being grounded, canceled flights across six continents are taking flight. what the gigantic ash cloud over iceland is doing now. just how much worse it could get. good afternoon, everybody. welcome to "news4 at 4:00." i'm jim handly. >> i'm pat lawson muse. details on the story. but first we begin with breaking news from the sports world today. pittsburgh steelers quarterback ben roethlisberger has been suspended without pay for first six games next season. for violating the nfl's personal conduct policy. last week prosecutors announced that they would not press charges against roethlisberger. a college student accused him of sexually assaulting her at a georgia nightclub. the suspension could be reduced to four games for good behavior. sitting out all six games would cost him about $2.8 million. now that volcano in iceland this afternoon. planes are flying today into all of europe's main airports. heathrow and london, charles de

gaulle, paris. experts say it could take more than a week to clear up a backlog of stranded passengers. covering the big story live for us this afternoon is chris jansing live in southern iceland. chris, good afternoon. so you gotten couraging news. this ash cloud, is it continuing to disperse? >> reporter: thanks very much. this ash plume is right over the volcano. much smaller than it was. only about a third of what we saw saturday, friday, when we saw the worst of it. more significantly, the amount of ash is down. 10% of what it was back on saturday and the power of the volcano, activity, has diminished a lot. all of those things are what airlines wanted to hear. actually, this afternoon, i went up in a chopper with a volcanologist. now that a lot of the ash cleared we can see down into the crater. one of the things we were able to see is a lot more production of lava. we saw a lot of things glowing red. that is what sun 'tises wouldn't see to be able to tell the

airlines that means that less ash is continuing to be produced. of course, that was what caused all of those travelers for the last week to be stranded at airports around the world. >> that's good news. there was concern earlier in the week for other eruptions at a nearby volcano there. is there still concern now? >> reporter: well, the reason it made so many people nervous, it has phonily 100 times the power of the other. and then the -- the -- president of iceland said that he thought it was possible that it could go off in next couple of years, if not the next couple of months. is that possible? well, you know, geologists will tell you anything in the world of geology is possible. there's absolutely nothing going that would suggest eruption was imminent. they have all sorts much ways of

measuring it, potentially going to erupt. there's no sign that it is ready to blow. >> all right. nbc's chris jansing getting a bird's eye view in southern iceland live for us today. thanks so much. the resumption of flights across the atlantic welcomed news for hundreds of thousands travelers stranded around the world. some were stuck here. others are stranded trying to get here, forcing patience on both sides of the atlantic. >> stuck in paris for four extra days. >> reporter: how bad was that? >> don't make it sound glamorous. my boss won't sound that. it wasn't glamorous. we were all so anxious and no one was giving us any information. and -- internet was than helping. air france wasn't answering the phone. >> sometimes we just -- i just think -- wishing we were at home. we are making the best of the situation. >> reporter: air prance and other students from london are taking advantage of the situation by catching up on a little studying at the mlk library in northwest.

it has been a day here of off and on rain much across our region today. >> and our spring flowers are loving it. veronica? >> they are. are you loving it? >> i am because i think it is getting the pollen out of here. right? >> we can breathe again. >> yes, it is. it is getting pollen out of here. we will see the return to some higher temperatures tomorrow and sunshine. so that pollen will scoot up before it is back down for the weekend. let's take a look across the area now where temperatures have been held down into the mid 50s across the area. 56 in d.c. right now. 55 in manassas, 54 degrees in camp springs. you can see where the rain is. over howard county and into montgomery, prince george's county, d.c. then some light showers further down through eastern maryland. if you are not getting rain showers likely getting drizzle and damp conditions. as the storm moves further off to the east we are going to see the rain taper off. prob lindh by 8:00, 9:00 p.m. we are wet and chilly for first pitch as we take on the rockies. we have one loss and one win. 56 degrees, cool.

hopefully we will get a win out of this one. good night wakeup forecast, you can see the rain ending, drop to 54. start the day tomorrow not too bad. temperatures are going to be off to the races tomorrow. wait until you see how warm it will be for tomorrow. jim, pat? >> all right. thanks, veronica. police were back in the silver spring neighborhood where a d.c. school principal was found murdered in his home. police say that brian betts was last seen live a week ago this evening. he was discovered dead by a co-worker after he failed to show up for work. police are reinterviewing neighbors to piece together events in the last hours of his life. family members of slain principal betts will receive friends and well-wishers at a visitation later this evening in manassas, virginia. it will take place from 6:00 to 9:00 tonight at the pierce funeral home located at 9609 center street. the public is welcomed. a funeral service and burial are set for tomorrow and will be private. d.c.'s schools will hold a

public memorial for brian betts on saturday, may 1, car zoez a senior high in northwest washington. a day of service will take place for betts tomorrow at the school that he led shaw at garnett patterson. the tribute will be held for students, parents, and staff at the school a week from tomorrow. court documents show that a tumultuous relationship may have sparked a fatal shooting of a frostburg state basketball player. brandon carroll of waldorf was shot and killed early sunday near campus. teammate ellis hartridge of southeast d.c. was also shot. according to court records, hartridge's former girlfriend also used to date the alleged shooter, tyrone hall. hartridge and the former girlfriend, have protective orders against each other. police tell us hall claims he shot the two in self-defense during the confrontation. a d.c. boy is recovering today after he stepped into traffic and was struck by a car. it happened last night here in the 1,200 block of kenilworth

avenue in northeast. the boy was walking down the street when he was scared by a guard dog that was behind a fence. that's when he jumped several feet into traffic and was hit by a car. the boy suffered serious injuries and is now in serious condition. from a string of deadly accidents to budget deficits. lawmakers on capitol hill are taking a look at some of the challenges facing metro and what the transit system is doing to improve service and safety. >> the metro rail is pretty much on the honor system when it comes to safety. >> it was a hearing to probe a host of problems plaguing metro, including safety, a looming budget deficit and the need for effective long-term zblip individual findings in our audit are symptoms of larger problem. addressing each of our recommendations piece meal one by one will not solve the whole safety problem at metro. the overarching safety problem will only be solved through a

top-to-bottom change in the safety culture and focus at metro. >> reporter: intend oversight agency responsible for metro said it is working to respond to an audit by the federal transit administration that found serious deficiencies in communication, management and resources. >> all agree that we need more accountability at wamata. fatalities and injuries are the most serious problems. our residents who ride metro every day want to see the best transit system in the country and expect nothing less. >> the hearing comes a day after the governors of maryland and virginia and d.c.'s mayor demanded an action plan to require more stringent and regular reporting by the tri-state overstate committee criticized for the lack of enforcement. >> we feel we have a duty to make sure that the metro system provides ongoing reliable safe ridership and we are not up to that standard. >> we have an obligation and we

would like to have more direct oversight over wamat and not. >> over the past year, 15 people lost their lives on the rail system, including nine who were killed in that accident last june. in january, two maintenance workers were killed on the tracks. riders are frustrated and say metro should have less autonomy. >> definitely disconnects some place. and the city lives by this transportation system and it is great. it needs to get better. >> more eyes on it the better, i guess. >> d.c. council member jim graham introduced a measure that would raise the city's gas tax by ten cents to help fund metro's expenses. it would raise the tax from 23 to 33 cents per gallon. if approved the district would have the ninth highest gas tax in the nation. today virginia lawmakers talking about some very contentious budget amendments drawing opposition from both democrats and republicans.

dpof bob mcdonnell made 122 amendments to the budget, includes cuts to health care and social programs. funds for a program to help at-risk youth and for public radio and tv are also on the chopping block. the general assembly will also be without a tiebreaker for today's vote. lieutenant governor who could cast the deciding vote in the event is stuck in italy because of that volcanic ash cloud. today president obama said he will choose a supreme court nominee who believes the constitution protects what he called, quote, bodily integrity. that translates t right to abortion and leads to questions about how his pick could affect his relationship with congress and the rest of his agenda. steve handelsman has that story. >> issues of reproduction. >> reporter: barack obama is pro-abortion rights. senate leaders that the president called in today know he will send them a supreme court nominee who shares that view. >> i want somebody who is going to be interpreting our

constitution in a way that takes into account individual rights and that includes women's rights. >> reporter: mr. obama's first nominee, sonia sotomayor, was confirmed with nine gop votes. republican leader, mitch mcconnell, jeff sessions voted no. but both were consulted today by the president who is hoping to fan this week's flicker of bipartisanship. cross-party cooperation looks possible under new financial regulations. senate republicans today. >> i think that wear going to get there. i'm very optimistic. >> reporter: both sides agree on a main point. >> number one, that we don't have to bail out firms if they act reck lstzly. >> reporter: but the president's approval rating is back down to about 45% in today's quinnipiac poll. >> the notion that he was a post-partisan president who would be able to bring people together from different ideological perspectives shows that's just not the case. >> reporter: house gop leaders

still oppose obama's wall street plan. >> there is, in fact, a permanent bailout fund here. >> reporter: the familiar sound of partisan warfare. i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, washington. >> the president is expected to name is nominee next month. funeral services were held today for civil rights leader benjamin hooks. hooks died last thursday in his memphis, ten, home after a long illness. family, friends, political leaders from across the country attended the service. hooks was a former attorney, judge, and direct oo oor of the naacp. many people credit him with reviving the civil rights organization. by the time he left the group in 1992 the membership had grown by thousands. benjamin hooks was 85 years old. "news4 at 4:00" is just getting started this afternoon. coming up, auto anxiety. >> next at 4:15, major automaker on the road to recovery as a new

poll is out on americans' opinions of foreign and u.s. cars. at 4:positive, the desperate search now under way for nearly a dozen oil rig workers in the gulf after it

the washington caps are hoping to win their third straight playoff game tonight. they take on the montreal canadiens in game four of the series. the caps won game three on monday. taking the series lead. if they win tonight, the caps can finish it out here in washington friday night. general motors says it is on the road to recovery. the automaker announced today it plans on paying back billions of dollars of bailout money and early. meanwhile, polls show that americans' opinions of u.s. cars are improving. jay gray has our report. >> reporter: this morning, general motors officials announced they had written their final check to the federal government. >> i'm very pleased to announce that as of today, general motors has repaid in full and -- >> there is apparently plenty to cheer about. not only has gm paid back its loan well ahead of schedule, there are indication it is last payment comes with some big

dividends. an associated press poll released today shows that 38% of americans believe u.s. automakers now make the best and most reliable vehicles. compared to 33% who sided with asian manufacturers. >> that main like a slim margin but most agree the numbers indicate a huge shift in perception. for first time in a long time, americans feel that the best cars on the road are homemade. surely some of the shift can be attributed to high-profile quality problem was toyota cars and trucks. but american manufacturers say that the bottom line is that they are producing a much better product now. >> our new vision for general motors is simple and it is direct. design, build, and sell the world's best vehicles. >> reporter: jewely and her husband have been in the market for a new american-made car. say the u.s. dealers play finally learned a valuable lesson. >> i don't think that the

competition with the foreign cars has hurt them in any way. it made them want to be better. and i think that they are trying to do that. >> reporter: an effort that seems to be paying off. jay gray, nbc news, richardson, texas. >> analysts say g.m. has also revamped its image by adding more fuel efficient and crossover vehicles to its lineup of cars. the ceo of spirit airlines is saying the company's controversial new baggage fee is actual lay good thing for customers. this was spirit's ceo, ben baldanza. this morning, he defended the fee on the "today" show and said the airline's lower fares will actually save customers money. >> we don't see who loses. because if you pay for a bag now on spirit, your total ticket price is going to be the same or a little less than before.

if you don't carry bag and help us get our planes out faster by not clogging up the airway, you are going to save $40 or more on your tickets. >> new york senator schumer does not like the fees so he is pushing for legislation that would tax airlines for imposing such charges on passengers. >> if you can get into the bin -- why not $45 tickets, you know? for people. >> climb into the bin why not fly for free? >> ahead on "news4 at 4:00," payback. what we learned about the parents involved in the balloon boy hoax over the skies of colorado. plus the disturbing new details being released about a teenager who committed suicide after being bullied by fellow students. and

a high-tech money makeover. today the treasury department unveils the new design for the $100 bill. benjamin franklin is still on the note but is joined by a bunch of advanced features to make it more difficult for counterfeiters. there's a blue 3-d security ribbon embedded with images that move up and down and side to

side and the bell in the inkwell change color from copper to green when the bill is moved around. the new currency will not go into circulation until february of next year, giving the government time to educate the public both here and around the world about the changes. >> that's cool looking. you don't need 3-d classes to detect. >> it no, i don't. apparently no. we don't need shades out there either, veronica. >> just your umbrella and we will be able to put that umbrella away real soon. don't put it too far. let's take a look outside and see what's going on. where temperatures have been on the chilly side today. in the 50s. trapped under cloud cover and scattered light showers through the area. and it is 55 degrees now at ronald reagan national airport. winds out of the southeast at nine miles per hour. and the rain is .15 of an inch. we will waste no time and go straight to the doppler where -- from d.c. and actually dale city through d.c. and up into wheaton, 495.

we have light showers. those showers continue up into baltimore, too. silver spring, you folks are wet. alexandria and waynewood. this is all moving off to the east and light scattered showers through golden beach and st. mary's. only .16 of an inch of rain in d.c. culpeper, over half of an inch. it is not going to be -- about a couple of hours down the line where we will see all this rain move out of here. we may just pick up just a few more hundredths of an inch before it ends before 8:00. we will be clearing late with drying conditions going through tomorrow morning. meanwhile, look at the slow moving storm out west. we are getting rid of one but slow moving and a bigger storm that's going to be a big rain producer. bringing heavy showers and thunderstorms through parts of the west and california, arizona, and nevada. and snow through the pass pes. that's going to be the storm move thing way. temperatures in st. louis at 74 degrees. tomorrow, here, probably up to 73 or 74 degrees.

and tomorrow is likely to be the mildest day out of the next seven. here we go. let me take through the next 48 hours. rain ends. sunshine early tomorrow. we will keep the sunshine around and real warm day for us. then on friday, some clouds through the area. upper 60s and not at 70. upper 60s with clouds already moving in from that storm system. look for one to two inches. it starts early saturday. 54 degrees or so by the time we get to the 10:00. tomorrow morning, 45 to 49 degrees. with sunshine and continued drying. we will have pleasant conditions around and 70 to 75 degrees. high temperature for tomorrow will be a bit breezy at times. look at the weekend. there is our slow-moving storm. looking like a washout. probably the rain starting early in the day saturday and continuing right now at least going into the early part of tuesday. jim. >> all right. a local man convicted in the death of a family's pet lizard. >> news4's john schriffen joins

from us the newsroom with a preview of what he is working on tonight at 5:00. hi, john. >> reporter: hi, jim. we have all too often heard cases of abuse to pets in terms of dogs or cats. many people don't know that cruelty to any animal is taken just as seriously. just ask this 53-year-old man from northwest. he is facing criminal fines and probation after killing his son's pet lizard. it happened in a dispute after the son apparently came home late from school. coming up at 5:00, you will hear all the details of the story. you will also hear a man's punishment and you will hear how you can prevent cases like this from happening in the future. back to you. >> we look forward to it. don't forget you will find "news4 at 4:00" on facebook and twitter. we post up-to-minute breaking news, weather, traffic. you can find us on both sites by searching "news4 at 4:00." when we come right back on "news4 at 4:00," a desperate search for survivors. >> the race against time on an oil rig in the gulf of mexico.

after a fiery explosion. >> pope benedict is addressing the catholic church's sex abuse scandals. we will tell you about a teenaged boy's quest to do something most kids his age only dream of. climb the famous landmark mt. everest.

welcome back to "news4 at 4:00." i'm pat lawson muse. >> i'm jim handly. some of the top stories we are following for you in the news right now, flights are resuming at all of europe's main airports. heathrow and london, charles de gaulle, paris. that's welcomed news for the thousands of passengers who are stranded in our area.

and all over the world. experts believe that it could take at least a week to clear up the backlog of passengers. >> family and friends of a murdered high school principal are gathering this evening at a visitation in manassas. brian betts was found dead in his silver spring home last week. a private funeral was planned for tomorrow. >> house lawmakers meeting today to examine some of the big challenges facing the metro transit system. members of the oversight and government reform committee are reviewing metro's plans to improve safety and service following a series of accidents in the last year. they will also discuss metro's budget shortfall and the selection process for replacing general manager john kato who stepped down earlier this month. the caps are hoping to win their third straight playoff game tonight. they take on the montreal canadiens in game four of the series. the caps won game three on monday night and taking series leads. if they win tonight, the caps can finish out the series here in washington on friday.

a developing story tops our news at 4:30. desperate search is on for 11 missing oil rig workers in the gulf of mexico. after their rig burst into flames last night, that rig is threatening to topple over after the massive explosion which could cause an environmental disaster off of louisiana's coast. kristen dahlgren has the latest. >> reporter: more 507b miles out in the gulf of mexico the massive explosion sent flames shooting into the sky. and survivors scrambling to safety. 126 workers were believed to be on the deep water horizon rig when it was rocked by the blast late tuesday night. most were able to make it off the platform. some had to be airlifted by their coast guard. but hours after the explosion, a frantic search continues for those still missin ining deploy from the rig, one of the

capsules, spotted late last night, early this morning. and they are hoping all of those -- that are unaccounted for would be in that vessel. >> reporter: still there is no sign as the coast guard combs through miles of open water. meantime, at hospitals in louisiana and alabama the wounded are being treated. at least seven were critically injured. and back out in the gulf, firefighters continue to battle the flames for hours it is a rig tilts towards the water. >> well, it is leaning very bad to one side. the coast guard says they don't know if they will keep it from going over or not. >> reporter: leaving environmental teams standing by as the search for survivors continues. along with the fight to avoid an even bigger disaster. kristen dahlgren, nbc news. >> now, there's increased concerns for the safety of the missing workers who may be in the waters in the gulf because water temperatures are colder than normal for this time of

year. new at 4:00, an elaborate math celebrating the fifth celebration anniversary and the pope will hold it in washington. however, controversial cardinal who was chosen to lead the mass will be replaced. hoyas of colombia has been accused of praising a french bishop for not turning in another priest who had reportedly sexually assaulted children. pope benedict addressed the church's sex abuse scandals for first time today and promised church action to protect children and the abused. police investigating the murder of a former tv producer's wife in cancun say they are confident that they have an ironclad case. monica redman was found. the police say her husband, bruce, is the only suspect but has not been charged. now monica's family is in can'cn where they met with prosecutors about the case and gave them

documents and e-mails sent between monica and bruce. >> we love my sister and we want justice. we want to make sure that this is going to be accomplished. >> translator: we believe when we get the results we will have a very solid case. >> friends and family say the couple were having marital problems. new details released about the massachusetts teenager who committed suicide after being bullied. the school essays written by phoebe prince reveals details about her life before her final days. the teenager wrote the essays for english class. in those essays she discusses a book about people who harm themselves by cutting. prince says self-mutilation is about trying to transfer the pain from emotional to physical. a freelance journalist who obtained the essays says that the teen's problems began when she moved from her native ireland here though the u.s.

>> her parents had separated. and her mom had decided to take her to hadley. she missed her father very much. she was not that happy at that point. she had her own baggage at that time. >> prince committed suicide in january. six of her former classmates are charged with felonies in connection with her death. they have all pleaded not guilty. the parents who pulled off that balloon boy hoax in colorado will pay part of the cost for that massive emergency response. richard and mayumi heene agreed to pay $36 thousand now in restitution. they reported their son was in a balloon that floated away. the story aired live around the nation as the balloon floated for miles. it fine lindlanded in a wheat field, empty. turned out the boy was at home all along and the parents were just looking for publicity. still ahead on "news4 at 4:00" this afternoon, you

probably tasted it millions of times without knowing it. >> the secrets to the spice in today's quick bites. the government is giving more of an incentive to those that want to invest in solar panels for their homes. and women and their weight and what it means about their chances of getting cancer. for a price that starts low and stays low? look no further than fios. now pay just $99.99 a month for verizon fios tv, america's top-rated internet, and phone guaranteed for 2 years. that's fios price protection, and it saves you hundreds of dollars. fios delivers the best channel lineup and the peace of mind that comes with paying the same low price every month. call 1.888.get.fios now to lock in $99.99 with a 2-year agreement. a price guaranteed for 2 years. we'll even include a free dvr for 6 months. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v.

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there is something in vietnamese food and thai food, you eat and it think, what is that? you know what it is? it is fish sauce. how we can get that flavor in our own foods and not necessarily asian ones as well. >> that's right. fish sauce brings this depth to anything you put in it. made from anchovies. we have some that are more easily available that you can get at bigger grocery stores would be this thai kitchen brand which is a very pop land brand. and then something like this one. this tiparos is available at whole foods. >> asian market. we have asian markets. >> we do. if you are able to get out to a super h mart or one of the h marts in fairfax.

one thing to keep in mind with fish sauce, a little bit goes a long way. you can tell that when you smell it. in fact, if you were to smell this raw and stray, you might think oh, my god. >> what are we making here? >> this is a traditional vietnamese chicken salad. so it has cabbage and red onions and mint and chicken. the dressing basically is fish sauce, water, and lime juice, sugar, garlic, chilies and carrots. it exemplifies this wonderful principle of southeast asian cook which is hot, sour, salty, sweet. i will dress the salad with this dressing and top it with some nuts because i would say that -- it is very important in southeast asian cooking. fried shallots. >> now you know the secrets. thanks, joe. >> for more secrets from the kitchen, you can check out "the

washington post's" website. you can find plenty of ideas on where to find restaurants that may use some of that fish sauce at nbcwashington.com/aroundtown. >> isn't it time for dinner? >> yes, it is dinner time. ladies head to the kitchen, veronica. >> good inside the kitchen weather coming up this weekend. jim and pat, because it is going to be wet. just an appetizer of things to come for the weekend. there could be a little bit of thunder around saturday, too. nothing like the thunder. this is out of the volcano that's in iceland. it is lightning that's crackling amongst the exploding lava and ash. the white hot lightning. not sure why volcanoes produce lightning. underlying mechanism, particles with the static electricity inside of thunderstorms. we have rain that's moving out of here. howard county, montgomery county, down into western areas of prince george's county. in the 50s we are right now. so by 1 1:00 pfshg m. we will drop to range of 5 50 to 54.

mercury will much behind the weather system. we have some sunshine to start your day tomorrow. 49. we will have a high tomorrow of 73. likely to be the warmest day out of the next seven coming up. again, wet weekend where we could easily pick up between one and two inches of rain with the wet weather going right into next week. >> thanks, veronica. when we come back on "news4 at 4:00," are you saving money? >> a new study looking at what so many of us are doing with our money during that's tough economic times. >> also, a unique procedure that is catching cancer early and helping to save lives. >> we have the amazing story of a 13-year-old boy who has one goal this year. to climb mt. everest. we are coming right back. [ male announcer ] this year, get the most out of your lawn

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washington gets ready to lay out new rules for banks. stud came out at how many of us are saving money in tough times? tracie potts has that story. >> i try to deal monthly contributions to the savings account. it does not always work. in this economy. >> with jobs lost and money tight, most of americans find it tough if not impossible to sock away a few dollars every month. >> i'm not saving anymore. whenever i try to save something always comes up and takes it away. >> reporter: the american institute of certified public accountants reports that 54% of us just over half, couldn't save any money last year. mostly because bills are piling

up, especially credit cards and emergencies. >> i have a lot of student loans and debt and stuff to pay off. it is difficult. but i do the best i can. >> if you are not mixing any steps towards savings now, that's very dangerous. >> reporter: just under half the country squeezed out savings by cutback on dining out. travel. clothes. home renovations. even medical expenses. college. >> people understand that it may be harder to get loans for college for buying a home, whatever the case may be. they are starting to take steps to correct that now. >> reporter: accountants say the best way to save is with am deductions. >> if i have $25 left in my account this week, i will spend $25. we learn to live without that. >> reporter: tracie potts, nbc news, washington. >> just over half the people in n that survey were working. two it off three said their income fell in the past year. the solar power industry has news to celebrate for earth day tomorrow a new report says the use of solar panels on u.s.

homes is on the rise. this report says that houses across the country generated a lot more through solar power. the average price of a solar electric system is $15,000 to $20,000. solar energy still provides less than 1% of electricity throughout the united states. we have some news 4 had your health coming up on "news4 at 4:00." >> what a new study says about women and exercise and its connection to certain types of cancer. >> plus a ground-breaking that symbolizes a chance for brighter future for a group of local families. remember to catch us on twitter and facebook. we are always posting updates and breaking news, too. you can find us on both sites by searching "news4 at 4:00."

twechl familiar lee -- 12 families have a brighter future. the perry hall condo project on 17th street in south arlington. 12 families that will eventually live there have already started to contribute to their so-called sweat equity. that means that they help build their own houses and other houses. this is habitat's first project in arlg in about a decade. good for them. >> that's a big project. congratulations to them. good for them, as you said.

boy, not a good day to be building and constructing or rehabbing anything out there. look at this. all over the land. >> but it is a great day for flowers and for grass, trees. veronica? >> speaking of projects, jim and pat, there is going to be a lot going on tomorrow because it is earth day. we could have no finer weather across the area. again, one of the warmest the next seven and today, though, a great day for ducks and swans and all of those feathered friends. william was out in the rain today taking these for us. pretty there on the flowers. flowers getting rain. if you have pictures send to us, isee@nbcwashington.com. there is the rain heading out of here. should be gone by the time we get to about 9:00 or 10:00 p.m. tomorrow morning, we will start, sunshine and some clear skies. and your high is up to 73 before wet weather returns for the weekend. jim, pat. >> thank you. after the break on "news4 at 4:00," what did you want to do when you were 13 years old?

we are going to introduce you to one boy's goal to reach the top, literally. [ sneezes ]

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screenings at age 50. a doctor from connecticut is attracting patients from hundreds of miles away for a special colonoscopy procedure that uses dye. he says that the technique catches cancer early and saves lives. >> we use a food coloring. and what it does is it helps to detect the flat lesions and lesions may not see with the naked eye. >> colon cancer is highly treatable if caught early. keeping your weight in check as you age could go a long way in preventing breast cancer. that's the result of a new study out. researchers found that women that gained 30 pounds in their early 20s and 50s raised their risk for developing breast cancer after menopause by nearly 90%. the study was conducted by the national cancer institute and

featured more than 72,000 women. in many cases, breast cancer is not preventible but researchers say this study shows us there are some aspects of life that a woman can control to limit her overall chances. climbing mt. everest would be a tough challenge for just about anybody. now a 13-year-old, though, is trying to become the youngest person ever to do it. here's george lewis. >> reporter: so if you are a parent, here's the question. would you let your kid climb this? mt. everest, 29,035 feet high. >> three, two, one. >> reporter: 13-year-old jordan romero is confident he can do it. having climbed the climbest peaks on five other continents. >> officially tackled mt. carson. >> reporter: he was just 11 when he made it to the top of alaska's mt. mckinley, tallest

peak in north america. and an extremely tricky climb. he's aiming to climb the highest mountains on all seven continents. when he's not climbing mountains, jordan lives with his mom in big bear lake, california. >> for jordan, our life has always been outdoors. and hiking and biking and an outdoor lifestyle. climbing a mountain doesn't seem as shocking to our family as it would for another. >> reporter: everest, with the high altitude, thin air, treacherous weather, presents a unique challenge for any climber. let alone a 13-year-old. todd burleson, highly experienced climber and guide who knows everest well is the president of am pine ascents in seattle. >> if anything seems wrong turn around. >> reporter: jordan will be taking on everest with his father, father's girlfriend, and

a group of sherpas. they succeed it will be six down and one to go. mt. vincent in antarctica. george lewis, nbc news, los angeles. >> the today show's meredith vieira spoke with the group this morning from their base cam open the north side of mt. everest. he said so far it has been very physical and can already feel it. but so far everything has gone really smoothly. that's "news4 at 4:00." "news4 at 5:00" starts right now. tonight on "news4 at 5:00," steelers quarterback ben roethlisberger forced to sit after being accused of sexually assaulting a college student. president obama is speaking out today on what he is looking for when it comes to choosing a supreme court nominee. "news 4 your health" as doctors determine a link between alcohol, aging, and cancer.

good evening. i'm jim handly. >> i'm wendy rieger. we begin tonight with new developments in the case of the university of maryland students allegedly beaten by officers in prince george's county. university officials just held the news conference this afternoon to try to explain the confusion over some surveillance video footage of that event that was thought to be missing. jane watrel is just back from the maryland campus and joins us with the latest. jane? >> reporter: it still is a bit confusing. university officials are saying that it was simply an employee's mistake that led to the missing surveillance video footage. it was supposed to be turned over to lawyers for a student allegedly beaten by prince george's county police. they say that about 60 hours of surveillance video from cameras like this one were turned over to lawyers. then university officials realized that the footage from this camera in particular, number 158, closest camera to the beegt incidents, wasn't included. when they realized the video had been taped over they found a campus police investigator had another copy and they made that copy available to lawyers and to