The following stories are brought to you by the fine folks on the News4 assignment desk.
NATIONAL TREE LIGHTING TICKETS TO BE AUCTIONED
WTOP: "Christmas may not be at the top of your thoughts these days, but if you want to get tickets to the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, perhaps it soon needs to be.
The online lottery for the ceremony begins Nov. 5.
Tickets are free. This year there 3,000 ticketed seats will be available, as well as 10,000 standing room tickets."
ANTHROPOLOGIE COMING TO PENN QUARTER
Washington Business Journal: "After years of negotiating in the neighborhood, trendy retailer Anthropologie will open a store in the Atlantic Building at 950 F St. NW in Penn Quarter.
The clothing and home furnishings retailer has leased 10,662 square feet in the Douglas Development-owned building, according to Norman Jemal, vice president. The retailer had been in talks for the space in May 2008, but that deal fell through."
MCDONNELL CANS PLANS FOR SESSION ON PRIVATE LIQUOR STORES
Washington Examiner: "Acknowledging that he lacks the votes needed to privatize Virginia’s liquor stores, Gov. Bob McDonnell said Friday that he’s decided against calling a special session of the General Assembly to deal with the issue this year.
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“We will privatize Virginia’s ABC stores,” McDonnell said in a statement. “The only question is one of timing.”
McDonnell said he would introduce his plan to end the state’s 70-year monopoly on liquor sales when the legislature convenes for its regular session in January. The governor has said he would only call the special session in November if he has the votes to pass his privatization plans. That plan ran into opposition from McDonnell’s fellow Republicans after financial projections showed that privatizing the stores would cost the state more than $40 million a year in lost revenue."
QUESTIONS SWIRL AROUND PURCHASE OF HELICOPTERS
Gazette: "State Comptroller Peter Franchot took aim at the process that might have resulted in only one bid being submitted for six state police helicopters, as the Board of Public Works this week approved the $72 million purchase.
The go-ahead for the AW139 model helicopters from Agusta Aerospace Corp., which will begin replacing 12 aging Dauphin helicopters currently used by the state police for medical evacuations and police work, followed two years of debate."
