welcome to "news4 welcome to "news 4 this week." >> hi, i'm veronica johnson. we're going to show you some of the more interesting local stories making news this week. among them a storm helps uncover history. we peel back the layers on some beautiful paintings that no one seemed to even know about. . >> he's smaller than you but he's carrying an important message. how a kid cop is helping to protect people his size. pull up a stool to the office keg. the local company giving employees a boost with a unique offering. a local woman may have been moments away from killing herself or somebody else when she was saved by a stranger. a man named frederick pickering spotted her suv moving slowly,

weaving near the reston metro station this week. he sped up, saw her passed out behind the wheel. this man who is hearing impaired took action. >> translator: i didn't know what i was going to do but i had to help the person who was in the car. i jumped out of the my truck and ran toward the vehicle. the door was locked. i tried to get in and i looked and saw that the driver was slumped over. >> the woman crashed into his car which was the only thing that stopped her from going down a hill and picking up speed. she eventually woke up and police believe she suffered a seizure. she's believed to be okay. it's a capitol hill institution. yeah, it's set to make a comeback more than a decade after going up in flames. fragert harwell will be rebuilt along pennsylvania avenue southeast in its original home. you may recall the fire that destroyed the store. investigators say a discarded

cigarette was likely the cause. they'd been doing business at that site since 1920. the real estate company roadside development is heading up construction of the new store and plans to hold community meetings about the new development. is. the next phase of a makeover, the national mall is now under way. it's going to have a huge impact on visitors. the section you see on the map in green now has new grass laid down. the section of red between 7th and 12th is fenced off so crews can start restoring the turf there. the work will continue over the next 18 months, so no one's allowed on the grass. the national park service says this will help sustain the mall. about 25 million people visit the mall annually, that 91 expected to increase to 42 million over the next two decades. a lot of feet. there's a new way to grab attention of drivers and possibly save the life of a child in montgomery county. a giant stop sign on buses tells drivers exactly what to do.

but over and over, some of them ignore those signs and the law. news 4's zachary key shows how a kid cop is now getting that message across. >> hey, mister! down here. >> he's small but the message is loud and clear. >> respect the bus. >> reporter: his real job is a student at parkland magnet middle school. >> there's a lot of things that i want to do but the main thing is i want to be the ceo of my own company. >> reporter: impressive young man now getting attention as the lead in a new public awareness campaign in montgomery county to encourage drivers to respect the school bus. and to get people's attention, they did a little role reversal. >> you illegally passed the stopped school bus. i'm placing you in time-out. >> there's a very serious subject, but when you look at our kid cop in action, it makes you realize how selfish we are.

>> reporter: last year the state of maryland passed a law allowing cameras on school buss to snap shots of people who don't stop. montgomery county has added 25. >> we've had over 700 violations in the first eight months of the program. and that's way too many. >> i was showing people with humor to not pass stopped school buses and to respect the bus. >> reporter: those who are caught passing stopped buses get a $125 citation in the mail, or even worse, hurt one of these guys. >> could seriously consider, we do have fast cars. >> i think he's got a career started. two new driving laws are now in effect in maryland that will keep you safe on the roads. one of the big ones, texting while driving. if you cause an accident and someone gets hurt or is killed, you can face up to a year in jail and $5,000 fine.

also the state's move over law is now expanded to tow trucks. if you see those lights flashing, get out of the way. >> i was in the car with a friend and we were driving down 270. and she didn't move over. we got pulled over. honestly neither of us had any idea. i know about that one now. >> for sure. people who don't comply with the new changes to the move over law could be fined $110. when you work out in the district you won't just be paying for it physically. d.c.'s so-called yoga tax is now in effect just three months earlier than originally scheduled. the nearly 6% tax impacts a lot more than just yoga. you've got health clubs, bowling alleys, car washes, and even water delivery services will start charging the new tax. the national mall is filled with art. but nothing quite like this. the portrait that's change is the landscape of america's front yard. and modern apartments in a

shipping container. we take you inside the new complex. we thought our cable internet was fast. but, our uploads are half the speed of our downloads so our internet is really half-fast. so half-fast. someone did a half-fast job posting our vacation pics. when i post my slow jams, i'm a little half fast totally half fast stop living with half fast internet. only verizon fios comes with speedmatch - uploads as fast as downloads. so his homework won't be so half-fast? that is up to him. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v

they're used to ship goods but some d.c. residents can call these big metal shipping containers home. we first told you about the new sea container apartments being built in northeast d.c. in july, and now the buildings are done. it's designed as shared housing. there's a large common area with a living room and kitchen on each floor along with six bedrooms, each of those with its own study and bathroom. the building's in brooklyn and they look pretty awesome. it seemed like your average repair job. fixing an old plaster wall after superstorm sandy. but as the owners of a local restaurant started working on that leak they never imagined they'd be literally uncovering history.

here's more on an amazing art discovery. >> the old angler's inn in potomac is 160 years old. it's been an inn, a general store, a home, and now a restaurant. now though it's also quite a history lesson. a lesson the owners found behind the walls. >> the leak started right here. and just pouring out. we noticed that there was color. >> reporter: color, an old painting hiding behind layer after layer of plaster. >> got down to the painting and there it was, intact. >> reporter: paintings behind the old angler's inn's plaster walls. how many and how long had they been there? >> so we stayed here until 3:00 in the morning, were able to unearth this man. >> reporter: carefully peeling away the dining room's paint and plaster took months. >> with warm water and soap, slowly but surely wipe away the plaster. >> reporter: but the effort, worth it. when they were done whimsical

wall to wall paintings of the sea and canal. >> they're beautifully done and the colors are great. >> reporter: mark's parents bought the inn in the 1950s. he now remembers seeing some of the paintings when he was a child. but with so many questions the family has pulled in an art conservator. >> there's probably a lot more going on underneath this orange and green. >> reporter: olin has scraped paint samples to help determine how old these paintings are. >> we try to look beyond the styles and start focusing on the materials, the manner of application. >> reporter: he thinks past water damage means some of the walls have been retouched over the years. >> in this area we they initially uncovered it, how complete and well-articulated the figures are. then as you get back here, it gets a little bit more murky. >> reporter: best guess on when they were painted? >> i there throw out a broad guess of mid to late>a '20s tod

to late '50s. >> reporter: olin says the artist was likely not a professional but still quite talented. >> we can tell that by the brush stroke, the thinness, the application of the paint. >> reporter: the stories these paintings could tell, the changes they've seen. >> what will be interesting, once we start to uncover the repaint. >> i think they make the room look unbelievable. >> it was the one exciting leak we had. >> results should be back in a month. once the owners know what's original and what might not be original, they can decide how they want to conserve the paintings. >> for sure well worth it, i think it adds so much. speaking of much, take a look at this. the national mall is now home did a new six-acre peat of artwo artwork. you're going to need a ticket to the top of the washington monument to see the whole thing. check out the view from the observation deck. the artist says it's a take on

the classic phrase e.pluribus unum which translates to "out of many, one." it's a face composite of dozens of photos he's taken here in washington. the artwork is located next to the reflecting pool. he's held powerful positions but also been powerless in the face of addiction. patrick kennedy opens up about his struggles and his commitment to changing minds about mental illness and fighting the stigma surrounding eating disorders, what one group is asking congress to do.

[ high-pitched ] nailed it! [ normal voice ] you're right, that was really easy. i know, i told you so. on progressive.com, you can compare our progressive direct rates with our competitors' rates, so shopping is easy. you don't sound like flo. [high-pitched] yeah, i do. [ clears throat ] who you talking to? [ normal voice ] what? what's on your hand? noth-- my wedding ring. [chuckles] symbol of our love and understanding. comparing rates for you. now that's progressive. [ high-pitched ] nailed it!

one of the wendy's is talking about some of his demons. former congressman patrick kennedy opened up about his addictions and bipolar disorder. kennedy says instead of shying away from a topic some people think is taboo, he's talking about it. and that may start changing minds when it comes to how we treat the mentally ill.

years of continuous sobriety. so that means i haven't used a drink or taken a mood-altering or mind-altering chemical in three and a half years. >> reporter: for patrick ((ñ sobriety an now go hand in hand. to stay sober if he's going to make a change in the way we handle mental illness in america. >> it's setting a new pattern in my life where, you know, sobriety is the norm, not the exception. and that takes a lot of focus. and frankly, as a result of that, i'm able to make a better -- do a bñuj job advocating for mental health. >> reporter: kennedy has had a long and public battle with addiction. he admitted using cocaine as a teenager and to abusing drugs and alcohol while a college student. he sought treatment for an addiction to pain killers in 2006 after crashing his car late one night on capitol hill.

later, he revealed his diagnosis of bipolar disorder was connected to his substance abuse problems. after another stint in rehab in 200 nip, he eventually stepped down from congress so that he could focus on getting better. >> i've had the best chance of my life to really secure long-term sobriety because -- you know, i'm not in the spotlight, i don't have to worry about all the other things that seem important like i did when i was in congress. >> reporter: but he really hasn't stepped too far out of the spotlight. now he's focusing much of his time on advocating for better treatment of the mentally ill. >> -- the fact that this is simply about treating the brain, like any other organ of the body. >> reporter: spending a lot of time at events like this. the national alliance on mental illnesses' annual conference here in washington evidentarlie month. >> treat mental illness the same as every other illness.

>> reporter: kennedy says his main focus is eliminating discrimination when it comes3 t insurance coverage for mental health. something he faced in his own life. >> the mentally ill are often powerless. they're marginalized and discriminated against. and but for the fact that i was a kennedy and a member of congress, you know, i faced all that and i got denied care -- but i got to get care because i had power. >> reporter: not an option for most americans. and that's why kennedy says our laws, enforcement, and attitudes about mental illness must change. >> this is the test of our humanity today is whether we're going to treat each other as we ourselves would want to be treated simply because we have a brain issue as opposed to any other physical health issue. a group of activists are committed to changing minds

about a deadly group of mental illnesses, eating disorders. they rallied on capitol hill to urge congress to pass legislation that calls for new research and education on eating disorders as well as appropriate treatment. they say 20% of people with serious eating disorders die without treatment. one local participant who lost a friend to the illness says she's frustrated. >> the moms and dads who are here today who have lost their loved ones -- didn't have to. and that's why i need to it pass. it's just ridiculous. this is a totally treatable disease. i don't know what it's going to take, a member of congress to lose their son or daughter to a eating disorder? >> the activists hope to make the rally an annual event. see more stories on our special "changing minds" section on our website and more information about both substance abuse and mental health. head over to nbcwashington.com. search "changing minds."

we'll talk around an office perk here. a local company has tapped a keg for its employees. butf& it's not beer that's flowing. we're going to have that story next. we thought our cable internet was fast.

but, our uploads are half the speed of our downloads so our internet is really half-fast. so half-fast. someone did a half-fast job posting our vacation pics. stop living with half-fast internet. only verizon fios comes with speedmatch - uploads as fast as downloads. so his homework won't be so half-fast. that is up to him. get a fios triple play online for just $89.99 a month and get $300 back with a two year agreement. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v

i apologize. i should have told you to get ready for this next story, because you see, i'm ready. i've got my cup ready to go. it is that morning cup of joe that will wake you up. but a morning keg of joe? that's another thing entirely. the new office feature is really giving workers a jolt here in the commonwealth. >> reporter: it isn't the kind of thing the boss would typically okay. a keg in the office? unless, of course, it's filled with coffee. >> have you had a chance to try the coffee out of the keg yet? >> i still treat it like beer. every time i pour the keg, i tilt the cup and try to get a perfect pour, then i realize,

oh, no. just coffee. >> reporter: more than 15 gallons of java. in a keg. complete with a tap. it's served cold, in shots. >> we can fit three kegs in the keggerator. that is a jolt too, a very strong cup of coffee, butíh it gets you to a point where you can finish that day and have that energy you need. >> reporter: disruption corporation is the first business in the area to put one in the office. based in crystal city, disruption invests in hot high-tech companies. nothing like a jolt of joe to keep the creative juices flowing. >> it definitely gives us a good jolt. thursday mornings are always rough. we end up staying here late on wednesdays. >> reporter: local coffee roaster commonwealth joe has been tasked with keeping the barrel full all day. so workers can go on quite the caffeine bender if they choose. but it is also about productivity. instead of running down the street for coffee, workers just walk across the room. >> people that work in tech companies work long hours, late into the night or really early

in the morning. anything that can improve their productivity whenever they want to work is something that's good for them and that's good for us. >> reporter: so will the keg-o-coffee increase productivity? give rise to a different kind of keg stand? stay tuned. they just installed it in crystal city. >> okay, we're getting a keggerator! fill her up. that's all for "news 4" this week. i'm veronica johnson. thanks for joining us. we leave you with more of that uncovered art from the old angler's inn. until next time remember, be safe, be kind, be happy. bye-bye, everybody.

it's easy for politicians to forget that taxpayer money actually comes out of your pocket. i'm peter franchot as comptroller i know you work hard for your money. that's why i make sure that most of you get your state refund in three days or less. with new technology we've collected over 3 billion dollars from tax evaders. that's more money for schools, roads and public safety. and i've led the fight

in annapolis against wasteful spending. this is your money and i'll never forget that. peter franchot, maryland's comptroller. the following is a presentation of the redskins broadcast network. ♪ welcome to redskins chronicles, i'm larry michael at r redskins park. we take a look at this team's historic legacy, and today, we have a conversation with one of george al help's offensive line mainstays, and the team is riding high, looking forward to a matchup with minnesota sunday in minnesota