welcome to "news4 this week." >> hi, everyone. i'm veronica johnson. we are going to show you some of the more interesting local stories making news this week. among them, a doggy on a diet. er with following this pet's weight loss journey and learning why he got so big in the first place. and to find it is not so fresh. how one guy got a ticket probably for something you have hanging in your own car. and a never-before seen wedding ceremony. why this couple decided to say i do inside ikea. first, though, will it create

business opportunities or borbon street in the district? city leaders are weighing whether to let bars and clubs to stay open later. >> reporter: this was the scene in ad amounts morgan after closing time on a summer weekend. depending on who you talk to, d.c. mayor vince gray proposes to extend bar hours. revenue raising measure in the 2013 budget will make this either better or worse. >> cathy lanier, won't be any problems. we will be fine. there will be plenty of officers to handle any issues. >> reporter: the proposed measure would extend bar hours from 2:00 to 3:00 a.m. on weekdays and 4:00 a.m. on weekend. >> they park in our neighborhood, slam their car doors until 3:00 in the morning. it is very disruptive. sometimes it gets out of control. >> reporter: ward one council member graham talks about the possibility of compromise. >> the idea of letting -- advisory neighborhood commissions say they don't want the way to closing is an

intriguing one. >> reporter: some believe it comes down to a battle between older and more established d.c. residents and the younger, often international residents pouring in. >> we either adopt and become a gr great city. >> reporter: full city council is scheduled to meet on the budget including the proposal to extend bar hours sometime in late may. reporting from adams morgan, jackie bensen, news4. >> that's a big to-be continued. man is filing a complaint after d.c. police pulled him over because of an air freshener. ricardo is from oxon hill and says he was pulled over in southwest washington because he had an air freshener hanging from his rear view mirror. >> i was just riding down the street and the police car followed me several blocks. and pulled me over and said that i had an air freshener in my rear view windshield. when they stopped me they wanted

to search me and search my truck. >> reporter: >> he said he didn't let the officers search his truck. he ended up with a $35 ticket for objects hanging as to obstruct view. he also got too much more citations worth $800 driving without proof of insurance. d.c. police tell us that it is a violation to have an air freshener on your rear view mirror and you can be ticketed for it. if you are trying to buy a car, you are also -- you want to watch out for your credit score. that number can make a huge difference when you are trying to get a loan. keeping up with your credit can be pretty confusing. liz crenshaw helps us break it down. >> everybody opens it and tries to catch up. >> reporter: do you know what your credit score is or know what it is for? >> no. >> no. >> reporter: no idea? >> no idea. >> reporter: not sure what your credit score is? or maybe you are confused by the number? >> you are like why sit lower? i don't understand. they have too much credit, not

enough credit. >> reporter: there are lots of numbers claiming to be your credit score. the one most lenders look at it is called a fico score and ranges from 300 to 850 points. a score above 750 is considered excellent. your score determines whether you say get a car loan or mortgage and your score determines your interest rate. >> kind of like your gpa. >> reporter: adam, chairman and co-founder of credit.com says that there are five factors that raise or lower your score. partly cloudy tore number one and most important, your payment history. it makes up 35% of your score. >> simple. you pay on time. and have you built a history of paying on time? >> reporter: factor number two, how much debt do you carry compared to how much credit you have? your debt-to-credit ratio is 30% of your score. >> so this is sort of the keep your debts under control theory. >> reporter: pack tore number three, how long have you had you

your credit? this is 15% of your score. factor number four, how often do you search for new credit? this is 10% of your score. and factor number five, what types of credit do you have? again, 10% of your score. >> they like to see a seasoned credit history. they like to see mix of accounts. mortgage, revolving, credit cards, installment. then inquiries. are you looking for credit like medical or have you been responsible in the way you apply for credit? >> reporter: if you need to improve your scar, fix any of these factors. how do you find out your score? well, you have to pay for it. fico charges about $20. some credit bureaus have that your own scores called vantage. they charge from $8 to $10. bottom line, your credit score controls your financial options so boosting it is the best strategy. you want to be higher -- >> higher, higher.

>> reporter: liz crenshaw, news4. >> higher is the way. remember, you are entitled to a free credit report from each bureau once a year. if you want to check your credit, we have links on our website. all you have to do is go to nbcwashington.com and search credit score. one woman in burtonsville, maryland, is looking for a lower number on the scale when it comes to her dog. let's just say that this little pet could lose a few pounds. derrick ward introduces us to the heavyweight known as fluffy pork chop. >> reporter: we are all aware of the health risks associated with carrying too much weight on our human frames. for our best friends on four legs too much girth can be just as hazardous. meet fluffy pork chop, rescued from the shelter. he tipped the scales at twice his ideal weight. >> he came in extremely overweight. he was over 42 pounds.

and he came in the shelter in delaware and contacted us. >> reporter: he led a sedentary life with the wrong diet and ills to show for it. >> people food. probably fed scraps off the table. we did blood work on him when he came in. and his cholesterol was extremely high. not a good thing for a dog. >> reporter: fluffy's weight loss is more than cosmetics. he has medical problems and require surgery and right now he probably couldn't survive the anesthesia. he has an affliction common to his breed and dental work to be done. as long as you can see there is less of fluffy than there used to be he still has a ways to go. maryland is serious about fluffy's daily exercise regimen and a sensible diet. >> we talk calories. she told me what the calorie range was. i told her the food i went and found the amount of calories or the vet found them.

and we compared and she said yes, that's a good food. feeding him twice a day is better than feeding him once a day. >> reporter: there is a blog with updates on fluffy's progress. she has cutback on the doggy treats or found healther were ones. fluffy has tax revenue fond of raw carrots as a snack. maryland thinks in no time more fluff will turn to buff and will be ready for his medical procedure and ultimately a permanent home. and maybe he will even lose the pork chop portion of his name and she will lose a friend. >> when he goes to a good home it allows me to help the next dog that needs help. >> reporter: derrick ward, news4. >> from pork chop to buffy. it could be a breakthrough in preventing blindness. still ahead, the treatment that is helping some patients regain their sight and their independence. plus, she's going for the gold. how a local athlete plans to make a big splash with a little help from ricky martin in this help [ male announcer ]in this knowing your customers

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kids in southeast d.c. got a chance to work out with washington redskins star chris cooley. his visit was part of a program that aims to get kids to exercise and achieve high goals in school. it is a non-profit sponsored in part by reebok. the principal is active kids equal active minds. oh, so important. bethesda native julie has been called a savior of u.s. rhythmic gymnastics. now she's headed to the olympic games in london. dan hellie has more on her journey. >> reporter: hard to imagine a 21-year-old grandma but julie calls herself the grandma of u.s. rith nick gymnastics. makes sense since most gymnasts retire in their teens. she is the wylie veteran of the sport she calls poetry in motion. >> that's the way i tonend to

describe it. the best way you can describe it, it is not like ail the other sports where you are racing against the clock or you are -- have to be like 100% technical. >> reporter: rith nick gymnastics is not as popular as the artistic gymnastics. it runs in the family. julie's mom was a junior national champion in hungary and introduced jewel dwroy the sport when she was just 4 years old. >> i tried it and fell if love with it. >> reporter: now almost 18 years later, she's training from five to eight hours day with her coach. in london, she has a chance to make olympic history. becoming the first u.s. rhythmic gymnast to win a medal. it comes from her heart and always seems to rise to the occasion. >> it is very important to be focused when you need to be focused. because you can practice through the whole year but that competition is as important, you

may be overexcited or too much nervous, or afraid of something. and this -- not going to happen. >> reporter: julie is seemingly winning everything lately. three golds at the pan american games. where her focus was razor sharp, even when mexican fans tried to get in her head during the competition. she has been tested, she's tough, and she has a little something special planned for the olympics. it involves her ribbon routine which is always her favorite. >> here i have a really like kind of sexy salsa music. former ricky martin song. obviously still have to keep your focus because you can't just drop your focus. it is time to have fun. ♪ >> reporter: and what if she goes to london and does the impossible? actually winning a gold medal. >> till the day i die i will never forget that. i will always have some memory of me winning an olympic gold medal. >> reporter: julie going for the

gold in london. the first u.s. rhythmic gymnast to qualify for the olympics since 1994. >> looks easy but i bet that's really, really hard. especially that ball trick. to fitness class, guarantees you will sresults. we will check tout full body workout that measures your progress before and after the program. and a newly approved treatment could fight one of the leading causes of blindness. we will show you how it works next. ♪ okay, so who ordered the cereal that can help lower cholesterol and who ordered the yummy cereal? yummy. that's yours. lower cholesterol. lower cholesterol. i'm yummy. lower cholesterol. i got that wrong didn't i? [ male announcer ] want great taste? honey nut cheerios. want whole grain oats that can help lower cholesterol? honey nut cheerios. it's a win win. good? [ crunching, sipping ] be happy. be healthy. can i try yours? [ male announcer ] it's one thing...

to have created an icon and quite another to have done it generation after generation. to the long line of legendary mercedes-benz sl roadsters... ♪ the 2013 sl. so, this is delicious okay... is this where we're at now, we don't care anymore? we just eat whatever tastes good? excuse me? [ man ] like these sweet honey clusters, they're awesome so no way they're good for you. but i guess that's okay right? actually there's a half a day's worth of fiber in every ... why stop at cereal? ya know? cancel the gym membership. bring on the pork chops and the hot fudge. fantastic. are you done sweetie? yea [ male announcer ] fiber beyond recognition. fiber one.

in news 4 your health it is one of the leading causes of vision loss in our country and doctors still don't know why some people develop this. there is a new tool that can fight this debilitating disease. . >> reporter: >> when it came time to lack at the chart i could see the letters. but the -- looks like the ink was writing out of it. >> reporter: it was ten years ago when 86-year-old rosemary

start having trouble with her vision. she says when she looked at an eye chart all the letters were wavy and disported and later learned that was the first sign of mack lular degeneration. it happens when the back of the retina breaks down and causes central vision loss. part of the eyesight that helps people read, drive, and recognize faces. >> once someone loses their vision, they lose their independence and very, very difficult for many patients to accept that. >> reporter: dr. dan el is an open though m-- opthomologist. for years, there weren't many treatment options. neither glasses nor surgery can cure the condition.

but now the fda has recently approved a new drug that is save something people from losing their vision. >> it was very scary. >> rosemary started this during the clinical trial two years ago when her degeneration caused vision loss in her right eye. >> i was nervous about going out by myself. i always have done everything by myself. >> reporter: the drug is administered every few weeks through an injection in the eye. it helps by treating the abnormal blood vessels in the retina. >> it allows the macula to maintain its vision and in some instances can improve the vision as that blood and fluid clears up. >> reporter: he says after a few treatments her vision started to improve. >> i can see better. i'm here without my glasses on right now. and i wouldn't have been as comfortable without may glasses before. >> reporter: doreen gentzler,

news 4. >> rosemary told us that the lines and letters still appear distorted and wavy but she has gottenoused to it. so her brain sees everything how it is supposed to be. now as far as those eye injections, yeah, i know, they look scary, right? the doctors tell us they put anesthetic on the eye so the patients don't feel the pain, just the pressure. do you ever wonder if your workouts are really making a difference? yes. all of us, right? now you can actually measure your progress with a new program at washington's sports club. in just four weeks of intensive exercise, it gives thank you tools to check your progress before and after. we asked the people taking part in this ultimate fitness experience what's your workout? >> welcome. >> comprehensive total body workout that's focusing on strength and cardio. your endurance, flexibility, agility, everything roll flood one. like the one stop shop of

exercise exercises. >> you start off with your first class, baseline and five different exercises have you one minute to do. we have the jump rope. we have pushups. we have the box jump. we have the kettle bell squat to press. the reason we use those is because ends up being a total body workout. you count your reps and take those reps and add them to the next number of exercises you do. at the end you have done five exercises and that's one round. take a break and do it three times. at the end of the day count your reps and that sets your baseline for the rest of the exercises do you in your workout. >> ten more. what do you have left? what do you have left in you? >> there are eight sessions. two through seven. strengthen your areas of opportunity. and on your eighth session do you the baseline again to see how far have you come. >> if they do what they are supposed to do, and watch their

diet, increase their cardio, and increase their strength, they are going to see a body change. >> counting the reps takes your mind off the exercise. and knowing that we just have a limited time to go. helps motivate you to keep going. >> really nays to be automobile to compete with yourself and to be able to keep track and i like the pressure of having your numbers called out in front of everybody and written down on the board. you know, everybody does their workouts and everybody knows it is an important part of their life to get that in every day. but there's something different when you can say here is where i started and here is where i'm ending. that gives you a sense of empowerment and sense of what your goals are and sense of where you need to head next. >> in just four weeks, wow. it is offered at washington sports club, both members and nonmembers are welcome. to learn more about take thing class, go to nbcwashington.com and search what's your workout.

before you do that, though, check this out. it was a huge birthday party of sorts at one of maryland's biggest hospitals. holy cross hospital in silver spring recently celebrated a major milestone. more than 100,000 babies have been born there since the year 2000. some moms and babies were there for a big party with a hospital staff on average one baby is born every hour at holy cross. well, left a local store with a whole lot more than furniture. how a chance encounter turned into a

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left, totino's. [ male announcer ] well done mom! less drama, more fun! totino's pizza rolls. here comes the bride all dressed in white. beaming with pride and ikea on her side p.m. it was ceremony unlike any other. we have more on the chance furniture store meeting that turned into a life-long dream. >> i now pronounce you husband

and wife. >> reporter: they joined together in holy matrimony inside the place they rekindled their romance. ikea in college park, maryland. how are you feeling. >> this has been so much fun. >> reporter: fun-filled ceremony in the furniture-filled store featured rose-colored floors. the first of its kind wed. >> as long as we both shall live. >> reporter: they attended high school. >> graduated and didn't see each other again for 30 years. >> reporter: until they met up again two years ago in ikea's restaurant. love was in the air. >> we ended up having dinner here. >> reporter: it was on meatball tuesday. they gauged in each other's eyes over meatball, mashed potatoes. >> we wanted to have a quiet ceremony in the corner and a couple of plates of meatballs. >> reporter: the guests ate

meatballs and had a ball in the cafeteria. ikea calls itself the life improvement store. this crowd hopes it improves the lives of these newlyweds. >> where are you going have the honeymoon? in the home furnishing department? >> actually we are going to -- we do plan to go to new york and visit the brooklyn store. and -- >> reporter: home fun iring department. college park, maryland. >> we really like the meatballs. >> we wish them well. really, come on now. who doesn't love those meatballs? that's all for "news4 this week." i'm veronica johnson. thanks for joining us. until next time, be kind, be safe, be happy.