This Va. librarian is deeply impacting the lives of her students - Saturday, December 16, 2023 - Top News from WTOP

TOP NEWS | December 16, 2023 [Web version](   [How Virginia's School Librarian of the Year gets kids excited to visit the media center]( “As a librarian, there's a lot of things that happen behind the scenes," Rachel Grover said. "It's a really big deal when your peers acknowledge you're excellent.” [READ MORE](   [New policy at a DC mall aims to cut down on unaccompanied minors in stores]( Signs posted on the DC USA mall's front entrance are crystal clear: Under the new policy, shoppers under 18 will now need to be accompanied by an adult or they'll be turned away. [READ MORE](   SPONSORED CONTENT [Federal IT infrastructure improvements are here to stay in a constantly changing landscape]( Federal government agencies are in a constant battle to keep their IT infrastructure modernized to ensure the secure, smooth flow of information.   [Prince George's Co. State's Attorney provides updates on 2 homicides that ‘rocked the county']( Braveboy said her office vowed to get justice and ensure accountability for these two cases, which both took place in 2021. [READ MORE](   [DC firefighters battle blaze in historic firehouse near US Capitol]( The fire began Friday evening in Old Engine Company No. 12, now a landmark historic site along North Capitol Street in the Bloomingdale neighborhood of Washington. [READ MORE](   Sponsored by PenFed Credit Union, federally insured by NCUA [How a high-yield savings account can help you reach your savings goals]( A high-yield savings account is one way to take advantage of today's interest rates and earn from your funds.   [Senate not ready to give up on border deal, including Ukraine and Israel aid]( House members are now home for the holidays, but Senators are continuing to hammer away at an agreement on the Southern border, which would put an end to the impasse that's holding up billions of dollars in aid. [READ MORE](   [Could Wizards, Caps move to Va. provide boost for Metro?]( Development of a new arena for the Washington Wizards and Capitals in Alexandria, Virginia, could transform the area around the Potomac Yard Metro station. [READ MORE](   SPONSORED CONTENT [AI success relies on good planning, data and engineering]( Planning for artificial intelligence should start with the use cases. How might it benefit the organization? Who will it affect? Where can we get some quick wins?   [WTOP Book Report: ‘Perfect Little Lives' mixes murder mystery, romance and social commentary]( In “Perfect Little Lives,” readers follow the journey of Simone, a millennial Black woman living and working in New York City, who is hiding the secret of the murder of her mother, for which her father was convicted of. [READ MORE](   [Montgomery Co. deal with biotech company to bring parking garage, affordable housing to Silver Spring]( Montgomery County announced Friday that it has signed a $100 million deal with United Therapeutics Corporation to expand the company's development in the county. [READ MORE](   Sponsored by Four Inc. and IBM [At NASA, ‘data fuels everything we do' - like a return to the moon]( As NASA prepares for a return trip to the moon, the agency is modernizing its approach to capturing and using data to keep pace with its evolving mission.   [Climate protester pleads guilty to vandalizing National Gallery of Art exhibit]( A woman from New York has pleaded guilty to defacing an Edgar Degas sculpture at D.C.'s National Gallery of Art back earlier this year. [READ MORE](   [Northern Virginians named to over half of committee chair positions in House of Delegates]( "I look forward to working with the committee to ensure communities across the commonwealth are great places to live, work and raise families today and for generations to come," said Prince William County Del. Candi Mundon King. [READ MORE](   SPONSORED CONTENT [Views from the frontlines: Maryland's mental health crisis]( Maryland is in crisis, with roughly 838,000 Marylanders aged 12 and up struggling with a mental health condition.   [Wizards snap 6-game skid with a 137-123 victory over the Pacers]( Kyle Kuzma scored 31 points, Jordan Poole added 30 and Tyus Jones had his second career triple-double to help the Washington Wizards snap a six-game losing streak. [READ MORE](   Sponsored by Leidos [Why agencies are pairing zero trust with better UX for their agencies' employees]( As agencies ratchet up cyber controls, many find that improving user experience becomes equally critical. For an exclusive round table, we get tips and insights from security leaders at GSA, NGA, NRO, SEC and USPS. | Download now!   PARTNERSHIP [Virginia Tech to play in Military Bowl in Annapolis]( The National Capital Region's college football bowl game, the Military Bowl presented by Go Bowling.com will feature Virginia Tech Hokies VS. the Tulane Green Wave December 27 at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.   [Check out the latest weather forecast]( [Click here for the latest traffic updates]( [Visit WTOP's Podcast Center]( Download and listen to podcasts created by WTOP and our partners CONNECT WITH WTOP [facebook]( [twitter]( [linkedin]( [instagram]( EVERYTHING YOU NEED EVERY TIME YOU LISTEN [DOWNLOAD THE WTOP APP]( [Click here to manage your newsletter preferences.]( This email and the accompanying website are not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. [Unsubscribe](  | [Contact us.](