The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
YOUR CHANCE TO SOUND OFF ABOUT PEPCO
Got something to say about Pepco's performance in the latest round of storms? Tell it to the Maryland Public Service Commission. However, there are some rules you'll have to follow. The Maryland PSC is coming to Montgomery County to hold a public hearing on Monday, August 30 about the power company's reliability and service. The PSC started an investigation after a series of storms left hundreds of thousands of residents without power for days at a time. The PSC stated it was holding hearings "because of the frequency, number and duration of the power outages experienced by customers in the Pepco service area and the apparent breakdown of adequate communication between the company and its customers during these outage events."
(WTOP)
WYCLEF CAN'T RUN FOR PRESIDENT
Haiti's electoral commission said Friday that hip hop artist Wyclef Jean cannot run for president of this Caribbean nation, ending his outsider's bid to lead a country struggling to recover from the Jan. 12 earthquake. Jean, who faced a challenge to his candidacy in the Nov. 28 elections because he has not lived in Haiti for the past five years as required, issued a statement urging his supporters to remain calm and respond "peacefully and responsibly to the disappointment." "Though I disagree with the ruling, I respectfully accept the committee's final decision, and I urge my supporters to do the same," he said. The electoral commission approved 19 candidates and rejected 15, spokesman Richardson Dumel told journalists late Friday, without providing justification for the decisions.
(NPR/ASSOCIATED PRESS)
SKINS DEFENSE, A WORK IN PROGRESS
Throughout his rookie season, Brian Orakpo always said the right thing. Regardless of the week or the circumstances, anyone who asked was told how satisfied Orakpo was with his role in the defense. But the change that swept through Redskins Park in the offseason didn't miss Orakpo. He revealed that moving to linebacker and playing so much pass coverage in Greg Blache's defense wasn't always ideal. "Obviously, I'm [a defensive] end. I was a D-end out of college and all I did was rush the passer. Coming to a new scheme, I'm gonna do what the coaches ask, but I wanted to rush the passer a little bit more," said Orakpo, who had 11 sacks in 2009, almost all from the defensive end spot.
(WASHINGTON POST)
MOUNTAIN MAN SAWS CAR IN HALF
Raymond Reeder's house on Kemp Lane has a sign that says, "Beware of bulldog." A "no trespassing" sign is posted at the entrance of the driveway. He considers himself a gear head and a mountain man. A week ago, Reeder, 39, sawed in half a 1998 Saturn station wagon. "Just to prove a point," he said. "This is what happens when you don't pay your bills." Reeder said he and his girlfriend lent her childhood friend $2,000 to buy the Saturn, and for a down payment for an apartment. "We never heard nothing," he said. "After we saw them, we tried to be nice and said, 'you still owe us $2,000; just pay us a $10-a-month thing.' She started with bad language."
(FREDERICKNEWSPOST)
BLOOMIES OUTLET OPENS
Another high-end retailer has opened an outlet store at Potomac Mills mall. Bloomingdale's chose the Woodbridge mall as its first outlet in the country. Mall walkers and others who came to the mall Friday morning before it opened where treated to free coffee and entertainment in celebration of the grand opening. The 25,000-square-foot store is located in the former Sports Authority space in Neighborhood One. The high energy teen group Urban Beat of Washington sang and danced to the delight of all who watched.
"We're very excited you are here," said Arnie Orlick, senior vice president of outlet stores for Bloomingdales, to the gathered crowd.
(INSIDE NOVA)
