The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
FEDS SEIZING CHILD PORNPOGRAPHER'S HOMES
The brick rancher at the end of the cul-de-sac in Kingsville has three bedrooms, two baths, 1,827 square feet of living space and 1.42 acres of land. It's assessed for tax purposes at $472,830. It's for sale, and it would seem a steal at the $289,500 asking price. The house has been on the market for 94 days. The owner is the U.S. Marshals Service, which seized the Harford County house in October and has been trying to sell it for the past three months. Its previous owner, George K. Hayward, was sentenced Monday to 20 years in federal prison for taking pictures of naked children, some as young as 5 years old, inside the house. (Baltimore Sun)
10-CENT GAS TAX IN DC?
A D.C. councilman is seeking to raise the city's gas tax by 10 cents per gallon to help pay for Metro's daily costs, an unprecedented move in a region that lacks a permanent funding stream for the transit agency. (Examiner)
PAY TO PLAY
More than 50 parents turned out last night to question Spotsylvania County school officials about a fee system proposed for middle and high school sports participation for the next school year. Karen Demps, who has seven children, was one of 14 parents who asked questions. She wondered if there could be a flat fee for students who participate in three sports to make it more affordable for families.(Fredericksburg.com)
35K TO RETIRE
Some Montgomery County government employees will be offered $35,000 to retire early — a plan that officials say will save the county money if those positions are not refilled within three years. Just how much is not yet known because it is still unclear how many employees would take advantage of such a program. (Gazette)
STUDENT PERFORMANCE, TEACHER REVIEW
Montgomery County teachers and school system leaders signed an agreement Tuesday that calls for test scores and other student performance data to "factor strongly" in one-third of every teacher's evaluation, saying theirs is the first school system in Maryland to specify how much that data will count as a factor in teacher ratings. (Washington Post)
