The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
UMD INCREASED SECURITY
Police in Prince George's County and at the University of Maryland are beefing up patrols and considering forming a task force after a rash of armed robberies near the campus. In the past three weeks, Prince George's police have recorded five robberies in the College Park area -- at least three involving student victims, authorities said. The crimes have prompted police to beef up patrols and urge students to be vigilant, especially when walking alone at night. (Washington Post)
MORTGAGE RATES EDGE UP
For the first time in three months, long-term mortgage rates edged higher this week, but remain near historic lows. Freddie Mac’s weekly report says a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.35 percent in the week ending Sept. 9, up from 4.32 percent last week. A year ago, a 30-year mortgage averaged 5.07 percent.
( Washington Business Journal)
TEACHER FATHERED CHILD WITH STUDENT
Staff at a D.C. high school suspected that a teacher was having sex with an emotionally disturbed student in his darkened classroom but did nothing to stop the encounters that led to her pregnancy, according to a lawsuit filed by the student in U.S. District Court this week. Ayanna Blue, 20, a senior at Shadd Transition Academy in Southeast Washington, said in the suit that paternity tests show a better than 99 percent probability that Robert Weismiller, 58, a teacher until he was laid off in October, is the father of her daughter born Nov. 28, 2009. (Washington Post)
GIANT SNAILS SEIZED AT DULLES
During a busy Labor Day weekend at Washington Dulles International Airport, one package arriving from Ghana raised some eyebrows.U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents say a traveler arriving from the West African nation tried to bring in 14 Giant African Land Snails with him. Each of the slimy creatures was about the size of a child's fist.The snails, originally from East Africa, are believed to be one of the world's worst invasive species because they can severely damage crops.The snails can grow to be nearly 8 inches long and 4 inches tall. They are illegal in the United States. Agriculture officials believe they may have been brought to the U.S. to be eaten.The traveler was not penalized, but the snails were destroyed because they were considered a threat.
(Washington Post)
