu-labeling requirements that will go into effect later this year.

The company’s decision follows its recent smoking ban within 25 feet of stores. These moves demonstrate Starbucks commitment to becoming a health-conscious leader in the food and beverage industry.

It seems as if the change will be a win-win for customers, according to two departments. The Stanford Graduate School of Business found that when calorie information was posted, consumers ordered items with 6 percent fewer calories.

“We are encouraged by the findings highlighted in the Stanford study that show posting calories can have a positive impact on an individual's daily caloric intake,” Starbucks spokeswoman Linda Mills said.

Additionally, market research firm NPD Group found that consumers spent 20 cents less on average per purchase.

So, what does this mean? Restaurants with calorie counts posted on their menu boards may be selling healthier choices to their customers, but may also be losing money in lieu of the change.



Photo Credit: Getty Images]]>
<![CDATA[Yahoo: 13,000 Data Requests From Law Enforcement in Six Months]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 01:34:45 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/161*120/169137348_8.jpg

Do you Yahoo? The government does.

Yahoo says that U.S. law enforcement agencies filed "between 12,000 and 13,000" requests for data from Jan. 1, 2013 to May 31 of this year, according to Reuters.

Yahoo made the announcement in a blog on its Tumblr page. Police most-often request information pertaining not to national security, but in cases concerning "fraud, homicides, kidnappings" and similar cases, according to the news wire.

Some data requests, however, were made under the U.S. Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA, the bit of American security policy brought into mainstream focus by the recent NSA leak.

The NSA, according to documents provided by former employee Edward Snowden, has been "acquiring customer data from" major US tech firms like Yahoo "for years," Reuters reported.
 



Photo Credit: Getty Images]]>
<![CDATA[D.C. Police Investigate Double Shooting in NE]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:48:12 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Generic+DC+Police+Lights+Close+Up+Generic.jpg

A homicide investigation is underway in Northeast D.C. after two gunshot victims were found, one of whom was unconscious.

According to police, crews were dispatched just before 11 p.m. to the 1900 block of Capitol Avenue NE. There they found two men shot, one of whom was not conscious or breathing at the time. The other victim was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Stay with NBCWashington.com and News4 for the latest on this developing story.



Photo Credit: NBCWashington.com]]>
<![CDATA[Water Bills to Double in 10 Years for D.C. Residents]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:26:07 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/220*120/0618-sewers.jpg

Sinkholes, water main breaks and flooding are all symptoms of a big problem underneath D.C. streets, which could double water bills during the next 10 years.

News4's Mark Segraves got an exclusive, first-hand look at the damage underground.

Three billion gallons of raw sewage and rain water are dumped into Rock Creek, the Potomac and the Anacostia annually.

The cause of most of these problems is an antiquated system of water mains and sewers, much of which were built during the Civil War.

"In almost every major city, the infrastructure that's below our feet is slowly deteriorating," George Hawkins with D.C. Water said.

Segraves went 30 feet underground into the historic Tiber Creek sewer, which once flowed from the Potomac through the center of the city. In the 1860s, it became an open sewer running right in front of the Capitol. Ten years later, it was covered with brick and the city as we know it today was built on top of it.

"It was the single most important step in making this city a livable city," Hawkins said.

Today, most of the sewage from the old Tiber Creek sewer ends up at the Blue Plains Treatment Plant. However, the Tiber Creek varies in size - when large amounts of rain pummel the city, sewers like it can't handle it and end up overflowing into basements, streets or rivers.

D.C. Water is working to replace those aging water mains that keep breaking, but it's going to take a significant amount of time and money.

"We foresee rate increases coming almost every year as far as we can see in the future," Hawkins said. "So over 10 years,  you're seeing average bills double."

 

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<![CDATA[Facebook Outage Sparks Online Frenzy]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:24:31 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/214*120/AP120201115306.jpg

Facebook crashed on Tuesday and people took to Twitter to lob complaints, laugh and joke about the outage. Website monitoring site DownRightNow noted that the social network went down at around 9:10 p.m. ET.

Those who tried logging on saw this error message:

As of 11:00 p.m. ET, the site is back up. It is unclear what sparked the outage and how widespread the problem was, NBC News reported.

Were you affected by the outage? Tell us what you did to pass time in the comments section below.



Photo Credit: AP]]>
<![CDATA[High-Pitched Buzzing Noise Keeps Some Shoppers Away]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:39:07 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/WRC_0000000002876871_722x406_34034243522.jpg

A high-pitched noise is keeping some shoppers away from a northern Virginia grocery store -- trouble is, only certain people can hear it.

A buzzing noise emits from the front of an Alexandria Harris Teeter store.

"It sounds like a bunch of birds having fun," Demontriel Adams said.

"There's two different tones," John Tyler said.

The tones project onto the parking lot, but more experienced shoppers are caught off guard when asked about the noise.

"These 70-year-old ears don't hear that!" Mervyn Bowen said.

Young Finn Richardson from Alexandria said he feels as though he is being transported to another world by the noises.

"I feel like I hear a flying monkey or something... like in the 'Wizard of Oz,'" Richardson said.

The noise seems to be generation-specific in nature. In an email, a Harris Teeter spokesperson told News4 the noises are "specifically designed ultrasonic devices to deter birds." The company has been using them for almost 12 years, and they're located in less than 10 local Harris Teeter stores.

The noise does bother some shoppers, who have decided to stay away from the store altogether.

"I just don't like it, so I don't shop at Harris Teeter often," Megan Rolla said.

Three years ago, officials installed a similar device at the Gallery Place commercial strip to discourage teens from loitering. About a month later, the device was removed.

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<![CDATA[Victim's Mother Spends 20 Years Fighting Police Brutality]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:23:04 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/217*120/0618-spencer-pak.jpg

The mother of a man who was shot 14 times by police while in handcuffs 20 years ago has spent years of her life fighting police brutality.

Dorothy Elliott's son, 24-year-old Artie Elliott was pulled over by police 20 years ago in District Heights, Md. for suspicion of D.U.I. He was placed in a police cruiser with his hands handcuffed behind his back.

Officers say he somehow got a hold of a gun, then two officers, one from Prince George's County and one from District Heights opened fire.

"I don't believe firing 22 times saved the officers," Dorothy Elliott said. "He was no threat to them."

The officers who brutally shot her son, striking him 14 times, were never charged. Dorothy took her son's case to the Supreme Court but lost. She has spent her life ever since the shooting fighting for victims of police brutality.

"We are still determined to get justice," Dorothy Elliott said. "We never got a day in court."

Tuesday night, Artie Elliott's family laid flowers at the intersection where he died 20  years prior. Dorothy Elliott said this will be her last vigil, but her quest for justice will never end.

"I resigned to the fact that police think it's closed," she said. "It's never over."

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<![CDATA[Teen Charged in 2009 Drive-by Double Homicide ]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:30:40 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/181*120/handcuffs-shutterstock.jpg

Police say a 17-year-old has been charged for his role in a violent shooting that killed two teens and injured three others.

Just after 4 p.m. Oct. 13, 2009, crews responded to a drive-by shooting in the 5300 block of Clay Terrace NE. Once on scene, they found five juveniles between the ages of 15 and 18 suffering from gunshot wounds.

Two of them, 15-year-old Davonta Artis of NE, and 18-year-old Daquan Tibbs of SE, passed away at a hospital.

Monday, police arrested a 17-year-old and charged him with Murder Two for his role in the incident.

Two other people were arrested in connection with the shooting in January 2009.

RELATED CONTENT:



Photo Credit: Shutterstock]]>
<![CDATA[Huge Plumes of Smoke Funnel Out of Metrobus]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:44:38 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/203*120/0618-metrobus-fire.jpg

Plumes of smoke surrounded a Metrobus in Tenleytown Tuesday evening due to an oil leak, Metro officials said.

The Route 31 bus to Potomac Park was leaking oil, causing a large plume of smoke at approximately 8 p.m. The bus did not catch on fire, but there was a mechanical issue.

Eight customers were onboard at the time and no one was injured, according to Metro officials.

The bus has been taken out of service.

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<![CDATA[Cousteau's Grandson Plans 31-Day Florida Underwater Exploration]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 21:21:48 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Ocean-Generic-5476.jpg

Filmmaker and oceanographic explorer Fabien Cousteau will spend 31 days underwater in Florida exploring the ocean.

Starting Sept. 30, Cousteau will lead Mission 31, where he and his team will live underwater and conduct research experiments, according to his website.

Cousteau's base will be at the underwater lab called Aquarius, which is owned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and managed by Florida International University.  The laboratory is located about 60 feet under sea level in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

This mission will be the longest that Aquarius ever hosted, his website said. Scientists' missions at Aquarius usually last about 10 days, according to NOAA.

The team will research the underwater effects climate change has on corals, sponges and sea life. They will also do experiments to determine how long humans can live without the sun, the effects of long-term high pressure and long-term saturation diving, according to Cousteau's website.

Mission 31 also coincides with the 50th anniversary of his grandfather's greatest legacy. Cousteau's grandfather Jacques-Yves Cousteau led the first attempt at living and working underwater on Conshelf Two.

"When my grandfather's Conshelf Two mission was complete he produced an Academy Award-winning documentary film (World Without Sun), but still received criticism rooted in disbelief of how he captured the mind-boggling underwater scenes," Cousteau said in a statement. "Using the latest camera technology, we will be able to show the world every second of Mission 31 in unedited, real-time and I believe it's going to shock people. We have explored less than five percent of our ocean realms; there's so much more to be discovered."

The Weather Channel partnered with Cousteau to show ongoing coverage, including live reports, the website said.

More South Florida Stories:

 



Photo Credit: Getty Images]]>
<![CDATA[Blagojevich Lawyer Wants More Time to File Appeal]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:42:06 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/blago-crowd-P1.jpg

It looks like the world is going to have to wait a bit longer for Rod Blagojevich's version of why he deserves a new trial.

The former Illinois governor was convicted in 2011 of 17 counts of corruption — including trying to sell President Barack Obama's former Senate seat — and is now serving a 14-year prison sentence.

His appeal was due next Monday, but his legal team has quietly filed a motion asking for nine extra days, "through and including July 3, 2013."

"This motion is necessitated, not by lack of diligence, but because of the length of the trial record," wrote attorney Leonard Goodman, who also cited the complexity of the issues, and the work he is doing on other cases.

Goodman wrote that he and co-counsel Lauren Kaesberg have analyzed more than 10,000 pages of trial transcript and "dozens of tape recorded conversations."

"Additional time is required to finish researching the law and writing the argument sections of the brief," Goodman writes. "Counsel has discussed the need for an extension of time with Mr. Blagojevich, who understands and accepts the need for this request."

Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison. He is serving his sentence at the federal prison in Englewood, Colo. Even with time off for good behavior, his earliest release date would come in 2024.



Photo Credit: AP]]>
<![CDATA[Want to Smell Like a Hokie?]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:31:15 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/180*120/80253361.jpg

Want to smell like a hokie?

Masik Collegiate Fragrances is creating a signature smell for Virginia Tech as it has for 11 other universities.

The company says it creates fragrances that reflect each school’s unique and distinguished character.

For Tech, that translates into scents like sparkling bergamot, fresh orange blossom crisp cedarwood, black peppercorn, sage leaf,aromatic vetiver, sea moss and molten amber for the men's cologne.

For women, the scents include crisp marine air, orange valencia, kaffir lime, golden apple, succulent tamarind, jasmine petals, marigold, muguet, touch of violet leap, exotic rosewood, amber woods, skin musk and fresh cut wood.

The company said it considers school colors, mascot spirit, traditions and history, landmarks and architectural style, campus trees and flowers, mission statements, college town character, and themes in the alma mater and fight songs as inspiration.

The perfume is expected to be available starting Aug 18. It will be sold at the Virginia Tech Bookstore, Belk and through the company's website.

Masik already markets perfumes for the University of North Carolina, Penn State, Louisiana State, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Florida State and Oklahoma.

In addition to Virginia Tech, Masik expects to add Ole Miss, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Kentucky, Texas A&M and Clemson in August.



Photo Credit: Getty Images]]>
<![CDATA[Fairfax County Votes to Expand Home Day Care]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:30:28 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/224*120/0618-child-care.jpg

Tuesday, the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted in favor of allowing supervision for up to 12 kids at home day cares with a permit.

A townhall addressing the change will be hosted July 20 by Fairfax County, followed by workshops to "assist providers" with necessary paperwork, according to county chairman Sharon Bulova's office.

The maximum of 12 kids only applies to single family homes with permits - the number shrinks to seven in townhouses with a permit. Without a permit, only five are allowed in townhouses and only seven in single family homes.

"I'm happy the limit was raised," Cece Holman, who runs a home day care in the Reston area told News4. "I believe they should have added townhomes into the decision to allow 12. This is going to  put a lot of child care businesses out of business. I think it should be on a case by case basis. "

A permit fee for home day care providers will also be reduced.

The July 20 meeting will be held in the board auditorium at the Fairfax County Government Center from 10 a.m. through noon.

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<![CDATA[San Jose Sues MLB Over A's Move]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:35:30 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/204*120/EastView_wContext.jpg

The City of San Jose has filed a lawsuit against Major League Baseball Tuesday regarding the Oakland A's move to San Jose.

San Jose claims MLB is unjustly standing in the way of the A's move, which owner Lew Wolff has been attempting to do since 2004.

The lawsuit names MLB Commissioner Bud Selig specifically.

According to the lawsuit, MLB has stalled any progress in getting the MLB owners to vote on whether the A's can move to San Jose. Click to view lawsuit (PDF).

San Jose has been in the mix as a possible location for the team since at least 2009. The city has a stadium site, a sponsor and artist renderings of the field (photos to the right).

But any potential move by the A's to San Jose would need MLB approval. That's because the San Francisco Giants claim they have the exclusive rights to Santa Clara County under the MLB Constitution.

San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed and city leaders held a news conference to announce the suit Tuesday.

VIDEO: Fans React to San Jose Suing MLB to Move A's

City Councilman Sam Liccardo noted a recent incident at coliseum that left players without the use of the locker room showers as proof the team needs a new stadium.

"Nothing says do you know the way to San Jose like backed up sewage in locker rooms," Liccardo said. On Sunday, backed up pipes from a big crowd had raw sewage spewing into the clubhouse. Liccardo said San Jose can do better. "Hopefully, MLB still knows that tune."

Reed noted that the city has made an "exhaustive" four-year effort to work with Major League Baseball to resolve any concerns about our city’s capacity to host a major league ballclub. 

“During that time, it has become abundantly clear that Major League Baseball prefers to use territorial restrictions as an excuse to restrict commerce and prevent the Athletics from relocating to San Jose. This restriction is costing San Jose residents millions of dollars in new annual tax revenues that could go towards funding more police officers, firefighters, libraries, gang prevention efforts, road repairs and other critical city services," Reed said.

The lawsuit claims it comes after "the blatant conspiracy by Major League Baseball (“MLB”) to prevent the Athletics Baseball Club from moving to San Jose. For years, MLB has unlawfully conspired to control the location and relocation of major league men’s professional baseball clubs under the guise of an “antitrust exemption” applied to the business of baseball."

"I have no details," A's owner Lew Wolff told NBC Bay Area. "However, I am not in favor of legal action or legal threats to solve business issues."

“This is an economic rape and pillage. It’s all about greed. This is not only a legal case, this is a moral outrage," Joe Cotchett, the attorney representing San Jose, told NBC Bay Area. “[It's] the tenth largest city in the nation… being subjected to a cold shoulder by Bud Selig.”

Regarding fan support in Oakland and the possibility of taking the team away from there, Cotchett said, “The fans of the A’s are going to continue to be the fans of the A’s, and they’re going to drive a few more miles. But you know what they’re going to have? They’re going to have a beautiful new stadium. It’s going to be competitive. They can go to the bathrooms without a sewer problem, and they can eat some good food and they will be delighted with a brand new stadium.”

Oakland Mayor Jean Quan said she is still hoping the A's will stay in Oakland. 

"Instead of lawsuits, Oakland is focused on building a new stadium for the A’s here in their hometown. We’ve offered two sites: Howard Terminal is a beautiful waterfront location facing the Bay, and Coliseum City is one of the great development projects of our time. Both would make fantastic sites for a new stadium," Quan said.

San Jose hired high-powered lawyer Joe Cotchett to represent San Jose.

The San Francisco law firm of Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy explained the suit this way:

The City of San Jose, individually and as successor agency to the Redevelopment Agency of the City of San Jose, and the San Jose Diridon Development Authority, sued Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Commissioner Huber “Bud” Selig. The Complaint alleges that Major League Baseball interfered with San Jose’s prospective economic advantage and conspired to prevent the Athletics Baseball Club from relocating to San Jose, California, in violation of Federal and California antitrust laws.

The firm has handled some of the largest antitrust cases in the nation and represented the NFL in similar litigation.

In order to override the Giants' territorial claim, Wolff would have to convince at least 75 percent of MLB team owners and Selig to favor moving the A's to San Jose. So far, the owners have not even called for a vote on the issue.

For now, the A's continue to play in the aging O.co Coliseum in Oakland.

San Jose officials cited an independent economic analysis report that showed the ballpark would generate the following benefits:

  •   $5 million per year in new tax revenues to the City and other local governments
  •   $130 million per year in total net new economic output
  •   Nearly 1000 new full and part-time jobs.

 Major League Baseball representatives said the league will have no comment on the suit.



Photo Credit: Gensler Architecture]]>
<![CDATA[Vincent Orange Quiet About Federal Subpoena]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:23:30 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Vincent+Orange.jpg

D.C. Councilmember Vincent Orange wouldn't talk Tuesday about a federal subpoena seeking his campaign records issued last week as part of a wide-ranging probe into city political campaigns.

At a Council session, he only spoke to reporters about food truck legislation.

Orange, who avoided reporters last week, declined to answer questions or appear on News4's camera to discuss the federal subpoena, referring instead to a printed statement that he is cooperating with authorities.

Orange last year acknowledged receiving "suspicious" contributions from Jeffrey Thompson, the D.C. businessman at the heart of the ongoing, two-year-old federal investigation into a shadow campaign that spent $650,000 off the books for Mayor Vincent Gray's 2010 election. 

Lee A. Calhoun -- a Thompson business partner -- is due in federal court Thursday, when he is expected to plead guilty to handling fake campaign contributions. Calhoun is the first Thompson insider who may shed light on the alleged contribution scheme.

U.S. Attorney Ronald Machen's investigation is trying to detail a pattern of improper campaign contributions by Thompson and others that dates back more than a decade, sources said.

Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said he hopes the cloud soon will be lifted.



Photo Credit: NBCWashington.com]]>
<![CDATA[Measles Alert for Dulles Airport Travelers]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:32:14 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/50800426.jpg

People who traveled through Dulles International Airport earlier this month may have been exposed to measles.

Health officials are telling anyone who was at the airport June 7 between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to be on the lookout for symptoms.

The specific locations of concern are concourse A or B, the international arrivals building, or in the baggage claim level of the main terminal.

Measles is very contagious and is spread through coughing, sneezing and contact with secretions from the nose, mouth and throat of someone who's infected.

Symptoms usually start with a fever of 101 degrees or higher, along with a runny nose, watery red eyes and a cough. The a rash appears about three to seven days later.

Health officials recommend you call your primary health care provider if you have symptoms.

They say if you make it past June 28 without symptoms, you are likely in the clear.

More information is available from Virginia state health officials the Loudoun County Health Department at 571-233-7317.



Photo Credit: Getty]]>