News Archive - November 30, 2010

D.C. Budget Hearing Draws Participation, Raises Tax Questions

D.C. Council members may need sleeping bags for today's marathon hearing on how it will close this year's $188 million budget deficit. More than 90 witnesses are scheduled to testify. It's clear many agencies, nonprofits, business owners and others are worried about severe budget cuts.

So f...

Chantilly Web Retailer Grows Despite Down Economy

Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone. Now online retailers, including many headquartered in Northern Virginia's Technology Corridor are counting the numbers. One fast-growing company in Chantilly, CedarPC, continues to see the benefit of its online retail presence.

John Vuong is...

Suspect In A.U. Professor's Death Will Appear In Court Tuesday

Montgomery County Police say a man investigated for his possible role in the slaying of American University professor Sue Ann Marcum has been extradited to Maryland.

Deandrew Hamlin, 18, was returned to Maryland from the District late last night. He is scheduled to appear in Rockville Distr...

Maryland Commission Rejects Plan To Cut Horse Racing

The future of horse racing in Maryland is in limbo as the state's racing commission rejected a plan to cut the number of live races in the state. The commission unanimously rejected a plan to only allow 17 live horse racing days at the Laurel Park track coupled with 30 live days at Baltimore's Pi...

Latest Maryland Local News

SILVER SPRING, Md. (AP) The D.C. region will be affected like no other by the Obama administration's proposed freeze on federal pay for the next two years. With an estimated 380,000 federal workers populating the region, the freeze could result in an annual loss of almost $750 million to the re...

Controlling Pollution: EPA Continues To Push For Better Plans

The Environmental Protection Agency had asked D.C., Virginia, Maryland and four other states to come up with plans to reduce water pollution in the region. Their final draft was due yesterday, but not every state made it in on time.

When Virginia told the EPA in September how it planned to...

Latest D.C. Regional News

WASHINGTON (AP) The Department of Public Works will give up to four sandbags per household to Washington residents as storms threaten to bring flooding to the area. The agency will distribute the sandbags today between 8 p.m. and midnight and tomororw from 7 a.m. to noon.

WASHINGTON (AP)...

D.C. Council Hears Testimony In Favor Of Anti-Bullying Legislation

D.C. wants to tackle bullying in schools and other places. The city council is considering a series of bills that are designed to cut down on harassment -- whether in the classroom, the library or even online.

For Trina Cole, the torment from classmates began when she started identifying as...

WTU Names New President After Long, Close Race

Nathan Saunders has been named the new president of the Washington Teachers' Union, which represents approximately 4,000 D.C. public school teachers.

Saunders recieved 556 votes, beating out incumbent George Parker, who recieved 480.

Saunders called this a victory for teachers, saying...

Latest Virginia Local News

RICHMOND, Va (AP) The day before Virginia state employees get their first pay boost in three years, Gov. Bob McDonnell says there won't be any pay raises coming. One-time bonuses of three percent will be included in paychecks for 117,000 state government workers tomorrow.

RICHMOND, Va. (A...

DCPS Interim Chancellor Reflects On Her First Month On The Job

D.C.'s Mayor-elect Vincent Gray recently introduced Kaya Henderson as D.C.'s interim schools chancellor. She was former Chancellor Michelle Rhee's right-hand person, responsible for two of Rhee's most controversial initiatives: the new teacher evaluation system and the new union contract.

I...

Environmental Groups Say Va.'s Pollution-Reduction Plan Has Improved

Virginia's plan to curb water pollution in the Chesapeake Bay has received special attention because its first draft was widely panned by Environmental Groups and the EPA as well. But Ann Jennings, Virginia Director for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, says this version is a lot better.

"Spec...

Maryland News Roundup

From MarylandReporter.com:

RACING IMPERILED Live horse racing at Maryland's two main thoroughbred tracks, Laurel Park and Pimlico, was put into jeopardy after the state's racing commission yesterday rejected a proposal to run a diminished schedule that drew opposition from the thoroughbred...

Lawmakers Criticize Proposed Pay Freeze For Federal Workers

By Manuel Quinones, Capitol News Connection

Some area lawmakers say they want changes to President Obama's proposed two-year pay freeze for federal workers.

Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) says he is less than enthusiastic about this particular proposal to chip away at government spending...

Pay Freeze Could Cause Economic Hit For D.C. Region

President Obama wants to freeze federal pay for the next two years. The proposal requires congressional approval. With an estimated 380,000 federal workers populating the D.C. region, the freeze could result in an annual loss of almost $750 million to the region's $410 billion economy.

For...

Prince George's Council Member Charged With Assault

Marilynn Bland, the Prince George's County council member scheduled to be installed as clerk of the court this week, is being charged with assault.

The director of the Prince George's County Council's Youth Commission, W. Randy Short, has filed charges against Bland, saying she assaulted hi...

Commentary By Dr. Sohail Rana: Addressing The Stigma Of HIV/AIDS

Dr. Sohail Rana is a member of Howard University's Department of Pediatrics. As Washington, D.C., tries to reduce the incidence of HIV, Rana asks, "Is the stigma associated with HIV now worse than the disease itself?":

Angel died last Saturday. She was 18. I was her doctor since she was fou...

Fairfax Senior Citizens Learn How To Thwart Medical ID Theft

The Federal Trade Commission is teaming with local governments to spread the word about the fastest-growing type of identity theft: medical ID theft.

Vee Johnson, of the Fairfax County's Consumer Affairs Division, wants local residents, especially senior citizens, to guard their personal he...

Power Breakfast: Meeting The Next Immigration Subcommittee Leader

From Capitol News Connection:

Meet Congressman Steve King, Republican of Iowa, and heir-apparent to the gavel of the subcommittee that oversees immigration policy and enforcement.

‘Art Beat’ With Sean Rameswaram

(Nov. 30-Dec. 17) INTERPRETING LIKENESS Ten photographers team up with ten visual artists to tinker with portraiture in Likeness at Honfleur Gallery in Southeast Washington. The photographers handed original portraits over to the visual artists for liberal renditions. You can see the results toda...