News Archive - December 11, 2009

Funding Declines For D.C.'s Legal Services Providers

By Rebecca Sheir

A new report shows legal aid programs in D.C. have lost $4.5 million worth of funding due to the recession. The funding drop comes as demand for these services is on the rise.

Vanesia Monroe is a single mother in Northwest D.C. When the bank foreclosed on her apartmen...

House Passes D.C. Appropriations Bill Without Riders

By Rebecca Blatt

The U.S. House has passed a D.C. Appropriations bill, approved already by a House-Senate conference committee, without any riders restricting how the city can spend its money.

D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton says it's the first time in her memory the House has not imp...

Music Class Offers Lesson On Activism

By Jessica Gould

At a District elementary school, music students are learning to be the instruments of change. Students at Shepherd Elementary School in Northwest D.C. are practicing their rendition of Old Man River, from the musical Showboat.

Every year, music instructor Ken Giles te...

This Week In Congress-December 11, 2009

SCRIPT:

The week opened with the Senate cranking away on health care, with most of the discussions taking place behind closed doors.

Over at the other end of the Capitol, meanwhile, Indiana Congressman Mike Pence did his part to stake his party's claim on the flashpoint du jour.

...

"Art Beat" With Stephanie Kaye - Weekend Events, December 11-13, 2009

(December 12 & 13) LESOLE MAINE Lesole Maine Dance Projects brings powerful messages from the streets of South Africa to the stages of Dance Place in Northeast D.C. Saturday and Sunday. Two of their newest works, "Without a Home" and "Nna" explore the lives of kids in the streets of Johannesb...

Commentary...Giving...Dennis Whittle

The holiday season is in full swing, and as commentator Dennis Whittle notes, many people are once again wondering if the spirit of "giving back" has been replaced by consumerism.

Whittle is the founder and CEO of Global Giving. What do you think? Tell us on the Commentary Forum.

SCRI...

Metro Work Causes Weekend Delays

By Matt McClesky

People riding Metro's red and orange lines this weekend can expect delays due to scheduled maintenance work. On the red line, crews will be replacing rail fasteners that stabilize the tracks and making tunnel repairs between the Medical Center and Grosvenor-Strathmore Stati...

Congress To Consider Federal Safety Rules For Subway Systems

By Eric Niiler

Congress will consider new federal safety rules for metro systems next year. D.C. transit officials say the changes are necessary.

Accidents in Washington and several other big city metro systems this year have spurred a call for new federal safety guidelines. Transport...

Latest Maryland Regional News

BALTIMORE (AP) A judge has granted a protective order barring Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs from contact with the mother of his two children. Suggs agreed to the protective order and did not admit any wrongdoing.

HANCOCK, Md. (AP) Maryland State Police say a Washington County mo...

"Instruments In The Attic" At GMU

Unused musical instruments are serving a new purpose at George Mason University. Stephanie Kaye reports on the school's "Instruments in the Attic" program.

Professor and percussionist John Kilkenny heads up Instruments in the Attic. "School systems are suffering cutbacks. And arts funding i...

Latest D.C. Local News

WASHINGTON (AP) Authorities say crews have extinguished several small equipment fires at the U.S. Government Printing Office. D.C. fire officials say the fire is believed to have started this afternoon in a shredder used to process waste paper for recycling.

WASHINGTON (AP) The speaker at t...

Interfaith Voices Debate: Gay Marriage

This week, Interfaith Voices hosts a debate on gay marriage as seen in the black church, with Rev. Cheryl Sanders of the Third Street Church of God, and Rev. Dennis Wiley of the Covenant Baptist Church. Host Maureen Fiedler asked each minister why polls find strong opposition to gay marriage amon...

Latest Virginia Regional News

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Conservative legislative leaders have sent Gov. Kaine a letter warning him not to end some tax breaks in the budget he submits next week. The two-page letter from Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, two Senate Republicans, the House speaker and the conservative independent who he...

Alexandria High School Named Top High School In U.S. Again

By Kavitha Cardoza

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia has been named the top high school in the country for the third consecutive year.

The U.S. News and World Report's Best High School rankings in 2010 looked at almost 22,000 schools acros...

Power Breakfast for December 11, 2009

For a while there, it was looking like a packed legislative agenda might force one Mississippi lawmaker to break a long-standing holiday tradition.

Every year since 2003, Congressman Gene Taylor has taken a little taste of home to Gulf Coast troops serving Iraq.

Elizabeth Wynne Johnso...

Big Votes Looming In Montgomery County On Life Sciences

Montgomery County council could take two votes next month that would have a large effect on the county's life sciences center west of Gaithersburg.

Matt Bush reports...

Preschoolers Help Celebrate Hanukkah

By Patrick Madden

Jewish families around the world will light the first Hanukkah candles tonight. This morning, hundreds of young children helped kick-off the eight-day celebration at a synagogue in Northwest D.C.

At the Addis Israel congregation in Cleveland Park, Rabbi Gil Steinlauf...

Weekend Planner: Holiday Best Bets

It's that time again - time for theatres to overflow with Scrooges, Nutcrackers and Messiah sing-a-longs. Joining us to make sense of it call is arts critic, Colleen Fay. Speaking with David Furst she brings us her annual holiday arts preview.

Alexandria Taxi Drivers Fight Regulation

By Michael Pope

In Virginia, taxi drivers are worried about a city regulation requiring them to have two dispatch calls each day. If the taxi companies don't meet the standard, city regulators can shut them down.

Alexandria created the rule back in 2005 to prevent taxi drivers from sp...