Air Force veteran comforts kids plagued by gun violence
Video Credit: Reuters - Politics - Duration: 01:52s - Published
Air Force veteran comforts kids plagued by gun violence
Air Force veteran and high school English teacher Jawanna Hardy launched "Guns Down Friday," an outreach program to support neighborhoods plagued by gun violence.
It's like being in the military.” Frustrated by the senseless loss of life in Washington D.C., Air Force veteran and high school English teacher Jawanna Hardy decided to do something about it.
She launched “Guns Down Friday” - an outreach program to support neighborhoods plagued by gun violence - including the one she has lived in since childhood.
HARDY: "I was just so tired of seeing all the violence, seeing the children's lives being lost." On Fridays, community activist Hardy visits the graves of children who have lost their lives to gun violence - including Devon McNeal - an 11 year old who was struck in the head by a stray bullet at a Fourth of July cookout in Washington, DC, last year.
HARDY: "I sometimes feel, like, hopeless.
Like, sometimes, I really feel like I want to--, I can, like, bring a child back to life.
I just have all types of thoughts." After visiting the cemetery, she drives her van - adorned with photos of young gun violence victims - through the streets to greet the youth.
On a recent Friday, she arrived outside an apartment complex in Southeast Washington with water balloons - as kids laughed and scrambled to drench one another.
For many, hearing gunshots is all too normal… ARMANI CHAMBERS, 13-YEAR-OLD LOCAL RESIDENT: "Down the street, just like two hours ago, [there were] three shots - had to get to booking it." RASHAD BATES, 12-YEAR-OLD LOCAL RESIDENT: "Just ignore it.
Don't look out the window, because you never know if the bullet is coming toward your window." Like many cities across the U.S., Washington has seen a spike in shooting-related deaths during the pandemic.
Homicides were up 19 percent in D.C.
In 2020 compared to 2019, according to the Washington Metropolitan Police Department.
In addition to the Friday activities, Hardy said she has taken on other initiatives: raising money for shooting victims' gravestones, advocating for more streetlights, and training people how to treat bullet wounds themselves.
Trader Joe’s Recalls Basil , After Reports of Salmonella Infections.
On April 17, the grocery chain
recalled Infinite Herbs organic basil.
The basil has been "linked to a dozen Salmonella infections in seven states," CNN reports. .
One person has been hospitalized.
The 2.5-ounce packages were sold in 29 states and Washington, D.C., from Feb. 1 through April 6. .
The CDC is advising consumers to dispose of any Infinite Herbs organic basil that was bought from Trader Joe's.
The agency also says to clean anything that the contaminated basil may have come in contact with. .
Investigators are trying to determine if any other products have been contaminated, CNN reports. .
Symptoms of Salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps, the CDC says. .
Symptoms can develop anywhere between
6 hours and 6 days after consuming the bacteria.
Most people don't need treatment
and recover within 4 to 7 days. .
If your symptoms are severe, or if you experience diarrhea and dehydration for more than three days, the CDC recommends contacting your health care provider
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Homicide and Other Violent Crimes , Declining in Cities Across the US.
'The Guardian' reports that a recent crime analysis found that homicides in major cities across the United States are falling at , “one of the fastest rates of decline ever recorded.".
There’s just a ton of places that
you can point to that are showing
widespread, very positive trends, Jeff Asher, AH Datalytics, via 'The Wall Street Journal'.
According to AH Datalytics' sample of nearly
200 cities, murder was down by 20.8% in 2024,
when compared to the same time in 2023.
Some cities, including Washington DC,
New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Milwaukee,
saw murder rates decline by over 30%.
Some cities, including Washington DC,
New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Milwaukee,
saw murder rates decline by over 30%.
The analysis is based on the FBI's Uniform Crime
Reporting program, which consists of data collected
by local law enforcement agencies across the nation.
While the FBI's 2023 report will not be audited or made
official until October, preliminary figures suggest
that murder rates significantly dropped in 2023. .
The latest data suggests that this
year's declines will continue at an even
faster clip, nearing pre-pandemic levels. .
'The Guardian' reports that the latest
data mirrors another drastic decline
in homicides during the 1990s.
Nationally, you’re seeing
a very similar situation to what
you saw in the mid-to-late 90s.
But it’s potentially even larger
in terms of the percentages
and numbers of the drops, Jeff Asher, AH Datalytics, via 'The Wall Street Journal'.
The AH Datalytics data also found that nearly
all other violent crimes saw significant
declines in 2023 compared to 2022. .
The quarterly data in particular
suggests 2023 featured one of the
lowest rates of violent crime in the
United States in more than 50 years, Jeff Asher, AH Datalytics, via 'The Wall Street Journal'
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
The heads of state from Japan, the Philippines, and the United States have jointly expressed "grave concern" regarding China's conduct in the contested South China Sea. Over recent years, Beijing has intensified its presence in this crucial maritime region, leading to heightened tensions, notably with the Philippines. This nation, among others in Southeast Asia, asserts territorial claims over portions of the sea adjacent to its shores. In response to a recent altercation near Second Thomas Shoal that resulted in injuries to Filipino soldiers and damage to vessels, President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines declared Manila's intention to enact countermeasures against China. The leaders of Japan, the Philippines, and the United States expressed shared concerns over the People's Republic of China's (PRC) provocative actions in the South China Sea during the inaugural summit held in Washington, DC. This joint statement comes amid escalating tensions in the region.
#SouthChinaSea #China #Japan #Philippines #US #Tensions #Diplomacy #InternationalRelations #SecurityConcerns #GeoPolitics
~HT.97~PR.152~ED.102~
This Day in History: , President Reagan Is Shot.
March 30, 1981.
Outside of a Washington D.C. hotel,
25-year-old John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots at
the president, hitting him once in the chest.
Press Secretary James Brady,
Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and
D.C. policeman Thomas Delahaney were also hit.
As Hinckley was overpowered,
Reagan was rushed to the trauma center
at George Washington University Hospital.
As he was prepared for surgery, Reagan quipped
to First Lady Nancy, "Honey, I forgot to duck.".
The president returned to the
White House less than two weeks later.
Found "not guilty by reason of insanity,"
Hinkley was institutionalized until 2016
and now lives in Colonial Williamsburg, PA
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:01Published
MIDDLE EAST — The recent deaths of two ship workers in a mysterious drone strike on an oil tanker highlighted a shadow war between Iran and Israel that could escalate into a real war.
We..
Air Force vet Ian Fritz, who spent 600 hours listening to Taliban conversations, says the group doesn’t care about winning hearts and minds. They just take them.