Among the topics: the proposal to allow a casino at National Harbor or Rosecroft Raceway, the search for a new schools superintendent, health care,and his wife's battle with Alzheimer's.

Watch the rest of today's show after the jump.

Monday at 10am: Northern VA Congressman Frank Wolf

Insurance agent Billy Simons shared some tips for filing claims on damages caused by last week's storm.

And, Clinical Psychologist and Author Susan Albers talked about her book "Eating Mindfully."

Watch the rest of today's show after the jump.

Monday at 10am: Washington Kastles' Owner Mark Ein

We also discussed Ken Cuccinelli's job performance as Virginia's Attorney General.

In our second half hour, Metro Weekly reporter Chris Geidner spoke with us about Anderson Cooper's recent revelation that he is gay, and what it means for him as a journalist.

Then, Kurt Erickson of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program told us about the SoberRide campaign, and efforts to curb drunk driving this 4th of July. 

We also received a bit of breaking news from ABC 7 reporter Gail Pennybacker on the Loudoun County Silver Line decision.

Watch the rest of today's show after the jump.

Then, University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth talked about the race for the White House.

Video after the jump.

Monday at 10am: Rep. Jim Moran and Dr. Mohammad Akhter, head of the DC Department of Health

And, summer kicked off with a bang with today's steamy weather. Meteorologist Brian Van de Graaff talked about the scorching temperatures and offered some tips on how to stay cool.

In our second half hour, we talked with Dr. Libby Kelly about the Lone Star Tick. A bite from the insect can last for weeks and cause an allergic reaction to certain types of meat. More than 1,000 cases have been reported in Virginia.

Local author Leslie Maitland talked about her first book: "Crossing the Borders of Time"

Monday at 10am: Interim DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson

In our first half hour, we talked with Maryland attorney general Doug Gansler about the high court's decision to overturn a law allowing the collection of DNA from those arrested of violent crimes.

Other topics include; Mortgage help, health care reform, and internet privacy.

Later in the show, Tom Threlkeld of DC Pro Sports Report joined us to talk about the Capitals, Nationals, and Redskins rookie minicamp.

WATCH today's show here:

Monday: Should Loudoun County join the Metro compact?

Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax) discussed the budget stalemate in Richmond.

And Prince George’s Executive Rushern Baker talked about gambling, hopes for a new hospital, and the Karen Toles incident.

WATCH today’s interview here:

Tuesday at 10am: WJFK Radio’s JP Flaim talks about his book, “Chasing Rocky”

WATCH today's interview here:

WATCH today's interviews here:

We also talked about the County Council’s decision to table a proposed teen curfew, which Leggett denounced in strong terms. Among our other topics: snow removal, the major development projects that are in the pipeline, his call for an increase in the gas tax, and the tension between the police union and Chief Tom Manger.

WATCH today’s interview here:

Wednesday at 10am: Maryland Delegate and congressional candidate Tony O’Donnell (R) and DC emergency management chief Millicent West.

In our last segment, we discussed former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky’s bewildering decision to grant media interviews. His failure to effectively answer simply questions such as “do you like boys?” has many people questioning the wisdom of his defense team’s strategy.

WATCH today’s interviews here:

Thursday at 10am: Political strategist and author Craig Shirley

"Young people are part of our community and to impose a significant restriction on their liberty should be done really under emergency circumstances," said councilman George Leventhal.

The debate was postponed indefinitely, giving the option of possibly resurrecting the legislation in the future.

Craig Rice was one of the few in favor of the proposal.

"I believe it is time for the County Council to approve the youth curfew because it could mean the life of another child," Rice said.

Council members defended the move saying if opinions change or crime rates worsen, they could quickly bring back the bill.

Washington Adventist Hospital officials want to build a new White Oak campus just six miles from the hospital’s Takoma Park location, but there's one thing stopping them from moving forward.

“It's a beautiful location where healthcare is needed and where there's a setting where natural healing and the environment is conducive to healing,” said hospital president Joyce Portela.

The hospital announced its plans six years ago. The Maryland health care commission has ok the move, but there is no deadline by which it has to make a decision.

“We have submitted our certificate of need application, and the hearings are complete, so at this point we're waiting for commissioner Worthington to make his recommendation to the full commission, and the full commission will vote,” Portela said.

On Monday, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett threw his support behind the project. Leggett hopes the 249-bed hospital will generate more business and interest to the eastern portion of the county.

“The new white oak hospital campus will immediately create 275 new construction jobs, and ultimately create 1,000 new permanent jobs in Montgomery and Prince George's county,” Leggett said.

According to the gazette, other hospitals say the move would hurt their growth, and suggested renovations at Takoma.

“We're just looking to move to the center of our market area,” Portela defended the hospital’s plans. The Takoma Park hospital will stay open even when the other campus is build behind the orchard center on Plum Orchard Drive, she said.

Burtonsville resident and community advocate Kim Bobola, favors the close proximity to her neighborhood.

“Its central location would make it more convenient for folks who are clustered in affordable housing near the new site, and convenient for the elderly who live at Riderwood,” Bobola said.

If the health board vote comes through soon, the new White-Oak site could open by 2015.

Residents and business owners packed the council chambers before the vote was tabled until 2012.

Supporters argued gambling at Rosecroft Raceway, for example, would secure a profitable future at the raceway, create some $400 million in revenue for the county and eventually nearly 3,000 new jobs. Without the slots, the horse-racing venue claims it may have to close, company executives said Tuesday.

“You need to find ways to fund things at local level you need to be innovative, bring in economic development yourself,” Darrell Carrington of Penn National said Monday on Newstalk with Bruce DePuyt.

Critics worry gambling will have a negative impact on the community and lead to further financial problems in a county already hit hard by the economic downturn.

"We do not want to unleash gambling addiction in the middle of a foreclosure crisis in the middle of our county,” said Gerron Levi.

In 2008, Marylanders voted to allow slots at five locations, but Prince George’s county wasn't one of them. Debate swirls on whether county leaders, state leaders, or Maryland voters should decide what's best for the county.

“You need to let people vote. That's what this bill does it takes away ability to vote... a few council people should not be making that decision,” Carrington said.

"When it goes to statewide referendum, Cumberland, eastern shore, the other 23 jurisdictions of Maryland get to decide for Prince George’s county. Prince George’s county does not get to decide," countered Levi.

The bill to ban gaming had four co-sponsors on the county council, seen as sure yes-votes. It needed five to pass.

Karin Nelson of Bethesda's Pirjo boutique knows the impact that a construction project can have on business.

“People didn't want to come down here to deal with the trucks, the noise the lack of parking,” Nelson said of past construction. “As they close that parking lot over there, it's going to shrink the possibilities even more.”

Crews are standing by to begin a three-year long development plan that includes condos and apartments. As first reported by the Washington Post, come January, two parking lots in the bustling Bethesda row will be closed to accommodate the construction.

“It's disappointing because parking is very limited now,” said Bethesda resident Ron Grow.

“The big lot, and the small lot at the intersection of Bethesda and Woodmont avenue will close for a period of two years at the same time, at the same time, Woodmont Avenue will close south of Bethesda Avenue for one block,” said Ken Hartman of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase regional services center.

Shoppers usually turn to these parking spots when visiting stores and restaurants. Currently, 300 spaces are available in the two surface parking lots. Once the project is complete, the number of spots will grow to 900.

During the transition, the county will make accommodations by adding an extra circulator bus during peak hours, and more short-term meters at the garage between Bethesda Avenue and Elm Street. Two other large parking lot are a couple blocks away.

Bethesda resident Gustavo Pacheco, who might just avoid the potential roadblocks all together. “Basically I'll probably stop coming for awhile until it's settled because you spend so much time just trying to find parking,” he said.

Michael Gurwitz waited anxiously during Tuesday's hearing on development plans for his Silver Spring neighborhood. The council debated a major construction project that would bring dozens of new homes near the former Chelsea school.

“While we are willing to accept change in that development, we are not going to accept 76 townhouses forced on us, in the middle of our neighborhood,” Gurwitz said.

Local developer EYA asked to re-zone the land so it can build 76 townhomes in an area currently designated for single-family homes. Opponents like David Brown said the plan is overwhelming for the historic neighborhood.

Last month, a hearing examiner issued her report, which prompted additional concerns from residents.

“It concurs in the sensible, middle road approach, which is to remand, to deal with some severe problems that she saw in the current plans that need to be resolved before you vote on the rezoning proposal,” Brown said, asking to remand the application.

EYA objected, wanting to move forward.

“I believe a remand will only find us in a similar position six or eight months from now, having invested significantly more county and private resources both from EYA and the community,” an official with the developer said.

Council members were split: Some argued the current plan fulfills the county's growth needs, including affordable housing, while others said the numbers need to be reviewed again.

“I think what the residents are asking for is reasonable here, that this thing get remanded and that there is going to be change and there is going to be additional density, but the density should be at a level that fits with existing neighborhoods,” Marc Elrich said.

Council members eventually decided the application will be sent back to the hearing examiner, taking another look at the amount of new homes that can be introduced.

The state highway administration and local governments to start issuing $25 fines for each sign placed illegally on state roadways.

“There’s a 3 month warning period from Oct. 1 to Jan. 1 and state highway crews will be removing the signs but will leave one sign with a sticker on the back, to alert the owner of the sign that after Jan. 1, they'll be paying a fine,” said Valerie Burnette Edgar of the state highway administration.

Transportation officials say that it's always been illegal to place commercial signs on state highways, including interstates and numbered routes, but without a fee enforcement, taxpayers have been footing the bill.

“Our crews have had to pick up illegal signs for whatever it may be, that's been advertised. The state and the citizens of Maryland have been having to pay that cost for $600,000 a year,” Burnette Edgar said.

This initiative aims to save money and lives. The signs next to stoplights or along medians can obscure other, more important information.

“If there's a clutter of signs that could potentially confusing or blocking other signs, that is a danger to drivers,” said Burnette Edgar. Wind could also blow the signs into the road where they become a hazard to drivers.

Darren Long hopes this crackdown will also mean fewer eyesores during his commute “because they never come back and take the signs---they never clean up after themselves,” he laments.

Craig Scarcia says it's too early to tell how effective this rule will be.

“I don't think it's going to discourage too many people from putting up signs, because it's a relatively inexpensive way to advertise,” he said.

Kensington council member Mackie Barch says his community is ready for improvements.

“We’ve lost dozens of businesses in the last two years, we have some of the lowest occupancy rates in Montgomery County,” Barch said.

For the first time in five decades, residents are hearing and seeing a major construction project at the local Marc train station. While the plan is set for a new parking lot, the hope is to expand and offer much more to the neighborhood.

One developer is said to be interested in constructing a condo unit on top of the Marc train so people can commute downtown in two stops. But this vision could come down to decisions made by the county.

On Tuesday, council leaders discussed those commercial/residential or CR-zone plans that would urbanize parts of the county, including Kensington.

In theory, businesses and residential areas would co-exist in communities near mass transit, changing some restrictions like building height.

Council member Nancy Floreen says she's ready to move forward.

“All of this is to create some clear and consistent standards for how properties will evolve over time,” Floreen said.

But fellow council member Marc Elrich says they need to look closer at provisions that may work in favor of developers but not the county.

“The county is losing the ability to get the amenities that it really needs in order to make these places to work the way we've told them they would work,” he said.

Amenities like the supporting infrastructure for neighborhoods. Even after months of discussion, the concerns among lawmakers and residents remain unresolved while the deadline approaches.

“I wish we had more time to talk about this,” Elrich said.

Amendments were made to the plan on Tuesday. A final vote will come next week.

The county spends $1.4 million a year in administration costs to keep these groups running, funding that council member George Leventhal says should be scrutinized.

Jerry Godwin sits on the commission on veterans affairs and says close ties with the local government created valuable initiatives in the three years since the commission was created.

“We’ve gotten 50 homeless veterans off the street and into housing,” he said.

But the 86 commissions, boards and committees cost the county money.

“You have eight county staff developing the agendas, taking the minutes, showing up, giving reports, taking the feedback, so they're very staff intensive, and there's a certain amount of expense reimbursement that goes on,” Leventhal said.

This week, Leventhal introduced a bill to re-evaluate these organizations, which could lead to cuts.

“We have 11 different commissions fulfilling a function that six can certainly fulfill,” he said. “There is some consolidation and streamlining of these boards and commissions that can occur.”

Patricia Gallalee chairs the commission on people with disabilities, a group that she says offers an opportunity to give a voice to the disabled in Montgomery County.

“We help out with issues of employment, housing and transportation... those three broad areas have been our focus especially the last year,” Gallalee said.

The veterans’ commission’s Godwin believes it shouldn't end there.

“Commissions provide a low or no-cost effective way to guide our local government,” he said.

A public hearing is set for Oct. 18.

He received a special surprise from his community Monday when he arrived to pick up his daughter from pre-school.

Hundreds of students, parents and teachers greeted Salazar at St. Raphael's school in Rockville.

“My wife said to be here at 11:45 and this is very nice, more than I thought possible,” he said, calling the welcome “completely unexpected.”

Salazar returned to Bethesda, after 8 months in Afghanistan. Based at Bethesda Naval Hospital, he has also served in Haiti and Kuwait.

Each departure is difficult for his entire family.

“He has been on three deployments on 3.5 years so it has been tougher… our family, my daughter is four,” Jaime’s wife Laura said.

Kathryn Schroder’s children are attending St. Raphael's and she helped coordinate the event after her family received the same warm gesture when her husband returned from Afghanistan last year.

“They felt loved and supported by this community and they were not able to worry at night because they were surrounded by people who loved them,” Schroder said.

Even pre-schoolers helped plan, among them Salazar's daughter Julia.

“My dad goes to the office to help other people that are hurt,” she said.

Students and teachers also tied yellow ribbons on all of the trees leading up to the school as another sign of support.

The Ben Roethlisberger Foundation is distributing these grants to police and fire departments in Pittsburgh, and in the communities near where the Steelers play their away games this season. Nice gesture! These dogs sure could use the protection. But this doesn't mean Ravens fans will boo Roethlisberger any less when he comes to town on Sunday.

[Examiner]

The proposal is on the agenda today for a meeting between the mayor and the Board of Alderman, the AP reports. Back in 2007, the city's Parks and Recreation Commission recommended the ban, but it went nowhere. A few counties in Maryland have passed similar laws, according to the University of Maryland Law School, but it's unclear whether the laws are heeded or enforced.

Having recently moved from the NYC area, I can tell you that such a ban will not work. As one NYPD officer said, it's "hypocritical to ticket someone for something I myself do." Well, that explains why leash laws aren't enforced, either.