The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
A Common Airplane Annoyance Leads to a Costly Brouhaha in the Skies Over D.C.
Washington Post: "Before things got out of hand it was a typical annoyance that happens once a flight gets airborne: A passenger hit the recline button and sent his seat intimately close to the lap of the guy sitting behind him. What followed wasn’t typical at all: a smack to the head, peacemakers diving about the cabin to intervene, tons of jet fuel being dumped over the ocean and a pair of Air Force F-16 fighter jets scrambling into the night skies over Washington. It happened late Sunday just after a United Airlines Boeing 767 bound for Ghana with 144 passengers took off from Dulles International Airport."
3,000 New Oil Wells to be Drilled in Texas Within the Year
Washington Examiner: "Oil prices could soon fall with the discovery of 20 new onshore oil fields in West Texas, which not only will boost the U.S. economy but also will line up with Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal’s hope for lower oil prices -- just not quite in a way he likes. Talal told CNN on Sunday that he wants oil prices to drop from about $100 a gallon, where they are currently, to $70-80 a gallon. The lower prices will keep U.S. and Europe dependent on oil rather than rushing to find other energy sources, he said."
Do Campaign Signs Actually Work?
Alexandria Times: "Campaign signs have begun springing up across the city as the state Senate District 30 races gets underway — but how effective are they? It depends whom you ask. Retired state Sen. Patsy Ticer, who first won the now contested seat in 1996, said campaign signs build name recognition, reassure supporters and influence potential voters by way of “osmosis.” People might not notice it, but they’re absorbing the candidate’s name as they drive or walk around town. With every glance, they get a little more familiar, she said. The advantage leans toward a political newcomer, Ticer said."
Local
Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia local news, events and information
Local Guard Troop Leaving for Iraq
Fredericksburg.com: The University of Mary Washington will be swarming with the camouflage green of Army National Guard soldiers tomorrow. The Fredericksburg campus will once again host the departure ceremony for two units attached to the local armory that will be part of a larger task force heading to Iraq. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. at Dodd Auditorium. About noon, families and soldiers will have an hour together on Jefferson Square before the troops board buses at 1 p.m. The buses arrive and leave from the campus' main entrance on College Avenue. The soldiers are with Company A, 116th Brigade Special Troops Battalion, and Company D, 3rd Battalion, 116th Infantry Regiment."
