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November 19, 2009 - WASHINGTON (AP) A new Newseum exhibit that opens tomorrow will allow visitors in Washington will get the chance to step into ``Meet the Press'' moderator Tim Russert's old NBC office. The office appears as it was in June 2008 when Russert died of a heart attack at age 58.
WASHINGTON (AP) National Park Service park rangers who have worked at the Lincoln Memorial for decades are helping the memorial expand beyond its marble temple. A new interactive Web site has been launched wityh videos, panoramas and oral histories from park rangers.
WASHINGTON (AP) Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered a 45-day review of the circumstances surrounding the Fort Hood, Texas shootings. The review will examine gaps into how the military identifies service members who might be a threat to others.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
November 19, 2009 - BALTIMORE (AP) The jury is deliberating in the theft and misconduct trial of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon. During closing arguments, defense attorney Arnold Weiner drew applause from Dixon supporters and occasional laughter from the crowded gallery as he mocked the state's case as a thin and worthless web of reckless fabrications.
BALTIMORE (AP) The Public Service Commission has approved an application to build a 50-megawatt wind energy farm atop Backbone Mountain near Oakland in Garrett County. The commission approved the application by Synergics Wind Energy yesterday. The project will be built on a three-mile site on the mountain, about 14 miles south of Oakland.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
November 19, 2009 - McLEAN, Va. (AP) The wife of Sen. Richard Lugar of Indiana has been charged with drunken driving and hit-and-run after hitting a parked car in northern Virginia. Fairfax County police say 76-year-old Charlene Lugar was stopped yesterday evening after they saw damage to her car and smoke coming from the hood.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) State health officials say they've allocated a total of 1.2 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine to Virginia sites in their overall campaign to vaccinate people against the so-called swine flu. Health officials say 27 deaths from the swine flu have been reported statewide.
CHESTERFIELD, Va. (AP) Police are investigating the death of a hunter whose body was found in a wooded area in Chesterfield County. Authorities say the body of 52-year-old Carl Walls Senior was found early this morning on private property off River Road.
ROANOKE, Va. (AP) A bankruptcy trustee says claims have been filed for 154 people who say they were sickened by a salmonella outbreak traced to a Virginia peanut company. Peanut Corporation of America filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy amid fallout from the outbreak, which left about 700 people sick and was linked to at least nine deaths.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Civil rights organizations are asking Governor Tim Kaine to sign an executive order restoring the rights of nearly 300,000 felons before he leaves office in January. Virginia and Kentucky are the only states that permanently strip felons of their civil rights, such as voting, serving on juries or holding public office.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
November 19, 2009 - By Sabri Ben-Achour
Gallaudet University is trying out new software from Google that will make Youtube videos more accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing.
According to Google, 23 hours of video are uploaded to Youtube every minute. Some of it is educational. Some of it is.. not.
The vastness of online video is not only a sign of how the internet is changing, but also of how that change threatens to leave certain groups behind. That's because the vast majority of content is not captioned.
"The internet used to be text, and maybe some pictures. Well now as it's becoming multimedia and video, you've got a huge impact where it becomes inaccessible again for deaf people," says Cindy King, dean of academic technology at Gallaudet University.
Gallaudet university will be part of a pilot program that Google is launching at 13 academic institutions. It will pair its speech recognition software with Youtube, so it automatically will create captions for videos. It will also create a transcript that Google will include in online searches.
"It was really amazing, another indication for what technology can do to improve quality of life for people who are deaf and hard of hearing," says Robert Davila, president of Gallaudet.
The technology isn't perfect, it makes mistakes on one out of five words. But engineers say they're working to improve it.
November 19, 2009 - By Matt Bush
Jury deliberations are underway in the theft trial of Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon.
Dixon faces charges she spent gift cards on personal shopping that were meant to be given to needy children. Dixon claims she unknowingly used the cards, thinking they were for her.
During closing arguments late this morning, prosecutors alleged Dixon could not have gotten as far in life as she has if she got confused by things like this. Defense attorneys countered such statements show the state has little evidence against Dixon, who also faces allegations she misused cards while president of the city council.
Dixon faces five charges in total but because some are based on different legal theories, she can only be convicted of three.
Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon faces charges she spent gift cards on personal shopping that were meant to be given to needy children.
Courtesy of: City of Baltimore
November 19, 2009 - By Meymo Lyons
Four environmental groups are threatening to sue subsidiaries of Mirant Corp. over coal ash. Defenders of Wildlife, Sierra Club, Chesapeake Climate Action Network, and Patuxent Riverkeeper informed Mirant that they intend to sue over what they say are violations of the Clean Water Act.
They say the energy company has been illegally discharging pollutants into a creek near Mirant's Brandywine landfill. The groups also say Mirant has failed to submit a required report about how it will eliminate toxic discharges at Brandywine.
In a statement, Mirant Mid-Atlantic spokeswoman Misty Allen says the company received the notice but does not comment on pending legal matters.
November 19, 2009 - By Patrick Madden
The legendary rap group Public Enemy is in D.C. to raise awareness about homeless youth. The first stop for the band was the Sasha Bruce House, a facility for homeless teens in Northeast D.C. They helped deliver an early Thanksgiving dinner to the 30 or so teens that stay there.
After the dinner, Public Enemy headed to Foggy Bottom in downtown D.C., where they hopped on to the back of a flatbed truck and rocked out. The truck rolled through the streets. They later performed a concert George Washington University.
Proceeds from the night will go to Sasha Bruce.
Rappers Chuck D (left) and Flava Flav (right) perform on the back of a flatbed truck in downtown D.C.
Courtesy of: Patrick Madden
November 19, 2009 - By Natalie Neumann
The Washington Times is denying a religious discrimination claim by the paper's former opinion editor.
Richard Miniter filed a complaint Tuesday with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Miniter says he was coerced into attending a Unification Church event that included a mass wedding. And he says the Times investigated him after he joked about the church to a co-worker.
The Times was founded by the leader of the Unification Church, the Rev. Sun Myung Moon, in 1982.
In a note to readers in today's edition, the Times' acting president and publisher Jonathan Slevin says the paper doesn't discriminate.
Referring to a recent management shake-up that involved the ousting of three top executives and the resignation of the executive editor, Slevin said there would likely be further changes but said the Times will continue to provide "spirited reporting" and "a robust alternative voice."
Slevin assumed his current role last week in the wake of the shake-up.
November 19, 2009 - By Rebecca Sheir
Some local clergy members are working to solve what some see as a spiritual crisis in affordable housing.
Angeloyd Fenrick, the founding pastor of Higher Ground Church in Southeast D.C., believes affordable housing, and houses of worship go hand in hand. "If we really believe that God provides for all of our needs, if we're his representative on earth, we ought to be about doing that," says Fenrick.
But the problem, says Fenrick, is most clergy members don't know much about the housing business. That's where David Bowers comes in. His group, Enterprise Community Partners, has helped faith leaders launch the development of nearly 700 units in the D.C. area through a series of workshops. He calls this week's "the ABCs of development."
"Participants really get a flavor for from the time I have an idea to the time we cut the ribbon, and then after that, what do we need to be thinking about," says Bowers.
Fenrick says her church has built 11 units for the working homeless. "And now we'd like to expand the number of units that we have," she explains. "Using these sessions, I've learned about some mistakes I've made and how not to make those mistakes in going forward."
Fenrick's goal is to add 50 new units within the next year.
Faith leaders from across the D.C. area take a workshop on affordable housing development
Courtesy of: Rebecca Sheir
November 19, 2009 - As part of our continuing series "Conversations," reporter Michael Cottman speaks with Dr. Stephanie Johnson, a neuropsychologist and founder of the International Dementia Research Foundation, during Alzheimers Awareness Month.
November 19, 2009 - By Bill Redlin
The Army Corps of Engineers is wrapping up its survey of the beaches in Ocean City, Maryland to determine how much damage the Nor'Easter did last week.
City engineer Terry McGean says a three-person team was expected to finish its work yesterday. McGean says he will probably know by Monday how much sand the beach had lost as a result of the storm that came through the area.
The storm was the remnant of tropical storm Ida. It caused considerable damage in Virginia as it moved up from North Carolina.
In Ocean City, the city had a dredging project planned for 2010. McGean says that will be moved up to replenish the beaches with sand.
November 19, 2009 - By Jonathan Wilson
Health department directors are still urging people to get the H1N1 vaccine, but responses from residents have varied across the region.
D.C.'s health director Dr. Pierre Vigilance says some of the district's clinics have been packed, while others, especially in the eastern part of the city, have not. "The further east that we've gone, and in ward seven and ward eight particularly, I've noticed that we've not had as much uptake of the vaccine in those areas," says Vigilance.
Mark Hodge, with the health department in Montgomery County, Maryland is facing a different issue. Wednesday morning's appointment-only clinic filled up in 25 minutes. "Every clinic we've done so far we've had to turn people away because we've run out of vaccine," says Hodge.
Hodge says Maryland is relying more heavily on hospitals and private providers. That means Montgomery County's health department has received a smaller percentage of available vaccines than health departments in the district and Virginia have.
But Hodge and Vigilance say there's nothing stopping residents from crossing state or county lines to get H1N1 vaccines.
November 19, 2009 - By Matt Bush
Cuts to Maryland's state budget for this fiscal year now top $1 billion. In its third round of reductions since the budget took effect July first, the state's board of public works approved more than $360 million in cuts.
The new round of cuts also eliminates 112 state jobs, including 21 at a facility for emotionally disturbed adolescents in Gaithersburg.
November 19, 2009 - By Matt Bush
Montgomery County executive Isiah Leggett is pushing the county council to pass new building codes.
Leggett pushed for a series of changes earlier this year, and the council has only passed a few of them. One building code still being debated would ban commercial vehicles from parking on residential streets.
The council is looking at exempting small tow trucks, which Leggett opposes. Another change would limit permits for unfinished building construction to 18 months. Currently, there isn't a limit.
November 19, 2009 - By David Schultz
Last year, more people than usual elected to stay home for the holidays. But this year might be different.
Damion Gardner delivers magazines to the newsstands and bookstores at Reagan National Airport. He says despite the crowds full of stressed-out people, he loves working at the airport during the holiday rush. "It's joyful around here," says Gardner. "You get to see a lot of different cultures coming through in and out the airport."
Travelers who face long waits and delayed flights might not share Damion's enthusiasm. Nationwide, AAA predicts a one percent increase in holiday travelers. AAA spokesperson John Townshend says that's good news given last year's anemic travel season, when the number of travelers plummeted by 25 percent. "Now we see some glimmer of hope, a glint of things returning to normalcy," says Townshend.
AAA mid-Atlantic predicts this year's holiday travel season will be busy in the D.C. region.
November 19, 2009 - By Kavitha Cardoza
The D.C. council is considering a proposal to reduce the number of unexcused absences students can have before authorities investigate.
Children in D.C. public schools can have 20 total days of unexcused absences within a school year before a referral is made to Child and Family services. At least seven council members support changes to the District's truancy regulations; they want children between the ages of five and 13 to have just 10 unexcused absences within a school year before authorities are contacted.
Council member Tommy Wells says truancy can be an early indicator that a child is having problems. "This is part of the safety net of keeping children safe, holding parents accountable for seeing that their children are not getting into mischief," says Wells.
Wells says in Minnesota, the state was required to intervene after seven unexcused absences and a year later studies showed more than 70 percent had improved school attendance.
November 19, 2009 - (November 19) ICE! There's plenty of bling at ICE! during Christmas on the Potomac at National Harbor in Prince George's County, Maryland, opening tonight and chilling visitors through January 10th. Two million pounds of the frozen stuff have been chiseled into towering topiaries and cozy igloos. Break out the winter wardrobe and expect flurries of visitors.
(November 20 & 21) BALLROOM WITH A TWIST Ballroom with a Twist lets you live it up in Maryland at The Music Center at Strathmore in North Bethesda tomorrow and Saturday nights. Familiar faces from television's top rated dance shows "So You Think You Can Dance", "American Idol" and "Dancing With the Stars" whip each other around the dance floor and serenade the night away.
(November 20) STEEL HAMMER Paying homage to Appalachia's myths and music, Trio Mediaeval is joined by the Bang on a Can All-Stars at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center in College Park, Maryland, tomorrow night at 8. The show recreates the legend of John Henry)>) as part of the Steel Hammer Engagement Project, using the rich musical tapestry of Appalachia's mountain dulcimers, wood bones and banjoes.
November 19, 2009 - Slots casinos are due to open in Maryland next year - and electronic table games will likely be part of the equation. Commentator Fred Fiske says it's just a matter of time before "real live" versions of games like blackjack and roulette follow.
What do you think? Tell us at conversation.wamu.org under forum.
November 19, 2009 - By Jonathan Wilson
A newly formed coalition in Northern Virginia is trying to build momentum for a network of streetcar lines stretching across several counties.
The group held it's first meeting Wednesday night.
Tim Lovain is co-founder of the Northern Virginia Streetcar Coalition. He says the streetcar line planned for Columbia Pike should be just the beginning of a streetcar comeback across Northern Virginia.
"Too often we think jurisdiction by jurisdiction," Lovain says. "This really cries out for a regional response and we'd really like to start especially with extensions from that initial Columbia Pike line."
Lovain and the night's other speakers stressed that though excitement for new transit projects is nearly unprecedented, funding the projects still presents a challenge.
Linda Vitello, who sat in the audience, says she's encouraged by the new coalition.
But she also says the region needs more public transportation as soon as possible, whether its streetcars or something else.
"Streetcars are great, buses are great, metro is great," Vitello says. "Cars are not so great around here."
Arlington and Fairfax Counties have spent $4 million on the planning phase of the Columbia Pike Streetcar line construction funding hasn't been secured.
A new coalition in Northern Virginia is trying to build momentum for streetcar lines stretching across several counties. The group held it's first meeting Wednesday night.
Courtesy of: Jonathan Wilson
November 19, 2009 - Today the House Foreign Affairs Committee revisits an old question: Is it time to lift the ban on travel to Cuba? Cuban-born Florida Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen says no.
Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports...
November 19, 2009 - Closing arguments are expected today in the criminal theft trial of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon. Dixon has been accused of personally using gift cards prosecutors say were intended for charity.
Professor Doug Colbert from the University of Maryland School of Law joins WAMU's Morning Edition Host Matt McCleskey to talk about the trial. He has been watching the proceedings.
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