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September 08, 2009 - Montgomery County has them. So does the District. Now speed cameras may be coming to Baltimore County under a new Maryland state law.
Beverly Blackman is a crossing guard outside Westowne Elementary School in Catonsville. The stop sign Blackman holds to usher kids across the street is the size of a basketball hoop. But it's not always enough to stop speeding cars.
"I blow my whistle and sometimes they can't hear me because they've got their radio on or they're on the cell phone or what have you, I hate that when they're cell phone driving," says Blackman.
That's one reason why Blackman supports a plan to install speed cameras on streets near schools in Baltimore County. Drivers photographed going twelve miles over the speed limit could be fined $40.
But not all crossing guards are behind the plan. Pat Sullivan shepherds kids at nearby Hillcrest Elementary. She's concerned the fines would be a government money grab. "They're just wasting our dollars. And they just keep increasing everything and people are finding it harder to make ends meet these days," says Sullivan.
Maryland law requires that fines collected from speed camera violations must go to public safety. Baltimore County officials say revenues would probably plummet over the years, as drivers catch on. But resentment over automated enforcement is a possibility. Vandals recently painted over the lens of two speed cameras in Montgomery County. They've since been repaired.
Cathy Duchamp reports...
September 08, 2009 - Today is the so-called "triple T"--terrible traffic Tuesday, when schools, Congress, and vacationers all return from summer holiday. The commute is expected to be tedious, especially given the on-going repairs to Metro's red line.
The red line has been undergoing repairs since June 22nd, when two trains collided near the Fort Totten station, killing nine people. As a result, Red Line trains are traveling at reduced speeds.
Metro spokesman Steven Taubenkibel says commuters face slower trips while the red line tracks and sensors are being fixed.
Riders are not looking forward to taking the metro post-Labor Day. One rider from Maryland, who identified herself as Claire, says she changed her schedule even over the summer, when ridership was low, to accommodate the slowdowns.
Metro says commuters who use the blue, green, orange and yellow lines should have no trouble.
Jamila Bey reports...
September 08, 2009 - The largest employment outlook survey of its kind paints a dim job picture for the D.C. Metro area this fall.
The quarterly report by the international employment firm Manpower surveyed thousands of employers in the D.C. area about their staffing plans for October, November and December.
The bad news? Fifteen percent of firms expect to reduce their payrolls. "That's some of the more sobering information that we've seen from this result," says Tim Namie, Managing Director of Manpower International in Metro D.C.
But there is some good news in the report. Just under 70 percent of employers in our area expect to maintain their staffing levels over the next few months and 10 percent plan to hire new people.
"So between those two numbers you have some natural attrition amongst employers that are going to provide opportunities for new job seekers as well as the 10 percent who are actually going to add head count," says Namie.
But the area still lags just slightly behind national figures for new employment, with 12 percent of employers across the country saying they expect to increase payrolls. Namie says much of the hiring will be in retail and government jobs. The cutbacks will hit hardest in the construction, manufacturing, utilities and transportation sectors.
Mana Rabiee reports...
September 08, 2009 - Recent college grads may not like the lukewarm results of a major employment outlook survey. It shows the D.C. Metro area lags slightly behind the national average for new hiring.
Manpower's quarterly report surveyed thousands of employers in the D.C. area about their staffing plans for October, November and December.
Only ten percent of firms said they expect to increase their payrolls anytime soon. Not necessarily good news for college grads job hunting this summer.
"It is stable news for college interns," says Tim Namie, Managing Director of Manpower in Metro D.C. "We are suggesting that they remain flexible. Looking for internship opportunities, volunteering opportunities. Being very realistic with regards to their expectations of first year salary," says Namie.
Namie advises grads to recognize hiring trends on job boards and what they hear on networking sites when deciding which job sectors to aim for.
Mana Rabiee reports...
September 08, 2009 -
(Sept 9-Oct 4) PICTURING DORIAN GRAY Round House Theatre Bethesda presents a new twist on The Picture of Dorian Gray, opening tomorrow and running through October 4th. The play - about a handsome young man who sells his soul for eternal youth - is updated to 1980s London, putting a provocative, contemporary spin on this scandalous thriller.
(Sept 9 - Oct 4) PETALS AND LEAVES Gallery West in Old Town, Alexandria features Petals and Leaves, Blossoms and Greens), a collection of paintings by local artist Kathy Guzman, opening tomorrow. The gallery hosts a meet-the-artist reception with Guzman on Saturday. Her paintings are inspired by the lines, shapes and colors found in local gardens and conservatories.
(Sept 9) OPERA AT NATIONALS PARK Light opera meets national past-time as the cast of the Washington National Opera's The Barber of Seville attends Opera Night at Nationals Park tomorrow at 7. The cast will perform the National Anthem, and the top diva - or divo - will throw out the first pitch during the Washington Nationals' game against the Philadelphia Phillies. The opera team is getting the mound ready for its appearance at Opera in the Outfield Saturday evening.
"Petals and Leaves,Blossoms and Greens" is on display at Gallery West through October 4th.
Courtesy of: Gallery West
September 08, 2009 - The Superintendent for Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia says students will be allowed to watch President Obama's education speech Tuesday if they want to. Tuesday is Loudoun County's first day of school.
Edgar Hatrick, Loudoun's Superintendent, had originally said schools in his district would not adjust schedules during an already chaotic day to make time for the President's speech to students.
But in a letter addressed to parents and posted on the district's website over the weekend -- Hatrick says middle and high school students will have the opportunity to watch if they want.
Parents of elementary students will be told at least a day in advance before the speech is shown in class...that will give them time to decide whether or not they want their children to watch the presidents speech.
Jonathan Wilson reports...
September 08, 2009 - State health administrators are asking all Virginia school districts to report daily absences among students and employees in an attempt to help them track flu patterns.
The policy is part of an effort to manage flu cases as the state's 1.2 million public school students return to school.
A spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Health explains that by tracking absences, they can look for unusual patterns that could serve as early signs of possible clusters of H1N1 illnesses.
Schools will submit the date, student enrollment, student absences, faculty and staff employment, and faculty and staff absences. Names and other personal information won't be included.
Meymo Lyons reports...
September 08, 2009 - The National Mall has a new director--and he'll have the task of overseeing several major improvement projects set to begin during the first year of his tenure.
If you buy the old saying that the National Mall is "America's Front Yard"--then it's fair to say that newly named director John Piltzecker has more to do than just mow the lawn.
One priority will be repairing the sea wall that protects the Jefferson Memorial grounds from the waters of the tidal basin. Right now, the wall is regularly submerged.
The project will be one of several funded by $50 million of stimulus money set aside for the National Mall. To some Labor Day visitors, like Billy Jo Doman, the amount seems a little extravagant.
"I think it's a good idea, but maybe not $50 million," she said. "I think it needs to come down because there are other things in the United States that need to be fixed up." More than 25 million people visit the national mall each year.
Jonathan Wilson reports...
September 08, 2009 - Ten of the D.C.'s 15 high schools have consistently failed to meet academic benchmarks. And this year organizations outside the District are helping turn some of the schools around.
For example, Friends of Bedford, which operates a public high school in Brooklyn, has taken over control of Coolidge and Dunbar senior high schools.
Steve Barr is the founder of Green Dot Public Schools that operates Locke High School in Los Angeles. He turned around a failing school from one where riot police had to be called after a fight and 75 percent of the freshman class didn't re-enroll, to one which is reportedly California's largest, by enrollment, and one of its most successful. More than 80 percent of Locke High School students go to college.
Steve Barr is in the preliminary stages of talking with D.C. officials about working in the District. He recently spoke with Kavitha Cardoza about why he embraces teachers unions, his plans in D.C. and about his success at Locke.
Kavitha Cardoza reports...
September 08, 2009 - As suspected cases of swine flu begin to surface in area colleges, the possibility of schools closing has become part of the discussion. But some students say they're unaware of their school's plans.
Most of the two dozen or so students waiting for treatment here at the health center on the campus of the University of Maryland don't know why they feel ill. If the doctor sends them home with a diagnosis of flu, it raises the possibility that schools like UMD will be forced to suspend classroom instruction, and temporarily switch to online learing.
Orrie Liberman's a sophmore. He says although he's had no advance notice from the university about what to do if classes are disrupted, he thinks the distance learning alternative makes sense.
"I think it'll be fine if they broadcast the lectures, and do discussions online, it'll be fine."
American University student Colin Sentiny says he knows there's a plan if the school is forced to close...he just hasn't heard much about it. "Sounds as if it's still pretty vague, as if they're still trying to get a handle on it," says Sentiny.
In the event of a pandemic, both AU and UMD have published plans for online learning on their websites.
Elliot Francis reports...
September 08, 2009 - Baltimore's development agency is acknowledging it awarded a contract for the site of a proposed casino without a public bidding process.
Instead of advertising the work, the Baltimore Development Corporation approached a handful of companies to provide prices for knocking down the Maryland Chemical Building. The demolition will help pave the way for a proposed $212 million casino near M&T Bank Stadium.
A development corporation executive says the agency knew which companies would apply for the contract and got estimates from three or four of them. Baltimore City's Comptroller criticized the award, saying the best way to seek work is through public bidding.
Stephanie Kaye reports...
September 08, 2009 - Congress is back and Healthcare Reform is still hot, the Supreme Court formally welcomes a new Justice and convenes for a rare Summer Session. Elizabeth Wynne Johnson brings us the latest from Capitol Hill in today's Power Breakfast.
September 08, 2009 - Facing another hole in the Virginia budget, Governor Tim Kaine is again outlining a budget-balancing plan that includes more layoffs of state workers--nearly 600 this time. Kaine is pruning programs and trimming the work force as part of a $1.35 billion reduction in the state budget. Kaine's plan calls for the elimination of just under 1,000 state jobs, including 593 layoffs.
The governor also is ordering an unpaid day off for most state workers. The so-called furlough would be taken the Friday of Memorial Day weekend next year. The unpaid day off will not apply to critical personnel such as police and emergency crews. Since April 2007, Kaine and the General Assembly have cut spending by $6 billion.
Meymo Lyons reports...
September 08, 2009 - The head of the D.C. Council is not ruling out a run for mayor. The mayoral primary is more than a year away, but council chair Vincent Gray says interest in the race is heating up. Gray says he is asked at least five times a day if he will challenge Mayor Adrian Fenty. He says he still hasn't made a decision.
The council and the mayor have sparred over a number of substantive issues this year: the budget, the crime bill, the schools. The two branches have also fought over more personal things, such as baseball tickets and control over the council's cable channel. One of the biggest hurdles for Gray, or anyone else who decides to run against Fenty, will be money. The mayor has already raised around $2.5 million for his re-election campaign.
Patrick Madden reports...
September 08, 2009 - Protesting parents and community leaders were voicing their displeasure over the president's lack of support for school vouchers.
Congress left funding for the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program out of the budget. That meant in April, the vouchers of about 200 children were rescinded. Former D.C. Councilmember Kevin Chavous says the President is sacrificing vouchers to gain support from teacher's unions. "I think the right to a high-quality education is the last civil rights issue of America," said Chavous.
Protesters stood toe-to-toe with police in front of the main entrance of the U.S. Department of Education, but were not arrested, as Chavous made an announcement to the crowd, saying "We don't need to be handcuffed to be validated, do we? Y'all need to take the handcuffs off these babies in this city." He says the coalition of parents' groups will continue to protest the cuts.
Stephanie Kaye reports...
September 08, 2009 - As President Obama spoke to students at Wakefield High School in Virginia, the controversy surrounding his remarks seemed the farthest thing from their minds.
The Wakefield Warriors, wearing their green and white school colors, gave Mr. Obama a hero's welcome. Students sat transfixed as he told them they couldn't "drop out of school and just drop into a good job."
After the President's speech, students said they couldn't understand the controversy surrounding his address. Ashley Carbajal and Kimberly Hernandez called the controversy "nonsense" and "crazy." Jacob Firman offered what he called a more likely explanation. He says detractors are likely "jealous" of Wakefield High.
Kavitha Cardoza reports...
September 08, 2009 - Acting green to save a little green--that's the theory behind a new program in the District that rewards residents if they cut back on their utility costs.
The premise is simple: the more you save on your energy bills, the more coupons and discounts you earn from local businesses. Starting this week, residents can sign-up with a local start-up called Earth Aid. The company calculates your energy consumption from the past year - it uses your electric, gas, and water bills to create a base-line. Then, you get points each month based on how much you save.
About 30 local businesses have signed up to partner with Earth Aid. D.C. is the first city to go live with program.
Click here for a link to Earth Aid.
Patrick Madden reports...
September 08, 2009 - Virginia is making its fourth round of budget reductions since July 2008, and the changes will affect virtually every state agency. This time around, Governor Tim Kaine is making more than $1.3 billion dollars in cuts. That includes 593 layoffs, a number that Kaine says could have been worse. "My heart goes out to people who lose jobs under any circumstances, especially in this tough job market," Kaine says. "But based on where we were when we started this process, the fact that we were able to get it to 593 -- I really credit the good work of this team." Kaine is ordering mandatory furlough days for many state employees and a hiring freeze for more than 300 vacant positions. He has made a point of saying that education funding for Kindergarten-12th grade was left virtually untouched, but public colleges and universities will cuts as high as 13 to 15 percent. The state will also close prisons in Brunswick and Botetourt, as well as a juvenile correctional center in Natural Bridge. Rebecca Blatt reports...
September 08, 2009 - ProPublica/USA Today examines the use of federal stimulus funds in each state.
Click the links below to see how D.C., Maryland and Virginia governments are using federal stimulus funds.
Who's getting stimulus projects off the ground fastest? Click here to see a chart that shows what percentage of a state's approved road and bridge projects have received a construction go-ahead, and how much of the state's overall stimulus funding those projects represent.
Want to know what's going on with the stimulus in your area? Click here . ProPublica compiled nearly all the contracts, grants and loans that the government has reported awarding so far in the stimulus program.
September 08, 2009 - WALKERSVILLE, Md. (AP) The town of Walkersville is poised to spend nearly $4.8 million to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit. The town revealed the amount Tuesday, one day before Walkersville officials vote on the proposed agreement with the developer who filed the complaint.
The town would pay David Moxley and his family $4.7 million for 224 disputed acres of farmland, plus $50,000 for closing and transfer costs. That's less than the $6.7 million Moxley would have received from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA had the town granted the Silver Spring-based group a zoning exemption for its proposed mosque and annual festival.
Moxley alleged in a federal lawsuit that religious bias was behind the denial.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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