The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
SWINE FLU SHOTS ARRIVING
The first shipments of swine flu vaccine should start arriving in Maryland by Tuesday, but the initial batch will be so limited that the doses will be offered mainly to health care workers in hospitals and clinics, state health officials say. The state is getting just 31,600 doses of vaccine to start, according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, only about 1 percent of what's needed to vaccinate all the children and vulnerable adults that federal health authorities have said should be given priority for protection against the H1N1 virus. Nine people in the state have died from the virus, including two children. (Baltimore Sun)
UNEMPLOYMENT RATES
The unemployment rate rose to 9.8 percent in September as employers cut more jobs than expected, evidence that the longest recession since the 1930s is still inflicting widespread pain. The Labor Department says the nation's economy lost a net total of 263,000 jobs last month, up from a downwardly revised total of 201,000 in August.
(AP/Washington Post)
ROCKVILLE PARKING HOURS CHANGE
Less than a week away from its implementation, a plan for additional hours of paid parking that was adopted years ago has sparked an emotional argument over what some see as the fate of Rockville Town Square. While the discussion in City Hall over extending parking fees in three city-owned garages in Town Center heats up, customers and business owners are increasingly worried about the negative impact it could have on pedestrian traffic. (Gazette)
DC WW1 MEMORIAL REHAB
The 499 District of Columbia doughboys who died fighting in World War I are getting long overdue salute. The National Capital Planning Commission approved a $5.2 million project design to restore and renovate the dilapidated memorial on Thursday, the only D.C.-specific memorial on the National Mall. The commission also approved conceptual designs for Washington Canal Park in southeast D.C. Cracked, broken and moldy marble would be cleaned and restored, and the World War I Memorial grounds would be expanded and renovated to adhere to the memorial's original function as a bandstand. When the memorial was finished in 1931, the Marine Corps Band gave regular performances there until 1960. (Washington Examiner)
ROBO-CALLS DRIVE MAN TO LAWSUIT
Are you annoyed by pre-recorded phone calls? One local man is, and he's moving forward with a lawsuit. (wtop.com)
