smiling 12-year-old. but when anne -- >> dangerous defects right now. a warning about parents and newborns. why the consumer product safety commission is pulling numerous baby swings off store shelves and how they could put your baby at rick. good afternoon, i'm pat lawson muse. we begin with breaking news right now surrounding a virginia congressman. the fbi this afternoon is investigating vandalism at the home of congressman tom pair yellow's brother. this incident comes a day after the posting of his address online by tea party activists. the activists are upset with the congressman in favor of health care reform. police say someone went to the home in charlotte'sville and cut the line to a propane tank. his brother is the owner of the property. no one was hurt.

this is one of several acts of vandalism, involving democrats who voted in favor of health care. ten house democrats are receiving access to increased security. a popular baby swing is being recalled this day, this comes a day after the warning about the sufficient indication danger those devices pose to babies. tom costello is following the big story. he's live in the network room. tom, how dangerous are the swings? >> reporter: i think that's depends who you ask. a lot of mothers believe that swings are a great way to bond with your bean. but they can also pose a risk if the swings aren't worn properly. baby can't cry for help. th can actually suffocate in the fabric. kathleen ross way a happy, smiling 12-month-old, but when ann went to take the baby out of the sling she had been wearing,

something was terribly wrong. >> it was mucous by blood in it. it was coming down out of heir right nostril. >> reporter: kathleen had suffocated, one of 14 such deaths over the past 20 years. in cities across the country, baby swings ares common as pacifiers and play days. >> it's good to keep them in one, lowers their blood pressure and calms them down. >> reporter: but after three children died just last year, the consumer product safety says certain slings made by the company infantino are not safe. the models involved are the sling rider and wendy bellisimo sling. >> the sling create a deep pouch and children in that pouch have

a potential of suffocating. >> reporter: in a statement to nbc news, the company said, safety is the number one concern. with so many baby slings on the market, the cpsc is warning parents about improperly holding babies in any sling. the baby's face should never be covered. the baby's face should never be too low in the sling. the baby's face should never be hunched with its chin pressing against the face. babies should always face up and use caution with babies under 4 months. back in washington state, ann henihan is a busy mom with five children, but five years later, she cannot forget how baby kathleen died in her arms. new babies are most at risk, of course, because their neck muscles are too weak to control their head. now, parents have been carrying babies in slings for thousands of years, and they still do the

world over. but if you have one of the recalled slings made by infantino. you're asked to cut off the label. the label is right here. cut is off and mail it in for a replacement product, obviously, not a replacement product like this. >> thank you, tom. you can, of course, find more information on the website nbcwashington.com, simply search under sling once you get to the home page. new at 4:00 this evening, a d.c. firefighter is on administrative leave while police investigate charges of child abuse. michael rasmussen is charged with second degree child abuse. police say in 1994, he had sexual contact with a close relative on numerous occasions. he denied the charges and the case was shelved. but last october, rasmussen was accused in another case. police investigating that incident took a look back and recently filed charges. rasmussen has worked for the d.c. fire department for 20 years. a gunman remains on the loose today after a deadly

shooting in fairfax county. it happened this morning in the 8400 block of orinda court in mt. vernon. they found a woman shot side a red sebring. neighbors say they were getting ready for work when they heard the gunshot. >> i heard three loud noises, didn't typically sound like gunshots. it was more like construction -- >> reporter: loud? >> yeah, it was loud. then i looked out my door, and saw a police cruiser coming by with its lights and sirens on. >> police say they're still trying to establish a motive in the case. there have been no arrests. also new at 4:00 -- we've learned a 25-year-old woodridge man fired two dozen shots when this 2-year-old daughter was in his car. the driver was on 95 south, state police tell us a dump

truck rammed this car twice. both cars ended up pinned against the jersey wall. the car driver, gabriel povintodd then got off and fired shots. no one was injured. he faces child endangerment, attempted homicide and weapons charges. let's take a live look outside right now. we got a bit of a warmup today. >> and the clouds moved outdoors. veronica johnson is in the storm center to see what we expect as the weekend draws near. >> we did get a warmup today. tomorrow, temperatures will be a little bit higher, we'll certainly take that after a cool start to the work week. let's take a look at how cool it was this morning. we started out between 40 and 48 degrees. it will be a degree or so higher. d.c., 67 degrees. montgomery and lleytonville

right now at 67 degrees. there's that blue sky, the pollen count for 195, mostly maple and elm. but running pretty high, we'll get the clouds in here again after midnight. so a partly cloudy start to the day tomorrow. and we do have rain to talk about. i'll tell when you it's going to be headed this way in just a few minutes. >> all right, thanks veronica. new at 4:00 -- metro and area firefighters unveiled the first of its kind vehicle to respond to emergencies today. they'll respond how they'll be uses mrvs. it's a portable battery-operated motor righted cart that will run tracks. the mrv, mobile response vehicle, is designed to get an emergency vehicle to the scene of an incident and get them out of the traffic quickly and safely. >> our goal is to cut down on the time it takes to access an

incident in a tunnel, get victims out. >> reporter: fire officials say it would make a big difference in past derailments. >> we can also use this equipment to bring it down and up the track. >> reporter: first responders will be abe to use vehicles to carry equipment along the tracks to the scene of a metro rail emergency and transport passengers who are unable to walk throughout the air. >> they will be strategically placed. they're very light weight and get assembled very quickly. they can carry a great deal of equipment to the incident. ts right on the track. which is custom-made to fit the metro rail. >> again, the mrv is the only vehicle of its kind in the country. its design is from the london fire brigade. >> in montgomery county, there's a plan approved now, an ambitious plan near whiteflint mall. the plan calls for what is now a mixture of strip malls and car

dealerships. planners estimate 50,000 people would work there. they hope they were persuade half of them to stop relying on those cars. the area i already served by metro and will eventually have a mark station. it also calls for the green circulator bus system for communities and commercial centers. the development could take 20 years to complete. and it is just as contentious as ever. get this -- the latest in the senate today. the question was whether sex offenders should be able to buy viag viagra. steve handelsman joins us live. >> hi, at least by it with taxpayer dollars. up here on capitol hill right now, the senate which is debating so-called reconciation makes any changes to this so-called health care reform fix, it's got to go back

to the house. and that's the republican plan. and sex and drugs came up. >> reporter: america's registered sex offenders and predators and their access to viagra. how did that become a health care reform issue. today in the u.s. senate. >> this is a political exercise for too many on the other side of the aisle. >> reporter: democrats want health kerosene as a done deal. >> that's the law. >> reporter: but when house democrats passed it sunday, they also passed a set of changes. higher taxes on the well off. lower taxes on union health plans. the senate democrats hope to okay it this week. >> pass a bill that will make further improvements just yesterday. >> reporter: but republicans are objecting. >> more taxes and more mandates and more burdens. it's a sham perpetrated on the american people. >> reporter: and to slow the process, republicans are proposing amendments like

banning the sale of viagra to sex offenders. daring democrats to vote no. >> if this bill goes through without this amendment, your tax dollars are going to be paying for viagra for child molesters. >> reporter: democrats are crying foul. >> i think it's pretty clear that there's a lot of games going on. >> reporter: "usa today" found americans favor the new health care law 49% to 40%. republicans believe all the recent polls have found the opposite, and say they'll keep trying to tie up reform in the senate. for many, here and around america, the passion incited by the health care reform debate have not yet cooled. >> steve, thank you. for the first time, we're seeing the inside of a lair in

pakistan. they've turned it into a game, and demanding ransom for western hosta hostages. a british tv news crew has just unveiled video of an underground hideout. the kidnappers are said to use shackles and handcuffs to restrain the victims while they wait to be paid. news4 at 4:00, just getting started, tracking true wednesdaycy. >> a maryland school district push to cut back on the number of students cutting class. then at 4:30, what a university professor plans to use as her defense. and at 4:45, a major ban

newer watching "news4 at 4." the district now has 60 charter schools, but how

effective are they compared to traditional schools? charter schools are public schools that use tax dollars but operate by their own rules, trying to improve education by using an entirely different curriculum from the neighborhood schools. but is this different way of teaching working? here's tracie potts. >> reporter: dance in front of the regular curriculum at washington charter school, students say it makes them learn. >> it makes you speak up in class if you don't get something. >> reporter: some charter schools are super successful. at chicago's urban prep, the entire senior class is going to college. it's the environment that's different. >> for me, it's safer than a public school. we don't have metal detectors here. >> reporter: charter schools write their own rules. who they hire. who they teach. >> we get to do it ourselves. start to finish. a to z. soup to nuts, the whole thing.

>> reporter: but they're held to the same standards as public schools. the center for public education reports less than 1 in 5 charter schools outperform traditional schools. most in urban areas, smaller and with a higher population of normal students. on average, they spend $2,000 less per student. >> we need to see what charter schools in general are doing and how effective they are and most importantly so we can learn from them. >> reporter: what charter students do get is choice. >> rich people can choose. middle class kids can choose where they go to school. poor people have never been able to choose. >> reporter: shopping for education, but needing more feedback on whether it's working. tracie tts, nbc news, washington. >> the aobama administration ha

pledged even more. >> and a crackdown on truancy for students. it kicked off a new program at francis scott key and meadville middle school. officials say now is the time to stop truancy. >> this is the time to start addressing it, you know, at the 1% level. why wait until you get 10, 15, 20. we've got a problem and we've been trying to keep that problem -- the best thing you do with the problem, front it, design something to fix it and get the entire community behind it. >> and in order to pass the program, students have to boost attendance by 75%. they also have to demonstrate better behavior, and they have to get higher grades. anyone exceptional high school seniors here in the district got a surprise. a surprise of their lifetime. today, they found out they're going to get full scholarships

to attend george washington university. for more than 20 years, the university has rewarded talented d.c. seniors. they're worth more than $200,000 each. >> good for them. >> i don't know who that is for more, the students or the parents. >> both. ahead on "news4 at 4" -- collision course. >> check out the amazing video of an amtrak train and see what happens next. plus, a wild fugitive on the loose. and this suspect is making a and this suspect is making a monkeysettle? now that any pizza at pizza hut is just $10, you don't have to. any pizza, any size, any crust, and any toppings is just $10. all your favorite pizzas any way you want them, just $10. a large meat lover's pizza? $10. a large pan supreme? $10. any toppings you want? just 10 bucks, too. any pizza, any size, any crust, and any toppings. so don't miss out. get any pizza hut pizza today

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at at&t, we know something about that. our company started out in a small lab, with not much more than a dream. and today, we know it's small businesses that can create the jobs america needs. that's why at&t is investing billions to upgrade and build out our wired and wireless tworks. making them faster, smarter, and more secure. connecting small businesses to markets across the country, and around the world. we invest now, because we know it will pay off... with new jobs, new growth, from a new generation, putting their belief in the future on the line. now is the time for investment and innovation. the future is waiting. and the future has always the future is waiting. and the future has always been our business. at&t.

because your census answers are more than just answers. they're the first step toward a happier, healthier community. we can't move forward until you mail it back. 2010 census. newer watching "news4 at 4." elvis is alive, at least at the newseum. he's the subject of the latest museum. traces elvis' rise in the '50s to his meeting with the president nixon back in 1970.

it also includes rare objects in presley's lie, some not displayed outside of graceland, as well as others not publicly displayed anywhere. the elvis exhibit will be displayed until the end of april. you've got all month. >> the prettiest day of the work week, but not necessarily the warmest because tomorrow's temperatures will nudge just a little higher associati eer so, this after start wig a cool work week. temperatures in the exitings. 60s. gorgeous day. foggy bottom at 67. the cool spot along the water, 64 degrees. indianapolis, chesapeake beach, 64 degrees. look at that sky, awfully pretty

north in milltown, maryland, where the temperature is 70, down to 71. also cool there. tilln island at 57 degrees. so here's what's been happening today. huge area of high pressure has been moving in. so, a little breezy, but we'll see the wind start to settle a bit. breezy conditions, the next weather system already brings rain to northern illinois. this is all part of the same weather system that brought snow between colorado. between 1 to 2 feet of know. it will quickly be racing eastward, giving us some rain, starting late tomorrow around 7:00. on the ver tail end of the evening rush. so high pressure moving out of the way. we'll havehe first drops of rain starting tomorrow evening. rain for thursday night. and wet for the pretty morning rush. it's going to be nasty. tomorrow, look for a few temperatures, those close to 70 degrees. on the front end and back side of the system, arctic air is

moving. breezy, sunsets at 7:24. between 54 and 60 degrees with a northwest wind between 5 to 15. clouds will be on the increase throughout the day. and showers not till late. really, most of the tomorrow is going to be dry with the rain showers not moving in until very, very late. but not friday. we're nasty up until 1:00 or 2:00 p.m. it's go to come windy, too. i think the temperature will go from 55 degrees to the low 50s. the weekends are mostly dry, too. with a 30% chance of rain during the evening. and right now, that goesnto the beginning of next week as well. monday, showers to start the work week. back to you. >> all right. thanks veronica. we're following news stories at 5:00 tonight. >> aaron gilchrist joins us with the preview. >> hi, pat and jim, you might remember that snow problem a few

months ago, well, it wasn't such a small problem. parts of fairfax, if you take a lo at the work left to be done. after the plows dug us out, this is what was left behind. mounds of dirt were flipped on the roads. that's in addition to the potholes and tree tops. in fairfax, what v-d.o.t. can't get to, they're looking for plow damage around the county, the effort doesn't end there with the inmates doing the work. the board of supervisors chair also turning to the public. we'll have more on that at "news4 at 5." thank you, erin. and catch up with news4 facebook and twitter pages. we have breaking news and traffic reports you can find us by going to news4at4. >> what was her motive?

>> new details. we're learning the motives of a college professor who went on a shooting spree on a campus. plus, the amazing story of survival when two hikers were found alive after days in the wilderness. and it looks like cutting sat delivery for the postal service is a step closer to becoming a reality. and we're watching wall street for you this afternoon. the dow is down about 52 points to close at 10,836. the nasdaq also down about 16. and the s&p is off about 6 points. we'll be right back.

newer watching nbc4, live from the area's leading news station, this is "news4 at 4." and welcome back at 4:30, everybody. i'm jim hanley. >> i'm pat lawson muse. some of the stories we're following in the news now. sheriffs in charles county are investigating a d.c. fire feet

are for alleged abuse. michael rasmussen is charged in connection with a case dating back to 1994. police saye had sexual contact with a close relative. police also say there may be other potential victims. police continue to look for a gunman after a woman was found murdered in fairfax. investigators say they found the woman shot inside a car. there have been no arrests so far. metro area firefighters unveiled a first of its kind vehicle today to respond to emergencies. mrv, which is what the vehicle is called, will be used in the event of an underground emergency to transport people and people. >> the montgomery county council has authorized a refill. to turn a mall into residential and commercial areas. the development plan could take 20 years. topping the news at 4:30, the university of alabama professor accused of gunning

down several colleagues was in court for the first time yesterday in huntsville. amy bishop was denied bond. there is still a lot of questions about a woman who appears to be very gifted but very troubles. >> reporter: it wasn't long ago, harvard-trained neurobiologist amy bishop was working on an invention that some say could shape the future of research. now, handcuffed, charged with three counts of capital murder. the mother of four spoke not a word. >> she didn't say anything the entire time she was there. and it was almost as though she was searching the courtroom looking for a set of eyes she could make contact with. there were moments where he was stoic looking, and there were moment where is she was wiping away tears. >> reporter: it's the first time bishop has been seen since that february day, when during a faculty meeting at the university of alabama

huntsville, police say the professor stood up, pulled out a gun and started shooting those around her. three of her colleagues died. three more, wounded. >> my thought was she is going to go around the room and shoot everyone. >> reporter: investigators say biop was furious she'd been denied tenure. why would an educated scientist resort to violence. bishop has been described by her colleagues as both brilliant and volatile, with several strange incidents isn't her past. starting in 1986, when bishop kill her younger brother with a shotgun. her family called it an accident, and police then agreed. police today, not so sure. they have opened up a new investigation. in 1993, bishop and her husband were questioned after an unexemployed mail bond reportedly turned up at the home of a professor who reportedly

had given her a poor review. and then assault on an ihop restaurant case. the charges have been dropped. family members of the seaworld trainer who was killed by a whale were in court today asking the judge to keep the video of her death private. dawn brancheau died last month when one of the park's orcas pulled her under water. the judge issued a temporary injunction, unless it's made permanent, the video could be made public once the police investigation wraps up. a kansas family is breathing a sigh of relief after two missing hikers were located. the men, both 25 years old, reportedly had disappeared around the south rim of the grand canyon. they had obtained a permit to hike there. but on monday when they didn't return as planned, they reported

them missing. park officials found them yesterday. family members were relieved. >> i didn't know if they'd become dehydrated. they said they could eat the snow. but this time of year isn't such a dry time so that they could eat the snow. i don't care just as long as they're okay. >> park officials say rescuers aboard a chopper quickly spotted the men. police are now investigating. investigators in detroit just released some incredible footage of an amtrak crash. take a look at this. the train, in route to chicago, plowed into a fire truck that was stopped on the tracks. the ladder truck and a police cruiser responding to a nearby accident. police car narrowly escaped. but the fact of the fire truck was crushed like an aluminum can. the driver suffered minor injuries. a bizarre string has police in florida looking for a furry fugitive who has been on the loose for nearly two years now.

this monkey has been roaming neighborhoods from tampa bay since 2008. he's believed to be the offspring of monkeys used in the "tarzan" movies in that area. and he's gained enough fame to have a facebook page of his own. animal control officials are astounded but they're also amused with how long the monkey's been able to get away with it all. >> he's kind of made a monkey out of nerve who has tried to catch him. he's now traveled three counties, almost four counties. >> police do believe the monkey has been trained. he's been spotted looking both ways before crossing the street. >> pretty crafty and quick, too. coming up on "news4 at 4," what brand of beer most appeals to washingtonians. "the washington post" is running a poll. we'll have that on "quick

bites." and folks can avoid the gift card

♪ > if you're lookingor that perfect beer to belly up to the bar, the food editorial "washington post" is here. we've got a contest here. >> that's right, we're calling it beer madness. we've been doing it for four years at the "post." >> we're going local, a baltimore brand. >> that's right. this is representing the laggers. this is the rave. this is a local beer. a really nice be. you can see the beautiful color of it there. >> next up, we have a last year's winner as well. >> that's right, this took the whole thing this year, this is

hopback amber ale. a pale ale. it gets its name from the hopbacks, basically injected with hops. for people who like a lot of hops this is really the beer for you. >> now, we have an oatmeal stout. >> that's right. this is in the dark beer category. the best known dark beer is probably guinness. this is where rolled oats are added to it. gives it smoothness. >> finally we have -- >> it's a bavarian-style wheat beer from germany. the wheat actually gives it a lot of spice, clove and banana. >> i think i'll sample home brewed here. the raven. >> sounds good. >> very nice. >> yeah, yeah, nice, huh? >> all right. feeling a little badder about march now. cheers. and for more on this battle of brews check out

washingtonpost.com/food and places to go out and enjoy beers. check out nbcwashington.com/aroundtown. i needed one of those after my gators hit the dust so early in march madness. >> you're feeling better about march? >> yes. >> and so will we as we get more sun, veronica? >> that's right, we're all going to be feel better because it's going to be mostly dry and even a few degrees higher than what we were today, 65 degrees. as far as the skies go, we've got clouds overnight. clear to mostly cleesh lly clea clouds will be returning. sun sets at 7:24, we've got a perfect triangle in the night sky with mars. it's waxing, nearly full. look sout high up into the sky, after sunset. 48 to 49 degrees early tomorrow morning. clouds will be here. 47 to 52 there.

upper marlboro. your high temperature in 70. only in the 50s on friday, as the rain moves out about midday and back to sunshine for saturday. back to you. >> not bad. thanks veronica. >> thanks. when we come back at "news4 at 4," help for homeowners. >> the new program a major bank is rolling out that willelp you save money on your mortgage. plus, the latest move by the postal service that could put an end to your mail deliveries on saturday. and the nuts and bolts of what you need to m at the doctor getting my shoulder looked at.

as we're finishing up, i mention i'm going to the bathroom more often. he checks it out. good thing. turns out... my urinary symptoms -- such as going frequently,

trouble going, flow starts and stops... and going often at night -- are due to bph, also called enlarged prostate. he says over time, avodart has been shown to shrink the prostate, improve urinary symptoms, and reduce the risk of prostate surgery. only your health care provider can tell if your symptoms... are from bph and not a more serious condition... like prostate cancer. do not donate blood until 6 months after stopping avodart. tell your doctor if you have liver disease. rarely sexual side effects, swelling or tenderness... of the breasts can occur. avodart is for men only. women should not take or handle avodart... due to risk of a specific birth defect. today's the day to talk to your doctor... about your urinary symptoms and find out... if avodart is right for you.

you're watching "news4 at 4." new home sales fell to their lowest levels as stormy weather kept buyers on the sidelines. the government says sales of new homes fell to 2.2%, to a seasonally adjusted annual sales pace of 308,000. it was the fourth consecutive month of decline, and it was the worst showing on record, dating

back to 1963. the northeast and midwest, where most of the storms hit, suffered the worst, with sales plummeting dramatically in those parts. january's results, meanwhile, were revised slightly upward to a pace of 315,000. bank of america launched a new program today to help tens of thousands of troubled homeowners with underwater mortgages, upside down mortgages. the bank says it will help an estimated 45,000 customers. this includes the customers most in trouble who have pay options, 2-1 hybrids and subprime mortgages. bank of america would forego up to 40% of the principal amount. homeowners would have to own more than 20% of the home's value and be 60 or more days late. bank of america plans to expand the program to 44 states, and experts say many other banks could follow suit. well, the postal service is moving toward cutting back mail

delivery to five days a week now. today, the postal governing board agreed to go to the postal regulatory commission for an opinion on dropping saturday delivery. the commission will recruit that request ne week. th change would reportedly save more than $3 billion annually. only express mail would still be delivered on saturday. most offices would also remain open. congress, however, would have to approve these changes. >> and you would miss your mail on saturdays. >> i would. there's so much e-mail out there. >> i don't think i would. ahead at "news4 at 4," gift card laws. >> what you need to know that could end up saving you hundreds of dollars. plus, how high tech and smart phones and computers could be posing a serious health risk for your team. and remember to catch us on twitter and facebook. we're always posting updates and breaks news.

i love economics study group.

because every week, we start things off with ten dollar pizzas from pizza hut. yeah, it's insane. any pizza, any size, any crust, any topping is just ten dollars. meat lover's, supreme pan pizza...whatever we want. it's crazy. ♪ what's even crazier? ♪ i'm not even ieconomics this semester. [ male announcer ] right now, any pizza at pizza hut is just $10. any pizza, any size, any crust, and any toppings -- for only $10. only at your pizza hut.

for only $10. because your census answers are more than just answers. they're the first step toward a happier, healthier community. we can't move forward until you mail it back. 2010 census.

you're watching "ne4 at 4." some news for your health now. all that time, teenagers are spending staring at cell phones and handheldideo games could actually be hurting their eyesight. doctors say constant texting and searching the websites could speed up nearsightedness. to help prevent nearsightedness, doctors say every 20 minutes, you should look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. >> get the word on the weather. bright day out there again.  >> that it is. sun back today. we're going to need our umbrellas back tomorrow, but not until late. om this system from iowa, northwestern, illinois, lincoln, nebrka, and omaha. didn't move in here until the

late evening rush. we start the day with 48, 49 degrees. but with partly cloudy skies across the area, but the kids will be able to deal at the bus stop with a light jacket on. we'll see a high tomorrow of 68 degrees. look at friday, much, much cooler. back to 50. and 50s for the weekend. back to you. >> all right. thanks veronica. after the break on "news4 at 4," it comes around once a decade, so what exactly do you need to here's to the believers.

the risk-takers. the visionaries. the entrepreneurs... who put it all on the line to build and run their own businesses. at at&t, we know something about that. our company started out in a small lab, with not much more than a dream. and today, we know it's small businesses that can create the jobs america needs. that's why at&t is investing billions to upgrade and build out our wired and wireless networks. making them faster, smarter, and more secure. connecting small businesses to markets across the country, and around the world. we invest now, because we know it will pay off... with new jobs, new growth, from a new generation, putting their belief in the future on the line. now is the time for investment and innovation. the future is waiting. and the future has always the future is waiting. and the future has always been our business. at&t.

coming up on "news4 at 4" -- it's a problem nationwide. and not just for the banks that order foreclosures. now, a leading mortgage company is promising big benefits for consumers who promise not to trash their homes. we'll have that story at 4:00 tomorrow afternoon. new federal rules are on the way help folks avoid the gift

card gotchas. beginning in august, the federal trade commission, is requiring gift cards to give consumers at least five years before they expire. the new rules would also prohibit service and inactivity fees for at least a year. and clearly, disclosing the fees on the gift cards themselves. it's also recommended consumers makeareful choices about buying gift cards for companies that are -- from companies that are financially stable. well, it's a form that comes around only once in a decade. and after ten years, all the changes made to the census forms can get confusing, especially when it comes to questions identifying who you are. >> reporter: filling out your census form shouldn't mean having to rip out your hair. >> i'm not african-american, native-american, and other -- >> reporter: carol says, for question 8 which asks about her

origin she would check the box for hispanic. but question number 9 for race, didn't offer the option for hispanic or latino. >> i'd have to mark the other and have to describe just exactly where i am. >> reporter: that's the key. filling out the blank boxes with whatever term how you feel best describes yourself. >> i'm east indian, born in fiji island. i'm going to have a challenge on that. i'll have to put it down exactly where i'm from. >> there's certainly opportunities, as i understand it, to now what's on here. it's a paper created by human beings, right? >> reporter: vanessa moses is making sure people fill out the categories correctly. she says it's okay to add your category by filling in t empty boxes if you feel you're not being represented. >> they're pushing for folks to capture that. >> reporter: carol and her family say they plan to fill in

plenty of blanks, because in their family, nothing is just black and white. >> how will you fill it out for your daughter? >> do everything i can. the education. >> she's kind of everything. she's all of the above. so i put all of the above. i will mark everything that she needs because she needs to be counted for all that she. >> now, this year, the census reflects the largest number of multiracial residents in u.s. history. more than 5.5 million at last count. that's "news4 at 4." "news4 at 5" starts right now. >> announcer: you're watching nbc news4. this is "news4 at 5." we begin with a developing story sweeping across the country. reports are coming in about damage and threats to homes and offices thought to be owned by congressman, who voted for the health