REGIONAL BRIEFING

The officer, who was in plainclothes, had just parked in the 3400 block of 29th Avenue about 4:30 p.m. when a car pulled up, said Cpl. Diane Richardson, a Prince George's County police spokeswoman. A man wielding a gun exited the passenger's side and demanded that she get out of her red 2006 Dodge Charger, Richardson said.

The drivers of both vehicles remained at large last night.

-- Elissa Silverman

VIRGINIA

Roanoke Group Planning To Launch Shared Bike Program

A Roanoke group is creating a bike-sharing program that would let people sign out bicycles at area businesses.

Sharebike is partly modeled on programs in cities such as Portland, Ore., and Paris.

Organizers want to provide inexpensive, environmentally friendly, calorie-burning transportation for people who don't drive or don't need to for where they are going.

The group is collecting and repairing used bikes, raising money and staging trial runs.

Although theft, abuse and breakage have plagued other programs, organizers say they will try to curb such behavior by asking participants for identification, contact information and a signed release.

-- Associated Press