hello. i' pat lawson muse. today we'll show you smft more interesting stories making news in our area this week. among them, the dangers of cold medicinegiven to kids, how to make your children feel better without putting them at risk. can he get hired? see what's motivating a local man in the running to become donald tru's next apprentice. and one of the most inspirational racing stores to put the virginia area on the map. lindsay czarniak tal to the new director othe movie.

first at the topf the list. a new study shows l street southeast is one of the country's most dangerous neighborhoods. but people who live there sagree. craig melvin has more on the study and the response from residents. >> no way! are you rious? no. i don't believe it. >> reporter: lynn eight hadn't heard that her street was one of the most dangerous in the country. >> recently? >> yeah. >> maybe ten years ago. but not now. >> reporter: about a decade ago, developers and city leaders started readministration block of dilapidated housing with chain bsinesses and new condo buildings. the department of transportation headquarters even moved a block away from l street. all reasons why she moved from northwest four months ago. >> i think there are questionable, more questionable people in dupont than you'll find here. >> there's not bn a murder here in this area since 2005. >> reporter: the councilman represents the area. michael stevens is in charge of

attracting businesses to it. >> think they're using erroneous data sets and they've misinterpreted. i would like to see the methodology. >> reporter: the rhode island company claim it collted data from several law enfcement agencies including the fbi. according to its website, it used 17 factors to determine danger. among them, the number of ca stolen, the number of violent crime per 1,000 residents, your chances of becoming a crime victim in the area and the total number crime per squa mile. no one we met believed the report except this gentleman who lives in silver spring. >> gng that way could be. the farther you get away from 16th street -- >> the more dangerous it gets? >> the more dangerous it gets. >> reporter: that's where lindsay lives. in these townhouses. some of which have sold for about $600,000. >> i'm walking. i'm from the neighborhood store alone. >> reporter: news4. >> now the most dangerous block, according to that study, is west lake street in chicago.

nx these kids these days, rather, kids have more weighing down on them than ever before. and experts say their backpacks are to blame. the books and shool supplies they carry are heavier than you might think. and they're sending an increasing number of students to the doctor's office. liz crenshaw has more on how to lighten their load. >> it weighs on my back. it makes an arch. >> reporter: overaded backpacks are waeg down some of e youngest students. like most middle schoolers, the 11-year-old carries a backpack to and from school eve day. >> it's a relief to take it off. i'm thinking that it couldn't be good for his back and it couldn't be good for his development. >> repter: while doctors say there's no evidence have heavy backpacks causing permanent damage, doctors are concerned about the pain kids are enduring. specially younger ones. >> there are certainly sties that show that kids that carry heavier weights than what we recommend are having more back pain issues and they're showing up in our clinics and even in

emergency rooms with complain of back pain. >> reporter: doctors recommend students only carry up to 15% of their body weight. so we decided to find out just how heavy ross's backpack is. he weighed in at 104.5 pounds. then he put on his pack which added 16.5 pounds. that's more than 15% of his weight and it is a concern to hismother. >> bearing in mind that they are walking fast to the bus stop when they're going in the morning and at school, a rush and they're rushing with their bags. it is not as if they're walking -- >> reporter: experts say it important for the weight to be distributed evenly. that mean not putting all the weight on one shoulder and avoid using messenger bags. >> it should be on both shoulders, preferably with a waist strap. >> reporter: the bag should not fall more than four inches below the waist and the shoulder strap anchor point should be one to two inches below the top o the

shoulders. so what are doctors doing to help students manage the weight? >> sometime getting them into an exercise program to work on core strengthening. rengthening the abdominal muscles. for some of the kids who have had real issues with back problems, we'll write it so they have an extra set of oks at home. >> reporter: at the end of the day -- >> when i take it off, it is a lot of relief toe because it likestraightens upy back and it feels better than having it on. >> reporter: liz crenshaw, news4. >> now one solution could be rolling bkpacks with wheels. if they're allowed at your kids' school, and if possible, have the kids read online so they don't have to will you go around those textbooks. what do you do when your child is sniffling, sneezing and coughing? think twice beforeeaching for cold medicine. despite the warnings, many parents stl don't know that medications made for alts can be dangerous for kids.

doreen againstler has more on how to help your kids feel better the safeway in news 4 your health. >> they all had a fever. that's what we saw first. then they developed a cough which was a really deep cough in their lgs. kind of scary to herat. >> reporter: when two of her kids came down with the flu last year, she was concerned about treating them. over-the-counter cold and cough medicines had been deemed harmful for children under the age of 6 and that left her without a loof options. >> there was not much i could give them. we had to give them a lot of tlc which meanse gave them chicken noodle soup, orae juice, as much as we could. >> reporter: while she said she was aware of the recent change in fda guidelines on giving kids some dications, a new studys showing nearly two-thirdsf parents may have no idea of the risks associated with cough and cold medicines. >> i tell parents always, i remind them that meditions

have side effects. and cough and cold medications are not necessarily meant for younger children even though that's what it says on the bottle. >> reporter: children's national medical center pediatrician dr. iver horn says it can bring convulsions. there is little evidence these drugs are even effective for children under the age of 2. horn says parents should fus on prevention. >> making sure they wash their hands. making sure that their children wash their hands. making sure that th cover their cough. and when they cough, cough into the bend of their shoulder as opposed to coughing into their hands. >> reporter: for most young children, especially those at daycare and school,t can be virtually impossible to avoid germ. horn says when children do become sick, give them a fever reducer if the temperature is over 100.5. a lukewarm bath can also help. when it come to coughing and sneezing, there isn't a whole lot parents can do.

aumidifier can help relieve congestion. chicken noodle soup and noncaffeinated tea can be smoothing but for the most part, horn says kids need to ride it out. >> the wonderful thing about the body is that the things we do are for a reason. cohing helps bring up the fluid and the congestion and it helps the child to feel better but we don't recommend that you use something to suppress that cough. the body cous for a reason. jr. she and her family are hoping to avoid another bout with the flu this year so they'r focusing on prevention. flu shots, hand washing and staying healthy. >> we would much rather prevent than have to medicate once the cold or flu gets here. >> reporter: doreen gentzler, news4. >> when giving any type of medicine to your child, it always best to check with your doctor first. there'such more ahead on news4 this week including details about the two prominent journalists busted after police found pot growing outside their

georgetown homes. why parents took their kids along to protest a local sex shop. and we'll show you the school that's giving students head start on their careers.

it's about the children, you know? it's their future. you're either trying to protect them or you're exposing them. >>hat's what one manassas parent had to say about an adult store opening up in old town. dozens turned out for a protest at kk's temptations. they say it doesn't fit in with the ea's family oriented atmosphere. the city council says the store has the right to be there under the current zoning laws. it is set to open october 20th. two prominent "washington journal"ists are facing drug charges. after annonymous tip led police to seize some huge marijuana plants from their georgetown home. police arrested cbs radio howard arenstein and his wife after discovering th plants in plain

sight. darcy spencer has details. >> reporter: howard arenstein, an edward r.murrow award winner charged with possession with intent to distribute marijuana. after police found a den pot plants at his home in georgetown. >> if it's illegal, they'll do it. it seem that they probably should have known better than to be growg it in their backyard. >> reporter: the officers were responding to an anonymous tip when they found the plants. they say they recovered more pot inbaggies and paraphernalia inside the house during the execution of a search warrant. >> we said hello. and he told me to call him howie. i said call me margie. that's how i know him, as a good neighbor. just a likle person. he didn't do anything, didn't seem anything out of the ordinary to me. >> reporter: according to court documents, police spotted 11 potted plants in the yard and there was a strong odor of marijuana in the air.

arenstein and his wife orly, a correspondent for an israeli newspaper, were taken into custody. >> i was really surpred by it, actually. i mean, there was no indication that it was going on. so it was sort of a bolt out of the blue. >> reporter: aaron houston is with the group students for responsible drug policy. he said there are disparities marijuana laws across the country and that it should be taxed and regulated just like alcohol. >> the one for marijuana has failed. we've tried it their way for 40 ars anit hasn't worked. this situation is another example of a ruined life. it didn't have to be a ruined life. it is against the law but it is a law that has failed. >> reporter:he two journalists were released on their own recognizance to return back to court on october 14 for a preliminary hearing. in georgetown, darcy spencer, news4. >> cbs nws had no comment about arenstein's arrest or his stat with us the network. still to come, how these local teens are graduating from

high school with resume that's even adults might envy. and a d.c. businessman is on the season's apprentice. we'll see what it took for him the season's apprentice. we'll see what it took for him to gtaxes 60 percent. did as gey n 2 sync: let utilitercent. woma1 syi didn't owatrnor man 3:e worked for ak 10 billion doanother bamillion.apsed.axers7 h big s don't need help. middle class marylanders do. yep! (mom) i'm so proud of you. the bus is here, gotta go mom. okay hunny, have a great day. look in your bag, made you something. (announcer) it's more than just that great peanut taste, choosing jif is a simple way to show someone

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for a growing nuer of high school students, the classroom is feeling more like the board room these days. that's because they're taking coses that give them real fe job experience in the fields that interest them. some local students showed us how these career academies are giving them a head start. for these montgomery county teenagers, high school classes these days are a lot more interesting and a lot more fun. i really was just pretty much taking it because i had to take some. and i was just like, i have classes that i'm actually nting to go to. >> reporter: the students, all seniors at watkins mill high, are all enrolled in the school's finance academy. one of three career academies here. small theme based learning

communities. >> they answer the age old question of why do i need to learn this? >> my very first class was financial planning and banking and credits. >> reporter: julie wants a career in business and tenology. diane is studying finance, economic and business. >> it's not only business but every day things. paying for bills,saving up. >> why would you start your own business? >> reporter: beginning in tenth grade, the watkins mills students start their academy classes along with tir core curriculum. they get the same teachers for three years, paid experience and a wealth of experience that gives them a jump in their careers. in a tough economy, that can be a valuable boost. >> college is an expensive place to figure out where you want to go and what you want to do. this helps students think about that befe they get there. >> i feel like it gives them that edge. >> itnot just one set. you're getting little pieces of business world. >> reporter: career academies have taken root in thousands of

schools around the country. they are in business and finance and computer technology. they are essentially schools within schools. and the students are well integrated. >> they are sg they're athletes, they'reart of the theater departme here. they're in musicals. they're all involved in different aspects of the school. >> reporter: it is estimated there are so 2,500 to 7,000 career academies in the u.s. with an impssive track record them boast a 90% graduation rate. 80% go on to college. they earn an average 11% more than their peers and sglak latino male graduates earn 17% more. these students are certainly getting more out of high school. >> it's a good program. our teacrs, they really help us a lot. they really careabout us. >> i actually know what i want to do. i feel like i'm ready for the real world now. >> now from jobs in the real world to jobs in the reality

world. one of the contestants in the latest season of "the apprentice" is a fourth generation washingtonian with a name you might recognize. jim hndly has more on what's motivating stewart martins to win this competition. >> take a look. you'll come back with cash. i prom. >> reporter: he's described as a serial entrepreneur on "the apprentice" where his team leader call him a stallion. he is still running strong on team octane. >> i think one of the hardest parts is fighting for your existence on the show. when you're out there competing, it is not just winning a business competition. it is not just selling more. it is really honestly selling yourself in a light that other people can respect. >> it's all about a comeback. this season is a second chance for talented candidates who stwlugd the recession hit. unlike the other contestants, stewart was not unemployed when he signed on but doing business

hasn't been easy of late. >> certainly going through tough time with the recession. i had shut down two businesses and still had a few other th's were operating. my main business trade was doing great. it is a tough time if you're in a consumer based business selling products. >> he had a role in launching on the fly. a food run business. he run the hospitality business trade winds and he said he is bringing back the taste of d.c. next fall. if you recognize the name martins, that's because they've been selling cars heresince 1904. this whitman high graduate started at 14 working in the service department but he has never sold a car. >> i went to school. i was into food and wine. that was my passion. so my dad and my family taught me to follow my dreams and follow what i was passionate about. that's what i did. >> he is also a world class swimmer and tri-athlete. those who train with him are expecting big things from stewart. on "the apprentice" and in washington's business community.

>> i think he'll do really well because you look at how he competes. how he sells in the past episode. he has a nural knack for both competing, understanding what the task is. >> stewart as a competitor is one of the most pumped up people i know. have mto when we work out. it is aoap which mean all out all the time. and stewart represents that to the fullest. >> in washington, jim handly, news4. up next is one of the most criticalally acclaimed films of the season. the rule the tweet.

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campbell's. it's amazing what soup can do. hollywood dictor randall wallace is known for producing inspiring movies like "braveheart." he told lindsay czarniak how he drew on his roots to produce his latest movie, secretariat. >> what kinds of thing did you find were the most challenging? >> well, for one thing, you

can't be factually inaccurate with a story that occurred 30 or so years ago. you have to be right. and in the racing scenes, the gaps betwe the horses are precisely accurate. >> really. >> precisely. >> even the final scene. >> in every race. >> have you ever seen that? >> what? >> a colt stand up that fast. >> race horses are amazingly magnetic characters and they relate to human beings in a unique way. least in my experience. you ner know if the horse people are putting you on. >> how do you mean? >> well, they would say to me, that you can't get a stallion around a beautiful woman. if a beautiful woman is standing at the rail, they'll start acting up and start competing with each other. >> you didn't know if you were pulling your leg. >> they're jus like guys. and i think that these horses were kind of like that.

the one that ays secretariat, we scoured the country for. >> well, what do you think? >> i think he is 1100 pounds of baby fat. he eats too much. >> does mean anything more to you to be from the lynchburg area and to have done this film? did that come into it at all? the virginia connection? does it mean more to you to be able to show the film in this area because it is so close to where you're from. >> really, secretariatas born about 100 miles from where i grew up and went to school. my family was not wealthy and the idea of wanting race horses was well beyond us. my father used to say, rich people have a canopy over their beds and we have a can of pee under our beds.

we're just sort of poor folks, right? >> no horse can take that. >> for you it seem like big ment. you have a gift for creating those big moments of feeling for people. when did you realize that was ve important to you? >> when i was growing up, both my grandfathers we dead before i was born. one grandfather was dead before my father w born. my grandmother was a widower before she was a mother. and so i had a hunger to know who these men were who were my blood and my name and my ancestry. it is that same hunger that led me t "braveheart." i wanted to know what my roots were. that's the way randall wallace found the story of william wallac was that anew wallace's son was about to be born and i wanted to tell him who his people were.

>> and that's all for news4 this week. i'm pat lawson muse. thanks for joining us. have a good one. was driving in northern california. my son was asleep. i reallyidn't see it coming. i didn't realize i was drifting into the other lane. [ kim ] i was literally falling asleep at the wheel. it got my attention, telling me that i wasn't paying attention. i had no ia the guy in front of me had stopped short. but my car did.

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