and we begin at 4:00 today with an event to rival some of the nation's largest inaugural crowds. >> thousands are streaming for tonight's concert for valor and fans have been making their way into the city from around our area and the country. >> we have a team of reporters covering every angle of the event. we begin with wendy rieger. wendy, you've seen a lot of company so far? >> reporter: oh, gosh, this is the happiest place in the world to be. i'm so happy i'm here and look at where i am. look how close we are to the stage. all afternoon, we've been having dress rehearsals. jamie foxx, jack black, john oliver coming out and bruce springsteen came out and played a song. it's wonderful. look at the people. the park service has permits for 800,000 people. i don't know, we don't have a crowd estimate just now, but at

the same time, all these people here, and it still feels like kind of an oasis of calm. everything appears to have gone, you know, like clockwork. there were -- you don't hear of any disturbances. everybody seems to be happy in the middle of a big picnic today. it is clear that everyone is so glad to be here. >> i'm from new jersey originally. so bruce springsteen. zac brown band. we've got some snacks, some games and i think it's going to get rocking and rolling later. >> reporter: oh, it is going to get rocking and rolling later. now, we've got these people in. now are we going to get them out. how did they get in, how are they going to get out. how has that gone? adam tuss has been covering this the past couple days. let me toss to him to see if it's an oasis of calm in the streets and metro. adam? >> reporter: an oasis of calm. a pretty easy day so far. let me walk you around and show

what's going on just outside the concert. i want to swing over here. of course, this is what you're going to find just outside on the roads outside the concert. lots of road closures around the national mall. don't think you're just going to drive down through here, because we've got the streets blocked off. then swing it back over here. want to show you the plaza metro station looking like right now. and the crowds have been pretty light. metro is going to give an update in a second about how much ridership has actually been on the rails today and swing it back down to the left, you'll see the road closures again at 7th and independence. the concert just on the other side of the metro buses down there. want to bring you back over here now and get an estimate from metro. talk to them. see how things have been going. want to bring in dan stessel, metro's chief spokesperson who is with us now. dan, what can you tell us about kind of what the ridership has been like today and really i think it's pretty apparent right now, this day might not get to 800,000 people. >> yeah, it's looking that way now. we are up from last veterans day by about 30,000 trips as of 3:00

p.m., 15% higher than the same time last veterans day, but relatively light so far. and manageable. we're not seeing any major crowding issues or service issues on metro anywhere on the system now. >> of course, everyone has got to get home later tonight. that could be more of a challenge, because everybody coming here is going to have to leave at once. what's the best recommendation for people who might be trying to step off the mall later tonight? >> the absolute best recommendation is actually something you can do right now before you head out the door and make your way down here. make sure you have enough money on your smart trip card to not only get here but home and that will prevent you from getting in the long lines. we're geared up, an all hands on deck kind of event. all the additional staff in place so should be a smooth operation heading home at the end of the event. >> there you go. metro's chief spokesperson, dan stessel. so far so good, wendy. i'm sure it's a fun time inside for the concert. >> reporter: it really is. and we have talked to some veterans. we're going to have their comments and what they feel about this and how much they

appreciate that coming up at 4:30. and also a reminder, if you cannot get down here, it starts at 7:00. there is still plenty of time. if you cannot get down here, hbo, and you don't have hbo, tonight at 7:00, you have hbo. if you have cable, hbo is unscrambling its signal, and everyone can watch this concer i'll see you in another few minutes. back to you. >> all right. thanks, wendy. >> great fun three hours for her. and then back at 11:00, too. thank you, wendy. we'll see you shortly. vice president joe biden says americans veterans are, quote, the very spine of this nation. biden spoke after laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknowns at the arlington national cemetery later today. it is remarks the vice president says throughout history veterans have been the best america has to offer. biden led today's ceremonies as president obama attends a diplomatic and trade summit in china. world war ii veterans were honored in a wreath-laying ceremony this afternoon. wreaths were also laid on the western side of the world war ii

memorial. one wreath for every branch of the military, as well as several others were laid at the memorial. several world war ii veterans were on hand for this ceremony. award-winning journalist and decorated war correspondent, joseph galloway delivered the keynote address. >> we will be with you throughout the night as the entertainment gets under way on the mall from the best ways to get to and into the concert to the security measures you'll face. we've got you covered. with live reports every hour throughout the hour. and all of the event information is on nbc washington at the top of our home page, or you can search the concert for valor. now to a story generating a ton of conversation on our facebook page right now. the muslim community in montgomery county lost an evident today to get a major holiday on the public school calendar. next year, eid will coincide with the jewish holiday of yom kippur. the board of education voted against recognizing the muslim holiday on the calendar. and the school superintendent is

recommending going even further. >> my recommendation does not know at a time the jewish holidays. and that is because we are not allowed by law to give students the day off for a religious holiday. >> news4's chris gordon was at the school board meeting. today's decision impacted every religion. strong reaction ahead at 5:00. a local mother is hoping for justice after her 16-year-old son was gunned down here his school. northern virginia bureau chief julie carey sat down with the victim's mother first at 4:00. >> reporter: this is a path called the cut that leaves from woodbridge high school to the neighborhood. this is where the shooting took place yesterday. and that is where 16-year-old brendan wilson's body was found. neighbors report seeing three men flee the area in a pickup truck. brendan's mom says one of his friends called her soon after to say he had heard there was a

shooting. that brendan's car was parked near the scene. he wasn't answering his phone. vickly wilson lives blocks away and rushed over and climbed several fences to try to get to her boy. police stopped her, but one confirmed the victim was her son. >> i just said no. i mean -- no, no. i mean, what do you -- you just think no, it's not brendan, it's not brendan. no. he was going to do good things in life. he had had a future. why he was shot, i don't know. >> reporter: the victim's mom says she thinks she knows who shot her son and she is hoping an arrest comes soon. coming up on news4 at 5:00, what she wants the community to know about her boy. in woodbridge, virginia, i'm julie carey, news4. turning now to storm team 4. it is turning into the perfect evening for the concert for valor down on the national mall. but enjoy the concert. things are about to take a nosedive. >> in a big way. it's about to start feeling a whole lot like, guess what, november out there. let's turn to storm team 4

meteorologist veronica johnson for your first forecast. >> november is in december, and december winter going to stick around. that's right. right around the corner. meanwhile, today as jim and pat said, enjoy a nice afternoon. 72 degrees in college park inside the beltway where it's 70. folks around rockville and up to the north around gaithersburg, and even up around columbia, 70 degrees, the temperature. that's like an early october-type day. we get cool by 9:00. clouds start to build. we drop to 57. can't rule out a sprinkle late. but, boom, we go from 70 today into the mid 40s at the end of the week. and that cold will come with a little rain. i'll detail it for you. the timing in just a few minutes. a local prisoner on the loose. why this inmate didn't exactly bust out from behind bars. plus, a lot of people doing a double take at a solemn event for veterans day. we'll give the reason behind the distraction first at 4:00.

we're following a developing story involving that wild winter weather hitting the midwest. icy roads are now blamed for at least two deadly crashes in minnesota. there were close to 500 crashes across the state yesterday. more than a foot of snow fell in some areas, and several school districts have already canlled classes. we'll have much more on the storm heading east coming up in our next half hour. right now, authorities in loudoun county need your help to find a man accidentally released early. christian was freed from the adult detention center but had not completed his 92-day sentence for assaulting a family member and violating a protective order. the loudoun county sheriff's office tells news4 it's now investigating how that early release occurred. first at 4:00, opponents of

a plan to expand a tunnel carrying csx trains in the district plan to challenge the project in court. the federal highway administration and d-dot recently gave final approve to double the size of the tunnel under virginia avenue between second and 11th streets in southeast. now, tomorrow opponents are filing a lawsuit and requesting a preliminary injunction against any action on the project. the nation's secretary of defense is on the mend right now. chuck hagel presided over veterans day services at the vietnam veterans memorial wearing a large bandage on his left cheek. a defense official says hagel hit an open kitchen cabinet. i guess the door, despite the large bandage, that wound is described as a minor scratch. first at 4:00, a big shakeup involving who helps protect you and your home when you have an emergency. plus, an american doctor finally home after his fight against ebola. but we'll explain why many think the u.s. is still not out of the

woods. and if you're trying to slim down, we'll tell you what you might want to avoid when you head to all those holiday parties just around the corner. just after the break.

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you're watching news4 at 4:00. welcome craig spencer back to his normal life. would you like to administer the first hug, first lady? >> and that was just the first of at least six hugs that ebola

survivor dr. craig spencer got today from new york's first lady, from the mayor, public health officials and his health care team. spencer is now officially ebola-free. and he was discharged from bellevue hospital after this news conference today. >> dr. spencer's recovery means there are currently no active cases of ebola in the u.s. >> and amid the celebrating of his recovery, there are sober reminders of the fight that continues in west africa. here is nbc's erika edwards. >> reporter: cheers mark dr. craig spencer's release from bellevue hospital in new york city, where he high-fived the nursing staff and hugged just about everyone on stage. >> and now the official mayoral hug. >> reporter: now free of the ebola virus, spencer said the protocols for health care workers to monitor themselves for symptoms after returning from west africa are effective. >> i am a living example of how those protocols work. and of how early detection is

critical to both surviving ebola and ensuring it's not transmitted to others. >> reporter: nurse casey hick cox left her home in northern maine tuesday morning. 21 days have passed since she last had contact with an ebola patient while working in sierra leone. she spoke out against imposed quarantines on health care workers returning from africa. >> i hope that one day we as an american culture can get over this fear and can learn to show compassion instead. >> reporter: spencer's release is another example of a strong u.s. h eight of nine ebola patients treated in this country have survived ebola. a stark contrast to the epidemic raging in africa. where the virus has killed 70% of infected patients. >> it is important to remember that my infection represents a good fraction of the more than 13,000 reported cases to date in west africa. >> reporter: spencer concluded with a request for privacy, saying he would not speak again publicly about the ordeal. erika edwards, nbc news.

>> today thousands of kaiser permanente nurses in california began a two-day strike. they say they have not been properly trained to handle an ebola outbreak. kaiser officials say they are following state and federal protocols on handling the virus. the second day of the strike will coincide with a job action organized by the largest nurses' union in the country. national nurses united. and it will impact our area tomorrow, too. 400 registered nurses at providence hospital in the district will walk off the job for 12 hours. they are also demanding stricter ebola safety precautions. we just got off the phone with the hospital today. they tell us they will be open tomorrow. they have hired temporary nursing to help fill in the gaps. providence officials also tell us their ebola protocols follow cdc guidelines and have been evaluated by the d.c. department of health. just a few hours from now, china's president she jinping

will have a meeting. they attended a private dinner. earlier the asian economic summit in beijing ended and the president met with russian leader vladimir putin. they talked about iran, syria and ukraine for about 15 minutes, according to the white house. they will get together face-to-face again later this week at the g-20 economic summit in australia. well, a nice night for that concert, vj. but you're eyeing big changes later in the week. >> enjoy today and then let's start talking about the cold. two days to prepare for the cold that's coming and, of course, winterizing your home. now, we're not talking about the frigid deep freeze, but we are talking about cold with temperatures below freezing during the early part of the day, and feeling a lot like january around here. that is a part of tonight's weather story, some evening clouds first. those will start creeping in. you probably noticed high clouds with us. temperatures on the way down.

and then yes, again a cold, cold pattern. not just like december, but a lot like january. temperatures in the single digits already up across areas of the northern plains. you can see them there. this is about midweek, 21 degrees in minneapolis, minnesota, for tomorrow. 32 in chicago. we will still have temperatures around here in the mid atlantic around 60 degrees or so tomorrow. but then at the end of the week, boom, that cold makes its way into the mid atlantic states, even down to the deep south, where spots like atlanta will see temperatures around freezing coming up for their early start, for their morning hours. satellite and radar. here are the clouds off the coast, a little disturbance there, skirting by. that's what could provide our area with a little sprinkle or two by the time we get to around 10:00 to 11:00 p.m., maybe as late as midnight in and around d.c., prince george's county. there it is, midnight for you, that disturbance around waldorf and then out to sea. a weather front comes through on

wednesday, some cloud cover for us. showers that dry up as they make their way over the mountains. we get back to sunshine, but the wind behind the front will give us some breezy, cool sunshine tomorrow. temperatures not at 70 degrees at all tomorrow. we'll be right around 60 degrees. so down 10 degrees. and then cooler conditions for your thursday. partly sunny to mostly cloudy day. so already at the end of the week, we're going to see conditions start to deteriorate a bit. 4 impact forecast tomorrow, breezy, cool sunshine coming our way. temperature around fredericksburg and stafford 62. manassas, too, 57 degrees. upper 50s up to the north too. so i'm calling tomorrow a seasonable day for us, but with breezy sunshine. midweek, down another 10 degrees to 50. on friday, the high, 43. early part of the weekend, yes, we get the sunshine. but there's your cool pattern.

it starts at the end of the week. this weekend will not be all dry. with the cold, we get some wet weather and we'll talk about that a little more coming up in the newscast. some news4 your health now. a vegan diet may be the most effective way to lose weight according to research from the university of south carolina. researchers divided volunteers into five groups. each followed a different diet with varying amounts of meat, and animal products. the volunteers had equal access to support groups and diet education and healthy recipes. after six months, those on a strictly plant-based vegan diet lost an average 16.5 pounds more than the folks in the other groups. crying foul for the way a teacher punished a group of 12-year-olds. did it go too far? 'tis the season for scammers. first at 4, a new warning from consumer reporter, erika gonzales, that could keep your money in your pocket this

holiday season. and we want to hear from you. weigh in on the stories that have people talking today. >> like us on facebook. follow us on twitter.

there's a big leadership change under way right now in ann anne arundel county. the fire and police chief announced plans to step down. they have been in their posts

for about 18 months. the newly elected county, steve shoe, wants a new leadership team. he's expected to replace cox and davis after his swearing in next month. a first-ever for the national cathedral here in washington. on friday, a muslim prayer service. planners say they hope it will foster understanding and acceptance between christians and muslims all over the world. the cathedral has often hosted national events such as presidential funerals, but this is the first time muslims have been invited to lead their own prayers there. if you work for the city of alexandria and you want a cola or candy bar for your snack, you better take it from home. all vending machines in city facilities are now being filled with healthy stuff. including fresh fruit and vegetables. a recent survey of city employees found four out of five wanted healthier choices in the vending machines. a mom in north texas says

her son's school just went too far. she says her 12-year-old was made to do an extreme physical punishment for missing a math assignment. she says he ran laps with weight balls, pushed a log eight times across a football field and did 40 push-ups. ten other kids were also given the same punishment. >> he finished all four of those faster than some of the other kids, because they were stopping to throw up. i think it's extreme. i think it's excessive. >> the school says the boys were held to a higher standard because they're on sports teams. the principal is now looking into the case. the mother of one of the victims of the nation's latest school's tragedy speaks publicly for the first time. and what she says may surprise you. after weeks of planning, folks, the day is finally upon us. the concert for valor just ready to begin now. >> we'll take you inside, first at 4:00. ♪

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♪ look here, daddy, i'm never coming back.... ♪ discover the new spirit of cadillac and the best offers of the season. lease this 2014 standard collection ats for around $299 a month. you're watching news4 at 4:00. the clock is ticking. just about two-and-a-half hours to go now until they strike up the bandses and the huge concert for valor gets under way in the national mall. >> people will be filling in all that green down there. first at 4:00, we are covering all the angles for you this evening from the crowds of people all the way to the big

names getting ready to take that stage there. it is a very busy night here in the nation's capital. >> and we've got you covered this afternoon. mark segraves is looking at the tight security in place to help keep people safe. but first, wendy rieger gives an update on how things are looking right now. wendy? >> reporter: oh, it's looking great, as the sun is starting to set. more people are coming in. you're talking about all that green. let's take a look here. right in front of the stage is a very special section reserved for 12,000 veterans. and that is slowly starting to fill up as people are coming in, as we get close to the 7:00 start time. they have permits for 800,000 people here. don't know if they're going to hit that. but they have permits, just in case it gets to that number. so far, it has been calm. it's been a wonderful, lovely, happy place to be. the black keys just did two songs, and, whoa, are they rockin'. this is obviously -- something we have to remember, it's not about the music. it's a tribute to all of the

veterans that have served our country and continue to serve in our wars we have ongoing. i just talked to a woman a while ago who was stationed at andrews, 32 years in the military, and she is retiring next month. and she is so happy to be here. >> to see so many people. i'm looking over here at all these people, and it's for me, it's for you all. and it's just a proud moment. it makes me feel appreciative. a thank you is better than any monetary gift or anything like that. >> reporter: a lot of love here, you think? >> a lot of love. you can see it. you can smell it. >> reporter: now, there's not a lot of love when you're going through security. they are incredibly thorough. they are incredibly polite but thorough. my purse has never been so clean as it was after they went through it. you are going to encounter a lot of security when you get here, for obvious reasons. mark segraves has been checking that out, and is here to tell you what you're going to need to go through if you're heading

this way. >> reporter: that's right, wendy. you know, we all went through that security to get in here. you're down at the stage, but i'm back here on the crowd. take a look behind me at this crowd already here. they have been waiting for hours. and please tell me inside that crowdler not only uniformed police, hundreds of them, but also undercover police that you won't even know are in there. and like any big event down here, there are restrictions you need to know about. >> if you're not carrying anything, you're going to be able to walk through pretty quickly. if you have bags, they are subject to search. we don't want you to bring things like firearms or alcohol. we don't you to bring anything that's going to obstruct the view of other people. >> reporter: there are only eight security check points where you can enter the mall to see the concert. they're betweenth and 17th streets. you should expect security to be tight and the lines at the check points could get long. if your kids are coming down to the concert or you're bringing small kids, police have a good tip for you in case they get lost. >> take a current picture of

what your children look like that night. what they're wearing. have it with them and have it easily -- easy access so that way it can be presented to the police if you are separated from your child. it's a good way for us to instantly know what your child looks like. >> reporter: now, there are a lot of young people down at this concert hoping to get a glimpse of some of these stars that will be performing later tonight. you know, the organizers are paying d.c. police and fire nearly $1 million for their services, and that doesn't even include all of the federal police. if you're coming down or want to stay up to date on what's going on down here, you can get text alerts from park police by texting valor 2014 to 888-7777 or go to nbcwashington.com and go to convert of valor next messages there. coming up at 5:00, we'll tell you what police say may be about confusion in the crowd about marijuana laws. reporting live, mark segraves,

news4. >> and mark got a picture with jack black. what you see if you're down here, you get to see everybody doing a dress rehearsal. they're all coming out and doing their stuff. we shot some of the black keys when they were rehearsing their two songs. we're going to show that at the top of the 5:00 and hear from more people out here. so we're going to be here all afternoon and all night. so stick around. back to you. >> we want to see your money shot. you and the boss later on. what do you think that is, about 9:00 tonight, wendy? when is he expected to take the stage? springstein? >> you know, they're not going to tell us until right before the concert begins, 7:00, they're going to release the sheet of the order of appearance. so you're just going to have to wait with everybody else there, handly. >> we'll check back at 5:00. wendy, thanks so much. we posted a collection of social posts from some of the stars in today's concert, including rihanna touring the white house and jesse jay waiting for the preps to begin. check it out on our event page

on nbcwashington.com. ♪ the city of falls church honored veterans at the city's memorial. it took place in front of the community center. this is the 20th anniversary of the veterans memorial at that site. it was a wreath-laying to remember veterans who have died, and special remembrances for those still missing in action. a celebration in gaithersburg honored the service and sacrifice of veterans today. people young and old gathered here at city hall for a concert on the pavilion to show their appreciation. and honor guard presented the colors and placed wreaths. veteran sally farley was happy to see today's remembrance. >> i enjoy the music and seeing the older veterans, and just like you said before, the camaraderie of it all.

and appreciating each other. >> the vfw adopt a unit program accepted donations to help families dealing with overseas deployments. a consumer warning. first at 4:00, scammers after your money this holiday season. what you need to know to keep your hard-earned cash safe. storm team 4 tracking a big change in the days to come. veronica? >> that's right. take a look at it. here's where we are. there's the cold still far away. but it's headed this way, and it will feel harsh compared to today. we'll also take you up to the midwest and show you images of the heavy snow with that cold. what it means for us on the other side of the break when news4 at 4:00 returns.

hey, we want to hear from you about the stories that get you going. what's on your mind today, first at 4:00. like us on facebook and follow us on twitter. looking out for your money as we approach the holidays. a new list of scams to avoid. consumer reporter erika gonzales has more on the red flags you need to watch out for. and erika, you're telling us we need to pay really close attention to the e-mail boxes? >> that's right. this really all has to do with your in boxes and what is coming through there. all about monitoring that in box and being very careful with what you click on. that according to mcafee security company, which today announced its annual 12 scams of the holidays, scams you need to look out for while holiday shopping.

at the top of the list, a warning about those phishing e-mail scams. 50 million e-mail addresses were stolen during the home depot hack. home depot put out a warning telling them to be on alert for phony e-mails requesting personal or sensitive information. mischaracterize mcafee says shipping notifications are common this time of year because many folks order packages online. other scams that make the top 12 this year, digital e. cards, mobile apps filled with malware and atm skimming. so please be mindful of all of those. >> you've really got to stay on your toes these days, don't you? >> you definitely do. and the holidays, no difference there, especially around the holidays. >> all right. coming up at 5:00, more ways to protect ourselves. >> this is our safe and secure shopping week #safeandsecure. tonight we look at the new ways criminals are targeting

consumers this year. as a matter of fact, we sit down with president obama's former cyber security czar, and he gives us an inside look on ways he stays safe when shopping online. so you've got to figure, if he's doing this, we should be doing this as well. so it's like i want whatever is on his phone, whatever app he's using, if he's using it. if it's good enough for the cyber czar, good enough for us. >> he's got credibility. >> that's right. that's at 5:00. >> all right, thanks so much. jim? >> all right. thank you both. if you're not looking forward to the black friday rush, well, you're in luck. target is offering black friday deals on the day before. that's right. thanksgiving eve, folks. the big presale will include online shopping, too. target will open at 6:00 on thanksgiving day. that's two hours ear than last year. the stores' executives say all employees working on the holiday will get paid time and a half. caught in the cross-hairs. right now at 4:00, millions take a direct hit from a major dose

of winter. we're going to show you if any of that stuff could be heading our way. plus, hollywood in washington. we are down along the national mall live tonight as the concert for valor gets under way and ready to rock our nation's capital. beautiful shot there live. we'll let you know what you need to know first at 4:00.

you're watching news4 at 4:00. and welcome back to news4 at

4:00. right now we have reporters and anchors standing by with new stories first at 4:00. >> we're talking about the weather. veronica, we've got our coats ready. are we going to need anything else? >> you know, just i think, you know, to get in a good frame of mind. this will be the first time we get hit with cold. sustained cold, lasting for days. and again, feeling like winter. truly, january days coming up. and while we're enjoying the beautiful weather here, parts of the upper midwest have more than a foot of snow. some areas of texas getting ready for sub freezing temperatures. nbc's mark barger has more on how people are dealing with this early winter blast. >> reporter: snowplows are out in force across the upper midwest, and an early season snowfall blankets the region. motorists in forest lake, minnesota, north of minneapolis, found the commute slow going this morning. >> this is a little early to be having all of the white stuff. i'm not ready for it yet.

>> reporter: others are taking it in stride. >> being from minnesota, no. i kind of expect it. from time to time. and i think it's -- i think it's great. >> reporter: not so great for these motorists in duluth, minnesota. a 16-car accident caused by slick, icy roads. just a reminder that while the official start of winter may still be six weeks away, mother nature can still deliver a winter wallop. as much as a foot of snow is forecast in some areas over the coming days, with winter storm warnings stretching from northern idaho to northern michigan. the weather pattern is part of a dip in the jet stream that is allowing cold, arctic air to push south across canada into the u.s., where temperatures will be dropping across much of the country. more than two-thirds of the u.s. will see below average temperatures this week. hardest hit will be minnesota and the dakotas, where wind chills will dip below zero by wednesday. an arctic blast putting much of the country in its icy grip.

mark barger, nbc news. >> so as you will see, it will be part of our conversation and for much of the country, too. while winter is about six weeks away, the other thing we typically see around this time of year is our first freezing temperature right in d.c. reagan national, the average date of the first freeze is november 17th. and i do think we're going to get pretty, pretty close to that coming our way for friday morning or saturday morning. walking the dog this evening, temperatures that you can expect, upper 50s. yes, it's going to get a little cool and we're going to see more clouds move in around 11:00 p.m. to midnight, cloud cover that could be sticking around until early part of the day tomorrow. but look at this. right now we've got mid 60s to upper 60s. that corridor from gaithersburg to camp springs, montgomery county to prince george's county. pax river cool at 62. and then 10 degrees higher, fredericksburg at 71 degrees. upper 60s from hagerstown to martinsburg right now. tomorrow's forecast, not too bad. but it is certainly going to be cool. but i think that you'll remember it is very nice day.

51 to 62, the range in temperatures across the area. so first thing, your walking forecast. if you're going to be commuting, a cool start to the day tomorrow. you're going to need a jacket. you'll probably need even want to throw a little scarf around your neck. but we get into sunshine by the afternoon. it is going to be mild. but again, breezy with the temperature at 62 degrees. i think tomorrow winds could gust from 20 to over 20 miles per hour, not looking as strong as yesterday. so here it is. if you're going to be exercising tomorrow, maybe even a good day to get out and play some tennis, we hit that temperature at 57 degrees at 9:00 a.m. and we actually stay in the low 60s for about noontime through the afternoon. not much fluctuation in the temperatures, because again, the wind is going to be kicking up a bit throughout the afternoon. from 62 to 50 degrees on thursday. you've got 43 for a high temperature coming your way at the end of the week on friday. so there is your cold, especially early friday morning, close to freezing. just below freezing for saturday morning. the high at 44. keep in mind, our average high temperature right now is 59

degrees. so here's the deal. this time of the year, any time we talk about cold like this, especially for the early morning, in the 20s and low 30s, any weather system that comes along has the potential to bring a little bit of wintry weather to the area. and we've got that chance right now of a cold rain from sunday night into monday morning. parts of our area might not just get the cold and the rain. they could get something else with that. coming up on news4 at 5:00, we'll talk more about that. >> thanks, veronica. let's go live to the national mall now, where wendy rieger is among the masses getting ready for the big concert for valor. hey, wendy, i would imagine some folks are in a party mood tonight. but, of course, this is a night for celebration and somber remembering of our veterans tonight. >> reporter: well, everyone is actually quite calm. it's really a very dignified, but friendly, happy crowd, as i was talking to one veteran. there is just a lot of love here. you really feel it. and a lot of people are really

coming in now as the sun is setting on what has been a beautiful veterans day. but we are going to be getting this party started. and we've had some good stuff already as these vans and a lot of the announcers, oliver and jack black have come out on stage. i will bring that to you at the top of the 5:00 so stay tuned. >> thank you, wendy. a former super bowl champion is under investigation tonight after he was caught on video body-slamming a student at a local college. >> reporter: i'm darcy spencer at bowie state university, where a former nfl star has been fired as a volunteer coach here at the university after tmz sports posted a video showing him body slamming a student athlete here at the university. now, the person who was shown in that video is charles grant. he's a former new orleans saints lineman. and, again, he was coaching here in a volunteer capacity at bowie

state university. late last month, when this incident happened, that video posted on tmz sports right after that video was posted, the university placed him on administrative leave. and later on did, in fact, fire that coach. now, the university issued a statement today that says in part, the department of athletics has zero tolerance of behavior that violates the university's core values and jeopardizes the welfare of student athletes. we talked to numerous students today on campus, not everyone agrees with the university's decision to fire this volunteer coach. we're going to have the reason why coming up on news4 at 5:00. it was the phone call every parent hopes they never get. >> i'll never know why he did it. and he took away one of the best things i ever brought into this world. >> for the first time on camera, the mother of a student gunned down at school talks about her

daughter's killer and what she said that may surprise you. the muslim community reacts to the montgomery county board of education's decision with regard to whether or not to put their high holiday on the school calendar. this is chris gordon with a report from rockville, ahead.

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police and protesters in ferguson, missouri, are taking steps to avoid a return to the turmoil that erupted after the death of teen michael brown. a state grand jury is expected to decide this month whether police officer darren wilson will be charged in brown's death. today missouri governor jay nixon noted that emotions will be high when the decision is released. he said peaceful protest is welcome but violence will not be tolerated. meanwhile, protest groups are coaching members to take notes and record video of police action. as the town of marysville, washington, continues to heal after last month's school shooting, one mother is coming out in remembrance of her daughter. zoe died that day. reporter alex rocher has the emotional story. >> yes, into the cafeteria. >> reporter: zoe died in the cafeteria alongside the shooter,

jaylen fryberg. you knew jalen. >> yeah. >> reporter: you watched him grow up. >> i know that family. i love that family. >> reporter: could you ever forgive jalen for what he did? >> i have to. i have to forgive him. in order for me to move on, i have to. i'll never know why he did it. and he it took away one of the best things that i ever brought into this world. he's a child too. and in order for me to heal from this, i have to forgive him, because i cannot waste my life hating or being angry. i just can't. >> reporter: you've spoken with jaylen's parents since this incident. >> yes. >> reporter: how did that conversation go? >> i hugged his mom. i told her i loved her. she's hurting. she's grieving. she lost her child as well.

>> there are so many flowers here. it's so beautiful. look at this one. >> reporter: the pain of this tragedy can be seen and heard all over marysville. >> we are one school, one family. stay strong and stay together. praying for marysville pillship high school. >> reporter: when you see that face, what are you thinking? >> i just love it. i just love to look at it. i just can't get enough of looking at her. >> reporter: michelle knows if zoe could send her a message today, it would look something like this. >> i hope your day is just as great as you. >> reporter: so for now, she'll hang on to the good times and forgive the bad. >> yeah. she was always smiling. >> reporter: just like zoe would want. >> zoe and i had more than just a mother/daughter relationship. we were best friends. a mother on a mission tonight.

right now at 5:00, she's still grieving over her son who was murdered last night. but tonight, a virginia mom has something she wants the world to know. >> he made everybody laugh. he was amazing. he was going to do -- he was going to do good things in life. the concert for valor. the final touches are being made as the world's biggest stars get ready to take the stage. and you can see right behind us now, the stage is set. >> we are counting down to the concert for valor as thousands of people stream on to the national mall, and in the last hour, we have learned even more details about the event that salutes our troops. >> we have live team coverage tonight from the streets to the crowd control to the veterans. we've got it all covered for you. wendy rieger is an coring our coverage this live now down on the mall. just two hours away, wendy. >> reporter: i know. and let me tell you, this crowd is controlled. this ain't woodstock out here. these people are lovely. it's a happy, warm place.

we've had a beautiful day. a lot of people got here last night to get in line to get in. there's still plenty of space here. it doesn't look like it's full at all. and what we're seeing now on the stage behind us is the 12,000 places set aside for veterans. they're starting to file in. it has been a wonderful day, a lot of just good feelings here. and because it's going to be a big night with a lot of rocking and rolling, they are doing sound checks all day today. and we got a taste of things to come from the black keys. ♪ ♪ a lot of the bands had to come out and do their sound checks. so we've gotten a great mini concert preamble before this gets under way at 7:00. you can still get down here. there are still spaces on the mall if you want to come. but y