arica's most reliable network to make a more powerful you. rule the air. verizon. right now at vizon, you can get a new samsung intensity ii free after mail-in rebate. only at verizon. hello there. i'm wendy rieger. we'll show you some of the more interesting stories making news around our area. amon them, a sex shop controrsy. a new adult store is opened in an unlikely place. what do the locals think? diet versus exercise. which is better if you want to lose weight? we'll follow one person trying to eat her way to a slimmer figure and another who is trying to sweat off the pounds. and the personal story behind a new multimillion-dollar center in our area that is funded by thworld's richest man.

but first a symbolic vote to change a rule that discriminates against minoritiesin a small maryland community. an antiquated ordinance in cape st. claire. it forbids asians and african-amicans from oeng property there just outside annapolis. but anne arundel county authorities say it is time to change that. john schriffen has our story. >> it's ridiculous. it was ridiculous origilly and even more now. it's terrible. >> reporter: since 1949 when the town of cape st. claire was tablished just outside annapolis, the community rules barred african-americans and asian-americans from owning property here. federal laws prohibit this from being enforced but many of the more tha 2,500 homeowners don't even know this exists in the cape st. claire covenant. >> what nd of community i'm living in. it's an artifact of the times from 1949 and it has taken 60 years for us to have the ability to remove it. reporter: recently the

ability came when maryland decided to change the law that now says that 85% of the falies vote against the racially restricted covenant, the rule will be gone. since january, they've collected 1,900 votes but there's still more than 600 out there. >> that's what brings me here. anne arundel county has the votes. you own seven properties in our area. >> reporter: monday night the county council voted t give gallagher his wish pledging seven votes toward the abolishment of this rule. cape st. claire now needs 324 more votes to reach that 85%. but ere are some in this community, 70 families, to be exact, that have voted to keep this rule on the book. >> some of them have told me that they want to keep it because it is part of the history of the community. some of them have said that they don't understand whye're boergth because it is unenforceable. >> reporter: the public hearing is a small step in putting closure to this racially restricted covenant. but the president of the

association said he is willing to do whatever it takes in the next six mons to put an end to this once and for all, even if that means going door to door, asking his remaining neighbors to turn in their ballots. in annapolis, john schriffen, news4. in the district of columbia, stray cats areback serious problem. the washington humane societies said one unayed female cat and her offspring can produce over time, 42,000 kittens in seven years. so now they're trying to do something about that in a humne way. megan mcgrath explains. >> reporter: a rai and chilly morning. the trappers aren't discouraged. with can of tuna, they bait the cages. the cats are wild so they're skittish but in the end, hunger gets the best of the black kitten. there are roughly 500 cat company in the district of columbia. that's thousds of stray cats who left to their own devices would continue to multiply.

that's where the cat nip program comes in. >> we are going to a colony where there's someone who is caring for a lot of stray cats. >> reporter: once a month, workers fan out to where feral cats are known to hang out. they trap them and bring them here to the national capital spay and neuter center. they are spayed and released back. >> the colonies that are out there, if do you the c nip program and do the trap neute vaccination and return program, you can keeping that population stabilized. that's what we try address. to keep those cats, keep the number there that are there. there are people that call us because there are nuisance behavior that's they see. when you do this, these procedes, a lot of the things that you hear about like cats yowling and spraying and fiting, those problems go aw. >> reporter: the group spays and

nult betters 70 to 80 cats a month. very young kitten that's have a chce to be soecialized and kept. but for the older cats, it is not an option. >> they weren't born in that environment. they're not, they don't have any directontact with human. >> reporter: those older ca have returned to the spots where they were picked up. because they are no longer contributing to the growth of the colony, the hope is that over time, the stray cat population in the district will decrease. in southeast, megan mcgrath, news4. the waington humane society holds walk-ins, say that and neuter clinics at its location at 1001. they're held from 11:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon and no appointment is necessary. please, spay and neuter your imals. in old town manassas, business as usual will be a

little different from now on. a highly debated adult second store has opened in the heart of the city's historic district. nobody showed up to protest on the first day as tracee wilkins shows us, some still have opposition to the store. >> reporter: the ribboning for kk's temptations was the lk of old town manassas a the anticipation of what might ppen tough women and men who supported the business. >> they are running a legitimate business. they've done everything by the book. i think they should have every right to free enterprise and that's what america is all about. >> it an historic place for your business but we need a 21st century attitude. >> reporter: the latest center of controversy in manassas. kk'stemptations. a shop offering adult novelties, dvds and lingerie in the point of old town. it is an idea so repulsive some in the city, the city

council tried to prevent the store from opening by pulling its business license and permit. but thenttorneys out of richmond hired by the city says they're trying to keep it from opening was illegal leaving some city leaders frustrated >> it is a big qulern a porno shop wants to locate here. we have the shops in manassas and prince william county. ve never raised a fuss about that. i'veever gone out to try to shut them down. >> reporter: kk's temptations is a mother an daughter business. she said she was inspiredto open it after selling similar products to women in the area. >>here is no place to go. a lot of places weren't really catering to women so we are trying to have a friendly environment where women can go. women are coming here. they're talking to us and they're excited. >> reporter: the city council spent $3,000 to get a second opinion from an attorney trying to close this place. now they're talking about spending an additial $71,000 to plan for the future when it

comes to adult stores. they want to make sure they keep them out of old town altogether and position whe these stores will go in relationship to other structures like schools anday cares, universities, parks and other locations. still ahead on news4 this week -- >> they said you ve to go straight to the emergency room. >> sick from a single piece of lettuce. one woman suffered fom a foodborne illness and how you can keep your kitchen safe. a mandate for good manners? see what happened when one everett to legally force taxi driver to be polite. what happened with that.

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good news for drivers who feel the need for a little more speed in virginia. e speed limit is going from 65 to sf some 700 miles of

highways. governor mcdonald said it will actually increase safety by helping traffic move along in a more consistent speed. the changes will be made by the end of the year. alexandria city council has approved new rules for cab drivers but not a controversial proposal to regulate their manners. the ordinance would have required cab drivers to be nicer and to not only passenger but to the general public. poible punishments included fines or a suspended driver's license. city officials decided it wasn't fair for the bbies. >> it affects one industry, the taxi industry, that is not fair and equitable across the board. >>nder the new plan, drivers must take two dispatched calls a day on top of folks who hail taxis. drivers now face fines raer than suspension from work if a complaint is filed against them. some georgetown residents thought they had won the battle last winter when the district shut down a noisy pizza parlor

on their quiet stree now fast food place is reopening and neighbors are not happy. tom sherwood has their story. >> reporter: last winter, mayor fenty's administration delighted residents wh it shut down a boyceterrous pizza parlor. it sold late into the night with piles of crash. >> it was a nightmare for us. we could not sleep. for months an months, we were woken up at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning and it was a very difficult process to kind of close them down. >> reporter: now those same residents are horrified that the noy neigor is reopening under a new license and food service, along with the promise to operate responsibly, as late as 3:00 a.m. >> it will be under a new name but same ownership. and everybody is concerned that they will relive the nightmare that they put up with for a couple years. >> reporter: the neighbors say the reopening is a shock a a surprise to em. an architectural firm nearby

says it fears a crowded alley that will hurt its business. >> parking inur drive way, parking in the alley, blocking the alley so we couldn't get in and out to do the normal business or even go home at the end of the day. >> reporter: d.c. attorney general said he understands the frustrations but says legally, the city had to allow a business to be there. >> this restricts the hours, it restricts the kind of operation. if at any time they violate these conditions, we can shut them down. we don't hav to go to court. >> repter: but jack evans said he will try another way to shut it down. >> it seems that's the best we can do at the moment. what i'm looking at is longer term, to rezone that area of potomac street so that it is a residential and an commercial zone which would then prohibit any of these establhments from being there. >> tom sherwood, news4, washington. still ahead, we have a weight loss challenge. two women are trying to see if more dieting or more exercise

will give them better results. advice on keeping you and your family safe from foodborne

news 4 your healt germ in our food are blamed on nearly 5,000 deaths and 76 million illnesses each year. experts stay government is doing a better jofb regulating the food industry's health standards but there are things we can do at home to help prevent serious foodborne illnesses. liz crenshaw has more. >> i got so sick that within a few hours, they said youe got to go straight to the emergency room. >> reporter: it was nearly five years ago when kathleen mccleary was sickened by a dangerous form of e. coli, a bacteria that lives in the intestines of imal that can affect at and dairy products. >> it took several weeks to get

my strength back. >> reporter: doctors told her the most likely culprit was gged lettuce she had eaten the night before. ever since her illness, mccleary has completely change the way she shop and eats. >> i'm pretty vigilant about it because it is such a strong deterrent toever want to go through that again. >> reporter: she started with making change in her own home. thoroughly washing all produce, especially lettuces. keeping her cutting board labeled and even using hydrogen peroxide to clean the kitchen after cooking. makingure any leftover bacteria is killed. mccleary buys all of her produce and meats at the local farmer's market each week. that means spending more money. $80 to $100 just on those items alone. >> i guess it makes me feel better, if there is a problem, also, you can trace it more directly. >> we're probably dealing with a

situation with, when you are producing food in mass quantities, you are more lkely to have contaminated food issues. >> reporter: sarah scleen an attorney with the center for science in the public intere. she said while there has been a rise in dangerous path generals being found on foods, especially produce, the government is now doing a better job in getting the word out about these cases. >> it is really unfortunate that some of the foods healthiest for us may not in fact be the safest. >> reporter: klein said there are a few things consumers can do to avoid getting sick. purchase pasteurized eggs. they're more expensive but the proceskills dangerous bacteria. use a thermometer when cooking meats and poultry to make sure they reach a safe tperature. like mccleary, use separate cutting boards for raw meats and produce to avoid cross contamination and don't rely term like organic, natural or sustainable. these products may offer some help in environmental benefits

but they have nothing to do with food safety. >> we've seen just as many outbreaks from organic products as from noncommercial orgic products. the stakes are too high to not think that you need to take it seriously. >> reporter: liz crenshaw, news4. losing weight is tough. most people don't have the time and motivation to maintain a healthy diet and exercise regularly. so which is better for shedding those excess plans? all diet or all exercise? doreen gentzler has the first part of a new series. weight loss challenge. diet versus exerce? >> reporter: 25-year-old samantha castleberry and 27-year-old linds mitchell both want to lose weight. but like so many americans, all of their attempts have failed. >> i've dealt with it my whole life. i've always been a bigger person. >> i love who i am. i would just rather less of me. >> reporter: they blix their

failures on ditch pit falls. samantha said she spends most of her day workinon her horse farm. she has little time to eat so she chooses fast food. >> i was trying to eat healthy but i guess i was going the wrong way about it. >> reporter: and exercise has never come easily for her after a riding know nearly ten years ago, she lost the motivation to work out. lindsay, on the her hand, is a natural athlete. she loves exercise. but she is not willing to skip out on happy hour and calorie ridden dinners with frids to maintain a healthier diet. >> it seems like food and drinks are always connectedo those social activities and that can make it challenging. >> reporter: so earlier this summer, these women made a pact. for the next four months, samantha will work with the nutritionist, alana sugar, who will create a diet healthy for her. work gets in the way of cooke healthy meals. >> she was consuming, i would say well over 2,000, maybe

between 2,000 and 2,500 calories daily and possibly more at times. what changes with samantha are the kinds of foods she'll be choosing when she is eating out which is often. >> reporter: sugar says she will be eating about 1,600 calories a day. avoiding white flour and saturated fat. linds lay focus on her strength. exercise. she is working with the trainer, ben, fromalance gym who will amp up her workts. >> if you don't have a look at your diet, it will be an extra challenge. she is going to be doing a lot of strength aining with us. and a lot. higher intensity interval training. >> reporter: she'll do three 40-minute sessions with him each week and two days of cardio workouts on her own. now it is time for the dreaded first weigh-in. samantha, a 268 pounds. her waist measures 40.5 inch. her hip, 54.5.

linth air, 237pounds with h waist measuring 44.5 and her hips at 53 inches. >> breaking 200 will be a really big step for me. i haven't been under 200 pounds since i was probably a sophomore in high school. >> not so much a weight as physically toned where i feel good my clothes fit right. >> reporter: we're going to be dmek wi dmek wi checking in with them next week. bob ehrlich's 24 years in politics. in congress ehrlich voted with george bush 90% of the time, protecting the spial interests. as governor, ehrlich cut education, increased college tuition by 40%, and vetoed an increase in the minimum wage. and after sing his election, bob ehrlich joined a lobbying firm and got paid $2.5 million to represent casinos and wall street banks. bob ehrlich--24 yearof putting the special interests first.

sync: i did as ged my property woman 1 syi didn't owatrnor taxes 60 percent. man 3: he worked for ak 10 billn another bahamillion.sed.axers 17 h big s don't need help. middle class marylanders do. the wor's richest man was in northern virginia dedicating a place named after his mother. it is in alexander re. a jane watrel with their story. >> reporter: bill gates takes in the grounds of the new center dedicated to his late mother. the mary m. gates learning center sits on the banks of the potomac. a $17 million state-of-the-art

facility that will train united way staffers from all over the world. >> both she and i came to this building as members of the united way board so she believed in that a lot. and getting the them to share their best practices, even got some worldwideactivities. so this center will facilitate that and i'm sure she would be very happy about it. >> reporter: the gates family has had a long relationship with united way. mary gates was the first woman to chair the united way board in the seattle area. daughter libby gates. >> until then the ard had been reserved for corrate lears who could raise money for their businesses which meant it had been reserved for men. buty mom earned her way on that board because she was diligent and extremely smart. >> reporter: the learning center will feature high definition vio conferencing and web cast technology that will link united way workers and volunteers from

45 countries. >>his will be a face to face exchange in terms learning on social issues and it will be a virtual exchange. >> reporter: virtual learning has been a pafgs bill gates whose foundation just launch ad $20 million grant program to improve college graduation rates by online technology. >> education in the united states isn't working as ll as it eds to. and having more effective teachers is the key thing there but particularly as kids get older, the online piece can play a major role. a child is behind, learning more, being able to have the community college lectures come on whenever you want. there are some real opportunities there. >> reporter:ane watrel, news4. and that's a for news4 this week. i'm wendy rieger. thank you for joining us and have a great weekend. [ to finishwhat for the acs and sleeplesween,p

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