FALLS CHURCH, Va. (WUSA) - For women with money, they can always go outside the state to seek a legal, safe abortion. But for poor women, they won't be able to do that. And the people who provide these services are fearful of the consequences.

"Either you're in favor of safe,...more legal abortions, or, as in the case of these regulations and laws coming from the General Assembly, promote illegal abortions," says Rosemary Codding, a health educator who founded the Falls Church Healthcare Center ten years ago. She believes poor women in Virginia may not have access to safe abortions, or even contraception, if certain bills become law.

Del Bob Marshall's "Personhood" bill defines life as beginning as conception. It provides rights and privileges to unborn children at every stage of development. The IUD is most popular and cheapest form of contraception in the world, but Codding says a "Personhood" law would make it illegal, along with all

WASHINGTON (WUSA) -- It's finally here: the 2011-2012 winter sports season on WUSA 9 and Dc.highschoolsports.net! 

Each week, we will choose the region's top basketball games. Then, it's up to you to pick which match-up will be named "Game of the Week" during the "Toyota Game Night...more Brief."

We'll send a photographer to the match-up that receives the most votes and you can tune in to the 11 o'clock sportscast on Friday nights to catch highlights from the winning game. The poll is open until Thursday at 10:00 p.m. and we will announce the winner on-air every Thursday night.  

For updates on voting check us out on Facebook and Twitter (@hssnetdc). Thanks for your help making this another great season of high school basketball!  

Back to dc.highschoolsports.net

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - More than a dozen Virginia localities are receiving state grants to encourage students to walk or ride bicycles to schools.

Gov. Bob McDonnell said Wednesday that 16 municipalities and two counties will receive a total $5.9 million in Safe Routes to School...more funding.

The funding will be used for projects at 28 elementary and middle schools, including pedestrian and bicycle crossings and multi-use trails.

The goal is to improve the safety of bicycling and walking to school and to make these activities convenient and appealing for students.

Municipalities receiving funding are Alexandria, Ashland, Blacksburg, Chincoteague, Colonial Beach, Colonial Heights, Falls Church, Galax, Lynchburg, Manassas Park, Roanoke, Stanley, Staunton, Vienna, Waynesboro and West Point.

Fairfax and Faquier counties also will receive funding.

Last night the National Building Museum at 401 F Street NW played host to the 14th Annual St. Jude Gourmet Gala.
The Gala, which acts as a fundraiser for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a pediatric cancer center, featured food from some of D.C.'s best restaurants like Jaleo, J & G...more Steakhouse, Marcel's and more.
Take a look at the photos above from the event and see some of the absurdly delicious food that was served.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (WUSA) - An Alexandria man has pleaded guilty to four separate fraud schemes, including one where he admitted using credit cards in the names of his elderly grandmother and grandfather, and his daughter's Social Security number. 

Fifty-year-old David Lee Parker...more admitted to six charges for conducting the four fraudulent schemes since 2006. The counts included:

one count of access device fraud,
two counts of wire fraud,
two counts of aggravated identity theft, and
one count of fraud in connection with computers.

In one scheme, Parker used credit cards in the names of his elderly grandmother and grandfather, his own name and his daughter's Social Security number make more than $70,000 worth of unauthorized purchases.

In another scheme, Parker convinced two people to invest in the European franchise rights to the Hard Times Cafe and the investors lost more than $120,000.

Parker also

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (WUSA) -- Alexandria Police continue to investigate a burglary and assault from Monday night.

Police say a 16-year-old babysitter heard a loud noise at approximately 8 p.m. at the home in the 1100 block of Archer Court. When she went to investigate, she saw a man who...more grabbed her and pushed her to the floor. Her cell phone rang and he fled the residence.

The babysitter was not seriously injured, say police.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male in his early twenties, 6'0 to 6'2" tall, weighing approximately 190 to 200 pounds with black hair and a goatee.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 703-746-6711. You can remain anonymous.

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (WUSA) -- A deer crashed through a windshield and killed 26-year old Rodolfo Diamantio Ruiz Villatoro, 26 of Arlington Saturday night.   He was sitting in the passenger seat.   The impact of the huge animal also injured the driver and a man in the backseat, according to the...more driver, 40-year-old Juan Salgado who shared his home with Villatoro. 

"It was so painful.  I kept holding my nose and I couldn't stop the bleeding," Salgado sobbed as he recounted the horrifying incident.   "It was like an explosion."

He never saw the deer coming and didn't realize what had happened until he mopped the blood from his own face and saw Rodolfo, his best friend and wife's cousin motionless.  Between the two front seats of the Nissan Xterra SUV they were in was the deer, also still.

Villatoro's grief stricken mother said about her son, "He was such a good boy.  I'm filled with pain at his loss."

The Salgado and Villatoro family have set up

Looking to kick back a few Hurricanes for Fat Tuesday? Check out our top picks for DC area restaurants, bars and clubs participating in Mardi Gras activities!

Thanks to our caring community, we found the foster homes needed and then some for the dogs who were temporarily displaced during a renovation project at our New York Avenue adoption center. We can’t thank our friends and supporters enough for stepping in to help animals in need. In an effort...more to provide a better environment for all of the animals in our care, major improvement projects continue at our New York Avenue facility, and this time, it is our cats who are looking to their community for help.

The current construction project will displace numerous cats from their temporary homes in our adoption center – once again, as the only open access shelter in Washington, DC, this impacts us tremendously. WHS takes in an average of 30 animals every day and we never turn away an animal who needs our help. We hope we can count on you to help by providing short-term emergency foster care, or by spreading the word your families, friends and communities.
 
Foster

Target Corp. will host free in-store reading events at all Target stores nationwide this Saturday, February 25 from 9 a.m.-11 a.m., in celebration of the National
Education Association’s (NEA’s) Read Across America program. Each event will include a reading nook inspired by Dr. Seuss’ “The...more Lorax,” a reusable Target
bag filled with activities for children, readings by Target team members, and more.
 
Since 2003, Target has supported the NEA’s Read Across America program, which calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on or around
March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s author, Dr. Seuss. As a result of its support of programs like this, Target is on track to give $1 billion for education
by the end of 2015.
 
Click here to find the Target store in your community.

 
Jenny Freestone’s ‘New Prints’ on display at NOVA-Loudoun
Artist gallery talk set for March 14
 “New Prints,” an exhibition of etchings, photogravures and lithographs by Jenny Freestone, is on display in Waddell Gallery at the Loudoun Campus of Northern Virginia Community College...more until March 23. The community is invited to meet Freestone during a free artist gallery talk on Wednesday, March 14 at 11:30 a.m.

Freestone works in the media of etching, drypoint, lithography, direct gravure and photogravure. Her work begins with drawn studies or photographs which form the basis for the resulting print. Natural forms are her source material, often used in conjunction with architectural form to reinforce the connection between the human endeavour and the natural world. Her images stand as metaphors for the human condition, its attainments and failures, and its impact on the environment.
Freestone has exhibited widely nationally and internationally. Her work

 
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (WUSA) - Who was the tallest president? How many presidents were born in Virginia? And who was our best looking president? 9News Now's Bruce Johnson quizzed the crowds at Alexandria's annual Presidents' Day parade to see how many know these and other answers. Click the video and test your own presidential trivia skill.

 
Take a look at these photos, courtesy of the Washington Humane Society, of dogs currently available for adoption at the WHS Georgia Avenue location.
To find out more information about the Georgia Avenue shelter or more information about any of the dogs you see above, visit the Washington Humane Society's website.