This work, NAVFAC Washington Leadership Visits PWD South Potomac for Productive PWD Dahlgren Day, by Natasha Waldron Anthony, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright advancing vision for integrated multispecialty care 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- GI Alliance (GIA) a Cardinal Health company and the nation's leading physician-led multispecialty management services organization (MSO) has expanded its specialty care footprint into urology with the acquisitions of Urology America and Potomac Urology marking a significant step in its evolution toward a multispecialty platform delivering coordinated Urology America is a well-established platform with over 110 providers at 30 locations across Colorado offering a full spectrum of urologic services a premier urology practice in Northern Virginia further enhances this platform with five additional practice locations significantly strengthening the organization's presence in the Mid-Atlantic region "Urology America and Potomac Urology exemplify the kind of high-performing patient-focused practices we want to support and grow as part of our broader vision for multispecialty collaboration." James Weber "These acquisitions represent an important leap forward in our mission to offer exceptional integrated specialty care across the country," said James Weber "Urology America and Potomac Urology exemplify the kind of high-performing patient-focused practices we want to support and grow as part of our broader vision for multispecialty collaboration." "Urology is a deeply personal specialty where trust and continuity matter," said Elizabeth Mobley "This partnership enhances our ability to deliver the spectrum of leading-edge urologic services while keeping our commitment to focus on compassionate echoed the excitement surrounding the partnership "Joining GI Alliance allows us to continue delivering top-tier urologic care while benefiting from the operational expertise and expansive resources of a leading specialty organization This collaboration strengthens our ability to offer innovative treatment options and seamless integrated care to patients across the region We look forward to enhancing our services and making a lasting impact on patient outcomes." The Urology America Transaction is expected to close by the end of June 2025 including the receipt of required regulatory approvals The Potomac Urology transaction has been completed Financial terms of the transactions were not disclosed Goldman Sachs served as financial advisor to Cardinal Health on Urology America and Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP served as legal counsel on both transactions Urology America is a leading urology platform with operations across four states, focused on delivering high-quality, innovative, and compassionate care. www.urologyamerica.com Potomac Urology is a top-tier urology group serving Northern Virginia with advanced technologies and a reputation for excellence in patient outcomes and minimally invasive treatment. www.potomacurology.com Media ContactKelley Swann, Punching Nun Group, 1 404-313-6412, [email protected], https://punchingnungroup.com/  Do not sell or share my personal information: DC CLEAN RIVERS – POTOMAC RIVER TUNNEL PROJECT   As part of the excavation work for DC Water’s Potomac River Tunnel Project weekly controlled underground blasting operations at the West Potomac Park construction site will begin as early as next week and continue through February 2026 The site is located along the Potomac River at Ohio Drive and Independence Avenue Southwest All streets and sidewalks will remain open during blasting events with no restrictions on boats or watercraft in the river The blasting operations are part of constructing two mining shafts needed to begin tunneling will be used to lower and launch two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) These machines will construct the 5.5-mile tunnel boring through rock to the endpoint at Georgetown University's entrance on Canal Road Northwest The other will move south to the Joint-Base Anacostia Bolling (JBAB) site where the Potomac River Tunnel connects with the Anacostia River Tunnel will be delivered to the West Potomac Park site in the fall of 2025 Noise levels and ground vibrations will be closely monitored during this operation to ensure safety and compliance with the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department Residents and businesses in the vicinity may hear moderate noise during the blasting operations Some mild ground vibrations may be felt in immediate work areas The Potomac River Tunnel is the next major phase of DC Water’s Clean Rivers Project The tunnel system will capture the combined overflow of wastewater and stormwater during major weather events until it can be released to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant instead of being discharged into the Potomac River The project is needed to reduce the sewer overflows to help improve the water quality of the Potomac River and The tunnel also ensures compliance with the 2005 Federal Consent Decree entered by DC Water When rainfall exceeds the sewer system’s capacity the overflow is released at outlets into the Potomac River impacting water quality An estimated 654 million gallons of mixed stormwater and sewage overflows enter the Potomac River in a year of average rainfall The proposed controls are estimated to reduce the volume of untreated wastewater released into the Potomac River by 93% and reduce the frequency from approximately 74 events to only four times in a year of average rainfall Stay connected with us via the following channels:  Project Email: dcpotomacrivertunnel@dcwater.com Project Website: dcwater.com/prt Dedicated Project Hotline: 202-972-1388 DC Water 24-hour Emergency: 202-612-3400  DC Water is advising the public of construction impacts starting on or about the week of May 12, 2025, in the 3500 block of Water Street Northwest near ... Map: The blue arrows represent the pedestrian detour. Motorists follow the yellow arrows. The bicycle trail remains open.DC CLEAN RIVERS – POTOMAC RIVER TUNNEL PROJECT  DC Water is preparing for emergency repairs on a large sewer line next to Rock Creek, after discovering significant structural issues. The six-foot pipeline, known as the Rock Creek Main Interceptor ... 1385 Canal Street SE, Washington, DC 20003 East Potomac Golf Links is one of the locations where National Golf Day attendees will participate in a service project on Friday, May 2.Photo courtesy of the National Links Trust At the same time, a second Community Service Project will take place at Old Soldiers’ Home Golf Course, a volunteer-run nine-hole golf course adjacent to the Armed Forces Retirement Home four miles north of the National Mall. Roughly 100 National Golf Day volunteers will plant 25 trees, perform work on existing trees, clear out a maintenance shed and perform aerification and topdressing. Leah Hallstrom is GCSAA's senior manager of marketing Copyright 2025, all rights reserved. 1421 Research Park Drive, Lawrence, KS 66049 Scattered thunderstorms are expected Monday afternoon and evening. Some may become severe with large hail and high winds. TRACK RADARNew report reveals critical errors in Potomac midair collision that killed 67 peopleby Lianna Golden The investigation highlights several factors contributing to the tragedy including pilot error and air traffic control issues scrutiny has focused on the Blackhawk helicopter's altitude which was directly in the path of the jet as it was landing the Times report reveals that moments before the collision the pilot may have missed a crucial instruction from her co-pilot to change course The report also indicates that some instructions from the control tower were "stepped on," meaning they were cut off when a helicopter crew member pressed the microphone to speak "You hear a command from air traffic control and you repeat it back to clarify that you have indeed heard it," aviation expert and WTOP anchor Dan Ronan told 7News "But if another microphone gets keyed aircraft on one frequency - someone keys that microphone and the pilot of the Blackhawk apparently never heard the command from the air traffic controller because the mic or phone got keyed somewhere along the way." Another significant finding from the Times investigation is that technology allowing air traffic control to track the Blackhawk in real time was deliberately shut off to simulate the high-security mission the aircraft was practicing Experts told the Times that this decision compromised safety "Since they were simulating taking a high-ranking government official out of Washington you don’t want them to know where the helicopter's at or who is on board This was a training mission," Ronan said it’s very possible that the pilot and the copilot of the American Airlines flight would’ve been able to see what was coming and take evasive action." Another significant issue Ronan points to in the report is that the American Airlines flight was redirected to a different runway on approach due to a crowded airspace but that put the aircraft on the same path this never would’ve happened," Ronan said the report sheds light on air traffic control staffing issues on the night of the collision 7News has reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board for responses to the Times' findings and awaits a response WorkBoat+ Membership – Free to Join You may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time Diversified Communications | 121 Free Street NEWS: Long-Delayed USCG Polar Icebreaker Moves Into Full Production With the help of laser imaging and a water-current detecting buoy specialists from the NOAA aided the rescue 29 midair crash of an airliner and Army helicopter over the Potomac River specialists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) aided the rescue The NOAA team assisted federal and local government officials in mapping the wreckage and ensuring the river was safe to navigate NOAA brought in a team of experts from various fields to help smooth the effort The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) led the recovery effort and investigation Preliminary findings suggest that the helicopter may have been operating at an incorrect elevation “The Black Hawk was at 300' on the air traffic control display at the time of the collision,” NTSB officials said in an investigation update the investigation of the crash is still ongoing and could take some time to conclude The crash of the American Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 passenger jet and a U.S Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter happened near the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport killing all 67 passengers and crew traveling in the plane and helicopter NOAA’s National Ocean Service sent teams to help with recovery and response efforts the response and recovery effort was challenging and other local and federal officials in search and recovery Experts from across NOAA provided valuable data and mapping to guide divers and keep response teams informed in challenging conditions “NOAA’s nautical navigation products and services are critical for a safe and prosperous economy,” said NOAA representative Jasmin S But without nautical charts and the precise tide and weather data NOAA provides “maritime commerce fails,” he added 50% or more of their international trade in goods travels through maritime supply chains.” NOAA’s Patuxent Navigation Response Team was at the crash site The NOAA survey team used multibeam and side-scan sonar technology to map the underwater debris field An additional navigation response team from Gulfport deployed two uncrewed surface vehicles (USVs) to map shallower areas and identify wreckage The NOAA team included civilian hydrographers and NOAA Corps officers and worked with local and federal agencies to survey the river’s main channel and the debris field NOAA provided a detailed sonar map of the wreckage to a graphic information system dashboard The survey identified more than 50 possible targets for divers NOAA also deployed a current and meteorological buoy (CURBY) which provided responders with critical information on water movements and conditions and enhanced crew safety and effectiveness NOAA’s sonar surveys helped identify hazards and guide emergency teams in clearing the waterway by pinpointing obstructions that needed to be removed for safe travel NOAA also responded to a request to conduct LiDAR (light detection and ranging) flights over the crash site and used a Twin Otter aircraft piloted by NOAA Corps officers to do so the LiDAR flight did not result in any usable imagery We supported the recovery efforts mainly via NOAA navigation response teams which are vessels on the water — in this case one small boat and two uncrewed survey vessels or autonomous survey vehicles,” said Ford particularly in the shallow water debris field was turned over to NOAA field units (navigation response teams) Our work fueled all salvage and dive operations for the remainder of the response which included the support of weather and current operations provided by NOAA to support dive and on-the-water operations of salvage.” NOAA’s Mid-Atlantic Navigation Manager was embedded at the Unified Command Center and experts from the Office of Coast Survey the Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services and the National Geodetic Survey also helped in locating and recovering wreckage Aircraft and vessels operated by NOAA’s Commissioned Officer Corps were also tasked with supporting operations the Office of Response and Restoration provided marine pollution and trajectory forecast support Most likely do not recall the last time two aircraft collided and destroyed each other and all life aboard over a body of water Some in the aviation community called the accident essentially a freak accident — basically rarer than a lightning striking someone on a walk and the professionalism of pilots and aviation personnel worldwide The aviation industry continuously strives to improve safety through advancements in technology it’s important to recognize the many layers of safeguards in place that make such incidents incredibly infrequent,” said John Werner “Our hearts go out to the families affected by this tragedy and we remain committed to supporting the industry in further enhancing safety standards.” NOAA’s Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) presently maintains and operates multiple six current real-time buoys NOAA’s Office of Response and Restoration maintains an additional two CURBYs The CURBY made its first operational debut for CO-OPS in 2019 when it was deployed near Philadelphia in support of NOAA’s Delaware Bay and River tidal currents survey CURBYs have since been deployed along the Pacific and Gulf coasts in support of scientific research Jonathan has written about a variety of industries including automotive A longtime freelance journalist and tech writer and has reported for the Wall Street Journal and New York Times He earned a BA in Professional Writing and Creative Writing from Carnegie Mellon University Become a WorkBoat+ Member A 16-year-old is in the hospital with serious injuries after a stabbing at West Potomac High School in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County A school resource officer rushed to help the teen who was stabbed just before 10 a.m. Officers with Fairfax County responded to the school within minutes Police had earlier said the 16-year-old who was stabbed had suffered life-threatening injuries But during a news conference Wednesday afternoon police said the student was in stable condition at a nearby hospital A 15-year-old boy is in custody and will be charged with malicious wounding Officers have recovered the knife the suspect is accused of using in the stabbing Three students got into a fight in a hallway near some classrooms before the stabbing The third student involved in the fighting is being interviewed by investigators but police do not expect that student will be criminally charged Authorities have not released the names of any of the teens No other suspects are believed to be involved outside of the student who is in custody Police Chief Kevin Davis acknowledged video of the fight that’s been posted on social media but the video doesn’t tell the entire story,” Davis said A mother of one student said she’s concerned about her son’s safety “This is something that could have been had stopped,” Aellene told WTOP Fairfax County School Board members Mateo Dunne Ilryong Moon and Ryan McElveen called for local leads to take action to improve safety in schools in response to the stabbing The school board members said the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors should increase the number of school resource officers to ensure one or more officers are at every middle and high school The group also called on the public school system to take measures to prioritize safety such as increasing the number of security assistants and installing weapons detection tech and video cameras Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell urged those who are struggling to take advantage of the counseling services and reiterated elected leaders’ commitment to safety in schools “This hit even closer to home for me as a West Potomac parent whose son was at school today as the incident occurred and whose three other children and two other siblings graduated from West Potomac,” said Sen “These students are so close to the end of the school year and for many This time for celebration is now marred by this ugly incident These kids deserved so much better today.” Superintendent Michelle Reid said counselors will be available to students and staff at the school of shock that this would happen at West Potomac High School one of our high schools here in Fairfax County I’m very proud of the response of our staff to this incident,” Reid said “They responded quickly and admirably and may have saved a life today.” The school was placed under a brief lockdown during the response Parents were notified through the school’s alert system and classes have resumed under heightened security School officials said the building is under “Secure the Building” status, during which students can move about inside the school but exterior doors are locked, according to the school system’s website Some parents at the school on Wednesday questioned the law enforcement and school officials about why they weren’t being allowed to pick up their students from school early One father told WTOP the communication with parents was “unsatisfactory.” Bill Beal said he hasn’t been allowed to pick up his daughter who saw the stabbing happen I think that’s all these parents want hug their kids,” Beal told WTOP outside the school “There’s more than one victim in this — people that witnessed it.” The police chief tried to reassure parents by telling them the school system would “soon” communicate when students could be picked up “As all of our emotions are running high we don’t want to let the school spill out into this residential community and have skirmishes altercations and maybe even additional crimes take place,” Davis told parents and reporters gathered outside the school “All those considerations are something that we’re thinking about and I’m sorry your children had to endure what they what they had to endure today.” the school system has been rolling out a pilot program that will place metal detectors in schools Reid said the technology was in place at another school in Fairfax County on Wednesday morning WTOP’s Scott Gelman reported from the scene Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area Jessica Kronzer graduated from James Madison University in May 2021 after studying media and politics advocacy and compelling human-interest stories William Vitka is a Digital Writer/Editor for WTOP.com He's been in the news industry for over a decade The New York Post and wrote a variety of books—about a dozen of them – Plans to extend the popular Occoquan Riverwalk have hit a major roadblock after Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin vetoed $1.2 million in state funding that town leaders had counted on to move the project forward The veto was one of 37 line-item cuts to the bipartisan budget recently passed by the General Assembly as necessary due to "short-term risks as President Trump resets both fiscal spending in Washington and trade policies." – Republicans from across Prince William County gathered at Fox Chase Manor for their annual black-tie Lincoln Reagan Dinner drawing a record crowd and laying out their strategy ahead of the 2025 election cycle – A bank tenant inside a newly completed data center in Manassas has triggered a sweeping local tax exemption upending financial expectations and leaving city officials blindsided – The April 2025 meeting of the Manassas City School Board opened with inspiring highlights from Osbourn High School Kevin Quesada and Communications Director Almeta Radford recognized two student achievement programs that reflect the school division’s growing emphasis on career readiness and technical skills Villagio Hospitality Group announced that the 10-acre entertainment campus in Manassas is now officially NOVA LIVE and Networking — Calling middle and high school students for FREE Educational Summer Programming LLT STEMpower Camp at Marymount University Read More Submit your own Community Post here Inspired by local physicians who were among the nation’s first to adopt the concierge medicine model Northern Virginia is now a hub for its surging popularity These leading physicians are redefining the patient experience with same-day appointments MD’s change to concierge medicine enabled focused attention for each individual and the launch of his innovative diet program for those with type 2 diabetes “The goal is to promote enough weight loss to reach an acceptable A1C of 6% with no medication,” he explains “Achieving that can take several months of very close follow up MD considers his patients quite literally as family “I believe there’s nothing more honorable than helping patients when they’re sick and I care for them exactly as I would my loved ones.” Whether for a specialist referral “My patients know I’m always just a phone call away.” Read More Hosted by the Obesity Action Coalition (OAC) since 2012 this highly-anticipated gathering is the nation’s leading gathering focused on empowering individuals with science-based education support and practical tools for managing weight and improving health This unique Convention truly has something Participate in the 33rd Annual Van Metre 5K Run—a race that goes further than 3.1 miles where every stride you take supports Children’s National Hospital The Van Metre 5K Run donates 100% of proceeds to Children’s National Hospital and has WILLIAMSPORT, MD (April 25, 2025) – The Washington County Highway Department announces a temporary traffic pattern change at the intersection of Potomac Street and Clifton Drive due to a traffic signal outage A temporary four-way stop will be in effect until further notice to ensure the safety of motorists and pedestrians Drivers are urged to use caution when approaching the intersection and to follow all posted signage We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding Alternative routes will be available for motorists For further information, please contact Washington County’s Public Relations and Marketing Department at [email protected] places and unique spaces with creative and artful imagery Liberal leave is in effect for all non-essential personal on Tuesday Essential personnel are expected to fulfill their duties as usual The starting time for today’s Board of County Commissioners meeting will be reevaluated at 9:00 am – More than 200 delivery drivers working for Genesis Logistics in Stafford County have voted overwhelmingly to join Teamsters Local 322 a union representing workers across Virginia drivers who deliver products to 7-Eleven convenience stores throughout the Mid-Atlantic region voted by more than 90% in favor of unionization The drivers are now preparing to negotiate their first contract with the company “I want to personally congratulate these workers and welcome them to our Teamsters family,” said Dwayne Johnson “Despite an aggressive campaign of illegal union busting these workers remained determined to achieve the dignity and respect they deserved.” and illegally disciplined those who supported the organizing effort Teamsters Local 322 said it filed more than a dozen unfair labor practice charges during the organizing drive Genesis Logistics operates a distribution facility at 705 Bradburn Place in Stafford County “We organized with the Teamsters because we’ve had enough — enough of the low pay and poor benefits,” said Genesis driver Matthew Relford and we’re ready to fight for what we’ve rightfully earned.” Potomac Local News reached out to Genesis Logistics for comment on the vote and the union’s allegations Teamsters Local 322 represents more than 2,000 workers in Virginia FREDERICKSBURG, Va. – If you’re traveling through the Fredericksburg region this week, expect to see crews working along Interstate 95 and several major routes in surrounding counties. The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) has released its list of scheduled lane closures and maintenance activity for May 4–10, 2025. All work is weather permitting, and up-to-date info is available on 511Virginia.org and plan for possible delays when traveling through active work zones A black snake found inside the Stafford County Courthouse was safely removed Thursday morning without objection—or appeal Deputies discovered the snake slithering down a hallway and quickly intervened humorously dubbed “Rocky Bal-Boa,” and relocated it to nearby woods and no injuries were reported during the unconventional eviction A woman died following a two-car crash on Dale Boulevard in Prince William County at the intersection of Dale Boulevard and Barksdale Street Investigators said the driver of a 2008 Honda Civic was heading east on Dale Boulevard and attempted to turn left toward Barksdale Street while the signal flashed amber was extricated from the vehicle and taken to a local hospital Police say speed appears to have been a factor Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to contact Prince William County Police Springfield man assaults deputy outside Stafford motel Deputies were called to the Motel 6 on Richmond Highway around 9:36 p.m for a report of a man sleeping on the cement outside They found 28-year-old Jacob Jones curled in the fetal position Jones admitted to having “one or two drinks” before becoming combative and assaulting a deputy twice Jones resisted during his transport to the magistrate and was charged with public intoxication He is being held on a $10,000 secured bond Deputies responded to a reported stolen truck on Laurel Drive at 4:13 p.m Security footage later revealed the man had simply forgotten where he parked The man was charged with public intoxication and filing a false police report and held on a $1,000 secured bond a distributor at Sheetz on Wyche Road reported his iPad had been stolen Surveillance footage helped identify a suspect who was later stopped on his way to court and the iPad was recovered in nearby woods He was charged with larceny and held without bond Deputies responded to three separate larcenies on May 1: deputies responded to Walmart on Garrisonville Road where staff reported an employee had opened a six-pack of beer in the breakroom and consumed it without paying The employee was issued a summons for shoplifting Unknown suspect assaults man on Olympic Drive a man reported being assaulted by a stranger on Olympic Drive who was charged with assault and battery and held on a $5,000 secured bond A man wanted in Indiana for violating felony probation turned himself in at the Ford T He was charged as a fugitive from justice and is being held without bond – Stafford County is tackling two major traffic challenges — and it’s asking residents to weigh in while preparing to break ground on a major intersection upgrade The county is seeking public input on two of its most congested and crash-prone corridors: Garrisonville Road (VA 610) and Warrenton Road (US 17) Both routes have been flagged for safety and congestion concerns The county plans to apply for state funding through the Virginia SMART SCALE program in 2026 to study each area under the PATHS (Program for Affordable Transportation Hotspot Solutions) program Drivers who use these roads are encouraged to complete brief online surveys by May 16 The feedback will help identify trouble spots—specific intersections or road segments—so planners can target the most pressing problems More chances to give input will come this fall a $30 million construction project will begin in late May 2025 to improve the Route 1 and Courthouse Road intersection part of Stafford’s larger $70 million investment in transportation includes widening Route 1 to a four-lane divided highway adding dedicated turn lanes at major intersections and enhancing pedestrian access with sidewalks and crosswalks Stafford will host a public information meeting on the project Thursday Residents and business owners can view plans the new turn lanes and upgraded signals should help move traffic more efficiently and reduce wait times while the concrete median and better pedestrian access are expected to improve safety More details on the Route 1/Courthouse Road project are available at staffordcountyva.gov/route1courthouse Part 2: Fixing the Bus Problem — New Plans for Transportation in Stafford – Broadway actor and Fredericksburg native Tug Coker is stepping into one of the most iconic roles in American theater—Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird—as he makes his hometown stage debut at Riverside Center for the Performing Arts – The Class of 2025 is stepping into their future with confidence and pride Today we celebrate all the paths ahead—college Stafford County Public Schools kicked off May with a celebration of Decision Day honoring graduating seniors for their post-high school plans Whether students are preparing for college the day recognizes the many routes seniors will take after graduation high schools marked the occasion with T-shirt signings “The countdown to graduation is on… we couldn’t be prouder.” Graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2025 will take place on May 30 and 31 with each high school hosting its own event Mountain View High School will hold its ceremony on May 30 at 6:30 p.m Seniors at each school will receive tickets for family and friends and more details are available on individual school websites The celebration continues later this month with Senior Walks on May 28 giving graduates a chance to visit their former elementary schools and inspire the next generation of students – The Ferry Farm neighborhood will host its first "Furry Friends of Ferry Farm" guided walking tour on June 7 The 1.3-mile loop will showcase pets from the neighborhood and encourage donations for the Stafford County Animal Shelter The event is free and will start and end at Ferry Farm Elementary School and environmental protection took center stage at a packed town hall meeting held Tuesday The meeting brought together Board of Supervisors Chair Deuntay Diggs and School Board members Maureen Siegmund and Maya Guy who answered questions from roughly 60 residents over two hours Please email if you would like to be allow listed Her name is Mary and she’s a tunnel boring machine (TBM) capable of cutting through hard rock and boring a tunnel 21 feet in width she completed factory acceptance testing in Germany and will head across the pond to DC to start work on the Potomac River Tunnel A team from DC Water and its contractor went to Schwanau Mary passed all the necessary requirements and is one of two TBM’s on the project The tunnel is part of DC Water’s Clean Rivers Project to reduce the amount of sewer and stormwater discharged into the Potomac during rain events “We are excited to mark this major milestone These machines are truly a marvel of modern technology and must be custom built for the project,” said DC Water Chief Executive Officer and GM David L will have their work cut out for them to dig the 5.5-mile tunnel.” the machine must be carefully disassembled and the parts crated for shipment to the U.S Mary will be reassembled and get to work.  The two tunnel boring machines are named for Mary and Emily Edmonson who made a daring attempt to escape from slavery on the Potomac River in 1848 and became heroes of the abolitionist movement.  Mary and Emily will tunnel in opposite directions slowly cutting through bedrock and soil Mary will work north 2.4 miles toward the tunnel’s endpoint near the entrance of Georgetown University tunneling 3.1 miles to connect to the Anacostia River Tunnel system.  The boring machines are being built by Herrenknecht which also built the TBM’s for DC Water’s other tunnels in the Clean Rivers Project Manufacturing is already underway on Emily Factory acceptance testing is expected to occur in October The Potomac River Tunnel is designed to reduce the volume of sewer and stormwater released into the river by 93% in an average year of rainfall That amounts to more than 600 million gallons of wastewater and stormwater which will be captured and sent to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Facility for treatment It’s expected to be completed in 2030.  Check out our video to see the factory testing being performed and learn more about the Clean Rivers Project at dcwater.com/cleanrivers.   DC Water is advising the public of construction impacts starting on or about the week of May 12 in the 3500 block of Water Street Northwest near .. Map: The blue arrows represent the pedestrian detour The bicycle trail remains open.DC CLEAN RIVERS – POTOMAC RIVER TUNNEL PROJECT  DC Water is preparing for emergency repairs on a large sewer line next to Rock Creek after discovering significant structural issues known as the Rock Creek Main Interceptor .. George Mason University’s Potomac Science Center on Belmont Bay is a destination for environmental science research within the Chesapeake Bay watershed Wildlife abounds on the waterfront habitat the retention pond next to the center needed to be emptied to make changes to the drainage system Though draining a pond can be important for maintenance the process may inadvertently harm the wildlife that make their homes in these human-made water features The Mason Nation was ready to rescue some of the creatures affected Tanya Finch, who works with the nonprofit Animal Education and Rescue Organization (AERO) led the turtle rescue with help from nearly 20 George Mason student AERO helps rescue and rehabilitate native Virginia wildlife and the volunteers caught and rehomed turtles and fish into the Occoquan River Finch and George Mason volunteers conducted a similar turtle rescue early last fall when another pond near the Potomac Science Center was drained for maintenance Many turtle species need to be near water for survival and they sometimes need help getting there volunteers spent the day collecting nearly 60 turtles from the pond The species rescued included painted turtles The rescue efforts continued as more turtles emerged graduate student Rachel Kelmartin saw a contractor in the pond area struggling to remove more turtles from the mud Kelmartin is studying environmental science and policy and works in the Fisheries Ecology Lab—so she is accustomed to going into the water and getting to work “I once counted over 250 turtles on the banks of the drainage pond in a single day,” Kelmartin said “This little pond has the capacity to support a lot of life.”  which is similar to hibernation in mammals After the pond was drained and the sun warmed the mud Walking trails meander around the Potomac Science Center and are frequently used by local residents “Many of the turtles are habituated to humans they watch walkers ambling along the trail,” said Cindy Smith professor of environmental science and policy “Belmont Bay residents were pleased to see that so many turtles were rescued and relocated.” an undergraduate student majoring in environmental science She said the hands-on experience made her reflect on the ways that habitat disruption affects wildlife “Experiences like this not only reinforce what I’ve learned in my studies but also highlight the importance of staying engaged and advocating for thoughtful environmental practices,” Ledoux said Potomac Falls High School is one of only 13 high schools nationwide—and the only one in Virginia—to be named a Model School by the Center for Model Schools The school earned the distinction through a competitive application and interview process demonstrating a sustained commitment to student success Potomac Falls will present at the 2025 Model Schools Conference a national event attended by more than 5,000 educators the school will share its journey of continuous improvement and student-focused practices over the past five to seven years a division of the International Center for Leadership in Education the conference showcases schools that are driving transformational change in K-12 education Honorees serve as national models of growth Superintendent Aaron Spence, Ed.D.21000 Education CourtAshburn, VA 20148(571) 252-1000 Empowering all students to make meaningful contributions to the world AGENDA: Please click on the link below which will take you to the board meetings and documents section of our website If this meeting agenda and any supporting documents are active for viewing they are posted under the “Meetings” tab located in the taskbar at the top right of the page Use this tab to navigate to the desired meeting agenda http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/loudoun/Board.nsf *Non-committee member School Board members may attend and participate (but not vote) If one or more additional board members attend and participate then this notice shall serve as public notice of a board meeting and/or informal assemblage AGENDAPlease click on the link below to access the board meetings and documents section of our website http://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/loudoun/Board.nsf PUBLIC COMMENT PROCEDURESPublic comment will be accepted by the School Board in two ways during this meeting, including comments delivered in-person at the Administration Building and comments provided virtually. To learn more, visit the Citizen Participation webpage ASSISTANCE Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to be able to participate meaningfully in School Board meetings or public hearings should contact the Superintendent's Office at least three days prior to the meeting The speaking time will be doubled for speakers requiring translation/interpretation assistance when requested Register now through April 7: https://lcps.pub/4bFETwy Individuals eligible to attend this event must be licensed educators who are endorsed or are eligible to be endorsed in the following: Elementary (including those eligible to teach Dual Language Immersion) qualified candidates will receive information regarding scheduling specific interview timeslots there will also be an opportunity to speak with LCPS representatives regarding topics from various departments (i.e. etc.) with whom you can meet to ask questions and learn more about working for LCPS All interviews will be virtual and by appointment only The current boundaries for Freedom High School/J John Champe High School/Mercer Middle School and Lightridge High School/Willard Middle School will be reviewed in the attendance zone process Adopted middle and high school attendance zone changes will take effect in fall 2026 with the start of the 2026-2027 school year This attendance zone process is in advance of a spring 2027 attendance zone process that will be tied to the opening of HS-14 (2028-2029 school year) and the transition of Watson Mountain Middle School to a full-fledged middle school serving students in grades six through eight Dulles South Secondary School Attendance Zone Process Calendar Those who need translation/interpretation assistance or a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability in order to be able to participate meaningfully in School Board meetings or public hearings should contact the Superintendent's Office at least three days prior to the meeting Join the LCPS Division of Family and Community Engagement for a workshop designed to empower families with proactive and productive ways to engage with LCPS and support their child’s educational journey This session will provide tools and resources to help families answer questions resolve concerns and share perspectives effectively Participants will learn how to identify key contacts connect with the right departments and navigate the various communication channels used by schools and the division Families will leave with practical strategies to stay informed manage information overload  and advocate confidently for their student’s success Register Here Register Here The select committee is meeting to hear about Special Permissions AGENDA: Please click the link below to take you to the BoardDocs the Chair of the School Board shall appoint a committee of three members to review administrative appeals and appoint one of those members as chair of the committee Enrich.\",\"content\":\"\",\"alt_text\":\"laptop on desk\"}],\"global_title\":\"Engage.Empower DLI provides core academic instruction in two languages beginning in Kindergarten for both native English speakers and English learners HAMSci is a four-year program providing science or healthcare opportunities Students accepted into the Health & Medical Sciences Academy will have two pathways to choose from IB is a rigorous four-year program with a highly respected college preparatory curriculum at Heritage and Loudoun Valley High Schools LCPS regularly reviews and revises its policies Welcome to the new Loudoun County Public Schools website updated look full of features and solutions that will improve your user experience Explore the user-friendly menu buttons for quick access to commonly used sections the events calendar and the improved search function Visitors are encouraged to explore the new changes and updates with patience and understanding and we apologize if you encounter any instances of downtime or unexpected issues Service for our rapid notification system has been restored after a short vendor technology outage this morning Important Notice: Correction for A/B Day Schedule Please note that the website is currently displaying incorrect information for today's schedule We apologize for any confusion and are working to correct the error as soon as possible LCPS and Administrative Offices are closed Monday All activities on school campuses are canceled Monday Loudoun County Public Schools and Administrative Offices are closed on Tuesday All activities on school campuses are canceled on January 7 as well all schools serving as polling places will remain open unless otherwise announced by The Loudoun County Office of Elections The Annual School Board Organizational Meeting that is scheduled for Tuesday To the extent inclement weather makes it impracticable and unsafe for a quorum of the School Board to meet in person at the Administrative Building at that time the School Board will plan to hold such rescheduled meeting virtually to provide for the continuity of its operations additional information will be provided prior to that meeting Loudoun County Public Schools and Administrative Offices are closed Wednesday An announcement will be made by NOON on Wednesday if after school activities on campuses may take place Loudoun County Public Schools campuses will be allowed to reopen today Please check your school’s website for updates on canceled or confirmed activities Loudoun County Public Schools are on a 2-hour delay Thursday 9 with Administrative Offices opening on time Loudoun County Public Schools are on a 2-hour delay Friday January 10 with Administrative Offices opening on time Please check our website for specific program information to see how the delay could affect you After further assessment of neighborhood roads and sidewalks this evening after sunset we have determined that Loudoun County Public Schools will remain closed Thursday January 9 due to additional freezing and icy conditions Administrative offices will operate on a delayed schedule and will open at 10:00 a.m An announcement will be made by NOON on Thursday if after school activities on campuses may take place The Annual Loudoun County School Board Organizational Meeting Thank you for your understanding and stay safe Loudoun County Public Schools campuses will be closed today The Loudoun County School Board Organizational Meeting will continue as scheduled Loudoun County Public Schools campuses will be closed Saturday All activities on school campuses are canceled at this time Scheduled activities on school campuses may be allowed after 12:00 PM Please check our website for specific program information to see how the closure could affect you Loudoun County Public Schools campuses will remain closed today For the status of Loudoun County Parks and Recreation activities held in LCPS buildings, please visit: https://www.loudoun.gov/fieldstatus After the impacts of this past week’s inclement weather we wanted to let you know that LCPS will resume regular operations on Monday We appreciate everyone's flexibility and understanding during this time Please be assured that we checked road conditions with VDOT and other partners and our staff has worked diligently to ensure the safety and readiness of our facilities for students and staff All schools will operate on their regular schedules Buses will operate on their normal schedules Thank you for your patience and adaptability during the weather disruptions We look forward to welcoming our students and staff back to school Loudoun County Public Schools and Administrative Offices are closed Sunday All activities on school campuses are canceled Loudoun County Public Schools and Administrative Offices are scheduled to be closed Monday all activities on school campuses are canceled for Monday Loudoun County Public Schools are on a 2-hour delay on Thursday Please check your school’s website to see how the delay could affect you Loudoun County Public Schools campuses will be allowed to reopen today, January 21 beginning at 4:00 p.m. for scheduled activities. For the status of a particular event, please confirm the status with the event coordinator. For the status of Loudoun County Parks and Recreation activities held in LCPS buildings, please visit: https://www.loudoun.gov/fieldstatus Please be advised our team is currently surveying roads and a decision will be made later today regarding tomorrow Loudoun County Public Schools are on a 2-hour delay January 22 with Administrative Offices opening on time We will continue to monitor road conditions through the morning and will let families and staff know as soon as possible if anything changes please check your email or your school’s website at to see how the delay could affect you Due to the unpredictability of the current weather forecast and in an effort to give families ample time to plan Loudoun County Public Schools are on two-hour delay on Thursday with administrative offices opening on time all LCPS campuses will be closing at 9:00 p.m We appreciate your understanding and will continue to monitor conditions Loudoun County Public Schools will close three (3) hours early Tuesday due to the predicted afternoon snowfall for our area Schools will dismiss 3 hours early and all bus routes will operate three (3) hours earlier than their normal time All after-school activities are canceled for Tuesday Administrative Offices will also close 3 hours earlier than their scheduled time The School Board meeting scheduled for Tuesday will be rescheduled for Thursday February 13 with the work session starting at 4:30 p.m We will continue to monitor the weather and let you know if anything changes. As a reminder, optional snow day enrichment activities are available for your student at lcps.org/snowdayresources LCPS is aware that there is potential for precipitation in the form of snow and rain throughout the day Saturday We wanted to let you know we will remain open on Saturday especially as weather conditions can vary across the county and to check their school’s website for any updates to scheduled activities We will continue to closely monitor the weather and temperatures After surveying road conditions and deeming them suitable for travel We appreciate your patience and cooperation as we work to ensure a smooth and safe return to school LCPS is actively in contact with our broadcast partners as we have been made aware of some technical difficulty on their channels tonight Tonight’s School Board meeting can be viewed on our livestream or on Verizon HD Channel 2143 Verizon’s SD 43 is experiencing technical difficulties but their SD Channel 18 is also experiencing technical difficulties Please disregard the previous message you may have received about a Negative Balance on your student’s cafeteria meal account (LINQ Connect) It was sent out in error and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience To verify the balance in your child's account please log into https://linqconnect.com/ and you will be able to view the current balance If there are any issues with the parent portal LINQ Connect may be experiencing higher traffic due to this error and we request you check back tomorrow morning Once again we apologize for the inconvenience Update: Tonight’s School Board meeting can be viewed on our website via our live stream LCPS is closely monitoring the weather forecast which predicts light snow starting tomorrow morning We are currently operating on a normal schedule Thursday we will be sure to update you as soon as possible Thank you for your understanding as we continue to monitor any potential impacts of weather and road conditions we've made it more intuitive and audience-friendly to help you find what you need faster Take a look around and explore the new layout Final Reminder: LCPS Annual Staff Survey Closing Soon The deadline to complete the LCPS Annual Staff Survey is March 21 Your voice matters—help us improve LCPS by sharing your feedback School-based staff, check your email for the survey link and submit your responses today! Need support? Contact Research@lcps.org or visit the Stakeholder Surveys 2025 Information webpage Thank you for your patience with the system delays due to high volume this morning The LCPS team worked to resolve the technical issues and expanded capacity as quickly as possible Please refresh your screen and continue your process We appreciate your patience and understanding We're celebrating two outstanding educators for being named Teacher and Principal of the Year by The Washington Post principal at Dominion Trail Elementary School Thank you for making a difference every day Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission I have borne witness to many fiascos in my years of watching reality TV recreationally and professionally I watched the abusive saga of Ronnie and Sam on Jersey Shore live I remember where I was when I saw Evelyn Lozada call Tami Roman a “non-motherfucking factor” on Basketball Wives and Jennifer Hudson — were placed in the bottom on American Idol and I knew then that the American voting system was irretrievably broken I have been around the block well before I entered my Faustian contract with the Bravo network I found myself genuinely astonished — agog even — to witness a Real Housewife shamelessly quote Maya Angelou in response to a targeted drubbing After Mia Thornton attempted to make a scene with her unceremonious exit last week Stacey Rusch finds herself under scrutiny this week when Eddie Osefo reveals to his wife — and ultimately the rest of the cast — that TJ claimed on camera that he was paid to participate in Housewives and that Stacey was in arrears It’s fascinating to watch play out: Andy Cohen’s face ranging from amusement to bafflement to mild concern as Stacey continues to deny not only the possibility that she paid him but that TJ even said that; Ashley desperate to integrate herself into juicy drama pleading to look at the phone footage; Stacey’s carefully pruned broadcast accent repeatedly faltering as she searches for a proper counter ultimately pointing out (fairly) that the cast and viewers were skeptical of him all year and it defies logic to simply believe him now I don’t think Wendy and Eddie planned this Wendy simply does not have a good enough poker face to pull off genuine shock at the text she received from her husband My educated guess is as follows: Producers asked Eddie and Greg to film some B-roll around the men and as soon as they got TJ’s unexpected rant on-camera prompted Eddie to text Wendy immediately in the hopes it would kick off the discussion that followed The scramble the production team had to make to get the footage off the cameras and cut it and send to Andy’s phone while trying to document Mia’s exit is a rare feat of logistical prowess in a time when reality production teams are consistently being hammered for poor editing fans will argue over whether TJ’s narrative is credible It’s hard to miss the obvious parallel to fellow Detroit native Kenya Moore’s first season of RHOA and her doomed relationship with Walter (Kenya also insists that Walter lied about that to be vindictive; I’ll leave that determination up to the fans.) I would argue that the veracity of the claim is largely irrelevant Let’s say he made this all up: Why be this vindictive toward someone you continued to call your best friend up until the footage was revealed While Stacey threatening legal action and proclaiming “and still I rise” left me clutching my sides while I gasped for air her public humiliation was far from the most damning moment in the final minutes of this season the women finally start to open up about what has been painfully obvious to any faithful watcher of this show: Karen has been struggling with an alcohol problem that has recently gotten out of control As someone with close friends who battled addiction but Karen is responsible for her mistakes and she is very lucky that her choices over the years have never taken someone’s life Her poorly executed attempt to continue to cop pleas with pretaped footage of Ray flubbing their agreed-upon talking points is a tragic low point in a disastrous year for the woman formerly known as the Grande Dame I will be honest about my unpopular opinion on this debacle: I don’t think Karen Huger going to jail for a year is a win for anyone nothing about the judgment so far indicates that the courts have decided to permanently revoke her license which I believe is sorely needed as she rebuilds her life A senior citizen in jail is not something I can personally celebrate as I don’t think that offers any real productive intervention I know people who have lost their lives to drunk driving.) That said and I think Gizelle choosing to stop covering for her and be open about what has long been known in their circle is a massive step forward but also holding that secret in the hopes that loved ones recover privately can ruin communities and friends who are all held hostage in that shame the same way she has bravely done with her discussions about sexual violence is the only way she will be able to free herself from that burden and return to a person the cast has all said they know and love off-camera Most important, I think we need to have an honest discussion about alcohol and reality TV. Karen isn’t the first Housewife to struggle with addiction; she’s not the first, second, or third woman to get a DUI or an alcohol-related infraction How many drunken dinners have we seen where affronted parties drive off in a huff Dorit is making thinly veiled comments around Sutton’s alcohol abuse on Beverly Hills despite having her own signature drink and a husband with a DUI arrest himself; Kyle Richards’s choice to be sober last year was met with scorn despite that being a reasonable decision given her family history The fan base keeps clamoring for the return of the NY Housewives whose claim to fame over the past five seasons of that franchise’s decline was getting blackout drunk to the point that they shit their pants I am not trying to imply that Bravo is liable for Karen’s behavior nor that of any of the women we have to have a hard discussion about how we delineate acceptable alcohol abuse for entertainment and how that threshold shifts depending on how we feel about the women involved I am not necessarily advocating for a sober era of Housewives as much as I am hoping we start reflecting seriously on how reality television encourages alcohol abuse and the histrionics that emerge from these women when they are three sheets to the wind but I am eager to start the long-overdue conversation It’s a stunning fall from grace from the early pretense of the show but it is also a testament to the reality that nothing is permanent; time passes and the accomplishments that validate your sense of superiority can vanish just as quickly as they came Your “institution” of a marriage can devolve into an open joke; financial security can be destroyed by the swish of a divorce decree the first nine seasons were a remarkable deconstruction of how fragile the foundation of elite performance is when funneled through the lenses of patriarchy the redevelopment of the franchise can offer an amazing renaissance to one of the few shows that provides a (relatively) unvarnished look at a very nuanced experience of Black women in America and I am genuinely looking forward to seeing how the House of Potomac gets rebuilt over the next few years Thank you all for reading every week — it has been a joy commiserating and laughing alongside you Let’s close this out with my final ratings for the season: Gizelle: Despite her relatively muted presence this season I am cautiously optimistic for her trajectory She is meshing well with most of the women is more discerning about when to kick up drama and when to back off and is creating a rapport that doesn’t feel closed off Her performance on the reunion was exactly the Gizelle I like to see and I am curious to see how she navigates Potomac’s next era Did she spend six episodes making us celebrate her 40th birthday Do I continue to find her a bit corny and awkward But it is undeniable that between the finale and the reunion the Osefos secured their position as veterans on the show but Wendy certainly held court over these past three episodes She navigated a strong recovery after Karen feebly attempted to take the rug out from under her established strong banter with Gizelle that was genuinely entertaining to watch got her husband an unprecedented “first chair” moment dismissed an OG’s attempt to malign her with very little pushback from the cast spearheaded two separate exposés on the best Potomac reunion since season five and finally got her revenge for how the cast stood with Mia against her two years ago but Wendy finally found her footing and I will gladly give her her props for that and I don’t think she is needed as a conduit of mess anymore If she wants to take Potomac into the next decade Ashley is going to have to figure out how to get comfortable talking about herself Stacey: With its relationship drama and all I would call Stacey’s debut season a clear success she’s a little phony and is working to curate an image of herself on-camera that doesn’t seem to align with her offline persona but being honest is not a prerequisite of being a Housewife; most of this franchise’s icons are infamously delusional I don’t need a Housewife to be morally upstanding (within reason and if Kenya’s trajectory after her debut on Atlanta is any indication the latest addition to Potomac has a bright future ahead of her as long as she continues to bring her friend AJ to film Keiarna: I don’t think this season was the best representation of her appeal but I would be interested to see her get another season out of Karen and Greg’s shadow Her performance at the reunion showcases that she can be witty and quick and we need way fewer confessional gangsters and more people who can shade the other women in real time Perhaps she would ultimately fit best as a friend-of Jassi: We barely saw enough of her to render a real verdict about her performance, and she barely made it to a commercial break in her appearance at the reunion. Perhaps she is hoping to be part of the rumored WAGS show Bravo is working on I would be curious to see more details about her life and relationship that we didn’t have a chance to dive into I think her time on Potomac has come to a close Jacqueline: I pray she frees herself from the toxic enmeshment she seems to have with Mia and hope she has a safe and happy pregnancy but I also never need to see her on my screen again you have to be funny or witty or have a compelling story this was a disastrous season for Karen: no accountability and a disastrous attempt to control the narrative that made her lose every ally save Gizelle and Keiarna She will return — likely next season as her exit from jail will almost perfectly align with the taping of the next reunion and I imagine Bravo will move heaven and earth to get that on-camera I hope she takes a long time to think about how she plans to rebuild the later arc of her life Luann de Lesseps managed to turn her spiral and decline around into becoming a cult favorite and there’s no reason why Karen can’t do the same if she approaches her return intentionally Mia: Don’t let the door hit you on the way out Her inability to take a relatively mild dragging feels pathetic after we watched Gizelle endure extensive humiliation by Monique on the season-five reunion I wish her kids a bright and healthy future but I am relieved we will never have to deal with her antics again By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York Cast your votes for the 2025 DefenseScoop 50 — voting is open through April 18 The Army UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter that fatally collided with an American Airlines passenger plane Wednesday night over the Potomac River was not equipped with experimental autonomous flight capabilities defense officials familiar with the ongoing federal investigation told DefenseScoop There’s said to be no survivors in the aftermath of the tragic crash local time on a notoriously highly-congested flight path in the National Capital Region National Transportation Safety Board-led investigation into the incident press briefings and one-on-one conversations Thursday several defense officials shed new light on the mid-air collision Their comments confirm that — despite the Army’s unfolding experimentation with AI and autonomous software — the helicopter involved was not equipped with or deploying any such systems “It did not have any AI capability,” Jonathan Koziol who serves as chief of staff at the Headquarters Department of the Army Aviation Directorate “With any testing like that — with new systems — it’ll be away from populated areas we want to reduce the risk of impacting or hurting anyone else in and around that area so we definitely wouldn’t be testing that type of equipment in this area,” Koziol said He emphasized that the latest trends show that the Army had “greatly reduced accidents over the last year.” Koziol told reporters that he views this incident as a tragic circumstance where two aircraft tried to “occupy the same space at the same time.” In separate conversations earlier Thursday three defense officials speaking to DefenseScoop on the condition of anonymity also noted that this specific Black Hawk mission known colloquially as a “tech flight” would not incorporate any experimental AI software.  They suggested that those sort of “gold-top” helicopters as well as other craft flying in those specific air corridors the Army has been exploring how to integrate autonomy and AI-enabled capabilities across its aviation portfolio as part of a larger effort to modernize its fleet many of those efforts are still in nascent research-and-development phases The service has focused both on fielding new platforms such as the manned Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) as well as upgrading legacy helicopters with the technology The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is slated to begin experiments this year that would integrate an autonomy system developed by Sikorsky onto an experimental UH-60M “optionally piloted” Black Hawk The modernized version of the aircraft features fly-by-wire controls — a semiautomatic system that replaces an aircraft’s conventional manual flight controls — and serves as a flying testbed Under the $6 million contract awarded to the helicopter’s manufacturer Sikorsky in October the Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM) is expected to test and mature applications for a range of autonomous flight capabilities The effort builds upon Sikorsky’s previous autonomous flight research conducted over the last few years under DARPA’s Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program the Lockheed Martin subsidiary first flew the MX Black Hawk without any humans onboard during the Army’s annual Project Convergence experimentation event The company later demonstrated the aircraft’s ability to be controlled by operators in the cabin or on the ground via a tablet.  Sikorsky did not immediately respond to DefenseScoop’s request for comment regarding the Black Hawk’s autonomous flight capability Koziol told reporters that once the investigation is complete the government will hopefully have retrieved and gained access to flight recorders that were onboard both aircraft that could provide the “real truth” behind the wreck “And as long as the black box is recovered and the information is able to be downloaded we’ll be able to get the voice communications of all the radios and the crew members talking to each other along with all of the aircraft information itself — how the engines were running the altitude of the aircraft — so we should be able to have all of that data for the investigation team to come to a conclusion,” he said.  Among a wide variety of safety concerns now emerging about that D.C the collision is also raising questions about how night-vision eyewear could impact military pilots’ flight performance.  “It was a fairly experienced crew that was doing a required annual night evaluation They did have night-vision goggles,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in a recorded video from his office that aired Thursday morning it would be acceptable — and possibly even standard — for the military pilots to not have physically worn the goggles even if they had them on hand We call it ‘night unaided,’ where we don’t have aided night-vision goggles helping us fly I don’t know if they were — we’re speculating now we’ll leave that to the investigation But they can easily fly at night without the goggles especially in this environment with all the bright lights and no lights on the river they could definitely know where they’re at,” he said Wednesday’s fatal collision comes after a spike in aviation accidents and mishaps featuring Army aircraft as fiscal 2024 saw the service’s highest number of Class A flight mishaps — designated for incidents resulting in fatalities permanent disabilities or destruction of the aircraft — in 10 years According to an Army newsletter published earlier this month there were 15 Class A flight mishaps over the year compared to nine recorded in fiscal 2023 and four in fiscal 2022 Only one of those incidents involved a UH-60M Black Hawk Koziol noted that an Army Aviation Safety Stand-Up initiated in April 2024 allowed the service to reinforce and review both its policies and training protocols Separately from Wednesday’s accident the Army is looking to publish additional training material and leader development materials related to aviation safety to show how important safety is for Army aviation and trying to curb that trend that we had last year which we hope was an anomaly because the previous five years were probably the safest in Army aviation we had in a long time,” Koziol said During his confirmation hearing Thursday to serve as President Donald Trump’s secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll pledged to focus on aviation safety and prevent any future accidents from occurring again “It’s an accident that seems to be preventable I think [there should be] a focus from the top down There are appropriate times to take risk and there are inappropriate times to take risk,” Driscoll told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee “I don’t know the details around this one and working with this committee to figure out the facts I think we might need to look at where is an appropriate time to take training risk And it may not be near an airport like Reagan.” Blackstone (NYSE: BX) has announced that Blackstone Energy Transition Partners agreed to acquire Potomac Energy Center a 774-megawatt natural gas power plant in Loudoun County Latham & Watkins LLP represents Ares in the transaction with a corporate deal team led by Houston partner Trina Chandler and New York partner Caroline Phillips Advice was also provided on finance matters by New York partner Matthew Henegar and San Diego counsel Joanna Gorska with associates Deborah Ogali and Bradford Taylor; on corporate capital markets by New York partner Yvette Valdez with associate Naffie Lamin; on tax matters by Houston partners Bryant Lee and Christine Mainguy; on regulatory matters by Washington partners Natasha Gianvecchio and Tyler Brown; on real property by San Diego partner Robert Frances; on benefits matters by Washington partner Adam Kestenbaum and Houston counsel Krisa Benskin; on intellectual property matters by Washington counsel Kieran Dickinson; on environmental matters by Los Angeles/Houston partner Joshua Marnitz with associate Phil Goldberg; on trade controls matters by Washington counsel Andrew Galdes; on HSR matters by Washington partner Jason Cruise; on FCC matters by Washington partner Elizabeth Park; on data privacy matters by Houston counsel Robert Brown; and on CFIUS matters by Washington MISSOULA — A 23-year-old Potomac man died in a one-vehicle rollover crash in the Blackfoot Valley on Saturday The Montana Highway Patrol reports the man was eastbound in a Toyota Tundra on Montana Highway 200 near mile marker 14 the vehicle went off the right side of the road and hit a power pole The vehicle went through a fence and overturned The MHP says the man was not wearing a seatbelt and was thrown from the vehicle by the force of the crash His name has not been released at this point speed is considered a factor in the crash; alcohol and/or drugs are not suspected A driver who plunged her vehicle into the Potomac River on Tuesday evening made it safely out of the water with some help from good Samaritans The driver and sole occupant of a Jeep was traveling on the George Washington Parkway when she ended up driving into the river between the Humpback Bridge and the Arlington Memorial Bridge Video posted on X by NBC4 Washington reporter Joseph Olmo shows people helping the female driver out of the water, as a crowd near the shore applauds. A U.S. Park Police officer assisted And a police officer appears in the frame as they exit the water Fire and EMS told WTOP that as the car fully submerged the group of people on the shore helped emergency personnel rescue the woman with a line and a throw bag in the water The woman was taken to a nearby hospital for evaluation The George Washington Parkway was initially closed for the heavy rescue response There is no guardrail between the northbound lanes of the parkway and the Potomac River where the crash occurred In November of 2022, one person died when their car went into the river. In April of 2019, a police pursuit ended when a robbery suspect also crashed into the river. WTOP’s Dave Dildine contributed to this report COVID-19 Updates Vaccine and Booster Information View All Media Advisories View All Speeches & Testimony Sign up for a newsletter or update your subscription preferences Once the largest railyard on the Eastern seaboard is realizing the benefit of years of community planning for redevelopment of the site and area the new $370-million Potomac Yard Metrorail Station provides an important link for commuters within the Washington DC metropolitan area It is also key to catalyzing development of the surrounding areas into a growing urban hub by providing rail access to the larger region as well as information technology and communications the team designed all furnishings and the bridge to provide pedestrian and bicycle access over the freight rail corridor and entry to the station pavilion The station earned LEED Gold level certification under the Building Design and Construction: Transit Stations rating system making it the first outdoor rail station in North America to receive this achievement Alexandria has seen substantial population growth and new development in the last few decades initiated the new Potomac Yard Metrorail Station to serve two Metrorail lines of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) is expected to shift 6,700 daily vehicle trips to transit reducing road traffic along the Route 1 corridor and lowering greenhouse gas emissions Potomac Yard Metrorail Station is designed to catalyze urban density in the area with walkable and bikeable access to transit In addition to providing a commuter conduit to and from the burgeoning area the new station aims to redevelop Potomac Yard as a walkable mixed-use community and increase access to regional transportation for residents in the surrounding area New headquarters for the Institute for Defense Analyses as well as Virginia Tech’s new $1 billion Innovation Campus are all locating in proximity to the new Metrorail station Since the station is bordered on one side by wetlands and on the other by freight rail tracks that separate the station from the adjacent neighborhood the design’s two entrances at the north and south ends include a pedestrian bridge spanning the rail tracks providing critical access to the growing urban area The station is already weaving into the adjacent developing urban fabric The Arup team oriented the south entrance to be more accessible for the sight-impaired by aligning the south pavilion entrance with the existing crosswalk that abuts a new building for the National Industries for the Blind To further encourage urban infill development and sustainable transit the station provides protected storage for bikes It also connects to the adjacent Mount Vernon Trail a walking and cycling trail that links to a system of over 20 miles throughout Alexandria since Potomac Yard is only one stop from the Reagan Airport on the metrorail line the new station provides residents with a lower-emissions alternative to driving and will likely ease highway congestion near the airport The station serves two Metrorail lines of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority In addition to helping to activate sustainable urban density and lower carbon emissions due to road traffic the new Potomac Yard Metrorail Station achieved LEED Gold certification for Transit Stations minimizing the project’s environmental impact as an early adopter of the pilot program To help guide the project on the pathway to this LEED certification Arup provided guidance for the project’s credits from factors related to site selection a less common practice for infrastructure projects in the US Arup worked closely with the construction teams to drive a diversion rate of waste hauling from landfill to over 70% For LEED credits related to the site and to create a quality experience for travelers the station design serves to visually connect to and reference the scenic preserved wetlands bordering the length of its east side Glazing was maximized to provide views of the wetlands into the station and stone material on the pavilion references the natural elements of the environment the WMATA Art in Transit program features biophilic design elements of natural light and movement in the façade artwork Led the design of a key new station on the Greater Washington DC Metro Guided the project on the pathway to LEED Transit Stations ‘Gold’ certification Provided multidisciplinary services to achieve a multi-modal hub  If you'd like to speak to one of our rail experts about any of the issues raised on this page or a potential collaboration then please get in touch by completing the form Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInWICHITA (KWCH) - The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched an investigation after two flight landings were aborted at Reagan National Airport in Washington D.C due to an Army Black Hawk helicopter flying in the airspace heading to the Pentagon the FAA stated that air traffic control had instructed Delta Airlines flight 1671 and Republic Airways Flight 5825 to perform “go-arounds” at Reagan Airport because of a priority military air transport helicopter inbound to the Pentagon Army Heliport a congressional staffer confirmed with 12 News that the FAA told members of Congress that “the helicopter took a scenic route around the Pentagon rather than proceeding directly to the heliport.” who served as the Chair of the Subcommittee on Aviation said “The Army and FAA need to reevaluate their operation and return to Capitol Hill to explain what needs to be done to make certain the DCA airspace is safe We already had a tragedy that should not have happened.” Less than a week after the Army resumed helicopter operations near DCA, a Blackhawk was involved in two near misses with commercial aircrafts.The tragic accident at DCA in January and the data that has come to light on near-misses at DCA over the last four years overwhelmingly… https://t.co/aoroMC3a4C Moran also said this incident comes less than a week after the Army resumed helicopter operations around DCA Restrictions were put in place for helicopter flights around the airport in Washington D.C following a January 29 mid-air collision between American Airlines Flight 5342 and an Army Black Hawk helicopter that killed 67 people Less than a week after the Army resumed helicopter operations near DCA, a Blackhawk was involved in two near misses with commercial aircrafts.The tragic accident at DCA in January and the data that has come to light on near-misses at DCA over the last four years overwhelmingly… https://t.co/aoroMC3a4C by Phil Howard — A 23-year-old Potomac man is dead after he struck a power pole on Highway 200 in Potomac at 1:22 a.m The man was traveling east near mile marker 14 in a Toyota Tundra where he drove off the road striking the power pole The car overturned before coming to its final resting place The driver was ejected from his vehicle and pronounced dead upon arrival Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker DC) – DC Water today announces the opening of West Potomac Park Drive SW a new road constructed as part of the Potomac River Tunnel (PRT) Project drivers and visitors will have another option to alleviate the partial closure of Ohio Drive SW The road provides an easy way to get around the main construction site in West Potomac Park which will remain active until the project's completion in 2030.  “As we work to improve water quality and reduce sewer overflow in the Potomac River we also recognize the importance of maintaining access for traffic and the millions who visit West Potomac Park each year,” said David L “This road will help minimize the impact on our community while we embark on this bold project to safeguard this vital water resource for our region.” The opening of West Potomac Drive SW provides three new lanes of traffic Additional safety enhancements include a shared bike and pedestrian path and a new traffic-signaled intersection at Independence Avenue SW featuring a pedestrian crossing The road also includes new metered parking spaces for visitors The new road will open for traffic in two phases to allow drivers to adjust to the new intersection and traffic pattern the road will open with traffic restricted to right turns only The traffic signal at the intersection of Independence Ave SW will be flashing yellow and the crosswalk and median closed.  the traffic signal will be fully operational and the intersection and road will be open for all vehicular and pedestrian traffic from Independence Ave SW Construction on the Potomac River Tunnel began in June 2024 with the closure of Ohio Drive and traffic was temporarily detoured to West Basin Drive SW Following the project’s completion in 2030 Ohio Drive will be restored to its original route and West Potomac Park Drive will be closed and restored to park space.  The Potomac River Tunnel (PRT) is the next major phase of the DC Clean Rivers Project DC Water's ongoing program to reduce combined sewer overflows (CSOs) into the District's waterways The project consists of a large-diameter deep sewer tunnel and support structures to capture flows from existing CSOs along the Potomac River and convey them to the Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant.  The 18-foot-diameter tunnel will run deep underground beneath the Georgetown waterfront along the edge of the National Mall and East Potomac Park and connect by gravity to the existing Anacostia River Tunnel Construction will require two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) one TBM will mine south through mostly soft ground and another TBM will head north to bore through rock The PRT 2030 completion date is required in the Consent Decree DC Water signed in 2005 with the U.S it will reduce CSOs to the Potomac River by 93 percent in an average year of rainfall CSOs impair water quality by increasing water bacteria levels which negatively impacts aquatic life and contributes to an increase in the amount of trash in waterways An estimated 654 million gallons of CSOs enter the Potomac River each year by average rainfall.  Project Email: dcpotomacrivertunnel@dcwater.com Project Website: dcwater.com/prtPotomac River Tunnel Project Hotline: 202-972-1388   by Ida Domingo (7News) — A 16-year-old boy is in the hospital after a stabbing at West Potomac High School in Fairfax County on Wednesday Officers with the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD) responded to the school and discovered that a teenager had been stabbed The 16-year-old was initially rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries the teen's injuries have been downgraded to stable Police said a 15-year-old has been charged with malicious wounding and is being held at the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center The knife that was used in the stabbing has been recovered and an investigation is ongoing on Wednesday because of a fight between three students at West Potomac High School Police do not anticipate any criminal charges told 7News' Tom Roussey that her son saw the stabbing in the hallway "West Potomac High School is safe," said Superintendent Michelle Reid during a Noon press conference "I'm very proud of the response of our staff in this incident." Reid said that students are still currently in class and on a modified lunch schedule They will remain in school for the rest of the day parents at the press conference expressed their frustration with the students not being released Reid said the school administration needs to take care of "safety measures" so they can initiate early dismal for parents who want to get their kids This stabbing comes just days after FCPS launched a pilot program to install weapon detection systems at select schools president of Fairfax County Federation of Teachers (FCFT) "FCFT is shocked and saddened to learn of the attack at West Potomac High School which must remain a place of safety for all students and FCPS workers and Ryan McElveen issued the following statement calling for their colleagues to approve new safety measures Fairfax County Public Schools is widely considered one of the safest public school systems in the United States but in light of the unacceptable act of violence at West Potomac HS it is necessary to invest in new measures to ensure the safety and security of our students Today the undersigned School Board Members call on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to prioritize the following security measures: the undersigned School Board Members call on Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) to prioritize the following security measures: A 20-year-old Arlington man out fishing near the Chain Bridge caught the biggest catfish of his life this week Stanley “Sebby” Brock III arrived at his usual fishing spot around 4 p.m hoping to catch some shad or striped bass during their annual migration “I just let the fish have it and I reeled it in,” Brock told ARLnow Brock said he could barely lift the creature which he estimates weighed about as much as his 11-year-old brother “The mouth on that thing was so big — my little brother’s head could’ve easily fit in that guy’s mouth,” he said Brock didn’t have a tape measure or scale so he just got a picture with the beast before letting it go “I was just really happy and kind of shocked about the size of it,” he said “The average person wouldn’t expect a fish of that size to be a fifth-generation Arlingtonian and Yorktown High School graduate has been fishing since he was a little kid He typically casts a line a few times a week in between classes at Northern Virginia Community College he was using his favorite bait: chopped eel He gets live eel from Good Fortune Supermarket at the Eden Center Brock said the Potomac is teeming with fish this time of year “It’s just crazy,” he said Many fish found in the Arlington County, including white catfish, bullhead catfish and channel catfish less than 18 inches long, are generally safe to eat — although people shouldn’t eat them more than twice a month, according to the Potomac Riverkeeper Network During a phone interview yesterday afternoon he was already on his way back to the spot where snagged the giant catfish “I’m trying to catch a bigger one,” he said Continues nearly 150 years of river level record keeping for a flood-prone region Water level observations have been restored on the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. NOAA’s National Weather Service the National Park Service’s Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and the U.S Geological Survey collaborated to install a new stage-only stream gauge on the Potomac River A “stage-only” gauge measures the water level above a reference elevation also referred to as a “stage.” The water level observations at Harpers Ferry are one of the longest records of river level data on the Potomac River This gauge is a replacement for the previous gauge that was destroyed by a train derailment in December 2019.  "Through a partnership of the National Weather Service the historic Harpers Ferry stream gauge has been successfully reestablished,” said James E meteorologist-in-charge at the agency’s Baltimore/Washington forecast office “This partnership has ensured that this nearly 150-year record of Potomac River flooding will continue into the future." and to issue river flood watches and warnings for the protection of life and property.  “The information from this new gauge is critical to give shoreline communities along the upper Potomac River the time they need to prepare and keep people safe,” said Lee “It also helps track Potomac River water flow that ultimately impacts Washington Flood categories at this site will remain unchanged from the previous levels: The new gauge is located slightly upstream from where the Shenandoah River merges into the Potomac River. Water level data from the new gauge are available on NOAA’s National Water Prediction Service website. or template – something that gives a clear picture of where we are at present and then we can work spontaneity into our journey toward that goal It’s a big part of what resonates for me about reality TV: while the show is technically unscripted and the magic is found in the organic moments in between those coordinated points Despite every cast member’s carefully laid plans there is always a moment when their curated mask falls and we get an unexpected raw insight into their real emotions as we begin our descent into the back half of this season of Potomac – one that is still a significant improvement over the months-long humiliation ritual that was season 8 — I find myself a little lost in the weeds of the women’s stories Some things are completely out of production’s control: They could not have possibly predicted that Karen’s DUI would go to a jury trial as the season was airing rendering her storyline effectively moot and increasingly embarrassing with each passing episode But even beyond Karen’s massive humbling (I keep looking at her in that crimped blonde wig in Panama and wondering if it’s the same unit that was fried and laid to the side in that bodycam footage) there are some glaring gaps in the women’s arcs that are making this season feel choppy The most blatant example of this is Keiarna who has been transitioned into a pivotal part of the cast after production sent Jassi upstairs into the ether like Judy Winslow on Family Matters Keiarna is an undeniably stunning woman who seems to be doing quite fine for herself but we are 13 episodes into the season and only just now finding out that her and Greg started dating only a month after his divorce was finalized and are building a house together; she is also suing Deborah which we knew because the Bravo bloggers covered it in real time but none of this has been fleshed out in a way that makes me curious to see more of Keiarna’s life and is waiting for a ring; you can find 30 women in the exact same circumstances at a U Street happy hour in DC her story in its totality seems less than the sum of its parts and I am struggling to understand why she was upgraded from friend of; perhaps they thought we would care more about the fallout of the Keiarna-Deborah conflict but Deborah was clearly in the wrong so there is simply not much to discuss They can’t pay me enough to care about Stacey Facetiming TJ with his shirt off and Jassi seems to be perfectly fine accepting her new future as a stepmother so there is simply nothing to discuss None of the women seem to be willing to share enough of themselves for production to meaningfully tell a story about their lives which not only has a negative impact on entertainment value it also leaves a massive storyline-shaped hole that has been consumed by Mia and Jacqueline the corporeal manifestation of the twin Mia absorbed while still in the womb Where the other women have been frustratingly reserved in sharing their current trials and tribulations Mia is freely bringing us into her tornado and absent further developments from the rest of the ensemble both the cast and viewers have no choice but to participate Potomac is regressing into a weekly episode of Maury Povich which is clearly wearing the women’s patience thin but not so much that they are ready to do something about it but so much of the decision-making left me confused which we have all seen on screen – were her children not responding to her messages Did she not have location services on their devices so she could at least confirm they were likely around her former nanny Why would Gordon think you are on vacation with Inc when filming trips require call times from production that can easily be corroborated via email basic facts around how it was being handled simply did not add up – and while I would normally chalk that up to the recklessness that can be born out of stress-induced panic nothing Mia ever does inspires me to offer her the benefit of the doubt Jacqueline spares no time in starting to let the other women know the seriousness of the situation that Mia was dealing with this morning Mia was having a panic attack and fearful of what Gordon could do to the kids triggered by the idea that something that frightening could happen to them too – only to be a little flummoxed at the full picture as more details started to come out If Gordon is such a risk with the children why is she so reluctant to take control of the custody How were the kids able to send photos if they were out of reach the entire morning why is her plan to go from Panama to visiting Inc in Atlanta and not straight to your children to make sure that they are safe she would have simply left the trip if there was this much uncertainty involving the location and safety of her children are now the rollercoaster that is driving the season being Mia’s friend is exhausting — but they’re getting paid for that privilege While the women are clearly over entertaining this crazy train absent anything to compete with this story secure in the fact that she is sharing all parts of her life Mia wields the word “authentic” as a weapon; it is a warning shot to the rest of the cast that none of them are ready to spill their dirty secrets the way that she is whether out of self-dignity or self-preservation None of them are willing to admit to potentially sharing her husband with their childhood best friend – or his best friend or whatever actually happened that I don’t care enough to get to the root of Jacqueline continues to feebly endorse her best friend’s antics only to find herself getting ridiculed by either Mia or the rest of the women under the slightest bit of pressure where she ends up trying to fill the time by uncomfortably letting us know that she has “a WAP,” a term she thinks she’s using to sound cool and hip but only ends up feeling pathetic and desperate We have rapidly found ourselves in an untenable situation where the women clearly feel that they are being held hostage by Mia’s antics yet are unwilling to offer up enough of their own lives to mitigate the damage being caused by the Thorntons’ penchant for dramatics Ashley and Gizelle slowly begin to mount their defensive strike against Mia starting with Ashley pressing Mia about how she spoke about Gizelle’s daughters while shopping expressing her frustrations with Mia’s behavior if the events she has been relaying are all true then her children aren’t in safe hands and she should be pursuing custody an action that Mia seems unnaturally resistant to no longer buying into her shenanigans and taking the moment to let the audience know that Mia privately apologized for her remarks about Gizelle’s daughters off camera while she presents herself as doubling and tripling down for the audience While Gizelle may claim that the root of her frustration is purely about how Mia came for her children it feels like there’s another strain of this resentment emerging Gizelle is usually able to weaponize the tools of pride and dignity to manipulate the cast via lingering rumors and secrets; that is an impossible tactic to employ with Mia While it is clear that a takedown is starting to heat up I need this standoff to get to a boil sooner rather than later the sapphic duo of Jacqueline and Mia becomes a triangle once Ashley decides to get in the mix • It was amusing to watch Wendy mock “613 blondes” (and even more amusing that Stacey had no idea what that was) over dinner at Panama only to end up rocking a 613 bob in her confessional this week As a person who is quite familiar with the box dye aisle at the beauty shop I think she could have toned the color a bit more to match her complexion • While I remain frustrated at watching Karen mishandle this season in every way possible When she freely admitted that she has kept her mouth in retirement while demanding that Ray withdraw from his oral pension fund to “travel to the village,” she had me in stitches • Gizelle Bryant is truly the Kyle Richards of this franchise in every way Not only is she the self-appointed ghost producer of this ensemble but she cannot help but use the same catchphrases over and over (her “word on the street” is Kyle’s “in this town”) they both have repeatedly traumatized us with their ghastly taste in hats Wendy’s face when Gizelle handed her that Pepto Bismol disaster with a matching hat for her daughter (which wasn’t even the same shade) was the exact level of bemused disgust that I had watching the screen • Why did the girls have to change for the club at the restaurant bathroom Is their resort so far from the city center that it would have been inconvenient to double back and get out at a reasonable time I keep trying to square it away in my head and come back dumbfounded each and every time BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — A GoFundMe was made for the 21-year-old man who was shot and killed at Potomac Park Tuesday morning RELATED: Early morning shooting leaves one dead at Potomac Park The Kern County Sheriff’s Office said on February 4 deputies were called to a shooting at Potomac Park KCSO said homicide detectives responded to the scene and assumed the investigation Anyone with information is asked to call the Kern County Sheriff’s Office at (661) 861-3110 or Kern Secret Witness at (661) 322-4040 A vigil was made at the park Tuesday night A GoFundMe was made for Vargas "He was an amazing son and a hard worker It all happened so soon and no one is ever prepared for this We want to raise funds to give him a proper burial and his forever home." If you would like to donate, click here.