The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
H1N1 VACCINATIONS SUSPENDED
Parents in Fredericksburg and in Spotsylvania and Caroline counties will have to wait to get swine flu shots for their children as school-based clinics there have been delayed. Caroline had planned to begin its vaccination program last night, and Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania were going to start tonight. All three were postponed yesterday when the local health department told them it did not have any of the vaccine. Clinics in King George County are scheduled to begin next week. They too may have to be delayed if more vaccine does not arrive soon. Stafford County's final clinic is still scheduled for tonight. "The vaccine supply is uncertain. That would be a kind word," said Dr. John Petrasky, director of the Rappahannock Area Health District. (Free Lance-Star)
H1N1 DEATH?
An 18-year-old Anne Arundel Community College student and recent graduate of North County High School died today after being hospitalized with flu-like symptoms according to family members. Walter Brooks, who had already had an impact on the AACC campus in his short time there, died this morning, officials said. The family confirmed that Brooks was infected with H1N1, or swine flu, virus. The family told a local television news outlet the young man did not have any previous health problems. (The Capital)
ENERGY ASSISTANCE
Although natural gas bills may be about 25 percent less this winter for many Marylanders, a state energy assistance official is expecting a jump in requests this year for home heating help. "We're expecting upwards of 160,000 households to apply this year," said Ralph Markus, Director of the Office of Home Energy Programs at the Maryland Department of Human Resources. "Last year for the entire year we had about 147,000 households apply." Marylanders in a certain income bracket can apply for natural gas, oil and electric assistance at various locations in their jurisdiction. Markus said there is no doubt the weak economy is the driving force behind the rise in applications across the state. (WBAL-AM/Baltimore Sun)
TEEN SEX ASSAULTS SUSPECTS BACK IN SCHOOL
The family of a 15-year-old Gaithersburg girl who was raped in January thought the worst was over when three of their daughter's classmates at Col. Zadok Magruder High School were charged with the crime. But two of the three boys returned to Magruder in August. The girl moved to Nevada before the beginning of the school year to live with family because she had been harassed at school after the incident, her father said. (Gazette)
WINDOWS 7
Microsoft Corp.‘s newest version of Windows has arrived. Windows 7 is available on new computers, and as an upgrade for some older PCs. Microsoft hopes people like Windows 7 more than its predecessor, Vista, which tended to be slow and didn’t work well with existing programs and devices. Windows 7 promises to boot up faster and cut down on the clicks needed to get common tasks done. (Richmond Times Dispatch)
