Northeast

Lawmakers pass ‘Secure DC’ anti-crime bill after business groups warn of ‘alarming’ trend of violence

Published

2 years ago

March 7, 2024

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Lawmakers pass ‘Secure DC’ anti-crime bill after business groups warn of ‘alarming’ trend of violence

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Lawmakers in Washington, D.C. passed a sweeping anti-crime bill Tuesday just days after business leaders in the nation’s capital wrote a letter to Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser and legislators warning about an “alarming increase in violent crime across our city.”

The Secure D.C. Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024 — which includes more than 100 proposals to fight crime, including ramping up gun violence penalties and adding punishments for organized retail theft, according to FOX 5 DC — was passed by the D.C. Council in a 12-1 vote late Tuesday.

Bowser issued a statement following the bill’s passing, praising Councilmember Brooke Pinto and the other members for their efforts on the crime bill.

“Passing and implementing Secure DC is a critical step in the work to build a safer DC by rebalancing our public safety and justice ecosystem in favor of safety and accountability. Today, I am grateful for all the people who made their voices heard and demanded action. I am grateful for the leadership of Councilmember Pinto and all the councilmembers who listened to the concerns of our community and voted in support of common-sense legislation that recognizes the importance of accountability in our ecosystem,” Bowser wrote. “We are a city that is committed to creating opportunity and that believes in second chances, but we will not tolerate violence and we will not tolerate criminal activity that disrupts our sense of safety and our ability to build thriving neighborhoods.

“The provisions that were passed on an emergency basis last summer have already had a positive impact on crime trends. Together, we can continue to drive down crime and build a safer, stronger DC.”

Pinto echoed Bowser’s sentiment, stating it’s a positive move forward for the city.

GUN-OWNING JOURNALIST RECOUNTS FRIGHTENING ENCOUNTER WITH INTRUDER IN DC HOME: ‘I’M GLAD’ I WAS ARMED

Washington Metropolitan Police officers investigate a shooting at the Potomac Avenue Metro Station in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

“The council passage of my Secure DC legislation sends the clear message that DC is united in its efforts to make meaningful and sustainable improvements to public safety by preventing crime, ensuring accountability, and improving government coordination and response,” Pinto wrote on X, following the ruling.

It comes after Washington, D.C., saw the most homicides in 25 years last year with 274 overall deaths and a 39% increase in violent crime, although Bowser said both those figures are down so far in 2024, FOX 5 DC reported.

“We should not let criminals take over our neighborhoods,” Bowser reportedly said Saturday. “We do need to see significantly more decreases in crime and that’s what our message is.”

DC POLICE SEEK TRIO OF THIEVES WHO STOLE OVER $36,000 WORTH OF MERCHANDISE AT MONCLER STORE

DC police are searching for three individuals who stole over $36,000 worth of merchandise from a Moncler store on Jan. 18, 2024. (Metropolitan Police Department)

Last week, more than 70 business groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and National Retail Federation penned a letter to Bowser and lawmakers urging them to take action on the “pressing issue” of crime that “threatens the safety and prosperity of not only our community but also our employees and their families.”

“Washington, D.C., is quickly becoming a national outlier in rising crime, and the trends are alarming. The national homicide rate decreased by 15% from 2022 to 2023, and the homicide rate in major cities including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix all declined more than 10%. In Washington, D.C., homicides rose by 35%,” reads a portion of the letter, which was obtained by Axios.

“Our organizations are primarily based in the downtown business district, where there have been horrifying acts of violence over the past several months,” the letter adds, noting that the Council should “take immediate action to target the small group of organized and repeat criminals responsible for most of these violent offenses.”

On the D.C. Council’s website, it says the Secure D.C. Omnibus Amendment Act of 2024 would “eliminate or extend the length of statutes of limitations for certain serious crimes” and that “it would make misdemeanor arrest warrants extraditable and also clarify that GPS records in the possession of the Pretrial Services Agency can be admissible to prove a defendant’s guilt in a criminal case or other judicial proceeding.”

“It would enhance protections for seniors and children and also increase protections for victims of sexual and domestic violence,” it also says.

DC AG INFURIATES RESIDENTS AFTER SAYING CITY ‘CANNOT PROSECUTE AND ARREST’ OUT OF CRIME CRISIS: ‘MADNESS’

Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is expected to sign the “Secure DC” anti-crime bill. (Getty Images)

In February, Bowser said “We know that driving down crime requires us to send a clear message that if you make our city less safe, if you bring violence to our community, you will be held accountable,” according to FOX 5.

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Pittsburg, PA

Emotional 2026 Pittsburgh Marathon saw multiple new records set

Published

29 minutes ago

May 3, 2026

Press Room

Emotional 2026 Pittsburgh Marathon saw multiple new records set

This year’s Pittsburgh Marathon is one for the record books. More than 52,000 runners crossed the finish line, with more than 300,000 spectators cheering them on.

“We’re welcoming people from around the world,” P3R CEO Troy Schooley said. “This event has turned into an international event for our city. We’re going to show it off today. The runners will run through 14 neighborhoods. We have 33 different countries represented today and all 50 states.”

Mohammed El Youssfi claimed the men’s division of the Pittsburgh Half Marathon, crossing the finish line and immediately wrapping himself in the Moroccan flag.

“This is my first time in Pittsburgh, but the special moment for me today is the people here cheering me on,” El Youssfi said. “That helped me to win the race.”

Emotions ran high for Pittsburgh’s very own Will Loevner. The Winchester Thurston graduate has run the Pittsburgh Marathon multiple times, finishing as the runner-up in 2024 and fifth in 2025. But in 2026, he took home top honors, crossing the finish line first at 2:14.

“I’ve now won the Philadelphia marathon, the Cleveland marathon twice,” Loevner said. “To win Pittsburgh, I feel like it was the trifecta and the most special one for me. I mean, being in the hometown, nothing even compares.”

Buze Diriba Kejela is 2026’s women’s Pittsburgh Half Marathon champion, setting a course record for women and crossing the finish line at 1:08:39.

“I’m happy to set the course record. I like it,” she said.

Before the runners crossed the start line, the handcyclists got a head start. Marshall Tempest of Monroeville came out on top in the Pittsburgh Marathon Handcycle Division, finishing at 1:40:16.

“I’ve done 13 Pittsburgh marathons, and this is my 5th time winning it, in a row,” he said. “It feels good. It was a rough one, but I was determined to get that 5th one.”

“I love running,” said Will Henry Lawrence, who ran the half-marathon. “I love being able to have breath in my lungs and let my feet hit the pavement. I had a stroke six years ago, and so I give all glory to God for being able to get out and exercise.”

Tickets for the 2027 Pittsburgh Marathon are on sale for 48 hours, starting at 3 p.m. on May 3, 2026. You can register at thepittsburghmarathon.com

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Connecticut

Scammers use AI images of injured pets to target owners, Blumenthal warns Connecticut residents

Published

2 hours ago

May 3, 2026

Press Room

Scammers use AI images of injured pets to target owners, Blumenthal warns Connecticut residents

In a new and rapidly expanding scam, swindlers are using images generated by artificial intelligence to tap the wallets of desperate and heartbroken owners of lost pets.

In a press conference on Friday, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn, warned state residents about a fraud that is becoming “more and more rampant.”

Scammers manipulate photos of lost pets posted by owners on social media to make it appear the animal has been hurt, according to media reports from around the nation.

In Florida and Texas, for example, scammers have told owners of missing dogs that their pets were hit by cars, with an accompanying image of a dog that looks like theirs on a veterinarian’s operating table, WESH 2, a Hearst TV station affiliate in Florida, reported recently. The scammer then demands payment for the surgery.

An urgent demand for money is a red flag, Blumenthal said, along with the claim that a lost pet has been hurt and images of an injured pet. The Federal Trade Commission, as the nation’s consumer protection agency, should issue a formal warning about the scam, the senator said.

Numerous reports of lost pet scams have surfaced recently, Popular Science reported in March, describing a few common scenarios, including the one in which the owner is sent an image of what appears to be their injured pet at a veterinary hospital and another, in which the owner is sent images of what appears to be their pet at a shelter, about to be euthanized. But, the article states, these images are false.

Other types of lost pet scams involve an offer of fake pet-finding services, according to the Better Business Bureau.

“You may receive a message from someone on social media about drone technology and search parties that can help you find your pet,” the nonprofit consumer advocacy organization reported. “The person will ask you for payment up front and will likely ask you to send it through a peer-to-peer payment app. Before paying for services, always search for the business on BBB.org or check BBB Scam Tracker.”

All types of cyber-scams have been proliferating in the nation, according to the FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report. Since the agency’s Internet Crime Complaint Center was launched about 25 years ago, complaints have surged, the FBI reported, with a current average of about 3,000 complaints each day.

In 2025, losses reported to the center continued to climb, surpassing $20 billion, the FBI reported. Investment-related fraud once again made up the largest part of the losses, followed by business email compromises and tech support scams, the agency reported.

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