News Archive - September 16, 2009

Public Voices Opinion On Johns Hopkins University's Gaithersburg Campus

The proposed expansion of the Johns Hopkins University's campus in Gaithersburg has ignited a controversy in Maryland's Montgomery County.

Last night's public hearing brought out a standing room only crowd to the chambers of the county council. Supporters and opponents had one thing in comm...

Poll : McDonnell Slightly Ahead Of Deeds

With 48 days to go, a new poll in Virginia finds Republican Bob McDonnell only slightly ahead of Democratic state Sen. Creigh Deeds in the race for governor.

A telephone survey of 600 registered voters conducted from Friday through Monday showed 42 percent supported McDonnell and 37 percent...

Execution Date Set For DC Sniper John Allan Muhammad

A judge in Virginia has set November 10 as the execution date for John Allen Muhammad, the man behind the sniper shootings that terrorized the DC area in October of 2002.

Ten people were killed in the shootings. Three others were shot but survived.

Muhammad was sentenced to death for...

Blood Donors Sought To Honor Rail Accident Victim

The union representing Metro workers is requesting blood donations in memory of a technician who died after being struck by a train between Alexandria and Arlington, Virginia.

John Moore was a Metro employee for 12 years. His co-worker, Jim Madaras, remembers Moore as a strong man, with a s...

Political Consultant Apparent Winner In Annapolis Democratic Primary

Political consultant Zina Pierre appears to have won Tuesday's Democratic primary in the race for Annapolis mayor. With all the precincts reporting, Pierre held a 115-vote lead over the nearest challenger, Anne Arundel County Councilman Joshua J. Cohen, in the six-person race.

Cohen all but...

Montgomery County Police To Hold Public Meetings

Police are holding a public meeting this morning about the murder of a woman last week in Silver Spring, Maryland. Simone White, 37, was a citizen of Jamaica. She was shot outside her apartment off of Briggs Cheney Road and Columbia Pike last Wednesday.

White's sister, Keisha Chaplain, tra...

Ex D.C. Officer Among Twelve Snared On Drug Charges

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) A former Washington police officer is among the dozen charged with being part of a Southern Maryland drug ring.

Forty-two-year-old Darrell Alphonso Carter, of Abell and 11 co-defendants, are charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine. District police say Carter was hi...

BWI To Close Communication Center

The Maryland Aviation Administration is closing a communications center at BWI Marshall Airport, because of state budget cuts.

The closure of the center at BWI means eight staffers will lose their jobs. The Baltimore Sun reports the employees include phone operators who deliver information...

"Art Beat" With Stephanie Kaye - Wednesday, September 16, 2009

(September 17) THE ART OF SCIENCE The Koshland Science Museum in downtown D.C. shares some scientific secrets during The Emerging Science of Climate Change tomorrow night at 6:30. Scientists from the Pew Center on Global Climate Change and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (http:...

Commercial Development Still In Decline

While residential real estate in the D.C. area is showing signs of life--housing starts are up, building permits are up--commercial real estate is still on the decline.

In Fairfax County, Virginia that means some development goals will have to be put on hold. The county is trying to revital...

Metro Takes Steps to Keep Flu at Bay

Washington's Metro system is taking precautions to avoid spreading swine flu. Metro is asking its riders to take common sense steps to limit the spread of germs, from covering your mouth when you sneeze to carrying tissues, hand-sanitizing gels, and disinfecting wipes. Metro says it's also using...

Ninety-Eight Percent Of Virginia's Public Schools Are Fully Accredited

Virginia's Department of Education says 98-percent of the state's public schools are fully accredited.

This is the best Virginia has done since statewide testing in English, math, history and science began in 1999. The commonwealth's superintendent of public instruction says that's an accom...

Power Breakfast for September 16, 2009

More Senators will hear testimony on the status of the U-S military effort in Afghanistan today.

Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports...

Abu Dhabi Gives $150 Million To Children's National Medical Center

Hospital leaders say the donation is the largest amount ever given for pediatric surgery.

Dr. Kurt Newman is the hospital's surgeon-in-chief. He says the center will make operations more precise, less invasive and less painful.

Doctors diagnosed Jessica Gregory with the birth defect S...

D.C. Hosts First Town Hall Meeting

One of the first town hall meetings on health care reform following President Obama's address to Congress on the issue generated more questions than shouts.

Approximately 200 people attended after being invited by D.C. Delegate Elenore Holmes-Norton, who listened to residents like this part...

Commentary: Jennifer Lockwood--Shabat Of Washington Women's Foundation

The U.S. Census Bureau says 2.6 million more Americans fell into poverty last year. But as commentator Jennifer Lockwood-Shabat notes, that accounting covers only the first part of the current recession.

Lockwood-Shabat is vice president of programs at Washington Area Women's Foundation....

DC Delegate Hosts Health Care Town Hall

D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton has hosted one of the first town hall meetings on health care reform following President Obama's address to Congress on the issue. Bllled as a health care fact check, there were no long drawn out speeches from experts, no protesters, just District residents voi...

Virginia Restores Program Providing Books To Inmates

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) The Virginia Department of Corrections is restoring a program that provides free books to inmates.

Director Gene M. Johnson said in a letter Tuesday that procedures for receiving the books will be tightened, and inmates will be able to request three books a month. His let...