D.C. Teen Charged in February Slaying; Man Dies After Being Shot; 4th Suspect Arrested in Stabbing of Homeless Man

Timothy T. Fitzpatrick, 19, of Northeast was charged with second-degree murder in the stabbing of Luis Kpigiri, 33, Dec. 30. Kpigiri was found dead behind a building in the 2700 block of 10th Street NE. Three other men have also been charged in the case.

-- Paul Duggan

SCHOOL VOUCHERS

Efforts Aim to Restore Funds

House Republicans moved yesterday to salvage the D.C. voucher program, introducing legislation that would restore funding for the scholarship initiative cut off this year by congressional Democrats.

House Republican Leader John A. Boehner (Ohio) and Reps. Darrell Issa and Rep. Howard P. "Buck" McKeon of California introduced the Preserving D.C. Student Scholarships Act of 2009. It joins an effort led by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) in his chamber to maintain the program, which provides up to $7,500 a year in federally funded tuition to D.C. children from low-income families to attend private school.

Democrats, supported by teachers unions and other constituencies that oppose the use of public money for private education, voted to end the program next year. This month, President Obama proposed continuing the scholarships so that the 1,700 students now receiving money can finish high school. But the program would be closed to new students.

Boehner said in a statement yesterday that District schoolchildren have been unfairly caught in the middle of a political fight and that the program deserves to be fully funded.

"Ending it at the behest of powerful special interests would be shameful," Boehner said.

The American Federation of Teachers, in a statement to a Senate committee last week, said federal funds are best spent in public schools, lowering class sizes and improving after-school and early childhood education programs.

-- Bill Turque