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December 17, 2004 - For more than a century raw sewage has been pouring into the Anacostia and Potomac rivers and Rock Creek during heavy rainfalls. Believe it or not, that's by design - the district's sewer system was constructed with "release valves" to prevent the backup of pipes. So, when pipes can't handle raw sewage which is combined with rainwater, the excess is funneled into waterways. But As WAMU's Lisa Nurnberger reports, that's about to change. The EPA has struck an agreement with the DC Water and Sewer Authority which is the largest such settlement in US history.
December 14, 2004 - 2004 is coming to a close and it hasn't been a banner year for Prince George's County police and residents. Homicide, rape and car-jackings are all up this year compared to last. Police say they're understaffed. Meanwhile, residents say they can't fight crime alone and are crying out for more protection. WAMU's Sarah Hughes reports on one neighborhood that feels particularly vulnerable.
December 13, 2004 - If you wanted to research your family history 10 years ago, the only way to look at original documents was to make a trip to local courthouses, state archives or the National Archives in Washington. Now many one-of-a-kind documents - such as census records - have been converted to digital form and are posted on the Web. As more genealogists use the interent, fewer are leaving home to go to libraries, including the National Archives in Washington. WAMU's Susan Goodman has this report.
December 10, 2004 - DC's juvenile justice system is due for an overhaul in 2005. A bill signed by Mayor Anthony Williams in late November will bring a series of significant changes. The 'Omnibus Juvenile Justice Act of 2004' will hold parents more accountable for the actions of their kid - they could be forced to pay up to ten-thousand dollars in restitution to their child's victim. And victims will now have greater access to confidential information about suspects - information that had previously been off-limits. WAMU's Lisa Nurnberger reports on the potential effects of the act.
December 6, 2004 - The holiday season is fast approaching... a time when music lovers sweep into concert halls to take in Handel's Messiah and Christmas concertos. But grand, sweeping classical music can also be heard in some less formal places around the Washington region. Like... the subway. That's where local music student Hisham Breedlove can be found practicing Italian arias and Christmas carols. WAMU's Sarah Hughes dropped in to listen and has this profile.
December 6, 2004 - Since Operation Iraqi Freedom began in March of last year, more than 12-hundred U.S. troops have died and more than nine-thousand have been injured in Iraq. And a steady stream of soldiers, marines and airmen continue to pass through the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Northwest DC. Among the wounded are 144 amputees, including two from Maryland and four from Virginia. We spend time now with two soldiers who've just started down the road to recovery. WAMU's Lisa Nurnberger reports.
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