IRS-POLITICAL GROUPS-RALLIES-DC
Protesters denounce IRS at agency's headquarters
WASHINGTON (AP) - A few dozen tea party activists and their supporters have gathered outside the IRS headquarters in Washington to protest extra scrutiny of their organizations.
The protesters listened to speeches Tuesday afternoon and carried signs reading "Audit the IRS" and "Don't audit me, bro."
Twenty-year-old Shoshana Weissmann, a George Washington University student who works at a political consulting firm, says she was troubled by the IRS' actions. She says if the IRS had targeted liberal groups for extra scrutiny, she would be protesting that too.
The protest was organized by Tea Party Patriots, which held similar rallies around the country. Jenny Beth Martin, a co-founder of the group, says the IRS targeting of conservative organizations has shown the American public that the tea party's concerns about government overreach are valid.
SINK HOLE-14TH STREET
Sink hole closes DC intersection on 14th Street
WASHINGTON (AP) - A sink hole has closed a major intersection and commuter route in downtown Washington at 14th and F streets.
The District of Columbia Department of Transportation announced the closure Tuesday afternoon. The agency says officials from the department and D.C. Water are investigating a condition that has undermined the roadway.
Traffic is being diverted for several blocks around the intersection.
STRIKE-FEDERAL BUILDINGS
Strike shuts down food stalls in federal buildings
WASHINGTON (AP) - Organizers say striking workers shut down some fast-food businesses at a federal office building in Washington as well as the McDonald's at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.
The 1-day strikes on Tuesday were the latest in a series of strikes by fast-food workers around the country who say they can't make ends meet on less than $10 an hour.
The action in Washington was meant to highlight the large number of low-wage workers employed by federal contractors. Workers are calling on President Barack Obama to demand that such contractors increase wages.
Organizers say about 200 mostly food-service and janitorial workers participated in the strike. In addition to the McDonald's inside Air and Space, four businesses in the food court at the Ronald Reagan Building were forced to close.
GERSHWIN PRIZE-CAROLE KING
Library honors Carole King with US pop music prize
WASHINGTON (AP) - Carole King isn't done with music - not yet anyway.
The 71-year-old singer-songwriter known for such hits as "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" and "You've Got A Friend" is being awarded the nation's highest prize for popular music Tuesday. She'll receive the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song at the Library of Congress and will be honored Wednesday by President Barack Obama at the White House.
King told The Associated Press it's a tremendous honor to be recognized at such an historic place.
Last year, King hinted she might retire. Now she plans to introduce a new song for the Gershwin Prize that she wrote with Hal David entitled "I Believe in Loving You." She plans to release it as a single next month in tribute to David.
MARYLAND LIVE!-POKER
Maryland Live! casino starts work on poker room
HANOVER, Md. (AP) - Maryland Live! is starting to build a poker room.
The casino in Anne Arundel County announced Tuesday that the poker room will be 14,800 square feet.
The casino says it's scheduled to open late this summer. Maryland Live! says it will be 1 of the largest poker rooms in the mid-Atlantic region. It will have more than 50 tables and a dedicated area for tournament play.
The casino says adding the card game will create more than 200 new jobs. Maryland Live! currently has 122 live table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette and other games.
HUMOR PRIZE-CAROL BURNETT
Carol Burnett to receive top US humor prize in DC
WASHINGTON (AP) - Carol Burnett, who became famous for playing a variety of characters in sketch comedy routines on her namesake television show, has been named the winner of the nation's top humor prize.
The Kennedy Center in Washington announced Tuesday that Burnett will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor on Oct. 20. A gala performance featuring top names in comedy will be broadcast nationally Oct. 30 on PBS.
In a written statement, the 80-year-old Burnett says she can't believe she is receiving the prize from the Kennedy Center. She says "it's almost impossible to be funnier than the people in Washington."
Burnett had her breakout on Broadway in "Once Upon a Mattress" in 1959. She is best known for her long-running variety show "The Carol Burnett Show." It ran from 1967 to 1978 on CBS.
CARBON MONOXIDE-CONSTRUCTION WORKERS
DC Fire: Carbon monoxide sickens 7 workers
WASHINGTON (AP) - A D.C. fire department official says seven construction workers were sickened by carbon monoxide and sent to area hospitals.
Fire department spokesman Lon Walls say 10 people were affected by the fumes on Monday night as they worked at the National Press Building. Walls says the workers were sickened while removing asbestos from the building at 14th and F streets northwest.
Walls says 6 of the workers taken to hospitals appeared to be in relatively good condition. He says one was more seriously affected, but he is expected to survive.
NATIONALS-MATTHEUS
Nats reliever breaks pitching hand punching locker
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Nationals reliever Ryan Mattheus has broken his pitching hand punching a locker in frustration following a rocky outing.
Washington manager Davey Johnson made the announcement after the Nationals' 8-0 loss to the San Francisco Giants on Monday night, one day after Mattheus was injured. The right-hander allowed five runs in one inning of Washington's 13-4 loss to San Diego on Sunday.
According to Johnson, Mattheus did not inform the team of his injury until just before Monday night's game at AT&T Park. Johnson did not specify how long Mattheus would be sidelined, only that it will be "a while."
The news came on the same night that the Giants lost starter Ryan Vogelsong to a broken pitching hand. He was injured while batting in the fifth inning.
NATIONALS-GIANTS
Giants' Vogelsong wins at last but injures hand
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Ryan Vogelsong broke his throwing hand on a swing after pitching himself toward his first win in seven starts, and the San Francisco Giants returned from a terrible road trip to beat the Washington Nationals 8-0 on Monday night.
The right-hander fouled a ball off his right hand in the bottom of the fifth and grimaced in pain while grabbing the hand. He was quickly examined near the batter's box and left the game. The Giants later announced the injury, without immediately providing any other details.
Vogelsong (2-4) snapped a six-start winless stretch with just his second victory of 2013 and first since April 11 against the Cubs at Wrigley Field and seemed back on track.
He walked off to warm ovation as Nick Noonan pinch hit. Vogelsong allowed three hits in five scoreless innings and lowered his ERA from 8.06 to 7.19.
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