The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
WOMAN BITTEN BY COBRA CHARGED
A 58-year-old woman is to appear in Baltimore County District Court on April 8 to answer charges that she had two poisonous snakes in her possession, a violation of state law. Betsy Nighthorse, a resident of the rural community of Hydes, was charged with two counts, one for a monocled cobra she said she found in a parking lot and the other for a rattlesnake that police officers came across when they went to the woman's home a week later to question her. (Baltimore Sun)
IT'S OK TO FLY THE FLAG
With no opposition, a Virginia Senate committee yesterday approved Sen. Richard Stuart's bill to allow homeowners to fly the U.S. flag. The bill was prompted by a case in Henrico County last year, in which a homeowners association barred a 90-year-old Medal of Honor recipient from flying the flag on an upright flagpole in his yard. The association told retired Col. Van T. Barfoot that he could fly the flag from an angled pole attached to his house, but that the upright pole was an "aesthetic" problem. (Fredericksburg.com)
PRINCE WILLIAM SCHOOL CUTS
Prince William County schools Superintendent Steven L. Walts on Wednesday proposed eliminating up to 700 jobs, terminating certain school bus routes and delaying construction and renovation projects due to an expected budget shortfall. Walts announced the plans during a county school board meeting. He said the steps are necessary because of expected shortfalls in funding from the local, state and federal governments. (Insidenova.com)
MIKE MILLER RETIRING?
Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. signaled Jan. 28 that his next four-year term — if he wins re-election — will be his last. The comments came during a meeting of the Tri-County Council for Southern Maryland, a regional development and planning organization that includes community members, and local and state elected officials from Calvert, Charles and St. Mary's counties. Miller represents portions of Prince George's and Calvert counties. The audience at the Loews Annapolis Hotel included Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and several cabinet secretaries. (Gazette)
