December 13, 2010

Delay due to illness

Forgive me, but I am ill, so I will be posting less.

Catholics stage anti-abortion protest outside Germantown clinic

About 600 people gathered Saturday in an anti-abortion protest organized by the Catholic Archdiocese of Washington outside an office complex in Germantown, where physician LeRoy Carhart was to have started offering late-term abortions last week.

"Our goal is to get Catholics aware of the situation with the state laws in Maryland," said Christa Lopiccolo, executive director of the department of life issues for the archdiocese.

"Maryland is becoming a safe haven" for abortion doctors because of "the laxity of the law," Lopiccolo said, adding that Carhart came to Maryland from Nebraska.

The protesters gathered for Mass at 8 a.m. at Mother Seton Parish, filling the pews and standing in the aisles of the church, which is about a half-mile from the abortion clinic.

"We are called now to march, to pray full of love, not full of violence," said Father Carlos Benitez, pastor at Mother Seton.

The predominantly Catholic group, including several priests, parents and children bundled in hats and jackets, and a few people carrying anti-abortion signs, walked to the perimeter of the office complex where the clinic is located, softly chanting prayers and singing hymns. WASHINGTON POST

Washington, DC Weather Video Forecast

Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 9 am EST Monday morning...

Monday Morning Snow showers. Little or no snow accumulation. Lows in the lower 30s. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph. Chance of snow 90 percent.

Monday Afternoon Mostly cloudy in the morning...then becoming partly sunny. A 30 percent chance of snow showers. Highs in the mid 30s. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

Monday Night Mostly cloudy and brisk. Lows in the lower 20s. West winds 15 to 25 mph.

Tuesday Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 30s. Northwest winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.

Tuesday Night Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 20s. West winds 15 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph.

Wednesday Sunny. Highs in the lower 30s.

Wednesday Night Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 20s.

Thursday Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s.

Montgomery Co. to consider cutting school officers

WASHINGTON - Members of the Montgomery County Council Monday will consider removing police officers from schools as lawmakers scramble to save money in the middle of the fiscal year. Council members hope to cut as much as $36 million from the current year's budget, and a council committee will look at removing the school system's nine police officers assigned to monitor middle and high schools. The cuts could save $518,000, but present a touch choice. Just last Friday, an officer assigned to Walt Whitman High School arrested two students after it was reported one brought a stun gun to school. Other officers have been credited with developing good relationships with students, who let them know when something may be wrong. County Executive Isiah Leggett also proposed cutting nearly $2 million from the county's health and human services budget. That could affect an energy assistance program which helps low-income residents pay their energy bills. SOURCE: WTOP