♪ welcome to "news4 this week." >> hi, everyone. i'm veronica johnson, and we're going to show you some of the more interesting local stories making news this week. among them, a stinging battle between neighbors, a swarm of hornets is keeping one man from his backyard, and he says the guy next door is to blame. plus, sounding the alarm on alarm companies. we take a look at some vicious sales tactics that could cost you. and making headlines again, redskins owner dan snyderays his team is looking for a new home, and that has local leaders scrambling to earn the team's business. the district has a booming beer business. several breweries call d.c. home, and now liquor is back in the city for the first time in

100 years with the opening of a new distillery. as tom sherwood reports, green hat gin is part of the movement to redevelop part of the city's old warehouse district. >> reporter: thousands of commuters pass by the old hex department store warehouse on new york avenue northeast, an industrial area transforming into new retail or residential housing. and just off of new york on little finrick street is a boozy neighbor, new columbia distilleries, makers of green hat gin. >> it is not a hobby. you know, you have to get a federal license to do distilling. it's not like home-brewed. >> reporter: amid old-school vinyl lps played on a turntable and up-to-the-minute digital record-keeping, they're making a couple thousand cases of gin and business is booming. mayor vincent gray held a meeting at greenhat, promoting local businesses as it shrinks. >> it's yet another example of the city becoming more

self-reliant. >> reporter: and ward 5 council member kenyan mcduffie praised a new five-year plan to speed up the area's redevelopment. >> this is a prime example of how government can work with the community, how government can work with businesses. >> reporter: co-owner and father-in-law michael lowe is a retired lawyer who got bored and teamed up with his son in law to learn the business. it's not the same as beer. >> and we discovered that d.c. hadn't had a distillery in 100 years. >> we've almost doubled our production in the last year. >> key question, are you making money? >> we're keeping the lights on and we're hiring employees, so, that's what's important. we're having fun. >> reporter: in the district, tom sherwood, news4. >> hey, and it sounds exciting. now, greenhat says it's already looking to expand its operations and is working on a winter gin for the changing seasons, of course. well, a young father's lucky to be alive and he knows it. he collapsed and went into

cardiac arrest while jogging in rockwell park, pushing his children in a stroller. it happened in may and a woman in the park called 911 and administered cpr to michael lew until an ambulance arrived. lew was in a coma for 11 days. this week, he met and thanked the woman responsible for saving his life. heather von kurtz and her daughter, alexandria were honored by the rescue department. >> while i was in a coma and my outcome uncertain, my wife, mary, was most sad that our son nathan may not have memories of baba and our yet to be born daughter might never meet her father. thank you for giving me a second lease on life and family. >> they also celebrated michael's 32nd birthday, which happens to be this week. well, it's being called a game-changer for virginia's economy. four major energy companies have agreed to work together to build natural gas pipeline that will run through the state. it would run from harrison

county, west virginia, southeast through virginia with an extension to chesapeake and then south into north carolina. well, an independent study found that construction alone would bring in $1.5 billion to virginia and support more than 8,800 new jobs. once complete, it would continue to bring in more than $37 million a year. that's a lot of money. and support, about 188 jobs. but the pipeline doesn't come without controversy. land owners in its path worry that it could reduce property values, threaten water supplies and keep tourists away. well, there is a new exhibit at the national zoo featuring these guys. they're bison from montana. one is named zora, the other wilma. students at howard and galudette universities named them because the bison is the mascot for both schools. they were in the first exhibit 125 years ago. the zoo brought them back to honor its birthday this year.

ah, hornets, they're stirring up trouble in fairfax county. a homeowner tells news4 that, well, he can't even go into his own backyard because of the swarm that's around his neighbor's tree. he says the neighbor just won't get rid of it. news4's shemari stone is on the job and went to get answers from the homeowners association. >> it's frustrating. >> reporter: john albert says he can't barbecue in his backyard in the loft ridge limelight community in fairfax county. >> my backyard, which is essentially a sanctuary, is a paperweight, and it just doesn't seem fair. >> reporter: take a look. hornets showed up two weeks ago, and they've taken over, swarming around this tree. they can be aggressive, sting him at any moment. so, his grill, fire pit and lounge chairs are neglected. >> it's a complete loss of use of a space. >> reporter: here's the problem. the tree that appears to be dead is planted in his neighbor's backyard. it's next to the fence they share. john says his neighbor won't remove the hornets. i tried to ask him about it. hey, how's it going?

>> good. >> reporter: my microphone and camera's on. i'm a reporter for nbc news 4. we wanted to ask you about the hornets in the backyard. do you have anything -- john told me he called a pest company. >> the company couldn't do anything because they wouldn't allow spraying of the tree on his property. >> reporter: what about the homeowners association? president mary quigley. >> at this point, it is a neighbor-to-neighbor dispute, so there is nothing that the board and homeowners asciation can do. we're responsible for the common areas, not individual houses. >> reporter: so, that leaves john buzzing for another answer. he'll have to wait for the hornets to leave when they're ready or just maybe his neighbor will change his mind. >> it's unfair to me to have this going on. >> reporter: in fairfax county, shemari stone, news4. >> ooh, i hope they worked that out. well, they are placing their bets in the thousands. the huge number of gamblers that checked out maryland's new casino in the first weekend. and hang on to your trash. how much you'll be shelling out if you don't and if your trash doesn't end up in the right place.

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♪ ah, home security, it's a competitive business, and now there's a warning about homeowners being taken advantage of as consumer reporter erika gonzalez explains. it's easier than you think to fall for those high-pressure sales. >> disarmed. >> reporter: margaret newton sets her home security alarm system where she lives in prince george's county every day. she says it makes her feel safe. >> i had some friends who had it, so they were satisfied, so i got it. >> reporter: but recently, a stranger showed up at her door, a salesman from a different security company wanting newton to switch services. >> windows on. >> and right away, i'm already frustrated. no, no, no, i don't want it. >> reporter: newton got a phone call the next day, asking if the salesman could stop by. >> and he was very polite and all. >> reporter: the salesman convinced newton she was on a month-to-month contract with her existing security company, and he promised to sell her a

wireless alarm system so she would no longer so to replace batteries. he also told newton the company's local, so it would be easy to get someone out for a maintenance, unlike her current company, located in california. newton was sold. >> most of the time, i read everything, but this particular time, he was so friendly and so talking, so i agree. i say, well, okay. i signed the contract. >> reporter: but everything newton said she was promised ended up not true. the company was not local. the alarm system was not wireless. and she's now stuck with two contracts. so, now she gets a bill from both companies for about $50 a month. >> i said, look, i'm on fixed income. i can't afford to pay for two security systems. >> it is something that seems to be a pattern that we see with a lot of security companies. >> reporter: karen straughn is assistant attorney general in maryland. >> when someone comes to your door, you are in a place where you are very comfortable, and

you are not expecting a sale, you haven't planned ahead. >> reporter: straughn says the high-pressure sales pitch is well executed. >> the security companies tend to hire young college kids, and they bring them in from out of state, and they go door to door and they try to sign up as many people as possible. >> reporter: and they move fast. that's to prevent consumers from changing their minds. and here's what you need to know. >> it's not illegal. >> reporter: but there is a law that protects consumers. the federal trade commission has what's called a cooling off rule. consumers have three days to cancel purchases made inside your home. and that was included in newton's contract, but she said the company never answered her phone call and never responded to letters she sent as certified mail. >> it makes me feel abused, used. it makes me feel bad about mankind. >> reporter: erika gonzalez, news4. >> margaret newton filed a complaint with maryland's

attorney general's office. if you have a similar dispute, you can also file a complaint with the attorney general's office in your state. well, we've listed links to those sites on nbcwashington.com. just search "complaint" and we'll be able to help a little. well, opening just before the holiday weekend appears to have given maryland's newest casino a huge boost. the horseshoe casino in baltimore says more than 50,000 people visited the casino over labor day weekend. its location near the city's stadium seems to be driving a lot of traffic there. the opening wasn't free of controversy, though. more than 15,000 people packed the casino on opening night, leading management to tell some people they just couldn't get in, and over the weekend, a fight broke out in a line for pizza! ugh. well, you'll want to think twice before tossing your trash on the ground in d.c. or out of the window. the district is cracking down on people who litter. pedestrians who are caught littering will be handed a $75

ticket. you'll also be fined for dumping trash in both public and private areas. same holds true for waterways around the district. if you or a passenger tosses trash out of your window while driving, you'll be slapped with a $100 ticket. don't need that, so don't do it. well, when "news4 this week" returns, helping to heal abused children. the unique way one d.c. group is meeting needs and changing minds. plus, ah, she could be america's newest next great swimming star. we catch up with bethesda's swimming star. we catch up with bethesda's

to prove a point about internet speeds, we slowed down an up escalator. this is crazy i don't get it, this one is working ladies, shouldn't up be as fast as down? yeah. shouldn't internet speeds match as well? yes. do your socks match? my socks match. do your eyeballs match? yes. cable does not match the speeds. makes you want to go mad. erggggh. only verizon fios comes with speedmatch - upload speeds as fast as your download speeds join now at fiosspeedmatch.com verizon.

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how about a shake instead? [bell rings] waitress: welcome to denny's! ♪ this week in our "changing minds" series, helping some of the smallest victims of abuse. eun yang reports on one organization that's using things like toys to help stop some of the tears. it's a unique method of therapy to help heal abused children. >> reporter: they look like

regular toys, doll houses, action figures, an array of animals and people, but these carefully curated pieces play an important role in giving abused children the help they need. >> they don't often have words for things that happen. and when they play it out, they don't have to have words. >> reporter: cindy bridgeman is the director of clinical services at safe shores, the only child advocacy center in d.c. it is a place where children go to tell their stories and therapists work to counsel these young victims. >> in here, they will demonstrate making dinner, and they'll make dinner for us sometimes. but sometimes, this is where they'll talk about how they didn't have enough food or how pots and pans went flying through the air when mommy got angry. >> reporter: a majority of children who come through safe shores are victims of sexual abuse, and 90% of child sexual abuse is committed by someone who knows the child. >> and a real big issue with chin at this age, children

of any age, who's been abused is trust. >> reporter: joy riley was sexually abused in elementary school. >> i was experiencing pieces of nightmares and not understanding. >> reporter: she suffered from debilitating depression and suicidal thoughts. >> you don't think it's depression, because you just think that, well, nobody really cares about me, because why would they do this to me? >> reporter: riley says a place like safe shores could have helped her deal with her anger and self-destruction and understand that the abuse was not her fault. >> because talking about it was the piece that i did not necessarily have, being comfortable enough to talk about, because no one really wanted to talk about it. >> an unresolved trauma, especially one that occurs through abuse, has the possibility of creating anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, inability to sleep. >> reporter: that's why bridgeman says it is critical that abused children receive the

therapy they need quickly. >> they've learned that they can no longer have to accept the victimization but that they can actually be thrivers and successful, more than a survivor. >> reporter: eun yang, news4 washington. >> and as always, you can learn more about the safe shores program and mental illness on our special "changing minds" website. that's on nbcwashington.com. well, the redskins have some big plans, and it has nothing to do with the team name. up next, dan snyder's efforts to build a new stadium and the rush by area leaders to court him. i was just looking at your credit report site.

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♪ well, how does an olympic gold medalist spend her summer? well, breaking world records, of course. local swimming sensation katie ledecky is just back from australia, where she broke not one, but two world records while

swimming for team usa. she broke three others this summer as well, and michael phelps, who is now one of her teammates, has been singing her praises. >> it means a lot it me. he's a great person on our team, and it's fun to have him back on a u.s. team, and it's just, we all just really enjoyed having him on the team as a role model and as another great swimmer on the team. >> and what a team it's been. katie is in her senior year at stoneridge school in bethesda. after that, she'll head out west to attend stanford and swim on the team there. well, it's a story that everyone has been talking about this week. the redskins, they're already planning their next home. well, that's what owner dan snyder told comcast sportsnet. but where and when the team will make their first touchdown, oh, that's still the big question. >> we start meeting with architectural firms. we're in the process of developing, because it is a long-term to do it. you don't just build a stadium and find the site and start

breaking ground. it does take time. >> oh, for sure. this is exciting. so, the big question, again, is where is that stadium going to be built? snyder says the options are open and that has a lot of team leaders, leaders around this area from maryland, d.c., virginia, all angling to become the next home of the redskins. the team played in d.c. at rfk stadium until 1997, when fedex field was opened. since then, d.c. leaders have been fighting to bring the team back. councilman jack evans says that moving the team to maryland hasn't worked. >> the access is terrible, and if you're going to relocate a stadium in maryland or even virginia, you're into the same problem. there's no way of getting there, there's no metro, whereas rfk, we have a metro, a large metro right on site, two access roads and 10,000 parking spaces. >> mm-hmm, okay, sure. so, here's the other side. virginia governor terry mcauliffe says not so fast, the commonwealth is the perfect place for a new stadium, and

their affiliate in richmond says the governor has already talked with snyder about bringing the team to virginia. >> every player lives in the commonwealth of virginia. about 65% of the season ticket holders are virginians. so, this makes sense for us to look at it. >> here's the part i like, snyder says he wants to go retro with the new design of the stadium and he wants it to look a lot like and feel like rfk did. there's also been talk of the stadium being domed. snyder says his ultimate goal is to bring the super bowl to the d.c. region. now, that would be exciting. well, that's all for "news4 this week." i'm veronica johnson. as always, thanks for joining us. we leave you with a cool time-lapse of a recent storm that blew through the d.c. area. until next time, be safe, be kind. remember, be happy.

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the search for a missing pilot and his wife. this morning what went wrong. plus hear the radio calls for help moments before the plane veered off course. storm team 4 tracking the potential for rain, thunder and a lot of wind later today. good morning, everybody. i'm chris gordon. >> i'm angie goff. welcome to this saturday edition of "news4 today". we want to start with your chances for that stormy afternoon. storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell is tracking the timing of it all. chuck, good morning to you. >> good morning. weekend off to a quiet start