Local Leads: 11/18/10

News You Need to Know

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

FAIRFAX CHEATERS
Washington Post: "The Fairfax County high school that asked teachers to all but banish F's from its recent report cards has been experimenting with an approach that would allow students caught cheating to retake tests instead of receiving zeros. West Potomac High School Principal Cliff Hardison last month instructed teachers to allow cheaters to retake tests. The idea was that cheating should 'result in a disciplinary consequence separate from an academic consequence,' Hardison said in a Nov. 5 e-mail to teachers." 

SWORD SWALLOWER, TATTOO ARTIST
Fairfax Times: "Swallowing a sword requires tilting the head back and aligning the mouth and throat while getting the tongue out of the way, fighting the urge to gag as the steel blade slides all the way down. It's not a skill just anyone can do -- and that's what makes sword swallowers unique, says local sword swallower Charon Henning. 'Everything has to be in alignment, it takes practice,' said Henning, who is also a seasonal tattoo artist at Marlowe Ink in Fairfax. 'You can feel it all the way down; it's like swallowing a piece of ice when you're drinking a cold drink on a hot day'." 

SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGERS WELCOME
Insidenova.com: "At least for one night, Salvation Army bell ringers will have a new location for their red kettles. Occoquan Mayor Earnie Porta has invited the Salvation Army to collect in the town during its Holiday Open House Friday. Porta said he extended the invitation after learning Giant Food was cutting back the number of hours the Salvation Army bell ringers were allowed to operate in front of their stores." 

SHHH IN VIENNA
Sun Gazette: "The Vienna Town Council on Nov. 15 advanced a pair of proposed ordinances that would impose civil penalties for noise violations and allow the town’s zoning administrator to issue permits for handicapped-accessible ramps at residential properties. The council set a Dec. 6 public hearing to discuss a proposed ordinance that would authorize noise-violation fines of $250 for the first citation and $500 for each subsequent offense. The vast majority of noise violations in town are associated with amplified music in residential areas, said Town Attorney Steven Briglia."  


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