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Tuesday, February 9, 2010
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November 11, 2009 - WASHINGTON (AP) A proposed same-sex marriage bill has moved forward from a D.C. city council committee. It's expected to be voted on by the full council next month.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
November 11, 2009 - ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) The Montgomery County Council has endorsed a plan to add reversible high-occupancy toll lanes on parts of Interstate 270. Solo commuters would have to pay to use the lanes endorsed in an informal vote yesterday, but carpools, vans and buses could travel on them for free.
WASHINGTON (AP) A Maryland senator has asked the Pentagon for information on how many troops in war zones have been prescribed antidepressants while they were deployed. Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin sent a letter yesterday to Defense Secretary Robert Gates expressing concern about how antidepressant drugs are being administered troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
ELLICOTT CITY, Md. (AP) The Howard County Board of Health has voted to ban people under age 18 from using indoor tanning devices. The unanimous vote taken yesterday takes effect tomorrow.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
November 11, 2009 - JARRATT, Va. (AP) Sniper John Allen Muhammad refused to utter any last words as he was executed in Virginia. The 48-year-old died last night and took to the grave answers about why and how he plotted the killings of 10 people that terrorized the Washington, D.C., area for three weeks in October 2002.
HAMPTON, Va. (AP) A former student who shot and wounded two people at Hampton University will spend 14 years in prison. A Hampton Court judge sentenced 19-year-old Greg Odane Maye yesterday to 14 years in prison and suspended another 53 years.
LEXINGTON, Va. (AP) A funeral is scheduled in Maryland for a Virginia Military Institute student who collapsed after completing a 10-mile march. VMI says a Mass of Christian Burial for John Alexander Evans of Highland, Md., will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Louis Catholic Church in Clarksville, Md.
BRISTOL, Va. (AP) Coal operator Alpha Natural Resources plans to build a new headquarters in Bristol. Gov. Kaine says 69 jobs will be created and 131 jobs will be retained.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
November 11, 2009 - By David Schultz
Reverend Anthony Evans is telling his parishioners to give each other fist bumps rather than handshakes, not because they're cool, but because they spread fewer germs.
Rev. Evans is having a tougher time convincing his congregants to get the H1N1 vaccine. He says ever since the Tuskegee experiments, in which doctors conducted unethical medical studies on African Americans, many of them don't trust the government. "Tuskegee, as you well know, is burned in our memories," says Evans.
In a poll commissioned by the Greater Washington Board of Trade, only one-third of adults in D.C. say they plan to get vaccinated.
Speaking at Saint Stephens Baptist Church in Temple Hills, Md., the head of the Association of Black Cardiologists, Dr. Boisey Barnes, says one-third is unacceptably low. "This is a no-brainer," says Dr. Barnes. "This is the easiest thing to prevent. Just get your flu vaccines."
Evans is leading a nationwide coalition of black churches trying to increase vaccination rates.
Dr. Boisey Barnes, the head of the Association of Black Cardiologists, says getting vaccinated should be a no-brainer.
Courtesy of: David Schultz
November 11, 2009 - By Rebecca Sheir
Mission Serve is a program expanding opportunities for veterans to perform community service. At today's inauguration of the initiative, First Lady Michelle Obama says she believes that's something these men and women are hard-wired to do.
"For many of these folks, service is the air they breathe," says Obama. "And they don't just wanna serve for a certain number of years of deployment. They wanna make their entire life a tour of duty."
Mission Serve is working with more than 50 civilian and military organizations. "Through this initiative, veterans are building homes in New Orleans," Mrs. Obama says "[and] working to reduce the drop-out rate in Boston and Philadelphia and helping their fellow veterans reintegrate into communities all across America."
Mrs. Obama says she wants to remind everyone to be thankful for veterans. "Its up to us not just to recognize our veterans for all they have done for this country," she explains, "but for all they will continue to do. That's what Mission Serve is all about."
Mission Serve is the brainchild of Service Nation, an organization that played a lead role in passing the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act, which expands federal support for service and volunteer programs.
First Lady Michelle Obama sits next to Jill Biden at the inauguration of the veteran community service initiative, Mission Serve.
Courtesy of: Rebecca Sheir
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November 11, 2009 - The health care debate is asking who needs to be covered, for what services and how to pay for it all.
But commentator and Northern Virginia physician assistant Jennifer Hedden says nothing is being said about how hard it is to find a doctor who has time to provide the answers you're seeking.
What's your opinion? Click here to tell us at the Commentary Forum.
November 11, 2009 - By Stephanie Kaye
An indie film opening this week deals with newly returned veterans and the families of those who are never coming home.
Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson play soldiers in the movie "The Messenger," assigned to a "casualty notification team." Back from duty, the two make their way as if through a minefield, notifying the families of fallen soldiers.
The film is full of tough-guy quips, like "Men don't ask for directions--much less soldiers," to real-life coping techniques. "You never want to park too close. They hear a car park, go to the window, see two soldiers gettin' out...it's just a minute of torture."
Harrelson came to D.C. for an early screening. "We went on a field trip together to Walter Reed and met the soldiers," said Harrelson. Harrelson and director Oren Moverman met with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. "What we're trying to do is enter the conversation, not from a political point of view but from a human point of view--and hoping that has some sway in these parts."
Harrelson appreciates his role as both actor and activist, bringing attention to the sacrifices of soldiers and their families in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. "At the end of it, people are thinking about it, people are maybe looking at things a little differently than they did before. That to me is pretty significant."
Actor Woody Harrelson, reporter Stephanie Kaye and director Oren Moverman.
Courtesy of: Stephanie Kaye
November 11, 2009 - By Patrick Madden
For many wounded veterans, the Fisher House at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center is their home away from home. The non-profit organization houses veterans and their families at little or no cost.
November 11, 2009 - By Rebecca Sheir
Word of a cat in Iowa catching H1N1 is now spreading and veterinarians are warning pet owners to be careful.
Lori Price lives in Friendship Heights with her four Greater Swiss Mountain dogs and she adores them. When she heard about a cat in Iowa recently getting H1N1 from its owners, she didn't think about her dogs.
"Frankly, H1N1 has not even entered my mind," says Price. "Maybe it should."
Then again, maybe it shouldn't. The World Health Organization reports most H1N1 infections are human to human.
While WHO hasn't confirmed any canine cases, Ashley Hughes, a veterinarian in Northwest D.C., says the virus could develop the ability to infect dogs. Hughes encourages owners to call the vet if they notice Fido or Rover coughing or sneezing.
Lori Price has her own prescription. "Give 'em big hugs every day," says Hughes.
Unless, of course, you're feeling ill. Then you might want to save the hugs for later.
Veterinary technicians Shannon Huza (left) and Utta Von Nuremburg (right) do blood work on a cat at Friendship Hospital for Animals.
Courtesy of: Rebecca Sheir
November 11, 2009 - By Sabri Ben-Achour
Prosecutors in Prince George's County, Maryland say they have charged 12 people with stealing a total of $87,000 worth of books from public libraries. Each of the 12 allegedly checked out about 75 books, the maximum allowed, and then never returned them.
Prosecutors say they sold them at pawnshops and online. Most of the books were textbooks or reference books that cost as much as $250 each. Glenn Ivey is State's Attorney for Prince George's County.
"This is a time people are going to the library to get books frequently because they can't afford to pay for them, and now those books are being taken off the shelves. It's really a violation of the public trust and abuse of public funds for personal gain," Ivey says.
The group of 12 is also suspected of stealing books from Harford Community College and the University of Maryland Baltimore County, which reported $56,000 worth of books disappeared. The defendants face up to 15 years in prison.
November 11, 2009 - By David Schultz
The Howard County Board of Health instituted a "tanning ban" for anyone under the age of 18. A county spokesman says they're the first jurisdiction in the nation to do so.
The board was spurred to act by the World Health Organization, which declared tanning beds to be cancer-causing earlier this year.
Greg Safko, with a Maryland-based Melanoma prevention group, says tanning is as dangerous as smoking. "There's no such thing as a safe cigarette," he says. "There's no such thing as a safe tan."
The owners of tanning salons in Howard County and elsewhere in Maryland are not pleased. Bruce Bereano, a lobbyist with a tanning trade group based in D.C., says salon owners will take Howard County's ban to court. "We really don't desire confrontation," says Bereano, "but we cannot stand by and allow this to happen."
The threat of a lawsuit wasn't enough to stop the nine-member board of health. It passed the underage tanning ban last night unanimously.
The ban goes into effect tomorrow.
November 11, 2009 - By Jonathan Wilson
A Congressman from Northern Virginia says the solution to the region's traffic problems could be eliminating the distinction between home and office for thousands of government workers.
Congressman Gerry Connolly says the biggest obstacles for the movement, now commonly called teleworking, are managers who think working from home means watching soap operas.
"Every study about teleworking shows just the opposite that, in fact, people set aside concentrated periods of time to work. They're more productive. Their morale is higher," Connolly says.
Connolly is cosponsoring the Teleworking Improvement Act which would push federal agencies to have 20 percent of their workforce teleworking by 2015.
Connolly says this would take five percent of cars off local highways, easing congestion and reducing pollution.
A senior adviser at the General Services Administration, the independent agency charged with helping to manage and support federal agencies, Jeff Sawislak, says the effect would be similar to what drivers see in the month of August, when many people go on vacation and traffic runs more smoothly.
"If we could get those people to telework for the rest of the year it would do amazing things for traffic in this area," says Sawislak.
According to Sawislak, 50 percent of General Services Administration employees currently work from home.
Car-shaped piñatas served as stress-relievers at Tuesday’s Great Commuter Stress Out. The event was meant to help spread awareness about commuters’ teleworking options.
Courtesy of: Jonathan Wilson
November 11, 2009 - By Rebecca Blatt
A jury of nine women and three men will decide guilt or innocence in Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon's theft trial.
The 12 jurors and six alternates were seated Tuesday after a two day selection process.
Dixon's lead attorney says he's "satisfied with the jury." The state prosecutor declined to comment.
Doug Colbert is a professor at the University of Maryland's School of Law. He observed the jury selection and says both sides should be pleased with the panel. "The process resulted in a jury that's diverse and representative of the Baltimore City community," says Colbert. "I find that their ability to listen and to remain alert particularly in the late afternoon hours was impressive."
Dixon is accused of stealing gift cards donated for needy families. Attorneys will deliver opening statements Thursday.
Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon is accused of stealing gift cards donated for needy families.
Courtesy of: The City of Baltimore
November 11, 2009 - By Natalie Neumann
The Montgomery County Council has endorsed a plan to add reversible high-occupancy toll lanes on parts of Interstate 270.
The new lanes, endorsed unanimously in an informal vote on Tuesday, would be free for carpools, vans and buses, but solo commuters would have to pay to use them. The proposal would widen the interstate north of Route 124 from three lanes in each direction.
According to the Washington Post, the majority of the council also endorsed a more expensive light rail system over bus rapid-transit for the proposed Corridor Cities Transitway from Shady Grove to Clarksburg.
The council is expected to formally endorse the positions next week.
November 11, 2009 - House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman, Bob Filner (D-CA) can easily rattle off a string of accomplishments Congress has done for Veterans, this Veterans' Day.
Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports...
November 11, 2009 - By Elliott Francis
A local Latino advocacy group is suing Frederick county police, accusing them of racial profiling.
The complaint was filed in U.S. district court by Casa de Maryland. "We filed suit here in Greenbelt on behalf of Roxana Arianna against the Frederick county commissioners, Sheriff Jenkins, two of the deputies, and some former ICE agents," says John Hayes, lead attorney.
The suit claims two Frederick county deputies interrogated Arianna, who is originally from Salvador, about her immigration status as she ate lunch in a local park in Frederick. Then, they detained and transferred her to federal authorities on suspicion of immigration violation.
It adds, county police violated an agreement which only allows them to question the immigration status of someone arrested for other offenses. Kari O'Brian, an attorney with Casa de Maryland, says Frederick county Sheriff Charles Jenkins bears the responsibility for the action.
"We believe he has a political agenda around immigration that belongs as a federal matter. And local sheriffs have no business getting involved in this," says O'Brian.
Sheriff Jenkins refused comment until he's had the opportunity to the review the complaint.
November 11, 2009 - By Stephanie Kaye
(November 12 & 13) STEP AFRIKA! The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park, Maryland hosts Step Afrika! - that's with an exclamation point - tomorrow and Friday night at 8. The group tours, teaches, and of course steps in a boot-stomping, percussive style that has deep roots in D.C. and Africa.
(November 13) OSBORNE, HOLMES BROTHERS AND THORN Rock, gospel and country come together at The Music Center at Strathmore Friday night at 8. A trio of acts including Joan Osborne, The Holmes Brothers and Paul Thorn offer music that's bluesy, soaring and soulful.
(November 14) KALEIDOSCOPE OF CHOREOGRAPHY Choreographer Peter DiMuro and the 7 Sopranos stage Kaleidoscope of Choreography and Divas at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop this Saturday night at 7. This free show features is art-in-the-making, giving dancers and singers a chance for some feedback before a final staging next year.
November 11, 2009 - By Stephanie Kaye
Montgomery County wants pregnancy centers that are against abortion to provide a disclaimer for clients.
Some centers bill themselves as places to get information about abortion, then try to counsel women away from the procedure. Abortion rights advocates say these centers provide biased and inaccurate information.
Those who back the disclaimer say it's a matter of consumer protection. The disclaimer would read: information provided by the centers "is not intended to be medical advice." Those against it say the requirement will unfairly single out certain pro-life providers.
A similar measure is under consideration in Baltimore. Montgomery County's hearing is scheduled for Dec. 1.
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