2 water mains break in Va., shut down traffic in Crystal City

The General Assembly also gave final approval to two other gun-rights bills. Holders of concealed-weapons permits could renew their licenses by mail under a bill sponsored by Sen. Ralph K. Smith (R-Roanoke). Smith's bill passed the House on Tuesday on an 81 to 18 vote. It passed the Senate on Feb. 16 by a vote of 29 to 11.

The third gun bill approved Tuesday would allow any person who is qualified to possess a handgun to store the weapon, loaded or not, in a locked container or compartment in a boat or motor vehicle. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel (R-Winchester), passed the House on Tuesday by a vote of 74 to 25. The Senate approved the bill 24 to 16 on Feb. 16.

-- Fredrick Kunkle

THE REGION

Va. justice tapped for U.S. appeals court

Virginia Supreme Court Justice Barbara Milano Keenan of Alexandria was confirmed Tuesday by the U.S. Senate to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

The vote was 99 to 0, and came more than five months after President Obama nominated her.

Obama inherited five vacancies on the Fourth Circuit, which has long been recognized as one of the most conservative appeals courts in the country. Keenan becomes the second new judge for the circuit, which oversees federal district courts in Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Keenan, 60, is a longtime Northern Virginian who has served at every level of the Virginia judiciary as it is now organized.

She was the first female general district court judge in Virginia when she joined the Fairfax bench in 1980, and she was the first female circuit court judge in 1982.

When the Virginia Court of Appeals was created in 1985, she was the only woman named to that bench. She was selected for the Virginia Supreme Court in 1991.

-- Tom Jackman

MARYLAND

Jury convicts 3 of fatally starving baby

A Baltimore jury deliberated less than three hours before finding three accused cult members guilty Tuesday of starving a 16-month-old to death because he did not say "amen" before meals.

Marcus Cobbs, 23; Trevia Williams, 22; and her 41-year-old mother, Toni Sloan -- who claims God personally renamed her "Queen Antoinette" -- each face a maximum of 60 years in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for May 18.

The verdicts brought a swift end to a bizarre and tragic case that captured national attention.

The defendants represented themselves in the week-long trial, and witnesses told stories of strict religious rules, fears about demonic possession, and the attempted resurrection of a murdered toddler named Javon Thompson. His mummified remains were discovered in April 2008, roughly 15 months after he died in a Baltimore apartment.

-- Baltimore Sun