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Confederate memorial in Rockville sparks controversy WJLA ROCKVILLE, Md. (WJLA) - One of the latest controversies in our area over a Confederate memorial is in a place many wouldn't expect -- Rockville, Md. Continue reading. More on this story. Confederate flag debate in Alexandria, Va. Va. bakery creates ... and more »

CHESTERFIELD, Va. (AP) — A retired pinball machine repairman and owner of an emaciated camel that was confiscated by Chesterfield County police has been found guilty of animal cruelty.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1Cr5t9Q ) reports that a judge sentenced Stanley Holmes Jr. to pay a $500 fine and complete 40 hours of community service on Tuesday.

Holmes’ estranged wife, Angela M. Holmes, on whose property the camel lived, was also ordered to pay a $100 fine. Both were ordered to pay $2,268 in restitution for costs associated with the animal’s care while in the county’s custody.

The judge dismissed an additional charge of obstruction of justice after police say Holmes tried to prevent officers from seizing his pet camel, named Jacob, in May.

The Holmeses’ lawyer, Paul Buckwalter, says the couple will appeal the decision.

The post Judge finds emaciated camel owner guilty of animal cruelty appeared first on WTOP.

The Food and Drug Administration is looking to make consumers more aware of potential risks for heart attack and stroke associated with a popular class of painkillers that many of us use on a frequent basis for everyday aches and soreness.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are a class of prescription and over-the-counter medications that include ibuprofen (like you’d find in Motrin or Advil), and naproxen (most popularly used in Aleve). Aspirin is also an NSAID but the FDA is not including it in these label changes.

The labels for these drugs already contain information about the risk of heart attack and stroke, but the FDA is directing manufacturers to update their labels with more specific information in the coming months, including:

• The risk of heart attack or stroke can occur as early as the first weeks of using an NSAID. The risk may increase with longer use of the NSAID.

• The risk appears greater at higher doses.

• NSAIDs can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke in patients with or without heart disease or risk factors for heart disease.

• In general, patients with heart disease or risk factors for it have a greater likelihood of heart attack or stroke following NSAID use than patients without these risk factors because they have a higher risk at baseline.

• Patients treated with NSAIDs following a first heart attack were more likely to die in the first year after the heart attack compared to patients who were not treated with NSAIDs after their first heart attack.

• There is an increased risk of heart failure with NSAID use.

“Be careful not to take more than one product that contains an NSAID at a time,” says Karen M. Mahoney, M.D., deputy director of FDA’s Division of Nonprescription Drug Products. “As always, consumers must carefully read the Drug Facts label for all nonprescription drugs… Consumers should carefully consider whether the drug is right for them, and use the medicine only as directed. Take the lowest effective dose for the shortest amount of time possible.”

Summer is here again, with its promises of cool, refreshing water holes and having fun in the sun swimming. But before you take a dip in freshwater lakes and ponds, take heed: The brain-eating amoeba often found in such bodies of water has claimed another victim, and this time, it struck much farther north than where it’s usually found.

A 14-year-old Minnesota boy was taken off life support Thursday, passing away only 48 hours after he went swimming in a lake, reports the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, the third confirmed death in the state involving the Naegleria fowleri amoeba since 2010. He was hospitalized on Tuesday with primary amebic meningoencephalitis.

We’ve reported on cases involving the Naegleria fowleri amoeba before, but for those not in the know: It’s a rare but very deadly occurrence, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The amoeba enters the body through the nose and makes its way to the brain to feed, and is usually the result of swimming in bodies of warm freshwater — often found in southern states — though it can exist in fresh waters in the north as well.

Symptoms like headache, fever, nausea, vomiting and a stiff neck can show up anywhere between one and seven days after the infection occurs, says the CDC.

“Later symptoms include confusion, lack of attention to people and surroundings, loss of balance, seizures and hallucinations,” the CDC notes. “After the start of symptoms, the disease progresses rapidly and usually causes death within one to 12 days.”

It can’t get into your brain by drinking it, just by sniffing fresh water directly into your nose. It’s also almost always deadly — providing a great reason to wear nose plugs while swimming in fresh water, or to keep your head above water, health officials say.

Previously: Louisiana Parish Warns Residents After Brain-Eating Amoeba Found In The Water Supply

Minnesota 14-year-old dies from rare infection after swimming in lake [Minneapolis Star-Tribune]

In the suburbs of Buffalo, New York, there is a house that until recently was for sale. From the front and from the back, the exterior looks like any ordinary upscale house built in the late ’80s. Inside, however, it looks like the sets from “Saved by the Bell” collided with sets from “The Golden Girls,” then somehow became attached to a mall food court from 1988. Then nothing ever changed.

Here’s a preview of the house’s real estate slideshow: we really recommend scrolling through the entire thing to understand what makes the home so special. Despite what the Realtor.com listing says, the house has been sold. Presumably, that includes the beautiful pillars highlighted with neon lights.

Why does the house look like this? Has it sat untouched since it was last sold in 1993? Did they simply re-use the photos taken for that listing in 1993? “This is elaborate cosplay of the ’80s sitcom Silver Spoons,” one of my friends suggested when I shared the listing on Facebook. Maybe. Others speculated that it was a film set, or intentionally redecorated that way for sale.

We checked with the realtor, who told us that the house was not staged or used as a film set. The décor was put there by the real people who really lived there. If the geometric wall sculptures or those amazing kitchen chairs interest you, they will be selling the art and furniture in a house sale later this summer.

However, we aren’t real estate agents or home decorators: we’re children of the ’80s and ’90s. We kept picturing our favorite television characters from the era in every room of the house. There was only one way we knew to show our appreciation for this house.

Original Listing [Realtor.com]

House Republicans on Thursday withdrew a proposal that would have permitted the limited display of the Confederate flag at National Park Service-run cemeteries in states that observe a holiday commemorating the Confederacy, and only at the graves of rebels who died in the Civil War.

A list of the cemeteries that the plan would have affected. States observe Confederate Memorial Day at different times:

Georgia

Andersonville National Cemetery, Andersonville National Historic Site

Louisiana

Chalmette National Cemetery, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, New Orleans

Mississippi

Vicksburg National Cemetery, Vicksburg National Military Park

Tennessee

Andrew Johnson National Cemetery, Andrew Johnson National Historic Site, Greenville

Fort Donelson National Cemetery, Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Dover

Shiloh National Cemetery, Shiloh National Military Park

Stones River National Cemetery, Stones River National Battlefield, Murfreesboro

Virginia

Fredericksburg National Cemetery, Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park

Poplar Grove National Cemetery, Petersburg National Battlefield

Yorktown National Cemetery, Colonial National Historical Park

___

Source: National Park Service

The post List of cemeteries linked to withdrawn Confederate flag plan appeared first on WTOP.

Editor’s Note: This biweekly sponsored column is written by Rick Gersten, founder and CEO of Urban Igloo, a rental real estate firm that matches up renters with their ideal apartments, condos or houses. Please submit any questions in the comments section or via email.

The Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act (VRLTA) is the governing law with regards to landlord-tenant relations in the state of Virginia. Most residential rentals within the state are covered by the act, and those that are not, such as single family units where the landlord owns fewer than 10 dwellings, can still be covered as long as there is a clause in the lease that states VRLTA applies. Here are a few important clauses in the VRLTA every landlord or renter should understand.

Application Fees: A landlord is allowed to charge an application fee and hold an application deposit for their unit. If an applicant opts to not move forward with the unit, or if a landlord declines their application, the landlord must refund the application fee, less any costs or damages, to the applicant within 20 days. The costs and damages must be provided to the applicant in an itemized list.

Prepaid Rent: In Virginia, prepaid rent is allowed, however, all prepaid rent must be placed in an escrow account within five days of receipt, not to be removed until rent becomes due, or with consent of the tenant.

Insurance: The landlord may require the tenant to have renters insurance which should be noted in the lease agreement. The landlord may obtain insurance on behalf of the tenant and charge the tenant for the actual cost plus administrative fees.

Unsigned Rental Agreements: Occasionally, one party may not send back a signed lease agreement, or perhaps the landlord may have forgotten to provide a copy to the tenant. While this is a “no-no” under the VRLTA, it doesn’t mean the terms of the lease do not apply. If the landlord accepts rent from the tenant, or if the tenant takes possession of the unit and/or pays rent, the terms of the lease agreement still apply. Bottom line: Just because you forgot to sign, doesn’t make your obligations void. Make sure everyone has a copy of the signed agreement to save headaches later.

Special Clauses: Sometimes landlords or renters like to cherry pick lease language or add special clauses to override something in a standard lease document, however the VRLTA specifically states such language is prohibited.

Security Deposits: In Virginia, a landlord may hold a security deposit equal to two months’ of rent. A security deposit must be returned to the tenant within 45 days of lease termination, less any damages. The landlord is required to accrue interest on the security deposit, however no interest is due or payable back to the tenant unless the deposit is held for 13 months or more.

The above represents only a snippet of the VRLTA. These are the more common questions asked by either landlords or tenants. If you have additional questions, contact an attorney or the Arlington Housing Division at 703-228-3765.

Have a rental-related question you’d like Rental Report to answer? Email it to info@urbanigloo.com.

The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

The post Rental Report: How Does the Virginia Residential Landlord Tenant Act Affect You? appeared first on WTOP.

Remember when it was announced that more than four million federal employees in the country were part of a massive data breach last month? Well, turns out that was just one of two rather large data breaches to hit the Office of Personnel Management, with the newly announced second, larger hack affecting upwards of 21 million current and former employees, as well as prospective employees, their families and others who applied for federal background investigations in the last 15 years.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) – essentially, the HR/personnel department for the entire federal government – announced this afternoon that it had concluded “with high confidence” that sensitive information, including the Social Security numbers were stolen from the agency’s background investigation databases.

According to the agency, an investigation into the hack affecting about 4.2 million current and former employees of the federal government announced in June led to the discovery of the larger, more wide-reaching breach.

OPM says that if an individual underwent a background investigation in 2000 or after, it is “highly likely that the individual is impacted by this cyber breach. If an individual underwent a background investigation prior to 2000, that individual still may be impacted, but it is less likely.”

Of the 21.5 million individuals affected in the breach, 19.7 million simply applied for a background investigation, while about 1.8 million non-applicants – predominantly spouses and co-habitants of applicants –were victims of the breach, OMP says.

In some cases, compromised information includes interviews conducted by background investigators and approximately 1.1 million compromised profiles include fingerprints.

OPM says that information regarding mental health or financial histories provided by those that have applied for a security clearance and by individuals contacted during the background investigation were not affected by the breach.

There is no information at this time to suggest any misuse or further dissemination of the information that was stolen from OPM’s systems, the agency states.

In the coming weeks, OPM will begin sending notification packages to individuals who may be affected by the recent beach. Those packages will include educational materials and guidance to help individuals prevent identity theft, better secure their personal and work-related data, and become more generally informed about cyber threats and other risks presented by malicious actors.

The agency says that since it discovered the second breach in April, it has implemented “action to strengthen its broader cyber defenses and information technology systems.”

“Director Katherine Archuleta and the entire Office of Personnel Management are committed to protecting the safety and security of the information of Federal employees and contractors,” the agency says in a statement. “OPM is also committed to helping those that have been impacted by this incident, safeguarding its systems and data, and fulfilling its mission to serve Federal workers.”

OPM Announces Steps to Protect Federal Workers and Others From Cyber Threats [OPM]

Have you bought a cuddly stuffed animal or another souvenir recently during a visit to the zoo? If so, keep an eye on your credit card statements. According to reports from financial institutions and an announcement from one affected zoo, a company that manages zoo gift shops recently had its systems breached.

“Service Systems Associates” is a pretty bland name, but it’s a company that designs and runs cafeterias and gift shops at zoos and other cultural institutions: think historical sites or museums. The news broke earlier this week when the Detroit Zoo announced that its gift shop was part of the breach. Krebs on Security also learned about the possible breach at the Detroit Zoo and eight others from sources at financial institutions, where experts check credit cards with fraudulent transactions to see which merchants the customers have in common.

Yesterday the SSA said that the breach affected nine zoos, but bank sources tell Brian Krebs that there are up to two dozen gift shops that may be involved. Much like the significantly larger recent retail breaches at retailers like Target and Home Depot, baddies gained access to the system through malware in the point-of-sale system, meaning that customers who bought items at the gift shop may have had their card numbers stolen.

The investigation is ongoing, so we don’t know for sure how this happened or what data was taken. It’s possible that customers’ names and CVV numbers (the 3-digit codes on the back of credit and debit cards) were breached as well. Transactions between March 23 and June 26 are possibly affected.

Credit Card Breach at a Zoo Near You [Krebs on Security]
Credit Card Data Breach Affects Gift Shops At Detroit Zoo [CBS Detroit]

Restaurant Inspections: Manassas 4 Cinemas Cafe, Carini's Pizzeria, Paisano's ... Patch.com Prince William Health District officials recently inspected food preparation and storage in the area. Full reports can be accessed on the health department's website. A “critical violation” is one that “poses a direct or immediate threat to the safety ...

Undocumented in DC: Looking at the identity and culture of Washington's ... Washington Post The debate surrounding immigration — particularly the growing number of undocumented immigrants and border protection regulation — has become a central focus of the current U.S presidential campaign. Controversial comments made by Donald Trump ...

If you’d thought KFC had hit rock bottom in its quest to mine every possible acceptable use for fried chicken when it tried the Double Down Hot Dog earlier this year, you were wrong. Very wrong.

Yesterday, KFC Philippines announced the “KFChizza,” which if you haven’t already guessed and then lost your appetite for both chicken and pizza, is a pizza where the crust has been replaced by KFC fried chicken.

As BGR notes, the basic chicken parm has already set the precedent for slathering a breaded chicken cutlet with tomato sauce and cheese, but in our experience the cutlet in a chicken parm is nowhere near as distinctly seasoned as the stuff you get at KFC. Additionally, everyone knows that a good chicken parm uses a bread-crumb coating as opposed to traditional fried chicken you’d get from KFC or elsewhere.

[via Eater]

UPDATE: July 9,  2015 12:41 p.m.: WASHINGTON — Recovery teams have located the body of one of the missing boaters. The second boater is still unaccounted for.

Authorities say they recovered the body of Charles Zintner. The search is ongoing for Melissa Smarr.

Recovery teams have located the body of one of the missing VA boaters.

— MD NRP (@MDNRPolice) July 9, 2015

EARLIER: July 9,  2015 9:20 a.m.: WASHINGTON — The U.S. Coast Guard launched a major search on the Potomac River for two boaters from Stafford, Virginia.

The Landmark Yacht Club reported that Charles Zintner, 58, and Melissa Smarr, 55, were overdue and called the Coast Guard around 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Searchers have been using helicopters and boats, and agencies from Maryland and Virginia have been assisting.

“A crew from Maryland State Police, aboard a helicopter, were the first to find the 19-foot boat that the couple was on,” said Coast Guard spokesperson David Marin.

The boat was anchored in Aquia Creek near Stafford, about one mile from the yacht club.  Nobody was on board.

“We’re looking to see if anybody has any further information as to where the two boaters might be,” Marin said.

Anyone with information about where the couple is should call the Coast Guard at 410-576-2525.

Editor’s note: The spelling of Charles Zintner’s name has been changed after authorities released the correct spelling.

The post Body of 1 boater located after Potomac River search appeared first on WTOP.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — A judge ruled that a Silver Spring teenager accused of raping a 19-year-old ex-girlfriend outside the Montgomery County Circuit Courthouse in Rockville could go back to classes, Bethesda Magazine reports. But WTOP has been told that won’t happen.

Montgomery County Public Schools spokesman Dana Tofig says he can’t comment as federal privacy laws prevent that, but one school official did indicate the 16-year-old suspect, who gets special services at Churchill High, won’t be in classes in Montgomery County Public Schools.

Tofig did explain that when a student is ordered released while charges are pending, and if MCPS is required to provide education services, “We will do so in a way that proactively ensures the safety and security of all students.”

That can include providing a student with services off-campus.

The June 12 rape case is still under investigation. The victim in the case — a 19-year-old woman who was reportedly an ex-girlfriend of the accused — was being taken to a hospital after the assault when she died in the ambulance on the way. The cause of her death is still under investigation.

According to police and prosecutors, the attack was picked up on surveillance cameras outside the courthouse and security staffers alerted sheriff’s deputies, who took the teenager into custody. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 24 in Montgomery County Circuit Court.

WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report.

The post MCPS spokesman: Teen accused of rape will not be back in class appeared first on WTOP.

JESSUP, Md. (AP) — Maryland State Police say a trooper was hit while making a traffic stop on Interstate 95 in Jessup.

It happened about 3 p.m. Wednesday on the interstate near Route 175. Police say Trooper First Class Wing Tong stopped a Ford driven by 35-year-old Fabino De Aguiar of Silver Spring.

Authorities say Tong stopped his cruiser with its emergency lights activated behind De Aguiar’s car and walked on the passenger side to the Ford.

Troopers say a Mercury driven by 65-year-old Maureen Walter of Poolesville moved from the road onto the shoulder, hitting the cruiser and the Ford. Walter is a civilian employee of the Maryland State Police, according to the agency, and was driving a vehicle registered to the department at the time of the crash.

Police say Tong was hit by the Ford and pushed over the guardrail.

Tong was flown to Shock Trauma in Baltimore. De Aguiar and Walter were taken to Howard County General Hospital.

The post Trooper struck while making traffic stop on I-95 appeared first on WTOP.

MasterCard wants to know how you feel, so they asked a bunch of people: Do you feel safe? Do you feel secure? Do you feel like you need a cookie and a nice cup of cocoa? Wait, scratch that last one. MasterCard’s survey only covered feelings about how safe and secure you feel your financial information is. The answer? Not very secure at all.

MasterCard conducted the survey in May. They call their findings the “Emotion of Safety and Security,” and the data reveals some interesting things about consumers’ attitudes towards finance and privacy.

We are, it seems, a nation of pessimists. Over three-quarters of the respondents — 77% — were concerned about their social security number or other financial information being stolen or compromised in some way. Consumers feared having their financial information being stolen much more than having their email hacked (62%), their house robbed (59%), or being pickpocketed (46%).

Those concerns, of course, seem to be entirely well-founded: it’s only July, and yet this year we’ve already seen 411 known data breaches comprising almost 118 million records (PDF). That’s on top of 761 known breaches (85.6 million records) from last year.

Still, despite the fact that businesses in both the digital and physical worlds have done a collectively miserable job of keeping everyone’s information secure, almost half (48%) of the consumers surveyed still feel that they are personally responsible for preventing their financial information from being stolen or compromised.

The vast majority, 92%, responded that they personally do take precautions to protect themselves from their financial information being compromised. But, as MasterCard points out, saying and doing are two different things.

Despite claiming they act to protect themselves, nearly half (46%) of respondents “rarely or never” change their passwords on their financial accounts, nearly half (44%) use the same password for multiple online accounts, and over a third (39%) log into financial sites while using public networks, which are likely to be unsecured or poorly secured.

And what of the security of physical cards? MasterCard reports that 68% of consumers said they use or plan to use chip-enabled cards soon, with 32% already using them. But that too is in large part out of individual consumers’ control, as various banks are updating cards on their own timelines.

Most consumers are, however, also willing to move toward a future with no physical cards in it at all. Over half already use mobile payments or plan to try them soon. And even though biometric payments and security aren’t exactly common yet, 75% of the survey respondents have at least heard of them, which is a start.

The most shocking feeling MasterCard recorded, though? Between having their financial data leaked or having their naked selfies be spring loose online, a clear majority — 55% — said they’d rather have the nude photos leaked than their financial info compromised.

This despite the fact that while the law protects consumers whose credit or debit accounts have been compromised, it has no such provisions for when other… sensitive… things get loose.

Take Our Poll

Patch.com

Shouting Match at Police HQ Leads to Jail for Manassas Man Patch.com A road rage incident last week began at a Manassas convenience store, continued at the city's police headquarters and ended when officers pulled over and arrested one of the combatants on multiple criminal charges. John Charles Dellinger Jr., one of ...

Why the Confederate flag flies twice a year in Old Town Alexandria Washington Post Twice a year, Alexandria city employees hang three Confederate flags from traffic light poles in Old Town, at a busy intersection guarded by the statue of a pensive Southern soldier. The tradition reflects the Confederate heritage of this history ... and more »

This week’s Arlington Pet of the Week is Otis, a lab mix who’s often described as an “over-sized baby.”

Here’s what Otis had to say about himself and his penchant for eating beds:

Hi, I’m Otis. I’m a 4 year-old lab mix adopted from Lost Dog Rescue Foundation. Although I’m nearly 30 in dog-years, most people confuse me for a puppy. As you can see, I’m a large barrel-chested dog with a bark that can make you jump out of your skin. But don’t be fooled.

In my off-time as Barbie’s Secret Service agent, I am best known for being an over-sized baby. Frightening thunderstorm? I scurry to my mama’s side of the bed and tuck my head under for safety. Loud noise in the middle of the night? I know I have mom, dad, and 1 year-old human sister for protection (funny that they thought I’d be a great alarm system). And don’t even get me started on stairs. I know the stairs in our house are a secret death trap out to swallow me whole. It takes all my courage and might to climb up and down.

Despite my utter fear of thunderstorms, loud noises, and the stairs…oh my, the stairs… one thing is for sure – I love eating my beds. That’s right. My parents have bought me so many beds after my consumption (ahem — destruction) of each and every one that they’ve lost count! Over the years, I’d estimate they have bought me more than 12 beds! I figure if they spend enough money on my beds, they’ll allow me to enjoy their king size bed with them one day. A dog can dream, right?

Want your pet to be considered for the Arlington Pet of the Week? Email arlingtonnews@gmail.com with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks. Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Arlington and Northern Virginia.

 

The post Arlington Pet of the Week: Otis appeared first on WTOP.

This week’s Reston Pet of the Week is Tiger Baby, a male cat who needs a home. Here is what the folks at Fancy Cats Rescue Team have to say about him.

Tiger Baby is a very sweet boy, about 2 years old. He wants to play with other cats, so he would love a home with some kitty siblings! He loves wet food, catnip mice, and string toys. He likes being held and petted.

He uses a sisal /carpet combo scratching post. He likes to climb and is still very much a kitten. He does some play biting sometimes, but it does not hurt, it is very playful. He is a very striking boy.

If you are interested in adopting, please fill out an application and a representative will get back to you shortly to answer any questions you may have. The application can be found here on Fancy Cats’ web site.

To promote our adult cats during this busy kitten season, all adult cats have a reduced adoption fee of $75 through July, and the fee for seniors (7+) is waived.

If you and Tiger Baby are a match, let us know and we will put you in touch with our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, who will send you treats and $100 in Becky’s Bucks.

Want your pet to be considered for the Reston Pet of the Week?

Email news@Restonnow.com with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least 3-4 horizontally-oriented photos of your pet.

Each week’s winner receives a sample of dog or cat treats from our sponsor, Becky’s Pet Care, along with $100 in Becky’s Bucks.

Becky’s Pet Care, the winner of three Angie’s List Super Service Awards and the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters’ 2013 Business of the Year, provides professional dog walking and pet sitting services in Reston and Northern Virginia.

The post Reston Pet of the Week: Tiger Baby appeared first on WTOP.

WASHINGTON — A baby was found abandoned on a busy D.C. street, and the child’s aunt was arrested a block away Tuesday.

The infant was found in a stroller on E Street Northwest, near the D.C. Court of Appeals Tuesday afternoon as temperatures soared near 90 degrees.

Police say the baby’s aunt was charged with second-degree cruelty.

The baby is fine and in the custody of D.C. Child and Family Services, NBC Washington reports.

The baby’s parents have been located.

This is the second time in a week that an infant has been found abandon in the region. The other baby was found along a road in Pasadena, Maryland Saturday.

The post Baby found near courthouse in D.C. appeared first on WTOP.

WASHINGTON — Two dogs that went missing from a farm in Charles County over the weekend have been found shot dead.

The two labs disappeared on a walk Friday night near Zekiah Farms in Waldorf, Maryland.

Cindy Thorpe owns the dogs and the farm where they were found. She says she found the dogs on separate parts of the property with identical shotgun wounds.

“Right now, all I can imagine is that somebody out there for no reason killed my two dogs. And I have my two children, and I have my other livestock on this property … And now I’m in fear of — are my animals safe? Are my kids safe when they’re out in the fields working?” said Thorpe.

Diane Richardson with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office tells WTOP they don’t have a motive, and neighbors tell investigators they did not hear or see anything unusual.

She says there have been no other similar incidents.

Anyone with information about what happened to the dogs is asked to call Charles County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS.

A reward of up to $1,000 is being offered for information leading to an arrest in the case, and when you call you can remain anonymous.

The post Missing Maryland dogs found shot and killed appeared first on WTOP.

DC Animal Watch Washington Post These cases were handled by the Washington Humane Society, which operates its shelter at 7319 Georgia Ave. NW, and the District's, at 1201 New York Ave. NE. For information or assistance, call 202-723-5730 or go to www.washhumane.org. Missing ... and more »

Loudoun County community calendar July 9-16, 2015 Washington Post Rotary Club of Purcellville 7 a.m. Loudoun Golf and Country Club, 36967 W. Main St., Purcellville. 540-687-5689. john@insuremejg.com. Free. Rotary Club of Ashburn Noon. 1757 Golf Club, 45120 Waxpool Rd., Dulles. 703-969-3070. and more »

Prince William County community calendar, July 9-15, 2015 Washington Post Old Town Manassas walking tour Costumed interpreters share stories about the city during and after the Civil War. Thursday and Friday at noon. Manassas Museum, 9101 Prince William St., Manassas. 703-368-1873. www.manassasmuseum.org. $5. Parkour ... and more »

Prince William County home sales Washington Post These were among sales data provided to The Washington Post by Black Knight Financial Services. To find sale and assessment records for homes elsewhere in the Washington area, visit www.washingtonpost.com/homesales . BRISTOW AREA. Craighill Dr. and more »

Here's why authorities seized $72000 from travelers at Dulles Washington Post Customs and Border Protection police seized $72,095 in unreported cash from travelers at Dulles International Airport in three days, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday. Between Saturday and Monday, the officers seized tens of ...