Skip to main content

tv   News 4 Midday  NBC  February 27, 2012 11:00am-12:00pm EST

11:00 am
good morning, everyone, and welcome to "news4 midday." i'm barbara harrison, it is monday, february 27, 2012. we begin with breaking news in ohio. police there say they have one person in custody after a gunman opened fire inside a high school cafeteria in chardon, ohio, not far from cleveland. five students were shot. no word on the extent of their injuries. officials say classes had already started for the day when the shooting happened. school then went on lockdown. worried parents showed up at the school to escort their children away from the school building. fbi agents on the scene believe there was only one gunman.
11:01 am
d.c. police are on the hunt for the suspect who sexually assaulted a woman near georgetown university. it. happen over the weekend as a student was walking down 36th street near n street northwest. news4's megan mcgrath joins us live from the scene with the latest on the investigation. how are things going with the investigation so far? >> reporter: well, the investigation is ongoing. they have not found the suspect responsible for the sexual assault. needless to say, the university and students are very concerned about this situation. this hit very close to home. the assault, the attack, happened just about a block off of georgetown's campus and there are a lot of students who live in the area. now they're doing a couple of things here on campus. first of all, they've increased the number of security patrols in the neighborhood. the university is also encouraging students to take advantage of the campus's shuttle service, the after-hours late night shuttle buses. on the campus of georgetown university, there are stepped up police patrols and this advice to students -- if you're out at
11:02 am
night, walk in groups and if you're alone, call campus security and get an escort or a shuttle. >> our students can call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, can call for what we call a safe ride shuttle which will take them door to door, will come pick them up wherever they are on or near campus and take them wherever it is that they need to go. >> reporter: a georgetown university student was sexually assaulted early sunday morning. police say she was walking alone around 2:15 near the intersection of 36th and n streets when she was attacked. the suspect fled the scene and is still on the loose. the location where the assault happened is just a block off campus and has raised concern among many female students. >> definitely made me think twice about walking by myself at night. >> i'm concerned because i live like a block away from there. but there are police usually sitting on the corners kind of keeping an eye out for things. >> you don't hear a lot of those kinds of assaults happening in
11:03 am
this area. i would say i usually feel pretty safe but i guess i it could happen anywhere. >> reporter: so in light of all of this, students can expect to see additional or extra security personnel from the campus patrolling the neighborhoods. in addition the university is hiring off-duty d.c. police officers to also patrol the off-campus neighborhood as well in the late night hours. reporting live in georgetown, news4. students at the university of maryland are also being warned this morning about strangers who are trying to slip into the dorm rooms. campus police say a student woke up yesterday morning to a man touching her thigh. the student's roommate walk in and confronted the suspect. he told the person that he was in there by mistake and he'd been left. but police believe he was trying to steal the student's laptop. campus police say the suspect got in through an unlock door and that other students in the dorm reported seeing two
11:04 am
suspicious people and heard someone trying to open locked doors. let's take a look outside. beautiful out there, but it is on the chilly side. is it going to warm up? let's find out from meteorologist tom kierein. >> warming up rapidly. you can see those beautiful blue waters of the potomac reflecting a gorgeous satin blue sky. we've got a gentle breeze. temperatures now are climbing into the low 50s to mid 50s just to the south of washington. right now it is near 50 in fairfax, prince george's, arlington and montgomery counties and the district of columbia, and it is in the low to mid 50s southern maryland over toward fredericksburg to culpepper and charlottesville in the central shenandoah valley. martinsburg, west virginia, up to 55. well on our way climbing later today into the 60s. we have a few clouds coming in across the mountains now. those will be drifting in by mid to late afternoon. otherwise, lots of sunshine for the rest of the afternoon and, yes, hitting the low to mid 60s. the higher temperatures will be
11:05 am
just to our south. but it ought to reach near 60 degrees around the metro area and throughout much of maryland, much of virginia though into the mid 60s by the next two or three hours. we'll have a wind out of the southwest around 5 to 15. that will shift into the northwest tonight, bring in some more cold air. it will be down near freezing by dawn tomorrow. we'll look at that, the rest of the week, couple chances of rain between now and the weekend. we'll look at that, too, coming up. we're going to get a first check on midday traffic. >> good morning. it is great on the roadways, not seeing issues if you're taking the beltway. a live look making your way from the american legion bridge. outer loop and inner loop really good. montgomery county, you're at 57 miles per hour only taking ten minutes to get from i-95 to i-270. if you're taking the beltway in virginia, inner loop at little river turnpike, no issues. outer loop as well in the clear. inner loop speed really good, 54 miles per hour. only taking 14 minutes from the interchange to the dulles toll
11:06 am
road. barbara, back to you. well, today is an important day for two prince george's county firefighters critically injured over the weekend. the two are recovering at washington hospital center. they were injured when a gust of wind created a wall of fire while they were battling a blaze at a riverdale home. today doctors will examine sorrell airways where he suffered burns. o'toole will undergo a skin graft today. >> longest ride in the world, 4 1/2 hours from new york and not knowing what to expect. and it was worse than we really expected. >> we just pray every day that lord will bless him and strengthen him and see him through this. >> five other firefighters were injured battling that fire. they were treated and released from the hospital.
11:07 am
firefighters rescued two people yesterday from another burning building in prince george's county. the fire broke out in the afternoon on the 600 block of sheridan street. prince george's county fire officials say the blaze was in an apartment on the second floor of the building. firefighters had to rescue two people on the top floor. both were treated for smoke inhalation. the cause of that fire remains under investigation this morning. today maryland education officials are expected to file a request to opt out of certain parts of the federal no child left behind law. if the waiver is granted, maryland schools would be measured on student performance, as well as in specific categories, including minorities and special education. the application says every school should cut their achievement gap in half during the next six years. an overnight jump has put gas prices closer to that $4 mark, according to aaa. prices went up across the d.c. area overnight.
11:08 am
right now the average in the district is $3.84 a gallon, up about 2 cents in just one day. maryland's average is up about a half cent to $3.67. at $3.61, virginia drivers are also paying about a half cent more for a gallon of gas. in west virginia, the average there remains at $3.78. news4's tracee wilkins has more on the spike from northwest washington. >> reporter: we are already seeing significant jumps in gas prices. in fact, record breaking jumps in gas prices. and now, analysts are saying that we're looking at paying the highest prices in the country in the next few months. according to aaa, the price for regular per gallon in the region could reach up to $4.25 by the end of april. as much as $1 higher than what it will cost in the midwest. here's why -- two philadelphia area refineries are idled affecting east coast supplies and it could get worse if a third refinery in philadelphia
11:09 am
does not find a new buyer. that's our future but here's our present where it doesn't look much better. according to aaa, gas prices are rapidly moving toward the $4 mark for regular. february is the earliest gas prices have ever gotten as high as $3.50 per gallon nationally. prices normally don't head in  that direction until the peak summer driving season. national average retail price for regular reached $3.65 per gallon this week, 12 cents higher than a week ago. we are 49 cents away from the all-time high record of $4.11 per gallon set back in july of 2008. now analysts are saying that if our resources do not improve, we could see gas prices hovering around $3.75, or up to $4.5 as early as this spring, well before the peak driving season. in northwest, i'm tracee wilkins, news4.
11:10 am
nine minutes after 11:00 is the time now. coming up on "news4 midday," why a judge delayed a high-profile trial in the worst oil disaster in u.s. history. and the oscar goes to -- and the oscar goes to -- >> plus, we have the oscar
11:11 am
one chance to hunt down the right insurance at the right price. the "name your price" tool, only from progressive. ready, aim, save! grrr! ooh, i forgot my phone! the "name your price" tool. now available on your phone. get a free quote today.
11:12 am
stay with us, we'll be right back.
11:13 am
we're following breaking news. an italian cruise ship is adrift near the say shell islands in the indian ocean after a fire broke out in the generator room. captain of the ship says the crew quickly put out the fire. all the passengers are safe but the motors are not working. cargo ships an other boats are traveling to the scene to help get passengers off that cruise ship. this morning negotiators are trying to hammer out a settlement out in court for -- or out of court for the worst oil spill in u.s. history. a judge delayed the deep water who are done oil spill trial to march 5th. it was supposed to start today. thousands of people are suing bp, rig owner transocean, and the construction firm halliburton for the oil spill. the blast killed 11 workers and spewed more than 200 million gallons of oil from the blown-out well back in 2010. well, hollywood's biggest
11:14 am
night was a big sweep for "the artist." the black and white sigh relent took home five oscars. melissa has the winners and losers. >> reporter: apparently silence was golden at the 84th academy awards. there were winners and losers inside, some definite hits and at least one major miss outside of the red carpet and billy crystal returned as host after an eight-year absence. >> "the artist." >> reporter: "the artist" took three of the academy's top honors winning best picture, best director an best actor for jean dujardin's performance, the best frenchman to ever win an acting oscar. the first silent film to take the top prize since 1929. the cast and producers still riding high awake for and appearance on the "today" show early this morning. >> this is the highest recognition we can hope and it happened. and it's crazy. >> reporter: other category winners -- meryl streep, best actress for her work in "the
11:15 am
iron lady." christopher plumber best supporting actor for beginners. at 82, he's the oldest actser ever to win an oscar. >> you're only two years older than me, darling, where have you been all my life? >> reporter: and don't forget octavia spencer who could hardly finish her speech. she won best supporting actress for "the help." >> i'm sorry, i'm freaking out. thank you, world. >> reporter: but even before the oscars were handed out, the red carpet produced plenty of winners. hot this year, beading and color, like this shimmery gold number on winner meryl streep and reddish coral ruffles on michelle williams. >> i thought that she looked so stunning. that coral red color was perfect. >> reporter: lots of hits but only one real miss. sacha baron cohen in an over the top white military uniform, sunglasses and beard to promote his upcoming film, "the dictator." >> i think he should have done
11:16 am
even more in terms of his outfit. yeah, why not! >> reporter: he later dumped an urn of ashes he joked were those of kim jong-il on correspondent ryan seacrest. but overall, major fashion faux pass were flew. forget the clothing for a minute. there's almost more talk about this lady. angelina jolie and her right leg. yes, her leg. someone even created a twitter handle for the perfect gam@angie's right leg. her leg that is 10,000 followers. a couple more than i do. why does my leg not look like that. right, guys? >> she certainly wanted us to see it. >> yes, she did. she did. >> i didn't like it when the guy made fun of her after that, one of the recipients. that kind of made me mad. i thought she looked great. all right, thanks a lot, melissa. tom is here. i know you weren't up to watch all this last night. you couldn't have been. >> no, i was dreaming about it though, i think. >> i bet you were.
11:17 am
>> we've had some really cold air over the region over the weekend. boy, those winds on saturday were brutal. they settled down yesterday. we had a gorgeous blue sky yesterday. we are repeating that again today, though today will be warmer. that's a live view from our nbc 4 city camera high-definition, showing a gorgeous washington monument gleaming brightly in this beautiful sunshine. right now 51 at reagan national and we have a southwesterly breeze around 5 to 15 so it feels a little bit cooler with that breeze. right now around the region we have hit the mid-50s from stanton, virginia to charlottesville, culpepper, fredericksburg, southern maryland, most of those locations are in the mid-50s now. near 50 in fairfax county, arlington, montgomery, prince george's county and right near the chesapeake bay waters, a beautiful february morning there. it is in the low 50s and there's the view from space. we have a few clouds coming in from the west. this is along a weak cool front that's going to be coming in but
11:18 am
all it is going to do is shift our winds into the northwest and give us another cold night tonight after a rapid warm-up today. now going forward over the next 48 hours we'll have just a few of these clouds coming through this afternoon, then a clearing sky tonight. then by dawn tomorrow with a clear sky, we'll be starting off again near freezing. yes, reminding us february still is a winter month but it will warm up again tomorrow. not as warm as today because we'll have more clouds around. by wednesday during the day, this moving color is all rain. we may get a couple of shots of showers coming through. then we'll clear out by wednesday evening and the rain should end. so for the rest of this afternoon, we'll have a mostly sunny sky, mild, light breezes coming in out of the southwest, temperatures climbing into the low and mid-60s. so enjoy while you can. some cooler weather will be coming our way as we get into tonight. it will be mostly clear. here's this evening's sky. it should be mostly clear this
11:19 am
evening. again, look for jurp per, venus and that crescent moon in the southern sky just after midnight. by dawn on tuesday, down to near 30 degrees. but we'll warm up again tomorrow but not as warm today but it may be in the upper 50s to around 60 tomorrow afternoon. then clouds close in on tuesday night and occasional showers on wednesday. might get up to an inch of rain during the day on wednesday. we'll be in the upper 30s, near 40 in the morning. afternoon highs then only near 50. then we'll have the cloud cover breaking up wednesday night. we'll get some sun back on thursday. another mild day, low and mid-60s on thursday. but then friday getting a little bit cooler. next chance of rain over the weekend. that may be on saturday. then turning chilly sunday. that's the way it looks. >> all right, tom. thank you. let's check on traffic again. any problems out there? >> still looking really good on the roads. we're flying over i-66 right now head eastbound. 64 miles per hour as you make
11:20 am
your way out of haymarket. east and west on i-662 between hay market and the beltway, no issues. traveling inside the beltway, live look right now at glebe in both directions ghob problems to report. travel speeds eastbound at 56 miles per hour. from the beltway to gw parkway, only 11 minutes. hurry out of the house, catch the sun and these clear roads. 11:20 is the time. still ahead, ihop prepares for pancake day. how can you eat a free stack of pancakes and help those suffering from leukemia. plus, we'll also show you [ female announcer ] what would you call an ordinary breakfast pastry that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudel. pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun.
11:21 am
mom, we're dying. no you're not, you're just hungry. make some totino's pizza rolls. we don't have any! front... left, totino's. [ male announcer ] well done mom! less drama, more fun! totino's pizza rolls. and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for an incredible price: just $89.99 a month for two years with a two-year agreement. it's an amazing deal, but it's for a limited time only. so don't wait. want to save even more? call right now and we'll add a special bonus: $300 back. unlike cable, fios delivers a 100% fiber-optic network to your home. get america's fastest, most consistent, most reliable internet, plus the best tv picture quality, and more hd. why keep paying so much for cable? switch to fios for just $89.99 a month for two years with a two-year agreement. save $600 in your first two years. and don't forget your special bonus: $300 back.
11:22 am
hurry, offer ends march 3rd. call 1.877.827.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.877.827.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead.
11:23 am
but first -- tomorrow is ihop's national pancake day to celebrate the chain is offering free pancakes and raising money for those in need. joining us is kyoga jackson and chef daniel ford. smells fantastic. i'm a real pancake lover. let's get started. >> we got to get this apron on you if you're going to be cooking. >> okay. i'm ready for my apron. let's begin by telling us what this benefits and what you get tomorrow. >> well, ihop is having a huge day tomorrow.
11:24 am
>> why don't you wait a second because we want to watch do you this. >> it's a huge day for us, national pancake day. 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., come out have a free short stack of the best pancakes in the world but we're also raising money for the lymphoma society. we appreciate you guys lepg us out as customers but also we're going do something good, have free pancakes an do something good for your community. >> so it is tuesday, february 28th, tomorrow from 7:00 until 10:00 p.m. all day long a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes and those donations go to lieu keeukemia lymphoma society. come hungry, leave happy. >> i think i've heard that before. now it's your turn. you already got one started here but tell us a little bit about how to make the perfect pancake. he's got some going here but i
11:25 am
want to show you what he tells me is most important. he says water temperature, he says lumps are good, and the grill temperature is important and the cook time. we can see these up here. i saw that you had some lumps in that bat person. >> yes, the lumps are good to maintain consistency with our fluffiness of our pancakes. >> you really shouldn't put that batter in there in a mixer and really just get it all smooth and creamy. >> we definitely need lumps in our batter. >> that's good and you don't get the little bits of flour -- >> lumps of flour. that's exactly what it is. >> but they'll cook out. >> you say water temperature. when you mix up your batter, should it be cold water? >> water should be at 50 or below temperature. >> so sort of tepid, i should say. >> yes, exactly. >> not too cold, not too hot. and grill temperature. >> grill temperature is always set at 350 degrees. >> 350. and we always cook our pancakes 2 1/2 minutes on one side, and
11:26 am
then we'll flip it and then we'll cook it another minute on another side. >> how do we know when to flip it? are you timing it or looking at the way it looks on top? >> well, i've been doing this for 12 years now so it's kind of second nature for me to get that going. >> are you supposed to look for the little bubbles? >> we look for the bubbles to fluff up and for the edges to become dull. >> so those aren't quite ready to flip yet. >> no, ma'am. >> you've got some beautiful stacks of pancakes to look at, not for those of us who are dieting -- >> she's got to flip one pancake. >> let me flip one but it is not ready o flip. it is not ready yet -- i'll try to flip it anyway -- that's what you're not supposed to do. that's exactly what you're not supposed to do. wait until as he says, it is all set. thank you very much and good luck to the leukemia and lymphoma society. we hope they'll make lots of money tomorrow.
11:27 am
a lot of people eating those free pancakes. our time right now, 11:26. coming up in the next half-hour of "news4 midday," we're less than 24 hours until voters in michigan an arizona go to the polls in the republican primaries. we check out the last-minute push for votes. and metro wants to know what you think about a proposal to raise fares. plus the weather's beautiful
11:28 am
11:29 am
[ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for an incredible price: just $89.99 a month for two years with a two-year agreement. it's an amazing deal, but it's for a limited time only. so don't wait. want to save even more? call right now and we'll add a special bonus: $300 back. unlike cable, fios delivers a 100% fiber-optic network to your home. get america's fastest, most consistent, most reliable internet, plus the best tv picture quality, and more hd. why keep paying so much for cable? switch to fios for just $89.99 a month for two years with a two-year agreement. save $600 in your first two years. and don't forget your special bonus: $300 back. hurry, offer ends march 3rd. call 1.877.827.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.877.827.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v.
11:30 am
fios. a network ahead. stay with us, we'll be right back. right now on "news4 midday," police are warning students in georgetown university to be extra careful after a female student was sexually assaulted over the weekend. the suspect is still on loose. police are telling students to walk in groups at night or call campus security to get an escort if they're concerned about their safety. today two firefighters critically injured while battling a fire in prince george's county will undergo medical procedures. doctors will examine the extent
11:31 am
of 21-year-old ethan sorrell's airway injuries an perform a skin graft on 22-year-old kevin o'toole. he suffered second and third degree burns over 47% of his body. the firefighters were injured friday when a gust of wind created a wall of fire while they were battling a blaze at a riverdale home. five other firefighters have been released from the hospital. a suicide car bomber killed nine people in afghanistan and injured another six. the bombing happened at the gates of gentlemja ral bad airp. attacks across the country have killed more than 30 people in the past week as members of the taliban claim responsibility for the deadly bombings and shootings. russian police say a group was planning to attack vladimir putin after next week's election. he's expected to reclaim the
11:32 am
presidency. ukrainian officials say the same group was arrested last month for trying to manufacture explosives. officia officials believe the suspects are connected to the chechen rebel leader. osama bin laden's one-time hideout in pakistan no longer exists this morning. construction crews finished the demolition job this morning leaving only parts of the outer wall. bin laden lived in the compound for six years before u.s. special forces killed him. that happened last may. no word on why pakistani authorities decided to destroy the house at this time. tomorrow is another big day in deicision 2012. michigan and arizona hold republican primaries. romney is barely holding on to his lead in the race. >> this combines a couple things i like best -- cars and sport.
11:33 am
and i appreciate the spirit of the men and women that are driving today. >> reporter: but it's what mitt romney said off camera that has twitter buzzing this morning. asked if he is a nascar fan, romney says he doesn't follow it close by with you, "vy some friends that are nascar team owners." rick santorum in michigan has his own race day take on the state's primary tomorrow. >> hang back there for a while, let all the other cars in front of you wreck and then run hard in the last few laps and win the race. >> reporter: sources tell nbc santorum will get secret service protection starting today. what he did not get is a key endorsement from arizona governor jan brewer. >> i have decided that i'm going to publicly endorse mitt romney. i think he's the man that can carry the day. >> reporter: that was at the arizona debate. can romney carry the day in michigan tomorrow where he's averaging a slim two-point lead over santorum. >> what we believe will come out
11:34 am
of tuesday is that this is a two-person race right now. >> i think i can show that i can fight real hard and come from behind. >> reporter: romney says he still thinks he can win the nomination as he put it, however long it takes to get that done. it's increasingly looking like this could be a delegate fight into spring, maybe even early summer. tracie potts, nbc news, washington. president obama says he's ready to work with america's governors and let them know they have a strong partner here in washington. last night the president and first lady hosted a black tie dinner as part of the national governor's association meeting. the president toasted the governors saying they have some of the hardest jobs in politics and he thanked the governor's spouses for "putting up with us." let's check again with tom kierein now for the weather and update on the forecast. tom, when do you think we'll hit the 60s today? >> probably around 2:00, 3:00 this afternoon. right now a gorgeous blue sky.
11:35 am
live view from the sky watcher camera looking into fairfax county in the distance. right now we are warming up, we're into the 50s throughout much of the region. reagan national is at 51. may not get quite into the 60s there because of chilly wind off the potomac but it might do it. but elsewhere away from the waters we ought to easily make it into at least the low 60s around the metro area. may hid the mid 80s, 60s across parts of west virginia. clouds from the west are moving into the mountains and into western maryland, panhandle of west virginia, shenandoah valley, but clouds are moving rapidly east and before then will climb into those low and mid-60s. then clouds clear out this evening and we will have a clear and cold start to tuesday. tomorrow morning around freezing. then during the afternoon into the 50s with some more clouds closing back in. we'll have a front coming through on wednesday that will likely trigger some rain. we'll have chilly rain at that with highs only around 50 degrees. then that ends wednesday night. then sun back on thursday and friday with some milder
11:36 am
temperatures. then over the weekend maybe some more rain on saturday. that's the way it looks right now, barbara. let's see how it is looking on the roads. >> good morning. if you're traveling along i-95 not seeing issues for you in virginia. live look at pohick road, travel speeds at 59 miles an hour only taking 11 minutes to make that trip. connecting on 395 not seeing any issues for you there either. live look at seminary road traveling southbound and northbound as well. again, travel speeds northbound 55 miles per hour. only taking 12 minutes to get from the beltway to the 14th street bridge. as you cross over the 14th street bridge, no issues as you make your way into the city. today in prince george's county a trial is beginning for a murder that happened nearly seven years ago. jarvis tyler faces first degree
11:37 am
murder charges in the death of 17-year-old stacy seton. he's accused of shooting the pregnant teen in the head near her home in 2005. prosecutors say another man, mcdonnell abraham, paid tyler $400 and some marijuana to kill her because he thought she had set him up, breaking into his apartment. abraham pleaded guilty to second degree murder last year. tyler faces life in prison if he is convicted. the trial of five men accused in the southeast mass shooting in 2010 was delayed today because of a sick juror. the trial resumes tomorrow morning. the men are accused of killing five people and injuring many others in an eight-day shooting spree. they were charged with 24 counts, including first degree premeditated murder. each of the men will face life in prison without parole for these shootings. today is your first chance to weigh in on the proposed metro fare hike. officials say the hikes are necessary to cover improvements to the system. the proposed fares would have
11:38 am
paper fare card users paying a flat fee of $6 during rush hour and $4 at all other times. smart trip card users would also go up at least 10 cents on the bus to $1 on the rails. the proposed fare hikes would eliminate the peak of peak surcharge. this is the first of six public meetings metro is holding to get feedback on its proposed 2013 budget. those who attend the meetings will be able to speak with officials from metro bus, metrorail and smart trip and get any questions answered. tonight the meeting starts at 7:00 on edgemore lane at regional services centers. an important traffic alert for those of how drive in the district. tomorrow at 10:00 a.m., ddot crews will shut off the traffic lights in dupont circle so technicians can upgrade the signal system there. you may want to avoid the area if you can, but if you can't traffic control officers will be out directing traffic. the lights should be back on in time for the evening commute.
11:39 am
today ward 5 democrats will hear from candidates running for the empty d.c. council seat there. that seat is empty because former council member harry thomas jr. when he was found guilty of fraud and sent to prison. the forum is at the michigan park christian church on taylor street northeast. doors open at 7:00 p.m. the democrat candidates will take part in a special election on may the 15th. members of harry thomas' non-profit will face questions from the d.c. council today. thomas used the children and youth investment trust corp. to embezzle more than $350,000 that were earmarked -- those dollars earmarked for youth programs. council members jim graham -- or member jim graham says he believes the trust is still active and issuing grants despite that controversy that surrounded it. fairfax county is looking to add a couple of extra bucks to your date night or family night out in hopes of raising money for transportation projects. the board of supervisors has
11:40 am
proposed adding a 4% tax on any meal sold at any commercial restaurant from upscale to fast food like mcdonald's. the extra money could raise $80 million, they say, a year to help fund projects like dulles rail and road improvements at tyson's corner. the proposal would need approval though from the virginia general assembly or it could be put to a referendum to let the voters decide. our time right now, 11:40. coming up on "news4 midday," we get a look at the smastock mark. >> [ dog growls, barks ] bring your dog to work day... not our best idea. [ barking ] george! stop it! stop. oh. it was a nice thought. [ male announcer ] some business decisions are better than others. the best decision is switching to verizon. you're good to go. that was fast! thank you. [ male announcer ] speed, reliability, and now with our worry free guarantee, there's no better time to switch. get your choice of terms.
11:41 am
no activation fees. a 30-day money back guarantee. flexible scheduling. professional on-site installation. and 24/7 tech support. all for just $84.99 a month. plus you get a $200 value reward card. so switch to verizon high-speed internet and phone, backed by our new worry free guarantee, all for just $84.99 a month. call 1-888-610-8090. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v. that's 1-888-610-8090. only from verizon. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v. that's 1-888-610-8090. see lioutdoors, or in.ight. transiti lenses lly filter just the right amount of ligh ou s's meant maybe evtter. experience life well lit, ask for transitions adapse vto find tions brandr yotody lenses that your life. america's best.
11:42 am
11:43 am
a preview is coming up. stay with us. a long-time suburban maryland mall is now up for sale. "the washington post" reports the owners of lake forest mall ingomery county are behind on their loan payments. 100-square foot mall has been open for 34 years now but has dropped in popularity in recent years. county leaders are waiting to see if anyone steps up to buy the property. there's a possibility the mall would close completely and be turned into a new development. a d.c. native has chronicled
11:44 am
a cross-country trip on a greyhound bus and he's now sharing his journey in song. doug levitt is the son of former d.c. councilwoman carol schwartz. he created a musical documentary called "the greyhound diaries" and he's going to perform this week at the kennedy center. welcome, kdoug. >> nice to be here. >> you are the son of someone everybody knows around here because she served in the council of many years. >> yeah, and i was the beneficiary of that. >> glad to have you with us. tell us a little bit about the "greyhound diaries." how many miles did you travel? >> seven years and 70,000 miles. >> where all did you go? >> pretty much everywhere in the concontinuous u.s. i -- seven years ago i set out on my first six-week tour by greyhound. i saw the growing poverty issue and tried to figure out what, if anything, i could do, and so inspired by wpa era projects i began writing songs and stories largely about folks struggling to get by. >> that was your purpose was to
11:45 am
see what the poverty issues were out there across the country? >> well, yeah, and to try to sort of bridge the divide, the narrative gap between those who aren't necessarily as reflected in our national conversation. >> now your show that opens at the kennedy center this week, is it a one-man show? >> it is a one-man show with a band. you're part of that band. >> they can't get rid of me. >> you sing songs about this trip. >> i sure do. >> you want to share a little something with us. >> absolutely. thank you. this was shared with me by a trucker that i met along the way and i turned it into a song. ♪ i spent the night in cheyenne ♪
11:46 am
♪ thinking about how miles make marks on a man ♪ ♪ cause i'm a long way from home ♪ ♪ i learned to be alone motors ♪ you gotta have patience with all these weigh stations ♪ >> beautiful. beautiful song. >> thank you. >> so you have songs about all the towns and tez and villages you visited? >> it's incredit evocative when you travel by bus. not only the commonality of people who would otherwise not be sharing so much time together, and then you have the expansive beauty of the road and greyhound serves 2,200 destinations in the united states as compared to say southwest which has 72. >> would you recommend greyhound bus travel to people who -- i
11:47 am
think that's not something most of us think of. >> it is definitely an experience but i think if you are looking for a vision of america, you can really garner a lot from it. >> now who helped you put this together? we understand some pretty important people helped work on this program with you. is that right? >> when you say important people -- >> well, a lot of people -- was taylor swift involved in this? >> well, i've been working with great musicians who have worked with a lot of artists, including taylor and a founding member of the county crows and a budge of people who are really talented. >> i guess they are all important to you. >> they are important to me. >> let's look at where we can see "the greyhound diaries" at the kennedy center this wednesday at 6:00. that's a free performance. >> it's a free performance. >> it is just one night? >> it is a one-night performance. >> 6:00 p.m. this wednesday at the kennedy center. and we are so happy to have you
11:48 am
with us. >> well it is great to see you, barbara. >> thanks so much. i'm sure we'll get a lot of people there. gas prices continue to rise and home improvement projects are under way. cnbc's mary thompson joins us live with all of that and the business news as well. >> the u.s. markets, modestly higher around midday thanks to some positive signs on housing. stocks are recovering from earlier declines spread by worries about the eurozone economy. right now the dow is up 18 points, the s&p up two points extending its gaines from friday when it closed at its highest levels in nearly four years. the nasdaq is up just about five points. earlier this morning the markets were weighed down by the continued health of the eurozone after go-20 leaders rejected a call from the eu officials to add to the imf's emergency fund. they said they won't do it until you members increase your contributions. stocks turned around in the last
11:49 am
two hours following the release of another piece of positive economic data. the national association of realtors reporting january's pending home sales rose to their highest levels in almost two years. speaking of the housing market, the nation's second-largest home improvement retailer benefiting from warmer than normal weather this year, lowe's reporting stronger than expected first quarter earnings and spring like weather prompted homeowners to tackle renovation projects sooner than usual. lundberg survey says gas prices are up over 18 cents. nationwide a gallon of regular unleaded cost an average of $3.69 a gallon. oil prices are down for the first time in eight sessions. investors locking in over the gains they made. oil down right now at $109 a barrel. >> thank you. have a great day. 11:49 the time. still ahead, dancing and playing sports virtually may not be the best workout for little ones but
11:50 am
it can benefit others. we're going to tell you how. the latest on a video games survey.
11:51 am
11:52 am
another check on the forecast. stay with us. hank, the cat, is running in
11:53 am
virginia for the u.s. senate seat. he's a former street cat from springfield. according to his campaign website, a rescue group called animal allies rescued him from an animal shelter and a family adopted him. in a news release, he describes himself as an independent, devoted to ensuring small business growth and furthering his family-centered policies. he also promises milk in every bowl. former virginia governors george allen and tim kaine are running for that same seat. see how hank turns out. this morning, former south african president nelson mandela is back home. doctors released the 93-year-old from the hospital. they performed minor surgery to determine the cause of his abdominal pains. they didn't find anything seriously wrong, they say. the nobel peace prize winner was elected south africa's first black president after spending 27 years in prison and fighting against apartheid. where you live could determine how well you sleep. a new study by the university of
11:54 am
pennsylvania shows people living in the south suffer the worst rates of sleep disturbance and daytime tiredness. those living on the west coast get the most zs. researchers say differences in mental health, ethnicity an access to medical care help explain the differences in sleep patterns. you're looking for a pick-me-up today, forget that cup of coffee -- head to the spice rack and grab some rosemary. studies have long showed that the aroma of rosemary increases brain function but now researchers have found that the aroma not only wakes up all your senses but actually acts like a drug. the smell increases the amount a compound in the blood stream which increases brain performance an enhances your mood, too. interactive video games may not be as much of a workout for kids as some people thought. researchers at baylor found kids were literally just going through the motions, finding low intensity ways of playing those games. they suggest that kids may get a better workout when playing
11:55 am
games with their families or actually going outside and playing, the old-fashioned way. meanwhile, the active video games can help seniors improve balance and coordination. we're going to take a look now at some of the stories we're going to be following for you this afternoon. pat lawson has a preview of things to come. >> good monday morning, barbara. coming up this afternoon on muz news4, access hollywood's billy bush, will be with us. plus, there, a preview of "the voice." spring break starts next year for college students but one popular destination is one authorities are warning students about. details at 5:00. and also, how you can free cash to help you save energy and energize your home. lynn crenshaw will have the answers to those questions starting tonight on news4 at 4:00. >> thank you, pat. here's tom.
11:56 am
>> what a beautiful morning it's been. the air is kind of crisp and clean and we have a beautiful blue sky. but looking off to the west now, beginning to see some clouds moving in across the northern and western horizon. the sky watcher camera right now is looking into montgomery county looking generally right to the north here of upper northwest washington. out that way, temperatures are now into the mid 50s here as we approach the noon hour. right now much of the region well into the 50s. in fact it's already in the upper 50s to near 60 from charlottesville over to fredericksburg and much of southern maryland, too, in the 50s right now. later today we'll have most areas climbing into the low and mid 60s. there are those clouds closing in from the west, live view from the space satellite image there. we'll have those clouds in and out during the afternoon but still that won't stop those temperatures from climbing into the low and mid 60s. then tonight, cold. we'll be down near 30 by dawn tomorrow during the day on tuesday, afternoon highs into the upper 50s and some clouds close in and they'll stay this time, tomorrow afternoon and evening, an produce some rain,
11:57 am
it looks like, on wednesday. and chilly rain at that, too, with highs only around 50 degrees. then thursday we get some sunshine back and highs reaching the 60s again. then it gets cooler again for friday into the weekend. over the weekend could be rainy on saturday. that's the way it looks. have a good afternoon. enjoy. >> got to get out there and -- 60 degrees! >> it is going to be gorgeous. >> i could get used to this. we have gotten used to it, tom. thanks a lot. well, cleaning crews had an extra mess on the red carpet of the oscars, if you saw it, sacha baron cohen arrived dressed in character for his upcoming film "the dictate person" watch what happens when ryan seacrest asks about that suit. >> it's okay for you. now if somebody ask you what you are wearing, you will say -- >> cohen spilled those ashes -- fake ashes, i might add -- on the late north korean dictator -- at least that's what
11:58 am
he said -- kim jong-il. he told seacrest that it was jong-il's dream to be sprinkled over the red carpet. much of that dust though ended up on the e! host's tuxedo. cohen was originally banned fearing some kind of stunt, then he was allowed back in. no wore on how ryan seacrest felt about having all those ashes on his jacket but apparently he did get it off in time for the show. that's "news4 midday." thank you for being with us. tune in for more news at 4:00, 5:00, 6:00 and tonight at
11:59 am

456 Views

info Stream Only

Uploaded by TV Archive on