WAMU 88.5
: Morning Edition 
In the aftermath of the tragic school shooting in Newtown, Conn., lawmakers around the region are debating how to increase school safety. Delegates in one Maryland county are introducing a bill that would tap casino revenue to build up programs to support mental health and safety efforts.
A good portion of the revenue generated from Maryland's slot machines goes toward the state's schools. Currently, the money can be put toward salaries, administration and building new schools.
State Del. Nicholaus Kipke (R-Anne Arundel County) wants to expand that. Kipke's new bill would allow school districts to use casino funds for counseling services and to hire armed police officers for schools.
"It will not mandate anything at all. All it does is, it allows the flexibility for all of the local school boards to use these dollars for this program if they believe it's important," he says. "We have to have all tools available."
Last week, President Obama said he supported increasing the number of armed officers in schools. The National PTA disagrees, saying schools should remain 100 percent gun-free.
Dan Brown: 'Inferno' Is 'The Book That I Would Want To Read'
Dan Brown, author of the blockbuster The Da Vinci Code, is back with his first novel in four years. Inferno follows academic hero Robert Langdon on a chase through Italy as he attempts to avert a biological catastrophe.'Picture Cook': Drawings Are The Key Ingredients In These Recipes
Designer Katie Shelly's upcoming cookbook offers 50 illustrated recipe "blueprints" for basic meals — from simple snacks to more hefty dishes like eggplant Parmesan. She hopes they'll inspire any level of cook to improvise in the kitchen.Ken Cuccinelli Wins GOP Nomination For Virginia Governor
Virginia's attorney general Ken Cuccinelli will face former Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe in November to become Virginia's 72nd governor.
Book News: Amazon May Be Called Before Parliament Over Taxes
Also: AARP and The Nation join a growing list of ebook publishers; Hilary Mantel on Jane Austen; Anne Applebaum on Sheryl Sandberg.Leave a Comment
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