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Tribal advocates keep up legal pressure for fair political maps; 12-member jury sworn in for Trump's historic criminal trial; the importance of healthcare decision planning; and a debt dilemma: poll shows how many people wrestle with college costs.

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Civil rights activists say a court ruling could end the right to protest in three southern states, a federal judge lets January 6th lawsuits proceed against former President Trump, and police arrest dozens at a Columbia University Gaza protest.

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Rural Wyoming needs more vocational teachers to sustain its workforce pipeline, Ohio environmental advocates fear harm from a proposal to open 40-thousand forest acres to fracking and rural communities build bike trail systems to promote nature, boost the economy.

Oh No, Pepco – AARP Takes Aim at Rate Hike Request

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Wednesday, April 18, 2012   

CHEVY CHASE, Md. - A proposal to raise electric power rates has AARP raising the roof. Pepco has filed a request for a $67.6-million rate hike, affecting more than a half million people in Montgomery and Prince George's counties. The group says consumers should not stand for it, so AARP is holding a town hall meeting this weekend, on Sunday.

Tammy Bresnahan with AARP Maryland says it is not fair for the company to be requesting big money for a basic level of customer care that should be standard. She notes that the company was recently fined for failure to provide reliable service.

"This is absolutely ridiculous. Pepco had a record-setting, million-dollar fine in December. They have not been able to give customers the service that they should have."

Pepco's rate hike request says the money would primarily cover the company's expenses for service reliability and customer service improvements.

Bresnahan says customers are used to thinking they don't have any say when a utility wants to raise their bill. The meeting Sunday is designed to change that.

"Once people understand that they can stand up for themselves and they can shout back, that will make a difference."

The meeting is April 22 at the National 4H Youth Conference Center, Chevy Chase, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.




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