The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
SENATOR KENNEDY LAID TO REST IN ARLINGTON
Washington bade farewell to Sen. Edward M. Kennedy on Saturday with Irish song and hearty cheers, with shouts of "Thank you!" and tearful goodbyes waved from thronged sidewalks, as his funeral cortege wound from the Capitol along Constitution Avenue and crossed the Potomac River to Arlington National Cemetery on a gentle summer evening. A group of well-wishers at the Capitol sang "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" as his hearse approached, the flag-draped coffin visible through an oval window. Along Constitution Avenue, people in shorts and bright summer clothing applauded and waved flags as his motorcade passed, and children on bicycles followed on the sidewalk. (WASHINGTON POST)
SHUTTLE SHOULD REACH SPACE STATION TONIGHT
A Virginia man and the rest of the Space Shuttle Discovery crew are finally on their way to the International Space Station. Discovery and seven astronauts blasted off seconds before midnight Friday, lighting up the sky for miles around. It was NASA's third launch attempt. Tuesday's try was called off by thunderstorms and Wednesday's by fuel-valve trouble. Everything came together in NASA's favor Friday night. Patrick Forrester, of Springfield, is among the astronauts who will take part in Discovery's 13-day mission. Discovery is hauling up a full load of space station supplies, including a treadmill named for Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert. The comedian wanted a room named after him up at the orbiting outpost, but had to settle for exercise equipment as a consolation prize. The shuttle should reach the space station Sunday night. (WASHINGTON TIMES)
DOUBLE HIT-AND-RUN
Montgomery County Police are investigating a hit and run accident that left two women injured Saturday morning. The incident happened at 10:10 Saturday morning at 9830 Capitol View Avenue in Silver Spring. Police say two women, ages 22 and 29, were crossing Capitol View Avenue heading towards Leafy Avenue when a vehicle traveling eastbound struck both of them. The vehicle is described as a black Toyota SUV or pickup truck. The vehicle dragged a 22-year-old woman approximately 113 feet before running over her. The 29-year-old woman was dragged approximately 83 feet. The driver of the Toyota left the accident scene. The impact of the accident caused the vehicle to lose its front grille. Police say the women were in the crosswalk when the accident happened. Both women were taken to a local trauma center where their injuries are described as serious, but not life-threatening. (WTOP)
A NEW THRILLER WORLD RECORD?
They say they beat it. Thousands of Mexicans claimed they broke the record for most people dancing to "Thriller" simultaneously in one place on Saturday, which would have been Michael Jackson's 51st birthday. "We did it!" organizer Javier Hildago shouted to thousands of people wearing black fedoras, white gloves, aviator shades and ghoulish face paint, breathless after trying to recreate the groundbreaking 1983 video. Did they? The Guinness Book of World Records will decide in a week. The current record was set in May by a group of 242 College of William & Mary students who performed the routine in Williamsburg, Va., according to Guinness. Hildago claimed 12,937 people danced Saturday in front of Mexico City's Monument of the Revolution, led by a Michael Jackson impersonator wearing a red-and-gold sequined jacket. (AP/USA TODAY)
