The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
RIVER ROAD WATERMAIN BREAK IMPACT
In the wake of national media spotlight surrounding the water rescues on River Road when a massive water main burst there last month, some have raised concerns about the environmental impact of the break. The 66-inch main broke near River Road and Fenway Road, Dec. 23, trapping 15 motorists and passengers, necessitating rescues via swift boat and helicopter and affecting operations at area hospitals and schools. The water that flowed from the main was estimated by Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission officials to be in the "millions" of gallons, with many likening River Road to an actual river. (Gazette)
MURDERER CAPTURED
A convicted murderer serving 40 years at the Maryland Correctional Institution at Hagerstown, who escaped Jan 17, was captured yesterday afternoon by state troopers after a foot chase in the tiny community of Boonsboro, about six miles south of the prison, state police said. Fingerprints taken at the state police barracks at Hagerstown were confirmed through an FBI comparison and identified the man as Kandelario Garcia-Ramos, 23, convicted for the 2007 fatal stabbing of his boss at a Prince George's County tire firm, police said. (Baltimore Sun)
FREDERICK SWIMMING SAVED
Under mounting pressure from student swimmers chanting outside their headquarters on Wednesday, members of the Frederick County Board of Education decided not to cut competitive swimming programs. Instead, school officials will try to reduce the cost of operating the swimming pools at Frederick, Middletown and Walkersville high schools. (Gazette)
VIRGINIA CELL PHONE/ DRIVING BAN
A Senate committee has passed legislation that would ban using a hand-held cell phone while driving.Sen. Patricia Ticer's bill would allow drivers to use the cell phone if it was equipped with a hands-free device. Drivers would be allowed to use a hand-held cell phone in an emergency. Law enforcement and emergency personnel would not be included in the ban. (WTOP.com)
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Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
LEGGETT ENDORSES LIGHT RAIL
Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett endorsed a light-rail plan for a Purple Line link between Bethesda and New Carrollton yesterday and said he had secured a promise from state officials that the county would bear no construction costs "to the extent feasible." (Washington Post)
PRINCE GEORGE'S TAX INCREASE
Prince George's County should consider raising taxes and imposing new fees in order to maintain services during the current recession, according to a report by a San Francisco, Calif.-based financial consultant. "To continue levels of service and public safety, the county will have to find new revenue sources," Calvin Grigsby wrote in his report for the county, "Adjusting to the Fiscal Impact of the Economic Downturn." (Gazette)
VIRGINIA SCHOOL CUTS
Representatives from virtually every school district in the state descended on Richmond Jan. 22 to voice their opposition to the governor's budget plan for education. At issue is Gov. Tim Kaine's proposal to cut spending for public schools in the wake of the economic downturn. While the state's superintendents don't want any cuts, their big problem is that the proposed $400 million in reductions is permanent, not temporary. "School board members understand that in times of severe economic downturns, like now, the state may have to temporarily, but not permanently, reduce funding for public school students," said Stuart Gibson of Fairfax, president of the Virginia School Boards Association. (Gainesville Times)
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POPE / YOU TUBE
The Vatican is launching its own YouTube channel to engage more with the digital generation and better control Pope Benedict XVI's online image. Officials from Vatican Television and Google announced the channel Friday. (AP/USA Today)
