Fox5_NewsTopics's Blog

Follow the latest coverage on myfoxdc at this link.  Blog here your thoughts about this terrible act.

Pakistan's Bhutto Assassinated at Rally

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan  --  Pakistan opposition leader Benazir Bhutto was assassinated Thursday in a suicide attack that also killed at least 20 others at a campaign rally, aides said.

The death of the 54-year-old charismatic former prime minister threw the campaign for the Jan. 8 parliamentary elections into chaos and created fears of mass protests and violence across the nuclear-armed nation, an important U.S. ally in the war on terrorism.

The Mitchell Report was released on Thursday, December 13, 2007.  Use the links below to read the report and for full coverage from myfoxdc.

Tell us what you think.  Was it fair?  Are you surprised?

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE REPORT

CLICK HERE FOR FULL COVERAGE FROM MYFOXDC.COM

As the shock sinks in, there are more and more discussions hitting the net about the role of Taylor's prior lifestyle and the role it played in his death.

Some of the discussion is very strong.  And in a politically correct world sensitive territory.

We often see blogs about race here and often the discussion gets ugly.  We would like to have a thoughtful discussion about this subject.  It's risky, but important to talk about it.

Michael Wilbon had this yesterday in the Washington Post:

Dying Young, Black

By Michael Wilbon
Wednesday, November 28, 2007; Page E01

If you're hoping to read about the on-field exploits of Sean Taylor, or a retrospective of his time with the Washington Redskins, it would probably be better if you cast your eyes to a piece elsewhere in this newspaper.

Seriously, you should stop right here.

Because we're going to have a different conversation in this space -- about the violent and senseless nature of the act that took his life, about trying to change course when those around you might not embrace such a change, about dying young and black in America, about getting the hell out of Dodge if at all possible.

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Jason Whitlock  from FOXSports.com was even stronger:

No, we don't know for certain the circumstances surrounding Taylor's death. I could very well be proven wrong for engaging in this sort of aggressive speculation. But it's no different than if you saw a fat man fall to the ground clutching his chest. You'd assume a heart attack, and you'd know, no matter the cause, the man needed to lose weight.

Well, when shots are fired and a black man hits the pavement, there's every statistical reason to believe another black man pulled the trigger. That's not some negative, unfair stereotype. It's a reality we've been living with, tolerating and rationalizing for far too long.

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Strong stuff to get a thoughtful, respectful conversation started.  Let's try.

Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor has died, a day after he was shot at his Florida home.

Share your thoughts and memories of Sean Taylor here.

Latest Coverage on Sean Taylor's Death from myfoxdc.com

Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley signed a 1.3 billion dollar tax package into law Monday, along with a measure putting slot machine gambling on the ballot for voters to decide next year. 

Fox 5's Patrick McGrath will interview Governor O'Malley this week.

What questions would you like Patrick McGrath to ask the Governor?

Click Here to Track All of Your Political News on myfoxdc.com

The elementary school is working to change its logo after the Collegiate Licensing Co. pointed out the striking resemblance between its cougar logo and that of Penn State. The licensing company asked the school last month to stop using its logo on T-shirts, business cards and letterhead.

Watch Our Video Package Here 

What do you think?  Are they coming down too hard on a poor elementary school, or just protecting their intellectual property?
 

An historically diverse field of Democratic presidential candidates -- a woman, a black, an Hispanic and five whites -- denounced an hours-old Supreme Court desegregation ruling Thursday night and said the nation's slow march to racial unity is far from over.

Did the candidates answer the questions about the issues you are most concerned with?

Let us know.

The struggles of the nation's blacks topped the agenda Thursday as the Democratic Party's eight presidential candidates gathered for their third primary debate at Howard University.

What issues do you think need to be addressed by the candidates?

What questions would you like to hear answered?

Let us know. 

Lark McCarthy has greeted viewers here on Fox Morning News since the newscast debuted in 1990. 

Thursday in a station meeting Lark told the staff  "it was time" for her try something new.  Lark will be moving to Las Vegas where her husband, an orthopedic surgeon, is joining a medical practice.

Lark told us she has been thinking about it for months and leaving is her decision, although our General Manager and News Director tried to talk her out of it!

Lark has been a leader and mentor to all of us that work with her and will be missed.

We will have more about Lark's impact here at Fox 5 and in the DC Region as we say goodbye over the next month.  Be sure to watch Fox Morning news and watch myfoxdc.

Blog your thoughts about Lark here.

View Lark's Announcent-Click Here

Let us know your thoughts.  And see complete coverage on our home page myfoxdc.com. 

BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) -- A gunman opened fire in a Virginia Tech
dorm and then, two hours later, in a classroom across campus
Monday, killing at least 30 people in the deadliest shooting
rampage in U.S. history, government officials told The Associated
Press. The gunman was killed, bringing the death toll to 31.
   "Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we
consider of monumental proportions," said Virginia Tech president
Charles Steger. "The university is shocked and indeed horrified."
   It was not immediately clear whether the gunman was shot by
police or took his own life. His name was not released, and
investigators offered no motive for the attack. It was not known if
the gunman was a student.
   The shootings spread panic and confusion on campus, with
students complaining that the university did not warn them about
the first burst of gunfire until more than two hours later.

Earlier this week President Bush cruised when put on the spot about the price of a gallon of gas.

"About $2.60 plus," he answered during a Rose Garden news conference Tuesday.

That’s pretty close, but the national average, which has been rising for nine straight weeks, is almost $2.71 a gallon.

Maybe he learned the lesson from his dad: Never get caught looking out of touch with everyday life.

The former President Bush once confessed he didn't know how much a loaf of bread cost when given his own consumer quiz in 1992. He had to guess, and ended up just about right, too.

So, it’s Easter weekend, a time when many hit the road to travel.  That means drivers will be headed to the pump for some fuel.  Do you know of any places selling less expensive gas? If so, we want to know!  

Share where you have found some of the best gas prices in and around town.