| Va. passes bill to safeguard student athletes with head injuries |
| RICHMOND -- The Virginia General Assembly has passed legislation that would require high school coaches and others to bench student athletes who show signs of having suffered concussions until they are cleared for further play by a licensed health professional.
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| Fairfax mentoring program for foster children could end |
| A Fairfax County mentoring program for foster children gave Estefany Amaya a shoulder to cry on.
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| Ward 6 parents call for more middle school options in Capitol Hill |
Capitol Hill parents, who have played a key role in the revival of elementary schools in Ward 6, are asking Chancellor Michelle A. Rhee for a major expansion of middle school choices in the area so that their children can continue in D.C. public schools.
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| T.C. Williams stings from low-achievement label; school officials pledge reform |
| Federal education officials have singled out Alexandria's only public high school as among the nation's poorest-performing schools, putting it on track for a dramatic turnaround effort, including major instructional reforms and possibly widespread teacher firings.
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| D.C. mayor okays smoking permit for two events in District |
| The stogies will burn on St. Patrick's Day, thanks to legislation signed Wednesday by D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, one of the leading sponsors in 2006 of the city's smoking ban.
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| Governors, state school superintendents propose common academic standards |
| Maryland and several other states are pushing rapidly toward adoption of new academic standards proposed Wednesday for English and math, adding momentum to the campaign to establish common expectations for public school students across the country.
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| Rise in Washington area unemployment seen as good sign for economy's recovery |
Unemployment rates rose in the District, Maryland and Virginia in January, a shift that economists said could be a positive sign for the economy because it suggests that discouraged job-seekers are feeling more optimistic about their prospects and have resumed looking for work.
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| Pennsylvania Ave. to have dedicated bike lanes |
| The center of Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to the Capitol soon may be reserved for just two things: the president's inauguration and people riding bicycles.
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| Va. Gov. McDonnell prohibits bias against gay state workers |
| RICHMOND -- Hoping to quell a growing uproar on Virginia's college campuses over gay rights, Gov. Robert F. McDonnell issued a directive to all 102,000 state employees Wednesday that prohibits discrimination in the state workforce, including on the basis of sexual orientation, and warns he will reprimand or fire anyone who engages in it.
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| Va.'s McDonnell slow to fulfill campaign pledges |
| RICHMOND Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell won a landslide victory in November largely because of two broad campaign promises. He was going to deliver key services that Virginians wanted even while shrinking government. And he was ready to lead from Day One, unlike his opponent, whom he mocked for lacking plans for what to do.
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| Prince George's police officer, 27, dies after car crash |
There's a photo that shows Thomas P. Jensen wearing a Prince George's County police uniform when he was 4 years old, friends said. Sure, it was just a Halloween costume, but everyone knew it was only a matter of time before Jensen would be wearing the uniform for real.
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| Aging Md. detention center spurs questions about girls' rehabilitation |
| Maryland's only secure detention center for girls is so old and outdated that frustrated state legislators have raised the prospect of closing the Laurel facility by next year.
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| John Kelly: Complaints about D.C.'s two-hour parking limit |
| I do not for one minute think that all Americans are guaranteed a parking space. The pursuit of a parking space, yes -- along with life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness -- but a meter with some time on it right in front of your destination? No.
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| Murder trial begins in case of D.C. woman who vanished in 1999 |
| It's been nearly 11 years since Yolanda Baker's family has seen her. So much time had passed that authorities declared her legally dead last year, although her body has never been found.
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| Montgomery schools plan for further budget cuts |
An extra student might have to squeeze into Montgomery County classrooms next year, and county schools are preparing for other cuts that go beyond the budget approved last month by the Montgomery County Board of Education, officials said Wednesday.
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| Police investigate death of 10-month-old in Northwest D.C. |
| D.C. homicide detectives are investigating the death of a 10-month-old girl who lapsed into unconsciousness Tuesday night while being cared for by a nanny in her parents' Northwest Washington home, police said.
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| Va. assembly approves bill to bar health-insurance mandate |
| RICHMOND -- The Virginia General Assembly has given final approval to a bill that would make it illegal for the government to require individuals to purchase health insurance, a measure intended to conflict with Democratic efforts to reform health care in Washington.
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| Boycott urged for Muslim imam's prayer in Virginia House |
| RICHMOND -- Hundreds of people are urging legislators to boycott the House of Delegates' floor session on Thursday, when a Falls Church imam whom they accuse of condoning violence and defending terrorism is set to deliver the opening prayer.
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| D.C. mayor okays smoking permit for two events in District |
The stogies will burn on St. Patrick's Day, thanks to legislation signed Wednesday by D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, one of the leading sponsors in 2006 of the city's smoking ban.
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