Matthew Cella

Maryland lawyers argue new gun laws won’t cause ‘irreparable harm’

Gun rights activists who filed a federal lawsuit attempting to block stringent new gun restrictions in Maryland demonstrated neither a likelihood of success in the case nor irreparable harm they would suffer if the law goes into effect Tuesday and should not be granted a temporary restraining order, lawyers for the state say. Published September 30, 2013

19-year-old woman charged in killing of Woodbridge high school student

A 19-year-old woman was arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing of a Woodbridge high school student that stemmed from a drug-related robbery, Prince William County police said Tuesday. Published September 24, 2013

Mei Xiang gives birth to baby panda at National Zoo; second cub was stillborn

Giant panda Mei Xiang gave birth to a cub at the Smithsonian's National Zoo on Friday afternoon and then delivered a stillborn cub on Saturday, officials said. Published August 23, 2013

Civilian paramedics to be hired in break with D.C. policy

The D.C. fire department is set to hire civilian paramedics to address dire shortages in its emergency medical services workforce — moving forward with a major policy shift that reverses decades of efforts to establish an agency whose employees are cross-trained as both medics and firefighters. Published August 15, 2013

Police to investigate two fires aboard D.C. ambulances

City officials have asked police to investigate two fires that occurred Tuesday aboard D.C. ambulances amid a series of embarrassing failures with the District's emergency medical fleet that has affected everyone from regular residents to the president of the United States. Published August 13, 2013

Federal probe of D.C. campaigns snares another Vincent Gray aide

A longtime campaign aide of D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray is expected to plead guilty Tuesday to one count of lying to investigators in connection with a wide-ranging federal campaign finance probe — the fourth person affiliated with the 2010 campaign to plead guilty. Published August 12, 2013

Obama’s D.C. ambulance has broken fuel gauge, runs out of gas

A D.C. fire department ambulance customarily accompanies a presidential motorcade as it departs from the White House. But when a motorcade left Thursday, the ambulance remained behind on the South Lawn. It had run out of gas. Published August 12, 2013

Longtime Gray campaign aide charged with lying to investigators

A longtime campaign aide of D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray is expected to plead guilty Tuesday to one count of lying to investigators in connection with a wide-ranging federal campaign finance probe — the fourth person affiliated with the 2010 campaign to plead guilty. Published August 12, 2013

McDonnell won’t say if he plans to repay donor for gifts to wife

Gov. Bob McDonnell says he has repaid $124,000 in loans from a wealthy Virginia businessman, but what remains unclear is whether the governor also plans to reimburse his benefactor for tens of thousands of dollars in gifts given to his family. Published July 24, 2013

Virginia Gov. McDonnell travels to Kuwait, Afghanistan

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell has put some distance between himself and a scandal involving gifts and loans from a wealthy Virginia businessman — about 7,000 miles — to visit troops in Kuwait and Afghanistan.. Published July 24, 2013

McDonnell apologizes, repays Jonnie Williams’ loan

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell on Tuesday said he had repaid with interest tens of thousands of dollars in loans given to him and his family by a wealthy businessman and for the first time he apologized for the "embarrassment" the ongoing scandal has brought the state. Published July 23, 2013

First Va. gubernatorial debate gets sharp and personal between Cuccinelli, McAuliffe

Virginia's gubernatorial candidates attacked each other's ethics, experience and intentions Saturday during a first debate that was marked by several sharp — and personal — exchanges. Published July 20, 2013

O’Malley to sign death-penalty repeal, other bills, in Maryland

Gov. Martin O'Malley was scheduled to sign dozens of bills into law Thursday, including a measure making Maryland the 18th state to abolish the death penalty. Published May 2, 2013

Bladensburg officer involved in car crash had shot himself

A Bladensburg police officer who was found dead after he was involved in a car crash in Anne Arundel County on Saturday morning had killed himself, authorities said Monday. Published April 29, 2013

Tip led FBI to one of its Ten Most Wanted Child-porn suspect found in Nicaragua

A recent tip led the FBI to Nicaragua, where authorities arrested the former D.C. private school teacher who took Osama bin Laden's place on the bureau's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, officials said Tuesday. Published April 23, 2013

Former D.C. teacher on ‘most wanted’ list arrested in Nicaragua

A recent tip led the FBI to Nicaragua, where local authorities arrested the former D.C. private school teacher who took Osama bin Laden's place on the bureau's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, officials said Tuesday. Published April 23, 2013

Insurers can’t charge more for smokers in health exchanges

The board charged with implementing federal health care reforms in the District has voted to prohibit insurance companies from charging higher premiums to cigarette smokers, adding the city to a handful of states rejecting such surcharges because of the effect they have on poor families who are more likely to smoke. Published April 9, 2013