The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
Maryland Furloughs
Gov. Martin O'Malley on Tuesday signed an executive order to furlough 67,000 state employees for two to five days, depending on their pay grade. "After collaborating with labor leaders over the last few weeks, this morning I have signed an executive order establishing a furlough and salary reduction plan for all state employees due to this deepening national recession that has us all tightening our belts at work and at home," O'Malley (D) wrote in an e-mail to state employees Tuesday. (Gazette.net)
Kaine to Raise Cigarette Tax
The Kaine administration is readying to seek higher cigarette taxes to balance Virginia’s recession-ravaged budget. Gov. Timothy M. Kaine plans to propose a doubling of the tobacco tax — from 30 cents to 60 cents per pack — largely to help pay for health care for the poor, according to several state Capitol sources. (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
Washington Charity Among Madoff Victims
The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington is among the growing list of investors thought to have been swindled out of $50 billion by money manager Bernard Madoff. The federation's United Jewish Endowment Fund has been an investor with the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC for four years. (Washington Business Journal)
Judge Upholds Charges in Hot Car Case
A Fairfax County judge this morning declined to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against a man accused of leaving his toddler son in a hot vehicle for several hours, and the trial has resumed in Fairfax Circuit Court. Miles Harrison, 49, of Purcellville is charged in the July 8 death of 21-month-old Chase Harrison. Chase was found inside his father's GMC Yukon sport-utility vehicle in Herndon. The medical examiner said he died of heat stroke. (LoudounExtra.com)
