gaithersblog.net

Michael Dresser writes:

A federal judge gave Maryland the go-ahead yesterday to begin construction of a long-debated highway in the Washington suburbs, flatly rejecting environmentalists’ challenges to the $2.4 billion project.

…in a 106-page opinion, Williams ruled that state and federal officials fixed the environmental problems that scuttled earlier versions of the ICC.

“What seems abundantly clear to this Court is that Defendants went back to the drawing board, recommenced their study for the proposed project, and thoroughly considered, examined, and, most importantly, corrected the deficiencies from previous failed attempts,” he wrote.

Plaintiffs could still appeal, but they would be taking their case to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va. - one of the nation’s most conservative appellate panels.

Meghan Tierney writes,

A passerby discovered the body of a woman who had committed suicide in Gaithersburg on Saturday morning, said Sgt. Rudy Wagner, a spokesman for the Gaithersburg Police Department.

Montgomery County Police spokeswoman Lucille Baur would not release the name or age of the woman, who has been identified.

Gary Emerling writes:

A D.C. Council member’s plans to place a day-laborer center in Northeast appear to be at a halt as officials struggle to find a property to house the site and community opposition to the center grows.

Officials have not been able to find a location for the day-laborer center, in part because both the District and Home Depot own land in the plaza.

City officials hoped Home Depot would donate use of a parcel for the facility, which the company has not done.