tahman bradley has details on both. >> reporter: this morning, two major changes in crime laws with implications for millions. attorney general eric holder has ordered federal prosecutors to stop sweeping up nonviolent drug offenders and sentencing them to mandatory terms. >> we cannot prosecute or incarcerate our way to becoming a safer nation. >> reporter: holder is worried about disparities in the criminal justice system that h poor, minority communities. pro prison overcrowding and billions in prison costs. some in law enforcement welcome the move. >> it would automatically reduce sentencing to one year. >> reporter: but others worry that easing mandatory sentences for drug offenders could lead to an increase of crime. >> it remains to be seen what that will do to the crime rate. it's reasonable to guess that it could go up a little bit. >> reporter: meanwhile, in new york city, encounters like

this, under scrutiny. >> banging my head into this. >> reporter: a federal judge ruling that the nypd has violated the constitutional rights of minorities by encouraging officers to stop and frisk suspicious individuals. minorities are outraged because 84% of those stopped by police are black or latino males. the new york city police department now has to be part of the solution because the judge has agreed with us that it was a big part of the problem. >> reporter: new york mayor michael bloomberg and his police commissioner say stop and frisk has saved lives. and getting rid of it will make the city more dangerous. the judge appointed a federal monitor to oversee the nypd. tahman bradley, abc news, washington. this morning seattle police want to know why a man snapped and shot a bus driver. the gunman jumped to a second bus, filled with passengers. police shot and killed the suspect through the window of that second bus. the driver is in stable condition. and his spirits are said to be high.

defense attorney says former boston mobster, james "whitey" bulger will appeal a series of convictions against him. he was found of 11 murders, along with racketeering, and money laundering. he is likely to spend the rest of his life in prison. prosecutors failed to gain convictions against bulger for eight other killings. now, to the strongest indications that hillary clinton plans a presidential run in 2016. in a speech before the american bar association last night, clinton announced her plans to give a series of big policy speeches in the coming months. perhaps more telling is this exchange between a reporter and anthony weiner. >> still working on it then? >> she's helping out every day. >> is -- do you know what the role in hillary's 2016 is going to be? >> i do. >> what will it be? >> i'm not telling you. >> do you feel that you've damaged her place in that role? >> i feel that what i've done has hurt her, yeah. it's hurt her professionally.

it's hurt her personally. >> weiner has apparently said too much since clinton has not officially announced that she's even running in 2016. some rare mid-august voting going on in new jersey, as candidates face off in senate primaries. cory booker is the overwhelming favor in democrats. barring a major upset, those will faceoff in october. a second round of flash flooding made for a tense afternoon in kcolorado. the town of manitou after mudslides tore through the region. a woman who was missing is safe. but health officials worry about tetanus bacteria in the area. let's look at the weather for the rest of the nation now. more thunderstorms are possible in colorado, wyoming and montana. severe storms are a threat from boston to the carolinas. mostly dry along the west coast and the desert southwest. >> there will be a touch of wall

in the air for the midwest. with temperatures in the mid-70s and dry air. honolulu and new orleans, just over 90. dallas and san antonio could be over 100. is it the commuting of the future? a billionaire unveils his dream to whisk us to work at 800 miles per hour. and the incredible pictures. people running for their lives at a sinkhole swallows part of a resort. but has the earth stopped moving? and a bittersweet victory in court for the queen of southern cuisine.

this summer, new york state is back and open for business. with endless beaches, hundreds of miles for hiking...or biking. endless rivers and streams ready to take your breath away. and more than enough wineries to please every pallet. we're ready to make your new york state vacation perfect. there's never been a better time to vacation in new york state. plan your vacation at iloveny.com the new state of new york. welcome. welcome back. the summertime spike in gas prices that usually comes at

this time of year just hasn't happened. in fact, gas prices continue to go down, 7 cents in just one week. just $3.56 a gallon. that's because oil refineries are getting efficient at keeping output high. don't expect prices to get any lower. experts say refineries are pretty much running at peak efficiency. americans have apparently an upside for apples than blackberries when it comes to cell phones. blackberry has put itself up for sale. experts say potential buyers may be rivals apple or google, if only just to get their hands on the technology. move over author james patterson. there's a new girl in town. and she's now the world's highest paid author. e.l. james pulled in $95 million last year, knocking writer james patterson into the number two spot. and passing danielle steele and stephen king. and another woman who gets

richer, is facebook coo sheryl sandberg. she has $91 million and that's only 5% share of her facebook holdings. sandberg is said to be worth $400 million. >> whoa. >> some people win the lottery. >> some people are coo of facebook. >> and the rest of us work for a living. she works for a living, too. a california billionaire has pretty big plans for shaving the commuting time from san francisco to l.a. how about six hours to just 30 minutes. >> oh, yeah. elon musk is the man behind the tesla electric car and spacex. he is looking at a hyperloop system. on a system of compressed air. it could be up and running in as little as six years. >> you're in that tube. >> sign me up. >> me, too. when we come back, potential, new pattern for autism. the difference between

induced labor. and mystery solved. we told you about the angel priest who showed up at a crash site. this morning, we know who he is. you deserve more than justo flexibility and convenience. so here are a few reasons to choose university of phoenix. our average class size is only 14 students. our financial tools help you make smart choices about how to pay for school. our faculty have, on average, over 16 years of field experience. we'll help you build a personal career plan. we build programs based on what employers are looking for. our football team is always undefeated. and leading companies are interested in our graduates. we'll even help you decorate your new office. ok. let's get to work. [ male announcer ] your kids make great things. so give them a tasty, wholesome snack that has eight grams of whole grain... and is now made with real strawberries and bananas. honey maid teddy grahams. two new flavors now made with real fruit.

accomplishing even little things can become major victories. i'm phil mickelson, pro golfer. when i was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis, my rheumatologist prescribed enbrel for my pain and stiffness, and to help stop joint damage. [ male announcer ] enbrel may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculosis, lymphoma, other cancers, nervous system and blood disorders, and allergic reactions have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. you should not start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if you have symptoms such as persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness.

since enbrel helped relieve my joint pain, it's the little things that mean the most. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you. [ doctor ] enbrel, the number one biologic medicine prescribed by rheumatologists. now, for a look at morning road conditions. it could be a messy commute from i-95 from massachusetts to the carolinas, with heavy rain and thunderstorms. flash flooding is a threat for parts of colorado, wyoming and montana. >> if you're flying, airport delays are possible, in boston, new york city, philadelphia, washington, d.c., charlotte, memphis and denver. authorities will be at the sinkhole to determine if the crater is still growing. >> terrified vacationers had to leave their room at a moment's notice when the buildings started collapsing. steve osunsami has more. >> reporter: dozens of families on their florida vacations

sunday night, when a 100-foot sinkhole started swallowing their villa, with them and their belongings in it. >> i kept hearing the building cracking. and i could see things falling from the ceiling. and i watched the floor split open at the time. >> reporter: authorities and eyewitnesses outside orlando raced to the collapsing buildings, capturing this astounding video and screaming for residents to get out now. >> i know this may happen in florida. but i'm from atlanta. and the ground has never been sucked from under our feet. >> reporter: it looked like the ground open up and ate this building. there's a stairwell there leading to nowhere, like a tornado came through and punched a hole in the ground. rusty glover and her family saw the floors buckling and tried to escape. but the doors were stuck and wouldn't open. a couple with a baby had to break a window to get out. >> we started running out and throwing our stuff over the balcony. it was just crazy. >> reporter: florida is sinkhole

central. and here's why. much of the state sits on porous limestone, covered in a thick layer of clay. over time, water eats away at the stone. and heavy rain helps push the clay into the rock. authorities say there's not more sinkholes, just more people to notice them. this is what the area has become today. >> we have a dry season. and then, the rains come on in about the middle of june. about that time, you see the sinkhole activity pick up. >> reporter: everyone got out of this building alive. but lost everything they left behind. steve osunsami, abc news, clermont, florida. a major legal battle -- victory for embattled southern chef paula deen. a federal judge has thrown out a racist discrimination suit brought to deen by a restaurant manager. she claimed she suffered from sexual harassment and talk that were unfair to black workers during her five years in

employment. it was during a deposition in the case that deen admitted she had used racial slurs in the past. deen's spokesperson says in part, she is confident that those who truly know how she lives her life know that she believes in equal opportunity, kindness and fairness for everyone. well, we now know the identity of the priest who witnessed a crime scene and then disappeared from that crime scene. it was an accident involving a car in missouri. this happened a week ago sunday. the priest happened upon this accident as he was driving between mass assignments. father patrick dowling said he was performing the normal duties of a priest. >> everybody there was praying. the rescue workers were people of faith and prayer. they were all praying. i had no doubt that the most high heard their prayers. and i was part of his answer. >> father dowling performed the anointing of the sick.

there will be a lot more from dowling. he'll be on "good morning america" later this morning. a study found that pregnant women who had their labor artificially started or sped up are more likely to give birth to autistic children. the increased risk likely comes from a pre-existing problem with pregnancy. the study does not prove that inducing labor causes autism. another win for the dodgers. >> here's neil and stan at espn with all the highlights. >> good morning. welcome to our "sportscenter" studios here in los angeles. i'm stan verrett, along with neil everett, who is talking baseball. >> yeah. it's time for dodger baseball. hottest team in baseball. the dodgers at home against the mets. dodgers in a current five-game win streak. they're getting it done. that win over tampa bay the other night was unbelievable. down 2-0, bottom of the sixth. not down 2-0 anymore. adrian gonzalez makes the blooper reel. and yasiel puig would give them

a lead on a sac fly. nick punto, buying insurance. this one's for danny devito. dodgers, 4-2. sixth-straight victory. the mets will throw matt harvey at him tuesday. yu darvish, taking on the astros. jonathan villa. swinging. robbie grossman, swinging. but to no avail. bottom eight. carlos takes the first pitch he sees out of the park. astros cut the lead to one. and they break up darvish's no-hitter. next batter, brandon barges. he struck out 15. went eight innings. rangers win it, 2-1. are you ready for this? elaborate form of perfection.

it's performed by a group of guys that are famous on youtube. we're going to call it also our "play of the day." >> it's the the same that posted their elaborate trick shot. this time, it's an 11-man stunt. and ultimately, the ball goes into the hoop. >> unbelievable. these videos are already up to 1.1 million views. i guess it's going to go to this one now. >> i can watch this over and over and over again. >> and the skateboard, the nice touch. >> it's a lot of pressure to be any 1 of these 11 guys. >> and you had to wear a speedo. >> yeah. had to wear a speedo. one more time. one, two. and in. >> crazy good. >> nice. coming up next, "the pulse." making waves over a menu. wait until you see what's on l.a.'s restaurants and what they're serving. thousands of feet in the air and doing splits on a thin wire. two women are taking high-wire acts to a whole, new level.

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♪ i think you're crazy i think you're crazy ♪ time to check "the pulse." we start high in the sky above one of the most majestic valleys of yosemite national park. >> that's where we find this daredevil. she's a slack liner named haley ashburn. she's doing it on a thin wire some 3,300 feet in the air. >> her harness is attached to the line. ding that in these surroundings, is remarkable. when it comes to picking up the tab, most men are old-school about this. >> a new survey finds that most men paying for the dating expenses, even if the couple is going out for a while.

men and women fall back on traditional roles. >> nearly two-thirds of men say they believe women should contribute to dating expenses. and 44% say they would stop dating a woman who never pays. >> just offer to pay for the tip. >> how long into the dating situation -- >> forever. forever. the days of waiter asking for tap and bottled water are over, apparently at a place in los angeles. they have a water menu. you might want to check it out. wait for it... [ laughs ] you know, i'm not trying to be ungrateful here or anything... but i just don't think i should have to wait for it! who do you think i am, quicken loans? ♪ at quicken loans, we won't make you wait for it. our efficient, online system allows us to get you through your home loan process fast. which means you'll never have to beg for a quick closing. in fact, here at quicken loans

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checking our top stories. california teenager who survived a kidnapping ordeal is back home with her father. her father says hannah anderson will need time and privacy to begin the healing process. a man who fell to his death at a atlanta braves game. the investigation is ongoing. engineers have built a temporary road in washington state's north cascades national park so dozens of hikers could

cross to safety. floodwaters have washed out the permanent road. looking at today's weather. it's a pleasant day along the west coast. more thunderstorms are possible in colorado. and it will be fall instead of sumner the midwest. stormy, though, for the east coast. raising a child can be one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do in life. but also one of the most challenging. just ask any mom. >> and these days, whether you work or stay at home, you're dg pulled in every, single direction all at once. but for any mom who has forgotten the meaning of calm, help is here. there is nothing relaxing about my 10-month-old son, devin, who the idea of bringing him to a yoga session came up, i pan panicked. devin doesn't do quiet. our instructor started with a massage to get the blood going.

poses to synchronize our breathing. and poses to work up a set. this is baby yoga. it's not typical yoga, where baby gets dropped off. nope. this is an interactive baby and mommy class. the latest trend, giving new moms a new place and a new way to connect mind, body and baby. amy hamilton and maya have been coming together for seven months now. >> i feel like -- she has friends. and my mommy friends. >> reporter: as i learned, baby yoga is not exclusive to moms with home babies. >> anything goes in this class time. feeding, changing. >> reporter: sherri, the founder and creator of karma kids in new york city, started offering baby yoga in 2002. today, her studio has grown to approximately 20 students a week. >> they can share energy and

stories and comfort each other knowing they're not alone. and it ends up being more like a support group. >> reporter: a support group that helps relax baby. making it a trend that's here to stay. an overtired mom, a source of energy for me and a source of calm for my overactive baby. >> little devin, a cutie pie. >> i recommend it to all of the moms of the world. that's are's watching the-- you're watching the station that works for you now good morning maryland. >> a night out at the ball park ends tragically after a fan falls to his death. where police are in the investigation in the city of atlanta. new information this morning and a beautiful look at baltimore's inner harbor. you will need the umbrella today before heading out the door. parts of the area are under a flash flood watch on this

tuesday morning. it's august 13th, and good morning to you maryland i am charley crowson. meteorologist lynette charles is standing by with a check of your forecast and as you are saying, this could be a wet one. >> you are right charley. this will be the day the wet weather comes in here. starting to see showers and thunderstorms. i will show you that in a second. let's start out with the flash flood watch to the areas shaded in the green coloring. and this is until 3:00 this afternoon. so, any type of rain we are getting that means we have the potential for flooding. so be prepared for that as we pull out we can see the flash flood watches extending off towards the south and the west. and as we go throughout the day, we will continue to see the rain coming down. maryland's most powerful radar is getting active as of now. we can see most showers and thunderstorms and the lightning off to the north but we have is a little thunderstorm now trying to pop up around yellow pine and arthur ridge and all this is is sliding off towards the north and east right now.

eldersburg is dealing with rain showers this morning. don't leave the house without the rain gear. let's check the traffic with lauren. >> reporter: well, we are dealing with high speeds right now across the region. traveling on 83 in baltimore county, everything nice and clear at shawan road. 58 miles per hour. you are not going to have any problems once you get on the jfx and head downtown. 95 in harford county also moving right along. this is route 543 no problems as you make your way down to the harbor tunnel throughway. and from there it's going to take 6 minutes to get all the way down to the fort mchenry tunnel toll plaza. 695 up to speed. 11 minutes on the outer loop from 95 up to 83 and over on the west side, that will remain calm with just an 11-minute ride on the outer loop from 795 to 95. that's your timesaver traffic. news time 4:32 new information for you this morning in the death of a baseball fan in atlanta. police say a man fell more than 60 feet to his death from an

upper level platform. this at turner field home of the atlanta braves. that victim's name has not been released and witnesses who saw the man fall say it happened around 9:00 during the braves game with philadelphia. rain had postponed the again of the game -- again of the game and pushed it-- beginning of the game and pushed it to two hours of the start time. police are not talking about whether or not alcohol was involved and say there is nosign of foul play. in 2008 a 25 year 0e8d man fell to his ---year-old man fell to his death down a stairwell. it was determined alcohol was a factor in the death. the fate of a woman accused of hiring someone to kill her husband is in the hands of a jury. jurors will continue to deliberation in the karla porter trial who claims she acted in self-defense when she hired a man to kill her husband at a hess gas station. the white marsh woman says the threats of abuse got so bad that she had no choice but to kill her husband. the state pointed out she never