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November 20, 2009 - WASHINGTON (AP) Metro is delaying planned changes to its SmartBenefits program to the relief of many participants. The program allows employers to set aside money for commuting costs on Metro smart cards.
WASHINGTON (AP) The FBI says the former head of the D.C. Taxicab Commission participated in a long-running bribery scheme involving taxi licenses. Causton Toney hasn't been charged with a crime, but the accusation appears in a request for a warrant to search his home.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
November 20, 2009 - BALTIMORE (AP) Jury deliberations have resumed for a second day in Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon's trial on theft charges. This morning jurors asked the judge for the legal definition of "misappropriation." The judge said they should look in the jury instructions.
CUMBERLAND, Md. (AP) A former state correctional officer convicted of assaults on inmates has been sentenced to three months in jail. Thirty-six-year-old Jason Weaver, of Cumberland, was convicted of conspiracy to commit assault in September.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
November 20, 2009 - CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) A man accused of bilking more than $3 million from customers in a computer-purchase scheme has agreed to accept liability and negotiate with the state to make restitution. Financing Alternatives founder George Christian's admission of liability came today in Chesapeake Circuit Court in a two-year-old civil case.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) A Charlottesville police officer whose unmarked vehicle hit another car as he responded to a bank robbery faces a traffic charge. Authorities say 25-year-old Officer Kyle Boynton was attempting to exit a shopping center when the accident occurred earlier this week.
ANNANDALE, Va. (AP) A 71-year-old woman has died after being run over by her own car in the driveway of her home. Fairfax County police say the accident happened early this morning. The woman, Emma A. Cabrera of Annandale, was backing out of her driveway.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
November 20, 2009 - By Manuel Quinones
A newly released Congressional report says D.C. School Chancellor Michelle Rhee was involved in dealing with allegations of sexual misconduct against her fiance, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson.
The report, by a Republican Senator and Congressman, concerns the firing of a federal inspector general who was investigating Johnson's actions when he led a Sacramento charter school. Johnson allegedly misused government money and was accused of improper sexual conduct by female students.
A former school employee says Rhee played the role of a fixer, doing damage control after the allegations surfaced. She was a school board member at the time.
A spokeswoman for Rhee says the report rehashes old allegations that have long been dismissed and only mentions the chancellor in one paragraph out of more than sixty pages.
November 20, 2009 - By Peter Granitz
Crimes against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people have accounted for at least eighty percent of hate crimes in D.C. this year. Activist Peter Rosenstein says D.C. Police Cheif Cathy Lanier has mismanaged the department's Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit.
"It won a $100,000 award from Harvard. It was a model of community policing. She's basically destroyed that," says Rosenstein.
Rosenstein says only two officers work full-time with the GLLU. At a public safety committee hearing, Lanier said she's had trouble staffing the unit but never planned to nix it.
"Let me go a little further. In 2007 I announced a vacancy in that unit. Citywide with 400 sergeants, I got one applicant. One," says Lanier.
Fifty-seven patrol officers have volunteered to help the unit, but they will still work in their own districts.
November 20, 2009 - The jury in the theft trial of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon has been sent home for the weekend without a verdict.
Cathy Duchamp reports from Baltimore Circuit Court...
November 20, 2009 - By Sabri Ben-Achour
It's national adoption month, and Maryland's Montgomery County opened its courthouse to the public as 22 children were adopted.
Three-year-old Joshua Williams banged the gavel himself as he and his adoptive mother Dietrice Williams officially became a family.
Twenty two children became brothers, sisters, daughters and sons today in Rockville. Yvonne and Melvin Jacobs adopted little Shayla who is four-years-old, and even littler Dante who is three-years-old. Jacobs couldn't be more proud. "I tell you it's the greatest thing I ever did, these babies to come into my heart are the greatest things that could happen to me," says Jacobs.
Some of the children in the courtroom were abandoned as infants. Others are teenagers who fled abusive homes. "The kids that are in our system have been abused or neglected and they were removed from their parents," says Catherine Robinson, supervisor of Adoption for Montgomery County.
That means it takes a special kind of family to adopt. "Clearly they need to have a lot of patience and love for these children, and fortunately, they do," says Agnes Leshner, head of child welfare services for the county.
There are more than 500 children in foster care in Montgomery County. The county expects 55 will get adopted.
November 20, 2009 - By Elizabeth Wynne Johnson Capitol News Connection
SCRIPT:
Early on, Republican Senators like John McCain were all stoic resolve and resignation on the health care bill...
McCain: The majority leader is now corralling the final three Democrats...sure he'll get...in order to move forward.
Things would get more complicated by week's end. But before that...
Senator Robert Byrd broke a record on Wednesday. The 92-year old Democrat has a history that is as complex as it is long. As a young man in the South, Byrd once burned crosses with the Ku Klux Klan.
He lived on to support Barack Obama for President.
Byrd: My only regret...[sniffs] is that my dear wife, Irma, is not here to enjoy this moment with me...
After the shooting rampage earlier this month at Fort Hood, Senator Joe Lieberman decided to launch a probe. The administration has its own investigation underway.
Lieberman: But that does not mean that the rest of us, including the Senate Committee on Homeland Security can just sit back and watch.
Lieberman said his committee's inquiry would focus on whether the government could have done more to prevent the massacre. At the hearing on Thursday, ranking Republican Susan Collins of Maine drew parallels between Fort Hood and intelligence failures before the September 11th terror attacks.
Collins: If you look at Maj. Hasan's...there are warning signs galore.
Lieberman's critics, including the White House, let it be known they'd prefer Congress wait. Not the first time Lieberman has irked leading democrats. And certainly not the last.
Speaking of the Senate health care bill...The long-awaited cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office finally came out. Just shy of 850 billion over ten years. Democrats who support the bill say it reduces the deficit by $130 billion over the next decade.
Mukowski: But then you have Republicans stand up and say when you actually take into account $2.5 trillion.
That's Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska.
Mukowski: So the American public is saying, well, which is it? What's real? How much is this costing me?
Good question. According to Democrat Kent Conrad, don't look to Republicans for the answer.
Conrad: When people talk about two trillion, they're just making numbers up [snorts]. Let's use the official number... put out by the non-partisan CBO.
Bickering over budget numbers aside...abortion has become the emotional core of the health care overhaul debate. On the heels of the House vote with its groundswell of support for restrictive new language on federal funding. This week Republican Senators took aim squarely at what they hope may be the majority's Achilles heel.
Johanns: Today in the Senate we don't need 40 Democrats to stand up--we just need one.
The first big vote, the motion to proceed, takes place Saturday night.
November 20, 2009 - By Natalie Neumann
Metro is delaying planned changes to its SmartBenefits program to the relief of many participants.
The program lets employers set aside money for commuting costs on Metro smart cards. In some cases, employers subsidize the costs, while in others, the employee's own pretax payroll dollars are set aside.
Metro had announced that because of an IRS requirement, money for transit and parking would be kept in separate accounts as of January 1. And it said any unused benefits would be credited back to employers at the end of each month, instead of being rolled over. That change upset many riders who feared they would end up losing money.
Now Metro is asking the IRS for a one-year extension to implement the new rules so that employers can adjust.
Metro has asked the IRS for a one-year extension to allow employers to adjust to news SmartBenefits rules.
Courtesy of: www.flickr.com/laffy4k
November 20, 2009 - By Bill Redlin
Just over one million doses of the H1N1 vaccine are being allocated to sites in Virginia in the state's effort to vaccinate people against the swine flu.
Virginia health commissioner Dr. Karen Remley says while influenza-related illness has gone down to five percent of visits to emergency rooms, there are many who are ill, and that 27 deaths have now been reported around the commonwealth.
Shipments of the vaccine went out this week to colleges and universities, including the University of Virginia, which held a vaccination clinic Thursday. Remley says influenza cases reported this fall are typically H1N1. Remley says samples taken from patients have not detected the seasonal flu virus yet.
Virginia will receive 1.2 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine, which will be distributed at some sites throughout the state.
Courtesy of: Centers for Disease Control
November 20, 2009 - The Washington region often leads the nation in innovations and commentator Brooks Rainwater says "green" building is one of them.
Rainwater works for the American Institute of Architects.
November 20, 2009 - By Jamila Bey
More than 400 pedestrians are struck by cars annually in Montgomery County, and twelve people this year have been killed. The county has started a campaign to educate walkers how to stay safe.
On the mile and a half stretch, Piney Branch Road between Flower Avenue and the Prince Georges County line, more pedestrians are hit than anywhere else in the county.
Volunteers will be on Piney Branch most days of the week to intercept jaywalkers. Gustavo Andrade organizes the Spanish language effort. "Our plan is to go up to people who are crossing where they're not supposed to and educate them about how to be safer," says Andrade. "So crossing on the crosswalks, especially now that it's getting darker earlier."
Jeff Dunkle is Montgomery County's Pedestrian Safety Coordinator. He says visibility is key. "Why is it that when it's dark out everybody wears dark clothing? It does make things more dangerous for pedestrians on the street when they cannot be seen by drivers," says Dunkle. "Cross where you're supposed to cross and cars will know where you're likely to be and will be able to avoid hitting you."
The safety effort will also crack down on drivers. And as the press conference was underway, attendees witnessed the plan in action.
A car ran a red light and policemen handing out fliers ticketed the driver on the spot.
At this mile and a half stretch of road, Piney Branch Road between Flower Avenue and the Prince Georges County line, more pedestrians are hit than anywhere else in Montgomery County, MD.
Courtesy of: Jamila Bey
November 20, 2009 - (November 20 & 21) CHARLES COUNTY'S GOT TALENT Charles County serves up a one-two punch of art this weekend at the Indian Head Center's Black Box Theatre in Maryland tonight and tomorrow. The county hosts its inaugural talent show and pitches a tent for Saturday's Recycled Art Contest, as competitors deftly attempt to repurpose trash as treasure.
(November 20-22) LE NOZZE DI FIGARO Catholic University is having a go at Figaro, presenting Mozart's opera The Marriage of Figaro tonight through Sunday at the school's Ward Hall. Students provide the backdrop and music for this comedic opera set in a Spanish castle, telling the tale of one of the most famous marriages in musical history.
(November 21 & 22) GREATEST HIP HOP STORY If you like "crunk" better than classical, The Greatest Hip Hop Cover Story Ever Told might be more your speed. The two-day run kicks off tomorrow night at 8 p.m. at Dance Place in Northeast D.C. The show explores hip hop's past and impact on mainstream music and media. Because of its racy language, this show is for mature audiences only.
(November 22) BARK FOR BOOKS The written word comes to the rescue during Bark for Books, a page-turning fundraiser at the Washington Animal Rescue League Sunday afternoon from 1:30 to 3. The literary family event includes readings, illustration workshops and books both signed by the authors and "pawed" by protagonists.
November 20, 2009 - With the official start of the Christmas shopping season just one week away, area retailers are divided over how successful it will be.
Some Alexandria retailers say they are expecting their best holiday season ever while others say they're almost ready to close their doors forever. Alexandria Chamber of Commerce President Tina Leone says her organization lost about a third of her membership since the recession began.
Michael Pope reports...
Alexandria retailers are divided on how much of a success holiday shopping will be this year.
Courtesy of: www.flickr.com/Jill Clardy
November 20, 2009 - By Kavitha Cardoza
Outside the Wilson Building in D.C., dozens of little children carried signs that read "I'm three, don't forget about me." They and their parents were protesting cuts in child care subsidies.
The city has cut millions of dollars from the Child Care Subsidy program, which provides vouchers for eligible low income families to offset costs.
Fahim Shabazz says he has a four and five year old who attend St. Philip's Child Care Center in South East D.C. He says his costs jumped from less than 10 dollars a week to more than 110 dollars for each child. And Shabazz says he doesn't know what to do.
"Should the day care bills be paid or should the house bills be paid? Now I say the child care is more important than my bills. I'm looking at being evicted, lights being cut off, not eating any food," Shabazz says.
Parents at the rally say they aren't sure how long they'll be able to keep paying the increased child-care costs.
Parents protest cuts in child care subsidies outside of the Wilson building in Washington, D.C.
Courtesy of: Kavitha Cardoza
November 20, 2009 - By Jonathan Wilson
A spokesman for the Fairfax Police Department says investigators aren't ready to say why Fairfax officers shot and killed an unarmed man a week ago.
Fairfax Police say three officers suspected 52-year-old David Alan Masters had stolen items from a nearby business. They say they made two attempts at traffic stops, but Masters drove off. After the second attempt, they say one officer shot him.
After a preliminary investigation, Fairfax Police say Masters did not have gun in his car.
Officer Bud Walker says the department is asking the public for patience.
"We want to know the story as much as they do," Walker says, "but we don't want to put out information prematurely that could compromise the investigation or be inaccurate."
Walker says the Fairfax homicide squad and internal affairs detectives are investigating Masters' death.
November 20, 2009 - By Jonathan Wilson
A nonprofit program in Prince William County, Virginia is trying to give the county a bigger voice in the Washington region.
Leadership Prince William is based on programs in Arlington and Fairfax that bring together successful people who want to learn and do more in their communities.
Kathy Ellington, the programs executive director says Prince William faces unique challenges.
"One of the challenges that Prince William faces is just the perception that other people have of Prince William," she says.
Ellington says right now most people know Prince William for the long commute into D.C. rather than its scenery or strong small business community.
Leadership Prince William may help change that, by teaching participants more about important local issues through monthly visits from speakers including Congressman Gerry Connolly.
A few past graduates have gone on to run for local office themselves Steven Witt, a member of this years class is thinking about being the next.
"I've made some great connections through Leadership Prince William on the political side. Hopefully I can do that in the future," he says.
At 30 years old, Witt, a community banker, says he has time.
Leadership Prince William participants loosen up during the program.
Courtesy of: Jonathan Wilson
November 20, 2009 - By Sabri Ben-Achour
New technology from Google is making Youtube more accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing, but some leaders of the deaf community say most online multimedia is still inaccessible.
Google recently announced technology that uses speech recognition technology to create captions automatically for Youtube videos. It's starting as a pilot program at several universities including Gallaudet.
Cheryl Heppner is Executive Director of the Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Persons.
"I love it, I'm so excited!"
Video and multimedia are making up more and more of the Internet. Heppner says -- without captions -- that means the Internet is becoming less accessible to the hard of hearing.
The new technology for now applies only to Youtube. Shane Feldman heads the national Association of the Deaf. He hopes the technology will spur TV networks to caption the programs they put on line - he says most don't.
"They're pretty behind right now, so we're not able to watch TV on the internet. That's pretty important," says Feldman, speaking through an interpreter.
According to Google, there are almost as many deaf or hard of hearing internet users as there are French speaking internet users.
November 20, 2009 - Yesterday on the Senate floor, Majority Leader Harry Reid set out a schedule to debate the health care bill from 10 o'clock this morning until 11pm tonight.
Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports...
November 20, 2009 - Today is day two of jury deliberations in the theft trial of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon.
City hall reporter for the Baltimore Sun, Annie Linksey, has been covering the trial and talks about it with WAMU's Morning Edition Host Matt McCleskey.
November 20, 2009 - Washington Post columnist Robert McCartney joins WAMU's Morning Edition Host Matt McCleskey to talk about some of the region's top stories...
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