US & US Regional News in Metro Washington DC by Washington Post

OTTAWA — Erik Karlsson and Milan Michalek each had three points Wednesday and the Ottawa Senators defeated the Washington Capitals, 5-2.

John Carlson and Mathieu Perreault scored for the Capitals, who have lost three straight. Alex Ovechkin missed the game with a lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day.

CHARLOTTESVILLE — Former University of Virginia lacrosse player George Huguely V was convicted of second-degree murder Wednesday and sentenced to 26 years in prison.

A jury of seven men and five women decided Huguely did not plan to kill his onetime girlfriend Yeardley Love on May 2, 2010, when he kicked through her bedroom door, shook her violently, wrestled with her and left her bloodied in her bed. The 22-year-old was found dead by a roommate hours later.

Marcus Thornton scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half, rookie Isaiah Thomas had 16 of his 18 after halftime, and the Sacramento Kings beat the Washington Wizards 115-107 Wednesday night in a nonstop points-fest that looked like an All-Star game preview — minus the All-Stars.

One of the top high school basketball teams in the country calls this industrial city of 50,000 on the banks of the Ohio River home. Huntington Prep has many of the trappings of other top high school basketball teams — a fancy Web site, international players, sponsorship by a major shoe brand.

The Maryland senator whose district includes National Harbor on Wednesday blasted a plan to steer a billion-dollar casino there, saying the move smacked of the kind of “backroom deals” that Prince George’s County needs to move beyond.

RICHMOND — A controversial bill that would require women to get an ultrasound before an abortion is now in doubt after Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell diluted the measure Wednesday by making it optional in many cases.

Virginia Democrats are attempting to use the state budget to win back power in the evenly split state Senate, threatening to hold up the $85 billion spending plan if Republicans don’t relinquish some of the power they claimed at the start of session.

Before you even think about it, the answer is no. As in, “No. You cannot possibly succeed in finishing a nine-pound hamburger, six-pound Po’Boy or 28-inch pizza by yourself in one sitting.” But you certainly can look at them: We’ve put together a gallery of the D.C. area’s most daunting food challenges.

Via Capital Business and WRC-TV, Donald Trump talks about his plans for the Old Post Office Pavilion: “I think this has a chance to be one of the great hotels of the world if not the best.”

In other news:

In a victory for traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, Amazon agreed to collect and pay sales tax on purchases made to Virginians.

Gov. Robert F. McDonnell’s office announced Wednesday that an agreement had been reached between his office, the online retailing giant, small businesses and several members of the General Assembly, which has been considering legislation to close the so-called Amazon loophole.

One by one, lobbyists lined up in Annapolis on Wednesday to argue for everything that should be included in the health-care packages that would be available in the state under President Obama’s health-care overhaul.

A man who authorities say robbed a Night Dreams store in Rockville last week has been charged with six additional armed robberies of businesses in Montgomery County, police said Wednesday.

Montgomery County police said that Ramon M. Gunn was connected to the six other robberies after surveillance video of the Feb. 18 robbery of the Night Dreams store led to his arrest.

On the day that the newest Smithsonian museum, the National Museumof African American History and Culture, broke ground on the National Mall, Lauranett Lee was looking back at history.

She was at the Staunton library, after working the previous night at the Lyceum in Alexandria at the same task, teaching people how to research their enslaved ancestors and how to understand the history of the commonwealth of Virginia.

If it feels like new bars are popping up every week, that’s because they are. At least a dozen places have officially opened since we sang “Auld Lang Syne,” and there’s no slowing down. (Get the details on those spots in this post on new happy hours.)

Before you watch Sunday night’s Academy Awards broadcast alone at home (again) or make your mad dash to see nominated movies, join the Going Out Gurus on Thursday at 1 p.m. for our Got Plans? chat.

The Gurus are bringing in guest Guru Ann Hornaday, Post movie critic, to help field your Oscars-related questions. Go on, ask her which movies you should definitely catch before Sunday, and which ones you you’re better off watching when they hit cable. Just submit your questions early here.

Planned casinos in Anne Arundel County and Baltimore would lose about 10 percent of their slots business if the state authorizes a new venue in Prince George’s County, according to a new analysis by nonpartisan Maryland legislative staff.

Frederick County, where massive growth in the past decade has been driven by Asians and Hispanics, passed an ordinance yesterday making English the official language of the county. The county commission vote was 4 to 1.