WASHINGTON, DC., (WUSA) -- At the Eleanor Ford Reading Center in Prince George's County, putting words together is like taking a final victory lap around a track.

"You guys are doing really great with your reading," says Robin Bruce, the director of the center.

This...more center operates thanks to dozens of books from a literacy organization called Reading Tree.

"This pushes the skills over the top, having these books for them to read," says Bruce.

Some of those books come from blue bins, like the ones you see in this Virginia parking lot.

They are marked with words like "books for charity" and "donate books, CD's and DVDs."

"Because I'm a Friends of the Library volunteer, I suppose you could say I'm extra sensitive to the appearance of this box," says Pamela Chin.

Pamela Chin is bin skeptic.

The library volunteer, and Reston resident, wanted to know more about the boxes that she says resulted in a 20

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

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (WUSA) - A Silver Spring man has been arrested for making and planting an explosive device, Sheriff's Deputies report.

Christopher Bolton of Silver Spring, MD, was arrested Wednesday  morning for a warrant dated February 7 for manufacturing or possession of a...more destructive device.
According to the warrant, in September of 2011 Bolton became angered by a disagreement with the victim in the case. The warrant indicates that Bolton threatened to kill the victim and subsequently began building a device consisting of screws, batteries, .40 caliber ammunition rounds, and an undetermined liquid in a plastic bottle.

On February 7, 2012, the explosive device was discovered in a shed at a residence on Maple Trail, in Aquasco MD. The device was safely removed by the Office of the Fire Marshall's Bomb Squad and a warrant for Bolton's arrest was issued. Sheriff's deputies  began an investigation into Bolton's whereabouts. On February 22, deputies

ROCKVILLE, Md. (WUSA) - Detectives from Montgomery County n have charged Ramon Michael Gunn, arrested on February 18 for the armed robbery of the Night Dreams store in Rockville, with six additional commercial robberies.

In the course of investigation of recent, commercial robberies...more in the county, officers developed Gunn as a possible suspect. During police surveillance of Gunn, it was determined that he had committed a robbery on February 18 at approximately 10:45 p.m. at the Night Dreams store at 11550 (F) Rockville Pike. Gunn was placed under arrest as he walked from the store to his vehicle, parked on a side street.

During police questioning, Gunn confessed to committing seven commercial robberies in Montgomery County. These armed robberies are:

• January 11, 2012, Subway, 12601 Wisteria Drive, Germantown

• January 12, 2012, Domino's Pizza, 5268 Nicholson Lane, Rockville

• January 14, 2012, Subway, 5210 Nicholson Lane,

 
The Loudoun Department of Economic Development announced today that existing Loudoun businesses Equinix, Inc. and Carpathia Hosting have joined together to add a 64,000-square-foot data center to Loudoun’s ever-expanding market. The center is aimed at supporting industry-specific...more compliant solutions for healthcare companies, federal agencies and commercial industries.
Carpathia has signed a build-to-suit agreement with a joint venture comprised of Equinix and Digital Realty Trust to build the IBX Vault®, a Platform Euqinix™ facility. The new data center will be built adjacent to the existing Carpathia Vault in Dulles, Virginia.
“It’s a great story to see three of Loudoun’s biggest data center operators partnering on this incredibly unique project,” said Buddy Rizer, Assistant Director of Loudoun’s Department of Economic Development. “Equinix, Digital Realty Trust and Carpathia all are significant players in the industry, and their further investment in the Dulles

FAIRFAX, Va. (WUSA) -- Fairfax County police have charged a Chevy Chase, Md. man for a New Year's Day robbery at a Denny's Restaurant.

Colin Thomas Bowie was charged with robbery, abduction, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and impersonating a police officer....more

According to Fairfax City Police, Takoma Park Police arrested Bowie on Feb. 17, charging him as a fugitive from justice from Virginia. He is being held in Montgomery County, Md.

In the Denny's robbery, authorities say a man entered the restaurant at 10473 Fairfax Boulevard at approximately 6:30 a.m. claiming to be a police officer. Then, the man took out a handgun and ordered the manager into the office to get money from the safe. The manager handed the man the money and the man fled out the back door.

No one was injured in the incident.

RICHMOND, Va. (WUSA) -- Richmond police charged a man from Springfield with driving under the influence in connection with a fatal crash Wednesday morning.

Varinder Chahal has been charged with driving under the influence, refusal to submit to a blood or breath test and felony...more manslaughter, according to police.

Police say at approximately 12:37 a.m. Wednesday, an officer saw a crash at the intersection of 2nd and Canal streets. A crash team later determined that 23-year-old Varinder Chahal of Springfield ran a red light in his 2004 Mazda 6 while traveling westbound on Canal Street. His car then t-boned a 2007 Toyota Yaris headed northbound on 2nd Street. The Yaris spun around and struck a building.

According to police, 19-year-old Carolina Perez of Virginia Beach, who was in the back seat of the Yaris was taken to VCU Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. She died a few hours later.

The driver of the Yaris and a front seat passenger

CHANTILLY, Va. (WUSA) -- Fairfax County Crime Solvers want your help identifying the suspects who broke out windows of a mosque under construction and caused an estimated $170,000 to $200,000 worth of damage.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community mosque at 4555 Ahmadiyya Drive in Chantilly...more was secured by the construction company on Jan. 29 around 4:30 p.m., say police. An employee from the company called police the next day when he discovered damage that morning.

Detectives found alcoholic beverage bottles underneath a construction tarp and determined some bottles were used to break out the windows, along with large concrete blocks and wooden planks.

Police say it does not appear the suspect of suspects entered the building itself.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Solvers by phone at 1-866-411-TIPS(8477), e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text "TIP187" plus your message to CRIMES(274637).

GAITHERSBURG, Md. (WUSA) -- Montgomery County Police say the unknown substance found in a vacant house in the 7000 block of Ivy Oak Drive in Gaithersburg on Wednesday afternoon was not incendiary.

A spokesperson said firefighters were called by a contractor who had found an unkown...more substance in a home.

The Montgomery County Police and Fire Explosive Investigative section entered the house, confirmed that the substance was not of an incendiary nature and began removing and testing the materials that were found.

Police than began to open some of the roads that were closed in the area as a precaution.

Investigators used canine and x-rays to determine that the unknown substance was not a hazard.

They are now testing the substance to determine exactly what it is.

 

 

The area near the house has been closed to traffic.

 
From Robert Marus: Mayor Vincent C. Gray today announced the re- formation and leadership of a task force that will help him shape a comprehensive housing strategy for the District of Columbia.
 
“The goal of the Comprehensive Housing Strategy Task Force is to help city leaders...more ensure the creation of more affordable housing for residents of the District of Columbia,” said Mayor Gray. “While I believe that every D.C. resident deserves a decent, safe and affordable place to live, I also know this goal can prove challenging to reach in dense, fast-growing cities like ours. The work of this Task Force will help us make these efforts more achievable for all of our residents.”
 
Mayor Gray named Harry Sewell and Deborah Ratner Salzberg to co-chair the Task Force.
 
Harry Sewell is Executive Director of the D.C. Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA) and he has more than 30 years of public- and private-sector housing experience. Mr. Sewell has served as Executive

This weekend, I took a break from the DC tour of homes, and The Cribline House Pick of the Week, and I went South to Rappahannock County, VA the home of the Inn at Little Washington (Washington, VA) and Sperryvillefor the President’s Day weekend.
There are no cell towers out there, so I...more was disconnected for 2 solid days. When was the last time your smartphone was useless? No email, no texts, no mobile phone.
I went out with a couple friends and I made a reservation at the wonderful and friendly Hopkins Ordinary bed and breakfast in downtown Sperryville… with some of the best chocolate chip cookies around btw… great rooms, great hospitality… only the reservation was for the wrong night. So, just when I thought we were stuck without a place to stay, my good pal Jimmy, a local resident, put me in touch with his friend Pam who was just putting the finishing touches on her newly restored and impeccably decorated rental cottage. It was available. What for a moment seemed like a

These are some items from Peter Marco's limited edition NBA pendants series, which showcase "a stunning collection of diamond jewelry featuring the iconic marks of the NBA".  
Read all about the Washington Wizards necklace here.

 
The following information was sent to us by Brie Hall:
 
Lent will begin on February 22, 2012, with Catholics around the world fasting and receiving ashes on their foreheads in the sign of the cross as a symbol of penance and conversion. In the Archdiocese of Washington, Lent...more also marks the beginning of “The Light is On for You” initiative and also “Operation Rice Bowl.”
 
            Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and is the 40-day penitential period before Easter and the celebration of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. The imposition of ashes is an ancient practice found in the Old Testament. Once a public sign of an individual’s repentance, it became part of the Church’s Lenten preparations by the seventh century. On Ash Wednesday and Good Friday (the Friday before Easter), Catholics between 18 and 59 years old observe a modified fast. Guidelines allow for one full meal per day. Catholics age 14 and over abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday and every

 
From Feb 22, 2012 -- Feb 24, 2012, join Prince George's County Public Schools for a lunchtime choir performance at The Mall at Prince George's.Thomas Pullen K-8 Arts Focus School Choir: Wednesday, February 22, at 11am,Gwynn Park Middle School Band, Gwynn Park High School Chorus:...more Thursday, February 23, from 11am-1pm Hyattsville Middle School Choir: Friday, February 24, at 11am.