Local Leads: 3/10/10
News you need to know
Getty Images
The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
COMFORT COMING HOME
The hospital ship USNS Comfort left Port-au-Prince harbor Tuesday night to begin a five-day sail back to Baltimore, its Navy commanders having determined - against the advice of some civilian doctors on the ground - that the floating medical center is no longer needed in earthquake-damaged Haiti. Pentagon officials say they made the decision to recall the 1,000-bed hospital, which arrived in Haiti Jan. 20, after "determining her crew completed the humanitarian relief mission it was directed to conduct." (Baltimore Sun)
FORTUNETELLING OR FREE SPEECH?
The Maryland Court of Appeals this week heard arguments in the case of a man who tried to operate a fortunetelling business in Bethesda but was stopped by a county law that prohibits the practice for hire. Nick Nefedro, who now lives in New York City but has roots in Washington, D.C., and the Maryland suburbs, argued that the county law violated his Constitutional rights to free speech. (Gazette)
RING USED MALL TO SELL DRUGS
A yearlong undercover operation by a Montgomery County police officer has uncovered an alleged drug ring involving suspects from Fairfax County, some of whom are accused of selling drugs in the Tysons Corner Center food court, according to federal court documents. According to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court, the undercover officer first met with Jonathan Pai of Fairfax on Feb. 18, 2009, in the parking lot of Tysons Corner Center to purchase 100 Ecstasy pills for $1,200. (Fairfax Times)
WHO IS KILLING CHICKENS?
Roger "Tom" Mills woke up to a gruesome scene Tuesday morning in his barnyard in the 2500 block of New Design Road in Adamstown . Chicken feathers were everywhere, he said. Eight birds were dead, including his two pet roosters. Two chickens are missing and two are alive and accounted for. A predator had gnawed a hole in the plywood chicken house Monday night, Mills said. (Frederick News Post)
MAYOR DIXON'S STUFF ON EBAY
Want a piece of the evidence that brought down former Baltimore mayor Sheila Dixon? Check out eBay. Prosecutors are selling an XBox 360 video game console they say Dixon bought with gift cards intended for the poor. The XBox was seized during a raid on Dixon's home in June 2008. Dixon pleaded guilty to perjury for lying about gifts, and a jury convicted her of embezzling gift cards donated to the city for needy families. She received probation before judgment and stepped down as mayor. (wtop.com)
Posted Wednesday, Mar 10, 2010 - 9:52 AM EST
