Around the Wire

No Tax Break for Boat Owners -- A bill that could have led the way to tax breaks for Virginia's boat owners was voted down Tuesday in the House of Delegates.  State Senator Richard Stuart said he introduced the bill because boat owners are keeping their boats in other states that have lower property tax rates.  But House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong said giving a tax break to yacht owners was just a dumb idea.  More...

Cell Phones on the Brain -- Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have found that using a cell phone for less than one hour per day can alter brain activity near the antenna.  But scientists don't yet know if the effects are detrimental to a person's health.  More...

Woman Survives, Car Doesn't, in Train Collision -- In Suffolk yesterday, a woman walked away unhurt after her car was hit by a frieght train.  It happened at the railroad crossing on East Washington Street.  The front of Veda Mercer's red Suzuki sedan was mangled but she was okay.  The case is still under investigation.  WVEC.com has photos from the scene.

Finally, if you're gonna sell yourself as a defensive stud, you might not want to use a photograph that makes you look bug-eyed scared.  That's free-agent safety O.J. Atogwe's official bio photo from NFL.com.  He paid a visit to the Washington Redskins this week.