Today's Globe: Haleigh's voice, Fernald probe, Va. cancer push, hospital chic

Haleigh Poutre (left), a young girl who was so close to death after a beating that state officials sought to remove her life support, has recovered to the extent that she is communicating painful memories and might be able to testify against one of her alleged abusers, according to a court document and a person familiar with her medical case.

A federal judge directed prosecutors yesterday to investigate whether Governor Deval Patrick's administration and a guardian for a legally blind, 91-year-old mentally retarded woman violated a court order when they arranged her move from the state's Fernald Developmental Center in Waltham to a group home in Bedford.

Virginia officials have spent $5 million luring talent from the National Institutes of Health and paying for cancer research at George Mason University to make the region west of the Potomac River a national biotech player.

As Jennifer Lopez's due date drew near, the buzz began: The fashion-obsessed pop star would not be wearing any sad, frumpy hospital gowns when she delivered her twins. J.Lo's demands for wearable and stylish hospital garb are part of a growing trend, not just for new mothers but for other patients and doctors, too.