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By Connecticut Drug Crimes Attorney Mark Sherman.

Synthetic drugs have become so mainstream in the United States that the government has solicited input from the public as to how federal sentencing guidelines can be updated to handle the epidemic.

The United States Sentencing Commission, USCS, sought help from the public recently to determine how sentencing can become more uniform for drug charges that cover not only heroin and cocaine but also fentanyl and other synthetic drugs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released some very alarming statistics related to the opioid epidemic plaguing the country. There were some 63,000 deaths in 2016 related to drug overdoses. Of those, 20,000 deaths were attributed to overdoses caused by fentanyl and other synthetic opioids.

“Drug charges are serious and should be defending against vehemently,” Mark Sherman, a Greenwich criminal defense attorney with The Law Offices of Mark Sherman, LLC, said. “Depending on the severity of the charge you could be facing anywhere from a year in prison to decades.”

One person who spoke in front of the USCS was retired police officer Keith Graves. Graves was a supervisor for a special narcotics unit in California before calling it a career.

Graves had the following to say about how fentanyl dealers need to be dealt with in a report: “You can’t treat somebody who’s dealing fentanyl — the number one cause of drug overdoses in the U.S. — the same as you would someone who’s dealing heroin. That’s because one kilo of fentanyl is the equivalent to 50 kilos of heroin.”

Graves noted that fentanyl is being found in bath salts, marijuana, heroin and just about every other drug out there, including meth. He also said that emergency personnel need to treat the drug like you would a hazardous materials incident, wearing gloves and other protective equipment because of its strength.

The USCS officially submitted amendments for the federal sentencing guidelines to Congress on April 30. One of the amendments submitted by the USCS deals strictly with synthetic drugs, which have had a direct correlation with the explosion of overdoses and overdose deaths across the country.

Should Congress pass these amendments to the guidelines for sentencing they will take effect on November 1, 2018.

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Gather around the bonfire and revisit all your favorite camp memories at the Newseum on July 27. Spots are filling up fast, so grab your whole bunk and join us at Camp Newseum Nights before tickets sell out!

• After the counselors have gone to bed, enjoy an open beer and wine bar all night as well as signature cocktails in our partyvators
• Visit the dining hall to snack on some of Wolfgang Puck’s camp favorites
• Head to the amphitheatre for a concert from D.C.’s hardest-working cover band, Jeff From Accounting
• Get competitive with your fellow campers and play games, including giant pong, with DC Fray
• Visit the Glamping Cabin for hair and makeup touchups with GLAMSQUAD
• Sing your favorite summer jams in our karaoke talent show
• Get creative in our Crafts Cabin with friendship bracelet and pet rock-making
• Write home at our postcard-designing station, courtesy of Paper Source
• Gather around the campfire with Story District and enjoy tales from D.C.’s funniest storytellers
• Test your athletic prowess in our archery booth or our corn-hole arena on the terrace
• Go on a field trip with Newseum curators in our newest exhibit, Pictures of the Year
• Enjoy giveaways from &pizza and China Chilcano, and make summer memories in our OM Digital Photo Booth

There’s no official Camp Newseum Nights uniform, but come dressed in your camping best!

Buy your tickets now! Get the best deal of the night by becoming a new member through the Newseum Nights promotion and receive all the benefits of an annual membership and a FREE ticket to the event (a $135 value)!

Newseum members also get VIP treatment with an early start to the party through a special “Members-Only” line at our Pennsylvania Avenue entrance.

https://youtu.be/UgOcjtHT6OA

By New Jersey Alimony Attorney Galit Moskowitz of Moskowitz Law Group, LLC.

A recent tax law passed by Congress may have people wanting to check their prenuptial agreements. The new law deals with alimony and taxes, and it may end up hurting those the agreement was originally meant to protect.

In the past, the spouse paying the alimony was able to deduct it from their annual income taxes. In addition, the spouse receiving the alimony was to report any alimony payments as taxable income. At the time, this was considered to be fairest to both parties, as it allowed for more income to be available to be split between the divorced parties.

But the new tax law does not allow the payer of the alimony to deduct those payments any more. That could be an issue for many, as historically, prenuptial agreements have always been drafted with the understanding that alimony payments could be deducted from the payer’s income taxes. Because it no longer will be, it could find the payer in a difficult financial position.

The only alimony orders that will be affected by the new law are those that went into effect on December 31, 2018 or after. Still, any person that is part of an alimony agreement, whether they are the payer or the receiver, should look at the agreement to determine if it needs to be changed.

“Changes can be made to prenuptial agreements if both parties agree to it,” says Galit Moskowitz of Moskowitz Law Group, LLC. “Postnuptial agreements, or those that are entered into after marriage, may also be an option for those that are no longer satisfied with their prenuptial agreement due to the new tax law.”

In either case, those that have a prenuptial agreement must carefully read it and ensure that they know whether they will be protected. If there is no action made by December 31, 2018, both parties will be bound to the agreement and that could make it financially difficult for the spouse paying alimony.

Financial advisors can help make sense of the prenuptial agreement and how parties will be affected after this new law. If the agreement needs to be changed, a family lawyer can help parties come to an agreement that is more beneficial to both of them.

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There’s no doubt the DC life is for you. You want to be in the heart of the city, close to work, amazing dining, shopping and more. Be in the center of it all and join an authentic community — one that cares about everyone.

Say hello to Lydian + Lyric. A standout addition to the Mount Vernon Triangle skyline, these sleek, sister residences are joined by one amazing lifestyle in one of DC’s fastest growing neighborhoods.

Centrally located at 4th and K Streets NW in Downtown DC, Lydian + Lyric fill a city block and join dozens of hotspot restaurants, new high-end shops and premier employers moving into the area.

On the ground floor of both buildings you will find eateries brought to you by the owners of Georgetown’s legendary Baked & Wired: A Baked Joint and soon — la BETTY. Stroll to the popular Busboys and Poets, Alta Strada, RPM Italian, Mandu and the future Apple store at the former Carnegie Library.

Also in walking distance are NoMa, the 14th Street Corridor, Shaw and Chinatown, as well as two Metro stations.

All-new Lydian arrived last month and local renters have been quick to take advantage of its exceptional location, well-appointed apartments and thoughtfully designed amenity spaces.

Lydian’s homes include studio, one bedroom and two bedroom apartments. One-third of the building’s 324 units are already leased. Socially connected Lyric opened in 2014 and is fully leased. Lyric’s homes include one bedroom, one bedroom plus den and two bedroom apartments.

What’s to love about Lydian + Lyric?

In both buildings, you’ll enjoy features and details that are as stylish as they are comfortable, including floor-to-ceiling windows, gourmet kitchens with built-in wine racks, designer cabinetry and stainless-steel appliances, porcelanosa tile flooring, full size stackable washer and dryer, NEST programmable thermostats and balconies and private courtyards in select units.

Both buildings elevate living in Mount Vernon Triangle with thoughtful amenities like rooftop retreats with resort-style pools, fire pits, demonstration kitchens, and more. You’ll discover tranquility gardens for unwinding and state-of-the-art fitness centers with Peloton bikes and WellBeats virtual trainers for a great workout.

Services like a 24/7 concierge, valet dry cleaning, pet walking and dog grooming stations make everyday life a breeze. And so does having keyless fob access, bicycle storage, and available gated underground parking.

Lydian + Lyric are leasing quickly. For more information or to schedule a tour, visit here or contact the leasing team at 202-777-0740. Developed by Quadrangle Development and The Wilkes Company.

Devils Back Bone Brewing Company and Victory Brewing Company have teamed up for the perfect summer lunch outing for everyone stuck in their offices next week.

Join the fun on Tuesday, July 10 and Wednesday, July 11 at Wunder Garten in NoMa to watch the World Cup semifinals and enjoy World-Cup-inspired fares from DC’s favorite food trucks and a free craft beer tasting.

Bring your colleagues, friends and lunch bags (or lunch money), and grab a seat under an umbrella in the lush beer garden grounds. Doors open at 12 p.m., the games start at 2 p.m. and entry is free.

Staff from Devils Back Bone and Victory will be pouring free samples of their most popular brews and Wunder Garten’s full lineup of German and regional craft beers is on tap at happy hour prices.

After the game, sneak back into your office or stay to play corn hole or life-sized versions of Connect Four and Jenga.

For more information, visit the event page on Facebook or WunderGartenDC.com.

This column is written by Eli Tucker, a DC Metro-based Realtor, and weekly real estate columnist for ARLnow. Please submit your questions to him via email for response in future columns. Enjoy!

Question: When is the best time to sell a home in Washington DC? Is the best time to sell a home also the worst time to buy a home?

Answer: Hi PoPville, I hope everybody had a great Fourth of July in the Nation’s Capital!

I write a weekly data-driven real estate column for PoPville’s sister local news company in Arlington, ARLnow and was asked to jump in as a guest columnist for this week’s PoPville column.

All of the data I use is from the MLS (real estate database of record) and highly customized for the specific topic to provide the most accurate information possible. I hope you find it interesting and informative!

The question of the best/worst time to buy or sell a home is one of the most common questions I get from clients.

A quick google search or conversation with different real estate agents will result in any number of theories and opinions on the topic so I’ve put together real sales data from Washington D.C. since 2014 to provide the answer through unbiased data.

Best Month To Sell Is…

Statistically, putting your home on the market for sale from February-May gives you the best opportunity to sell faster and for more money than any other time of the year, with April being the aggregate leader in speed and negotiation leverage.

However, you will face the most competition from new listings during these months but increased demand clearly off-sets that.

The Data Set (more…)