The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
Is There Really a Mosque at the Pentagon?
"Actually, there's a chapel, located not too far from where the plane attacked on Sept. 11." Prior to Sept. 11, 2001, there was no chapel in the Pentagon. The Pentagon Memorial Chapel was dedicated on Sept. 11, 2002, and is home to daily prayer services of all faiths, including Islam. "We have a wide variety of services," says Wright. "Protestant, Catholic Jewish, Hindu, Mormon, Episcopalian and Muslim. It is not unlike any other military chapel in any other military instillation around the world." (WTOP)
Odor Source Found
King George County officials and the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality may have discovered what's caused horrendous odors at the landfill. The amount of a sulfur compound being generated is 32 times higher than what's typically found in landfill waste, said James LaFratta, air compliance engineer with the DEQ in Woodbridge. The levels of hydrogen sulfide -- a gas that smells like rotten eggs -- usually average about 40 parts per million in landfills, LaFratta said.Levels at King George were 1,300 parts per million in June. Officials believe the high amounts were generated by waste ash from a coal-fired power plant in Alexandria. (Fredicksburg.com)
Boy Impaled by Foot Long Splinter
An 8-year-old Thurmont boy was hospitalized Tuesday after being impaled by a foot-long splinter on the wooden slide at Rocky Ridge's Mount Tabor Park. Rescue officials found the boy around 5:30 p.m., pinned to "The Big Wooden Slide," by a large splinter that had pierced his skin and was sticking out on each side of his lower abdominal area, according to Luke Humerick Jr., second assistant fire chief at Rocky Ridge Volunteer Fire Co. (Frederick News Post)
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Montgomery County Resident Enraged by Rising Property Taxes
Many Montgomery County residents are facing higher property taxes this year, even as the value of their homes sags. The bills sparked anger and confusion among many, who, in turn, blanketed county officials with questions about how their property taxes skyrocketed despite promises to the contrary. “Montgomery County is greatly increasing property taxes, and this is especially hurtful to retired elderly persons living on fixed incomes,” Gaithersburg’s Lawrence Marsh wrote to county officials. “These folks deserve to enjoy their last ‘golden years’ without the harassment of [a] major tax increase.”(Washington Examiner)
Wii Fit Used to Examine Concussions
Athletic trainers in College Park and on other campuses are using the Wii Fit video game as an objective and practical -- if unproven -- method of assessing athletes' balance, an important yardstick for determining recovery from concussion. For the past year, Maryland and Ohio State have partnered to conduct research into the reliability of Wii Fit -- an exercise video game played on Nintendo's Wii console, which allows for physical interaction between player and game -- as an effective concussion management instrument. (Washington Post)
