The Night Note: 01/08/09

News you need to know

By CARLOS MARTINEZ

Updated 8:30 PM EST, Thu, Jan 8, 2009

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The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:

Obama Outlines Economic Plan at GMU

President-elect Barack Obama came to George Mason University Jan. 8 to make his first major public push for his economic stimulus package. While saying it might take years to completely repair the economy, Obama expressed a sense of urgency for spending hundreds of billions of federal dollars to get the economy moving again. (Fairfax Times)

Fatal Crash Prompts Move to Require Use of Sirens

"Ashley's Law" will be introduced in Richmond by state Sen. Linda D. "Toddy" Puller (D-Fairfax) and Del. David L. Englin (D-Alexandria). Englin said he thought it was reasonable to expect a police officer or any emergency vehicle to have lights and sirens on when going through an intersection, "especially when going through a red light, and I don't think that hampers their ability to protect public safety." (Loudoun Extra)

Man Arrested in Elderly Woman's Beating, Assault

Police have arrested a 48-year-old man in the beating and sexual assault of a 79-year-old Prince William County woman. Detectives on Thursday obtained warrants charging Andy Ralston, of no fixed address, with burglary with intent to commit rape, abduction with intent to defile, armed robbery and object sexual penetration, Prince William County police 1st Sgt. Kim Chinn said. (InsideNova.com)

Man Accused in Beating Deaths Wavers, Demands Trial

A District man charged with killing a Northwest Washington couple in November abruptly changed his mind in the middle of pleading guilty to second degree murder during a hearing today, and demanded a trial, instead. Peiro Fuentes Hernandez, 21, appeared before D.C. Superior Court Judge Michael L. Rankin as part of a plea bargain agreement he had signed with prosecutors. (Washington Post)

Will Blondes be Extinct by 2202?

Nope. Despite rumors to the contrary, dating as far back as the 1800s, blondes are not an endangered species. The "disappearing blond gene" myth's most recent incarnation was in 2002, when a hoax led news outlets to erroneously report that natural blondes will die out in 200 years thanks to the recessive nature of blond genes. (MSN.com)