an suv hits two young women, drags them a long distance, and the driver just keeps going. good sunday, everyone. i'm craig melvin. that crash left those two pedestrians seriously injured. issuing a icarear issuing a public plea to find the driver. derek ward starts us off

tonight. >> reporter: it's been obvious to local authorities that it's unsafe to wait for a bus along this stretch of wcapitol view avenue in silver spring. they're making the bus stop safer. but crossing the street proved dangerous for two pedestrians. >> two women peds, age epedestr struck by what witnesses claim is a black toyota suv or pickup truck. >> i heard a loud bang. >> reporter: police say both victims were in the crosswalk. they were struck by such force they were both dragged, one 83 feet, another 113 feet down the road. >> one lady was in the middle of the street. the other lady was up against the 25 mile speed limit sign. her leg was wedged. te r orepr: the driver kept going. bu t orethimctpae knocked loose piece of his or her vehicle. this section of the front grill from a toyota truck or suv. that and the witness description is all investigators have to go on for now.

residents of the surrounding community are troubled but not surprised. >> a lot of times cars will go eteedirest. street. the bshreldoue eeldum bpsum as well. ep>>r:or rek dted, wers nar4.ew victims dictio vms do remain sp edhoital hospitalized. we out of intentative cainten intensive care. georgia police have made an arrest in the murders of seven people at a mobile home park yesterday. two other people were critically injured. police say they have arrested the man who called 911 yesterday to report the killings. he's related to the victims. authorities are not calling him

a suspect. he is charged with tampering with evidence and making false stements to police. police have not said how these victims died. police do they they are looking for others connected to the killings. president obama returns from vacation to a health care battle that promises to heat up when congress resumes work next month. the number of senators supporting reform is now minus one with the death of massachusetts senator ted kennedy. some lawmakers are talking about how his death could affect the health care debate. brian mooar tonight from capitol hill. >> reporter: the president is leaving behind the pieeace of a martha's vineyard vacation. a day earlier, president obama said farewell to a man he called his mentor. senator ted kennedy was also a critical ally in this all-important health care fight. the day after he was buried, crowds of people gathered to pay

their respects to the senator at the kennedy grave site at arlington national cemetery. on capitol hill, lawmakers from both parties are trying to figure out what the loss of this legendary power broker might mean. his republican friend, orrin hatch, predicts it will be harder than ever to reach a deal. >> many of the so-called progressives of the democratic party are insisting on this public or washington, government-run plan. the vast majority of people out there in the public don't want that. >> reporter: the senate finance committee's bipartisan gang of six has been struggling to reach a compromise. but republican mike enzi appears to be closing the door. >> the democrats are trying to rush a bill through the process that will actually make our nation's finances sicker without saving you money. >> reporter: democrats have lost their filibuster proof majority. but they still believe they have the numbers to pass a bill without republican help. senate majority leader harry reid said if it can't be a

bipartisan bill, he will get a partisan one. on capitol hill, brian mooar, news 4. today the public got its first chance to visit senator ted kennedy's final resting place. a long line formed most of the day as people passed the simple marker in white cross at the late senator's grave site. kennedy was buried at arlington national cemetery yesterday. he was laid to rest just a few hundred feet away from his brothers. people visiting the grave today said they simply wanted to pay tribute to the man who gave his life to public service. >> his life made a difference in other lives. that's what really counts. when you show love and concern for your fellow man. >> despite today's heat, some visitors stood in line for up to half an hour to get a look at senator kennedy's grave site. a growing wildfire in the

mountains above los angeles surged overnight, now threatening some 10,000 homes there. authorities say the blaze is spreading in all directions in california. three people have been burned, at least three homes have been stroyed. many mandatory evacuations are in effect in that area. now residents of a small town are being told to evacuate as one leg of the fire heads their way. lifornia governor arnold schwarzenegger is urging them to listen. >> they will not tell you to evacuate if it is not necessary. listen carefully. there was, again, people that did not listen and three people that got burned and really badly injured because they did not listen. so listen carefully and immediately move as soon as they tell you to move. >> the blaze is only 5% contained now. the cause of the fire is still under investigation. still ahead tonight here, an air show performance turns tragic. a plane makes a wrong turn during the performance as horrified spectators look on.

we'll tell you about that. plus, why you won't be getting many more of those annoying robocalls at dinner time. darcy, what you working on? >> reporter: in northwest washington, backpack converters. i'll tell you about a special program to help kids get ready as they head back to school. it looks like some very cool weather to start out the month of september. i'll have a complete check on the forecast. hakem, what do you have in sports? nats look to avoid a sweep in st. lou pips the orioles trying to split with the tribe in baltimore. we serevredsid wer

tragedy in the sky at an air show in poland today. two pilots were killed when their plane went down. spectators were watching the jet and acrobatic display when the scene turned to horror. the russian made jet crashed into trees.

both pilots inside the plane died. we do not know what caused the crash. an amazing story of survival for three boaters missing at sea for more than a week. the coast guard rescued the men overnight. this is some video from the coast guard. they'd been floating at sea for days, clinging to the top of their capsized cat ma ran. the men were spotted 180 miles from land. tonight they've been reunited with their families. surprisingly, they did not even need any medical treatment. many of those annoyed tell marketing phone calls that we all get, many of those are coming to an end beginning tuesday. the federal trade commission will prohibit recorded commercial telemarketing calls known as robocalls. this new rule does not include informational calls like flight updates or debt collections. it also exempts political and most charity calls as well. still ahead, prince georges

county schools are about to start their second week of school year. more than 1,000 students still have not been assigned to classes. an update on what school officials are doing to fix the problem. will the beautiful weather continue into the workweek? meorologist chuck bell

prince georges county schools are working around the clock this week epd. they're trying to nail down schedules for more than 1,200

students. they have temporary schedules. thousands more were without schedules for their first week of classes. the county schools superintendent calls the mishap inexcusable. he blames a computer problem. montgomery county students head back to class tomorrow and most other area schools start next week. today local kids got all the tools they need to make it a good .aryear rcdaspencer has that story tonight.rc >> a notebook and a folder. >> reporter: kids were treated to burgers and back backs. it's a program through d.c.'s hope house. >> this night hope house is able to help the children out like that, get the kids book bags. just get the kids off to a fresh start for the school year. >> reporter: the kids were handed bags loaded with supplies. everything they need as they head back to the classroom. >> it means a lot. good to see my friends and everybody. >> means a lot because i get to

see people that i don't usually see. i get a backpack which i kind of do need. >> it means a lot because now i know that people do think about me on a regular basis, about the book bags and giving it away. >> reporter: hope house helps kids whose fathers are incarcerated. officials say it's important to help many of the singlearent families that are struggling financially. >> we've been doing this every year for ten years where we distribute backpacks to our kids. and stuffed with school supplies. this year was our biggest event ever, thanks to z burger. >> reporter: many of the donated supplies were provided through nbc 4's backpack for kids program. >> this was great. we always try to do anything we can for the community. and any time you can do anything, we just -- we love. it gives us a good feeling. >> reporter: about 90 of these backpacks were given out today from kids in elementary, middle and high school.

also some are being sent to young adults in college. in northwest washington, darcy spencer, news 4. the d.c. police weight loss challenge has been a huge success. 800 officers and civilian employees have lost some 1,100 pounds this summer. police chief challenged police to get fit for the force back in june. she says the second challenge is now planned for the fall. how about that? >> i like that. >> chuck bell. a cool down's coming, huh. >> finally. a lot of folks were not happy with yesterday. it was warm and it was really humid outside. felt like august in washington. techny click, september 1st, as you may or may not know is the beginning of meet logical fall. as a result, yes, indeed, it'll start feeling like fall out there. cooler temperatures on the way. they arrive tomorrow. they last through much of the upcoming work and sool week out there. and for the most part dry weather expected as well. outside right now, an absolutely beautiful sunday afternoon out there. temperatures have made it once

again mostly up into the 8 os. a lot of folks getting outside and enjoying our beautiful weather. skate boarding. it came of age just a -- it was like six months behind me in the growing up period. oh, gosh. pretty skirt. out there enying a beautiful day on the swing sets today. wonderful weather. lower humidity. kids jumping up and down joy. good day for tennis or jogging or biking or sailing, anything you wanted to do out there. high temperature today in washington made it up to 85 degrees. right now 82. our dewpoint temperatures which were in the 70s yesterday are in the upper 50s right now. thanks to a northwesterly wind. that's going to continue to drive cooler and drier air into the area for the next couple of days. and a real taste of autumn coming up tomorrow and then on through much of the early parts of the week. 82 at national airport. 79 at andrews air force base. 81 degrees a t the naval academy

in annapolis. 82 in frederick, maryland. upper 70s up west of the blue ridge. west of the blue ridge you folks might actually be in the 40s by wednesday morning. be ready for a serious taste of september. generally temperatures are in the 80s out ahead of a weather front which is coming our way. but back to our north and west, chicago, these are air temperatures. 63 in buffalo and chicago. 69 in cincinnati. current dewpoints are in the 40s and 50s. even right here in washington, our dewpoint has dropped 12 degrees in the last 24 hours. that's the reason that it feels so much nicer outside today than it did yesterday. so high pressure, centered up over albea, canada, is building in. little areas of low pressure riding along the weather front will bring us a few more clouds late in the day tomorrow and maybe a shower. extreme southern maryland, maybe a shower late in the day tomorrow. by and large, monday is going to be dry. most of the upcoming week is going to be dry as well with decent amounts of sunshine early

tomorrow. then some clouds tomorrow night. so all in all it's going to be a nice evening. partly cloudy and mild. temperatures, low 80s now. back io the mid-70s by 11:00 tonight. skies trying to clear out by first thing tomorrow morning. wake-up temperatures low 70s right along the chesapeake bay. in town, low to mid-60s out west of town. tomorrow's high only 75 degree. it'll be our coolest high temperature in three months around here. then temperatures staying well below average for the next couple of days. reagan national has not been below 60 degrees in three months. tuesday, wednesday morning look like it's going to be nice and cool. >> we'll take it. appreciate it. coming up next in sports, .he nationals are dealt som llos cards in st. louis. is

redskins, preseason is over for these guys, right? >> for the starter. they're probably not going to play on thursday. it's going to be all the backup guys. preseason is too long, but it's necessary. it is. >> all right. >> got to have it. got to have it. the redskins made their first round cuts today. on defense they let go of michael grant, alfred fitcher

and michael mar court. o on the offensive side, devon clark and receiver marcus haguens were also cut. the battle for the fifth resever spot is down to a four horse race. jim zorn is not ready to crown mitchell just yet. he and his staff need one final look. my question is, what more do you need to see? after being the talk of training camp, mitchell is executing in the preseason. two games. second in receiving on the roster with five catches for 61 yards and two touchdowns. ev i'm not alone when i say this. mitchell is aloft to make this team as the fifth receiver. jim zorn says hold your horses. >> it's still a battle going on it's a good question. i'm not sure about that yet. but he's definitely been impressive. he made a couple of really heads

up plays. strong catches. another one for a touchdown, which he was excited about. we're all excited about that play. you know, one more game, he's going to be here next week to play again. and, you know, we hope that he continues to show his improvements. >> i'm one of those guys that, like i said, this is my job. i come out here and i bust my tail not only for myself but for the guys -- the other guys that are going to be on the team. if i'm on this team, i'll bust my tail for everybody. they're going to be doing their job. i can't let up and not do my job. baseball, the nationals shift infielder ronny bellyard to the dodgers for two prospects today. the nats have to win 16 of their final 31 games to avoid a second straight 100-loss season. tast because this afternoon the nationals lost their 85th game of the year. cardinals starter adam wainwright stifled the nats. albert pujols came up clutch

again. garrett mock in the start. pretty impressive. here in the second getting khalil greene. mock's counter part, the aforementioned cy young candidate adam wainwright was dealing, too. he gets ryan zimmerman looking at strike three in the sixth. wainwright would appear to tire after getting zimmerman. he walks the next two batters. he would have to face ely ja dukes with two on, two out. dukes come up big, too. singles to left center. adam dunn scores to tie the game at 1 apiece. duke's 52nd rbi of the season. in the bottom of the inning, mock struggles two. albert pujols with one on. pujols makes him pay. base knock up the middle. colby rasmus scores to give the cards the 2-1 lead. that's how it ends. the nats get swept to st. lou pips they go to san december goe. orioles looking to split their four game set with the indians. bottom one. roberts chops one to third.

former nat jamey carroll. bat throw. not money. no. ty wigginton comes home to score. orioles take a 1-0 lead just like that. next batter is felix pie. he's a light hitter. deep and out of the bull pen in left center. pie's seventh of the season. orioles up 3-0. nats all rookie pitcher. you're so not hitting that. struck out eight in seven innings. the orioles win 5-2. . the kids from chula vista, california, are on top of the world. today the youngsters rallied to beat the team from chinese taipei in the little league world series. they're getting going here. the kids from out west. bottom of the fourth. game tied at 3. this is graft. chula vista's going crazy.

because guess what? that's the go ahead run. california takes a 4-3 lead right there. top of the sixth. two outs. and kiko garcia gets a strikeout to end the game. 6-3 victory for chula vista. they are going crazy. i love that. if i was 12 years old, iean, you'd feel like the big man on am p campus. >> 71 mile an hour pitch? >> it was 60.1 inches. >> the best thing is, those kids were juiced, either. >> they wear on their sleeve, i won't cheat. so it's a class act there. >> the pros could learn something from them. nbc nightly news is up next. see you again at 11:00. that's the news. good night.