The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
DC VOTING RIGHTS
The District of Columbia's two-century-long wait for a voice in Congress was a step closer to ending Tuesday with a crucial Senate vote to take up legislation giving the capital city's 600,000 residents a full seat in the House. (AP/USAToday)
PERSON DEAD AFTER BEING STRUCK BY AMTRAK TRAIN
Amtrak train #79 fatally struck a person on the tracks near Lorton today. Fredericksburg passengers can expect delays up to an hour for train #301, which departs Union Station at 12:55 p.m. (Insidenova/com)
GAS PUMP CATCHES FIRE, BURNING MOM AND CHILD
Fire investigators believe static electricity sparked a gasoline pump fire this morning that burned a boy and his mother this morning at a Shell station in the 7000 block of Hull Street Road in Chesterfield County. The 10-year-old boy was reported in critical condition at VCU Medical Center with burns to his face and torso. His mother suffered lesser burns, mostly to her hands, and was listed in stable condition, said Chesterfield fire Capt. Keith Chambers. Chambers said the initial investigation points to “static electricity discharge” as the cause of the 8:12 a.m. flash fire. (Richmond Times Dispatch)
FAIRFAX ASSESSMENTS DROP
More than 95 percent of residential properties across Fairfax County has been assessed lower in 2009 than a year before and, combined with commercial property, the county’s total real estate tax base is off a whopping $22.9 billion over 2008, according to figures released by the county government Monday. (Sun Gazette)
MARYLAND REAL ID DEBATE
The days of Maryland being one of the few states to hand out driver's licenses or identification cards without proof of legal presence could be numbered. Although Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration has not introduced a bill on the issue, aides said he won't stand in the way of bringing Maryland closer to federal Real ID standards -- a new set of national identification guidelines that go into effect in 2010 and call for applicants to provide proof they are in the country legally. (The Capital)
RED CROSS HURTING
Grappling with the worsening economy and a growing number of requests for disaster relief, the area Red Cross has joined the ranks of nonprofit groups in need of financial help. Already since the beginning of the new year, the organization has come to the aid of more than 160 families after disasters in its coverage area. The Red Cross provides assistance, such as shelter, food, clothing and transportation, to displaced individuals, namely victims of house fires. (The Capital)
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
MARYLAND TURN SIGNAL LEGISLATION
It wasn't an aggressive driver cutting him off on the Beltway but a network news report that led Del. Brian J. Feldman to introduce a bill to require drivers to signal when changing lanes. The NBC Nightly News report said that while most states require drivers to use a turn signal when changing lanes, Maryland does not, said Feldman (D-Dist. 15), of Potomac. On Friday, the House of Delegates voted 107-26 in favor of Feldman's bill to change that. The bill would make it a misdemeanor if a driver does not signal for at least the last 100 feet before the lane change. (Gazette)
DRIVE THRU DRUG DEALER
A cashier at a drive-through window at a McDonald's in Edgewater has been arrested and charged with drug violations after undercover Anne Arundel County police detectives purchased marijuana there, police said Monday. (Baltimore Sun)
DEER PARTS DUMPED
Middletown resident Charles Dalton is used to having things dumped on his property off Poffenberger Road.
He has seen washers, dryers, sofas, mattresses and other bulky items. "It's an on-going thing," he said. Friday brought the most gruesome discovery. (Frederick News Post)
EAGLES' NEST REMOVED
A federal biologist plans to climb 80 feet into an ancient oak tree near Glenn L. Martin State Airport this morning to knock down a nest built by a breeding pair of bald eagles. The eviction is part of an effort to drive the nesting birds away from the airport, where they have been judged a hazard to aircraft operations. (Baltimore Sun)
CHICK-FIL-A MASCOT ROUGHED UP
A mascot at the Chick-fil-A in Central Park was jumped last week while working at the restaurant. The victim, dressed as a cow, was standing outside the restaurant when he was approached by a man who yelled at him and pushed him to the ground, according to a release by Fredericksburg Police Department spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe. (Fredericksburg.com)
