Local Leads: 09/20/2010

News you need to know

The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:

Bin Laden Said to be Mulling Cease-Fire

Faced with stark losses among its foot-soldiers for years, al-Qaida has simply recruited new people to bleed and die for its cause. But U.S. drone strikes since 2004 in the tribal territories of Pakistan, Afghanistan and beyond have steadily cut deep into the fighting force and depleted its leadership ranks. The heavy pressure has brought the organization to a critical point and it's been presented with a sobering proposition. (WTOP)

Feds: Man Pretended to be Late Father to get $336K in Benefits

An Arlington man is expected to plead guilty next week to netting nearly $336,000 in retirement benefits from the federal government by pretending to be his deceased father. Court documents filed this week say Ralph Sincavage impersonated his father on the telephone and in writing from April 1992 until November 2010 in order to fraudulently collect his retirement benefits. Sincavage’s father, Joseph Sincavage, worked as a government truck driver and died in 1992. (Washington Examiner)
 

Officials Warn of Increased Deer Activity as Mating Season Begins

It's a rut no driver wants to get into. You're traveling down a back road, a highway or neighborhood street and - oh deer - a buck frolics in front of your car. It happens year-round. But with mating season beginning this month, lovesick deer will be darting across roadways tenfold in the coming weeks - putting themselves and motorists in danger, authorities warn. Last weekend a motorcyclist died after crashing into a car that had braked to avoid hitting a deer in Glen Burnie. State Highway Administration and Maryland Department of Natural Resources officials are warning motorists to be alert while navigating county roads, especially between sunset and sunrise. (Hometown Annapolis)
 

Top Cake Sells for $3,500

With 224 cakes, pies and other baked goods on the auction block, cake number 55 was the star. The golden cake with lemon filling, baked by Catoctin High School freshman Aislinn Latham was the show's grand champion. The first cake entry for the 13-year-old sold for $3,500 to Vic Piccolomini of Ross Contracting. With the Frederick County 4-H king, queen and princesses, clapping along with the auctioneers' calls, prices quickly climbed to $200, $300 and more for the goods baked by children and teenagers who paraded them through the crowd. (Frederick News Post)
 

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