announcer: welcome to "news4 this week,". >> hi, everyone. i'm veronica johnson. we are going show you the more interesting stories making the news this week. the baby watch is on. new hope of a possible panda pregnancy at the zoo. women wishing bodies like j.lo, kim kardashian are looking to illegal injections. where some women are willing to go for fuller figures.

growing up wasn't always easy for the new quarterback in town. first thrks year's baby panda watch is officially on. the national zoo made an attempt to breed its giant pandas. a lot is riding on it. darcy spencer explains why. >> reporter: the national zoo's famous giant panda could be expecting. she was artificially inseminated. the pregnancy watch is on. >> it's a wonderful event. it's wonderful. we need more pandas at the zoo. >> scientists had to work quickly when they knew she was ready. >> the female has a short time to conceive between 24 and 72 hours. >> reporter: they used samples collected from 2005. it's the last time they were able to conceive producing a

butter stick. he's been relocated to china. >> it would be exciting. 2005 was a long time ago. it would be nice to have a baby panda. >> reporter: the panda's are the star of the zoo. they have their own plaza, panda shop and cuddly panda souvenirs. >> they are fun to look at. the whole kung fu panda movie made the kids want to see them more. >> reporter: the zoo turned to social media to publicize the insemination. it gave the world a unique look into a process we have never seen before. >> more people coming to check things out. more money for the zoo. >> reporter: this could be the last chance for the couple to conceive at the zoo. this is the final year for the fertility study. if it doesn't produce a cub, one or more could be exchanged.

>> i think it would be a wonderful treat to come see the baby cub after seeing the mom my and daddy for a long time. >> we do love our pandas in d.c. most of us would not say the same about the traffic here. in fact, this is the ninth worst place to own a car in the nation. according to a survey from the automotive website. d.c.s traffic jams contributed to the low ranking. the city's confusing roads are cited in the survey. d.c. is full of bad drivers. san francisco and new york topped the list of the worst cities for car owners. could relief from the back-ups on the beltway come from advanced military technology? jackie bensen explains why we may be seeing drones over the skies ahead. >> reporter: i is best described as a piece of flying

sty row foam with a camera. it will allow them to do something. aerial surveillance, drones. they are being deployed by police. david was asked about it on the wtoe radio program, "ask the chief." >> being able to observe back ups and changing lights. there will be a reason for drones in the future. >> we call them robotic aircrafts. >> reporter: he assembles a lightweight drone that goes for an hour on a rechargeable battery. >> it's doing to aviation what personal computers did to i.t. >> it costs $2,000. it will be used in dangerous high speed pursuits and stand offs. >> a number of real -- a real transformation as this technology moves out.

>> reporter: the creators say it's only a matter of time until the eye in the sky during a beltway back up is coming from a drone. jackie bensen, news 4. >> it's amazing. well, he's breathed new life into the washington redskins franchise. fans wait to see what robert griffin iii will give. we have a teacher who new him way back when. >> reporter: before the heisman trophy or multimillion dollar endorsement deals, he was just robert. >> just little robert, quiet and shy at times. he would say hi. >> reporter: today, she teaches at potomac high school in virginia. in 2001, she was a first year spanish teacher at the junior high school in the heart of texas. >> it's a small town, a military town. most of my students parents were

in the military and deployed. >> a lot of that first year in the classroom runs together. there was one student in particular that stood out from the rest. >> well, i mean, he was very confident in himself. he didn't worry about what other kids were doing or what they were wearing. he did his own thing. eventually, the students started to follow him. he wasn't a follower. he was a leader. >> reporter: the other thing that was undeniable was his work ethic. >> he made as. he got an award in spanish eighth grade year. he was my one top student. he did his best for me. >> reporter: his athletic ability was no secret, either. >> i went to one of his track meets. he was so far in front of the rest of the students, he was gone. gone. >> reporter: junior high spanish class. the old teacher says the adversity he had then will serve

him well as the redskins new quarterback. >> we are in a small town of texas. being african-american, you know, they had other players in mind. you know, at certain time, his parents were worried that would stop him from being a quarterback. but he did it. >> reporter: with a smile as wide as a late summer day in texas is long and the same leadership qualities he exuded as a junior high schooler, according to one from his previous life, there's no better role model and leader for the burgundy and gold. >> i think he can. >> reporter: zachary quiche, news 4 sports. >> i cannot wait. he's the real deal. a wake-up call on the scale. when we come back, a local women shares how she kicked and punched her way to a 70 pound weight loss. >> frantic phone calls, plus

this -- >> i literally felt one of the bullets, like, fly past me. >> from the life of danger to the life of his own, a young artist shares why he wears more than his heart on his sleeve.

so you know the discovery channel does a lot of cool stuff, but check this out. they crashed a plane in the name of sinsz. they did it in the mexican desert as part of a new series called "curiosity." it was filled with crash test dummie dummies. it's pretty awesome. it's a call no one wants to get. a loved one in trouble and needs your help and needs it fast. a scam targeting seniors. liz crenshaw has more on how it works. >> hello?

>> it starts with a frantic phone call with someone claiming to be your grandchild. >> it's your granddaughter, you have to help me. i'm in deep trouble. >> reporter: this man did not want to be identified but wanted to expose the scam. the voice on the phone claimed to be his granddaughter stuck in jail in peru. >> i said what do you want me to do? she said i'll turn you over to an official from the american embassy. >> reporter: the grandparent was told to wire thousands of dollars to get her out of jail and back to the u.s. >> what you should do is go to your bank and don't answer any questions, just draw it out in cash. don't tell her parents or the authorities. that's what you have to do. >> reporter: at this point, our grandparent was hooked. you are thinking of doing this? >> yes.

yes. very much so. very much so. my adrenaline was flowing and my emotions were top of the chart. you are not thinking logically, you are thinking with your heart. >> they are smart, but they are vulnerable. the number one vulnerability is the love for their grandchildren. >> reporter: this money transfer scam preys on the grandparent's emotions. >> they want to protect and endulg their grandchildren. if they think they are in trouble, they are going to jump up in the middle of the night and wire the money to protect their grandchild. >> reporter: it sounds believable in many cases because they use information from social networking sites like facebook to get personal data about the grandchild so the call sounds more realistic. the fbi has been investigating this scam since 2008. it suggests grandparents follow these steps beforehanding over

cash. resist the pressure to act quickly. never wire money based on a request over the phone or through e-mail. never call back the number provided by the panicked caller. contact a family member to determine whether or not the call is legitimate. in the case of our grandparent, calling his daughter before going to the bank made all the difference. >> she said relax. relax. i called my daughter, your granddaughter in her dorm room in college. she is preparing for a 1:00 dallas. she's never been to peru. >> if you or a loved one happens to get one of these calls report the scammer to the better business bureau and the internet crime complaint center. links for the resources are on www.nbcwashington.com. just search grandparent. is a better figure worth

dying for? it's the question local women are asking themselves after undergoing an illegal procedure to boost their backside. we'll have their stories coming up and how one woman punched up ♪ ♪ we were skipping stones ♪ and letting go ♪ over the river and down the road ♪ [ female announcer ] at nature valley, we know nature comes together in amazing ways. that's why we bring together natural ingredients, like dark chocolate with toasted oats, or sweet golden honey. perfect combinations of nature's delicious ingredients, from nature valley. ♪ ♪ i was thinking that i hope this never ends ♪ [ female announcer ] nature valley granola bars, nature at its most delicious.

jennifer lopez, kim kardashian, nikki ma jonlg, all women known for their backsides. women are going to extreme and deadly measures to look like their favorite celebrities. we have more on this illegal procedure. >> i could have lost my life. i put my life in jeopardy. it could have failed me. i wish i went to the doctor. >> reporter: they asked we not show their faces. they underwent an illegal medical procedure to get their

backside enlarged. >> i had to know someone who knew someone. >> reporter: they say on multiple occasions they went to hotel rooms in d.c., maryland, virginia and philadelphia where they had someone inject them with silicone. it's called getting pumped. >> regular college students, housewives, working women, they come in and say i want the kim kardashian look. more recently, i want the nicki minaj look. >> reporter: the injections are illegal because they aren't safe. he's seeing more and more women developing complications. >> reaction to the skin where the skin turns dark. it's hard and leathery appearance to it. we have had an inflammatory reaction where the body makes scar tissue. over time, it descends with gravity. they have these, they feel like bowling balls at the bottom of

their buttocks pulling down. >>reporter: areas of her skin were lumpy. the doctor says in some cases, people giving the injections dilute the silicone with other substances including motor oil. that can cause kidney failure. last year, a woman died in philadelphia when the silicone traveled to her heart. maryland u.s. attorney says he became aware of the problem last year when federal agents arrested kimberly at this d.c. hotel. she was injecting clients with industrial grade silicone, the same substance used for furniture polish and mechanical equipment. one of her clients ended up in the hospital when it entered her lungs. she pleaded guilty to adulterated drugs. she faces up to five years in prison and $250 fine.

for ashlee and nicole, they are now under this doctors care. >> people are dying. do you really want to die to have a big butt? >> doreen gentzler, news 4. >> there are legal and safe procedures for enlarging your backside. the bottom line, silicone is not approved by the fda. moving on to fairfax county, a woman who fought her way to a slimmer body. she dropped 70 pounds through kick boxing. we got a chance to meet up with her in tyson's corner. we asked her, what's your workout. >> the heaviest i weighed was 211 pounds. i lad never seen that weight on me before. never associated with me before. gotta make a change, gotta do something. i was never fans of big box gyms. try boxing. >> it's a derivative of martial

arts. they are going to learn how to punch, kick, jab, hook, upper cuts, knee strikes, various elbow strikes in addition to a good cardiowork out. get with it. get with it. might do jumping jacks, push ups, sit ups, crunches, mountain climbers between bag work. 45 seconds. if you are working properly like you are supposed to be, you can burn 800 to 1 rks 000 calories a day. to the body. >> very engaging and tough. kick boxing, there's more legs, knees. there's more i can learn. there's different combinations. it kept challenging me. >> the legs are the largest muscle group in the body. you are working more of the overall body. hook cross elbow. it tones everything, abs,

obliqu obliques, core. >> my arms, legs are going to hurt. everything is going to hurt and be tired and exhausted. >> consistency. she says it all the time. people see her now as the end. they didn't see her at the beginning when she struggled for five or ten minutes to go through a class. she had to take a break after five or six minutes to catch your breath. >> it may not be your day today but come back in. one day will be your day. a passion for fashion turned his life around. a passion for fashion turned his l[ male announcer ] knowing your customers is important to any successful business. which is why at wells fargo, we work with you to get to know the unique aspects of your business. we can recommend financial solutions that can work for you that have helped millions of business owners save time, reduce expenses, and maximize cash flow. as the number one small business lender for nine years running... we're with you when you need us.

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he's gone from a near death experience to living a dream. a once troubled teen found the world of fashion and it saved his life. it wasn't until a tragedy rocked his high school that he got a second chance to make something

beautiful. >> a lot of times people see the clothes on the runway and wouldn't think twice as far as where the clothes came from. >> reporter: in his tiny apartment in alexandria, sam makes clothes, creations that put him face-to-face with fashion elite and on the runways with d.c.s biggest shows. the collection is called ugglee. >> i wondered if i take this word people use in such a negative way and turn it around and make something positive out of it. >> reporter: it proved a way out of a not so pretty past. he spent days going back and forth between d.c. and alexandria living a life surrounded by drugs and violence. >> i felt one of the bullets fly past me and that moment, i knew that tomorrow wasn't promised. i decided to turn my life around. you have to see this one.

>> reporter: soul searching led him to a fashion teacher at west potomac high. she convinced him to join a fashion contest. he didn't win, but it changed his life. he found his passion and soon realized he couldn't afford it. he had no money for college, a way to pursue his career. then, a bizarre twist of fate. in 2007, sam's classmate, another budding designer was one of four teens killed in a car crash. she just graduated from west potomac hours earlier. his father said he turned donations into a scholarship to help a student live a dream she never fulfilled. the student chosen was sam. >> she was still alive with me and she's going to be alive with the recipient, sam. so, you know, the longer we keep

the memory alive, the better. >> i see how blessed i am because not a lot of people get this type of chance. you know, this is like a second chance for me. every day, i try to make the best out of it for me and for her because i feel like i'm living not just for me, but her as well. >> reporter: in alexandria, virginia. news 4. he studies at the northern virginia community college. he hopes to transfer to fashion school in new york soon. that's all for news 4 this week. i'm veronica johnson. thanks for joining us. until next time, be safe, be kind, behappy. hope to see you back next time. achoo! nasal allergy symptoms

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