good morning, america. i'm robin roberts. >> and i'm george stephanopoulos. it's wednesday, november 10th. and this morning, look, there in the sky. is it a missile? a rocket? or just the plane? even the pentagon seems baffled. we investigate the mystery. rescuers drop a package over the stranded cruise ship. class action. a professor catches hundreds of students in a cheating scandal. challenges them. but their schoolmates respond with a shrug. >> this is college. everyone cheats. everyone cheats in life, in

general. and the cookie controversy. why sarah palin is taking on plans to restrict sweets in schools. could this be a recipe for trouble? good morning, everyone. well, sarah palin and her family, part of a new "people" magazine. and she's talking about her marriage. and also talking about her daughter, piper, maybe flying air force one in a few years. >> coming off of the midterm elections. she's on the cover of "people" magazine. the reality show starts this week. >> what are you trying to say here, george? >> we haven't gotten into the campaign. we also have the latest on the president's trip to asia. he's just left indonesia. a homecoming for him. and in that largest muslim nation. look at that hand shake, with the first lady. it's sparked a controversy. we'll tell you about that ahead.

you have heard of the twinkie defense. but now, we'll tell you about the tinky diet. a professor lost 30 pounds eating tinkies and other junk food. it has to be too good to be true. we begin with the mysterious plume over southern california. a former top pentagon official said it looked like a missile launch. others were convinced it was an optical illusion caused by a plane. as for the military, they can't say what it is for sure. but they insist no one was ever in any danger. martha raddatz is trying to get to the bottom of it from washington. martha? >> reporter: george, there's still no definitive word on what exactly this was, which is still extraordinary, as were the images captured by a news helicopter. this huge vapor trail or contrail, as it's called, is 35 miles west of los angeles. the shots were taken around sunset and look very much like he's actual images of a ballistic missile.

no wonder it is getting everyone's attention. so, what was it? was it a missile? some people seem certain it was. >> it could be a test firing of a continental ballistic misle from a submarine. >> reporter: the federal aviation authority's radar replays didn't detect anything. norad didn't monitor any missile activity. and the nearby vandenberg air force base had no rocket launches. leaving the pentagon to saying all department of defense entities with rocket and missile programs, reported no launches, scheduled or inadvertent, during the time period in the area of the reported contrail. we showed the video to ivan oelrich, an expert on missile technology. and he, too, was baffled. >> it's still in the sunlight, while you're down below in the darkness. this flares out, like a rocket

contrail does. that would argue that it's a rocket. >> reporter: another theory is that it's all an optical illusion. if a plane leaves a contrail while ascending into the sky on its trajectory, it may look like this. but if you look at the same object from another angle, with it traveling away from you, the contrails could make you think the object is going straight up, like a rocket. one thing norad says for sure, is that we're not under attack. norad and u.s. northcom, confirmed that there was no threat to the homeland. could it be a secret test? take another look at the shot near l.a. and when you compare that to a similar contrail shot at the same time and place yesterday, this one is certainly a plane. and the pentagon says the working theory is that it was a plane. but they simply don't have any definitive information about an

airplane being in the air at that moment. the mystery remains. and we may never know for certain. robin? >> it does continue. martha, thank you. we're joined by dr. michio. on the sci-fi channel. you were talking to us last night. you seemed convinced that it was a missile. this morning, you changed your mind. >> i'm leaning toward the airplane theory. for two, major listen reasons. first of all, the smoking gun. the smoking gun are radar sites in the area. nothing traveling at a fast velocity. the second, is the irregularities in the trail itself. it seems to change direction. ballistic missiles don't do that. it doesn't accelerate. ballistic missiles accelerate. this is traveling at a constant velocity. and it's going in the wrong direction. ballistic missiles go east-to-west. this one seems to be going north and south.

so, for all these reasons, i now lean toward the airplane theory. >> you lean toward it. have you completely ruled out -- >> you can't completely rule out. if you look at the trail, frame-by-frame, you could see it could very well be an airplane contrail. realize that contrails expand very rapidly. the base expands faster than the top. and you get a distortion of which way the plane's going. the airplane could be coming towards you, instead of away from you, because of the illusion of the contrail expanding rapidly. >> that's what martha was talking about. and at sunset, that could contribute to it. >> something that's coming horizontally looks like it's going vertical. >> if it were a missile, you would think that more people would have reported it. it's l.a. and there's a lot of air traffic over there. >> that's right. and you figure it would go up in the atmosphere and other nations would pick it up on their radar.

we see no indication of an accelerating object in the upper atmosphere. therefore, it's not a ballistic missile. that's why i'm leaning toward the airplane theory. and you bring up radar. >> it's usually the smoking gun. what they say is very interesting. they say no unidentified abouts. meaning, nothing is going out of the ordinary. nothing is accelerating like a ballistic missile. just airplanes in the area. and pilots see nothing out of the ordinary. but pilots look at it from a different angle. when we look at something edge-on, it looks like it's going vertical. when a pilot looks at it, he sees something going horizontal. that's why pilots can say they see nothing out of the ordinary. >> as martha said, we may never know for sure. >> may never know for sure. i'm leaning toward the airplane theory. the simplest solution is sometimes the best. >> that's the way to go. dr. kaku, thank you very much. a good friend of the program. we appreciate your time. >> i'm surprised we may not know for sure.

we'll see. now, we're going to go to the cruise ship, which has been stranded off the pacific coast. it's now being pulled by tugboats towards san diego. and carnival cruise line says it should arrive by tomorrow night. that's not a minute too soon for the passengers stuck without air conditioning, hot water or cell phone or internet service. ryan owens starts us off on that story. >> reporter: good morning, george. they can now flush the toilets and take a cold shower. there's some progress there. we're in ensanada, the port closest to the cruise ship right now. carnival is hoping to take everyone to san diego. but they may have to make a stop here. no matter where the journey ends, it will be remarkable and memorable for all the wrong reasons. military helicopters make a most unusual air drop. delivering much-needed food to a ship full of passengers who expected to be feasting nonstop at the buffet. this cruise has a new menu. >> right now, we've had about --

just over 10,000 pounds of food and supplies. it's bread. there's cups. there's utensils. >> reporter: there are almost 5,000 people onboard the "carnival splendor." it's twice the size of the "titanic." and the rescue effort is nearly as large. all of that food, along with medical supplies, had to be loaded into planes, then flown to the aircraft carrier, "uss ronald reagan" which the navy diverted to be near the ship. the coast guard sent a cutter to escort it back to land. but that will take a while. "splendor" has been adrift since monday morning, after a fire in the aft engine room disabled the ship's six-disle engine. david was supposed to be onboard. but had to cancel on his friends at the last minute. now, he feels like the lucky one. >> i feel awful for them because they don't have the amenities that we have here in san diego.

>> reporter: carnival's ceo apologized to passengers for what she called an unfortunate situation. a challenging time. and added, we realize how much guests look forward to their vacations. and we know how disheartening it is to have their plans disrupted. the 2-year-old "splendor" hasn't had such a splendid track record. last month, a crew member went overboard and was never found. last year, the $500 million vessel collided with a dock in part to vallarta, which may explain the cruise director's last posting before setting sail. i'm hoping for an incident-free cruise. so much for that. carnival, for the record, has offered all passengers a full refund, as well as another cruise for free. although, it's very unclear exactly how many people are going to be jumping at that opportunity. george? >> thanks, ryan. and for more on this, we're joined by lieutenant commander,

rick foster, who is running the rescue effort for the coast guard. thanks for joining us, commander. we just heard ryan say the ship is expected to reach san diego on thursday night. are we still on track for that? >> that's correct, george. the plans are to have the two tow vessels tow the carnival cruise ship into san diego. and their expected time of arrival is thursday afternoon/evening, timeframe. >> i understand that the original plan was to go to ensenada, mexico. >> discussing with logistics, i know carnival had an interest, just because that was the closest, largest port they could reach. now, the plans have changed. and they would like to go to san diego. however, just weather and operations will always make these things -- or can always influence the outcomes. they could switch and divert and go to ensenada. but the intentions right now are to go to san diego.

>> any sense on what that will happen? >> when they pass and get more north of ensenada, there would likely be little chance to turn back to the south. but with regard to weather, on-scene, these things can change. we're ultimately interested in the safety and well-being of everyone onboard the cruise ship. >> i know the coast guard is also investigating the cause of the fire in the engine room, which crippled the ship on monday. any closer to figuring out what happened? >> we're not at this time. we're going to investigate that onboard the panamanian ship. that will be part of the standard investigation. >> it's a pretty massive effort. who pays for it all? >> as it is right now, we -- the tugs have been contracted through carnival. and then, as far as all the coordination and having the coast guard cutter "morganthal" on-scene, we were able to divert a lot of the cutters that were already out there. and this is just part of the

standard coast guard budget. >> commander foster, thank for your time this morning. >> thank you. >> think a lot of taxpayers will be happy to hear that carnival does pay for the tugboats. now, juju chang with the morning's news. >> good morning, everyone. president obama has arrived in south korea this morning for the g-20 economic summit. earlier, he delivered a deeply-personal speech in indonesia, where he lived as a boy. and jake tapper is traveling with the president. >> reporter: before his speech, the president visited the largest mosque in this, the biggest majority-muslim country in the world. >> the cathedral. that's a catholic church over there. right next door. >> reporter: citing out the mosque was designed by a christian, the president praised indonesia's embrace of diversity and democracy. speaking as someone who moved here with his mother at age 6. >> if you ask me or any of my schoolmates back then, i don't think any of us would have

anticipated that i would come back to jakarta as president of the united states. >> reporter: and someone who has witnessed indonesia's strengths firsthand. >> he firmly believed that all religious were worthy of respect. >> reporter: the white house live streamed the speech online, and translated it in languages. embrace these progressive values, the president was saying, and you, too, can prosper. >> development is strengthened by an emerging democracy. ancient traditions endure, even as a rising power is on the move. >> reporter: that is not to say, he acknowledged, perhaps with a nod toward last week's elections, that he always likes what democracy delivers. >> of course, democracy is messy. not everyone likes the results of every election. you go through your ups and downs. >> reporter: for "good morning america," jake tapper, abc news, traveling with the president in jakarta, indonesia. and while in indonesia, first lady michelle obama, prompted a bit of a culture

clash on the visit. an indonesian official tweeted that he tried to avoid shaking the first lady's hand because she's a woman. but the video shows him reaching out with both hands. in the middle east, there are new concerns peace talks could be in jeopardy. president obama tuesday, criticized israeli settlement plans in east jerusalem. and israel's prime minister fired back saying, jerusalem is not a settlement. it is the capital of the state of israel. back home, federal prosecutors have charged 17 people in new york with looting $42 million from a holocaust survivor fund. the group, including a fund supervisor, allegedly faked documents like birth records, for people claiming to be victims of nazi persecution. and turning, now, to the economy. new numbers show home prices fell another 4% between july and september. since 2006, values have dropped by about the same amount as

during the depression. nearly one-quarter of all houses are under water, meaning more is owed than the home is worth. finally, if you have a teenager in college, you may want to suggest they major in computer programming. why? google is giving all its employees a 10% raise. it's hoping to prevent top talent from defecting to facebook or other rivals. workers will also be getting a $1,000 holiday bonus. it's no wonder that 10% of facebook employees came from google, which is why they're trying to stop the hemorrhaging. >> and that bonus, they're going to pay the taxes, so you get the full 1,000 bucks. >> that's pret agood. >> they had a pretty good year. time, for weather and sam champion. from one of my favorite places in the whole world, nashville, tennessee. good morning, sam. >> i know it is. good morning. it's "gma" at the cma awards. the 44th annual cmas. let me show you a beautiful sun

rise over nashville this morning. it is chilly this morning. and it is a rain-free cma awards. that's 8:00, 7:00 central. let's get to the boards. one or two things going on. talk about the chill in the northeast. 40s and 50s in general there. there's a few showers around boston. they will break up. mostly sunny everywhere else. minneapolis, one degree shy of a record. today, chicago, 70 degrees. today, st. louis at 75. nashville, 75. as we look at the big board, the front in colorado brought the first snow this season. it was almost close to the latest snow of the season.

wednesday morning, 47 degrees currently at reagan national airport, temperatures are slowly warming up, 43 in gaithersburg, 42 degrees at dulles and 46 in lexington park. satellite and radar is quiet and dry and we have more to look for with high-pressure across the area for the next several days winds are out of the north at 5-10 miles per hour for the overnight. and we are live in nashville for country music's biggest night. robin and george, we intend to make this country music's biggest morning, as well. right here on "gma."

>> you were talking about the warmest cities. but then, row have the dapper scarf on, sam. it's going to warm up, right? >> yeah. i'm going to get rid of the scarf when i get in the crowd. it's a little chilly right now. morning's are chilly. >> you pull it off so well. sam, thanks. have a good time. sarah palin, taking aim at pennsylvania's proposed school nutrition guidelines, calling them evidence of a nanny state that's out of control. our rob nelson has more on this growing controversy. >> good morning, guys. sarah palin, no stranger to controversy. and some are calling this cookiegate. it started when she bought some cookies from students in pennsylvania. >> it is a thrill to be back in the keystone state. >> reporter: calling pennsylvania's plans to issue new guidelines, limiting the number of sweets allowed in classrooms, a nanny state run amok, sarah palin took matters into her own hands. she talked about it monday night. >> had to shake it up a little bit. i heard there's a debate going

on in pennsylvania over whether public schools are going to pan sweets. cakes. cookies. that type of thing. i brought dozens of dozens of cookies to these students. >> reporter: while palin's cookie delivery may be tongue in cheek, she makes a larger point. the debate over federal government's intervention of school lunch programs is a debate in congress. >> should it be government? or should it be the parents? it should be the parents. >> reporter: sarah palin's every word seems to make news. and with a new reality show set to debut next week, "people" magazine sat down with sarah and todd palin for an interview that hits newsstands this friday. tackling all subjects, including tablo tabloid rumors about a $20 million divorce settlement, sarah recalls the moment when she read about it. i called todd, hen asays, $20 million?

write me a check. he's god about laughing some of that stuff off. as for running for president in 2012, which is a subject she seems to dance around, palin states, quote, if there's an opportunity for me to help america get back on track, i will do that. she says the kids would be all for it. and that, quote, piper would be flying air force one. but most recently, she discovered her new philosophy on life when bristol decided to join "dancing with the stars." that aha moment of clarity came when her daughter said, quote, mom, no matter what i do, i'm going to be criticized. so, i might as well go dance. and that issue of "people" magazine hits newsstands friday, featuring an intimate look at the palins' personal and professional life. and the family reality series debuts on tlc. >> a new philosophy. going to be criticized. so, go dance. >> and she survived another week.

>> unexpectedly. >> thanks, rob. coming up, a professor's tough lesson after catching students in a cheating scandal. he offers them a choice, fess up or face the consequences. and elizabeth smart describes her missed opportunities for escaping. the latest from utah. and tracking down the contractors. what you need to know before remodeling your home. what makes a hershey's bar pure? ["melt with you" playing] pure fun. pure joy. pure delicious chocolate.

pure hershey's. of gourmet coffee and tea to choose from. it's the way to individually brew fresh, delicious coffee in under a minute. way to brew, hon. [ female announcer ] choose. brew. enjoy. keurig. the moisturizer in other body washes sits on top of skin. only dove has nutriummoisture, which can nourish deep down. dove body wash with nutriummoisture. superior natural nourishment for your skin. dove body wash with nutriummoisture. hey, chili's later? do we know each other? yeah. well, no. no. okay. that worked? chili's $20 dinner for two. share one appetizer, choose two entrees. all you need is somebody to go with. dear corolla, it must be hard. you never considered making turn-by-turn navigation standard. if you want to talk about it.. call me when you get there. that is if you find there,

since you don't have turn-by-turn navigation standard. the all-new chevrolet cruze. starting under $17,000. get used to more. qualified lessees can get a low mileage lease on a 2011 chevrolet cruze ls for around $169 a month. call for details. ♪ just love me ♪ oh oh oh ♪ just hold me ♪ oh oh oh ♪ just kiss me ♪ oh oh oh ♪ just want me ♪ l-o-v-e

>> live and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. >> good morning.

7:26 is your time on this wednesday, november 10. i am alison starling with a local news update. let's check on the morning commute with lisa baden. it has been an interesting morning. i will go live to a picture of traffic on the beltway in landover. i am saying happy birthday to the marines. this is near fedex field at a crash near a remote drive. the right lane is blocked. the pace of traffic is the same on the outer loop because they are curious. let's go to the iwo jima memorial. 110 is closed southbound to the pentagon, 200 marines are running back to the pentagon. they do their annual run on their birthday. what a beautiful shot that was. 47 degrees at reagan national airport. it is cooler off to the west in

the mountains. 34 degrees in frederick. the satellite and radar show high pressure across the area and that will be our weather for the next couple of days bring us sunshine and in clear skies for the overnight hours. winds are out of the north and 5-10 miles per hour. virginia has decided what to do with more than $1 billion in newly discovered transportation funds. most of that money will go to the commonwealth transportation board. it will decide by june how to spend it. to enter million dollars will be used for critical maintenance and $130 million will go to active projects. we will be back with another update at 7:56. for continuous news coverage, update at 7:56. for continuous news coverage, tu

♪ kurt warner's cha-cha charmed the judges. but it was not enough to keep him dancing with the stars. he and anna, the latest couple to get the boot. and they join us live this morning. yes, he is a football player. i love to see him do that. >> he can dance. >> it did. good morning, america. i'm robin roberts. >> i'm george stephanopoulos. also, look at this tape this morning. we have a crackdown on illegal contractors. a sting. incredible what they are trying to get away with.

and the diet that sounds too tasty to be true. a nutrition expert says he lost almost 30 pounds in 10 weeks, on a diet of twinkies. also, robin, your turn, "work with me." >> yep. >> went down to south carolina. >> got a little gritty. >> there you go. >> putting the fish on the table. it's all part of a "gma" "work with me." that's in our 8:00 half hour. >> that's coming up. now, we turn to a maddening story out of florida. a professor says he uncovered after detective work, that one-third of students in his business course has cheated on the midterm. almost 200 students. now, he's giving the students an ultimat ultimatum. and yunji de nies has the latest. >> reporter: all of these students are seniors with just over one month of school left.

and now, some of them may have cheated themselves out of graduating. >> i would always help my students any way i could. and this was like a knife to the heart. >> reporter: it is a largest cheating scandal in the university's history. as many as 200 students got the answers to richard quinn's midterm test in advance. he used statistics to figure out who cheated. then, dressed down the whole class in a withering lecture. >> the days of being able to find a new way to cheat the system are over. they're over. >> reporter: shocking that it would happen here because ucf is nationally known for stopping cheaters. close-circuit cameras like the ones in las vegas casinos, run throughout testing centers. >> to say i'm disappointed is beyond comprehension. physically ill, absolutely

disgusted, completely disillusioned, trying to figure out what was the last 20 years for. >> reporter: professor quinn is making all 600 students take the test again, no matter what. and he's giving his cheaters a choice. confess by midnight tonight and take an ethics seminar. or stay quiet and risk expulsion. >> i don't want to be the one to have to explain to your parents why you aren't going to graduate. >> reporter: on campus, opinions are mixed. >> it's horrible. i mean, we don't need unethical people going into the business world, obviously. sure, there's enough of them out there. >> this is college. everyone cheats. everyone cheats in life in general. i think we would be hard-pressed to find anyone in this testing lab who hasn't cheated on an exam. they're making a witchhunt out of nothing, to teach us a moral lesson. >> reporter: a lesson in morals is precisely what professor quinn is hoping his students take away. >> if they're going to learn one

thing, coming out of the university, if they learn nothing else, they're going to learn dignity and honor and the values of ethics and honesty. >> reporter: professor quinn says so far 70% of the suspected cheaters have come forward through e-mail and is addressing him personally. he says he hopes the rest do the same because he has their digital fingerprints. and he knows who they are, george. >> a new definition. i can't believe that. >> everyone cheats. everyone cheats and lies, maybe people try to cut corners here and there. but to say it so blatantly. >> like it's all okay. elizabeth smart is telling a jury more of the horrors she endured after being kidnapped from her bedroom as a 14-year-old. the new details tell the cruel things her kidnapper did to make her forget her previous life. mike von fremd is in salt lake city this morning. good morning, mike. >> reporter: good morning, robin. elizabeth smart described fascinating details of what she called nine months of hell.

proud of little ingenious ways she found to keep her family fips but also tormented by missed opportunities. elizabeth smart testified that after five weeks of having her ankles constantly tethered to a chain, brian mitchell gave her a warning, saying, even though you have this cable removed. that doesn't change the fact that you'll be killed if you try to escape. your family will be killed. smart says mitchell ordered her to refer to her parents, not as mom and dad, but as ed and lois. and to get rid of the finger and toenail polish she had to match her younger sister. smart says after her clothes were burned, she managed to retrieve a safety pin attached to her pajamas. when asked why? because i didn't want to let go of my family, of my life. she was forced to wear a hood in public.

when an officer spotted her, he approached smart and mitchell and demanded she lift her veil. mitchell refused to let the detective remove the veil. smart says, i felt terrible that the detective hadn't pushed harder. that he just walked away. i felt upset with myself that i hadn't done anything. that i hadn't taken a chance. the chief psychologist at the salt lake city children's center says, smart was in survival mode. >> she couldn't have yelled out. that would have been virtually impossible for any victim in her position. >> reporter: smart talked about terrifying travels of moving to san diego and hitchhiking back across country. but it was her suggestion to mitchell that they go back to salt lake, where he might find another wife at a mormon girls camp that ultimately led to her safety. >> the prayers of the world have brought elizabeth home. >> reporter: now, smart was rescued while hitchhiking back to utah, after shoplifting at a walmart.

police stopped them on the side of the road, separated her from her captor and told her she was about to see her father again. what a relief. robin? >> and remarkable, mike, that she's doing as well as she is, after learning so much of what she went through. thanks so much. it's 7:36. time for the weather and back to sam in music city, usa, nashville, tennessee. good morning, sam. >> good morning, robin. we miss you here. look at the crowd that's gathered. gang? it's incredible. and we've got a beautiful, sunny morning. just a little cool. it's going to warm up. we're going to get to 75. this is the 44th cma awards, by the way. everybody is out here to hear a little music. by the way, robin, if you're still there. i hope you didn't move from the desk. on top of tootty's orchid lounge, they are celebrating a 50th birthday. they say happy birthday, robin roberts, says nashville. >> a little early. don't push me to 50 just yet.

i have a couple more weeks, sam. but that's lovely. tell the guys at tootties i say thanks. >> i will. i may get something free out of that one, robin. i did say it. let's get to the boards. one or two things we want to talk about this morning. we're going to talk about the midwest cooldown. here, we can't keep it this warm for the whole winter. minneapolis, you're going to drop down from the 60s into the 40s. chicagoland you're coming down, as well. oklahoma city, into the 50s. nashville will eventually be part of that cooldown. but for today, it is beautiful and above normal. i love you right back nice morning shaping up for us. temperatures will go from the 40's into the 50's and eventually into the middle 60's. mainly clear skies for the overnight and made death 30's.

three-times cma nominee, dierks bentley is going to take the stage. >> it's great to see you having so much fun, sam. coming up next, a new crackdown on illegal contractors. the home improvement sting caught on camera that you need to see if you're planning on remodeling your home. ♪ wow! ♪ they're from my garden club, up north.

[ female announcer ] this year, hallmark has all new ways to say it. well, there's the snow you wanted. [ female announcer ] this year, hallmark has all new ways to say it. the chill of peppermint. the rich dark chocolate. york peppermint pattie. get the sensation. - good for 23 yards. - hey. he went to jared. - that's a peerless diamond, the ideal ideal-cut diamond. female announcer: jared has thousands of loose diamonds and hundreds of settings to create your own one-of-a-kind ring. - you crying? - no.

don't freak, it's gone. who did it? i did. with ortho home defense max. guaranteed to kill the mouse. just push down the lever and it does the rest. nothing to see, nothing to touch. you just throw it away. no mess, no drama. ortho. defend what's yours. to cover up flaws and make skin look pretty but there's one that's so clever, it makes your skin look better even after you take it off. neutrogena healthy skin liquid makeup. 98% of women saw improvement in their skin's natural texture, tone, or clarity. does your makeup do that? neutrogena® cosmetics recommended most by dermatologists.

we're back at 7:42. today, the city of new york is announcing the results of an undercover sting operation that targeted illegal contractors. the majority of states require home improvement contractors to be properly licensed. but there's still plenty of rogue companies out there. elisabeth leamy is taking us inside this investigation. good morning, eli. >> reporter: hey, robin. as you know, repairing or remodeling your home is one of the most expensive projects you will ever undertake. and that's why authorities in

new york and elsewhere are cracking down on illegal, unlicensed contractors. by the way, we've disguised the voices and faces of the new york inspectors to protect them for future undercover operations. this may look like an ordinary house in need of repairs. but it's actually a setup. a sting. the homeowners who invited contractors here are really new york city inspectors. as soon as somebody offers to perform contracting work, they have them. listen. >> what is it that you do, though? i need trick pointing. i need a roof. >> i start the foundation. i'm the contractor. >> reporter: but actually, he's not. in new york and at least 41 states, to be a contractor, you must be licensed or registered. inspectors say this guy works for a company that's had 21 consumer complaints, owes customers $160,000 and had its license yanked nearly two years ago. >> some contractors, once we

take away their license, go back out there again and try to keep getting some business. so, what we decided to do this year was put together a sting house operation. >> reporter: the sting targeted companies that brazenly advertise their services, despite being unlicensed. like this ad that reads fully licensed and insured, and brags about the company's integrity. all lies according to inspectors. >> you guys have insurance? and you have all the lineses and all of that? >> we give you insurance certificate? >> reporter: notice he doesn't answer the license question. a proper license is more than just a piece of paper. in new york and many other jurisdictions, if a licensed contractor does you wrong, the government will pay you back. >> a license is really the safety net for people when they're using those contractors. that's why we take enforcement of the issues so seriously. >> reporter: back at the sting

house, inspectors nap a dozen companies. at issue, $65,000 in fines. >> we're inspectors. i think you know that by now. >> reporter: even more powerful, they impound their vehicles. >> once we have their vehicle, we have their attention. >> reporter: because you can't do any deals if you don't have wheels. now, here are my top three tips for having a good experience with a legitimate contractor. ask them for their license number. but don't take their word for it. check with your local government to make sure it is legitimate. also check the contractor's reputation, by searching your county and state consumer offices and the local better business bureau. and finally, money is all-powerful. try not to pay too much up front. ideally, no more than 25%. and certainly, do not make that final payment until you are totally satisfied. robin? >> hold out. make sure. you're right about that, eli. good, sound advice, as always. have a great day. and for a great model contract,

dozens of other tips about hiring a contractor. go to our website, abcnews.com/gma. coming up, the twinkie diet. how a nutrition professor lost almost 30 pounds in 10 weeks on junk food. the challenge jobs. don't tell me about a dog. a day care full of kids, house chickens. call a day's work. call 1-800-steemer

♪ [ male announcer ] at ragu, our mission is to pack two servings of vegetables into every half-cup of healthy, delicious sauce. new ragu has the taste your family will love. ragu. feed our kids well. our family-owned company makes daisy... with 100% natural farm-fresh cream. no artificial ingredients. no preservatives. and no added hormones. ♪ daisy, do-do a dollop

"around the watercooler" it has to be the world's most

ridiculous diet. eat more twinkies. one professor lost 30 pounds. so, we sent john berman to see how the wacky strategy works. >> you get a big delight in every bite of a hostess twinkie. >> reporter: when you ponder the essence of a twinkie, you might think of the cake. the cream filling. one thing you don't think of, losing 27 pounds. >> i lost 27 pounds in 10 weeks. >> reporter: mark haub is a nutritionist, who spent ten weeks eating little else besides -- >> snack cakes. >> reporter: he went to prove a point. it's the total calories in the food you're eating, not the nutritional value. he limited himself to just 1,800 calories a day. less than the 2,600 calories a man his size usually eat. twinkie, at 150 calories. a brownie, 270. a zebra cake at 160. and a bowl of corn pops at 220

calories. he threw in vitamins, protein shakes and vegetables, too. after two weeks, he wasn't only lighter, his bad cholesterol was down, too. cutting calories helps lose weight. but some experts worry about what he's putting in his system. >> their immunity will go down. they'll be at a greater risk for cancer, for heart disease. and then, he'll probably end up gaining wait. >> reporter: haub says he is not recommending this for everyone. it was just an experiment. as for the twinkies, after ten weeks, he swears he's not sick of them yet. for "good morning america," john berman, abc news. >> didn't look that convincing. >> but he's smiling when he eats it. >> he makes an important point about the calories. >> it's about calorie restriction. if you eat healthy food, you tend to eat more of it you think it's healthy. >> how many calories in the twinkies out there? >> we know.

how many you think? >> 280? >> close. 300 for 2 of them. >> the shelf life -- these will last on your shelf, about seven years. >> i know. >> what do you think of the twinkie die sunset weigh in on our shoutout board at abcnews.com/gma. and "work with me" with robin is coming up. >> i work with people that help us get to work. great in charleston, south carolina. i can't wait for you to meet them. we'll also talk to kurt and anna. they got booted off "dancing with the stars" last night. but they left with a smile. if you live for performance, upgrade to castrol edge advanced synthetic oil. with eight times better wear protection than mobil 1. castrol edge. it's more than just oil.

it's liquid engineering. don't freak, it's gone. who did it? i did. with ortho home defense max. guaranteed to kill the mouse. just push down the lever and it does the rest. nothing to see, nothing to touch. you just throw it away. no mess, no drama. ortho. defend what's yours.

nothing beats prevacid®24hr. just one pill helps keep you heartburn free for a full 24 hours. prevent the acid that causes frequent heartburn with prevacid®24hr, all day, all night. nothing works better. but basically, i'm a runner. last year. (oof). i had a bum knee that needed surgery. but it got complicated, because i had an old injury. so i wanted a doctor who had done this before. and unitedhealthcare's database helped me find a surgeon. you know you can't have great legs, if you don't have good knees. we're 78,000 people looking out for 70 million americans.

>> live and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. >> and the morning everybody. 7:56 is your thomas wednesday, november 10. let's get started by checking on the roadways with lisa baden it is a difficult morning for drivers out of maryland to get into a northeast d.c.. we have had our third car wreck of the morning.

s.e. kenilworth avenue have two. they are gone but there is one in the back up. john hanson highway and the baltimore-washington parkway are not the place to date. hang out and have breakfast and then head out to work if that was your intention. 270 south bound in the sunshine looks like we have more space between the vehicles at 109. northbound 95 in springfield delays begin in woodbridge and go to the 14th street bridge. and nice afternoon on the way. look for daytime high temperatures around 61-66 degrees. winter out of the north at 5-10 miles per hour. tonight will be mainly clear and in the 40's. sunshine once again tomorrow and the only difference it will be a couple of degrees cooler. the next best chance for showers

will be next week. the national mall is now one step closer to getting a makeover. interior secretary ken salazar has signed off on a plan to restore america's front yard for it includes dedicated areas for the events and new restrooms and entertainment facilities and restaurants. sounds nice. we'll be back with another update at 8:27.

and cable doesn't? yes. -i read that. -i do know that. yes, but there's a contract. at verizon, they want you to have a two year contract. i've got commitment issues. no one likes to be tied down. [ man ] so if they didn't lock you into a term contract, you'd consider switching? -oh, absolutely. -definitely. it's a no-brainer. [ man ] because now, with verizon fios, you don't have to sign a term contract. -really? -that's terrific! -did not know that. -i'm in. [ male announcer ] america spoke, verizon listened. switch to fios today, now with no term contract required. it's time for fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v.

♪ too many fish in the sea. i can't help but bob my head like this. an oldie but a goody. we're playing that because how do fish from the sea, go to right there at your plate? well, i got a hands-on look from a great guy. a hard-working guy, paul, who is one of the greatest catches in the fish business. as part of our series "work with

me." i don't think i'll sit down to a fish dinner the same way again. i mean that in a positive way. >> and everyone will love meeting paul. >> yes. >> he's on set here. a terrific, great guy. bad news for kurt warner and anna last night. they got the news they are off "dancing with the stars." he was kind of light on his feet there. >> he did really well. he did exceptionally well. >> the athletes always do pretty well. especially the football players. kurt will join us live, coming up in our next half hour. >> with anna. plus, an unmanned freight train carrying toxic waste goes out of control. saving the day is denzel. denzel washington will be here live to fill us in on his brand-new movie. >> he's our next half hour. kurt's this half hour. and dierks bentley will be here live from nashville. taking the center stage for a "gma" concert event. >> that's in the last half hour.

as the obamas make their way in a whirlwind trip, first lady obama is being compared to the first lady of diplomacy. that's jackie kennedy. here's claire shipman. claire? >> reporter: as john kennedy quipped about his own life on a trip to fans, i'm sure it won't be long that barack obama realizes that he's just a man who accompanied michelle obama to south asia. if the charm and style offensive that has all of us reaching for the inevitable comparison. this glamorous first lady as it was by that ultimate style icon, jackie kennedy, almost half a century ago. dancing queen rocks india, proclaim the local papers. and michelle steals barack's thunder. from the moment michelle arrived in a classic gray sheathe with pearl buttons, she's turned the

fashion watch daily. >> she's been very respectful to the host country and their fashion tradition. >> reporter: while her oh-so devine predecessor, michelle obama gives the role a modern, approachable twist. in j. crew with delighted kids in mumbai. busting a move to the magnetic sounds of bollywood, later cajoling her husband to join. and she wowed everyone with her stunning version of traditional dress for the india state dinner. an american interpretation of a sari. as she moved, she added trousers to her wardrobe. the only note of controversy, one minister who doesn't believe in shaking hands with females outside of his family, later e-mailed his followers saying mrs. obama reached out first.

but in this video, he seems to be eagerly reaching out towards her, just as smitten as the rest of the world. now, if the president continues this trip in south korea, mrs. obama's on her way home. and i'm sure he's wishing he wasn't losing such a valuable, headline-grabbing asset on his trip. >> and thinking about the lean-in. it was a tie with the hand is shake. >> reporter: i guess so. but it didn't look like he was telling the truth to me. >> a lot of heat. >> he is going to get the heat, george. you can appreciate that the president can't bust a move like his other half. >> he doesn't even try that hard. let's get to juju who has the morning's news for us. good morning, juju. >> good morning, everyone. we still have no definitive answers this morning after a mysterious plume of smoke appeared in the skies off los angeles. norad has shot down, metaphorically, speculation that

it was a missile loss. officials say there was no threat. 4,500 people aboard a disabled cruise ship in the pacific have little else to do but watch and wait this morning, as the ship is towed back to san diego. it's been dead in the water since an engine fire monday. 70,000 pounds of food has been delivered, including spam and pop-tarts. the ship is due back in port tomorrow night. and general motors is out with some good news. it made a $2 billion profit last quarter. compare that to the same time last year when the company lost money. gm shares go on the market next week. president obama has arrived in south korea for a global economic conference, amid growing concern about trade and currency values. earlier, in indonesia, the president called on countries with muslim majorities to embrace progressive values as a way of fighting extremism. it was just a test. but it's already being called stunning. one of the twin waterfalls at the 9/11 memorial in manhattan, began pumpling water on tuesday.

the goal is to have both up and running for the tenth anniversary of the attacks. they're the largest manmade waterfalls in north america. now, diane sawyer previews an exclusive investigation "world news" is preparing for tonight. diane? >> hey, juju. good morning to you and everybody at "gma." tonight, brian ross investigates. a prominent navy veterans organization. $22 million missing. the director, a fugitive. wanted on charges of fraud. how does this happen? so many people involved. and "world news" investigates tonight. see you then. >> so many questions. thanks, diane. that's the news at 8:06. time for the weather and sam champion, who is in nashville. hey, sam. >> good morning, juju. good morning, nashville. a couple thousand of our new friends. it is country music's biggest night. we're making it country music's biggest morning, right here on "gma," at the cma awards. nashville is out today. we thank you guys for coming. dierks bentley on the stage

here, coming up soon. jeff gordon will be around. brad paisley's going to be around. we have a lot happening. let's get to the boards for one or two things you need to know as you step out the door. in nashville, it was a little chilly this morning, when everyone got here around 4:00, 5:00 this morning. it's going to warm up in the 70s. how about the snow, though, getting snow later tonight. a look at the big board. all the beautiful weather in the middle of the country. we're part of that nice morning shaping up for us and temperatures will warn nicely by the end of that day. 61-66 degrees for daytime highs with lots of sunshine. tonight we will have a few clouds and nighttime lows will be in the middle of 30's. tomorrow, a couple of degrees cooler compared to today. next best chance for showers won't come until next week. the weekend is looking great.

and we are live in nashville, tennessee, this morning. and there is a lot coming from nashville. we wouldn't get a crowd this big together for nothing. robin and george? >> sam, thanks. we want to thank all of you at home to your response to our series, "work with me." it's been overwhelming. thousands of invitations. a chance for us to do your job for a day. and we've gone to seven different parts of the country, doing very different jobs. it's how you make it all work in the rocky economy. great learning experience. it's been fun. bianna waited tables. juju followed two sisters, a firefighter and a police officer. i worked in a steel mill. robin, it is your turn. and this is the clue. >> they don't smell. they are fresh. and i have a appreciation for those who work in the seafood industry. so, i went to gorgeous charleston, south carolina, to work with paul godbout.

he's a seafood wholesaler. and he's part of the seafood industry that's driving charleston from the recession. his first sentence was, i love my job. and you're around for two seconds and you realize he means that. you're going to meet paul in a moment. but first, a day in the life of a man who works hard, laughs harder, and is making a real difference. meet my co-worker, paul godbout. he's at the heart of the fish business. >> dinner. >> reporter: nationally, seafood is important to the economy. there's 1.5 million workers who get the fish from the water to the dinner table. it's a $100 billion industry. that's a lot of fish sticks. and in charleston, the beautiful port city, with history everywhere you look. this recession has been another struggle, where the seafood industry feeds the local economy, and the tourists. >> we got a new recruit coming in. >> reporter: reporting for duty,

sir. >> come on in. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. how are you? >> excellent. >> reporter: do i get a t-shirt out of this? >> of course, you do. >> reporter: paul is the sales manager of the stel will maris seafood fish company. stella maris is latin for food of the sea. tony blanchard. >> he's so excitable. he's so passionate. he knows fish inside and out. >> reporter: this isn't work to you? >> it's not a job. i get up in the morning. i can't wait to get here. this is a blast. >> reporter: amazingly, they opened two years ago. how did they do it? it's a tight ship. the company only has eight employees. in a small but organized space. they bought every piece of equipment second-hand. and brought aboard paul, a former marie, expolice officer, and lifetime fishing fanatic. at work, he's hands-on, with every part of the operation.

i could feel his enthusiasm. and he put me to work. how can we help you, sir? i got my sea legs, first, taking a phone order. too bags of oysters. okay. are they 100 piece or 120 piece? >> 100-count bags. >> reporter: next, i needed a uniform, to keep me clean and dry. time for the nitty-gritty. >> let's go to work. >> reporter: let's do it. excuse me, gentlemen. trying to work here. they weren't kidding about putting me to work. come on. >> that goes over here. >> reporter: oh. goodness. couldn't have picked an easier job, huh? >> you're going to hurt yourself. >> reporter: no, i won't. i'm not complaining whatsoever. but will you look at these nails? okay? i had a perfect manicure prior.

chipped nails. you know what? it's all worth it. no problems. no worries. got to bring home the bacon. or the seafood. >> yeah. >> we get a copy. he gets a copy. >> reporter: we keep the signed copy. we want to make sure we get paid. these are gulf oysters. one of our orders were gulf oysters. that's right, from the gulf of mexico, where they have faced a double-whammy of the recession and the oil spill. >> anybody that says that the oil has caused a problem with the oysters, let me tell you, what we're getting out of the gulf is probably one of the most beautiful products. they're clean. they're big. gulf oysters, eat them. enjoy them. >> reporter: yes. paul's biggest passion today is the quality of the fish. and, of course, the dish. the end result? cuisine. that looks delicious. bon appetit. some of charleston's top chefs

say paul is the secret ingredient to their success. and in a way, the city's survival. >> you feel the love for what he does. in turn, it makes me a better chef. >> reporter: does he know his fish or what? >> yeah. he is as passionate as i about cooking. all my friends will be jealous when my chef friends see what he brings me. they ask where i get it. and, of course, i don't tell them. >> reporter: how important is paul to this community? >> extremely important. extremely important. >> reporter: how does it make you feel personally to know what you do for this community? >> this is not a job. that's what i wanted you to experience. >> reporter: paul says their business is an example of the businesses they need to refuel the economic rebound. do you feel it's turned the corner? >> we've turned. you've seen it around. boeing has come to town. 4,000 jobs there. this economy, we're going well in charleston. i like to think that we're coming back out of a hole and things are getting better. >> reporter: and he has a

message to those looking for work. >> that's the thing, hope. keep looking. keep persevering. just keep going. >> that's it. and paul joins us. good to see you again. >> thank you. >> wonderful. wonderful. and your oldest son works at boeing. >> my oldest son works for boeing. james. he's 23 years old. he has a career for life now. >> and your wife, marla, in the wings. we have to show her a little later. you have three sons. and a couple work with you there. >> michael and ryan. michael dries trucks for us. ryan comes in and fills in with anything we need on the side. it's a family operation, working for tony. >> it's good to hear you say things are coming back in charleston. but you took a risk to start this up. >> the guy that owns my company, tony, he did. but what we do, we do well. so, i mean, we're moving up. we're moving up well. and it's a lot of fun. i don't consider it a job, either. >> paul, i know you've been having so much fun, seeing and tasting the sights of new york.

but you also did business when you were here, right? >> i stopped by some local fish markets. we talked business. i handed out business cards. like my mother said on facebook, the first thing i do when i come to new york and i look at fish. >> and you celebrated with a big, fat steak, right? >> last night. unbelievable. that was the best steak i've had probably ever in my life. >> you've been having a good time here in the big apple. >> my favorite part is the stigma of the new york people is totally false. i come from south carolina, where everybody is really nice. these people are incredible. anybody we've ever talked to, anybody we've asked questions, they've helped us out. it's been wonderful. >> bloomberg's going to hire you. >> we're going to put you to work, too. you know kurt warner. he got booted off "dancing with the stars." you want to ask him questions? >> absolutely. >> you can see all of our "work with me" segments at

abcnews.com/gma. tomorrow is sam's turn. kurt and anna are coming up next. [ male announcer ] it's simple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief

for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and celebrex is not a narcotic. when it comes to relieving your arthritis pain, you and your doctor need to balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, including celebrex, may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor about your medical history and find an arthritis treatment that works for you. ask your doctor about celebrex. and, go to celebrex.com to learn more

about how you can move toward relief. celebrex. for a body in motion. i worry about my son playing football. which is why i'm really excited. because toyota developed this software that can simulate head injuries and helps make people safer. then they shared this technology with researchers at wake forest to help reduce head injuries on the football field. so, you know, i can feel a bit better about my son playing football. [ male announcer ] how would you use toyota technology to make a better world? learn how to share your ideas at toyota.com/ideasforgood. learn how to share your ideas sweet n' sour filled twizzlers. the twist you can't resist.

the couple with the lowest

overall combined total and therefore leaving right now is kurt and anna. >> and i've got to say a couple things to my wife. and to my seven, wonderful kids at home. they mark it all worthwhile. and, of course, thank this wonderful woman here that allowed me to do something that nobody really expected me to do. so, i appreciate that. and everybody out there, i love you guys. appreciate it. >> last night, the crowd was chanting, mvp, mvp. kurt warner, the super bowl champ, and his partner, anna. paul is going to stick around to talk with us, as well. kurt, you did exceptionally well. i heard what you said. we all heard what you said. did you think that you would get this far in the competition? >> well, i mean, i think everybody coming into this thing expects to get all the way -- wants to go all the way to the finals. so, i can't say i was fully

surprised that we were this far. i was pleasantly surprised how good we did. >> you kept getting better every, single week. what was the breakthrough moment for you in the rehearsals and dancing? >> i don't know what the breakthrough moment was. i think it was just embracing the whole thing that is "dancing with the stars." >> yeah. >> i don't think you really know coming in all that's going to go into it. for me, it was embracing what it was all about. the costumes, performing. having fun. understanding that you're not going to be a great dancer. it's about enjoying the process. >> embracing it all. as paul is embracing this moment. you want to ask something, paul. >> i've always been a really big fan. i have to ask. what is harder? is it harder to learn ballroom dancing? or taking on a linebacker? >> well, they both have their challenges. i think the thing is, i played football for so long that it became natural. it became something i was good

at. and then, you step into the ballroom. and it's so different. at this point in time in my life, it was such a huge challenge, its was definitely more difficult. more difficult than i thought it would be, and more difficult for me than standing behind center and throwing a go route to larry fitzgerald. >> are any of the skills transferable? football players have done pretty well. >> i think there's some things. commitment to your craft. the willingness to work. obviously, footwork is always a big part of athletic and playing football. all those things lended themselves to, you know, picking up some of the dance moves. there's still so much more that was very, very uncomfortable that i had to learn along the way. >> you had a great teacher, right there along your side. >> thank you. >> anna, you've worked with athletes. you worked with evan last year. jerry rice. is it helpful having an athlete? >> absolutely. the guys know how to work.

they have the ethics. the focus, the determination. the biggest challenge for most athletes, and kurt was an exception, i think, in my book. is they're not really performers. they kind of go out there and don't really know how to externalize what they're feeling and perform in it. and that wasn't the case with this guy because he just went out there every, single week. had a blast. made everybody enjoy it. and got probably the most standing ovations of anybody this season. >> you were fun to watch. kurt, the best to you. anna, thank you so much. we'll find out the final four. [ male announcer ] well, hello cruze. you've been modest lately, haven't you. getting rave reviews... hiding all those features... ♪ and now...

what's this? you outcornered the bmw 328i? why didn't you tell us? oh, right. cause you're a car? i guess that's valid. the all-new chevrolet cruze. get used to more. ♪ that advertise flights for 25,000 miles? but when you call... let me check. oh fudge, nothing without a big miles upcharge. it's either pay their miles upcharges or connect through mooseneck! [ freezing ] i can't feel my feet. we switched to the venture card from capital one -- so no more games. let's go see those grandkids. [ male announcer ] don't pay miles upcharges. don't play games. get the flight you want with the venture card at capitalone.com.

[ loving it ] help! what's in your wallet? with the venture card at capitalone.com. it sfalling in love with the most customized piece of furniture you will ever own get that one piece right and the rest of the room will just fall in to place see your ethan allen design center for two beautiful ways to save gotta get that bacon! smokey bacon, crispy bacon, tasty bacon! where is it? where is the bacon? tv newscaster: bacon popular, "story at 11. dog: yummy. crunchy. bacon. bacon. bacon. there, in that bag! mom: who wants a beggin' strip!? dog: me! i'd get it myself but i don't have thumbs! yum, yum, yum... it's beggin'! hm... i love you! i love bacon! i love you! i love bacon! i love you! beggin' strips! there's no time #like beggin' time!

share the fun at beggintime.com i couldn't sleep right. next day it took forever to get going. night after night, i sat up. sprayed up. took a shower...

or took a pill. then i tried drug-free breathe right advanced. and instantly, i breathed better! i slept better. it felt...better. thank you, breathe right! [ male announcer ] breathe better, sleep better, feel better. now try new breathe right advanced for free... at breatheright.com. [ woman ] it's my right to breathe right. >> live and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. >> good morning. i am pamela brown and it is 8:27 of this wednesday morning. time to look at traffic and weather. we have been saturated this morning out of maryland into a northeast d.c. there is a series of crashes that are now out of the way on south east and north avenue. there is another one out of annapolis on the severn river bridge. baltimore-washington parkway delays are of greenbelt. there was a 10-car pileup after

spout run. southbound 95 virginia had been closed in fredericksburg near route 3 because of a crash but now southbound traffic is getting by. we'll take you live to a picture of the beltway with a delay from 95 to georgia avenue and in the sunshine. lots of sun out there and it will stick around for the morning and afternoon, a 61-66 degrees and the sun will set before 5:00 this afternoon. a few clouds here and there tonight and nighttime lows are in the 30's, tomorrow is looking absolutely great, mostly sunny but just a bit cooler compared to today, upper 50's. look at the extended outlook which shows our temperatures are remaining nice for the next couple of days. plenty of sunshine and the next best chance for showers will not be until tuesday of next week. you will soon be able to buy liquor on sunday in montgomery county.

i'd like it is expected to finalize an order -- county executive michael leggett will authorize liquor stores to open on sundays. it does not need approval from the county council. we will have another news update at 8:56. for continuous news coverage, tune in to tbd news on news channel 8.

♪ won't you come with me tonight ♪ ♪ where light drifts into your eyes ♪ ♪ i just want one little kiss ♪ ♪ when we get high up on the ridge ♪ ♪ hey, now

[ cheers and applause ] dierks bentley, in nashville, tennessee, where they will perform at the cma awards tonight. we have him here first. he is up for album and male vocalist of the year. he has a crowd around him. look at this over here. denzel washington, working it. >> all right. all right. >> has a brand-new film out. >> denzel washington, "runaway train." this one is based on a true story. he's having so much fun over there. we're trying to sell your movie. >> he's going to be here. >> he will be here live, in just a little bit. sam, let's go back to you in nashville. some special guests who have a wonderful, wonderful announcement. sam? >> hey, good morning, robin and george. look who stopped by, brad paisley, co-host of tonight's event. i heard you may walk away with the big one tonight? >> where did you hear that? >> just rumor on the street. and four-time nascar winner,

jeff gordon. everything with jeff burton is okay? >> everything is great. tune in this weekend. you never know. >> that's true. it makes it exciting. now, you have a big presentation. i'm going to get out of the way, for you to give folks a car. >> brad and i are pleased to be here representing chevrolet, as well as the first sergeant here, who is the winner of chevy salutes america's heroes contest. all these amazing testimonies came in from families and friends of those who really represented the military spirit of overcoming obstacles, giving back to their community and to their country. and inspiring others. and this is the man here, brad. >> he really is. this is a man who, i'm going to see if i can get this right. his wife wrote this testimony, which is unbelievable. nine children between you. >> yes. >> i don't know how you do that, first of all. but they foster, i believe, it's

45 children? >> 45, yeah. >> and he was in iraq in 2009. >> right. >> and 20 years in the military, right? >> that's right. yes, sir. >> you are absolutely a hero. we appreciate you so much. >> congratulations. [ cheers and applause ] >> here's the keys to -- these are the keys to a camaro. just kidding. these are the kids to your new car. >> appreciate it. >> i appreciate it. >> well done. >> it might be with all the kids you got, we might need five more of these. congratulations to you guys. thanks for stopping by. always nice to see you. you're going to make us have fun. we'll be following you tonight. >> we'll laugh no matter what. >> let's get to the boards. one or two things we want you to know when you walk out the door. we're live in nashville. you may be crawling out the front door from some place else. there's snow up toward the

northwest. that's more than a little bit. some of the mountain locations will pick up a solid foot of snow. denver, up for two to four inches, starting later on tonight, into tomorrow. i believe i'm right on the >> lots of sunshine on the way for the remainder of the morning into the afternoon and temperatures slightly above average at 61-66 degrees and there will be a few clouds tonight in the 40's. it will be slightly guys, again, thank you. nashville is here with us this morning. all that weather was brought to you by breathe right strips. robin? >> that's wonderful. thank you, sam. denzel washington won academy awards for "training day" and "glory." he has a new movie out.

got a sneak peek this weekend, of a film "unstoppable." you will be on the oechblg your seats. >> what are we doing? >> we're doing about 60 miles per hour, connie. >> frank, i don't understand. >> we're going after your train. >> i'm not hearing you. >> the rear door was left open. if we can catch up, we can latch on to the locomotive. >> frank, you can't. >> we already are. >> that train is carrying 30,000 gallons of toxic chemicals. that train is going into populated areas. there's no way to derail it now. >> are you sure about that? >> and denzel washington is live in our studios. >> that's actually one of the more relaxed moments. >> i was going to say. but you know what? that's a good popcorn movie. you're just there. and you're eating your popcorn. and you're transported. and you talked about, denzel,

the train upstages you guys. >> the train's the star. we're just hanging on the side of it. that's all right. we got paid more than the train. >> toxic chemicals. it's partly-based on a true story. >> right. >> it's out of control. when you work with tony scott, the director, who you've worked with a few times, you're going to be hands-on. >> when you see a train at 50 miles per hour, that's really me. i'm stupid. >> you do have some protection up there. but not -- still. >> not enough. not enough. the idea, a little tiny wire, that connects to you. actually, you don't know whether it's going to hold you or not. >> right. you know when you're working with tony, when you get that script, that he's going to have you in the action. >> no skyscraper movies for me. i don't know what's left for him to have me do. one of the good things about the film, i think one of the reasons it feels so intense.

>> uh-huh. >> is because there's no green screen. when it's us, really us, we're really up there on top of the train, not a lot of computer-generated shots. >> you know what? you can tell. >> i think that's what makes it feel more tense. >> you feel the tension. you can feel the train and all that. chris pine, your co-star, i understand you helped bring him to the film. >> what it was that tony gave me dvds of different actors. and he stood out among the actors. i said, that's the guy. it wasn't who he had in mind. >> that's okay. >> it wasn't. he had him in mind because he gave him the tape. that's my story. and i'm sticking to it. no. he did give me his tape. had i -- i hadn't seen -- it was already out. but i hadn't seen "star trek" at that point. but he was excellent. >> i have to tell you, you have been somebody, that when you -- you bring it, whenever you're on screen. and there's a presence about

you. but those of us who get to know you offscreen, you're so giving. and you and your wife, you're giving another award. >> another award. >> the grace foundation. >> right. >> because of your charitable work that you give. it's something that you come by honestly. you're very sincere about this. >> well, talk is cheap. i don't talk about it a lot. >> i know. >> what's that saying? those to which much is given, much is expected or required. we're trying to do our part and help where we can help. >> you're humble about that. it's like pulling teeth to get you to talk about that. you don't do it for that. let's talk about the family. >> yes. >> didn't your daughter just graduate from yale? >> yeah. she's studying to go now to law school. >> nice. >> i have to keep working. >> you do. and then, your son plays football. >> my oldest boy plays in the ufl, for sacramento. >> yeah. >> alongside daunte culpepper. >> oh, my goodness. >> i give him a little plays. slip him plays.

>> you were quite the athlete back in the day at fordham. you were all right. >> i played football and basketball. >> we wanted to play a little bit of a clip. you showed this last night. your son. >> right. scoring a touchdown. >> he scores the touchdown. >> and my wife getting -- watch the lower right-hand corner. you'll see a head pop-up -- bang. can you slow it down? can we go back? now, watch. stlou it down. right there -- there she is. there she is. oh. that's terrible. i'm not enjoying that. i'm not enjoying that. but she actually jumped up. and i told her, you should have stood over top of the guy like, is that all you got? she jumped up quick. and my son had no idea she was hit. i had no idea she was hit until after the game. she didn't tell anybody. we saw touchdown. >> she saw stars. >> denzel, thank you. >> my pleasure.

>> you have brought so much to us. give paulette our best. >> she's fine. >> she's fine. >> she's going to be playing this week. >> and "unstoppable" in fridays this week. and we'r

♪ hey, baby

what do you say ♪ ♪ won't you come on out tonight ♪ and welcome back to "gma" at the cma awards. country music's biggest night. we're making it country music's biggest morning with dierks bentley. three-time cma award nominee tonight. "fiddlein' around" from "up on the ridge" is what we're going to hear. dierks bentley, let us have it. ♪ up in the window light tonight ♪ ♪ where i can see your silhouette ♪ ♪ i've been throwing little stones ♪ ♪ but i don't believe you've even heard me yet ♪ ♪ today you crossed your heart

and said you'd meet me in the dark ♪ ♪ when i called you on the phone you pretend you weren't home ♪ ♪ hey, baby what do you say ♪ ♪ won't you come on outside tonight ♪ ♪ the moon is finally shining bright as day ♪ ♪ hey, what do you say can't you hear ♪ ♪ the music in the wind ♪ and see our shadows on the ground ♪ ♪ won't you come on down ♪ we're gonna do a little fiddling around ♪ ♪ can't you hear the banjos ring through the air ♪ ♪ there will be mandolins and guitars everywhere ♪ ♪ now, don't you wanna be there ♪ ♪ hey, baby

what do you say ♪ ♪ won't you come on outside tonight ♪ ♪ the moon is finally shining bright as day ♪ ♪ hey, what do you say can't you hear ♪ ♪ the music in the wind and see our shadows on the ground ♪ ♪ aw won't you come on down we're gonna do a little fiddling around ♪ ♪ ♪ if you look outside you'd see the light ♪ ♪ of my old corvette ♪ are you trying to drive me baz si, babe ♪ ♪ or did you just forget ♪ hey, baby what do you say ♪ ♪ won't you come on outside tonight ♪ ♪ the moon is finally shining bright as day ♪ ♪ hey, what do you say

can't you hear ♪ ♪ the music in the wind and see our shad dois ♪ ♪ on the ground ♪ aw won't you come on down ♪ we're gonna do a little fiddling around ♪ [ cheers and applause ] ♪

♪ new look. new style. new sears. come see our brand new side.

at sears. ♪ won't you come with me tonight ♪ welcome back to nashville. dierks bentley here with us this morning. a little nashville intel here. you and your lovely wife, cassidy. you have a 2-year-old now,

right? >> right. >> and that's evie, right? >> right. >> and the intel says you're expecting another one in about a month. is that right? >> that's good intel. >> how does it feel? >> it's a lot of fun. >> you give back to us. >> we love it. i love being on the road with the guys in the band. get a chance to tour across the country. have that life. and also come back at home and have a great life here. >> you live here in nashville. tonight's the big night for you. you're up for three. let me see if i get this right. best male vocalist. and you have best event. and you have best album out. how does it feel to be walking around with all that on your shoulders? >> it feels great. you can see all over the distance, i've played them all for tips. four-hour shifts, playing down here. working my way up. it's been a long process getting here. but i feel great. i love the cma. and actually interned there at a

while, too. i've worked or poured coffee all over this town in the last 16 years. to have three nominations really means a lot. i'm excited. >> we're excited for you. one more song. and it's "free and easy." all right, sir. >> come on, nashville. let's go. ♪ and a sack of clothes it ain't easy ♪ ♪ down the road i sowed ♪ memories on the highlight shows ♪ ♪ free and easy down the road i chose ♪ ♪ free and easy down the road i chose ♪

♪ ragweed's rocking on the radio ♪ ♪ free and easy down the road i go so, i keep rolling like an old banjo ♪ ♪ free and easy down the road i go ♪ ♪ i got the sun shining on me like a big spotlight ♪ ♪ so i know everything's gonna be all right ♪ >> everything's gonna be all right. [ cheers ] ♪ ♪ ain't no telling where the wind might blow ♪ ♪ free and easy down the road i go ♪ ♪ living life like a sunday stroll ♪

♪ free and easy down the road i go ♪ ♪ free and easy down the road i go ♪ ♪ if you only get to go around one time ♪ ♪ i'm gonna sit back and try to enjoy the ride ♪ ♪ ♪ i might make a million or wind up broke ♪ ♪ free and easy down the road i go ♪ ♪ can't take it with you when you go so ♪ ♪ free and easy down the road i go ♪ ♪ someday i hope it's

gonna take me home ♪ ♪ free and easy down the road i go ♪ ♪ free and easy down the road i go ♪ ♪ [ cheers and applause ] ♪

sam, want to say good-bye. you're going to work with you tomorrow. >> we worked today with paul and marla. thank you so much. it was an honor. had a great time. >> i had fun, too. >> good. >> we have a special surprise for you today. the air force has come in. tell us all about it. >> good morning. from the 313th recruiting squad here in new york state and new york city, we wanted to say thank you, specifically to you, and also everyone at "good morning america," for everything you do to support our military and our air force. thank you so much. >> and veterans day is coming up. >> have a great day. see you tomorrow.

>> live and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. >> good morning to you at 8:56. i am heller -- i am pamela brown with your local update and let's get started with traffic and weather. it is not too pretty on the george washington parkway. there is a crashed north of spout run and the left lane is blocked. we had a huge car wreck in columbia, maryland, 175. i will take you live to a couple pictures so you can get the feel for the pace of traffic. there we are approaching the 14th street bridge with some activity on the soldier -- on the shoulder and delays begin in springfield. outer loop at university boulevard there is a crest that is moved to the right shoulder are looking at 50 degrees at

reagan national airport and the wind has picked up a little bit. there is lots of sunshine to enjoy and a daytime high will be 61-66 degrees. a few clouds here and there tonight book and 35 degrees and the cooler temperatures are off to the west. tomorrow, bright sunshine again at high temperatures slightly cooler, upper 50's. a quick look at the extended outlook calls for temperatures to remain about the same for this time of year. the next test -- the next best chance for showers will come until tuesday next week. the washington nationals are getting a new look pretty tame will unveil the new uniforms for next season. some of the players will model the new jersey's at an invitation only event tonight. jerseys will go on sale to the public tomorrow. >> we will be right back with a look at some of this morning's