News Archive - October 1, 2009

Maryland Issues Tax Entension For Businesses Affected By Flooding

The state of Maryland is granting a tax payment extension for businesses affected by last month's flooding outside of Baltimore.

Comptroller Peter Franchot says taxpayers in the Dundalk area had filing dates of October 15th and 20th. He says those deadlines have been pushed back a month for...

"Art Beat" - Thursday, October 1, 2009

(Through Nov 1) RECENT ACQUISITIONS The exhibit Recent Acquisitions at the Corcoran Gallery of Art showcases the latest and greatest to join the gallery's collection over the past two years, on display through November 1st. The show focuses on modern and contemporary art, with works by the likes...

Washington Convention And Sports Authority Has Big Plans To Promote D.C.

Leaders in Washington say a new merger of D.C.'s sports and entertainment commission and convention center authority will bring more high-profile events to the city.

The new Washington Convention and Sports Authority owns the Washington Convention Center, the Stadium-Armory campus and Natio...

D.C. Lawmaker To Introduce Gay Marriage Bill

The District could be the next battleground in the debate over gay marriage. D.C. Councilman David Catania says he will introduce a bill next week legalizing same-sex marriage. Standing before 200 or so activists from the city's gay and lesbian community, Catania, the Districts first openly gay c...

Virginia Man Sentenced For Posting Threats

A man from southwest Virginia has been sentenced for posting threats of violence at schools online.

Allen Leon Sammons pleaded guilty in June to five counts of transmitting a threat across state lines. The 28-year-old from Oakton posted long essays on livejournal.com expressing his frustrat...

Voucher Advocates Rally On Capitol Hill

Staring out at a sea of students in blue blazers and pleated skirts, D.C. councilman Marion Barry calls on the federal government to reauthorize funding for the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program.

Last spring, Congress opted not to reauthorize funding for the program, which provides vouch...

Mobile Home Park Owner Fined For Sewage Dump

The owner of a mobile home park in Frederick County will pay $200,000 in fines after managers dumped raw sewage from the park into a preserved trout stream.

Under a settlement, Maryland's office of the Attorney General says S.K. Singh, owner of the Concord Mobile Home Park in Jefferson, agr...

Rosedale Slated To Get First Full-Scale Library

As D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty announced at this week's groundbreaking, the Rosedale Community Center will feature fitness and game rooms, public computers, a spray park and a library.

Rosedale has had access to the nearby R.L. Christian and Langston library kiosks, but never a full-scale facil...

D.C. Considers Looser Restrictions On Keeping Chickens

The D.C. Council is considering easing restrictions on raising chickens in the city.

Currently, it's illegal to have chickens within 50 feet of homes in the District. But D.C. Council Member Tommy Wells is proposing legislation to allow chickens if neighbors say it's all right.

Wells...

Metro Steps Up Cleaning And Communication Efforts For Flu Season

It could be a flu season to remember, and Metro says it's taking extra steps to keep its buses, trains and stations clean, and its passengers healthy.

Instead of bi-weekly cleanings, Metro workers will wipe down the inside of trains and buses once-a-week through flu season.

"We can't...

No More E-ZPasses For Maryland Lawmakers

Legislators in Maryland could lose their free E-Z Passes.

The speaker of Maryland's House of Delegates and the president of the state senate have asked the state transportation authority to terminate the legislative branch's E-Z Pass program. The program allowed scores of lawmakers to avoid...

Virginia Hospital Bans Visitors 18 And Under Due To H1N1

A new patient visitation policy at Inova Fairfax Hospital bans child visitors.

The policy states that only two people at a time can visit a friend or relative in the hospital's inpatient unit. It also says that visitors under the age of 18 will not be allowed in the facility.

Dr. Alle...

Hazardous Material Spill In Alexandria Prompts New Procedures

This week 30 gallons of liquid ethanol spilled onto the ground of a loading facility less than 1,000 feet from an elementary school.

Norfolk Southern, which owns the operation, failed to notify the local fire department and instead alerted the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. No...

New Laws Targeting Drivers Take Effect In Maryland

Drivers in Maryland who speed, drink, or text while driving face stiffer punishments beginning this morning.

Speed cameras are no longer just restricted to Montgomery County. Every jurisdiction in Maryland may now install them in construction and school zones.

Texting on a cell phone...

Commentary: The Dominance Of English

With thousands of languages used in the world today, Commentator Fred Fiske is always amazed that nearly everywhere he goes on this planet he can order coffee using the language of home.

The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of WAMU 88.5 or American University.

W...

Montgomery County Suspends Training Program Under Investigation

Montgomery County, Maryland is suspending a program that funds training for employees.

The program has prompted several investigations. According county records, the training includes "hot yoga" lessons, glass-fusing art classes, fashion and portrait photography classes and a class called "...

Power Breakfast for October 1, 2009

This summer, as images poured in from angry health care town halls across the country, advocates for rural communities decided their folks were getting a bad rap. Today, at a congressional briefing on rural issues in health care reform, those advocates hope to set a different tone.

Elizabe...

Mikulski Focuses On Gender Discrimination In Health Care

Maryland Senator Barbara Mikulski wants to end gender discrimination in health care, especially for the most vulnerable women.

Domestic violence survivors in the District can legally be denied health care, since their abuse is considered a pre-existing condition. Senator Mikulski says the S...