WAMU 88.5FM American University Radio

Virginia Governor's Race - The Overall Picture (Part 3 of 3)

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With Election Day just a week and a half away, the Virginia governor's race is a virtual dead heat between the top two candidates. A Mason-Dixon poll released this week showed Republican Jerry Kilgore with the support of 44% of those surveyed. Democrat Tim Kaine had 42%, and Russ Potts, running as an Independent, was behind with 5 percent. The big issues for voters are transportation and schools. And while the candidates say they're focusing on those basic issues, it's hot button topics like the death penalty that have been stressed in recent campaign ads. Analysts say the candidates haven't differentiated themselves enough for voters to know how they would govern. WAMU's Lisa Nurnberger reports.

Cost of Higher Education

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Tuition and fees are up again at four year public universities in Maryland and Virginia. The non-profit College Board reported last week that tuition in Virginia averages about $6,100 - in Maryland, about $6,800. Both are significantly higher than the national average, about $5,500. And according to the same report, family income jsn't keeping pace with the tuition increases. But the College Board says many students can still rely on a variety of grants to help them pay for higher education. The Board's student financing expert, Sandy Baum spoke with WAMU's Sarah Hughes.

Commentary by Fred Fiske - Lingo

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Every time WAMU Senior Commentator Fred Fiske spends time with his grandkids, he finds himself catching up with the slang expressions of the past forty years. And forget about Halloween...hearing Fred Fiske talk like a teenager circa 2005 is SCARY.

The Bunnyman Bridge

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The White House, the Capitol, museums and monuments...the Washington region has more that its share of popular tourist destinations. But it also boasts a wealth of attractions for those looking for some late October Halloween thrills. From Alexandria's supposedly haunted Carlyle House, to that stretch of woods in Burkittsville, Maryland made famous in the Blair Witch Project. And, of course, there's the infamous Bunnyman Bridge in Clifton, Virginia - supposed site of dozens of grizzly murders.

Today we visit the Bunnyman Bridge to try to uncover the facts behind the horrible stories. We met writer Jeff Bagato in Clifton. He's the author of "Mondo DC: An Insider's Guide to Washington DC's Most Unusual Tourist Attractions." And he led us to the bridge to see what fate had in store for us.

And if you're not up for a visit to the bridge (which is strongly discouraged based on the threat of oncoming traffic) you can visit with Jeff instead. Jeff Bagato will be reading and signing copies of "Mondo DC" at the Falls Church Community Center at 5pm on Friday, Nov 4th, at 223 Little Falls Street in Falls Church City. More information at 703-532-1050.

Frankenstein's Music

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It's not very often that a tiny regional theater puts out a soundtrack CD from one of its plays - that sort of marketing is usually reserved for Hollywood films or Broadway musicals. But the NobleHeart Repertory Company has no problem tooting its own horn...or, shall we say, playing its own synthesizers.

The music from the theatre's latest production, "Frankenstein," was written by Maryland composer Jim Watson. It's currently playing in the Black Box Theater at the Indian Head Center for the Arts in Southern Maryland. Watson spoke with WAMU's Stephanie Kaye about transforming an actors' performance into pure sound.

The NobleHeart Repertory Company production of "Frankenstein" runs through November 6th at the Indian Head Center for the Arts in Indian Head, Maryland.

DC - City of Trees

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DC has been called the city of trees. And a stroll through many of the District's neighborhoods confirms that this is still a tree-rich urban area, with enviable tree-lined city streets and stunning parks. But Washington's green complexion has been fading over the past few decades. David Furst met with Metro Connection's resident naturalist Mark Garland to talk about the city's tree-hugging reputation...and its future. And although we frequently travel to natural areas far outside the beltway with Mark - that's not the case this time...

Theater Review - "Save the Leopard"

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It's not every day that Washington can celebrate the birth of a bouncing baby theatre company, but this is one of those special days. Spooky Action Theater has settled into its new home at the Mead Theatre Lab in the Flashpoint Arts Space in downtown DC. But its name, Spooky Action Theatre, isn't as related to Halloween as you might think. Director Richard Henrich describes the company as a small spark wandering in a universe of big theatre, producing works of diverse styles and genres. Their current show, "Save the Leopard," by local playwright and Helen Hayes Award winner T.J. Edwards, is the first step in that direction. Metro Connection’s theatre critic, Bari Biern, has the review...

The Mead Theatre Lab at 916 G Street NW will show "Save the Leopard" through November 6th.