News Archive - December 1, 2009

D.C. Council Votes In Favor Of Bill That Would Recognize Same-Sex Marriage

By Sabri Ben-Achour

The D.C. Council has voted in favor of a bill that would recognize same sex marriage. The 11 to 2 vote brings D.C. one step closer to legalizing gay marriage. There's one remaining final vote in two weeks and the mayor has to sign off on it.

Longtime gay rights adv...

Washington National Opera Scales Back

By Natalie Neumann

The Washington National Opera is scaling back its production schedule and cutting staff to tackle a budget crisis.

The Company President said in a statement that donations and ticket sales have not kept up with expenses for several years.

For the 2010-2011 sea...

Head Of D.C. Youth Rehabilitative Services Leaves For NYC Job

By David Schultz

When Vincent Schiraldi, a Brooklyn-native, received a call from the Bloomberg administration, it was an offer he couldn't refuse.

"They just called me out of the blue," says Schiraldi. "I just got a call one day from a recruiter that works for Mayor Bloomberg and [he]...

Loudoun County Committee Seeks To End Christmas Display

By Elliott Francis

A decision has been rendered on whether to end the holiday display in front of the Loudoun county courthouse in Leesburg, Virginia.

The 7 to 1 vote by the Loudoun County board of supervisors effectively overturns an the earlier decision by the facilities and grounds...

Council Votes On Gay Marriage Today

By Natalie Neumann

The D.C. Council is scheduled to vote today on whether to allow same-sex marriage in the nation's capital.

The first of two votes comes today. The bill has been expected to pass for some time as 10 of the 13 council members supported its introduction.

A second...

Seventh Day Of Deliberations Begins In Baltimore Mayor's Trial

By Matt Bush

Jurors will start a seventh day of deliberations later this morning in the theft trial of Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon.

The first sign of any conflict between jurors came Monday, when Judge Dennis Sweeney received a note from the jury saying it could not reach a unanimous...

Diamond Pet Foods Recalls Cat Food

By Meymo Lyons

Diamond Pet Foods recalled select bags of dry cat food Tuesday after 21 reports of health problems in cats.

Select bags of Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball could lead to gastrointestinal or neurological problems for cats, because they do not cont...

"Art Beat" With Stephanie Kaye - Monday, December 1, 2009

(December 2-13) STRIKING 12 Arena Stage puts a whimsical spin on the The Little Match Girl in Striking 12 in Crystal City, Virginia, opening tomorrow and running through December 13th. The pop-rock trio GrooveLily underpins this story-in-a-concert as a grumpy New Yorker's holiday funk is chased...

Tuition Assistance Program Suspended

By Meymo Lyons

In Montgomery County, Maryland, newly released records reveal that county employees used taxpayer money to take sailing lessons and attend a New Age spiritual retreat.

The tuition assistance program for county employees has been suspended amid oversight questions. The p...

Baltimore Mayor Found Guilty In Theft Trial

By Matt Bush

Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon was found guilty of one charge related to her spending of gift cards meant for charity.

D.C. Charter School Board To Create New Non Profit Corporation

The D.C. Charter School board is in the process of creating a separate, non profit corporation. The intent is to attract more grant dollars which can be spent on research into best practices in charter schools. Tom Nida, heads the current board and in a few months, will complete his second and fi...

Baltimore Mayor Convicted On Single Charge

By DAVID DISHNEAU Associated Press Writer

BALTIMORE (AP) Mayor Sheila Dixon vowed to continue serving after her conviction a single charge she took gift cards intended for the city's poor.

In a statement she issued Tuesday afternoon, Dixon said the verdict does not affect her responsi...

Homeless Advocate Welcomes New Housing Money, With Reservations

By Mana Rabiee

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty announced a housing assistance program for the homeless, but at least one advocate for those at risk has reservations.

The Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing program uses federal stimulus money to help hundreds of households stay out of she...

Latest Maryland Regional News

BALTIMORE (AP) Mayor Sheila Dixon vowed to continue serving after her conviction a single charge she took gift cards intended for the city's poor.

In a statement she issued Tuesday afternoon, Dixon said the verdict does not affect her responsibility to continue serving. She said she was foc...

Are You Ready For The Winter?

By Pat Brogan

It's 'Winter Preparedness Week' and counties in the region are hoping you get ready, just in case.

It hasn't felt like winter, but it's expected to get cold this week and could remain that way for quite a while. In Arlington, the county is offering some tips to prepare y...

Latest Virginia Regional News

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) Governor Tim Kaine says tax exemptions are likely to be shaved along with state spending for services and programs in an austere budget he will submit later this month. Kaine has made nearly $7 billion in cuts and other budget-balancing maneuvers because of the worst eco...

Metro Union Leader Speaks Out About Collision

By David Schultz

When two Metro trains collided early Sunday morning at a rail yard in Northern Virginia, it was the fourth time a Metro employee was hurt or killed on the job since the June Red Line crash that killed nine people.

That unnerves Jackie Jeter, the union president. She w...

HIV/AIDS Causes Stigma Among D.C.'s Youth

By Rebecca Sheir

A tenth of one percent of D.C.'s teens are infected with HIV. Adrienne Belasco, a medical student at Georgetown University, says being a teenager is hard enough, "just with social aspects and just growing up in this world, like dealing with the everyday things," says Belasc...

Latest D.C. Local News

WASHINGTON (AP) A two-month-long rash of violence near one D.C. charter school is prompting officials to give charter schools the same police protection other public schools receive. At least eight Friendship Collegiate Academy students have been assaulted or robbed after class since September, a...

Laid Off D.C. Teachers Want New Leadership For Teacher's Union

By Kavitha Cardoza

Some teachers in D.C. Public Schools who were laid off say there should be a change in leadership at the Washington Teacher's Union.

Crystal Proctor, a former DCPS teacher, uses words such as "ridiculous" and "terrible" to describe watching the union attorneys in co...