Free Republic

More Rain Likely for Soaked NortheastBy STEPHEN MANNING Tuesday, June 27, 2006 WASHINGTON - Workers pumped water from the IRS headquarters' flooded basement Tuesday and mopped up at other government buildings Monday after heavy rain swamped the nation's capital. A brief break from the two-day deluge gave crews a chance to reopen commuter routes and set up sandbags to prevent more water from getting inside buildings. More than 7 inches of rain fell on the nation's capital in a 24-hour period Sunday and Monday, shutting down several federal buildings and closing some of the city's busiest tourist attractions just days...

Rep. Patrick Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) crashed his car near the Capitol early Thursday, and a police official said he appeared intoxicated. Kennedy said he had taken sleep medication and a prescription anti-nausea drug that can cause drowsiness. Kennedy, D-R.I., addressed the issue after a spate of news reports. His initial statement said: "I consumed no alcohol prior to the incident."'Later, however, he issued a longer statement saying the attending physician for Congress had prescribed Phenergan on Tuesday to treat Kennedy's gastroenteritis.Kennedy said he returned to his Capitol Hill home on Wednesday evening after a final series of votes...

Four pranksters arrested as Cruise soaked Four men were arrested tonight after Hollywood star Tom Cruise was drenched with water at the London premiere of his new film. They were working on a new Channel 4 comedy programme and may now be charged with assaulting the A-list actor. He reacted angrily to the prank, repeatedly calling the man who soaked him a “jerk”. Cruise was on a walkabout talking to some of the 5,000 fans who had packed into Leicester Square for the star-studded premiere of War of the Worlds and he was accompanied by his new fiancé, actress Katie...