The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
MARYLAND WINE STUDY
Consumer advocates are worried that a study of whether to overturn Maryland's much-criticized ban on direct-to-home shipments of wine might be stained by the same alcohol interests that have blocked changes in the General Assembly for years. Wine drinkers said they were dismayed to find that they weren't invited to the first meeting last week held by the Maryland comptroller's office to study the wine-shipping issue. (Baltimore Sun)
UMD WANTS PURPLE LINE TUNNEL
Officials at the University of Maryland, College Park, want the Maryland Transit Administration to run its proposed Purple Line through a yet-to-be-built underground tunnel on campus, but planners insist an above-ground route along the campus' main road is still the project's only viable option. MTA officials have long favored running the Purple Line -- a proposed 16-mile, $1.5 billion light rail from New Carrollton to Bethesda -- along Campus Drive, the university's most-trafficked road, to make it more accessible for students and staff. UM officials objected, saying the train could hit pedestrians and interfere with nearby research equipment. (Gazette)
JIMINY CRICKET(S) IN CLASS
Perhaps if Jiminy Cricket were real, he could have advised a high school student that it was a bad idea to let loose a bunch of crickets in the halls of his high school. When Jinhan N. Kim asked for help buying a bag of about 150 crickets for a senior prank at Thomas Stone High School, his adoptive father saw no reason for alarm. (The Independent)
GREASY SPOON TURNS TO LOCALLY GROWN FOODS
They are often called "greasy spoons." But a local diner has become anything BUT. The Silver Diner -- with 18 locations in the area -- is going from farm to table. The menu now has a food supply that's locally grown and raised, from all natural milk and dairy to multigrain breads. (wtop.com)
