Tuesday, March 31: Cindi Scafide was tired of keeping her daughter’s old formal dresses in her closets. She wanted to give them to students who needed them. So she created a dress donation program. She’s collecting dresses, tuxedoes, suits, shoes and purses. Students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford prom, will be able to look their best. Maryland Woman Collects Prom Dresses for Students in Need.

Wednesday, April 1: Until today, I had no idea dogs could donate blood. My story, Dogs Donate Much Needed Blood, taught me a lot about canines. They have blood types, just like humans. Only, they don’t have types A, B, or O. It’s entirely different. I also learned that it’s much harder to get blood from cats. I was willing to bring my cat, Mila, in to donate but cats have to be put out while it’s done. Too risky, so they don’t get blood from pet cats. Take a look at this story– it’s very interesting.

Thursday, April 2: Covered a story about a horrible crime. A boy, who was 2-years-old at the time, was burned by scaulding hot water. It was his babysitter who burned his right hand. She pleaded guilty, and today was sentenced to 12 years in prison. For hours, the judge heard victim impact statements and even saw the boy’s mangled hand. The pictures of his hand just after the burn were horrific. Here’s the story: Babysitter Sentenced To 12 Years For Scalding Child.

Friday, April 3: I learned a lot about rabies today. It’s because there have been an abundance of rabies cases in Fairfax County. Two different raccoons attacked three men. One tested positive for rabies. The other hasn’t been caught. And a cat was found suffering from the final stages of rabies. It was a wild cat, and because other cats were pawing at it, they all had to be trapped and euthanized (there were nearly 30 of these cats.) It’s a sad story: Fairfax County Sees Rise in Rabies Cases.

Saturday, April 4: I didn’t get a chance to enjoy the Cherry Blossoms today, but I did get to go to four sporting events. Well, kind of. I rode the Metro all afternoon to see how crowds made it to the Wizards, Capitals, US Armor, and Nationals games. They were all going on at roughly the same time: Metro Runs Extra Trains to Handle Weekend Crowds.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Tuesday, March 17, 2009: I got to feature my good friend Deb Lee for this story: Survey Says Women Love to Clean. A survey by Consumer Report’s Shopsmart Magazine showed that 25 percent of women find cleaning relaxing. Only seven percent hated to clean. Deb is a personal organizer, so this was right up her alley.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009: I updated the story about the boy who fell 24 feet down a ventilator shaft. It happened last week at Children’s National Medical Center in DC. The boy–incredibly– survived. He went home from the hospital on Sunday and is now in for a long recovery. I talked with the family’s attorney for the story: Update: Boy Falls 24 Feet at Children’s National Medical Center.

Thursday, March 19, 2009: I lived three blocks from my elementary school in St. Louis. I always took the school bus. That’s why this story seemed a bit surprising to me. But I’m quickly learning school bus service in St. Louis is rare. In this area, kids who live close to school walk. Even kindergartners. Schools in Frederick County are changing their policy and requiring more students walk starting next school year. I walked with a dad and his two children to school. The kids got tired easily, and their father is worried about their safety. But the school board says they need to save some money, and this policy is not unlike those at other schools. What do you think? Story: More Students Will Walk in Frederick County.

Friday, March 20, 2009: Former Senator John Warner Auctions Off Senate Office Items. Basically, he retired and his wife said he couldn’t bring everything home. Instead, he sold it. His desk was estimated to bring in about $1,500 but actually went for $5,000. It’s a testament of this retired Senator’s lasting impact on the Virginia community. And yes, this is the guy who was once married to Elizabeth Taylor.

Saturday, March 21, 2009: I had come into work early so I could change after running six miles. The moment I stepped into the office, I was sent right back out. All I knew is that children were dead. I drove to Northeast DC right away. I was still sweaty and in my running clothes– but it didn’t matter. When I got there, it took a long time to piece together what happened. Finally, we learned a deaf mom and her two little boys were stabbed to death. It was domestic violence. It’s been only a day since this happened, and already common-law husband has been charged. He was also being treated for stab wounds. (We’re still trying to find out whether his wounds were self-inflicted.) The only survivor was the woman’s two-year-old daughter. Here’s the story: Deaf Woman and Her Two Kids Killed in Northeast DC Carver-Langston Neighborhood.

Popularity: 19% [?]

Okay, okay– so I haven’t been very good about keeping up with my WUSA work. Here are some of my stories for the past couple weeks:

Mar 1: Preparing for the Winter Storm

Mar 3: $212 Million Mega Millions Jackpot Tonight (This is one of my favorite stories. You gotta hear how this guy buys Lotto tickets!)

March 4: High Schoolers Compete for $600,000 in Scholarships This story made me hungry!

March 5: Google’s Tip Jar Saves You Money

March 7: Nice Night to Be Out and About

March 10: FedEx Prints Resumes For Free

March 11: Child Falls Down Shaft At Children’s Hospital

March 12: Privacy Concerns About Google’s New Ad Service

March 13: Free Dental Services For Low Income Families

Popularity: 16% [?]

Overall– I had a crazy week. There were tons of shootings (including a couple stories I worked on that never made it to air); smart people who think social networking makes you dumb (I think you should decide); and a weirdo that likes to cuddle with sleeping women.

Sunday, February 22: What a crazy day. It was all about shootings. First, I talked with police about a possible road rage incident that left one man dead. He apparently got lost, made a U-turn, accidently cut someone off, and then got shot in the head. I handed off this story to another reporter. Then I covered the Fatal Shooting at a Silver Spring Church. This is where a woman was gunned down by her husband in middle of services.

Monday, February 23: I drove all around Ashburn today for a story about Loudoun County Foreclosures. I talked with a real estate agent who says the market is getting better. I believe him. My sister and dad are real estate agents and both have had better luck since the new year. I also went around to some foreclosed homes to take video. I met a contractor who was hired by the bank to fix up the house. This is unusual for foreclosed homes, but this is an unusual time. Banks just have too many properties and they are anxious to get them sold.

Tuesday, February 24: My friend Kristin Fisher suggested a story she saw on Drudge. It’s some scientists who think Social Networking Rots Your Brain. Of course, there’s no evidence that it does and it’s very possible social networking actually helps kids develop their minds. Take a look at the story and tell me what you think.

Wednesday, February 25: This is a sad story. Two Teens Sexually Assaulted by Gunman. It happened in Oxon Hill. A family member said the girls were going to the library to work on a school project and used a dirt path that connects the school to the library. It’s not like the path was all that remote. It was actually quite busy. There were adults and students walking through there the whole time I was out there. Sad. Just sad.

Thursday, February 26: This is probably the weirdest story I’ve covered so far. The Georgetown Cuddler Strikes Again. This guy breaks into homes and gets in bed with a person, just to cuddle. When the person wakes up, he simply leaves. How bizarre!

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Yep. Total fail whale. Why? Because I got the flu and it ruined everything. I had to call in sick three days in a row. I was fairly useless the other two days I showed up. Even now… let’s just say it’s snot fun.

Saturday, February 14: I did a story about the Stimulus Bill and how it will affect DC. DC Stimulus Money. I had tons of problems with audio and even video. By the end of the day, all the problems were resolved. But in middle of the night, I got cold chills and then a 101.4 fever. So I couldn’t redeem myself. Fail!

Wednesday, February 18: To go along with another piece about DC schools, I interviewed some Georgetown University students. They are competing in a national competition where the subject is: how to improve DC Schools.

Thursday, February 19: Two Firefighters Sue the Fire Chief and the City. It’s because they were reassigned from the Investigations Unit to the Community Service Unit, where they turn fire hydrants and give out snacks. They say the reassignment was over a host of issues, including racism in the department and disagreement about what caused the Eastern Market fire two years ago.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Saturday, February 7: I’ve heard of homes being auctioned off on the courthouse steps. The problem is, buyers need cash up front. ALL the cash up front. So when those homes don’t sell, banks will team up with a private company to Auction Foreclosed Homes. This time, buyers only need $5,000 up front. They can get a loan for the rest. This was the first time I’ve attended one of these events. They are becoming much more popular with this economy. It was quite an experience.

Sunday, February 8: I met this wonderful 13-year-old girl who is an accomplished author. Shea Megale has written two books and a third coming out in May. They are all about her dog, Mercer. Shea has spinal muscular atrophy, and Mercer is her companion dog. Here’s the story: Teen Publishes Books about her Assistance Dog.

Monday, February 9: I got a sneak peek of a new exhibit at the Library of Congress. It’s a collection of Abraham Lincoln Documents and Artifacts. Among my favorites: his bloody autopsy report (yeah, I know. Real blood!), a $5 Confederate Bill (he had in his pocket when he was killed), Mary Todd’s extravagant pearl necklace, and a newspaper ad calling for the capture of John Wilkes Booth.

Tuesday, February 10: I’m all about Valentine’s Day. This year, it’s even more special because I’m finally in the same city as my boyfriend (yes, we’ve been long-distance for five years!). I keep finding myself going to the Metromix website and reading a post called “Hidden Romantic Spots.” I noticed most of these sites were great ways to spend a romantic day and save money. Lucky for me, I got to turn this wonderful article into a package. I went to several romantic spots, and even found a place that makes chocolate monuments, like the White House and the Washington Monument. Take a look at the story: Affordable Valentine’s Day Ideas.

Wednesday, February 11: I can’t believe it was almost 70 degrees in February. I actually got paid to take advantage of the weather. All I had to do was drive around and get pictures of people enjoying the weather. Yeah, pretty nice! Take a look: Warm Weather Wednesday.

Popularity: 26% [?]