The following stories are brought to you by the fine folks on the News4 assignment desk.
ANOTHER WILD DAY ON WALL STREET
Stocks had another volatile day Friday, swinging widely before closing sharply lower.
The Dow Jones industrials closed with a loss of about 140 points, having been down almost 280 earlier. That followed a brief plunge of nearly 1,000 points on Thursday, the biggest one-day drop in the Dow's history. The erratic trading Friday was no surprise _ stocks often fluctuate sharply right after the market suffers a big slide.
Traders were still anxious amid lingering questions about what caused Thursday's sudden drop. Several possibilities were being investigated, but as of late Friday no clear explanation had emerged. (WTOP)
NICKLES ACCUSES BARRY OF RACE BAITING
Attorney General Peter Nickles is lashing out at Councilman Marion Barry, accusing D.C.'s ex-mayor of race baiting in comments about city hiring practices.
Barry, D-Ward 8, is raising questions about the city's health care finance agency, which he says is excluding blacks from top jobs.
At a hearing earlier this week, Barry accused agency director Julie Hudman of running an "all white department," which the former mayor said smacked of "apartheid." (Washington Examiner)
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
SIX HURT IN SCHOOL BUS CRASH
Six and as many as seven students from Northwood High School in Montgomery County, were taken to at least one local hospital with minor injuries after their school bus was involved in a wreck with a Toyota Camry on Friday afternoon in the Glenmont area of Silver Spring, officials said.
The students had complained of pains in their necks and backs, said Capt. Oscar Garcia, a county Fire and Rescue Service spokesman.
The driver of the car was treated for trauma and serious injuries that were not life-threatening, Garcia said. The bus driver suffered minor injuries. Five other students on the bus weren't hurt, Garcia said. Montgomery County police said initial investigation indicates the driver of the Toyota was at fault, but no charges have been filed. (Washington Post)
MINUTES COULD MEAN MILLIONS IN LOST FUNDING
The controversy surrounding the makeup of instructional hours from this winter's snowstorms may not be dead just yet.
Respective News & Messenger interviews and e-mail exchanges with both the Virginia Department of Education and Prince William County Public Schools have uncovered what appears to be a discrepancy in the interpretation of Virginia Administrative Code.
Depending on the interpretation, a host of high schools and some middle schools in Prince William County Public School may not have the minimum amount of instructional time for a given school year. If that is the case, the school division could potentially lose millions of dollars in state funding. (InsideNoVA.com)
