The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
Deal Forged to Ban Smoking in Va. Restaurants, Bars
Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and House Speaker William J. Howell announced a deal Thursday morning to ban smoking in restaurants and bars in Virginia, a monumental decision in a state built on the profits of cigarette sales that remains the home to the nation's largest tobacco company. (Washington Post)
D.C. Firefighter had Threatened to Shoot Coworkers
A D.C. firefighter who allegedly shot and wounded his former fiancee and her parents before killing himself had recently threatened to bring a gun into a firehouse and shoot his coworkers, WTOP has learned. Court records show Dante Paire told a coworker last month that if his coworkers at the D.C. Fire Department "keep [expletive] with me, I am going to walk up in the firehouse dressed in all black and shoot them [expletive]." (WTOP)
Vermin Invade Dorm Rooms
Freshman Chrissy Boyer and Megan DeSmit have grown accustomed to stolen Dove chocolate, chewed text books and the snapping sound of mouse traps in their Jefferson Hall residence hall room. The mice tally on their white board reads 11 killed. Using snap traps they bought themselves, Boyer and DeSmit caught two mice before winter break and nine mice since returning from winter break. (UMWBullet.com)
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Prince George's Sets Goals for Soccer Stadium
Prince George's County officials said they will continue to woo the D.C. United soccer team to move to the county, especially now that a site team officials were considering in Washington, D.C., is facing an uncertain future. "We think our chances just went up," said David C. Byrd, deputy chief administrative officer for governmental relations for Prince George's, who has led efforts to attract the professional soccer team over the past year. "Of course, we felt pretty good to begin with." (Gazette.net)
Horse Injured in Inaugural Parade Visits Days End Farm
Mouse, a 10-year-old dark appaloosa gelding, arrived with his owner at Days End Farm Horse Rescue for a visit. Two weeks ago, he injured his back left leg at the presidential Inaugural Parade when he spooked after seeing a horse and carriage, got his legs caught in the grill of a parked truck and fell. (Frederick News Post)
