News Archive - August 27, 2009

D.C. Tows More Cars, Making Them Easier to Pick Up

The number of vehicles towed in the District is up this year, and the city has opened a new service center at its car impound lot in southeast D.C. Previously, people whose vehicles were towed had to go to the city's DMV to pay fees then proceed to the Blue Plains Impoundment Lot to pick up thei...

The Army Begins Construction on Biodefense Lab Building

The Army is starting construction on a bio-defense laboratory building at Fort Detrick in Frederick, Md. The building will be the new home for the Army's Medical Institute of Infectious Diseases. Research there will focus on the world's deadliest pathogens. By the end of 2015, as many as 952 peop...

Same-Sex Marriage Meeting to be Held in D.C.

Activists from D.C.'s gay community are organizing a "call to action" to promote the legalization of same-sex marriage in the city. D.C. leaders recently voted to recognize same-sex unions performed in other states and countries. Council member David Catania says he plans to introduce a bill by t...

Commentary by Fred Fiske: The Compassion of Edward Kennedy

After the death of Senator Edward Kennedy, WAMU Senior Commentator Fred Fiske remembers the compassion and complexity of this larger-than-life figure.

The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WAMU 88.5 or American University. What do you think? You can let us know at...

The Community College of the District of Columbia Makes its Debut

The community college is part of the University of the District of Columbia and is located temporarily on its Connecticut Avenue campus. It offers two-year degrees as well as courses to train students for careers in high-growth areas such as health care and hospitality. The University of the Dist...

Consortium of Catholic Schools Benefited from Kennedy Breaking Bread

At Blessed Sacrament Catholic school in Chevy Chase, one principal remembers the late Senator Edward Kennedy, and the impact of a simple dinner.

Principal Chris Kelly helped start a consortium of Catholic Schools serving inner-city D.C. kids. The schools got their funding from a yearly dinn...

Visitors Pay Respects to Sen. Kennedy at Arlington National Ceremony

On Saturday, Senator Edward Kennedy will be buried in Virginia near the gravesites of his slain brothers, President John Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy. Senator Kennedy will be buried among America's heroes on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. On a quiet Virginia hillside Wednes...

"Art Beat" with Stephanie Kaye - Thursday, August 27, 2008

(August 28) ON A LOW NOTE The Japanese Embassy hosts free movies - tomorrow night it's Death Note II: The Last Name), screening at the Japanese information and culture center in downtown D.C. at 6:30 p.m. This live-action film is a sequel to the popular anime-inspired Death Note movie. It feature...

Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Over Muslim Retreat

A lawsuit accusing a Maryland town of conspiring to prevent a Muslim group from buying a farm to build a mosque has been settled. U.S. District Court Judge Richard Bennett dismissed the suit. Details were not immediately available. The suit was filed last year by developer David Moxley and his fa...

Prince William NAACP Calls For Investigation Into High School Fight

The fight took place on May 22nd near Forest Park High School in Woodbridge, Va. Police say a group of six African American students attacked two white students on their way home from school, putting one in the hospital with a broken back. This led school officials to expel the six black students...

Protesters Out On A Limb

Protesters in West Virginia have spent the past three days in trees to prevent mountaintop removal mining. Mountaintop removal mining is an increasingly controversial type of mining that sheers the tops of mountains to get at the coal inside. Critics say the rubble clogs streams, destroys habitat...

Maryland's Health Department Takes Brunt of Layoffs

Maryland's health department is taking the brunt the layoffs made in the state's latest round of budget cuts. The Health Department will absorb 160 of 202 layoffs approved by the Board of Public Works. They're part of $454 million in reductions made this week.

John Colmers is Maryland's Dep...

Judge Approves Vick Bankruptcy Plan

A judge in Virginia has approved a plan for Michael Vick to repay $20 million to his creditors and emerge from bankruptcy. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Santoro approved the plan Thursday on the condition that Vick retain a personal financial planner to manage his future earnings with the Philadelp...

State Department Employee Pleads Guilty to Sneaking a Peek

A sixth person who worked at the State Department has pleaded guilty to sneaking a peek at celebrity passport files. Karal Busch admitted her curiosity got the best of her when she looked at more than 64 passport applications submitted by famous Americans. The files contain a photo of the applica...

D.C. Enrollment Numbers Still Being Added Up

Chancellor Michelle Rhee's office tells the Washington Post more than 40,000 students were enrolled in D.C. public schools Wednesday, up from 30,000 reported just before the academic year began on Monday.

Late arrivals and an influx of paperwork verifying D.C. residency are thought to have...

D.C. Board of Ed Adopts New Truancy Policy

Many large school districts across the country grapple with the issue of truancy and the District of Columbia is no different. It has nearly a 20 percent rate of students who regularly skip school. Last night the state board of education adjusted how schools in the city must deal with truant chi...