The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
LOCAL BASEBALL PLAYER KILLED
Williamsport High School graduate Nick Adenhart, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels, died early this morning in a car accident in Fullerton, Calif., according to a family member. Three people were killed in the crash and another person was seriously injured. Authorities are blaming the three-vehicle accident on a motorist in a mini-van who ran a red light at East Orangethorpe Avenue and South Lemon Street. (WHAG-TV)
DC AREA HEALTHCARE SPENDING DOWN
Almost half of all D.C.-area residents have stopped purchasing brand name drugs in favor of their generic counterparts, according to a new online survey by Shugoll Research of Bethesda. The survey of 1,275 local consumers conducted March 27 to March 29 sought to determine the impact of the economy on prescription purchases and other health care practices. The poll found that 26 percent of participants have either delayed the renewal of their prescription drugs or resorted to taking smaller doses as a result of the economic recession. About 36 percent have delayed their search for medical care because of costs. (Washington Business Journal)
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY LAYOFFS
Despite efforts to get additional state aid, Prince George's County is still likely to lay off employees, with some job eliminations coming before July, a county official said. Michael Herman, chief of staff for County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D), said April 1 that the county will terminate at least a portion of the 307 positions the executive has proposed cutting in the fiscal 2010 budget to balance a $113 million deficit. (Gazette)
DEVELOPERS WANT VACANT DC SCHOOL BUILDINGS
Developers have expressed interest in all 11 of the vacant schools being offered by D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty, but two -- Hine Jr. High School and Stevens Elementary School -- received the vast majority of the interest There are 10 bids for Hine, a 131,300-square-foot Capitol Hill school next door to Eastern Market, and nine for Stevens, located just east of Washington Circle on 21st Street in Foggy Bottom. Both Bertie Backus Middle School on South Dakota Avenue NE and Grimke Elementary School at 1925 Vermont Avenue NW in the U Street corridor received three bids. The seven other schools received either two bids or one. (Washington Business Journal)
TRASH STINKS UP A DUMFRIES NEIGHBORHOOD
Donna Hessein took a Spring Break excursion Wednesday morning. But the destination wasn’t really what the English-as-a-second-language teacher had in mind for her week off from Potomac Middle School. Hessein lives in the Lake Crest subdivision on Va. 234 near Montclair. She pays $115 every three months in homeowners association dues, supposedly for services such as trash collection. But the company that manages the community hasn’t sent garbage trucks there for the past two weeks, Hessein and some of her neighbors said this week. (insidenova.com)
SUNDAY HUNTING
A bill to allow Sunday hunting in Frederick County passed both chambers of Maryland's General Assembly. The Senate passed the bill Wednesday by a vote of 44-2. Both Frederick County senators voted for it. Democratic Sens. Nathaniel Exum of Prince George's County and Verna Jones of Baltimore city were opposed. (Frederick News Post)
LOCAL POWERBALL WINNER
The Giant at 1535 Alabama Avenue in Southeast sold Wednesday's lone winning ticket. The winning numbers were 1, 6, 48, 52, 56 and powerball 9. (wtop.com)
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
COUCHES ON PORCHES
The Mount Rainier City Council voted 3-2 Tuesday night to ban upholstered furniture made for indoor use from being placed on outdoor porches. The city will enact the ban May 7. Councilman Byran Knedler (Ward 2) originally introduced the ordinance in response to a November 2006 house fire started by a lit cigarette discarded on a couch on a porch. (Gazette)
CHEAP COFFEE!!
On April 21, Dunkin' Donuts Small Iced Coffees will be sold for 50 cents, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit Homes for Our Troops. (Washington Examiner)
