it was a harrowing ordeal for passengers aboard a continental airlines flight this morning. >> that plane hit severe turbulence as it flew to houston, texas, this morning. 26 people were hurt. some seriously enough to go to the hospital. >> the plane was able to make it to miami where it made an emergency landing. michelle franzen has the story. >> reporter: flight 128 made the emergency landing at miami international after the pilot reported the plane hit severe turbulence. more than two dozen passengers were injured. at least 13 were transferred to ambulances and taken to local hospitals, some with reported head, neck, and back injuries. >> i hit my head on the roof, the ceiling, and then i hit it on the monitor in front o me. >> reporter: these photos taken by a passenger show the cabin aftermath, deployed oxygen masks hanging down and medics cleaning

up. in a statement, continental airlines says the fasten seat belt sign was aluminated during the incident. the majority of the 168 passengers on board had them on. >> it was quite bad. i was wearing the seat belt, so it was okay. but behind me, there was this girl. she was bleeding. quite bad. >> repter: the overnight flight originated in brazil and was bound for houston. at 36,000 feet, pilots reported the severe turbulence, a drop so sudden flight attendants were in the aisles serving and passengers didn't know what would happen next. >> i've never seen turbulence like that. i really thought we wouldn't make it. >> reporter: once on the ground, relieved passengers hugged and waited until they could board other flights heading to houston. the faa says it is investigating the cause and severity of the turbulence. michelle franzen, news4. at least two dozen people

were rushed to a massachusetts hospital after a chemical leak at a business there. workers at the abc disposal service say they called 911 when they realized something in the building was making them sick. ten people were found unconscious and more than 20 others were taken to the hospital suffering respiratory problems. three people are listed in critical condition this afternoon. the cause of the leak is still under investigation, but authorities say it has been contained. at least one person was injured in an apparent house explosion in st. louis. a building exploded and then collapsed there late this morning. rescue crews are searching through the debris now for anyone who may be trapped. a special collapse rescue task force was called in to help shore up the structure. a d.c. intersection has reopened today following a water main break that snarled traffic in northwest this morning. this break caused a sizable sink hole on taylor street here near

the intersection of 7th street. that intersection was shut down while crews made repairs. some customers lost water service for part of the day, but the repairs were completed just a short time ago. questions are being raised after a fire broke out inside a fire station in prince georges county this morning. it happened here in the station 817. that's the boulevard heights volunteer fire ems station. one of the trucks caught fire and now there are concerns over how long it took to put the blaze out. tracee wilkins has our report. >> that's our concern, that we have the emergency service when it's needed in the community. >> reporter: and it's a valid concern after firefighters in this woman's community say they didn't have enough staff or support to handle a fire inside their own station. >> this was an unfortunate incident. it does bring attention to the

need that the community has to know that they are secure. >> reporter: the fire happened overnight at the boulevard heights volunteer fire and rescue department in capital heights. firefighters say after they returned from an emergency call, the fire truck had some kind of electrical engine fire while inside the bay. the concern was the fire could spread. so according to the dispatch law provided by the station, they called for backup at around 2:03 a.m. the closest station, capital heights, failed to respond. the first station to actually arrive at the fire was district heights at 2:12 a.m., eight minutes later. and two minutes beyond the county's standard response time of six minutes. firefighters here say the problem is county budget cuts. they say there were only two firefighters manning the station last night due to budget cuts, and the first station called to respond were also low on manpower. according to mark brady, as of august 2nd, career firefighters at a number of stations were

redeployed due to budget cuts. it's left them shorthanded and the community is also concerned. >> we just like the county and the fire department chief to take a closer look at it for our needs in the community. >> reporter: tracee wilkins, news4. on wall street today, a strong start for the month of august. stocks are up. the dow closed 115 points higher. the nasdaq gained 30 points and landed above the 2,000 level for the first time in months. and the new york stock exchange gained 129. wall street is continuing its positive ways after last month's record gain for the dow industrials. let's get the latest now from matt nesto. he's live at cnbc world headquarters in new jersey. >> hi. >> last month, matt was a record-breaking month for the dow. we're hearing it was the igbeest july point gain in history. so my question is does there appear to be enough momentum to keep that trend going?

>> well, you know, so far, day one of august certainly a very strong start and a broad-based rally, too. i would say we don't want to confuse people, it was the biggest point gain for the dow in july ever. over 700 points in terms of percentage gains for july. the dow was the best since 1989. so just a little mathematics at work. as far as today, the nasdaq with a big push above 2,000. the s&p 500 above 1,000 again. all three of those benchmarks higher. led by strength in the materials stocks, the mettles, the mining names, things like that, the commodities also very strong. we saw the price of oil pushing higher yet again here today, but pretty much everything was working all ten economic sectors were on the rise on this monday trade in august. >> okay. matt, let's talk about some positive economic data in the construction industry where building and manufacturing are concerned. and also a big push today in commodities.

how do you read all of that? >> the interesting story today, the ism manufacturing data coming in, it's almost back to 50. if you get above 50 on the index, that shows there will be growth in the industry. it's getting close to 50 again. we're back to about 49 on that particular manufacturing index. at the same time, within it we saw that construction spending actually rose surprisingly .3%. i know it's a small increase, but economists were looking for another half a percent increase. that's a big positive surprise here today. and i had mentioned the strength in commodities. this is really just a global demand story that we've told time and time again over the past month or so. it's called the reflation trade. the economy growing again. that's what we're seeing with demand for metals and raw materials strong. and that's helping companies bike alcoa have a big, big day today. >> matt, how is the cash for clunkers program going and how is it affecting the automakers? >> it's doing very well for the

automakers. you're closer to washington and the minute-to-minute negotiations on whether or not they're going to actually -- the senate will actually extend the deal. but the market did like it. the automakers continuing to have a big roll on it. out ag, auto sales figures out here today that were impacted maybe to a little degree. ford, the stand-out, reporting its first monthly increase in its sales number in over two years. again, not a huge increase, but, hey, it's positive and it's something they haven't been able to say in a long, long time. >> all right. we'll take our daylight, our sunshine wherever we can find it. thanks so much, matt nesto. jim? summer is already over for some northern virginia youngsters. and the cost of a taxi ride is going up in the district. here are some of the other stories making headlines in our area today. a fairfax county man appeared in court today after doing what some say was a good deed. the 60-year-old was ticketed for

jaywalking after he stopped along a busy highway to help a flock of geese get safely across the highway. that's when a police officer pulled up and wrote him a ticket. the officer says he was concerned about the safety of other motorists. the judge told the man to stay out of trouble for six months and the case will be dismissed. it was an early end to summer for some alexandria students today. mt. vernon community school and samuel tucker elementary run on a modified calendar, which put students back in the classroom this morning. these students will be in class for nine weeks and then have a three-week break. some schools in fairfax and arlington counties also began today. it could soon cost you more to hail a taxi in the district. the city council has lifted a $19 cap on taxi cab rides that start and end in the district. cab drivers have called for this since last june. that's when the switch to the

metered fare system took place. the council removed the gap as part of the fiscal 2010 budget plan. we're following breaking news out of baja, california, right now. a powerful earthquake has rocked mexico. the 6.9 magtude quake was centered 331 miles southeast of tijuana, but set off alarms as far away as phoenix. there are no immediate reports of injuries or damage. it hit around 2:00 this afternoon eastern time. just minutes after two other quakes were felt. pat? meanwhile, back here at home we're getting a bit of a break from that humidity today. but a break for how long? veronica johnson has our fast forecast from the storm center. hi, veronica. >> not for very long at all, pat. good afternoon. today, plenty of sunshine outside. let's look at city cam right now. just a few clouds. it's been hot but relatively comfortable throughout the area. it's running at %. the dew point temperature at 53

degrees. again, it's been hot. 91 in alexandria. 88 degrees in fredericksburg, vurbl virginia. upper 80s, mid-80s north and west. plenty warm, too. what we've got comingup, mostly -- some mostly clears skies for the better part of the overnight period. 77 degrees by 11:00 p.m. and midnight. a lot of the clouds will be rolling out of here. as far as your fast forecast, we've got a pleasant august evening coming up. hot and humid conditions back tomorrow, pat. right around the corner. and what about showers? what about storms? we'll talk about it in a few minutes. back to you. >> thanks, veronica. stay right there. we're just getting started on "news4 at 4." "d" is for deficiency when it comes to vitamins. new information finds kids aren't getting enough of it. our "healthy life" report explains why they're not getting

enough and what kids can do to fix that. a judge decides the custody of michael jackson's children after a surprise in the courtroom today. and what a difference a week makes. that harvard professor talks about his friend, new friend, the police officer.xi there's something big happening at pizza hut. - woooh, nice! - that's a lot of food! now get big meals like our stuffed pizza rolls, pizza mia, the p'zone... and our personal panormous pizza starting at just $5. the big eat tiny price menu. only at pizza hut.

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michael jackson's mother should raise his chinldren. that's what a judge ruled today during a court hearing on the late pop star's estate. mrs. jackson and the children will also get a monthly allowance. jay gray has the latest on that. >> reporter: the los angeles superior court was crowded early. katherine jackson and other members of the family, part of a

throng that included at least 17 lawyers from every aspect of the pop star's life. the hearing started with judge mitchell becklife quickly approving a custody agreement worked out last week between attorneys for jackson and debbie rowe. his mom will be the permanent guardian of the kids. rowe retains her parental rights and gets visitation. >> everyone sought the same r eective, doing what wr bfo t the children. >> reporter: the judge also approved a monthly financial allowance for both the children and katherine jackson which will be paid out by the pop star's estate. an estate that will be much more difficult to sort out. katherine jackson is looking for more input into business decisions involving the estate, but the court has side woud wite two men named executors in the wills. >> the will is where it's at. the will trumps everything. >> reporter: it is a complicated and high-dollar debate. there are estimates the estate

could be worth between 500 million and $2 billion, an amount that will fuel more litigation regardless of what happens in court today. >> when you've got a billion-dollar enterprise with a bunch of players, the story is just not over. >> reporter: of course, all this is going on as police and federal agents contie their investigation into jackson's death. much of that seems to center on the release of a final autopsy report which the l.a. county coroner has now delayed indefinitely. in los angeles, jay gray, news4. the harvard professor whose arrest last month sparked allegations of racial profiling is keeping a sense of humor about the controversy. henry lewis gates cracked some jokes while talking about the incident yesterday.fo gates, you'll recall, was arrested in his own house by a police officer responding to reports of a possible break-in. the incident led to a "beer summit" at the white house.

gates suggested that last week's meeting may not be the last time he and the arresting officer get together. >> but i asked him if he would have lunch with me one-on-one. i asked him, maybe we could go to a red sox game together or a celtic game together or have dinner with our families. you know, why not? you know, i offered to get his kids into harvard. you know? if he doesn't arrest me ever again. >> gates wasn't cracking jokes the entire time. he said heshut down his public e-mail and changed his cell phone number after he received death threats. you know you need to do it. milk isn't the only source of vitamin d, but it is an important source. in "get healthy 4 life," two new

studies show american children are not getting nearly enough vi vitamin d. >> reporter: a study in today's journal of pediatrics finds 7 in 10 american children don't get enough vitamin d. 1 in 10 have levels so low they're deficient. milk and fish are big sources of vitamin d, but so is sunshine. that's where researchers think american children fall rt. >> four hours a day of using computers or watching tv or playing video games, they were 60% higher risk of having vitamin d deficiency. >> reporter: this 12-year-old can't drink milk, so she looks for vitamin d elsewhere. >> i get it from yogurt, anything that has milk in it. i don't drink milk. sometimes i go out in the sun and i'll put on sunscreen and play around with my friends. >> reporter: it's a big issue for people with dark skin because their bodies can't absorb vitamin d as easily. 6 in 10 african-american teenage girls are vitamin d deficient. later in life, that can lead to

o osteoporosis, cancer, and high blood pressure. >> it's a risk of having high blood sugar and about four times higher risk of having the metabol metabolic syndrome. >> reporter: the factors can be reduced with ten to 15ina minut of sunshine every day. that's exposure without sunscreen, which brings up questions about skin cancer. to protect against both, researchers suggest that you let kids play outside for just a few minutes, soak up all the vitamin d, then apply the sunscreen. from capitol hill, i'm tracie potts, news4. >> and that means exposure without sunscreen, which raises concerns about skin cancer. most of us put the sunscreen on first and then go out. take 400 units a day.

600 to 800 units for older adults. but many doctors are recommending 1,000 units a day. make sure you get your d. you don't like milk. >> right. chocolate milk, i'll take it. or cereal. >> you spend extra time in the sun. >> that's it. coming up next, you play games for fun, right? we'll show you one man who seems to have taken his monopoly game a bit too far. now he's in hot water. also, how you can benefit from a new strategy by airlines from a new strategy by airlines to fill those empty seats.a# julie loves target, it's got the supplies teacher told her to get and for a great deal. she also expects he'll love the sandwich.

she expects he'll think of her when he sees the note. so she shops target. gotta have deals on the stuff she's gotta get. target. expect more. pay le.

if you are looking for a cheap airline ticket, try twitter. jet blue and united airlines are offering discounted seats to twitter followers. the carriers send a brief  message or e-mail telling users about available seats on flights that would otherwise be left empty. but consumers have to decide quickly. the twitter fares only last a couple of hours and they are available only a week or two in advance. so there. well, a steamy start to the week.

here we go again, huh? >> you know, the humidity is going to be building. so as far as at least the week goes, i'm going to say today is one of our me comfortable days. a whole lot of rain. that we had in parts of the area, even here this weekend. but this is philadelphia, pennsylvania. they were cool and in the 70s on sunday, but awfully wet from sunday storms that brought the heavy rain, flooded roads. that area picked up three to six inches of rain. just two to three hours' time. so a slow go around philadelphia, pennsylvania. meanwhile, across our area, a -- llce, a ni summer day. we've gota he heat. upper 80s, closehe to 90 degree in some los.caonti the dew point tperature is i the i low 60s versus the mid an per 60s. we started the day71 at 60 degrees. a and temperatures overnight by tomorrow morning, we'll be dropping to the low 70s. so a comfortable day coming our

way tomorrow. but upper 80s across this area. low 90s down in raleigh. are you ready for a change? some big changes. are you ready? a lot of folks complaining that summer hasn't gotten here because we haven't had that prolonged heat. certainly no heat waves. we'll try adding tend degrees t today's temperature. that's where we'll be next week this time. next week monday, mid and upper 90s across the area. well, here's what's going on, what has been over the last 24 hours. clear skies. new york down to george. that's all thanks to high pressure. but high pressure is going to start easing off to the east. when it gets off the coast, we'll have that wind coming out of the south. and that will allow some higher humidity across the area. but at least for the next 24 hours, some clear to mostly clear skies across the area. there's the dew point temperature at 61 degrees. it will go up to the mid-60s tomorrow. so far it's dropped some eight degrees. you know this weekend was pretty sticky and when you get that much moisture in the air, it's harder to keep cool.

so here we go over the next 48 hours. there's our mostly clear skies. sunshine to start the day tomorrow. i think we'll be mostly sunny even by the afternoon. partly sunny for the evening coming our way. and then a chance for showers and storms with the next weather system coming in on wednesday. best chance for the week of getting some rain will be wednesday. 80 to 85 degrees. we're sunny, we're clear, we're warm. sun sets at 8:17. again, a nice evening with some relatively low humidity across the area. temperatures by tomorrow morning, 64 to 70 to start out. sun is up at 6:12. by the afternoon tomorrow, close to 90 degrees across the area. close to 90 degrees with clouds and humidity. the air quality running at orange and the uv index at nine. we'll take a look at the seven-day forecast in just a few minutes. >> thanks, veronica. when we come back on "news4 at 4," the cash for clunkers program, a hit with more than just few car buyers. we'll have the latest on efforts

to keep it rolling. also, we'll show you how the internet helped a man find the brother he knew he had but had never met. and without a doubt, this has to be some of the best video out today. it was supposed to be a standard building demolition until something went wrong. >> yikes. >> take a tumble.

welcome back to "news4 at 4." >> here's some of the top stories this hour. michael jackson's mother has permanent custody of his three children. a judge made that decision today during a series of court hearings in l.a. the judge also approved a monthly allowance for the children. a continental airlines jet carrying nearly 200 people from brazil to texas hit severe turbulence over the atlantic early this morning, injuring 26 people on board. four of them seriously. the plane made an emergency landing in miami. and most children lack vitamin d. that's according to a new study out today. researchers say 70% of the 6,000 kids they studied have low levels of the essential vitamin which helps reduce the risk for broken bones and heart disease. they say drinking milk and eating fish cahelp so can spending 10 or 15 minutes outside without sunscreen a few times a week. there is more proof today

that the government's cash for clunkers program is luring car buyers back into the showrooms. ford is reporting its first sales increase in nearly two years. >> while the program has been popular among consumers, it will stall by the end of this week unless lawmakers fill the program's tank with some cash. and the senate may say no. here's steve handlesman with more on that. >> reporter: with the u.s. senate considering letting the cash for clunkers program run out of cash, in chicago, this family is rushed to replace their cadillac with a new chrysler. the program is a success in terms of sales. >> chrysler sent us more cars. to get as many people in here, move more units. it's fantasc. >> reporter: ford reported sales up for the first time in two years. >> cash for clunkers put us over the top. >> reporter: and the white house says the program's meeting its other goals.

less pollution, less fuel used, comparing the trade-ins to their replacements. >> the transactions we're generating, a 61% increase in fuel economy. >> reporter: but the sales and mileage figures come from dealers making a profit on the program. critics want proof. >> without the data, we won't know that it's stimulating sales and that there's a benefit. without those things, we're just handing people $4,500 to buy a new car. >> reporter: many in the senate agree. but team obama is lobbying hard. >> to make sure that all senators understand how wildly popular this is, how good it is for the economy, how good it is for the environment. >> reporter: last week, the house agreed and voted to boost the $1 billion program to $3 billion. and president obama has invited senators down to the white house to lobby personally for more cash for clunkers. i'm steve handelsman, news4, capitol hill. some breaking news now. in maryland this afternoon, chopper 4 is live above the

scene of a serious accident on southbound connecticut avenue near beach drive. this is in kensington. here is a live picture. a person was trapped for a short time and then taken to the hospital. a tow truck has just uprighted the vehicle, which had been upside down in the trees. traffic in this area of connecticut avenue is being impacted. we'll have an update on traffic a little later. again, this is happening in kensington, serious accident on connecticut avenue near beach drive. family of navy captain scott spiker say they are relieved that his remains were found but they're still looking for answers about what happened to him. spiker's plane crashed on the first night of the persian gulf war back in 1991. he was originally classified as dead, but evidence was found that prompted his case to be reclassified as a missing or captured case. spiker's remains were found in a grave in iraq last week and confirmed by the defense

department. his family has hired its own investigators. >> they are our remains. the remains can be tested for what happened to them. a lot of information even in old remains. and look at all of that. we do have our only sources on ground. including the ones from the u.s. government. and we've come this far. we'll get those answers. >> spiker's relatives believe he ejected from his plane. a spokane, washington, man says that facebook has helped him find his brother. he saw a message from a man named dan newborn. they started chatting and realized that their friendship was more than just that. they were related. he always knew he was acodopted and that he had a brother but didn't know how to get in touch with him. >> quite amazing. if it wasn't for the internet, we never would have found each other.

>> newborn lives in las vegas. the two now keep in touch daily over skype. good for them. >> friends and family. i see the resemblance. >> i do, too. still ahead on "news4 at 4," we'll show you a new product that may just become doggy must-have for this winter. >> going to buy it for yours? >> maybe. after a lot of years and a couple of children, one celebrity couple has decided to tie the knot. we'll tell you about that. it hard to breathe.

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wayo t ea to start th work we. take lookt s cam. the blue skies and a few clouds across the area. temperatures that haven't been too bad day. upper 80s across the area. the average high, 88 degrees this time of year. elkins, west virginia, cooler at 77 and 78 currently in pittsburgh, pa. meanwhile, as we take a look at things, our winds will be out of the south more tomorrow. we'll see more cloud cover across the area. we've got clear skies. pennsylvania through virginia, all the way down through most of north carolina. showers and storms just off the coast with low pressure. that will be moving out. meanwhile, high pressure will start moving east. we'll get that wind shift. and a chance to see humidity rise across the area tomorrow. so 71 to 74 to start the day tomorrow. we'll see high temperatures into the low 90s and a touch more humidity across the area. some clouds we'll have. there might be a few little pop-up showers during the afternoon right along the bay and up the river.

just a few showers tomorrow. better chance comes our way for wednesday. some showers and storms on wednesday. that will be the best chance for the work week. and meanwhile, as we get into the end of the week and for the weekend, some heat, some haze, mid and upper 90s across the area. back to you. well, it only took eight years and three children for them to finally become man and wife. >> mark wahlberg and his long-time girlfriend, rhea durham, tied the knot in beverly hills this weekend. the couple was married saturday in a small, private ceremony at the catholic church. wahlberg, executive producer of "entourage" will appear later this year in peter jackson's "the lovely bones." and coming up this afternoon, a woman driver accused of being drunk. and the officers who arrested her. now she's off the hook and their jobs are on the line. we'll explain what happened.

and one couple's dream day turned into a nightmare. they found themselves ditched at their own wedding ceremony.?o?oo

four florida police officers are off the job and under investigation today, accused of plotting to frame a 23-year-old woman after one of the officers hit the woman's car. but as police were trying to get their stories straight, the dash camera in the police car

recorded the whole conversation. nbc's mark potter reports. >> reporter: yearld alexandria was invited to the hollywood florida police department to give a statement against the very same officers who had arrested her months before. >> what we have here are a bunch of officers conspiring to manufacture evidence, to create a crime. >> reporter: last february, she was arrested on dui charges after she stepped on her brakes and was rear-ended by a hollywood police car. she said she stopped because a cat she was carrying had jumped out of her window. >> that's what -- exactly what it did. >> the car was moving when this occurred? >> yes. >> reporter: after putting her in the police car, several officers are next heard on their own microphone using that same cat story to try to shift blame for the auto accident away from

th officer who, because he hit her from behind, could be ticketed. >> i don't want you to make things up ever because it's wrong, but if i need to bend it to protect the cop, i'm going to. >> reporter: at first, the officers came up with a story that the cat distracted the officer. >> i'm not putting words in his mouth. he went to accelerate. a cat jumped out. literally a cat jumped out the window. could have been a pedestrian. which distracted him. >> reporter: later, officers talk about filing a report blaming the woman for quickly changing lanes. >> as far as i'm concerned, i'm going to worry that she's in the left-hand lane. >> okay, uh-huh. >> and that she -- when the cat jumped out, she abruptly cut over in this lane and slammed on the brakes. >> okay. >> reporter: on friday, the hollywood police chief announced that three officers and two others have been suspended. all charges against the woman have been dropped and now the officers are under investigation. >> that was mark potter

reporting. four wisconsin women are facing a number of charges today after police say they beat up a married man who they found out was involved with both of them. police say one of the women lured the man to a motel last thursday. they say all four of the ladies were there, including the man's wife. investigators say they tied him up and assaulted him. they're charged with false imprisonment. one is even charged with sexual assault. one nashville couple had a beautiful wedding reception. just one thing missing, though. for much of it, anyway, the bride and groom. the limo they'd hired to take them from their wedding ceremony to their reception never showed up. th say the driver got them to the church but never came back after they said "i do." they eventually got to the party with a little help from their friends who were already there. whoops. >> i made a decision after about 25 minutes to just call people at the recension -- reception

and get some suvs on the way. >> people were ready to leave because they'd been there so long. >> the johnsons stilln't have gotten an explanation. all they want is a refund for the ride they never received. >> that's the least they probably deserve. >> right. still to come on "news4 at 4," it is a must-have for dogs. find out about a new product now on the market to help keep poochy warm this winter. there's something big happening at pizza hut.

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- woooh, nice! - that's a lot of food! now get big meals like our stuffed pizza rolls, pizza mia, the p'zone... and our personal panormous pizza starting at just $5. the big eat tiny price menu. only at pizza hut. gas prices are creeping up again. just over the last week, it's climbed three cents per gallon. right now, the national average price is about $2.54. here in the washington area, a gallon of regular will cost about $2.58 a gallon. maryland drivers will pay $2.47. and in virginia, you'll pay about $2.41.

gas prices are likely to stay about the same for the rest of the summer. let's get an update on our weather on this monday. veronica johnson is outdoors to give us the latest. >> for is summer day, it feels pretty good out here. it's not sticky. there's not much of a breeze going, as you can see. the leaves on the trees not blowing very much. so meanil about ou rsuut bo wkn,e' we're petpa e n'ha wdt ve ihas any w prolge wd ny aheatesavcross thee thes's going to anch .80s 80s te area. thr eae natures dn water there, lowe 81 a81dunro aporound annapolis. look at areas off to the south and west where it's 108 degrees in phoenix. they've had the high heat across texas and the plains. triple-digit heat coming back to the plains and soaring temperatures. we'll be seeing high heat around here. the pattern right now, the jet stream, those upper-level winds right now our area.

we're going to get back to that ridge that you typically see along the east during the summer. so by the weekend, the upcoming weekend, the beginning of next week, highs in the mid and upper 90s. are you ready? 92 degrees expected toowrrmo. the hottest day out ay out of the work .nnsu y.eswenn wednesday we get the showers and storms. mid and upper 80s for the end of next week. back to you. >> thanks veronica. well, we've all seen those infomercials for the snuggy. remember that? the blanket that you can't wait to get your hands on. it's got holes for your arms. remember that? >> how about four arms. or paws. there is now a new snuggy for man's best friend. check out this ad for the snuggy for dogs. >> there's snuggy dog, the little blanket with sleeves designed to fit your dog. just like the snuggy you love, snuggy dog is made of ultrasoft fleece toeep your pet totally warm when out in the chilly air so they can enjoy a walk or have

some fun playing in the yard. and look, pets love the warmth and comfort of their snuggy indoors, too. while they take a nap or take some time curled up with you. >> the snuggy for dogs costs about 15 bucks. you can pick them up in either blue or pink. and it comes in sizes ranging from extra small to large. how do we know they like them? the owners like them because they're soft to hold. >> well, you know, if the tail wags, that might be a hint. those are awfully cute. >> they are cute. maybe in january or february we'll ask. >> you take two in blue for your dog, right? >> when it cools off. >> you've got two coming, jim. still to come, an international incident involving three american hikers who strayed into iran. and what happened during a game of monopoly that landed one guy behind bars for real?

time now to take a look at some of the stories making news on the web today. think monopoly is a nice, quiet board game? well, think again.

a michigan man is facing assault charges after an incident during a recent game. police say kenneth repky wanted to buy boardwalk and park place from his opponent, but she didn't want to sell. he apparently got angry about that and hit her in the side of the head, knockg her to the floor. oh, my. a pleasure trip gone wrong for more than 50 people fishing off the coast of florida over the weekend. the princess fishing boat lost power after it was seven miles out to sea and had to be towed back to shore by the coast guard. two people suffered minor injuries, mostly related to dehydration. passengers are welcome to a free ride in the future. new information on a story we first told you about last week. the pope's new record deal. well, wee learned that he signed on to the same recording label as arrowsmith and snoop do dogg. the pope will record on album full of songs, his readings and music.

the album is due out at the end of november and its profits will go to educate underprivileged children. check this out. a demolition goes wrong in a big way in turkey. this is not the way a demolition is supposed to happen, but it's a scene that greeted spectators this weekend. an old flower factory was supposed to come down to make room for a shopping mall, but the building rolled completely over, landing upside down. nobody was hurt. what started out as a mountant adventure in northern iraq has turned into an international incident. three american hikers areto missing today. it's believed they were arrested in iran after wandering across the border from iraq. today secretary of state hillary rodham clinton appealed to iran for more information about the case and to return the hikers as quickly as possible. richard engel as the latest. >> reporter: it was in these mountains in kurdistan where three americans went hiking last week before, according to

iranian media, they strayed over the border into iran and were arrested. kurdish officials c s confirmed their identities. they were apparently on a trip to learn more about the middle east. bauer is a freelance journalist and photographer living in and specializing on the arab world. his website describes him as affluent arabic speaker, a graduate of uc berkeley with a degree in arabic and peace and conflict studies. his facebook page ssay she in a relationship with sarah shord, the only woman in the group, also an aspiring journalist. on her website, she describes herself as a teacher, writer and activist living in the middle east. josh fatal said he was also looking forward to traveling to iraq and kurdistan. the u.s. state department this weekend said we have been in touch with and are assisting family members of the missing three americans.

the americans' detention comes at a highly sensitive time in iran, following weeks of protest against president mahmoud ahamadinejad's reelection. it's the start of his inauguration process. richard engel, nbc news, istanbul. that's "news4 at 4." "news4 at 5" starts right now. tonight on "news4 at 5," a good samaritan who says he was punished for trying to help some geese. a vitamin deficiency in children linked to serious health risks. and the half million dollar mistake after a man loses his winning lottery ticket. welcome to "news4 at 5." >> our top story, serio questions are raised after a fire breaks out inside a fire station in prince georges county. but no one is around to put it ap s hit it happenedar