The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
STOCKS FALL ON HOUSING NUMBERS
Stocks fell sharply lower this morning after a new report showed that existing home sales fell to their lowest level in 11 years, providing fresh concern about the continuing downward spiral of the housing market. (Washington Post)
HOPKINS RAISING TUITION
The Johns Hopkins University announced this morning it is raising undergraduate tuition by 3.8 percent, to almost $40,000, for the next academic year. It's the smallest percentage increase in the last 35 years for Hopkins' two largest undergraduate schools. Hopkins, which has recently embarked on a major cost-cutting campaign, said it tried to limit the increase in response to the recession that is taking a toll on students and their families. The increase of $1,450 will bring tuition to $39,150. (Baltimore Sun)
VIRGINIA NEW DRIVERS LICENSES
The Department of Motor Vehicles is rolling out a new look for Virginia licenses. Starting in March, the state will begin issuing new licenses and ID cards with black-and-white photos intended to improve security and blunt counterfeiting. (wtop.com)
DC STREETCARS IN THE FUTURE
The clanging of streetcars hasn't been heard in the District in almost two generations, but WTOP has learned the city's department of transportation is ready to get streetcars rolling once again. "You will see an announcement in the next few weeks," D.C. Department of Transportation Director Gabe Klein tells WTOP. (wtop.com)
METRO TO FREDERICKSBURG?
Extending Metrorail to the Fredericksburg area would cost $4.3 billion, four times the $1 billion cost of building high-occupancy toll lanes along Interstate 95. For the extra money, Metro could carry 9,600 people an hour, versus 6,000 people an hour in HOT lanes on I-95. But the Fredericksburg area is not expected to have the population, housing and employment density needed to support heavy rail, like Metro, by 2035. (Free Lance Star)
SHOPPING HOURS CUT BACK
With nobody shopping and more stores vacant, three area shopping centers will scale back their hours starting next week.
Westfield Montgomery Shopping Center, Westfield Wheaton Shopping Center and Westfield Annapolis Mall will open a half hour later and close a half hour earlier. (wtop.com)
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
HOUSE GETTING SMALLER!!
The national recession isn't just reducing the number of people looking to buy a home — in some areas, it's shrinking the size of new houses themselves. The average single-family home newly under construction in the fourth quarter of 2008 had a floor area of 2,343 square feet, an 8 percent drop from the same period during the previous year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Home sizes had steadily increased since 2002, the last year data was available, when the average single-family house had a floor area of 3,320 square feet. (Gazette)
VIRGINIA TEXTING
Put that Blackberry down while you're driving. The Senate yesterday passed a bill, already approved by the House, that bans texting or e-mailing while driving. That means you can't send a text or e-mail, and you also can't read one, unless you've stopped or parked the car. (Free Lance Star)
CHEVY CHASE READY TO CATCH MORE SPEEDERS
Chevy Chase Village plans to upgrade its four speed cameras to better capture speeders on Connecticut Avenue as part of a new contract to pay a flat monthly fee to the cameras' vendor. Under its agreement with ACS State and Local Solutions, the village's two portable and two fixed-pole cameras will be upgraded from radar to laser technology to better catch photos of vehicles going over the 30 mile-per-hour limit. This upgrade should also allow the two portable cameras, which currently operate only in daylight hours, to function 24 hours a day.(Gazette)
HEMP IS GOOD FOR YOU!
Long known for its strength and durability in products like clothing and paper, hemp might prove to be just as beneficial in another medium: food. Turns out, hemp is a leading source of protein (especially beneficial for vegetarians and vegans), it contains all 10 essential amino acids, it's high in fiber and it tastes good, too, even if it's an acquired taste. (Frederick News Post)
