Va. to again try to ban handheld cellphone use behind wheel - WTOP Morning Headlines - Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is reviving an effort to ban all handheld cellphone use by drivers in the state, a change that would match the laws in Maryland and the District. "I hope that the General Assembly passes this lifesaving measure," Northam said at the announcement outside Alexandria City Hall. [Logo](#) MORNING HEADLINES - March 27, 2019 [mobile-header-ad]( [alt text here]( [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Va. to again try to ban handheld cellphone use behind wheel]( Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam is reviving an effort to ban all handheld cellphone use by drivers in the state, a change that would match the laws in Maryland and the District. "I hope that the General Assembly passes this lifesaving measure," Northam said at the announcement outside Alexandria City Hall. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [‘Monstrous’ decline in homes for sale in Arlington, Alexandria]( For potential homebuyers looking in Arlington County and Alexandria, Virginia, the choices are fewer now, not more. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [‘They listen very well’: Va. students record dementia patients’ stories]( Dozens of students from Taylor Middle School visited Poet's Walk — a memory care community in Warrenton — to record the stories of eight residents. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Nats are back in town, which means traffic backups]( The Washington Nationals' home opener Thursday afternoon also starts another annual tradition — traffic jams near the stadium in Southeast. Here are some alternatives for people going to the game and a look at some things that have changed with parking near Nationals Park. Sponsored by Righttime Medical Care [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Did that bump to the head cause a concussion?]( If you listen to the news or scroll through your Facebook feed on any given day, you will likely come across a headline about concussions. The stories are usually focused on professional athletes but the fact is that anyone is susceptible to a head injury at any time. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Cherry blossoms to peak earlier than predicted]( Warm weather is bringing the cherry blossoms to their peak a few days earlier than originally anticipated. Find out when to admire them at their best. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [March Madness: Battle of the Bands (Results)]( And the winner is ... Find out which artist beat out a field of 64 elite musicians to take home the crown. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Dismissal of Smollett case brings backlash, more questions]( The dismissal of Jussie Smollett’s case drew a swift backlash from Chicago’s mayor and police chief and raised questions about why the “Empire” actor was not forced to admit what prosecutors had said they could prove in court — that the entire episode was a publicity stunt. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Managing unconscious bias and talking to kids about race]( Nearly everyone is guilty of harboring unconscious bias. In her new book, Stanford University psychology professor Jennifer Eberhardt explains why, plus ways to manage it. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [2019 MLB Predictions]( With the 2019 MLB season upon us, the WTOP sports staff takes its best crack at telling you what the future will hold this year. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Ovechkin scores 49th goal, Capitals beat Hurricanes]( Fans chanted, "We want 50!" after Alex Ovechkin’s 49th goal was announced, but they’ll have to wait at least a couple of days for Washington’s captain to become the third player in NHL history with 50 goals in eight different seasons. - [Wizards lose to Lakers]( [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Move over Grammys: Wammies honor DC music in push to ‘Listen Local First’]( The founder of the nonprofit Listen Local First highlights venues that support local artists rather than touring acts that swing through town. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Major revamp planned for FAA’s oversight process]( America's standing as the model for aviation-safety regulation will be on trial as congressional hearings begin into the Federal Aviation Administration's oversight of Boeing before and after two deadly crashes of its best-selling airliner. - [Trump's attack on 'Obamacare' gives Democrats a fresh issue]( [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [What makes a great boss? Here’s what readers said]( Great bosses are rare. But it’s really not that hard to be one. If being a great boss is something you aspire to — or just secretly wonder if you are — check yourself against these five characteristics. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Smith, federal union pan Space Force for proposed employee rights]( House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith and AFGE are concerned about worker's rights in the Space Force legislative proposal. Sponsored by Fair Oaks Motors [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Best trips to take on one tank of gas]( Looking for a road trip? Here are a few suggestions you can cruise to on just one tank of gas. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Trump to award 8th Medal of Honor, his first to Iraq war vet]( Presiden Trump will present the Medal of Honor to the family of Army Staff Sgt. Travis Atkins, who gave his life in 2007 to save fellow soldiers from an Iraqi suicide bomber. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Heiress hoax scores woman celebrity treatment, and charges]( Anna Sorokin traveled in celebrity circles and people believed she was the German heiress she said she was. But prosecutors say she was just a fraudster with a taste of the high life. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [NASA delays all-female spacewalk because there aren't enough spacesuits that fit]( NASA clarified that it has more than one medium-size spacesuit torso aboard but said to stay on schedule with the space station upgrades, “it’s safer and faster to change spacewalker assignments than reconfigure spacesuits.” [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [Police seek 2 suspects after vehicle break-in, robbery in Northwest]( The robbery took place on the 2800 block of Ellicott Street Northwest. Video cameras stationed in the dashboard of the van captured the incident. See video of the suspects. [mobile-img]( [alt text here]( [DC area fares well in ranking of healthiest communities]( One area city fell out of the top spot, but Virginia and Maryland still grabbed a lot of high rankings in U.S. News and World Report’s annual list of the healthiest communities. FEDERAL NEWS NETWORK [alt text here]( [OMB tries again to pitch federal pay freeze, performance awards to Congress]( The Trump administration got its first chance Tuesday to pitch to Congress its vision for performance-based rewards instead of across-the-board pay raises for federal employees. This email and the accompanying website are not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. Unsubscribe | View this email in your browser If you believe this has been sent to you in error, please safely [unsubscribe](.