Latest D.C. Local News

March 18, 2010 - WASHINGTON (AP) An American-Islamic relations group says five young Americans from Alexandria who were charged with planning terror attacks in Pakistan sent letters to their parents detailing alleged torture. The men have pleaded not guilty to the charges in that nation.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Latest Maryland Regional News

March 18, 2010 - ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley says the state should stop displaying real-time travel information to drivers if it's distracting them. State Highway Administration officials have started using message boards to tell drivers how long it will take them to reach destinations.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) Maryland's Gov. O'Malley supports a controversial recent gay marriage opinion issued by Attorney General Doug Gansler. O'Malley told WTOP's "Ask the Governor" program yesterday that Gansler gave "sound advice" last month when he said state agencies must now recognize out-of-state gay marriages until the legislature or courts decide otherwise.

FROSTBURG, Md. (AP) Turkey calling and fly casting are on the agenda for an annual gathering in Frostburg of wildlife management students from 18 universities. The Wildlife Society's Southeastern Conclave at Frostburg State University opens today with a dinner.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Latest Virginia Regional News

March 18, 2010 - BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) Virginia Tech is urging calm as e-mails and Internet postings originating in Italy threaten another attack on campus. The president said in an e-mail to faculty and students that classes will be held today with additional security across campus. Police do not believe the threats are credible.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Virginia is set to execute a man who killed a teen girl then bragged about it to prosecutors once he thought he could not face the death penalty. Thirty-one-year-old Paul Warner Powell is scheduled to die at 9 o'clock tonight at Greensville Correctional Center in Jarratt. He has chosen to die by electrocution rather than lethal injection.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) The winter's storms have torn a large hole in the Virginia Department of Transportation's maintenance budget. Officials say the department has spent about $205 million to clear snow from the state's highways this year. The snow removal will eat up about 15 percent of Virginia's highway maintenance money this fiscal year.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) The parents of Morgan Harrington say the slain Virginia Tech student's bones were shattered. A Virginia State Police spokeswoman declined to comment on the state of the remains.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Transgender Woman Sues Under Law She Helped Write

March 18, 2010 - ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) A transgender aide to a Montgomery County councilwoman is suing the county for $5 million under an anti-discrimination law she helped write.

Dana Beyer, an adviser to Councilwoman Duchy Trachtenberg, helped draft a 2007 law that outlawed discrimination based on gender identity.

Now Beyer contends the county's ethics commission broke that law during an investigation of her.

Beyer was investigated by the commission after a complaint by a group that opposed the anti-discrimination law. The group said Beyer used her position to try to intimidate opponents of the bill who were gathering signatures.

Beyer filed the $5 million lawsuit in February.

County spokesman Patrick Lacefield says the county believes Beyer's claim has no merit and will ask a judge to dismiss it.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Former Gang Member Changes Lifestyle

March 18, 2010 - By Elliott Francis

Nineteen-year-old Ivan Cloyd used to belong to a gang where lives were lost regularly.

"I was part of the 'seven and oh' crew...we were beefing with 'fifth and oh,'" he says. "Three of my friends were killed in the same month."

Soon, the Alliance of Concerned Men stepped in. Over many months the group labored to arrange a truce between the two rival gangs, emphasizing a commitment to making a difference instead of spreading violence.

According to Ivan, it worked.

"We all came together, and put our guns down," says Ivan. "And from that day on nothing has happened between us."

A former high school dropout, Cloyd absorbed the advice and guidance he received and took it to another level. He re-entered high school and graduated. Ivan recently registered at Potomac College, and he'll begin studying there in April.

"I'm looking towards a business major; getting a bachelor's, and then I'll probably go to law school," he says. "Then, I'll just let the wind take me."

Rico Rush, president of The Alliance of Concerned Men, says he's proud of Ivan.

"He's just one of many guy's that we work with," says Rush. "There's so many youth out there waiting to shine; we just got to get the platform to help them do that."

Cloyd's also raising a one-year-old daughter and sharing his experience with at-risk youth in D.C.

Conversations: Michael Cottman Speaks With Neville Waters

March 18, 2010 - As part of our continuing series, "Conversations," reporter Michael Cottman speaks with Neville Waters, a sports marketing consultant, about Natalie Rudolph of Coolidge High School in Washington, D.C. Rudolph is one of only two female head coaches of a high school varsity football team in the United States.

D.C. Reports Drop In New AIDS Cases And Deaths

March 18, 2010 - By Patrick Madden

Health officials in D.C. say they are making strides in the fight against the HIV/AIDS. Dr. Shannon Hader, the city's top HIV/AIDS official, says the number of new AIDS cases and deaths declined by about a third from 2004 to 2008.

She says more people are getting tested. For example, there were nearly 100,000 HIV tests last year, double the number from 2006.And she says more people are seeking HIV medical treatment earlier, which is helping them live longer, healthier lives because it prevents HIV from becoming full-blown AIDS.

"The better we do, the more we must do as well because what we are finding with better services, better coverage, better strategies, we are finding people who were never served previously," says Hader.

The city still has the highest HIV rates in the country and the number of newly reported HIV cases increased last year by nine percent.

Hader says the next step in the fight against this epidemic is moving from, what she calls, the "promotion of availability to the promotion of use." That is, not only making condoms and HIV medications free and available to residents, but making sure they're widely used.

Teens Driving Less In D.C. Region

March 18, 2010 - By Matt Bush

As the use of social media tools such as Facebook and text messages is rising, the number of teens driving is dropping.

An analysis by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments shows those age 16 to 24 in the D.C. region took fewer trips per day in 2008 than in 1994. The biggest drop was in social or recreational trips says Robert Griffiths, COG's Technical Services Director.

"Almost by one half. So rather than traveling and seeing their friends. It's social networking, facebook, it's texting. It's virtually getting together with your friends," says Griffiths.

Griffiths adds one area that saw an increase among that age group was transportation to school.

"One of the comments on the Millenial Generation is it's probably our best educated generation, but least employed, at least at this point in their career. With the state the economy is in, it's good to stay in school a little bit longer," she says.

The same analysis showed those 65 and older now took close to 20 percent more trips than they did in 1994.

New Hall of Human Origins Opens
Stephanie Kaye

March 18, 2010 - At the National Museum of Natural History, visitors are getting a first look at a new, permanent exhibit. Visitors lined up past the giant squid outside the Hall of Human Origins as it opened at exactly twelve noon on Wednesday, 100 years to the second since the museum first opened its doors.

Inside, the exhibit details evolution and the development of the human species. You can get your photo taken in a "caveman photo booth" to see what you might have looked like 95,000 years ago. Curator Richard Potts. "This is not a hall that tells you what it means to be human. This is a hall where we ask the visitors the question as they connect their personal lives and experiences of what it means to be human to the evidence of how we became human. "

The interactive exhibit, says Potts, helps break down the barrier between current-day museum visitors and our earliest ancestors.

Stephanie Kaye reports...

Groups Sue Over Stormwater

March 18, 2010 - By Sabri Ben-Achour

Maryland's Montgomery County has received a new permit to regulate stormwater runoff. But several environmental groups are challenging it in court. The a case could have ramifications for the rest of the state.

The permits are meant to control stormwater runoff on a county by county basis. They include stormwater management plans, but Ed Merrifield, with Potomac Riverkeeper, says the permits aren't enforceable.

"They don't put numeric limits on the effluents - the pollution - that could be stopped. Unless you have limits on what really comes out of the pipes and goes into our streams, there can still be problems," says Merrifield.

A spokesman for Maryland's Department of the Environment says the county's permit is one of the most progressive in the nation, though he declined to explain how the permit was progressive. In a response to public comments posted last year, the Department said that it was not required to limit or check effluent from all storm drains, calling that cost prohibitive.

Hearing To Close Down Detention Center For Girls In Maryland

March 18, 2010 - By Kavitha Cardoza

Lawmakers in Maryland will consider a proposal Thursday to close down the only secure detention center exclusively for girls in the state. Some advocates say issues at the facility are symptomatic of a larger problem, the unequal treatment of boys and girls in the juvenile justice system.

Sonia Kumar is with the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland and meets regularly with some of the approximately 35 girls at the Waxter Center in Laurel. Kumar says independent state monitors have documented concerns about the safety of the facility and staffing shortages.

But there's also a lack of programing. For example, Kumar says there are several options for boys in Maryland including wilderness programs and after school supervised youth centers.

"At the youth centers, boys have access to an Olympic size swimming pool. The girls at Waxter for gym will sometimes walk around the cafeteria. That's the level of disparities we're talking about," says Kumar.

Kumar says the point of the juvenile system is rehabilitation, but that isn't happening for the girls at Waxter.

"They come out either the same or worse off then they were before because you've compounded those problems by disrupting any sort of positive relationships with their families or in the community," she says.

The head of the Waxter center did not return calls for comment.

Delegate Kathleen Dumais of Montgomery County has introduced a bill to close the facility. The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear testimony on the proposal today.

"Birds In The Park" Flock To D.C.

March 18, 2010 - By Rebecca Sheir

A new breed of bird is making its temporary home in Washington, D.C. The flock is actually a traveling art exhibit, inspired by the war in Iraq.

Visitors to the National Mall might notice something different today: a flock of white and blue birds, clustering on the grass.

From far away they kind of look like real birds just strangely still, says Christy Hengst, the Sante Fe-based artist who makes the birds out of porcelain. Then she covers them with cobalt blue text and images.

"I had saved a bunch of newspapers from the lead-up to the Iraq War," says Hengst. "So it started with me using them and altering them as I silk-screen printed onto the porcelain."

Hengst also silk-screens what she calls more mundane things: poems, recipes, photos of her children. She calls the exhibit, which she's taking on a self-funded tour across the country and abroad, Birds in the Park.

"Things like weapons capabilities can become everyday or ordinary, where you're really detached," she says. "I was thinking that sometimes people just treat it as something normal, like birds in the park."

Hengst says shes curious to see how Washingtonians react to the exhibit: whether they'll stop, stare and stay a while or walk on by, like any other normal day.

D.C. Anti-Gang Coalition Sponsors Workshop

March 18, 2010 - By Elliott Francis

An organization that has brokered six truce settlements between gangs in D.C. is taking on a new challenge. The Alliance of Concerned Men is focusing attention on helping case workers who work with gang members.

Members representing six community based organizations are here on the 4th floor of the Columbia Heights Youth Club. They are searching for answers to questions raised by the chronic problem of gang violence.

Much of the focus is on helping the case workers, so they can help others, says Alliance president Rico Rush.

"...We need some healing in our community, not only with the folks who are suffering but we need it for the care providers, the care givers, because with this kind of work you can get burned out," he says.

The workshop was the group's first focusing on case workers. Discussing methods and offering suggestions to difficult issues that come up working with gangs. The alliance plans to hold a rally in Columbia Heights this month to promote funding for community outreach.

Power Breakfast For March 18, 2010

March 18, 2010 - The Slaughter House Rules.

Today in the House Rules Committee, there's all kinds of drama surrounding the immediate future of the health care bill.

Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports.

Healthcare Debate Continues, States Weigh Mandatory Health Insurance Provision

March 18, 2010 - House Democrats are hoping for a final vote on health care overhaul, Sunday at the earliest. Meanwhile many states are opposing the mandatory health insurance provision in the bill.

Kavitha Cardoza reports...

MarylandReporter.com: State Roundup Mar. 18, 2010

March 18, 2010 - From the Maryland Reporter website:

SEX OFFENDERS The House of Delegates gave preliminary approval to two major bills concerning sex offenders, writes Annie Linskey for The Sun’s Maryland Politics blog. While bills passing through both the House and Senate are in place to strengthen sex offender laws, some are questioning if they are "tough enough," writes the Annapolis Capital’s Liam Farrell.

David Collins has a video report for WBAL-TV News. The House Judiciary Committee will vote on a bill Thursday that would impose a mandatory 20-year sentence on sex offenders, reports WBAL’s Robert Lang.

TAX BRACKET Maryland Chamber Action Network blogger Will Burns opposes the extension of a tax surcharge on incomes above $1 million.

TAX CREDIT Archbishop Edwin O’Brien is urging lawmakers to support a bill that would help financially strapped private schools with a tax credit given toward contributions. The Sun’s Arthur Hirsch has the story. The bill now awaits an uncertain fate in the House, according to Andy Rosen and Nick DiMarco for MarylandReporter.com.

DROPOUT According to this Associated Press story, posted by WMAR, the Senate voted to increase the age students are required to attend school to 18 years old.

STALLED The Environmental Protection Agency may have slowed construction on a security facility to be built on the Eastern Shore because it may "adversely affect the aquatic and terrestrial environment," according to Annie Linskey for The Sun’s Maryland Politics blog.

GAMBLING Annapolis Capital staff writer Allison Bourg says more trouble looms in Anne Arundel county, where the fight continues over possible slots in Arundel Mills mall.

GAS TAX A bill supporting a limit to increases in the gas tax seems unlikely following a hearing in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, writes Nick DiMarco for MarylandReporter.com.

HEALTH CARE Del. John Donoghue has a bill in to allow doctors to coordinate health care, Erin Julius reports in the Hagerstown Herald-Mail.

EHRLICH According to this Associated Press story, posted by the Annapolis Capital, former Gov. Bob Ehrlich is considering a run for the Senate.

COURT DATES Baltimore City police officials criticized a bill that would allow people who received traffic citations the option to select their own court date, writes Michael Dresser for The Sun’s Getting There blog.

SETTING LIMITS Senators want to limit the amount of a tax levied to property owners, writes Daniel Valentine for the Gazette of Politics and Business.

AMAZON TAX Local retailers and national corporate giants are going at it again on a bill that would increase sales tax for out-of-state businesses, writes Nick Sohr for the Daily Record.

COURT JUDGES Attorney General Doug Gansler is being criticized for a bill that would enable circuit court judges to run unopposed in retention elections, Steve Lash writes for The Daily Record.

SICK DAYS In a Frederick News-Post column, Marta Mossburg writes about abuse of sick days and personal leave by state employees.

HIGHWAYS Gov. O’Malley believes digital highway signs informing drivers of commute times may be having some unintentional consequences along Maryland roads, Kai Jackson reports for WJZ. According to WTOP’s Adam Tuss, commuters are complaining that the signs slow traffic.

DATE VIOLENCE Local families testified in favor of a bill that would add education on date violence to school curriculums, according to Kate Ryan for WTOP.

NOTEBOOK Post blog Maryland Politics touches on the ups and downs from yesterday’s State House meetings, written by John Wagner.

PG TAXES Prince George's County senators are seeking limits on three taxes that could save county property owners several hundreds of dollars each year, Daniel Valentine reports in the Gazette.

Advisory For Recreational Use Of Upper Potomac

March 17, 2010 - ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) Maryland Natural Resources Police are advising against recreational uses of the upper Potomac River and its creeks and streams through Friday.

Natural Resources Police say recent rains have made river levels hazardous on the entire main stem of the upper Potomac from Kitzmiller to Little Falls.

The agency says fishermen, boaters and others could be confronted with life-threatening conditions.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Latest D.C. Local News

March 17, 2010 - WASHINGTON (AP) Several groups are offering St. Patrick's Day revelers free taxicab rides home to help curb drunken driving. The nonprofit organization Washington Regional Alcohol Program is making its SoberRide service is available to residents in Washington and the counties of Montgomery, Prince George's, Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William and eastern Loudoun.

WASHINGTON (AP) The Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History is delving into a key question of all time: What does it mean to be human? The museum opens a new hall today dedicated to the story of human evolution.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Latest Maryland Regional News

March 17, 2010 - ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) Maryland senators have endorsed requiring school attendance until age 18. Senators voted 31-16 today to increase the dropout age from 16 but made the change contingent on the governor funding the initiative.

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) Leading environmental groups are seeking a court review of Montgomery County's stormwater discharge permit. Critics charge no enforceable limits have been placed on the key Maryland county for how much pollution can wash into the Potomac river.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Latest Virginia Regional News

March 17, 2010 - DINWIDDIE, Va. (AP) Virginia transportation officials say they will use an emergency maintenance fund to operate several highway rest areas that had been shuttered by then-Gov. Tim amid deep recession. Gov. Bob McDonnell took part in reopening one of the areas today on I-85.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) A gay-rights group is urging public college presidents to join in their campaign to fortify Virginia' anti-discrimination law. Equality Virginia has sent a letter to college presidents urging them to get behind the fight to change the law.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Dominion Virginia Power says it plans to spend more than $500 million to make improvements to its power stations across Virginia. The company has announced plans to upgrade 13 power plants so that they can produce electricity more efficiently.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) A new report suggests that counties in southern Virginia are among the unhealthiest in the state. The report by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation finds Northern Virginia counties had the healthiest behaviors when it comes to smoking, obesity and other factors.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Report On Trips Taken Daily Per Person

March 17, 2010 - By Matt Bush

Older people in the D.C. region are driving more, while younger people are driving less, according to a report from the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

The report analyzed two previous surveys of the number of trips each person takes per day. Those 65 years and older increased their trips from 1994 to 2008. Robert Griffths of COG attributes that to the fact seniors in this region are healthier and wealthier.

"They're making more and more daily trips, probably not in the peak period," he says. "But more trips overall, with the biggest increases being shopping trips, personal business trips, seeing your doctor, or your lawyer, or your banker."

During the same time period, those aged 16 to 24 took fewer trips. Griffiths says social media tools like Facebook and texting allow young people to stay in touch without leaving home.

Irish Organization Pushes A Different Way To Celebrate

March 17, 2010 - By Natalie Neumann

Some celebrate St. Patrick's Day by sporting green clothing and kicking back a few green beers. But one group is pushing people to celebrate differently.

Outside of the Dupont Circle, Linda Murray coaxes passersby to grab a free book.

"Would anyone like a free Irish book for St. Patrick's Day?" she asks.

Murray is a Dublin native who helped found the Irish arts and culture organization Solas Nua, which means new light. The organization is giving away 10,000 books of contemporary Irish literature for St. Patrick's Day.

Volunteers started handing out books at six this morning and have been at 14 Metro stop locations. Murray says it's a great day for creating a sense of goodwill.

"It's also an alternative for celebrating St. Patrick's Day, which is obviously my national holiday," she says.

Sarah Barak grabbed some books from the stand at Dupont. She says the book giveaway shows the Irish culture is more than just partying on St. Patrick's day.

"And of course I know that, but at the same time I haven't read anything from an Irish author in a decade," she says.

Murray hopes the books will get into the hands of people who will read them.

"The idea is hopefully they'll start a love affair with a new Irish writer they didn't know about," says Murray.

Solas Nua will be giving away books until 7 p.m. tonight, or until they run out.

Baltimore May Take Middle Road On Bag Bill

March 17, 2010 - By Sabri Ben-Achour

A plastic bag bill being considered by Baltimore's City Council is taking a middle road in the debate over how to deal with litter from grocery carriers.

A Baltimore City Council committee opted not to follow the example of D.C., and rejected a bag surcharge. Instead, they approved a bill that would allow food sellers two options: voluntarily cut back on plastic bag use and meet certain recycling requirements, or be banned from using plastic bags altogether.

Food sellers would be required to keep track of certain data in order to find out whether people use fewer bags or just switch to paper. Councilman James B. Kraft says he believes he has enough votes to pass the bill precisely because it avoids a bag fee or a total ban. Maryland's General Assembly is considering such a bag surcharge that would apply statewide.

Hands-On Program Gets Students To Love Their Broccoli

March 17, 2010 - By Rebecca Sheir

This week marks the one-year anniversary of First Lady Michelle Obama's White House kitchen garden. But nearly four decades before Mrs. Obama began her push for healthy eating, organic gardening and environmental literacy for children, a group in Washington was doing just that.

If you have a young child, the following might sound like music to your ears.

"Give me some claps if you ate all your broccoli!"

Those are the claps of third graders at the Trinidad campus of Center City Public Charter Schools, where Kacie Warner has just helped them cook a vegetable stir-fry, as a lesson on the parts of edible plants.

"Whats our stem?," asks Warner.

"Celery!" shout the students.

"What are our leaves?"

"Spinach!"

"What did we put in for our fruit?"

"Peppers!"

Warner is the Education Coordinator for the Garden Science Program, Garden Science Program which brings lessons in nutrition, environmental, earth and life sciences, to elementary schools in D.C. Kaifa Anderson-Hall, the program director, says the hands-on curriculum aligns with the students science standards and builds excitement about fruits and vegetables.

"Where they may [say], Ah, I don't like that, when you have them plant up seedlings of spinach and basil like they've been able to do here in the classroom," says Anderson-Hall, "and they are responsible for watching it grow that's how you make the transformation."

The stir-fry is the grand finale of an eight-week curriculum. Next,the Washington Youth Garden Washington Youth Garden will help the school build its own outdoor garden, so students can keep learning about the scientific, nutritional and, yes, gustatory wonders of the plant world, right in their own backyard.

D.C. Council Wants City To Stop Releasing Inmates Late at Night

March 17, 2010 - By Patrick Madden

Lawmakers in District want the city stop to stop releasing inmates late at night. City law states prisoners must be released before 10 pm. But last year, D.C. Attorney General Peter Nickles said the law was unconstitutional because the cut-off forced the jail to hold some prisoners overnight.

Since then, Council member Phil Mendelson says the number of inmates released past 10 o clock has increased ten fold.

"That's what this is about. It's to give them free hand to release prisoners at 3,4,5 in the morning, which serves nobody any purpose," says Mendelson.

Mendelson says he's concerned about the welfare of prisoners and the safety of neighborhoods. His bill, which was passed in council Tuesday, discourages the jail from letting prisoners out after 10 p.m.

Council member David Catania voted against bill, warning if inmates are held over to the next morning, the city could open itself up to lawsuits.

Mendelson's bill requires the city make every attempt to release the inmate before 10 p.m. And if not, provide transportation, housing, clothing, and 7 days worth of medication.

"Hall Of Human Origins" Opens On Anniversary Of Museum's Origins

March 17, 2010 - By Stephanie Kaye

One of the Smithsonian museums turns one hundred years old today. And along with a birthday party, the Museum of Natural History will unveil a new exhibit at the exact time its doors first opened.

Although museum director Christian Samper wasn't there, he says he can imagine the scene.

"When it opened back in 1910, this was the second largest building that existed here, after the capitol. It was a grandiose building, a great place to showcase the world to the people of Washington," says Samper.

To celebrate its 100th year, the museum will be taking a look back...way back.

"We're opening a major new exhibition devoted to the topic of human origins, and asking the fundamental question of what does it mean to be human," he says.

Special events and displays, including an exhibit of photos chronicling the museum's history, will recognize the anniversary throughout the year.

Fairfax Leaders Meet For "Snow Summit"

March 17, 2010 - By Jonathan Wilson

This weeks Spring-like weather may seem an odd time for something called a snow summit. But leaders in Fairfax County, Virginia want to make sure lessons learned from this winters storms don't melt away.

Representatives from Virginia's Department of Transportation spoke at the summit Tuesday. VDOTs Branco Vlacich asked for more understanding from citizens, saying the thousands of phone calls during the storm may have actually slowed the department's effort to plow 20 million tons of snow from roads in Northern Virginia.

"Getting thousands of phone calls saying our road isn't done, really doesn't help us," says Vlacich, "because then it gets hard to sort out what we did do, and what needs to get done."

A big concern for supervisors is snow piling up on sidewalks and around bus stops.

County supervisor Jeff McKay says the county could require business owners and residents to clear their own sidewalks, but that could be tricky.

"We don't want to subject our citizens to trying to move a 15-foot iceberg that's been created by a snowplow, after an area has already been cleared by that citizen," says McKay.

Clearing sidewalks around schools was a major obstacle after the storm. A county executive praised the shoveling done by parents and teachers, calling the work "nothing short of Herculean."

Maryland Considers Banning A Common Flame Retardant

March 17, 2010 - By Sabri Ben-Achour

The Environmental Protection Agency has announced it will take a closer look at a common fire retardant called Decabrominated Diphenyl Ether (DecaDBE). It's one of a family of flame retardants called Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers. They're commonly used in household plastics that make up things such as furniture and electronics.

Jenny Levin is with Maryland Public Interest Research Group.

"This is a chemical linked by over 100 peer reviewed studies to neuro-developmental problems such as hyperactivity, problems with learning and memory," says Levin.

But almost all of those studies were conducted with animals, and the science is not conclusive enough for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to propose a ban on DecaBDE. The EPA has arranged for a voluntary phaseout by some major U.S. producers and an importer by 2014.

Two bills in Maryland would go further and ban it altogether. One would go into effect at the end of 2010, the other in 2014, paralleling the voluntary phaseout.

But some businesses don’t yet have a good substitute. Lewis Taffer is with iGPS, a company that uses plastic palates for shipping.

"It's the most widely used and most heavily tested flame retardant in the world, there is no question that it saves thousands of people's lives every year and millions of dollars in property," says Taffer.

Taffer and others argue that if Maryland bans DecaBDE the state should give businesses more time to find an alternative.

Power Breakfast For March 17, 2010

March 17, 2010 - More fiscally responsible than thou?

Senate Republicans meet late this afternoon for some tough talk - amongst each other - on earmarks.

Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports.

Free Taxi Rides Available During St. Patrick's Day

March 17, 2010 - By Kavitha Cardoza

As St. Patrick's Day celebrations get underway, police are cracking down on drunk driving, and some groups are reminding revelers there are free taxi rides available to help get them home safely.

Almost every person arrested for drunk driving says they wished they had planned a safe ride home, according to Kurt Erickson, with the Washington Regional Alcohol Program.

"Whether it be designating a driver, or using public transportation or at least remembering the number for SoberRide." Erickson says the program covers fares up to $50 and rides are available between 4 p.m. today and 4 a.m. tomorrow morning across the Washington Metro area.

Erickson says drinking and driving affects more than just the driver.

"The randomness of drunk driving is just huge," he says. "A third of drunk driving's victims are non-intoxicated drivers, non- intoxicated passengers, non-intoxicated pedestrians."

Several police and sheriff's departments are planning sobriety checkpoints and extra DUI patrols. The number for SoberRide is 1-800-200 TAXI.

MarylandReporter.com: State Roundup Mar. 17, 2010

March 17, 2010 - From the Maryland Reporter website:

Today we've got renewed coverage of sex offender bills, slots discussion heats up as the state considers rebidding Rocky Gap and the legal battle over slots at Arundel Mills continues. And Bob Ehrlich tests out a possible campaign message.

SEX OFFENDERS The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee heard testimony on the slew of sex offender laws making their way through the General Assembly yesterday, Steve Lash writes for The Daily Record. But the state judiciary and the Office of the Public Defender opposed the legislation, arguing that the bills strip courts of discretion and could stigmatize criminals for life. Robert Lang has multimedia for WBAL Radio. Dave Collins has a video report for WBAL TV, as does Fox 45's John Rydell.

Republicans are buying time to try to shape pending sex offender law reforms so they will more closely resemble original GOP proposals. Aaron Davis has the story on The Washington Post blog.

SLOTS Proponents of slots in Western Maryland advocated sweetening the deal for Rocky Gap because otherwise, nobody will want to build there, Annie Linskey writes in The Baltimore Sun. Investors want to change the tax rate on gambling revenues there and lower the required capital investment, Sen. George Edwards said. And others say that the Rocky Gap Lodge and Golf Resort would shut down by 2013 without slot machines, Hayley Peterson reports for the Washington Examiner.

And opponents of a slots casino at Arundel Mills mall are fighting back against the developer who filed suit, claiming their work petitioning was done illegally, Liz Farmer reports for The Daily Record. The anti-slots groups filed motions to intervene in the lawsuit, arguing that Cordish Co. sued to deter citizens from exercising their political rights. Ryan Sharrow has the story for the Baltimore Business Journal.

BOOZE There are 68 bills relating to minute changes in alcohol regulation, making their way through the General Assembly this year, Erich Wagner reports for MarylandReporter.com. Most only affect one jurisdiction, and very few people understand the complicated set of liquor laws.

TABLE GAMES Sen. Catherine Pugh wants to bring table games to Maryland to help the state's tourism industry, the Associated Press reports. She pushed for a Senate panel to have a public vote on whether to allow expanded gambling, which includes craps, poker and the like.

JUDICIAL ELECTIONS Annie Linskey with The Sun writes for the paper’s politics blog that House Judiciary Committee chairman may have shown his hand in favor of continuing judicial elections during a debate on sex offender legislation.

TRAFFIC COURT A bill that would take away the automatic day in court for traffic violators has passed the Senate, Michael Dresser reports in his Getting There blog for The Sun. Accused offenders would have to request a hearing if the bill passes.

BOAST A proposal to grant tax credits for corporate donations to private schools survived back-to-back attempts to weaken it in the Senate and is expected to come up for a final vote in that chamber this week, Nick DiMarco writes for MarylandReporter.com.

JOBS JOBS JOBS House Republicans are expected to try to add provisions to a job creation tax credit proposal by Gov. Martin O’Malley, Nick Sohr writes in his Eye on Annapolis Blog for The Daily Record. He writes that GOP delegates are concerned that the credit may not reach enough small businesses.

EHRLICH Could-be gubernatorial candidate Bob Ehrlich began shaping a potential campaign message in an address before the Pikesville Chamber of Commerce, Julie Bykowicz reports for The Sun. Ehrlich said that the state has much to offer, but has a problem in the General Assembly. And the Associated Press reports that Ehrlich said supporters are urging him to run for U.S. Senate instead of governor. John Wagner has the story for the Post.

GREEN Maryland would have to look for environmentally-friendly products when making state purchasing decisions, under a bill backed by Gov. Martin O'Malley, but opponents are concerned the measure could cost the state hundreds of factory jobs, Nick DiMarco reports for MarylandReporter.com.

EDUCATION SPENDING A bill that would change the way counties can apply for waivers of their education spending requirement is moving through the House, the Maryland Association of Counties writes on its Conduit Street blog. Counties have been seeking to reform the "maintenance of effort" rules that require counties to spend as much on education each year as they did the previous year.

CLOSED CAPTIONING Deaf residents testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in support of a bill requiring candidates to provide closed captioning for television and web campaign ads, Meg Tully writes in the Frederick News-Post. The bill's sponsor, Del. Joseph Bartlett, said he hasn't used closed captioning on his campaign ads, but said he would do so from now on.

Ehrlich May Challenge Mikulski

March 16, 2010 - By Stephanie Kaye

One of Maryland's former governors is thinking about running for U.S. Senate. Robert Ehrlich says thoughts about running for the Senate are "in the mix" as he weighs his options for running for office.

Ehrlich spoke to a group of small business owners in Pikesville today. He says supporters are urging him to run against U.S. Sen. Barbara Mikulski in November.

Ehrlich was rumored to be considering a challenge to Governor Martin O'Malley. It's unclear when Ehrlich will announce definitive plans.

Latest D.C. Local News

March 16, 2010 - WASHINGTON (AP) A D.C. Councilwoman wants the city to change the way it gets rid of surplus property such as fire trucks, chairs and printers. Councilwoman Mary Cheh introduced a bill today to make the changes.

WASHINGTON (AP) Any D.C. public school employee who has sexual contact with a student would be fired under a bill introduced by a D.C. Council member. Earlier in the year, D.C. public schools disclosed that an 18-year-old special needs student allegedly became pregnant by a teacher. That teacher has since been fired.

WASHINGTON (AP) Metro officials say rail ridership rebounded quickly after its blizzard low in February. Officials said yesterday that ridership increased by more than 760,000 trips in a few days.

WASHINGTON (AP) The D.C. council has voted to require inmates leaving the city's jail in evening and early morning hours to have transportation and housing before being released. The bill passed today requires that inmates released between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. must be provided transportation.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Latest Maryland Regional News

March 16, 2010 - ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) A Baltimore senator wants to bring table games like craps, poker and roulette to Maryland in the hopes of increasing tourism. Baltimore Sen. Catherine Pugh urged a Senate panel today to support letting the public decide whether to allow the games in Maryland.

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) Slots opponents say they have asked the court to dismiss a lawsuit over the validity of petition signatures they have gathered in hopes of halting slot machines. Representatives of groups opposed to slots at an Anne Arundel County mall said today that efforts to gather petition signatures were "completely lawful."

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Latest Virginia Regional News

March 16, 2010 - FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) A jury in Fairfax County has acquitted a 39-year-old father of murdering his infant son after a defense expert raised doubts about the validity of shaken baby syndrome. Prosecutors said that Elmer J. Midence violently shook his eight-month-old son last year at their Springfield home, causing injuries that resulted in the baby's death.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Virginia Department of Transportation crews have patched, repaired or filled more than 43,000 potholes since March 1st, the first day of its pothole blitz. Gov. McDonnell announced today that crews have worked day and night to address the pavement hazards on state-maintained roads.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (AP) A high school student is being accused of bringing a gun to a school in Newport News. Nineteen-year-old Wayne Raynod King was charged today with a felony count of having a firearm on school property and a misdemeanor count of having a concealed weapon.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Virginia regulators are being urged to carefully examine a proposed rate increase for Appalachian Power. The State Corporation Commission held a public hearing today to discuss the company's request for a 12.5 percent base rate increase.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Roosevelt High School Reopens After Lockdown

March 16, 2010 - A high school campus in Greenbelt, Maryland has reopened after classrooms there were placed on lockdown earlier today.

Elliott Francis reports...

Honda To Recall 410,000 Vehicles For Brake Problem

March 16, 2010 - By TOM KRISHERAP Auto Writer

DETROIT (AP) Honda Motor Co. says it is recalling about 410,000 Odyssey minivans and Element small trucks because of problems with the brake pedals.

The recall includes 344,000 Odysseys and 68,000 Elements from the 2007 and 2008 model years.

Honda says the brake pedals can feel soft to drivers and must be depressed closer to the floor than usual before the vehicles will fully stop. The condition worsens over time but affects only some of the vehicles.

The company says the problem happens because a part in the stability control system can let a small amount of air into the braking system.

Honda says owners should take their vehicles to a dealer as soon as they get notification from Honda. Letters will go out at the end of April.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Police: Shots Fired Near Greenbelt High School

March 16, 2010 - GREENBELT, Md. (AP) Police have reopened a Greenbelt high school after shots were fired nearby.

Prince George's County public schools spokeswoman Tanzi West Barbour says a couple of people came out of the woods next to Eleanor Roosevelt High School, fired shots and then ran back into the woods Tuesday morning. West Barbour says the shooting happened across the street and not on school property. No one was injured.

Greenbelt police spokeswoman Officer Kelly Lawson says the school was locked down as a precaution. Lawson says officers searched the area by helicopter and on the ground but did not find anyone.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

VA Fills 43,000 Potholes In Two Weeks

March 16, 2010 - RICHMOND, Va. (AP) Virginia Department of Transportation crews have patched, repaired or filled more than 43,000 potholes since March 1, the first day of its pothole blitz.

Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Tuesday that crews have worked day and night to address the pavement hazards on state-maintained roads.

As this month's wet weather and varying temperatures create more potholes, McDonnell said crews will continue to prioritize repairs based on severity and location.

Melting snow and ice from a barrage of winter storms revealed thousands of potholes across the commonwealth.

The state budgeted $45.8 million for asphalt and concrete patching through June 30.

To report a pothole, call 800-367-7623 (ROAD). TTY users should call 711.

On the Net: www.VirginiaDOT.org
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Church In PG Rallies Against Metro Budget Cuts

March 16, 2010 - By David Schultz

Although it sounds like religious services, the gathering at Gethsemane United Methodist Church in Capitol Heights, Md. is actually a rally in opposition to Metro's budget proposals, which include the elimination of dozens of bus lines and a fare increase of more than 20 percent.

JoVone Pender, a younger member of Gethsemane Church, told the congregation how the fare hike would affect him. He says he's working in his first job and he relies on Metro to get him there.

"The Metro rates are going up and taking a toll on my newly-employed pockets," he says.

Theresa Bryant, a District resident, spoke about how bus service is already inadequate-even before any lines are eliminated.

"The Metro system was able to get millions of people to the Obama inauguration," she says. "But I can't get to church, because the F14 doesn't run on Sunday."

Metro Board Member Elizabeth Hewlett, who represents Prince George's County, came on toward the end to answer the congregation's questions. But she was "amen-ed" off the stage after she went over her allotted two minutes.

The Metro Board is holding public hearings over the next few months on the proposed service cuts and increased fares before it casts a final vote in June. The first of Metro's six budget hearings is scheduled for this Monday at Oakton High School in Vienna, Va. It starts at 7 p.m.

Advocates Debate Strength Of Open Government Bill

March 16, 2010 - By Peter Granitz

Some open-government advocates are questioning how far an open-meetings bill, set to hit the D.C. Council, will actually go.

Ward Four councilmember Muriel Bowser will introduce the “Open Government is Good Government Act” today. The bill would require public bodies, the Council, task forces, boards and commissions, to open their doors to citizens and the press if a quorum is present.

“You have public bodies that meet, do their business and come out and vote in public,” says Bowser.

In 2009 Bowser joined the rest of the Council in voting to raise taxes. The vote followed meetings closed to the public.

But not all good-government-types believe the hype. Caitlin Ginley with the Center for Public Integrity says it’s a step in the right direction but falls short. If lawmakers want to truly open up government, she says they’d be better enacting stricter financial disclosure laws.

“Putting an open meetings law under a huge umbrella act like that and making it sound like this is the 'be all end all' in good government can sort of be misleading to your constituents," says Ginley.

A similar measure came up in 2006 but never passed the full Council.

DCRA Launches Website For Basement Landlords And Tenants

March 16, 2010 - By Rebecca Sheir

The so-called English basement is a widespread rental option in Washington, as row-house buyers often expect to lease their lower level to help with the mortgage. A new website from D.C.s Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs is educating landlords and tenants on how to rent out basement apartments legally.

Features on the website is a note from DCRA that says the agency has uncovered a number of illegal rentals recently, including units filled with carbon monoxide from leaky water heaters.

Certainly because there's less air flow in basement apartments, carbon monoxide and other hazards can be a bigger deal, says Barrett Colombo, who has been living in basement apartments like this cozy and rustic unit in Mt. Pleasant, for about three years.

"This is the main room," says Colombo, as he gives a tour of the place. "As you can see, its a shared space. And so we have a kitchen, a couch, and more of a table space."

Though Colombo hasn't encountered anything as hazardous as carbon monoxide, he says basement living does have its drawbacks.

"We saw some kind of terrestrial mollusk coming up out of the drain the other day," he recounts. "I mean, that's part of living near other animals that live at our same level."

The website offers guidelines and checklists for landlords, and a discussion forum for tenants. So far, users have posted items about licenses, exit points, ceiling heights-- but no mention of mollusks yet.

Fairfax School Board Member Says Va. Budget Plan Holds Some Good News

March 16, 2010 - By Jonathan Wilson

Despite unprecedented funding cuts to public education included in the budget just approved by Virginia, state lawmakers and board members for Fairfax County Public Schools say there's some good news for their district.

Fairfax County School Board members passed a budget earlier this year that included 600 job cuts.

At the time, board members, such as budget chair Jane Strauss, warned parents and teachers that more cuts were possible depending on state funding.

Now that state lawmakers have reached a compromise budget, Strauss says there's a chance those additional cuts can be avoided.

"We are hoping that we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel of this adventure because our parents don't want us to back up anymore," says Strauss.

State lawmakers officially unfroze the Local Composite Index funding, which nets Fairfax $61 million, and lessened the District's responsibility for paying into the teacher retirement fund.

Strauss says those moves could offset the plan by county leaders to give the school district $98 million less than board members requested.

D.C. Promises To Hire Workers For Weatherization Program

March 16, 2010 - By Patrick Madden

As D.C.'s unemployment rate continues to hover around 12 percent, city leaders are promising to hire out-of-work residents to weatherize homes. For years, Quentin Freeland found steady work as a construction worker. But when the jobs dried up about a year and half ago, Freeland says it hasn't been easy.

"We've been getting up early in the morning, running down to the woods, pulling scraps out of the woods, scrap metal, and we take it to the scrap yard and that's how we make our money during the day," says Freeland.

Freeland and a friend joined hundreds of others at the Covenant Baptist Church in Southwest D.C. Monday night to hear more about a plan to train and hire hundreds of residents to weatherize low-income homes.

Church pastor Christine Wiley told the crowd, which included Mayor Adrian Fenty and other city leaders, residents are tired of job training programs that do not lead to jobs.

"So we are putting everyone on notice, we are not going to put up with talk anymore, we want work!" Wiley shouts.

Mayor Fenty promised the crowd the city would spend about $10 to $20 million dollars training residents to weatherize homes but offered few details on when the program would launch.

Power Breakfast For March 16, 2010

March 16, 2010 - Redefining "freedom of information" in the 21st Century.

Today Congressman Steve Israel of New York introduces the Public Online Information Act. Ellen Miller, executive director of the Sunlight Foundation, says the bill reflects a new formula for what constitutes transparency.

Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports.

MarylandReporter.com: State Roundup Mar. 16, 2010

March 16, 2010 - From the Maryland Reporter website:

TEACHERS’ PENSIONS Shifting some of the costs of teachers’ pensions to the counties is "back on the table," writes Michael Sanderson for Conduit Street (MACo) blog. Considerations for the cut may save about $60 million, according to this Associated Press article posted by WTOP Washington.

BUDGET CUTS The Baltimore Sun’s Annie Linskey followed along as the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee voted on hundreds of line items in Gov. Martin O’Malley’s spending plan. She made special mention in the Baltimore Sun blog of Sen. Nathaniel J. McFadden, D-Baltimore City, and his attempts to keep some money off the chopping block.

Community and private colleges took the brunt of about $200 million in cuts from Gov. O'Malley's $32 billion budget, according to Len Lazarick for MarylandReporter.com. State lawmakers could be calling in the reserves, or rather, a local income tax reserve, according to this Associated Press article posted by WTOP.

STATE CONTRACTS AFSCME, the big state employee union, says the state could save millions by cutting spending on contractual services, Sean Sedam reports in the Gazette.

CITY ROADS A Senate budget subcommittee voted to not share $30 million for Baltimore City roads with other counties, writes Andy Rosen for MarylandReporter.com.

COMBINED REPORTING The commission studying business taxes will now finish its work in December under legislation passed by both the House and the Senate, Kevin James Shay reports in the Gazette.

PUBLIC BROADCASTING AUDIT Findings from a report released Monday indicate the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission violated state regulations when awarding contracts, according to Anne Kramer for WBAL. The commission disagrees with half of the findings, in particular an issue regarding how vendors were paid over the course of two years, writes Nick DiMarco for MarylandReporter.com. The Daily Record posted this Associated Press story, detailing the commission’s reasoning for paying the vendors without a contract.

TRANSPARENCY Marta Mossburg's column debuts in the Sun with a call for greater transparency in state grants.

VALLARIO Del. Sue Kullen calls House Judiciary Committee chairman Delegate Joseph Vallario "tyrannical," reports Tom LoBianco for WYPR. The chairman defends the perception people have of him as unwilling to listen to bills he doesn’t like.

STATE FUNDS Public schools have their hands held out for $187 million, reports Alex DeMetrick for WJZ.

TEXTING Support for a bill that would allow police to pull drivers over for texting behind the wheel is growing, says WJZ’s Pat Warren.

DROPOUT AGE Senators voted to amend a bill Monday night that would require school attendance until students were 18-years-old, according to this Associated Press article, posted by Fox 45 Baltimore.

SEX OFFENDERS Senate lawmakers will be hearing two dozen bills Tuesday, regarding cracking down on sex offenders. Hayley Peterson has the story for the Washington Examiner.

BAY PROTECTION Two identical bills are making their way through the House and Senate that would revoke the licenses of oyster poachers, a measure put forth to protect the Bay, Jennifer Hlad writes for Capital News Service, posted by The Daily Record.

EXPANSION A proposal has been made for an expansion of the Maryland State Archives facility, writes Annapolis Capital staff writer Liam Farrell.

BAD CREDIT Lorraine Mirabella talks about how bad credit is keeping people from getting jobs in this Sun column.

ACORN The Maryland chapter of ACORN will not be reopening, according to a group official Monday. A former leader said the tarnished reputation of the group is partly the cause, according to Sun staff writer Brent Jones.

PRISON Counties say the state’s plan of housing hundreds of federal inmates by 2012 in the Baltimore Supermax prison is "hurting them" financially, according to this Associated Press article posted by Fox 45 Baltimore. Last year the Supermax held an average of 183 prisoners, adds Steve Fermier for WBAL Radio.

Survey: D.C. #2 In U.S., Best Market For Young Adults

March 15, 2010 - New survey results released today ranks D.C. number two in the nation as the best market in the country for young adults. The ranking is the latest installment of Portfolio.com’s U.S. Uncovered series – a monthly collection of U.S. lifestyle trends. Austin, Texas takes the top spot, and the Southwest region was named best region.

"Entrepreneurs looking to jump-start their business and marketers looking for the disposable income of this crucial demographic now know where to focus," said J. Jennings Moss, editor of Portfolio.com.

"The Southwest is making headway in attracting younger crowds and re-establishing itself as a destination for those in their 20s and 30s looking for opportunities during the recession," said Moss.

Behind Austin and D.C. at the top of the list: Raleigh, Boston, Houston and Oklahoma City. Detroit, with a loss of 343,700 jobs in the past five years, sits at the bottom of the ranking, along with two Midwest industrial and two Sun belt metros: Cleveland, Dayton, Tampa-St. Petersburg and Riverside-San Bernadino.

Businesses looking for where the most affluent young Americans will do well to focus on the coasts, according to the Portfolio.com analysis. Metropolitan areas where more than one-third of households under age 45 have incomes of $100,000 or more are led by San Francisco Bay-area metros, while the Northeast Corridor is also well-represented.

For the "Best Markets for Young Adults" survey, Portfolio.com analyzed 67 U.S. metros with populations above 750,000 that offered the best opportunities for workers in their 20s and early 30s. A 10-part formula looked at strong growth rates, moderate costs of living, and substantial pools of young adults who are college-educated and employed.

Latest D.C. Local News

March 15, 2010 - WASHINGTON (AP) Officials say there has been no structural damage to the 14th Street Bridge after a large barge struck it. The U.S. Coast Guard attributed the collision to high water levels. Officials say the bridge, which is a major link between Virginia and Washington, is open to traffic.

WASHINGTON (AP) The D.C. medical examiner says the man who opened fire at the Pentagon died from head and arm injuries. Thirty-six-year-old John Patrick Bedell approached a Pentagon security checkpoint on March 4th and began shooting. Three officers returned fire, and two of them suffered minor injuries.

WASHINGTON (AP) A D.C. councilman is considering restarting safety inspections for cars. The D.C. Department of Motor Vehicles halted the vehicle safety inspections last year, a move believed to save the city $400,000.

WASHINGTON (AP) A bus route that was suspended six months ago will be back in time for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. District officials suspended service on the Circulator line around the National Mall in the fall for six months saying it would save $140,000.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Latest Maryland Regional News

March 15, 2010 - OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) Ocean City public works employers struggled over the weekend to remove an 11-ton, 31-foot-long humpback whale carcass that washed up on the beach. The female whale's carcass first washed up at Fifth Street Saturday afternoon; riptides pulled it into the current and it came ashore at Third Street.

BALTIMORE (AP) Five threatening letters arrived at Baltimore City Hall and the city's Clarence M. Mitchell Junior Courthouse, including one with white powder that prompted a City Hall evacuation. Fire officials say no one was hurt today and the city hall mailing didn't pose a hazard to anyone.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Latest Virginia Regional News

March 15, 2010 - PETERSBURG, Va. (AP) Authorities have identified a fellow patient as a suspect in the death of a 22-year-old Alexandria man at Central State Hospital. They said yesterday that 31-year-old George Phillips also is charged with bank robbery and attempted murder of a police officer.

FRONT ROYAL, Va. (AP) An experiment to save endangered Virginia big-eared bats from a deadly fungus by creating a colony at the National Zoo's conservation center in Front Royal is drawing accusations of mishandling. Five months after the project began, most bats in the colony are dead.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) While lawmakers took an unusual step to provide temporary relief to thousands struggling to pay electric bills, some say the state needs to take a closer look at utility regulation. A law signed last month reduced rates for Appalachian Power customers in Virginia while regulators evaluate the company's recent 12.5 percent rate increase request.

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) Hundreds of Navy personnel have disembarked from the hospital ship USNS Comfort in Norfolk as it returns from a seven-week mission treating earthquake victims in Haiti. The hospital ship arrived at Naval Station Norfolk on Saturday.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

D.C. #2 For Young Adults During Recession

March 15, 2010 - A new survey out today from the business news site portfolio.com ranks the best American metro areas for young adults during the recession. D.C. came in at # 2. J. Jennings Moss, editor of portfolio.com, talks with WAMU host Pat Brogan about what makes D.C. such a good place for young people...

Deep Cuts Predicted For Montgomery County Budget

March 15, 2010 - By Elliott Francis

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett is calling for a reduction in government spending for the first time in more than 40 years.

The $4.3 billion funding measure will help close one of the largest projected budget deficits in the region. However, County executive Leggett made one thing clear, saying, "Let there be no mistake. There is pain in this budget."

The plan would lay off as many as 232 county employees. There will be no pay raises, and most remaining county workers will be forced to take 10 days of unpaid leave under a cost cutting furlough program.

And Leggett says, that's not all.

This budget will include numerous reductions in services across all programs. These include health and human services, public safety, libraries, technology, and other county services and functions.

The proposal would also cut school funding by $137 million. Since that figure is lower than the state mandated level, the county will need to get an exemption from the state or risk losing additional funding for schools.

Leggett is calling for an energy tax that would cost about $3 per month for the average household. He's renewed the possibility of an ambulance fee that has been rejected by the county council in the past.

Council To Hear Open Meetings Bill, Similar Measure Failed In 2006

March 15, 2010 - By Peter Granitz

The D.C. Council will again take up a measure that would require all official meetings be open to the public. A similar bill failed to pass in 2006.

The bill would apply to the council, but also other public bodies, like the Public Charter School Board and the Authorities on Sports and Water and Sewers. It would not apply to D.C. Courts or the Mayor’s cabinet.

Ed Lazere directs the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute and says the Council needs to adopt the measure, especially after last summer, when it unanimously voted to cut services and raise taxes to ease the District’s budget woes.

"It was a 13-0 vote," says Lazere. "The bill had to be brought up for a vote in public, but none of the major issues-like what revenue to increase or what programs to cut-none of that was discussed in the public meeting where the vote was held."

Council member Muriel Bowser will introduce the bill tomorrow, but it is unclear how far it will go. It needs to pass both the Committee on Government and the entire council.

Northern VA Leaders On State Budget: It Could Have Been Worse

March 15, 2010 - By Jonathan Wilson

County governments in Virginia are still sorting through the details of drastic funding cuts included in the budget approved by state lawmakers over the weekend. But many leaders in our area are breathing a cautious sigh of relief.

It could have been worse. That's the refrain you hear from many leaders in Northern Virginia.

Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova is especially pleased lawmakers moved away from the more than $700 million in public education cuts proposed by Gov. Bob McDonnell and the Republican-controlled House of Delegates.

"It looks like the budget puts us in a better place than we had originally believed we would be," she says.

The compromise still cuts $253 million from public schools, but it restores something called Local Composite Index funding, netting Northern Virginia school districts an extra $100 million. Sixty-one million dollars goes to Fairfax schools.

Arlington County Board Chair Jay Fisette says he was pleased the education cuts weren't deeper, but he says the cuts are still unprecedented.

Fisette says cuts to public safety, library funding, and money for constitutional offices like sheriff and treasurer will also hurt.

"I'm putting a good face on it because the worst case scenario didn't come through, but there are still cuts being passed on to local government," he says.

Bulova and Fisette say their respective counties will have to raise property tax rates this year to compensate for the state cuts. Bulova says she's hoping residents of Fairfax won't see an increase in their actual tax bills because of declining property values. Fisette says it's unlikely Arlington will be able to pull off the same feat.

Leggett Proposes Cuts For Montgomery County

March 15, 2010 - ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett is calling for a reduction in government spending for the first time in more than 40 years.

Leggett proposed a $4.3 billion budget Monday. It calls for cuts across the government, including libraries and other services. The plan also gives schools $137 million less than required by the state.

Leggett is calling for an energy tax that would cost about $3 per month for the average household. He has called for an ambulance fee that has been rejected by the county council in the past.

To close one of the largest projected budget deficits in the region, Leggett is proposing no pay increase for county employees. He would eliminate 200 currently filled jobs and impose 10 days of furloughs for non-public-safety employees.

Information from: The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

National Zoo Accused Of Incompetence, Ignorance

March 15, 2010 - By Stephanie Kaye

The National Zoo is being accused of mishandling its experiments to save bats from a deadly fungus.

The experiment to save Virginia's endangered big-eared bat involved creating a colony of the small, flying mammals at the National Zoo's conservation center in Front Royal. Five months into the project, most of the bats are dead. A consultant with the zoo's program says the bats were mishandled by workers, which lead to skin infections and injuries.

The zoo disputes the allegations, saying this species has never been held in captivity before, which led to problems.

The group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility is accusing the zoo of "ignorance and incompetence." Members are asking for the remaining bats to be removed.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the Smithsonian is trying to care for the remaining bats and moving them would just cause more stress.

Bike Riders Gear Up For Spring

March 15, 2010 - By Peter Granitz

Sonya Cednik moved from Los Angeles to Washington two months ago and says she knows the basics of bike maintenance.

Saturday she swung by the Bike House Co-Op for its first free clinic of the year. Outside of a coffee shop in Petworth, volunteer mechanics tune up people’s bikes, and offer one on one tutorials.

Cednik says tightening her brakes isn’t too difficult, but likes the assurance.

"I just didn’t have the tools," she says. "And it’s always nice to have extra advice [on] how to make it better. They were friendly and offered new brake pads if I needed."

The Washington Area Bicyclists Association is also preparing for the spring. Executive Director Eric Gilliand says he supports the D.C. Department of Transportation’s aggressive agenda for things like a new network of bike lanes downtown.

"In addition to adding facilities like doubling the mileage of bike lanes, they’re actually calling for a doubling of people actually commuting to work by bike," says Gilliand.

Gilliand says he’s pushing for the mayor’s budget to set aside money for DDOT’s plans.

Board Begins Revocation Process For D.C. Charter School

March 15, 2010 - By Jessica Gould

The D.C. Public Charter School Board is considering revoking the charter of the Young American Works school in Northeast. The school's mission is to prepare students for college and careers. But the oversight board says it's failing to meet students' basic needs.

Last year 13 percent of students were proficient in math while 25 percent were proficient in reading. The Charter School Board says a student was stabbed during an altercation at the school, and neighbors say fights are frequent.

Josephine Baker, the Board's executive director, says the group has been working with the school for months.

"No matter all we had done and the time we had spent nothing had really changed," says Baker.

Young America administrators declined to comment.

Freshman Markese Alston says the school does a good job.

"They have chances for me to learn that I can't get at any other schools," says Alston.

Classmate Tarron Durham says he would be devastated if Young America closed.

"I would feel ashamed. Cause I just came from a great school that might close," says Durham.

Charter board members say Young America's leaders can request a hearing to address the board's concerns, before members take a final vote. In the last decade the board has revoked charters for four schools.

Home Rescue Fair Targets Latinos Facing Foreclosure

March 15, 2010 - By Rebecca Sheir

A report from a Latino advocacy group in D.C. and the University of North Carolina suggests more than one-million Latino families will lose their homes to foreclosure from 2009 through 2012. The organizers of a "home rescue fair" in Prince William County, Virginia, are hoping to reduce that number locally.

The National Council of La Raza co-authored the report and co-organized the fair, which will feature free sessions with loan specialists, attorneys and housing counselors, to assist people facing foreclosure.

The fair is open to anyone in the D.C. area, and will include interpreters to assist Spanish speakers. NCLR's legislative analyst, Graciela Aponte, says she expects a large Latino contingent.

"They still believe in the American dream to have this home, to have their own home," says Aponte. "And there is a lot of responsibility with being a home owner, but it's a lot of freedom, and a lot of people are proud they are actually home owners."

NCLR is partnering with several other organizations to hold 40 home rescue fairs across the country. The next one in Virginia is scheduled for August.

Today's fair begins at 4 p.m. at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington in Manassas, Virginia.

FBI Test Results Under Investigation

March 15, 2010 - By Elliott Francis

The U.S. attorney's office in the District is investigating more than 100 cases handled by FBI analysts. Officials are concerned about the accuracy of test results.

According to a report, the cases, some dating back to the mid-1970s are under review because of potentially falsified and inaccurate tests by the FBI.

The investigation was ordered after the recent exoneration of Donald E. Gates, who was falsely imprisoned 28 years for murder.

The initial review of 20 cases focused on the validity of statements made by six FBI forensic analysts. During the process, justice department officials identified an additional 100 cases involving the FBI analysts in question.

A spokesperson for the District's public defender service called the report troubling due to the potential number of people who might have been hurt by flawed testimony.Investigators say so far, evidence shows only the case of Donald Gates resulted in a wrongful conviction.

Local High School Takes Peer Tutoring To Another Level

March 15, 2010 - By Jonathan Wilson

A public school in Fairfax County, Virginia, has attracted national attention for showing that a peer tutoring system used by many colleges and universities can work for high school students.

Edison High School senior Kayla Ahmed doesn't mince words.

"I feel like a lot of what we do in high school,I don't see the purpose of it, or it's not meaningful to me, really," says Ahmed. "But this is something that's meaningful."

Ahmed is talking about the tutoring she does at the Edison Writing Center, right now she's helping junior Jerome Diggs.

"Maybe one thing you might want to do is talk about the main character's inner feelings," she tells him.

"Everything I'm learning is actually coming to use, finally, and just the aspect of being able to help people and improve their writing," she says.

One difference in this tutoring is timing. Instead of after school, it's happening during the middle of the school day. Appointments are part of class time for tutors, in a course called advanced composition. Tutees make appointments during their school day with permission from their teachers.

Amber Jensen, the teacher who came up with the idea for the writing center, says the service also gives tutors a leadership opportunity.

"Being a writing center tutor has become an identity point for them, and it's in some way garnering a lot of respect and leadership in the school around an academic thing, which is writing," says Jensen.

Jensen is headed to a conference in Louisville this week to talk about bringing the writing center model to high schools.

She says the next step is getting more tutees to come in without being coerced by their teachers.

Montgomery County Agencies Brace For Bad Budget News

March 15, 2010 - By Jonathan Wilson

In Maryland, Montgomery County agencies are bracing for the worst as County Executive Ike Leggett unveils his budget proposal for the coming year.

The county's projected deficit of $760 million is the worst in the region. Leggett is scheduled to propose his budget later today.

County school's Superintendent Jerry Weast already is proposing cuts of 252 positions and increased class sizes. Hundreds of other county jobs are expected to be eliminated as well.

In Virginia, Fairfax County has a similar operating budget and is facing a $257 million shortfall.

Sharon Bulova, chairwoman of the county Board of Supervisors, says residents would rather see higher taxes than drastic cuts to schools and other services. Still, the county may give the schools $98 million less than the school board requested.

Va. Budget Includes Massive Cuts, New Fees

March 15, 2010 - By Jonathan Wilson

In Virginia, the state's General Assembly has overwhelmingly passed a new two-year budget that makes unprecedented cuts to state services and programs.

With little debate or dissent, the House approved the $70 billion funding plan on a 73-23 vote, while the Senate passed it 34-6, the last act of the 2010 session taken one day behind schedule.

The compromise budget cuts $250 million from public education. Lawmakers did decide to erase unpaid days off for state workers.

Democratic Delegate Bob Brink, of Arlington, says he feels lawmakers did the best they could under tough circumstances. But he says many constituents in northern Virginia won't be pleased especially with cuts to education funding.

"I don't really think anyone can be happy with what we heard or what we're facing, because these are such tough times," says Brink.

Prince William Delegate Bob Marshall, a Republican, isn't happy with the $94 million in new fees the budget imposes, or the fact that the fees weren't approved with separate, transparent, votes as Marshall says the state constitution demands.

"What we're resorting to in tough times are the practices that citizens find repulsive in Washington," says Marshall.

Both Brink and Marshall say they expect Governor McDonnell to sign the budget with few changes.

Power Breakfast For March 15, 2010

March 15, 2010 - A political marriage on the rocks?

Today Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd unveils a long-awaited financial regulatory reform plan. But without negotiating partner Tennessee Republican Bob Corker at his side. Dodd says his clock is ticking.

Elizabeth Wynne Johnson reports.