welcome to "news4 this week." hi, everyone. i'm veronica johnson. today some of the more interesting local stories making news this week. among them, the art of rap. rapper/actor and newly minted director ice-t stops by to talk about his new documentary. dangerous dogs, a new ruling on the safety of certain breeds sparks an emotional debate in maryland. and raising the barre. we'll check out the dance-inspired workout that helps some gym-goers drop several sizes. first up a debate forces adidas ko quickly cancel the

release of a new show. we look at the frenzy online. >> i can't get with the shackles. >> adilled today has hastily rae placed these shoes, with the shackles. on the facebook page, the shoe company asked, got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles? >> no, i don't like them. >> i don't think they're appropriate. >> critics and civil rights leaders said they were offensive and racist to african-americans. >> the image of sneakers having shackles draws too many images. >> rodney light has worn adidas since 1983. he applauds the company for cancelling their release. he says the shoes have no place in the marketplace. >> i think it's irresponsible. >> before deciding to cut production, adidas released a written statement, say, quote, the design is nothing more than jeremy scott's outrageous and unique take on fashion, and has

nothing to do with slavery. not everyone is mad at adidas. in fact some said they're cool, stylish and cutting edge. >> a shackle on a shoes? >> this guy only wears jeremy scott adidas. jerry scott designed the ones he's wearing. in northwest d.c. news 4. on to another debate, this one over pitbulls and how dangerous they are. maryland's highest court has already ruled that pitbull owners can be liable for dog bites. it's a decision that's unleashed a lot of emotions among residents. darcy spencer explains. >> a controversial maryland court ruling recently deemed pitbulls as inherently dangerous, prompting calls to have lawmakers take the bite out of the ruling through legislation. animal rites groups opposed the decision, except for p.e.t.a. >> we're again sort of mystified

that other animal welfare organizations don't see how this will protect dogs and can only benefit them by causing people to better care for then. >> the parents of a boy who was attacked testified before the board. >> they can be -- we have to be aware of the fact that they have the potential to inflict much more damage than your typical beagle, yorkie. >> the family's lawsuit prompted a court ruling stating that pitbulls are inherently dangerous and the owners and landlords could be held liable for dog bites. >> it's unfortunate that the negative stereotypes kind of get out and people listen to the media and that's what puts fear into people. in reality they're very friendly. >> they gave testimony at the task force's first meeting. >> i'm very concerned about the number of marylanders who will

be forced to choose between keeping their family pets or homes. >> but the parents say the advocates have their priorities mixed up. >> some of this has been ridiculous. >> why do you say ridiculous? >> i think people have innately not realized human beings come first. >> the saleskis were outnumbered by the animal rights groups. and. members of the task force expressed op temple that their recommendations would be ready in time for a special session that could be called next month to take on the issue here in maryland. in annapolis, darcy spencer, news4. it sounds tlik they have a lot more to talk into people using the bike share program are risking their safety every day. a new georgetown university found that only 33% of riders who use the bike share for daily commuting wear helmets. that's compared to 70% of riders

who wear helmets on their own private bikes. only 15% of casual bike-share yours wear helmets. bike-share members can get a 10% discount on a helmet purchase, in more than a dozen area stores that sell bike equipment. keep that in mind. wear that helmet. in care safety news, drivers in d.c. are more likely to have an accident than any other city in the u.s., according to allstate insurance, and knowing what to do when you're involved in a fender bender can make the headache of a minor crash less painful. liz crenshaw shows us what we need to know. >> bumper to bumper traffic is a perfect scenario for a fenner bender. >> crashes tend to breed more crashes. >> officer joe morrow of fairfax county police says rule number one -- don't leave the vehicles in the roadway. >> once you have determined that no one is hurt in the crash, move the vehicles off the road

onto a shoulder. even better, get goo a parking lot or somewhere onto a residential side street. >> do you need to call the please for a minor doesn't? not necessarily, but all jurisdictions told us do call the police if there are injuries, if the vehicles involved can't be moved out of the roadway and if there's major property damage. with a fender bender, your smartphone can be a real help. >> most people have phones with cameras, our if you have a camera with you, take pictures of the damage, document what happened. >> shoot the damage and shoot the license plates of the cars involved. next, exchange information. >> they say the most common mistake is not getting sufficient information. >> karen, the deputy commissioner for maryland insurance administration, says do get the driver's name, address, insurance information, the make and model and license plate information for both vehicles. also, note the time of day, weather conditions, and contact information for anyone who might have witnessed the accident.

next, do call your insurance company, but that doesn't mean you're going to file a claim. >> the factors that you should consider is what your deductible is. it's -- the claim is -- would be less than your deductible. certainly you shouldn't make a claim, or if it's very close to your deductible or you can afford to pay out of possibility. >> carefully considering whether to file a claim is important. you don't want to make too many claims your insurance company may not renew your policy. and understand your policy provisions. >> individuals need torres that the insurance company is only going to pay a certain amount, not necessarily what the actual cost was. >> one more thing. when your car ends up in the shop, insurance companies often have the right to use reconditioned parts or parts not necessarily made by your vehicle's manufacturer. unless your policy states otherwise.

liz crenshaw, news4. yeah, i know, it's always a headache. hopefully that will make it a little less painful. as a driver, though, you should always have your car insurance information with you. if the other driver does not have insurance or driver's license, that's when you need to call the police. well, it's an everyday danger that's in plain sight. >> and i thought, you know, it can't be doing too much harm. >> what you need to know about staying safe in the sun, and why protecting yourself is about to get a little trickier. she lost her legs in an accident, but she didn't lose her spirit. how this paralympic athlete is preparing to win another medal. and what

♪ spacious skies oh, yeah, we have a new chance to hear what legendary musicians like ray charles had to say about their profession

and personal lives. retired music mogul joe mist is donating more than 200 audio interviews to the library of congress. they including unedited conversations with stephen tyler, paul mccartney, and ella fitzgerald, just to name a few. they'll be available at the library and online. love that. ice-t is stepping onto the other side of the camera. he made a directorial debut on the documentary about rap. he told barbara about exploring the roots. >> what made you decide to do this? >> i've been watching american consult dural, and they have rapping weathermen out there. i'm listening, and i'm look, do they really know where it comes from? it's easy to play with stuff if you don't know the origin or how serious it is. hip-hop was a culture born in the south bronx, now is a fabric

of america. le mailman has his hat tilted. that's hip-hop. so you're trying to figure it out. i called my friends, let's do a film. i'm not going to ask you about the money the cars or the girls. i'm going to ask about the craft. the movie was huge at sundance action and now a theatrical release, which is unheard of for a documentary. >> you say the music today doesn't reflect what's going on. even the rappers aren't talking about what's really happening in the world today? >> if you listen to music today, it doesn't reflect people losing their homes, unemployment, the issues in wall street. it just says we're all having fun, we're all rich and having fun -- maybe it's an escape, but i miss the conscious music that talks about what's going on. >> do you think that hip-hop has become nonracial? does it belong to both black and white? >> yes, i think eminem broke down that barrier. he's in the film, one of the

incredible rappers. any art form, as long as you prove to people you're serious about it and not making a mockery, you'll be let inside. people are protective of their craft, but it doesn't really matter. you have black opera singers. i mean, i had a rock band. it doesn't really matter, as long as you're doing it correctly. >> what's next, quickly? >> i just want to direct. >> you like that now? >> i want to direct. people out there that haven't seen the film can go to the art of rap.com and see the trailer. >> all right. great interview. getting fit is about to get graceful. coming up the new workout method inspired by dance. and why using sunscreen [ male announcer ] olympic tennis players bob and mike bryan do a lot of sending... and receiving. sending...and receiving. sending...and receiving. sending...and receiving. sending...and receiving. [ bob ] i got the tickets. [ male announcer ] and with citibank popmoney, it's even easier to keep sending...and receiving. let me get you back. no, it's on me.

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[ female announcer ] hamburger helper stroganoff. beefy. creamy. stroganoffy. helpers. forty dishes, all delicious. and news for your health now. knowing how to use the right amount of sunscreen could get a lot more confusing. manufacturers are starting to change product labels to comply with those new fda regulations.

doreen gentzler breaks it down on how to keep your skin safe. >> being in the sun makes you feel good. you know, it kind of gets the endorphins going. >> amy wall drop loved to be tan as a teenager, between lying in the sun and using tanning bets, she said she always maintained a glow. >> i, you know, didn't think twice about it. i thought, you know, it can't be doing too much harm. so little did i know. >> that's because years later she developed melanoma on her back and arm. she underwent surgery to remove the tumors, but it let her with deep scars. dr. siraj vana says the best way to prevent skin cancer is by using sunscreen, yet it can be confusing. >> there's a large electric con, and there really hasn't been any bona fide testing. >> for example, many sun screens

boast they're waterproof, water resistance or sweatproof, yet the doctor says those things don't mean anything, because manufacturers haven't done any testing to determine how long a product will actually last on the skin when it comes into contact with water. >> and so the problem with waterproof is that every time you go into the ocean and you're in and out, it's just going to wipe off. so i think patients have a false sense of security. >> under the fda's new guidelines, sun screens will now be labeled either water resistant for 40 minutes or 80 minutes, an indicator of when people need to reapply. dr. vana says another issue is there's no evidence with products with an spf above 50 actually give additional protection, so to comply with the new rules manufacturers will eventually stop making them. >> they'll want to use at least an spf 30. anything under that is for daily use is probably okay, but going to the beach you'll want to use at least spf 30.

>> amy says she gets regular skin checkups from her doctor so he can keep an eye out on any recurrences. she extremely cautious out in the skin using lots of sunscreen wide-brimmed hats and sun glasses. >> people think that things will never happen to them. i think you just have to be vigilant and not assume. doreen gentzler, news4. i just made a note, at least spf 30 for going to the beach. all right. if you've ever wanted that long, lean body of a dancer, then check out this workout. it's a combination of yoga, pilates, and dance that's done at a ballet barre, but this class isn't for the prima ballerinas. people say it's one of the toughest classes they have ever taken. so we asked them, what's your workout? ♪ >> double time, little pulse, pulse -- >> definitely a fits in class, it's not a dance class. >> it's so much harder than i

ever thought it was going to be. >> i've dropped about three sizes. i wear clothes that i have not worn since college. >> down an inch and up, down an inch and up. >> what i tell my friends is it combines pilates, yoga and dance movements. there's music in the background that serves as a tempo for the workout and it's high energy. >> draw the leg up. >> the focus is definitely on toning and strength training, but not bodybuilding, you will not bulk up to where you're huge. definitely streamlining the muscles. >> we generally start with a warm-up, get the heart rate up and blood flowing. we target your seat, your thighs, your absence and upper bodies. >> right and left. good. >> an example would be walking up to the ballet barre, put you are your feet into a pizza shape, demi 1st, stand nice and tall and pulse there. to isolate your thighs. >> imagine that seat

contracting. >> then we get into the seat work. thighs and seat are the big push of the class. that's the time where everyone is shaky, and having to focus on that isolation work. >> very, very small movements, so there's never a break, you never straighten the leg and let the muscle relax. it's always just pain, which -- or intensity. >> our mantra is be strong, be focused, be energized. and i think that's says a lot about the method. it's not an aerobics class. we're not jumping around. really anybody can do it, even though it's really challenging. it's something you have to -- we're isolating one muscle at a time even while we're working every major muscle group. >> it's the only exercise that i've actually stuck with. >> it's really high energy and you're using muscles in a way you don't use them in any other exercise or daily life at any point. >> and one up, good. barre workouts have been popular in new york for quite

some time now, but recently a bunch of studios have been popping up in the washington, d.c. acres area, so check them out. she served her country in the military. now she's serving the country as one of the most inspirational athletes, headed to london this summer. [ male announcer ] ever wonder what's behind two little fleas? the next generation and then countless more. how do you kill them? frontline plus. it uses two ingredients. one to kill adult fleas and ticks. plus another to eliminate flea eggs and larvae, annihilating the next generation of fleas. and, frontline plus works non-stop for thirty days. no wonder it's the number one choice of vets for their pets and yours. ask your vet about frontline plus. accept nothing less.

we're getting a look at the possible future of the verizon center. sports team owner ted leonsis is asking to update the signs on the building's exterior with new electronic billboards. the d.c. council would have to grant an exemption from the city's billboard law for that to happen. some neighbors saying they're worried those new signs will add to the light pollution in gallery place, but leonsis says the lights will look better, in fact emit less light. hmm, we'll see how that turns out. . the olympics are a huge highlight of the summer and the paralympics are also taking place in london. carrie miller is looking to add

to her medals. zachary kiesch has the story. >> if it's true a champion is made not by what they accomplish, but what they overcome, carrie miller is golden. >> i used to serve my country in the u.s. army. then i was hit by a drunk driver and lost my legs. but that didn't change a thing, because i still serve my country. i just wear a different uniform. >> in 1999, miller had at least two good reasons to just throw in the towel on life, but instead of using the loss of both legislation as a scapegoat, she used tragedy as a tool to positively impact others. >> well, i had no choice but to. my mom and my family are really strong. if we're alive, we're going to keep it moving. >> it's that mind-set, an able to chart a new course in the light of despair, has allowed her to be an advocate for

service americans around the world. >> the component is getting them physically active off the bat, they don't have time to sit around, woe is me, when they have the opportunity to do this now, and i can still do this. because for me being physically injured is more about figuring out how to do the things you want to do, now if you can. >> but it's miller's goal as a member of the usa paralimpic volley ball team that she is best known for. and you'll be happy to know she's headed to london. >> did you ever then 10 years ago you would have the title olympian associated with you? >> absolutely not. that's what's so crazy. >> if you think you have seen her, you have. miller's commercial for citi's every step program raises money to introduce wounded service members to paralympic sports. >> out of the athletes they chose, they donated a portion of that $500,000 to the program

that you're representing. mine is the paralympic military program. >> if you ascribe to the idea that everything happens for a reason, you can acknowledge that what happened is horrible, but know that miller's impact on society has been much greater than her loss. >> i've been sad, i feel bad. i can't ware may stilettos, i'm upset, but you feel itened you move on. >> zachary kiesch, news4 sports. so why not get up and be inspired? thanks, carrie. that's all for news4 this week. i'm veronica johnson. until next time, remember, be safe, be kind, be happy.

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