Smart people are everywhere, and so are people who have common sense. That’s why we’re looking high and low to bring readers the highlights of the week just post. Got a suggestion? Send it to:[email protected] Resolution, in a way
1| Wisconsin Senate passes most of Walker’s spending bill
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The details: Wisconsin Senate Republicans voted on Gov. Scott Walker’s legislation limiting collective bargaining for public-sector unions and increasing the percentage public-sector employees pay into their pensions benefits.
Opposing dictatorship
2| U.S. calls Gadhafi’s regime illegitimate
The details: Subsequent to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s announcement that the U.S. has suspended recognition of the Libyan embassy in Washington, White House press secretary Jay Carney said the U.S. no longer recognizes members of Gadhafi’s regime as legitimate.
Tribunals are back
3| Gitmo detainees to face tribunals
The details: Obama lifted a two-year ban on military tribunals for Guantanamo Bay detainees on Monday, saying that this is the best step toward resolution of the cases while civilian trials for the prisoners remain banned.
Cutting loser loans
4| House cuts HUD loan program
The details: The House of Representatives voted to end the Emergency Homeowner Relief Program, in which the Department of Housing and Urban Development provides loans to unemployed homeowners. The program loses 98 cents for every dollar it spends.
Goodbye subsidy
5| Senators propose cutting ethanol
The details: Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Ben Cardin, D-Md., introduced legislation to repeal a tax credit on corn ethanol called the Volumetric Ethanol Excise Tax Credit, that could save taxpayers $6 billion a year.
Doing a Wisconsin
6| Local mayor tackles pension reform
The details: Frederick Mayor Randy McClement has asked an advisory board to look at ways to reform the city’s employee pension plan, which is $80 million underfunded even though it consumes 16 percent of the city’s general fund.
Making it official
7| Interim DCPS chancellor
The details: District Mayor Vincent Gray has nominated interim schools chancellor Kaya Henderson to be permanent head of the city’s school system. Henderson, a prot?g? of former chancellor Michelle Rhee, has vowed to continue Rhee’s reforms.
Spring fever
8| Housing market stages come-back
The details: Realtors are predicting big gains in housing prices this spring as prices rise and foreclosures decline. The Washington region is rated tops in the nation, and home prices here have rebounded 13.2 percent in the last two years.
Potholepalooza
9| Pothole repair blitz begun
The details: Transportation officials in D.C., Virginia and Maryland are working to fill thousands of potholes caused by winter freezing. Motorists who spot a pothole should call 311 in D.C.; 1-800-FOR-ROAD in Virginia; and (301) 952-0555 in Maryland.
Amber Alert
10| Lottery joins network
The details: More than 5,000 Virginia Lottery machines will soon be used to help law enforcement quickly find missing and endangered children. The Virginia Lottery has agreed to flash Amber Alerts on its in-store displays and self-service vending machines.
