The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
Homicides and Heat Related Deaths Up in Area
A brutal heat wave that has racked the Washington area has resulted in a rise in both crime-related killings and heat-related deaths, according to police and area health officials. In D.C., there have been 18 homicides so far in June, compared to 12 in all of last June. Nine of the killings have come in the last 10 days, when the District suffered 10 consecutive days of 90-plus degrees on its way to the hottest June on record. The heat was also causing health problems in Virginia, which already has more heat-related deaths than were recorded all last year. (Washington Examiner)
Spy Arrest Won't Hurt U.S.-Russia Relations
The arrests of as many as 11 alleged Russian spies in the U.S. will not disrupt U.S.-Russian relations, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Tuesday. Gibbs referred most questions regarding the arrests to the State Department, but he did say the arrests will do nothing to damage "our moves to reset the relationship." The arrests come just days after Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Obama in Washington, D.C., where the two men shared a hamburger lunch and boasted of a strong relationship between the two countries. (The Hill)
Montgomery Co Traffic Signals Take Morning Detour
An air-conditioning malfunction caused traffic signals throughout Montgomery County to slip out of sync Tuesday morning, a county spokeswoman said. The air conditioner leaked water in the 11th-floor room that houses the traffic signal computers at the County Executive Office Building in Rockville, said county spokeswoman Esther Bowring. The leak triggered a sensor, which cut off the power in the room in order to protect the electronics equipment. Lack of power caused the computers that manage the traffic signals to shut down about 7:15 a.m., Bowring said. (Gazette.net)
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Virginia Jobs Growth
Virginia was one of five states that gained the most in payroll employment figures between April and May, according to just-released figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “In May, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 41 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in five states and was unchanged in four states,” the BLS reported on June 18. “The largest over-the-month increases in employment occurred in Texas, California, New York, and Florida and Virginia.” (Stafford County Sun)
Donors Save Sober Ride for July 4th
A program that offers free cab rides home to people in the Washington region who have been drinking too much around certain holidays has been salvaged for Independence Day. The Washington Regional Alcohol Program's SoberRide program was in jeopardy due to declining contributions from donors and a 60 percent increase in ridership since 2008. (AP/Washington Times)
