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Thursday, March 18, 2010
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February 25, 2009 - In his first address to Congress last night, President Obama spoke about what he called the "crushing cost of healthcare" and said reform can't wait another year. Mr. Obama's comments came on the same day the Institute of Medicine released a study looking at the growing number of uninsured Americans -- now nearly 46 million.
WAMU host Matt McCleskey spoke with Dr. John Lumpkin, a senior vice president at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which funded that study.
February 25, 2009 - It's been more than a year since contract negotiations between D.C. Public Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee and the Washington Teacher's Union began. On January 31st, the union sent Rhee a proposal, and in a few weeks she's is expected to make her final offer. The contract would cover teachers in D.C. and be in place for five years.
Kavitha Cardoza spoke to George Parker, the President of the Washington Teacher's Union, earlier this week...
February 25, 2009 - (Feb 26) ArtRAGEOUS Blues Alley Jazz appears in the Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian's American Art Museum tomorrow night from 7:30 to 11. With a gourmet dinner, fine wine and high spirits, it's a sneak peek at the exhibition 1934: A New Deal for Artists opening Friday.
(Feb 26-28) BSO DOES DVORAK The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra dabbles in Dvorak at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore tomorrow through Saturday. The Cello Concerto>) channels his longing for home into sound and is paired with Benjamin Britten's Four Sea Interludes and Edward Elgar's Enigma Variations.
(Feb 26) CHEERS FOR CHARITY Rock Bottom Brewery and the International Association of Fire Chiefs host "Fire Chief Happy Hour" in Arlington tomorrow from 4 to 9 pm. The "Cheers for Charity" event is an opportunity to help burn victims while sampling the specially-brewed Firehouse Ale. Since its founding in 1997, the Rock Bottom Foundation has raised over a million dollars for local fire departments and charities.
(Feb 27-Apr 10) MODERN MEXICAN ARCHITECTURE A show of contemporary Mexican architecture at the Mexican Cultural Institute fills the first floor gallery in Columbia Heights through April 10th. It presents the work of nine prominent architects representing different generations and trends in Southern-style construction and design.
February 25, 2009 - This weekend, 10,000 young people from all over the country are coming to D.C. for Power Shift, a youth climate change conference being held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. Sean Miller, the Director of Education at the Earth Day Network, hopes that the conference will lead to a federal climate bill that caps emissions.
Eilis O'Neill reports...
February 25, 2009 - D.C. native and jazz legend Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington is depicted on a quarter honoring the District -- making him the first African American to appear by himself on circulating U.S. currency.
Stephanie Kaye reports...
The U.S. Mint unveils the new D.C. quarter.
courtesy of: U.S. Mint
February 25, 2009 - The spirit of a nation caught in tough economic times is on display at the Smithsonian's American Art Museum. The exhibit, "1934: A New Deal for Artists," dusts off paintings from the depression-era Public Works of Art Program. Museum director Betsey Broun says it was a coincidence the exhibit is opening now.
After the 1929 stock market crash, one million dollars was set aside by the U.S. government to pay young and up-and-coming artists to "depict the American scene." Broun says the paintings chronicle a specific time in American life, but are also inspirational. The show will be open through January next year.
Stephanie Kaye reports...
February 25, 2009 - OMG! Texting your BFF while driving could soon cost you.
Virginia's Senate voted 33-6 Tuesday to pass Del. John Cosgrove's bill to ban sending or reading text messages or e-mail while driving. The House passed the legislation 88-10 earlier this month. Police would be allowed to ticket violators only if they are stopped for another offense.
Meymo Lyons reports...
February 25, 2009 - With more than nine in 10 D.C. residents covered by health insurance, the District boasts one of the highest rates of coverage in the nation. Yet access to care remains a challenge for many in the city.
Patrick Madden reports...
February 25, 2009 - Finance officials in Maryland's Mongtomery County say the budget troubles there are worse than expected. The county was expecting to face an estimated $450 million dollar shortfall. That's about 11 percent of its budget.
But yesterday the finance director told the county council that declining income and real estate taxes have made the gap $70 million dollars bigger.
County Executive Isiah Leggett is expected to release his spending plan for fiscal year 2010 in three weeks. Leggett and the council have pledged not to raise taxes. But they have suggested the county may have to make deep cuts in government services to balance the budget.
Rebecca Blatt reports...
February 25, 2009 - A controversial former Congressman got a chilly reception at a local university. Former Congressman Tom Tancredo came to American University to speak about the need to oppose multiculturalism.
But when he began his lecture, most of the more than four hundred students in attendance sat silently and held signs opposing his message.
Travis Ballie organized the silent protest.
"I'm a first generation American," he said. "I come from an immigrant family. And if there's one thing I was raised to believe in, it was free speech. I'm here tonight to respect the views and the right to free speech of Tom Tancredo."
Tancredo thanked the students for not disrupting his lecture.
"I do appreciate the fact that you're allowing me the opportunity to bring some controversial ideas here to this campus," he said.
The lecture was organized by a student group called Youth for Western Civilization.
WAMU 88.5 is licensed to American University.
David Schultz reports...
February 25, 2009 - California Republican Dana Rohrabacher reacts to President Obama's speech to Congress and explains why Mr. Obama might benefit from a lesson taught by former President Ronald Reagan.
Meanwhile, a $410 billion omnibus appropriations bill heads for the House floor. And today marks the 139th anniversary of the swearing in of the first African-American member of Congress.
Todd Zwillich reports...
February 25, 2009 - Washington-area Democrats found a lot to like in President Obama's first address to a joint session of Congress last night. But it’s hard to please everybody – even on your own party.
Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports...
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