The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
H1N1 VACCINE SUPPLY GROWING
With supply growing and demand waning, Maryland officials announced Tuesday that they are expanding distribution of swine flu vaccine beyond priority groups and making it available to any adult who wants one. In Maryland and nationwide, infections from the H1N1 virus peaked in late October and have plunged since. In recent weeks, once-mobbed flu clinics across the state have seen just a trickle of people - so much less demand than expected that officials have had vaccine left over once the doors closed.
(Baltimore Sun)
DC MATH SCORES UP
D.C. Public Schools are no longer the worst in the nation, according to standardized test scores released Tuesday comparing large urban districts. But the reality remains grim. Fourth-graders rank fourth from the bottom, ahead of Cleveland, Detroit and Fresno, Calif., on the math portion of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. Eighth-graders ranked ahead only of their peers in Detroit. (Examiner)
RATS AT REEVES
A D.C. government building has been invaded by rats. The Frank D. Reeves Municipal Center, at 2000 14th St. NW, was besieged by rodents in recent weeks, spurring several complaints a day and an extermination effort by the city's Department of Health. Rats are "seen in offices and hallways all the time," one staffer said, and workers are finding rat feces in their offices and hallways. "I don't know that it's overrun, but I think there are some issues they're working on," said John Lisle, spokesman for the D.C. Department of Transportation. (Examiner)
ICC COMMUTER BUS
The opening of the first phase of the Intercounty Connector is not expected before October, but Maryland is preparing for its debut by ordering 18 "clean diesel" commuter buses for eventual transit service on the highway. The Maryland Department of Transportation's recently awarded $9.1 million contract for purchase of the buses from Motor Coach Industries of Schaumburg, Ill., will go to the state Board of Public Works for approval next week. (Baltimore Sun)
