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Kansas City Royals beat Oakland A's to win wild-card game, 9-8, in extra inningsBarry Svrluga
KANSAS CITY, MO. — Here is how October began: with a game that started on a September evening, that ended four hours and 45 minutes later, with a 47-year-old starch-collared executive tearing up in his team's clubhouse as his team — which he assembled — acted like 4-year-olds all around him, toddlers who had gotten into the Champagne. Read full article >>
Pentagon to target its hospitals providing poor care following reviewDan Lamothe
A system-wide review of the military's healthcare system has determined that eight facilities run by the Pentagon have "significantly higher than expected" rates of patients getting sick following treatment but that the system overall provides quality care. Read full article >>
Hong Kong protest draws biggest crowds yet on holiday celebrating Communist PartyWilliam Wan
HONG KONG — On a holiday meant to celebrate the birth of China's communist republic, Hong Kong residents instead swarmed the streets Wednesday to protest Beijing's iron grip over their government and demand democratic reforms. Read full article >>
The great disconnect: A big chunk of the world's offline population actually lives in the U.S.Caitlin Dewey
More than 2.7 billion people are now online, according to a new report by the consulting firm McKinsey & Co. But by all accounts, that number should be far greater. The report, which analyzed 20 years of academic and government research on global Internet adoption, parsed trends in technology use and the factors that influence its growth — or stagnation. Ominously, the researchers found that Internet adoption has actually slowed in recent years and will continue slowing in the immediate future. Worse, the vast majority of the world's "offline population" is concentrated in 20 countries. The United States, of all places, is one of them. Read full article >>
Reporting on Ebola: First rule is you don't touch anyoneLenny Bernstein
MONROVIA, Liberia — I was goofing around with a small group of young children outside their home on a muddy, cratered road in the New Kru Town slum here. I made a scary face and the kids skittered, giggling, behind a low wall at the front of their shanty. Then they peeked out, hoping for more. Read full article >>
In Ferguson, protesters and police forced to learn as they go amid continued standoffRobert Samuels
FERGUSON, Mo. — The pepper spray and rubber bullets have disappeared from the nightly protests on the streets of Ferguson. Also missing Monday evening were 13 air mattresses, 10 tents, five coolers, four yellow hoodies and a textbook on constitutional law. Read full article >>
Fighting intensifies in Ukraine as pro-Russian rebels move in on Donetsk airportMichael Birnbaum
MOSCOW — Fighting intensified in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday despite a fragile cease-fire, as pro-Russian rebels appeared to be close to capturing the strategically important Donetsk airport. The fighting was some of the worst since a Sept. 5 cease-fire calmed the conflict, although shelling and casualties have continued throughout the nearly four weeks since the agreement was reached. Ukraine's military and rebel forces said the fighting had gotten worse Wednesday, as rebels vowed to retake a strategically important landmark that has remained in government hands for almost all of the six-month-long conflict. Read full article >>
Stunning aerials of Spanish landscapes in the fallNicole Crowder
In fall of 2013, David Maisel was invited to Spain as part of the photographic project ToledoContemporánea, in which 12 photographers were commissioned to create work about the Spanish city of Toledo as a commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the painter El Greco's death. Read full article >>
The Fix: President Obama is winning on a foreign policy issue — for a changeAaron Blake
Get ready to pop the champagne, White House. For the first time since January, President Obama is polling a 50 percent approval rating on an issue: his handling of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. That is not a typo: It has been eight months since Obama last cracked half the American public on any given issue -- foreign policy or otherwise -- in Washington Post/ABC News polling. Read full article >>
Fact Checker: The Braley-Ernst clash over 'personhood' in IowaGlenn Kessler
Rep. Bruce Braley (D-Iowa): "What I won't do is support the type of legislation that Sen. Ernst introduced in Iowa—which would have banned all forms of abortion, that would have prevented certain forms of contraception from being available to Iowa women, that would have prevented in vitro fertilization and prosecuted doctors for performing what are now legal procedures…." Read full article >>
House Republicans, on their heels after shutdown, now in position to add to majorityPaul Kane
One year after plunging the country into what was then regarded as a near-apocalyptic 16-day shutdown of the federal government, House Republicans find themselves, improbably, in their strongest position politically since the earliest days of their majority in 2011. Read full article >>
WorldViews: 9 attempts to explain the crazy complexity of the Middle EastAdam Taylor
The Middle East is complicated. The religious, social and political cleavages of the region are myriad and hard to succinctly sum up. How do you untangle the Israeli-Palestinian situation, or explain the divide between Sunni Islam and Shia Islam, or square those who favor political Islam with those who favor secular government? Where do other religious and political minorities fit in? And where do big powers outside the region, most obviously the United States, exert influence? Read full article >>
First U.S. case of Ebola diagnosed in Texas after man who came from Liberia falls illMark Berman, Brady Dennis, Elahe Izadi
A man who flew from Liberia to Dallas this month was diagnosed with Ebola on Tuesday, becoming the first person to board a passenger jet and unknowingly bring the disease here from West Africa, where it has killed thousands of people in recent months. Read full article >>
Armed contractor with criminal record was on elevator with Obama in AtlantaCarol D. Leonnig
From shaming to semi-stalking, Democrats flood inboxes for last-minute campaign cashEd O'Keefe
Suspect in Hannah Graham disappearance described as popular athlete, 'gentle giant'T. Rees Shapiro, Matt Zapotosky, Paul Duggan
Editorial: U.S. should send signal to China in support of Hong Kong democracy movementEditorial Board
IT'S HARD not to be inspired by the images of crowds in the center of Hong Kong peacefully demonstrating in favor of democracy, their unlikely symbol not a clenched fist but an open umbrella. But it's also difficult not to remember the similar mass demonstrations that filled Beijing's Tiananmen Square 25 years ago and how those ended. The pessimistic consensus in and outside China is that the Communist party leadership of Xi Jinping, which has adopted a hard line against political dissent, is likely to forcibly crush this protest movement if it persists, just as the last one was crushed. Read full article >>
As Ebola confirmed in U.S., CDC vows: 'We're stopping it in its tracks'Mark Berman, J. Freedom du Lac, Elahe Izadi, Brady Dennis
Months after the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history began ravaging West African countries, a man who flew from Liberia to Dallas became the first case of Ebola to be diagnosed in the United States. Health officials stressed that they are confident they can control this situation and keep the virus from spreading in the U.S. Read full article >>
In Modi's visit to MLK memorial, a touch of diplomatic poetryCarol Morello, Katie Zezima
U.S. to greatly expand resettlement for Syrian refugeesAnne Gearan
Michael Phelps arrested on DUI chargesKent Babb, Marissa Payne
Hong Kong erupts even as China tightens screws on civil societySimon Denyer
BEIJING — Chinese leaders unnerved by protests elsewhere this year have been steadily tightening controls over civic organizations on the mainland suspected of carrying out the work of foreign powers. The campaign aims to insulate China from subversive Western ideas such as democracy and freedom of expression, and from the influence, specifically, of U.S. groups that may be trying to promote those values here, experts say. That campaign is long-standing, but it has been prosecuted with renewed vigor under President Xi Jinping, especially after the overthrow of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych following months of street demonstrations in Kiev that were viewed here as explicitly backed by the West. Read full article >>
Milbank: Julia Pierson puts the 'secret' in Secret ServiceDana Milbank
Julia Pierson is really putting "secret" into the Secret Service. First, her agency declared that the White House fence jumper who made it all the way into the Executive Mansion was unarmed; turned out later that he had a knife. Read full article >>
Report: CDC has confirmed an Ebola case in TexasJ. Freedom du Lac, Sarah Larimer, Elahe Izadi
UPDATE: The Dallas-Fort Worth CBS affiliate is reporting that a patient who was being evaluated for Ebola has tested positive for the virus. According to Reuters, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed the case -- the first time Ebola has been diagnosed in the United States. Read full article >>
In Hong Kong, protesters and government officials try to sway the silent majorityWilliam Wan
HONG KONG — On the eve of what could be the biggest turnout yet in Hong Kong's continuing protests, and a crucial test of wills on both sides, a demonstration that began with physical confrontation between authorities and pro-democracy demonstrators shifted Tuesday into a public relations duel aimed at the mass of undecided residents here. Read full article >>
In the Loop: Former senator Larry Craig owes U.S. Treasury $242,000 over airport sex-sting arrest, judge saysAl Kamen, Spencer Hsu
Microsoft jumps straight to Windows 10, brings back the Start MenuHayley Tsukayama
U.S. and Britain combine to launch the largest day yet for airstrikes in Iraq and SyriaDan Lamothe
Secret Service director promises full security review after White House breachBrian Murphy
With questions mounting about the competency and command of the Secret Service, House lawmakers on Tuesday grilled the agency's director and called for a wide-ranging probe into this month's White House breach and every level of the elite force. Read full article >>
What we know about Alton Nolen, who has been charged with murder in the Oklahoma beheading caseAbby Ohlheiser
Alton Nolen was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder and assault in the decapitation of a former co-worker at a processing plant in Oklahoma. He could face the death penalty, a county prosecutor said. Read full article >>
Wonkblog: Will deBlasio's big raise for low-wage workers encourage other cities to follow suit?Michael A. Fletcher
White House intruder was tackled by off-duty Secret Service agentCarol D. Leonnig
Wonkblog: HHS is kicking immigrants off Obamacare coverage without fair warning, complaints allegeJason Millman
Wonkblog: We've killed off half the world's animals since 1970Christopher Ingraham
The new Living Planet Index report from the World Wildlife Fund opens with a jaw-dropping statistic: we've killed roughly half of the world's non-human vertebrate animal population since 1970. The main culprits? Exploitation (i.e., overfishing and overhunting), and habitat degradation. Read full article >>
U.S., Afghanistan sign long-delayed security pactSudarsan Raghavan
KABUL — The United States and Afghanistan on Tuesday signed a vital security deal that allows some American troops to remain in Afghanistan beyond this year, ensuring a continuing U.S. presence in the region. Read full article >>
The FCC just sacked the sports blackout ruleBrian Fung
Amal Alamuddin's wedding dress photos: How celebs like George Clooney turn marriage into paydayEmily Yahr
America's disabled veterans get a memorial all their ownThomas Gibbons-Neff
EBay to spin off PayPal in 2015Sarah Halzack
EBay announced Tuesday that it planned to spin off PayPal, the digital payment system that it bought in 2002 and that today accounts for about half of the Silicon Valley giant's revenue. EBay said that in today's climate of fast-moving innovation in e-commerce and new competition in the online payments space, it no longer believes it's an advantage to have the two businesses tethered together. Read full article >>
NFL penalizes Muslim player for praying after Chiefs touchdownCindy Boren
When Kansas City Chiefs safety Husain Abdullah intercepted a Tom Brady pass and returned it for a touchdown Monday night, he did what so many other NFL players do to celebrate a big play: He paused to make a religious gesture of thanks. Read full article >>
Living in the Shadows: The Australian aboriginal community in New South WalesNicole Crowder
In 1835, the town now known as Wilcannia, New South Wales, Australia, was "discovered" by explorer Maj. Thomas Mitchell. Located far inland on the shores of the Darling river, the name originates from the language of the local Barkindji people and is thought to translate to mean either "gap in the bank where the floodwaters escape" or "wild dog." The polarity of this lost translation has come to reflect the identity of the Barkindji, who have called the area home since long before Mitchell arrived. Read full article >>
Ted Cruz finds a core of support among social conservatives frustrated with GOPSebastian Payne, Robert Costa
While there is not yet a front-runner in the early race for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) is quickly becoming the favored contender of social conservatives, riding a recent wave of fiery speeches and standing ovations at right-wing conferences. Read full article >>
Fact Checker: Did Intelligence agencies or the White House err on Islamic State?Glenn Kessler
The Washington Post's Ben Bradlee now in hospice carePaul Farhi
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Secret Service Director Julia Pierson resigns amid recent White House security breachWJLA-TV
WASHINGTON (ABC News/AP) - Secret Service Director Julia Pierson resigned Wednesday in the wake of her poorly received Congressional testimony about the recent White House break-in. The Sept 19 incident involving a Texas Army veteran who jumped the White House fence and was able to make it deep into the Executive Mansion before being stopped is now just one of several embarrassing disclosures about lapses in presidential security involving the Secret Service. The alleged intruder, Omar J. Gonzalez, pleaded not guilty through his attorney Wednesday in federal court. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said Wednesday that Pierson offered her resignation, and he accepted it. Joseph Clancy, former agent in charge of presidential protection, has been named the interim director. Pierson had worked at the Secret Service for 30 years.
Drones being used in search for Hannah Graham as forensic work continuesWJLA-TV
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WJLA?AP) - Police are now using drones to aid in their search for missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham. It marks the first time drones have been used by law enforcement in Virginia. Officials said drones allow them to search areas that they otherwise wouldn't be able to easily access. Police still aren't saying much at all about their evidence against the suspect in Graham's disappearance, but they seem to be working systematically to link his DNA to an expanding circle of attacks on women, a criminal defense expert has suggested. Between searches of Jesse Leroy Matthew Jr.'s car and apartment and his arrest on a charge of abducting Graham last week, police had ample opportunity to obtain genetic evidence connecting him to multiple attacks, said Steve Benjamin, past president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The Virginia State Police announced Monday that Matthew's arrest had provided a "forensic link" to the unsolved 2009 slaying of Morgan Harrington, a 20-year-old whose remains were found in a hayfield three months after she disappeared from a Metallica concert on the Charlottesville campus. The FBI said in 2012 that DNA evidence showed that Harrington's killer also was responsible for a 2005 rape in northern Virginia, so Matthew could be linked to that assault as well, although City of Fairfax police declined to comment, citing their ongoing investigation. Benjamin said Sept. 19 searches of Matthew's car and home would have been opportunities to obtain DNA evidence - perhaps from saliva on a toothbrush or dirty cup - as a preliminary step that could establish probable cause to obtain a search warrant for a more definitive cheek swab. "If you're going to rely on a DNA match (at trial), police are going to obtain what they call a direct reference sample," Benjamin said. "Anything else is helpful, but not as probative." Matthew showed up at the Charlottesville police station the day after the search and asked to see a lawyer. Benjamin said police could have asked Matthew to voluntarily submit to a cheek swab at that time, perhaps suggesting they were looking to exclude him as a suspect - a common police tactic. It would take only an afternoon to obtain the DNA profile and run it through a databank to link it to other cases, Benjamin said. The only thing police have said about the visit to the police station, though, is that Matthew sped away from officers who had him under surveillance. Authorities didn't see him again until a deputy sheriff arrested him Sept. 24 on a beach near Galveston, Texas. By then, police had charged Matthew with abduction with intent to defile, or sexually molest, the 18-year-old Graham. That arrest on a violent felony charge gave police authority under state law to take a cheek swab without Matthew's consent after he was returned late Friday to Virginia, where he is being held without bond in the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. On Monday, Virginia State Police announced that his arrest had produced a "significant breakthrough" that investigators of Harrington's death will pursue. Matthew is scheduled to appear by video link for a bond hearing in Charlottesville General District Court on Thursday. He has not been charged with either Harrington's slaying or the Fairfax City rape. Harrington, a Virginia Tech student from Roanoke, left the concert and was denied re-entry, stranding her outside. Matthew, a hospital worker, had a license to drive a taxi at the time, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles. Her parents have always believed she was the victim of a serial offender. They even started "Help Save the Next Girl," a non-profit foundation aimed at protecting young women. Discussing the case Tuesday outside their home north of Roanoke, Dan Harrington said Matthew's arrest triggered a mixture of relief, sadness and anxiety over revisiting details of their daughter's death. But the top priority, he said, should be finding Hannah. "I think it's the most important thing," he said. "I mean, Morgan's in a box in the living room. We know where she is; she's not coming back. Hannah, there's still hope for Hannah. And I think that it's critical for us to for the community to find her." While Virginia State Police have released no details about their forensic evidence, the FBI said in 2012 that DNA links the Harrington case with a rape in the city of Fairfax on Sept. 24, 2005. A 26-year-old woman was abducted and sexually assaulted while walking home from the store about 10 p.m. on a Saturday night, police said; the assailant grabbed her from behind, dragged her into a wooded area behind some townhomes, and fled when he was startled by a passerby, police said. At the time, police described the assailant as a black man in his mid-20s to mid-30s with a medium to heavy build, short hair and a beard. Matthew's current description: black, 6-feet-2, about 270 pounds with dreadlocks. Matthew's lawyer, James Camblos, said he met with his client for about 2 hours Tuesday but still doesn't know what evidence police have. Graham's disappearance is on the minds of many people in Charlottesville. Having lunch on a park bench near the courthouse, Cora Kessler, 21, said she has lived in the area her whole life and this case has made her more cautious, but she still believes her community is safe. "I don't want people to get the idea that it's full of serial killers," she said. Neighbors of Matthew said they are shocked, frightened and disturbed by the accusations against him. "It's scary for any woman to be out there," said Bev Johnston, whose apartment is in the same building as Matthew's.
Police: Man killed his boss' wife, himself in Potomac over workplace theft accusationThe Associated Press, ABC 7 News
POTOMAC, Md. (AP/WJLA) - Police said a man killed his boss' wife and then himself after being accused of a theft in the workplace. Montgomery County police on Wednesday identified the suspect in Tuesday's murder-suicide in Potomac as 42-year-old Andrew Racca of Chevy Chase. Racca worked at the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in Bethesda, where Richard Mattingly was one of his managers. Police said Racca was told by management on Monday that an alleged workplace theft he'd committed would be reported to authorities. Police said Racca didn't come to work on Tuesday and was found dead inside a car that crashed into a tree along Piney-Meetinghouse Road that afternoon. Officers said they found a gun inside the car. The crash site was near Mattingly's home on Great Elm Drive. Mattingly's wife, 57-year-old Carolyn Mattingly, was found dead in the garage of their home following a small fire. Authorities have not officially determined the cause and manner of death for Racca and Carolyn Mattingly and said both remained under investigation.
Adams Morgan named one of America's best neighborhoodsWJLA-TV
WASHINGTON (WJLA) - Washington D.C.'s Adams Morgan is one of the 10 best neighborhoods in the country, according to a new list released by the American Planning Association. The association, according to a WTOP-FM report, said Adams Morgan boasts impressive nightlife options as well as strong cultural diversity. The Northwest neighborhood also scores well with its improved infrastructure and public spaces. In another American Planning Association list, Pennsylvania Avenue was named one of the nation's top streets, a distinction earned for its blend of public spaces, government buildings and a famous resident or two.
Upper Marlboro sweethearts Kaisha Sutton and Quinton Huguley win $80,000 dream wedding from Arena Stage in D.C.ABC 7 News
WASHINGTON (WJLA) - One couple of college sweethearts from Maryland is about to get the wedding of their dreams - for free. Kaisha Sutton and Quinton Huguley of Upper Marlboro were recently announced as the winners of an $80,000 dream wedding from Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater in D.C. The contest was part of the celebration of the opening of Arena Stage's upcoming production of the classic musical Fiddler on the Roof. To enter the contest, couples had to prove to the character Tevye - the patriarch of the family the musical centers on, who has five daughters of his own - why they are the "perfect match." Arena Stage spokespersons said Sutton and Huguley were selected from more than 100 applicants by Broadway veteran Jonathan Hadary, who stars as Tevye in the Arena Stage production, and the show's artistic director, Molly Smith. "Through two rounds of video submissions, Sutton and Huguley shared their commitment to genuine, long-lasting love, and gave the judges a sneak peak at one of the new family traditions they have established as a couple—creating a time capsule to celebrate their favorite memories and journey together, which began in 2008 when they met on their first day of classes at Mount St. Mary's University," Arena Stage representatives said in a press release. Sutton is a program coordinator with the State Department, and Huguley is a police officer at the Department of Defense. The couple has reportedly been together for six years. As the winners of the wedding contest, Sutton and Huguley will receive a wedding ceremony, cocktail hour and reception for up to 175 guests at the Mead Center for American Theater, free of charge. The full wedding package includes free use of the venue, catering, and a wedding cake by RSVP Catering, as well as décor by Design Foundry, music and lighting by Bruce Pike Productions, floral design, valet parking by MJ Valet, a bridal suite provided by the Mandarin Oriental hotel in D.C., an engagement portrait session by Cameron Whitman Photography, a photo booth from Poshbooth, wedding day photography by Steve and Jane, wedding day videography, event planning services by Belle Notte and Simply Breathe Events, and a custom wedding hanger from Wedding Hanger Shop. To top it all off, the couple will also receive an invitation to the Fiddler on the Roof official opening night performance and exclusive post-show party, and "other surprises as planning progresses," the venue announced. The Sutton-Huguley dream wedding is scheduled for Jan. 2.
FOUND: 13-year-old Destiny Burton of D.C., missing since TuesdayABC 7 News 3 hrs ago
WASHINGTON (WJLA) - A 13-year-old girl, Destiny Burton, who had been reported missing by police earlier Wednesday, has been found. Destiny Burton of Southeast D.C. was last seen Tuesday. Police reported her as "critically missing" Wednesday morning. "Critically missing" indicates police feel the missing person may be in danger and that his or her disappearance is out of character.
Former Democratic Party official Michael Gardner of Falls Church arrested on new child molestation chargesJennifer van der Kleut
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (WJLA) - After a previous conviction and 22-year prison sentence for similar alleged crimes was overturned earlier this year, former Democratic Party official Michael Gardner of Falls Church was arrested again on new charges of sexual abuse of a child this week. The new charges accuse Gardner of aggravated sexual battery of a 13-year-old family member. Gardner was taken to the Arlington County Adult Detention Center and will be held without bond pending his court appearance, City of Falls Church police said in a statement Wednesday. Police said these new allegations only came to light after Gardner was released from prison when his previous conviction was overturned in June. In 2012, Gardner stood trial on charges that he allegedly molested two girls, age 9 and 11, who attended a slumber party for his daughter's 10th birthday. He was also accused of molesting another child the previous night. During the trial, the prosecution said it had DNA evidence linking him to acts against the first two girls, though Gardner maintained he never touched them. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision regarding the charges against the third child on the previous night. In a 6-1 decision by the Virginia Supreme Court justices, the justices ruled that the Arlington County Circuit Court judge improperly barred witnesses from testifying about whether Gardner had a reputation as a good caretaker of children. The witnesses' testimony was limited to Gardner's general reputation as an honest and law-abiding citizen. Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn, who wrote the majority opinion, said that the Supreme Court has continuously ruled that any good character traits can be testified on by witnesses, if it is relevant to the case at hand. In his appeal, Gardner also claimed the judge erred in conducting a single trial for alleged offenses that occurred on consecutive nights. Gardner's wife, Robin, is a former mayor and councilmember for the City of Falls Church. She maintained her husband's innocence throughout the 2012 trial.
FCC to consider petition to ban Redskins name from public airwavesThe Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - The head of the Federal Communications Commission says the agency will consider a petition to ban the Washington Redskins nickname from the public airwaves. FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler says that the commission "will be dealing with that issue on the merits, and we'll be responding accordingly." A law professor has challenged the use of the name on broadcast television, saying it violates FCC rules against indecent content. Native American and other groups have demanded the name be changed, calling it a racial slur. Wheeler did not offer a timetable for a ruling on the matter. He has previously said he finds the name "offensive and derogatory," but that he hoped Redskins owner Dan Snyder would change it without any formal action. Snyder has vowed never to change the name.
Nats' Stephen Strasburg ready for first playoff appearanceThe Associated Press 5 hrs ago
WASHINGTON (AP) - About a half-hour before game time on the days Stephen Strasburg starts at home for the Washington Nationals, he emerges from the dugout and walks along the right-field line with pitching coach Steve McCatty, hearing cheers from spectators along the way. Strasburg might tote a plastic water bottle in his back pocket; McCatty usually drapes a white towel over a shoulder. When they arrive at the outfield's far corner, the 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-hander stretches. He'll limber up by tossing a baseball there before moving into the bullpen to warm up in earnest while McCatty watches with arms crossed. Eventually, Strasburg heads to the mound at the center of the diamond for his final preparatory throws. The Nationals Park announcer introduces the fielders, finishing with Strasburg's name, as the heavy-driving bass of the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" fills the stadium. That familiar sequence will take place in October for the first time when Strasburg makes his postseason debut, probably Friday in Washington's NL Division Series opener against Pittsburgh or San Francisco. Shut down by the Nationals in September 2012 to protect his surgically repaired right elbow, Strasburg was not allowed to pitch in those playoffs - a decision debated around baseball. The Nationals themselves, not surprisingly, are mostly mum on the subject these days. "It's worked as planned," said general manager Mike Rizzo, the man mainly responsible for holding out Strasburg two years ago, when Washington was eliminated in Game 5 of the NLDS by St. Louis. Owner Mark Lerner calls sitting Strasburg in 2012 "one of the easiest decisions that we've ever had to make. It took 30 seconds." "I don't regret it. It was the right thing for the young man in the long term," Lerner said. "You've got the naysayers out there. That's fine. But we're very comfortable in the decision that was made, and I think we'd do it all over again." Said McCatty: "It's a moot point. We did what we had to do, what the club had to do. Stephen's come back, responded well, and he's ready to go." The No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 amateur draft went 14-11 with a 3.14 ERA this season, with career highs of 34 starts, 215 innings and 242 strikeouts. He was particularly strong down the stretch for the 96-win NL East champions, going 4-1 with a 1.13 ERA, 40 strikeouts and three walks over his final six starts, dating from Aug. 30. "I don't see it as, 'Strasburg got held out in 2012,'" shortstop Ian Desmond said. "I see it as, 'Strasburg's having a great year, has pitched unbelievable for us, and I wouldn't want to face him.'" Asked about the much-hyped Strasburg's much-discussed shutdown, rookie manager Matt Williams said: "Without passing any judgment one way or the other, it's probably a really important reason why he's here right now." The 26-year-old Strasburg is part of a rotation that's been nearly perfect lately. Take the last three starts for each member of the expected NLDS staff - Strasburg, Jordan Zimmermann, Doug Fister and Gio Gonzalez - and they're a combined 11-1 with a 1.07 ERA, 75 strikeouts and 11 walks. Zimmermann closed the regular season Sunday with Washington's first no-hitter. "There's no give," McCatty said. One stat Rizzo pointed to about Strasburg: increased velocity. He averaged 95.4 mph on fastballs in September, up from 94.1 in April, according to FanGraphs.com. "He's our horse," Rizzo said. "He's more mature personally, too; he's married and has a new baby. All of that has played into it and made him a more relaxed, more prepared pitcher." Strasburg himself does not seem all that interested in offering analysis. After his final regular-season outing - six innings, zero runs - Strasburg appeared dour as he spoke with the media in flat tones before a team spokesman cut off the session. Was there a moment where you gained confidence? "Um, it's tough to say. I think, just as the season went on, I got more comfortable out there executing pitches." Is this as well as you've felt physically? "I don't know. I mean, have a couple good games and everybody starts talking about that, and you have one bad one, and they're all questioning what's going on." How would you describe this stretch? "I don't know. I'm not going to worry about that stuff. All I can do is compete and let the chips fall."
13-year-old D.C. boy killed while playing with loaded handgunJennifer Donelan, John Gonzalez
WASHINGTON (WJLA) - A 13-year-old boy who was shot while he and another child were playing with a loaded handgun has died, sources told ABC 7 Thursday morning. The boy was shot along the 1400 block of Downing Street NE. Police were called just after 7:20 p.m. and found the boy conscious and breathing, but he later died at a nearby hospital. Sources also told ABC 7 that police have determined who the gun belonged to and that it was unregistered. Police said Tuesday that they had an underage suspect in custody.
Jose Santos Jr., of Falls Church, gets 12 years in near-fatal D.C. sex assaultThe Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - A Virginia man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in what prosecutors say was a sexual assault that was so violent, it nearly killed the victim. Jose Santos Jr. of Falls Church, Virginia, was sentenced in federal court in the District of Columbia on Tuesday. A jury found him guilty in March of first-degree sexual abuse. Prosecutors say the 24-year-old Santos met the victim the week of the attack and that the two had gone on two dates before agreeing to meet a third time. During a consensual sexual encounter in the District, prosecutors say Santos grew violent and without the woman's consent, forcefully sexually assaulted her. They say the woman had to undergo emergency surgeries and nearly died from blood loss caused by internal trauma.
D.C. officers begin wearing body camerasThe Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) - Police in the nation's capital will begin wearing cameras Wednesday to record them as they perform their duties and interact with the public. It's part of a $1 million pilot program that D.C. Metro Police Chief Cathy Lanier says will enhance safety for officers and the public and make investigations more efficient. More than 160 officers will be outfitted with the cameras, but Lanier says she hopes to expand that to the entire department within three years. Lanier says supervisors who investigate complaints against officers will be able to use the videos to look at what happened at the scene of an arrest or traffic stop. She says the cameras will ensure that both officers and the public behave better. The city's police union also supports the camera program.
Protesters heckle Hong Kong leader on National DayThe Associated Press
HONG KONG (AP) - Pro-democracy protesters kept behind police barricades heckled Hong Kong's embattled leader on Wednesday when he attended a flag-raising ceremony on China's National Day. The protesters, upset that Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying has refused to meet them, have threatened to expand their demonstrations unless he resigns and the Chinese leadership agrees to broader electoral reforms. The ceremony was held to mark the anniversary of the founding of communist China in 1949, and after the hundreds of protesters yelled at Leung to step down, they then fell silent and turned their backs when the ceremony began. Protest leaders were working on their response and it wasn't clear what they planned to do next. Options include widening the protests, pushing for a labor strike and occupying a government building. Chan Kin-man, one of the leaders of the Occupy Central movement, said the protests would continue as long as the Hong Kong government failed to give a satisfactory response to their demands for genuine democratic reforms for the territory's first direct elections in 2017. "I hope people will understand why the action keeps on escalating. It's because the government is getting more and more closed without listening to Hong Kong people," he told The Associated Press in an interview on the street. "If the government can give us a proper response in due course I think we can end the occupation immediately." Because it was a holiday, many families with children joined the thousands of protesters who thronged a six-lane highway in front of the government headquarters in the Admiralty area of Hong Kong. Many were students but there were also couples, retirees and foreigners who live in the city of 7 million. They are posing the stiffest challenge to Beijing's authority since China took control of the former British colony in 1997. The protesters oppose Beijing's decision last month that candidates for the territory's top post in the 2017 elections must be approved by a committee of mostly pro-Beijing local elites similar to the one that picked Leung for the job. The protesters don't want any such restrictions and see China as reneging on a promise that the chief executive will be chosen through "universal suffrage." Pierre Wong, a 36-year-old IT support technician, said it was his first day to join the protests that started last Friday. "I hope there will be democratic reform, instead of using the current framework," he said. "I came out today to support the movement. No student leaders or occupy leaders urged me to come out. I came out on my own." In his speech, Leung made no direct mention of the protesters, but he told voters it is better to agree to Beijing's plans for nominating candidates and to hold an election, than to stick with the current system of having an Election Commission choose the chief executive. "It is definitely better to have universal suffrage than not," Leung said. "It is definitely better to have the chief executive elected by 5 million eligible voters than by 1,200 people. And it is definitely better to cast your vote at the polling station than to stay home and watch on television the 1,200 members of the Election Committee cast their votes." As he spoke later to a group of dignitaries, pro-democracy lawmaker Leung Kwok-hung shouted for him to step down before he was bundled away by security. Local councilor Paul Zimmerman held up a yellow umbrella. The umbrella has become a symbol of the nonviolent civil disobedience movement because it has been used by protesters to deflect police pepper spray. "I'm here today with the yellow umbrella because it stands against the shooting of tear gas at the children of Hong Kong. I think we have destroyed the values of Hong Kong earlier this weekend by shooting tear gas at children," Zimmerman said. Throughout the protest zone, volunteers were manning supply stations under canopies to protect against the hot sun, handing out water, crackers, umbrellas, rain coats and plastic wrap - which was also used to protect against the pepper spray and tear gas used by police to try to disperse crowds over the weekend. China took control of Hong Kong in 1997 under an arrangement that guaranteed its 7 million people semi-autonomy, Western-style civil liberties and eventual democratic freedoms that are denied to Chinese living on the communist-ruled mainland. China's government has condemned the student-led protests as illegal, though so far it has not overtly intervened, leaving Hong Kong authorities to handle the crisis. Over the weekend, police fired tear gas and pepper spray in an attempt to disperse the protesters, but the demonstrations only spread. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has taken a hard line against any perceived threat to the Communist Party's hold on power, vowed in a National Day speech to "steadfastly safeguard" Hong Kong's prosperity and stability. The growing protests have attracted worldwide attention, with British Prime Minister David Cameron saying he planned to summon the Chinese ambassador to discuss the dispute, saying it is essential that Hong Kong's people have a genuine right to choose their top leader. "It is not for us to involve ourselves in every dot and comma of what the Chinese set out," Cameron said in England. But he added: "I think it is a critical question. Real universal suffrage doesn't just mean the act of voting; it means a proper choice."
Metro to run late-night service for Washington Nationals playoff gamesThe Associated Press
10 Virginia schools win National Blue Ribbon recognitionThe Associated Press
Man slain outside Bowie swim club; police search for gunmanABC 7 News
What is Ebola? How does it spread? Who is at risk?ABC News
NEW YORK (ABC News) - What Is Ebola? The Ebola virus is described as a group of viruses that cause a deadly kind of hemorrhagic fever. The term "hemorrhagic fever" means it causes bleeding inside and outside the body. The virus has a long incubation period of approximately eight to 21 days. Early symptoms include fever, muscle weakness, sore throat and headaches. As the disease progresses, the virus can impair kidney and liver function and lead to external and internal bleeding. It's one of the most deadly viruses on Earth with a fatality rate that can reach between approximately 50 to 90 percent. There is no cure. How Is It Transmitted? The virus is transmitted through contact with blood or secretions from an infected person, either directly or through contaminated surfaces, needles or medical equipment. A patient is not contagious until he or she starts showing signs of the disease. Thankfully, the virus is not airborne, which means a person cannot get the disease simply by breathing the same air as an infected patient Where Did the Virus Come From? The dangerous virus gets its name from the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which was near the site of one of the first outbreaks. The virus was first reported in 1976 in two almost simultaneous outbreaks in the Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. They killed 151 and 280 people, respectively. Certain bats living in tropical African forests are thought to be the natural hosts of the disease. The initial transmission of an outbreak usually results from a wild animal infecting a human, according to the WHO. Once the disease infects a person, it is easily transmissible between people in close contact. Until this outbreak, approximately 2,361 people had been infected since the disease was identified in 1976. More than 1,548 of those infected died from it. Who is at Risk? The virus is not airborne, which means those in close contact can be infected and are most at risk. A person sitting next to an infected person, even if they are contagious, is not extremely likely to be infected. Health workers and caregivers of the sick are particularly at risk for the disease because they work in close contact with infected patients during the final stages of the disease when the virus can cause internal and external bleeding. In this outbreak alone, more than 100 health workers have been infected and at least 50 of them have died, according to the WHO.
Mother of Md. sex assault victim: ?His tattooing years should be over?Kevin Lewis
DAMASCUS, Md. (WJLA) - The mother of an alleged sexual assault victim is breaking her silence, fearing her 22-year-old daughter's attacker preyed on other young women, too. "She trusted him and he broke that trust," that mother, whom ABC 7 News is not naming, said. "It's just so wrong." In August 2013, the woman's daughter drove to the Damascus Tattoo Company. There she paid $300 to have tattoo artist Mark Matthews, 35, ink a black-and-white Native American owl on her inner right thigh. She had received a small tattoo behind her ear from Matthews only six months before. Comfortable and trusting, the young woman entered Matthews' personal studio, where police say he sexually fondled her for 20 minutes, all the while giving her a tattoo. "He intentionally went up underneath her bike shorts to assault her. There is nothing accidental with that," the woman's mother remarked. "It's disgusting. I mean, it's absolutely, positively horrible." The then 21-year-old woman left the Damascus Tattoo Company about an hour later. Upon returning home, she told her mother what had occurred. "He was penetrating the skin so deep with the needle that she was bleeding. She thought that he was going to hurt her more if she tried to stop him," the victim's mother said. "She didn't want anyone to find out about what happened, so we didn't report it." Then, 12 months later, in August of this year, Montgomery County Police arrested Matthews, charging him with an unrelated, but eerily similar crime. ABC 7 News reported on the case, in which the 35-year-old is accused of digitally penetrating a 19-year-old female in his private studio, also at the Damascus Tattoo Company. The alleged incident occurred in November 2013, while Matthews was giving the teen a tattoo on her inner thigh. "My husband called me and told me to turn on the news right away. I couldn't believe I was looking at the same guy who assaulted my daughter," the victim's mother said. "My daughter thought it was just a one-time thing, that he [Matthews] was just overly excited. When she heard that it happened to another young lady, it made things real." With a combination of anger and bravery, mother and daughter hopped in their car and drove to the Montgomery County Police station in Germantown, where they, too, filed a police report against Matthews. It wasn't long before detectives re-arrested the tattoo artist, adding a second count of Second Degree Sex Assault to his felony court docket. "He just lured her in. He made her feel sorry for him and then took liberties that [no] female of the face of this earth should ever have to go through," the victim's mother added. Although he Damascus Tattoo Company terminated Matthews when accusations of impropriety first surfaced, he quickly opened his own shop—Black Dragon Tattoo in Urbana. ABC 7 News spoke with him shortly after his initial arrest. "I don't want any of this," Matthews said, with a shocked look on his face. "There's no story, there's no story ... This is just one big misunderstanding." "You look down and see that physical and emotional pain every day of your life," the victim's mother added. "Something that was supposed to be a joyful expression of art now has become depression, sadness, anxiety." In hopes of wiping away the physical reminder, the alleged victim and her mother recently met with a well-respected Washington, D.C. plastic surgeon. Both were disappointed to learn laser tattoo removal would likely require ten painful procedures, at a cost of roughly $10,000. "He should never touch another woman, ever. His tattooing years should be over. Let's keep him incarcerated, because we can't have this happen to our daughters. It's wrong on every count," the victim's mother concluded. Matthews is currently behind bars at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility on a $250,000 bond. Should he post that figure, the 35-year-old is not allowed to perform tattoo work until both felony charges are fully adjudicated. ABC 7 News contacted Matthews' Rockville-based attorney for comment Tuesday. Our calls were not returned. If you feel Matthews, who has worked in Carroll, Frederick and Montgomery counties, victimized you, contact the Montgomery County Police Department's Major Crimes Unit at 240-773-5070.
President Obama riding elevator with armed felon is latest in list of Secret Service scandalsThe Associated Press, Roz Plater
New laws take effect in D.C., Maryland on Oct. 1Greta Kreuz
Plans are under consideration to relieve the commute, widen I-270Joce Sterman
ABC7 / NewsChannel 8 go pink for breast cancer awareness monthWJLA-TV
ABC7 & NewsChannel 8 are going pink October 1 to raise awareness about breast cancer, a disease that affects one in eight American women.
Friends, family, community rally around Alexandria Herndon, Md. high school student with cancerAlison Starling
BRANDYWINE, Md. (WJLA) - The students, faculty and families of Gwynn Park High School have rallied around honor roll student Alexandria "Alexx" Herndon, encouraged by her spirit in the face of difficulties that began before her freshman year. "I was trying out for cheerleading and my knee was, like, getting swollen," Alexx recalls. Thinking it was a routine injury, her parents took her to the doctor - but it turned out to be a tumor. Next came surgery, a titanium rod in her knee, and hope. "I was basically like being a regular kid all over again," Alexx said with a smile. Unfortunately, there turned out to be spots in her lungs, and she eventually underwent chemotherapy. "I ended up not being able to do all the things I wanted to do so ... it kind of changed, real big," she explained. But her school and community are raising funds for her treatment. They say Alexx's upbeat attitude gives them courage. "It's because of her that I fight every day. Because if Alexx can do it, I can do it," one of her friends said. They say Alexx is a cheerleader for her friends, who are doing things she can't. "I can watch them and, like, view my dreams inside of them," Alexx explained. Alexx offers advice for others with cancer. "Keep your head up - anything is possible. You will beat this, 'cause I did it once, and I know I'm gonna do it again," she said. Alexx's father, Michael Herndon II, says his proudest moment was the day she was born. He knew she would be special, he said. "That day has come, that day has definitely come," he said proudly. "She is very special, and she has a lot more living to do." If you would like to donate money to help pay for Alexx's medical bills, click here.
PETA launches Metro station ads accusing NIH of animal experimentationJennifer Donelan
WASHINGTON (WJLA) - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) launched an offensive against the National Institutes of Health (NIH) this week, taking out a number of ads denouncing the organization's alleged experimentation on animals. On Tuesday, a number of ads appeared at the NIH Medical Center Metro station, depicting mother and baby monkeys with the slogan "First they take your freedom - then they take your babies." PETA spokespersons said the ads aim to "confront commuters with photos of primate mothers and the infants who were torn away from them at birth and subjected to years of taxpayer-funded experiments designed to cause, worsen, and measure the babies' severe fear, depression, and anxiety." "The public deserves to know that its money is being squandered on terrorizing baby monkeys in cruel and pointless experiments," said PETA Director of Laboratory Investigations Justin Goodman in a press release. "PETA's Metro ads give tourists, commuters, and NIH employees an eyeful of what goes on behind closed laboratory doors as well as a simple way to take action to stop it." PETA said the ads will also appear at Metro stations at Union Station and Federal Triangle, as well as in the Washington Times newspaper. The ads are expected to run through the end of October. In all, PETA said it has taken out more than 250 ads.
1st case of Ebola diagnosed in U.S.The Associated Press, Rachel Schaerr
DALLAS (AP) - The first case of Ebola diagnosed in the U.S. was confirmed Tuesday in a patient who recently traveled from Liberia to Dallas - a sign of the far-reaching impact of the out-of-control epidemic in West Africa. The unidentified man was critically ill and has been in isolation at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital since Sunday, federal health officials said. They would not reveal his nationality or age. Authorities have begun tracking down family, friends and anyone else who may have come in close contact with him and could be at risk for becoming ill. But officials said there are no other suspected cases in Texas. At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Director Tom Frieden said the man left Liberia on Sept. 19, arrived the next day to visit relatives and started feeling ill four or five days later. He said it was not clear how the patient became infected. There was no risk to any fellow airline passengers because the man had no symptoms when he was traveling, Frieden said. Ebola symptoms can include fever, muscle pain, vomiting and bleeding, and can appear as long as 21 days after exposure to the virus. The disease is not contagious until symptoms begin, and it takes close contact with bodily fluids to spread. "The bottom line here is that I have no doubt we will control this importation, or this case of Ebola, so that it does not spread widely in this country," Frieden told reporters. "It is certainly possible that someone who had contact with this individual, a family member or other individual, could develop Ebola in the coming weeks," he added. "But there is no doubt in my mind that we will stop it here." President Barack Obama was briefed about the diagnosis in a call from Frieden, the White House said. Word of the infection alarmed the local Liberian community. "People have been calling, trying to find out if anybody knows the family," said Stanley Gaye, president of the Liberian Community Association of Dallas-Fort Worth. "We've been telling people to try to stay away from social gatherings." Four American aid workers who became infected in West Africa have been flown back to the U.S. for treatment after they became sick. They were cared for in special isolation facilities at hospitals in Atlanta and Nebraska. Three have recovered. Also, a U.S. doctor exposed to the virus in Sierra Leone is under observation in a similar facility at the National Institutes of Health. The U.S. has only four such isolation units. Asked whether the Texas patient would be moved to one of those specialty facilities, Frieden said there was no need and virtually any hospital can provide the proper care and infection control. Dr. Edward Goodman, an epidemiologist at the hospital, said the U.S. was much better prepared to handle the disease than African hospitals, which are often short of doctors, gloves, gowns and masks. "We don't have those problems. So we're perfectly capable of taking care of this patient with no risk to other people," Goodman said. After arriving in the U.S. on Sept. 20, the man began to develop symptoms last Wednesday and initially sought care two days later. But he was released. At the time, hospital officials did not know he had been in West Africa. He returned later as his condition worsened. Blood tests by Texas health officials and the CDC separately confirmed an Ebola diagnosis on Tuesday. State health officials described the patient as seriously ill. Goodman said he was able to communicate and was hungry. The hospital is discussing if experimental treatments would be appropriate, Frieden said. Since the summer months, U.S. health officials have been preparing for the possibility that an individual traveler could unknowingly arrive with the infection. Health authorities have advised hospitals on how to prevent the virus from spreading within their facilities. People boarding planes in the outbreak zone are checked for fever, but that does not guarantee that an infected person won't get through. Liberia is one of the three hardest-hit countries in the epidemic, along with Sierra Leone and Guinea. Ebola is believed to have sickened more than 6,500 people in West Africa, and more than 3,000 deaths have been linked to the disease, according to the World Health Organization. But even those tolls are probably underestimates, partially because there are not enough labs to test people for Ebola. Two mobile Ebola labs staffed by American naval researchers arrived this weekend and will be operational this week, according to the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia. The labs will reduce the amount of time it takes to learn if a patient has Ebola from several days to a few hours. The U.S. military also delivered equipment to build a field hospital, originally designed to treat troops in combat zones. The 25-bed clinic will be staffed by American health workers and will treat doctors and nurses who have become infected. The U.S. is planning to build 17 other clinics in Liberia and will help train more health workers to staff them.
Accused White House intruder Omar Gonzalez indicted, reportedly breached 6 safeguardsThe Associated Press, ABC News
Two deaths in Potomac house fire, car crash may be linkedBrad Bell, ABC 7 News, Stephen Tschida
Student shot at Kentucky school, police seeking shooterThe Associated Press
Police take down man attempting to stab bar patrons in BallstonABC 7 News
ARLINGTON, Va. (WJLA) - Arlington police took down a man Monday night who attempted to stab several patrons at a bar and then fled toward a busy Metro station. The incident took place around 8:30 p.m. at First Down Bar near the Ballston Metro station. Arlington police confirmed that a man took out a knife and attempted to stab several patrons, prompting officers to demand he drop the weapon. The man then threatened the officers. When he did not drop the knife, they unsuccessfully tried to taser the man. The man then fled toward Ballston Metro station. Officers were finally able to tackle the man before he reached the station. Larry Donnell Sutton, 19, of D.C., was arrested and charged with three counts of attempted malicious wounding for attempted to stab three people, resisting arrest, obstruction of justice, possession of alcohol while under age 21, and being drunk in public. Following his arrest, police discovered Sutton was also wanted by D.C. police for armed robbery.
Key highlights of Secret Service director's testimony before CongressThe Associated Press
Takes full responsibility in breach WASHINGTON (AP/WJLA) - Secret Service Director Julia Pierson told lawmakers she takes full responsibility for the serious breach of the White House mansion eight days ago. That's when an Army veteran with a knife climbed the fence and made his way well into the executive mansion before he was tackled. Pierson also told a House panel there have been six fence-jumpers this year alone, including one just eight days before that intrusion. Pierson is testifying before the House Oversight and government Reform Committee in her first public accounting of the episode. The Army veteran, Omar J. Gonzalez, made it much further into the White House on Sept. 19 than the Secret Service previously disclosed. Vows no repeat of breach Pierson vows that a security breach like the Sept. 19 incident will never happen again. Pierson told the House Oversight and Government Operations Committee on Tuesday that the breach was unacceptable. Pierson said she will make sure such a thing "never happens again." Use of force being reviewed Pierson says the agency's security plan to protect the White House was not properly executed on Sept. 19. Pierson says all decisions and actions made that day are being reviewed, including when it's appropriate for the Secret Service to use force. Critics have questioned why Secret Service officers didn't shoot the intruder. ,br> White House front door now locks automatically Pierson says the front door to the White House now locks automatically in a security breach. Pierson told the House panel that the switch to automatic locks at the White House's north door was made after Gonzalez jumped the fence and made his way into the interior of the building through two unlocked doors. Pierson testified that a Secret Service agent was attempting to lock one of the doors manually when the intruder knocked the agent down. Officials say Gonzalez then ran into the White House before he was tackled near the Green Room and was later discovered to be carrying a knife. Secret Service allowed to shoot WH intruders Pierson says officers and agents are allowed to use "lethal force" to stop someone from getting into the White House. Pierson was not clear about whether the Secret Service is authorized to shoot people trying to jump over the White House fence. She says they can shoot if there is an imminent threat to them or others. Pierson says her agency showed restraint when they did not shoot Gonzalez. But she also says the security plan wasn't executed properly that day. Intruder was recognized from earlier encounter The Secret Service director says at least two of her uniformed officers recognized a man just before he jumped the White House fence from an earlier troubling encounter with him. But she acknowledged that they never approached him that day or reported his presence to superiors. Pierson said that two officers on Sept. 19 recognized Gonzalez, from their earlier interview with him, on Aug. 25. Gonzalez was stopped that day while carrying a small hatchet near the fence line south of the White House. Pierson says weeks later, on Sept. 19, the same officers observed him "for some time" but never intervened. Then Gonzalez went over the White House fence and made his way inside the executive mansion. Low confidence expressed in Secret Service Massachusetts Democratic Congressman Stephen Lynch says he has very low confidence in Pierson's ability to protect the White House. Lynch says he wishes Pierson would protect the White House the way she is protecting her reputation as she testifies on Capitol Hill. Pierson has been director of the agency since March 2013. White House intruder posed threat Pierson acknowledged to Congress that the Army veteran who jumped the White House fence and made his way into the executive mansion was a threat. Pierson said, "I think Mr. Gonzalez coming into the main floor mansion is a threat." Pierson was responding to questions from members of the committee. The president was not at the White House at the time of the intrusion. Pierson later said, "We all are outraged in the Secret Service about how this incident came to pass," and acknowledged that the agency had failed in its mission. "Mistakes were made," she said. Internal investigation is ongoing Pierson says she still hasn't concluded why officers and agents failed to follow security rules. Pierson said she hopes to find out why during the course of her investigation. It was unclear what has been discovered so far. Democratic Congressman Matt Cartwright from Pennsylvania said Secret Service surveillance teams didn't spot Gonzalez in enough time to provide a warning. He said the officer in the guard booth did not respond, and a dog trained to intercept intruders was not released. And no officer was standing at the White House front door.
Pilot killed in F-15 crash in remote Virginia mountains to be buried at Air Force AcademyThe Associated Press
Jesse Matthew arrest prompts renewed look at 2009 Cassandra Morton murderWJLA-TV
Mostly ignored in 2007 Metro 'concert,' famed violinist Joshua Bell plays do-over at Union StationThe Associated Press
D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier plans to stay on to serve under new mayorSkip Wood
ARLINGTON, Va. (WJLA) – Well, so much for that. The lead story on Monday in the Washington Post's Metro section was adorned with the following headline: "Will police chief serve a third mayor?" Here's the short answer, courtesy of Tuesday's NewsTalk on NewsChannel 8. Yes. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier wasn't asked that specific question by guest host Jennifer Donelan but nonetheless showed her cards deep into the one-hour program when asked about cops and cameras and the implementation process. "The ability to download, store, edit and manage video systems is a big investment for police departments," she said, "and for a department our size, it's probably going to take me three years, two to three years, to roll the whole system out so I have everybody (with efficient cameras)." So there you have it. Heavily favored D.C. mayoral candidate Muriel Bowser is on record as saying she wants Lanier to stay put. So if the polls are correct and Bowser fends off challengers David Catania and Carol Schwartz, the District is looking at a chief whose reign will span more than a decade.
Body of missing Arkansas Realtor found in shallow grave; man admits targeting 'rich broker'The Associated Press
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - A man accused of abducting and killing a real estate agent in rural Arkansas pleaded not guilty Tuesday to preliminary charges of kidnapping and capital murder, hours after the woman's body was discovered in a shallow grave. Arron Michael Lewis appeared in court Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to one count each of capital murder, kidnapping and robbery, as well as four weapons charges, according to the office of Pulaski County District Judge Wayne Gruber. Early Tuesday morning, investigators found the body of Beverly Carter, 49, at Argos Concrete Company in a rural area about 25 miles northeast of Little Rock and more than 20 miles away from Scott, where she had an appointment to show a house Thursday but hadn't been seen since. Pulaski County Sheriff's Office Lt. Carl Minden said Lewis admitted to kidnapping Carter but did not lead authorities to her body. He said investigators received a tip that led them to the concrete company where Carter's body was found. Lewis previously worked for the concrete company, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported Tuesday. Lewis, 33, was being held on $1 million bail in the Pulaski County jail. Lewis spoke briefly to reporters Tuesday morning as he was taken from the jail to the sheriff's office, where he was interviewed again after spending more than 12 hours with investigators Monday. When asked by reporters why Carter was targeted, Lewis responded: "Because she was just a woman that worked alone - a rich broker." He denied killing her. Police haven't said how investigators linked Lewis to Carter's disappearance, but Sheriff Doc Holladay said more details will be released at a Tuesday afternoon news conference. "I just want to express my condolences to the Carter family and her friends who have worked so hard to find her and these investigators who were committed to finding her," Holladay told reporters Tuesday morning.
Bill Clinton replacing Hillary at Anthony Brown fundraiserThe Associated Press
Police expanding search for Tijuani Jones, 24, Md. man with autism missing since ThursdayThe Associated Press
Body found in Clifton park is that of Fairfax teen Cara Golias, reported missingJennifer van der Kleut
Morgan Harrington's mom makes plea to Jesse Matthew: Please tell where Hannah Graham isThe Associated Press, Jeff Goldberg, Tom Roussey
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - They both were walking alone, separated from their friends late at night on or near the University of Virginia campus. One was found dead nearly five years ago. The other is still missing. And now police believe they have found a link between the 2009 slaying of Morgan Harrington and the Sept. 13 disappearance of Hannah Graham: Forensic evidence found in the arrest of a hospital worker and former taxi driver who fled the state when he learned police wanted to question him about the Graham case. Jesse L. Matthew Jr., 32, was arrested on a beach near Galveston, Texas, last week and was brought back to Virginia to face a charge of abduction with intent to defile - or sexually molest - the 18-year-old sophomore from northern Virginia. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison. His bond hearing is set for Thursday. Virginia State Police said Monday that Matthew's arrest provided a new forensic link for investigators to pursue in the Harrington investigation. In a written statement, they called it a "significant break" but did not elaborate on the precise nature of the evidence and said they would make no further comment. Charlottesville police and Matthew's attorney, James Camblos, did not return messages. Harrington's mother, Gil Harrington, issued an appeal to Matthew on Tuesday morning during an appearance on NBC's "Today" show. "I would like to appeal to him to please give the family information where Hannah is. We need to find Hannah," she said. She said police have not given her family any information that has not been publicly released. Since their daughter was slain, Dan Harrington said the couple has worked to prevent crimes against young women by promoting personal safety. "It is sad and we're sad that this has happened," he said, referring to Graham's disappearance. He said Graham's case might help prevent future occurrences in Virginia. The latest development may also help solve a 2005 sexual assault of a 26-year-old woman in Fairfax City, since the FBI previously said DNA from Harrington's attacker matched that of the person who committed the sexual assault. On Monday, police spokeswoman Natalie Hinesley said that in order to maintain the integrity of their investigation, they are not going to comment on whether the developments in the Graham and Harrington cases affect their case. Leading up to Matthew's arrest, police had searched his car and home and removed items, including clothing, they consider evidence. The items were sent to the state crime lab for testing, but Charlottesville police have not divulged any results. Harrington, a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student from Roanoke, attended a Metallica concert at John Paul Jones Arena on the Charlottesville campus on Oct. 17, 2009. She left during the concert and vanished. A farmer found her remains three months later in an Albemarle County hayfield, which was among the places searched shortly after Graham disappeared, police have said. At the time, Matthew had a license to drive a taxi, according to the state Department of Motor Vehicles. Graham disappeared after meeting friends for dinner and attending two off-campus parties. She left the last one alone and was captured on video surveillance walking or running past a pub, a service station and onto Charlottesville's Downtown Mall, where police say witnesses reported seeing her with Matthew at a bar. Graham had sent friends several text messages, including one saying she was lost. Clint Van Zandt, a former FBI profiler, said he was struck by the similarities between the two disappearances. He said both women were separated from their friends in areas they apparently did not know well, and perhaps were offered assistance by a predator. "Their looking for help was turned against them," he said. He also said he was not surprised by the new evidence. "Since this most recent victim disappeared, I said time and again that if they could find out who was responsible there was a good chance the same person would be responsible for Morgan Harrington and a number of others," he said. He said he was "not trying to indict the guy" but added that police likely will investigate Matthew for other crimes against women, including the 2005 sexual assault. At least two other women from the Charlottesville area are missing. Police previously said they had no reason to link those cases to Graham's disappearance. Matthew was a defensive lineman on the Liberty University football team from 2000 to 2002. He was accused of raping a student on campus, but the charge was dropped when the person declined to move forward with prosecution, Lynchburg Commonwealth's Attorney Michael Doucette said Friday. Matthew, who was returned from Texas late Friday, is being held without bond at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. He is scheduled to appear via a video link for a bond hearing in Charlottesville General District Court on Thursday.
Moncure Elementary School on lockdown due to nearby bank robberyWJLA-TV
GARRISONVILLE, Va. (WJLA) - Stafford County Public School officials placed Moncure Elementary School on lockdown Tuesday morning as a result of a nearby bank robbery. Officials began notifying parents Tuesday morning after a bank robbery at the Wells Fargo branch at 131 Garrisonville Road in Garrisonville, Va.
Erica Mesa, Colonial Forge High School teacher, arrested for alleged sexual relationship with a studentWJLA-TV
STAFFORD, Va. (WJLA) – A Stafford County high school teacher has been arrested for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student. Erica Lynn Mesa, 27, of Fredericksburg, was charged with three counts of custodian indecent liberties and three counts of solicitation of a minor using a computer device. Stafford County police say that Mesa, a teacher and coach at Colonial Forge High School, had a sexual relationship with a male student aged 16-17 in February, May and September of this year. Mesa also allegedly sent nude photos of herself to the male student. She is currently being held at the Rappahannock Regional Jail without bond.
Maryland looks at ending lifetime casino banThe Associated Press
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - The agency that oversees Maryland's casinos is considering eliminating a program that allows gambling addicts to sign up for a lifetime ban from casinos. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency says it's planning to examine how the program is working and study changes. No timetable has been set. Agency Director Stephen Martino tells The Capital Gazette that if the voluntary self-exclusion program is axed, gamblers would still be able to sign up for a two-year ban that includes counseling for problem gambling and a healthy-lifestyle program. Martino says the two-year program, which can lead to a lifetime ban if participants fail to meet requirements, and the voluntary lifetime ban are redundant. Critics say even with counseling, only having a two-year option may lead gambling addicts to temptation.
Secret Service Director Julia Pierson: White House intrusion 'unacceptable'The Associated Press
Metro's Red Line resumes normal service after cracked rail caused delaysThe Associated Press, ABC 7 News
PayPal to separate from eBay, become a publicly traded company in 2015The Associated Press
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2 critically injured in apartment explosion, fireWashington Times 1 hour ago
CUMBERLAND, Ind. (AP) - Fire officials say a 20-year-old man and a 13-year-old boy were hospitalized in critical condition after an explosion and fire at an apartment complex in a suburb east of Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Fire Department reports the fire occurred about 11 a.m. Wednesday in Cumberland. ...
UN says 1st staffer dies of 'probable' EbolaWashington Times
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - The United Nations said Wednesday a staff member in Liberia has died from "probable Ebola," while the World Health Organization said it was optimistic that an Ebola vaccine could be available for mass vaccination campaigns as early as 2015. The spokesman for Secretary-General Ban ...
Montana's minimum going up to $8.05 an hourWashington Times
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Montana's minimum wage is going up 15 cents an hour to $8.05 beginning in January. A voter-passed initiative called for Montana's minimum wage to increase by the same percentage as the Consumer Price Index over a year. In this case, it increased by 1.7 ...
Court: Tribal convictions might not standWashington Times
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Federal prosecutors can't always use past tribal court convictions as proof of a defendant's criminal history, a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found in a Montana case. The determination came Tuesday as the three-judge panel ruled that two federal counts ...
In Ga. visit, Romney raises cash for PerdueWashington Times
ATLANTA (AP) - Mitt Romney is raising money and support for two key Republicans on the ballot in Georgia this year. The former GOP presidential candidate attended a Wednesday fundraiser in Atlanta for Senate candidate David Perdue before heading to a campaign event with Attorney General Sam Olens. ...
Wyoming landslide stabilization to begin in 2015Washington Times 1 hour ago
JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) - Work will begin next spring on a project to permanently stabilize a slow-moving landslide that has been affecting a Wyoming neighborhood. Jackson town officials say they don't have enough time this fall to get going on the project before cold weather arrives. The ...
Complaint: Racial slurs, threats at Daimler plantWashington Times
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian has filed a complaint against Daimler (DYM'-ler) Trucks North America, alleging that five employees at its Portland plant were subjected to racial slurs and threats. A statement Wednesday from Avakian says that among the allegations is that a Daimler ...
NYC launches website for tech businessesWashington Times
NEW YORK (AP) - New York City is unveiling a website it hopes will be one-stop-shopping for Internet start-up companies and potential employees. Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled the Digital.NYC website Wednesday in Brooklyn. The site was created in a public-private partnership. De Blasio said it will ...
Samaritan's Purse providing Ebola relief suppliesWashington Times 1 hour ago
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina-based Christian relief organization on Wednesday sent about 100 tons of supplies to west African nations struggling to halt the spread of the deadly Ebola virus. Against the backdrop of a 747 cargo plane and several forklifts loading pallets of materials, the ...
Ex-girlfriend of killer faces obstruction trialWashington Times
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The former girlfriend of a man sentenced to life in prison for killing a Utah police officer has been ordered to stand trial on obstruction of justice charges. A judge ruled Tuesday there is sufficient evidence to send Traci Vaillancourt, 35, to trial, ...
Kansas State University to lead food projectWashington Times
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) - A Kansas university says it's leading a five-year food project that includes other schools and developing countries in examining ways small farms can increase production. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports (http://bit.ly/1ozCROW ) Kansas State University recently announced that it received a $50 million grant from ...
Court blocks part of new North Carolina voting lawWashington Times
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Parts of North Carolina's new voting law, considered one of the toughest in the nation, were set aside for next month's elections because they were likely to disenfranchise black voters, a federal appeals court panel ruled Wednesday. In a 2-1 ruling, the 4th U.S. ...
Jail time for Idaho polygamous man in abuse caseWashington Times
POCATELLO, Idaho (AP) - A member of Warren Jeffs' polygamous sect who oversaw an Idaho home where nine boys were sent on "repentance missions" by their parents has been given jail time on child abuse charges that included locking one teen in a furnace room for two days. ...
Woman missing 3 months after apparent kidnappingWashington Times
Oil boom widens wage gap between the sexesWashington Times
Woman shot to death in Raleigh, man being heldWashington Times
Ways to prepare for possible long-term care costsWashington Times
Many of us hold on to an idyllic vision of our golden years, imagining we'll be in good health and living self-sufficiently in our own home. But that scenario is likely to get dashed. On average, nearly 70 percent of 65 year-olds will eventually need some form of ...
Judge sentences woman to 8 years in Cheyenne arsonWashington Times
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A federal judge has sentenced a woman to eight years in prison for setting a fire two years ago at a Cheyenne hotel that housed more than 50 people at the time. Judge Alan B. Johnson on Wednesday sentenced 53-year-old Judi Bufkin to prison ...
Schuller's grandson launches new 'Hour of Power'Washington Times
Newlywed dies, husband jailed after fireWashington Times
Report IDs 'major weaknesses' at nuclear-arms labWashington Times
Drops in Hilo higher education enrollmentWashington Times 2 hrs ago
HILO, Hawaii (AP) - The University of Hawaii's Hilo campus has the largest drop in enrollment across the system. This fall is the second year of enrollment declines for the Hilo campus. As of Tuesday, Hilo saw a 2.9 percent drop, while the flagship Manoa campus had a ...
Pennsylvania infant hit by bullet will be blindWashington Times 2 hrs ago
CLUNE, Pa. (AP) - The family of a 6-day-old Pennsylvania boy who was wounded by a hunter's stray bullet said the infant is expected to survive, but will be blind. Stefanie Iverson, 30, said her son Shayne's life was spared when the bullet exited through the eye socket ...
Suspect shot by officer charged in Kmart robberyWashington Times
ST. LOUIS (AP) - A 33-year-old man shot in the leg by a St. Louis County police officer investigating a reported Kmart robbery has been charged with felony theft and assault on a law enforcement officer. Duianete Moore of St. Louis was charged Wednesday with one count of ...
UN says Syria vaccine deaths was an NGO 'mistake'Washington Times
UNITED NATIONS (AP) - A spokesman for the U.N. secretary-general says the recent deaths of Syrian children after receiving measles vaccinations was the result of a "mistake" by a non-governmental partner who mixed in a muscle relaxant meant for anesthesia. But Stefane Dujarric told reporters on Wednesday the ...
Marinovich goes from NFL QB to bust to muralistWashington Times
State identifies 155 struggling schoolsWashington Times
7 children suffer minor injuries in bus accidentWashington Times
Work could start soon on downtown Evansville hotelWashington Times
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (AP) - A contractor could start work in the coming weeks on a planned 10-story hotel and apartment complex in downtown Evansville that has faced recent delays. Project officials announced Tuesday that Indianapolis-based Hunt Construction has been picked as the builder. Developers sought new bids after ...
Hernandez bid to toss phone evidence continuesWashington Times
FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) - A judge is hearing a second day of testimony in a bid by ex-New England Patriot Aaron Hernandez's lawyers to have evidence from his cellphone tossed. The motion hearing is taking place in Fall River Superior Court. The defense claims Hernandez's BlackBerry was ...
NY judge resigns amid prosecutor probeWashington Times
Police: Worker hid $1,200 worth of meat in pantsWashington Times
Board ponders new Indiana 'A-F' grading formulaWashington Times
Ethics Commission approves senator's contractWashington Times
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) - The Alabama Ethics Commission has approved of a state senator contracting with the city of Montgomery to help with youth activities planned for the 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march. Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange had asked the commission for advice concerning contracting ...
Hospital, 2 homes fail to sell at Indiana tax saleWashington Times
RICHMOND, Ind. (AP) - Three troublesome Wayne County properties are still on the market after they failed to pique interest at a tax sale. The Palladium-Item (http://pinews.co/1sN02fW ) reports the former Reid Hospital campus and two vacant houses owned by an Ohio man didn't sell at the County ...
Suspect in 1999 Montana killing pleads not guiltyWashington Times
Democratic governor candidate Sheheen wants Confederate flag removed from SC capitol groundsWashington Times
Councilors concerned about Faneuil Hall changesWashington Times
Deep discount lures buyer for Revel casinoWashington Times 3 hrs ago
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) - As one Atlantic City casino after another shut down and left thousands of workers jobless, Mayor Don Guardian insisted that the meltdown that claimed four of his city's 12 casinos since January was actually the opportunity of a lifetime for savvy investors. On ...
NY judge resigning in probe of political activityWashington Times 3 hrs ago
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A state judge in Brooklyn has agreed to resign following a complaint that he engaged in political activity and used his office in an attempt to help District Attorney Charles Hynes get re-elected. New York's Commission on Judicial Conduct says Supreme Court Justice Barry ...
College students train as Chelan firefightersWashington Times
WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) - Strict state and federal regulations are making it "harder and harder" to get qualified volunteer firefighters, says the chief of Chelan County Fire District 1. To improve that situation, Mike Burnett and fire district officials have organized a two-year college program locally that trains ...
Superior police investigate fatal shootingWashington Times
SUPERIOR, Wis. (AP) - Police in Superior have identified a man found fatally shot at his home. Officials say 20-year-old Garth Velin was pronounced dead not far from the scene of the shooting Tuesday night. A resident in the home told investigators she was upstairs when she ...
Truck deals boost US auto sales in SeptemberWashington Times
Idaho Supreme Court rules Bujak broke ethics rulesWashington Times
Hiker dies after collapsing in Canyonlands ParkWashington Times
- Top stories
Man accused of fence-jumping at White House pleads not guiltyMyFOXDC 35 mins ago
A man accused of jumping a fence at the White House pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that he ran into the presidential mansion while carrying a knife.
Secret Service director Julia Pierson resignsMyFOXDC
Ex-Dem. official arrested in sex abuse caseMyFOXDC
A former Democratic Party official released from prison after his child molestation convictions were overturned has been arrested in a separate case involving a family member.
Police investigating Potomac deaths as murder-suicideMyFoxDC.com Web Producer
Dallas patient in serious condition with Ebolamyfoxdfw.com Staff
Police investigating Potomac deaths as possible murder-suicideMyFoxDC.com Web Producer 1 hour ago
13-year-old dies after shooting in northeastMyFoxDC.com Web Producer
Police: Man shot, killed at Bowie recreation center was trying to break up fightMyFoxDC.com Web Producer
Fact sheet: Ebola, how it's spread, symptoms & treatmentmyfoxdfw.com Staff 3 hrs ago
FCC will consider petition to ban 'Redskins'MyFOXDC
Missing child Sabrina Allen found after 12 years of searchingMyFOXDC
Dallas patient tests positive for Ebolamyfoxdfw.com Staff
Make your own Nationals gnome hat like FOX 5's Tucker BarnesMyFOXDC
New laws take effect WednesdayMyFOXDC
Harrington case was connected to 2005 Fairfax City woman's rapePaul Wagner
Some DC police officers will wear body camerasMyFOXDC
Teen dies after shooting in northeastMyFOXDC
Police search for missing teensMyFOXDC
WTOP Radio
WTOP Radio
- Top stories
Report: Obama rode elevator with armed manWTOP Radio 3 hrs ago
President Barack Obama rode an elevator this month with an armed security contractor who had three criminal convictions, a violation of Secret Service security protocols, according to published reports.
Accused White House intruder indictedWTOP Radio
Accused White House fence-jumper Omar J. Gonzalez was indicted Tuesday on federal and local charges for allegedly intruding into the presidential mansion armed with a folding knife.
Senior congressman wants Secret Service chief outWTOP Radio
A senior Republican lawmaker wants Secret Service Director Julia Pierson to leave her job, and a senior Democrat said Wednesday he is not comfortable with her leading the Secret Service but subsequently said he hasn't decided whether she should resign or be fired.
Charging documents show Phelps DUI tied to alcoholWTOP Radio
reaking success in the pool.
Forensics at center of missing U.Va. student caseWTOP Radio
Morgan Harrington's parents were so convinced that a serial offender was responsible for their daughter's killing in 2009, they started a nonprofit foundation aimed at protecting other young women.
Secret Service chief on hot seat for WH breachWTOP Radio 3 hrs ago
Under withering criticism from Congress, the director of the Secret Service on Tuesday admitted failures in her agency's critical mission of protecting the president but repeatedly sidestepped key questions about how a knife-carrying intruder penetrated ring after ring of security before finally being tackled deep inside the White House.
13-year-old dies after DC shootingWTOP Radio
District of Columbia police say a 13-year-old has died after being shot in the city's Northeast.
Shenandoah closes some areas to protect outcropsWTOP Radio
Some campsites in Shenandoah National Park have been closed to protect rock outcrops that house rare plants and animals.
Police: Man killed boss' wife, took his own life in PotomacWTOP Radio 4 hrs ago
Montgomery County police are investigating the suspicious deaths of two people in Potomac, Maryland, as a murder-suicide stemming from a workplace dispute.
Webcam installed at Washington Monument (Video)WTOP Radio
If you want to see a cool view of the District, here's one from 500 feet above.
Two senior lawmakers want Secret Service chief outWTOP Radio
Two senior lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday urged Secret Service Director Julia Pierson to leave her job, saying they had lost confidence and trust in her ability to protect President Barack Obama. It came one day after Pierson spent hours during a congressional hearing trying to explain an embarrassing White House security breach.
Hagerstown eyes tougher juvenile curfewWTOP Radio
The city of Hagerstown is considering a tougher juvenile curfew amid complaints from residents about kids committing crimes.
McAuliffe energy plan for Va. makes debutWTOP Radio
Gov. Terry McAuliffe's energy vision for Virginia is stressing a familiar "all of the above" strategy that promotes greater use of renewable generation, efficiency and traditional sources of energy.
Hagerstown OKs deal to raze toxic buildingWTOP Radio
Details of presidential security breaches evolveWTOP Radio
Maryland Zoo euthanizes beloved aging giraffeWTOP Radio
NASA postpones rocket launch from Va. facilityWTOP Radio
The launch of a Department of Defense rocket from Virginia's Eastern Shore has been postponed.
Virginia couple fights to keep pet pig (Video)WTOP Radio
A Chesterfield County couple says Tucker the pig is "their son."
Teen beaten at Six Flags undergoes skull surgeryWTOP Radio
Teen killed playing with gunWTOP Radio
Va. man accused of beheading mom to be evaluatedWTOP Radio
Phelps apologizes after another brush with the lawWTOP Radio
reaking success in the pool.
Va. man gets 12 years in near-fatal DC sex assaultWTOP Radio
A Virginia man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in what prosecutors say was a sexual assault that was so violent, it nearly killed the victim.
Bedford mother-son deaths ruled murder-suicideWTOP Radio
Police say the deaths of a Bedford County woman and her son have been ruled a murder-suicide.
Decriminalized pot in Md., yoga tax in DC now lawWTOP Radio
A spate of new laws went into effect Wednesday for the District of Columbia and Maryland.
Virginia teen charged with killing half-brotherWTOP Radio
DC officers begin wearing body camerasWTOP Radio
Tougher domestic violence law takes effect in MarylandWTOP Radio
Baltimore man gets 12 years for sex traffickingWTOP Radio
A Baltimore man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to forcing young women to work as prostitutes.
Group hails anniversary of Md. gun control lawWTOP Radio
Two groups favoring restrictions on firearms are celebrating the first anniversary of Maryland's implementation of one of the nation's strictest gun-control laws.
Original manuscript of US anthem visits Mt. VernonWTOP Radio
McAuliffe energy plan for Va. to make debutWTOP Radio
10 Virginia schools win US recognitionWTOP Radio
Southwest Va. county ID'd by anti-drug agencyWTOP Radio
Virginia's Tazewell (TAZ'-wehl) County has been designated a "high intensity drug trafficking area," which opens the door to federal resources to disrupt drug trafficking.
Va. gets nearly $12M workforce grantWTOP Radio
Virginia is receiving nearly $12 million in federal funds to enhance employment and financial literacy for Virginians with barriers to higher education and employment.
Ceremony for Vietnam Veterans Memorial replica setWTOP Radio
Secret Service chief resigns after security lapsesWTOP Radio
Not guilty plea for man in White House incidentWTOP Radio
Artist creates huge dirt portrait on National MallWTOP Radio
The National Portrait Gallery is unveiling a giant portrait of a young man created in the landscape of the National Mall.
Charging documents: Phelps' breath test was .14WTOP Radio
Police documents indicate that Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps registered .14 percent on a breathalyzer test after he was stopped on a speeding violation.
Police: Potomac deaths likely murder-suicideWTOP Radio
Two deaths in Montgomery County Tuesday are being investigated as a murder-suicide.
Accused White House fence-jumper pleads not guiltyWTOP Radio
Accused White House fence-jumper Omar J. Gonzalez has pleaded not guilty to charges that he ran into the presidential mansion while carrying a knife.
Senior Republican wants Secret Service chief outWTOP Radio
Ex-Dem. official arrested in sex abuse caseWTOP Radio
Va. man convicted of 2nd-degree murder in shootingWTOP Radio
Washington CBS
Washington CBS
- Top stories
Secret Service Director Resigns Amid Criticism Over White House Security LapsesDan Morrison 1 hour ago
Secret Service Director Julia Pierson has resigned amid security lapses at the White House.
Teen Beaten at Six Flags Undergoes Skull SurgeryDan Morrison
A 15-year-old boy critically injured at Six Flags America during the first night of its Halloween event, Fright Fest, has undergone surgery on his skull and is in a coma.
Hannah Graham Search One of Largest in Commonwealth History, Authorities SayGina Cook
The search for missing University of Virginia student Hannah Graham has spanned for almost three weeks and across the state, but there's still no sign of the 18-year-old.
Accused White House Fence-Jumper Pleads Not GuiltyDan Morrison
Accused White House fence-jumper Omar J. Gonzalez has pleaded not guilty to charges that he ran into the presidential mansion while carrying a knife.
Redskins Look to Rebuild Confidence with Defending Champ Seattle Up NextChris Lingebach
The Redskins face a serious test Monday night against the Seahawks, with potential for national embarrassment. And a loss could be unrecoverable for Washington.
Tim Gunn: Michelle Obama's Style Sense Is 'Divine'Matt Higgins 1 hour ago
Michelle Obama went under Tim Gunn's fashion microscope and got an approving nod, but not all first ladies fared as well — Hillary Rodham Clinton among them.
Russia Halts Student Exchange Program With US Amid Strained Tiesbfearnowcbs
The U.S. Embassy in Moscow has voiced regret about Russia's decision to cancel its participation in a major high school student exchange program.
Pompkin Donkin Traffic Guy to Become Permanent Fixture on Junkies Broadcasts!Chris Lingebach
The traffic guy responsible for the "Donkin' Donuts" sponsorship reads will remain on Junkies broadcasts, and he's becoming appointment listening. Just listen.
Official: 5 Kids Had Contact With Ebola PatientGina Cook 2 hrs ago
Authorities say five students who had contact with a man diagnosed with Ebola in Dallas are being monitored but are showing no symptoms of the disease.
Part of National Mall Becomes Giant PortraitGina Cook
An art project has transformed a large portion of the national mall into a portrait that can be seen from the sky.
Device Could Reprogram Your Brain To Eliminate Cravingscbskapost
Imagine how easy it would be to lose weight if you never had a food craving again. That could soon be a reality, as researchers are working on a way to reprogram the brain and stop the craving.
Author: Jesus 'Never Existed,' Not Mentioned In 126 Historical Textsbfearnowcbs
Author and historical researcher Michael Paulkovich says that Jesus of Nazareth was a "mythical character" who "never existed" due to his absence from 126 historical texts written in the first to third centuries.
New EarthCam Shows View From Top of Washington MonumentCourtney Pomeroy
If you've ever wanted to see a sunrise, sunset, or evening thunderstorm from the vantage point of D.C.'s tallest building, now you can.
CBS Sports Steve Beuerlein talks Vikings vs. Packers on Thursday Night Footballcbsexaminer
Thursday Night Football Breakdown: Minnesota Vikings Vs. Green Bay Packerscbskapost
Child Dies From Complications of EnterovirusGina Cook
Study: Main Ingredient Found In Beer Can Help Improve Memorycbskapost
A compound found in hops helps younger mice improve their memory but had no effect on older animals.
Playoff Pinch Hits: Giants And Pirates Like It's 1971 All Over Again?cbskapost
The Giants and Pirates meet in the playoffs for the first time since 1971. Winner of the National League Wild Card game moves on to the Division Series.
The Chances Matt Williams Wins 2014 NL Manager of the Year …Chris Lingebach
Ford Recalls 850K Cars On Short Circuit Concernscbskapost
Truck Deals Help Boost US Auto Sales In Septembercbskapost
Mom: Jailed Marine In Mexico Suffering Greatlyrgraham87
A Marine jailed in Mexico on charges of bringing weapons into the country tried to kill himself after receiving threats of rape, torture and execution, his tearful mother told a House panel Wednesday. She said her son was suffering an ordeal worse than his two combat tours in Afghanistan.
Baltimore Man Gets 12 Years For Sex TraffickingCourtney Pomeroy
A Baltimore man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to forcing young women to work as prostitutes.
Va. Man Gets 12 Years in Near-Fatal D.C. Sex AssaultCourtney Pomeroy
A Virginia man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison in what prosecutors say was a sexual assault that was so violent, it nearly killed the victim.
Teen Shot and Killed in Northeast D.C.Courtney Pomeroy
A 13-year-old boy is dead following a shooting in Northeast D.C. Tuesday night.
Federal Judge: Some Obamacare Subsidies Represent An 'Abuse Of Discretion'Matt Higgins
GLAAD Study: Gay Depictions Increase on TVCourtney Pomeroy
Brewer Spokesman: States Have 'Right To Determine Who Is Issued A Driver's License,' Not Obama AdministrationMatt Higgins
Montgomery County's New Minimum Wage Goes Into EffectCourtney Pomeroy
Montgomery County's minimum wage increases Wednesday to $8.40, the first step of a plan to increase it to $11.50 by 2017.
Secret Service Director Neglects To Mention Security Breach In CDC Elevator During HearingMatt Higgins
The embarrassing disclosures about lapses in presidential security just keep coming for the Secret Service.
Expert: 'I Think We Lost Thousands And Thousands Of Lives' To Ebola Due To US Government's Delayed ResponseMatt Higgins
D.C.'s Yoga Tax Goes Into EffectCourtney Pomeroy
D.C. Police Begin Wearing Body CamerasCourtney Pomeroy
Questions and Answers About the U.S. Ebola CaseCourtney Pomeroy
U.S. health officials have warned for months that someone infected with Ebola could unknowingly carry the virus to this country, and there is word now that it has happened: A traveler in a Dallas hospital became the first patient diagnosed in the U.S.
1 Dead in Shooting Outside Bowie Swim ClubDan Morrison
One person is dead after a shooting outside a swim and tennis club in Prince George's County, authorities say.
Hillary Clinton Skips Out on Maryland Fundraiser, Bill Takes Her PlaceDan Morrison
Nats Fever: It's Time to Chase a PennantDan Morrison
FCC Considers Banning 'Redskins' From Public AirwavesDan Morrison
Garry Kasparov: Putin 'Most Dangerous Man In World'digitaleddiecbs
The chess champion says the Russian president is an even bigger threat to the United States than ISIS.
Report: Obama Rode Elevator With Armed ConvictDan Morrison
Published reports say President Barack Obama rode an elevator this month with an armed security contractor who had three criminal convictions.
Santana Moss 'Hurt' He's Not Playing: 'I'm Not Here to be Collecting a Free Check'Chris Lingebach
Santana Moss hasn't enjoyed not having dressed once this season for the Redskins: "Honestly, man, it hurts. It does."
Study: Climate Change Could Alter Human Male To Female Ratiodigitaleddiecbs
Study finds an increase in the deaths of male fetuses in Japan as temperatures fluctuate from the norms.
Accused White House Fence-Jumper IndictedDan Morrison
CDC Official: 'I Have No Doubt That We Will Control This Case of Ebola'Dan Morrison
Police Officer Accused of Assault While on DutyGina Cook