The case has been the subject of three books, including the bestseller "Fatal Vision," and a television miniseries. The proceeding in May would be MacDonald's first parole hearing. He became eligible for parole in 1991.
Montgomery Man Dies in Crash of Pickup
A 70-year-old Silver Spring man died Tuesday night after his pickup truck veered off the road in the Fairland area of Montgomery County, police said.
Norman F. Lancaster, of the 3100 block of Fairland Road, was traveling east on Fairland Road about 8:23 p.m. Tuesday when his 1985 GMC pickup was observed weaving across lanes and striking several curbs, police said.
Near Old Columbia Pike, his truck jumped the median, crossed traffic lanes and struck a tree off the roadway, police said. He was taken to Holy Cross Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Silver Spring Teacher Named County's Best
Kimberly Oliver, a kindergarten teacher at Broad Acres Elementary School in Silver Spring, was named Montgomery County teacher of the year last night during a ceremony at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel. She will represent the county in the statewide teacher of the year competition.
In November, Oliver achieved National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification. She has been a teacher trainer for two years and this year is a mentor teacher.
Oliver was honored with two other veteran Montgomery teachers, Ernest O'Roark of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School and Shelly Niverth of Viers Mill Elementary School.
All three also won excellence in teaching awards from the Marian Greenblatt Education Fund, which recognizes teachers for motivating and educating students. A fourth Greenblatt recognition award, for first-year teachers, was given to Jennifer Harne of North Bethesda Middle School.
State Places Laurel Horse Center on 'Hold'
The Columbia Horse Center in Laurel has been placed under an "investigative hold order" after the death last week of a fourth horse.
The horse, named Shaggy, was euthanized April 11 after exhibiting symptoms of a neurological strain of an equine herpes virus. The horse lived in the same barn as three others that died last month of herpes, according to state officials and the center's Web site.
Under the "investigative hold order" -- a less-restrictive form of quarantine that will last through early May -- horses will be confined to their stalls, but owners will be allowed to visit on a limited basis. James I. Fearer, the acting state veterinarian, said the virus did not seem to have moved beyond the barn.
Radar, another horse that exhibited similar symptoms about the same time, is steadily improving, according to the center's Web site.
VIRGINIA
Dumfries Council Fires Town Manager
The Dumfries Town Council fired Town Manager John C. Barkley after a closed session Tuesday night. The council voted 4 to 3 to "immediately terminate" Barkley, who had been director of finance and human resources for the Baltimore Metropolitan Council before becoming manager of the Prince William County town in May 2003, Dumfries Mayor Melvin Bray said.
Bray, who voted against firing Barkley, credited him with helping to bring development to the town.
Bray would not comment on the closed session but said Barkley's missteps were often argued about publicly. Barkley did not respond to messages left yesterday at his home and on his cell phone.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
"Because of him, I am."
-- Navy Chaplain Ronnie King at the burial service for Frederick Clinton Branch, the first African American officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. -- B1
Compiled from reports by staff writers Steven Ginsberg, Susan Kinzie, Debbi Wilgoren, David Snyder, Lori Aratani, Ylan Q. Mui and Nikita Stewart and the Associated Press.
