DCentric

Good morning, DCentric readers! Wait…has Spring sprung?

D.C. grant program to provide free screenings for colon cancer Colon cancer is deadly– but also very preventable. It disproportionately affects the African American community: “Nearly 30 percent of D.C. residents who received a colon cancer screening during a six-month study were found to have a precancerous lesion, a rate higher than the national average. Yet only a few residents took advantage of the free screening, prompting physicians to step up promotion of the program.” (The Washington Post)

Teens charged in killings were in DYRS’ hands Four gang members who were charged last week with conspiracy, gun possession and assault with intent to kill were all part of the city’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services (DYRS). This isn’t the first crime that young people who are affiliated with DYRS have been involved with; even the Mayor has admitted that the troubled city agency requires an “overhaul”. (Washington Times)

Detective: Girl, 15, charged in teen’s death said she didn’t think gun was loaded The 15-year old suspect had allegedly removed the ammunition clip of what police believe to be a 9mm handgun before playing around and pointing it at a friend. When the suspect pulled the trigger, she killed an Anacostia High Senior who was “serious about his studies”. More: “Nancy Glass of the D.C. Public Defender Service said her client had taken steps to make sure that the gun was not loaded. But the judge called the juvenile’s actions a “grave misstep” and “complete loss of judgment.” (The Washington Post)

2 More Plead Guilty In DC Taxi License Scheme In other news, people who are never able to catch a cab were heard grumbling about how effective the U.S. Attorney’s office is, since a total of 19 people have pleaded “Guilty”: “The U.S. Attorney’s office says Berhane Leghese, 45, of Arlington, Va., and Amanuel Ghirmazion, 52, of Washington, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiring to commit bribery, acknowledging they had conspired to bribe public officials in an effort to obtain taxicab company licenses. ” (WUSA Washington, DC)

Two people arrested in D.C. selling turtles on street I wonder how many other street peddlers are furtively vending reptiles. Those cologne and makeup people are everywhere! “Lesha Howard and Willard Hopkins were sitting on milk crates on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE when they were approached by cops. Howard and Hopkins admitted they were vending without a license, filings say. Besides selling cologne, wallets, and make-up products, they were peddling turtles, say papers.” (Washington City Paper)