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Tuesday, February 9, 2010
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October 07, 2009 - A new eco-friendly home was unveiled in Virginia with features far beyond the unbleached and drab approach found in many green homes.
A fountain-fed pool out back is just one of dozens of upscale features on this property, the region's first carbon neutral designer show home.
The idea, according to Barry Dixon, chair of the design committee, is to get folks to look at living green in a whole new way. "What we were aspiring to do was have people not even think green--just fall in love with luxurious, beautiful interiors, and then realize they were green," says Dixon.
The 3,800 square foot home is filled with reclaimed wood and recycled material fashioned to high design quality. There's even a virtual golf course in the downstairs play room. What it lacks is that "new home smell," and that's important, according to environmentalist Phillip Cousteau. "People say, 'I love that new house smell,' but those are toxic chemicals that we've associated with the new and good, but they're gassing us to death," says Cousteau.
The carbon neutral house in McLean, Virginia is open to the public through the end of October.
Elliott Francis reports...
October 07, 2009 - Several of Maryland's African-American mayors came to Capitol Hill Tuesday to push for a health care bill that improves affordability for everyone.
Seat Pleasant Mayor Eugene Grant leads the state and national associations of black mayors. Grant said that for some Maryland residents, health insurance costs more than their monthly rent check. "In America we must not force people to have to make a choice between providing shelter for their children or access to critical health care services," says Grant.
Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said a man in his Baltimore neighborhood had to choose between eating and paying his co-pay for chemotherapy. "He said, I hate to make this choice. It makes me sicker figuring out how I'm going to get well," says Cummings says.
Cummings, Grant and other Maryland representatives favor a public insurance option but said they'd support any bill that improves affordability and accessibility of health care.
Almost 670,000 Marylanders lack health insurance.
Tanya Snyder reports...
October 07, 2009 - Former employees of a company providing security for D.C. government buildings say the city should make sure they get unpaid wages and benefits.
Hawk One Security guarded the city's government buildings and schools for years, but recently informed city leaders it couldn't honor its contract because of financial problems.
Former Hawk One security guards gathered in front of city hall this afternoon, pleading for leaders in D.C. to make sure Hawk One pays them for the hours they've already worked.
Doniai Royster, a former guard for Hawk One, has been out of work for three weeks since the company went belly up. She says she's struggling. "I'm unemployed," says Royster. "I can't get my unemployment, I can't get my last paycheck. Rent's due. I need my money."
Hawk One could not be reached for an explanation of the situation. Mayor Adrian Fenty did not respond to a request for comment.
Jonathan Wilson reports...
October 07, 2009 - Metro is testing a new tool to fight crime in parking lots at stations. Passengers may start to see Metro Transit Police officers riding specialized, stand-up tricycles around stations and parking lots.
The transit agency has purchased two of the electric, Segway-like vehicles. Over the next 30 days, officers will be trying them out in some of Metro's larger parking lots. At the end of that period, the agency will get feedback from officers who've used the tricycles and then decide whether to buy more. The vehicles cost $10,000 each.
The hope is that the visibility and mobility of the tricycles will help police deter crimes like auto thefts and break-ins. Metro oversees 50 parking lots with about 60,000 spaces.
Matt McCleskey reports...
October 07, 2009 - Hundreds of students at Bethesda Elementary School took to the streets to celebrate International Walk to School Day. Principal Lisa Seymour led the parade. She says she'd like to see more students hoof it to school.
Jessica Gould reports...
October 07, 2009 - As the U.S. marks the 8th anniversary of the conflict in Afghanistan, demonstrators voiced opposition in northwest D.C. with an event that sounded more like a party than protest.
They called it a roving anti-war dance party. The music was not intended to entertain, but rather to draw attention to a war, which many here feel has gone on too long. The participants in the protest are the D.C. Students For A Democratic Society, 75 to 100 students named after the organization which gained notoriety back in the 60's for massive student led protests which help generate anti-war sentiment against the Johnson and Nixon administrations.
Although today's crowd in Thomas circle was much smaller, SDS member Rachel Harlick says they share common ground. "One of the things that we do have in common is that we are a student led organization that has a war focus and a student power focus," says Harlick.
The group plans to have another demonstration at the end of October.
Elliott Francis reports...
October 07, 2009 - Democrat Creigh Deeds and Republican Bob McDonnell took turns before a conference room full of business leaders in Leesburg, Virginia.
The gubernatorial candidates each gave their best pro-business pitch, with McDonnell emphasizing regulation. "We need to do more to create more entrepreneurship, 48-hour turn around time on permits, one stop permitting--government needs to be an ally, not an impediment to small business development," said McDonnell.
Deeds says he does not view regulation as a major threat to Virginia business. "We need to jump start our economy and create jobs," said Deeds. "There's probably no quicker way to unlock the potential for economic growth in Virginia than to break the legislative, partisan log jam and pass a plan to fund transportation."
Transportation was a top priority for both candidates, but they disagree sharply on how to fund it. Deeds says he would not use general funds, the bulk of which goes to education, but would consider new taxes if the legislature agreed. McDonell says he'd refuse new taxes, but would consider using general fund money.
Sabri Ben-Achour reports...
October 07, 2009 - A public meeting is set tonight in Loudoun County over the need for new schools. The meeting is to discuss where to put and what's the demand for schools in the Ashburn, Dulles and Leesburg areas. It's for all grade levels: elementary, middle and high schools. The meeting starts at six tonight at the County's Public Schools Administration Building on Education Court in Ashburn...
Pat Brogan reports...
October 07, 2009 - A high school in Laurel, Maryland is closed today as a precaution against swine flu infections. Approximately 100 of St. Vincent Pallotti High School's 500 students were absent Tuesday.
Principal Steve Edmonds says they were out for a variety of reasons, but at least five of them had confirmed cases of swine flu. Edmonds says he is closing the school tomorrow to allow a crew time to do a deep clean. He expects to reopen Pallotti Thursday morning and hopes daily routine cleaning will keep infections down in the future.
Rebecca Blatt reports...
A high school in Laurel, Maryland is closed today as a precaution against swine flu infections.
Courtesy of: NBC4.com
October 07, 2009 - A faith-based non-profit addressing teenage pregnancy in Arlington, Virginia has expanded and some say its an organization people on different sides of the abortion debate can appreciate.
Borromeo Housing is celebrating the one-year anniversary of Elizabeth House, its new home for adolescent mothers and their children.
The home, in Arlington's Barcroft neighborhood allowed Borromeo to house four families, adding to the four it already supports in local apartments.
Congressman Jim Moran,who helped secure a 140,000 dollar federal grant for Borromeo, says the program tackles the problem of teen pregnancy in a way everyone can applaud.
"This is where we can meet -- where the the pro-life and the pro-choice forces can meet. Who could be opposed to this? This saves lives," Moran says.
Borromeo Housing was started in 1988 by parishioners from St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church.
It provides housing, education opportunities, counseling services, as well as infant care and supplies to its residents.
Jonathan Wilson reports...
A faith-based non-profit addressing teenage pregnancy in Arlington, Virginia has expanded and some say its an organization people on different sides of the abortion debate can appreciate.
Courtesy of: Jonathan Wilson
October 07, 2009 - A high school in Laurel, Md., is closed today as a precaution against swine flu infections. Approximately 100 of St. Vincent Pallotti High School's 500 students were absent Tuesday. Steve Edmonds, the principal, says they were out for a variety of reasons, but at least five of them had confirmed cases of swine flu.
Edmonds says he is closing the school to allow a crew time to do a deep clean. "I thought if we closed and just had the cleaning crew come in and clean the surfaces thoroughly that we could minimize any spread and keep it down as best as possible," he says.
Edmonds says he expects to reopen Pallotti Thursday morning and hopes daily routine cleaning will keep infections down in the future.
Rebecca Blatt reports...
October 07, 2009 - Almost 400 D.C. Public School employees, 60 percent of whom are teachers, will be laid off on November 2nd. And that decision has made Chancellor Michelle Rhee's relationship with some city council members, teachers and students, increasingly acrimonious. She sat down with WAMU's Kavitha Cardoza to talk about why the so called Reduction In Force is necessary....
Almost 400 D.C. Public School employees, 60 percent of whom are teachers, will be laid off on November 2nd.
Courtesy of: NBC4.com
October 07, 2009 - Gay rights advocates took the first step to legalizing marriage in the District. But the decision may need to go through Congress.
D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes-Norton says opponents will have to overcome many legislative hurdles to stop the bill including passing a joint resolution disapproving of the measure. With Democrats controlling both Houses, and with the health care debate taking up everyone's time, the measure may not even come up.
Still, expect to hear familiar arguments from some conservatives. South Carolina Republican Senator Jim DeMint says Congress deserves a say in the matter. "The Constitution has D.C. under federal control. That's not a states? right issue. It's under federal control, so it's an issue we need to deal with."
Utah freshman Jason Chaffetz, the top republican on the subcommittee overseeing the District, indicated conservatives like himself don't have the votes to block the legislation.
Peter Granitz reports...
October 07, 2009 - There's potential for drama when the Congressional Budget Office shows up with the latest cost estimate for health care reform.
Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports...
October 07, 2009 - (Through December 18) KARSH AT 100 The Embassy of Canada down on Pennsylvania Avenue presents Karsh at 100: Portraits of Artists, running through December 18th. The embassy shines a spotlight on both the subjects and the artist, Yousuf Karsh, in celebration of the centennial year of the Armenian-born, Canadian bred photographer's birth. The show features 28 of the artists captured by Karsh's lens in complex and playful poses.
(October 9) LATINO ART IN TRANSITION The Smithsonian American Art Museum presents a lecture and discussion in its McEvoy Auditorium in downtown D.C. Friday night at 7 p.m. Renowned artist Pepon Osorio and emerging artist Miguel Luciano will be on hand for Latino Art in Transition, talking about the ways in which the genre of Latino art is changing with the times.
(October 9 & 10) LADO The Music Center at Strathmore presents Lado: 60 Years of Celebrating Traditional Croatian Music and Dance Friday and Saturday nights at 8 p.m. This company of whirling dancers, folk singers and traditional musicians bring centuries of Croatian music to life, swirling in more than 1,200 costumes, some more than 100 years old.
A playful Andy as seen through the lens of Yousuf Karsh, on display at the Embassy of Canada through December 18th.
Courtesy of: Yousuf Karsh
View more images from this gallery.
October 07, 2009 - Maryland's former labor secretary is set to head up the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights division.
Thomas Perez, who served in Governor Martin O'Malley's cabinet, has been confirmed by the U.S. Senate as Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division. Perez is the second Hispanic American to serve in the position.
The civil rights division prosecutes violations of criminal civil rights statutes and enforces federal laws against discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, and national origin.
In a statement, Congressman Chris Van Hollen of Maryland praised Perez as a tireless advocate for justice. In his prior position, Perez developed a package of reforms to address Maryland's foreclosure crisis as head of the state's Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
Natalie Neumann reports...
October 07, 2009 - Attorneys for the Washington Teachers Union are set to go to court today.
George Parker, President of the teacher's union, sent an email to thousands of D.C. Public School teachers saying attorneys would file a lawsuit today on behalf of the teachers who will be laid off. Last week almost 230 teachers received lay off notices. They will be paid by the District until November 2nd.
The WTU has also filed a class action grievance on behalf of the teachers and requested expedited arbitration.
Kavitha Cardoza reports...
October 07, 2009 - Metro says repairs have been completed on the red line at the site of a train crash near the Fort Totten station.
Trains had been traveling at reduced speeds or moving one at a time through the area, while Metro replaced track equipment that dated back to the 1970s. Now Metro says full service has been restored and trains are able to run at full speed during rush hours.
Workers continue to make repairs to track circuits near the Takoma and Silver Spring stations as part of regular maintenance. Metro says it continues to run tests of all track circuits twice a day. Trains still are being operated in manual mode.
Rebecca Blatt reports...
October 07, 2009 - WILLIS WHARF, Va. (AP) Virginia is adopting a new wastewater-disposal regulation to protect clam and oyster production in the waters off the Eastern Shore.
Gov. Timothy Kaine said Wednesday the regulation approved by the State Water Control Board requires that businesses and localities analyze alternatives to new or increased wastewater discharges that would result in the condemnation of the water for shellfish harvesting.
Such an analysis will determine whether a wastewater-discharge method would prevent pollutants from entering seaside waters, as well as whether the method is cost-effective. This process is aimed at reducing condemnations, in which the waters' shellfish are declared unfit for market because of potential bacterial contamination.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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