The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for parts of north central Maryland and northern Virginia for Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning. (NBCWashington.com)
CONSUMER PRICES FALL
Consumer prices fell at a record rate in November and housing starts plummeted to a level not seen in nearly half a century, stark signs of the weakness that has spread through the U.S. economy. (Washington Post)
BEST BUY PROFIT DOWN
Best Buy Co. Inc. , the nation’s biggest consumer electronics retailer, said Tuesday that its third-quarter profit sank 77 percent as it faced dramatic changes in consumer spending. The company also said it will offer massive buyout packages to corporate employees while slashing spending in a bid to cut costs, news that the sent the retailer’s stock soaring. (AP/Insidenova.com)
METRO SAYS LEAVE EARLY ON JANUARY 20
Metro’s chief executive says those using the rail system to get to work on Inauguration Day should leave their homes at least an hour earlier than normal. In an interview this morning with WTOP-FM, John Catoe stopped short of asking businesses to close Jan. 20 but stressed that getting around downtown Washington would be very difficult. (AP/Frederick News Post)
MONTGOMERY COUNTY SCHOOLS GIFTED STUDENTS PROGRAM DROPPED
The label of gifted, as prized to some parents as a "My Child Is an Honor Student" bumper sticker, is about to be dropped by the Montgomery County school system. (Washington Post)
MARYLAND BUDGET CUTS
Lawmakers are preparing for the ax to fall again on the state budget. This week, they will learn just how large the cuts will have to be as the Board of Revenue Estimates and the Spending Affordability Committee meet separately in Annapolis. Gov. Martin O'Malley said last month that the state may need to make another $200 million in cuts to the current fiscal year's operating budget, which totals $15 billion. (Gazette)
FAIRFAX CUTS
Fairfax officials warned county employees yesterday to prepare for layoffs and residents to brace for deep cuts in services next year as the county grapples with a projected budget gap that has widened to nearly $650 million, driven in large part by housing values that have plummeted beyond expectations. (Washington Post)
PRINCE WILLIAM CUTS
Come February 2009, there will be 36 fewer positions in four Prince William agencies due to a reduction-in-force initiative approved by supervisors. Twenty-five of the positions due for elimination come from the Department of Development Services, which includes the offices of planning, public works, and transportation. Another 11 are in the Division of Building Development. The reductions are projected to save the county about $1.4 million and follow a less-than-stellar year in the construction industry that, in turn, decreased the county's revenues from permitting fees. (Insidenova.com)
HOLIDAY TRAVEL DOWN
The nation's economic downturn is strongly affecting holiday travel, prompting last-minute airfare sales and a decrease in overall transit, according to industry and government experts. After more than a year of increases in fares, airlines are offering discounts on routes to less popular destinations and on flights scheduled on slow days, experts who track the airline industry say. (USAToday)
INAUGURATION PLANS CANCELED?
Congestion, crowds and cost have caused some people to cancel their Inauguration Day pilgrimage to Washington, while others still plan to go. Trains to Washington from the Staples Mill Road Amtrak station the morning of the Jan. 20 inauguration, and those returning that evening, remain full, said Chuck McIntyre, acting station manager for Amtrak's Richmond-area district. But the number of ticket reservations for the 6 p.m. train to Washington on Jan. 19 has dropped from 150 to 21, he said. (Richmond Times Dispatch)
SECRET SANTA
It was a Christmas miracle: toys -- hundreds of them -- piled outside the doors of Galilee United Methodist Church early Sunday morning when Pastor Wayne Snead arrived. Barbies and Elmos, electronic drum sets and Easy-Bake Ovens, scooters and tricycles, trucks and race cars and dolls. More than any one child could conjure up in a long letter to Santa. (Washington Post)
WILD GROCERY STORE RIDE
A wild trip though a Stafford grocery store landed a county man in jail late Friday, police said.The suspect tried to run over a store employee with a battery-operated handicapped cart after the employee confronted him about his actions, which police said included throwing eggs and Cheetos in multiple aisles and eating food he hadn't purchased. (Fredericksburg.com)
