right now on "news4 today," major route shut down after a deadly crash. also a murder investigation in alexandria. new details just in after police found a man's body in the street. and the national christmas tree lighting hours away. what you need to know about the 94th celebration and the traffic trouble it will cause for tonight's commute. good morning, it's 5:00 a.m. and i'm aaron gilchrist. >> and chuck bell will have weather and melissa mollet will have traffic news. justin finch has more. justin? >> reporter: we're parallel at macarthur boulevard which will see a lot of traffic. u.s. park police continue their investigation. we do have a bird's-eye view of that crash this morning. take a look at that there. police tell us they responded to

the d.c. montgomery county line. there was one car involved in the crash, that car caught fire and that one of two people inside did pass away. police are unable at this time to identify that victim who did die. this, of course, is affecting the clara barton parkway going east and west here between claim bridge and also on glen echo at the glen echo tar commute if this is your go-to route. for more, we toss to melissa mollet. >> thanks, justin. justin is absolutely right. this is a major problem this morning. clara barton parkway shut down. that means inbound traffic will be stopped there at the turnaround, diverted onto macarthur. outbound traffic coming up now pushed onto outbound claim bridge.

report of crash on the corner, not seeing any problem but wanted to warn you there. inner loop and outer loop rolling along. we want to remind you through december 21st on silver and orange lines. chuck bell telling me it's a little breezy outside. was running and my hair was flying. i don't know. was it me or the wind? >> about a 20-mile-an-hour wind for you roughly out there with a west to northwesterly breeze. the colder air really hasn't had a chance to settle in yet. the colder drier air will be settling in during the daylight hours so temperatures won't see much of a rise. we'll be in the upper 40s and low 50s. clear skies for this evening for the tree lighting. so if you're headed down to the south side of the white house, plan on temperatures to be in the 40s.

be willing to hold onto your hats and hairpieces. it will be on the blustery side. i'll have more coming up in a few minutes. back to the news. good morning from the live desk. we're getting word of a shooting last night in southwest d.c. this about 11:00 police officers responding to this scene here, a rainy evening, where they found a man with multiple gunshot wounds. that indivi hospital. but we understand he did not survive his injuries. at this hour we are not seeing any information on a suspect lookout or even a motive in this case. from the live desk, i'm erika gonzalez. >> erica, thank you. it's 5:03. developing this morning we just learned that a dealt investigation in alexandria has just been ruled a homicide. police responded to colonial avenue to reports of shots fired.

upper body trauma. police say the man was not from the area. there were two murders in the same area over the summer. this is the seventh murder in alexandria this year. today we'll learn whethermy trow will cut eight hours of service per week on the line. the board will decide whether to close. on friday and saturday trains would stop running at 1:00 a.m. the system wouldn't open until 8:00 a.m. on sunday. all of thishi considers general manager paul wiedefeld's budget plan which includes raising fares. they're launching a new campaign called "back to good." >> we're going to look at delays due to track issues, car issues, and we're going to improve their environmental, particularly in the stations. >> tomorrow wiedefeld will

trump and mike pence will make stops in indiana and ohio. the president-elect is expected to make an announcement in indianapolis at the carrier plachblt he made a deal with the company to keep 1,000 jobs in the state. they planned to outsource to mention koechlt. the first lady will never run for office, that's what president obama is telling "rolling stone" this to get into politics. the #michelle2020 started tweeting after the elections but the president did say he and his wife will continue to be active in public service once they leave the white house. the president says michelle obama, his wife, is one of the most talented people she's ever known, but she's just to smart to do this. >> that's one of the sad things about the first lady. that's sort of a career ender.

>> he went on a talk show and said i don't want to have to save my marriage or get a divorce. no, we're not going back into politics. >> much of the damage from wildfires is done. now we know seven people have died in the fires. they're assessing the damage which was pretty much shut down. hundreds of buildings including a resort are damage order shut down. thousands of people had to tornadoes swept through dozens of states from florida to south carolina. it uprooted trees and destroyed homes. several were hurt. in alabama and tennessee, five people died. developing in prince george's county, police are questioning a person in connection with break-in and barricade situation. the case started to unfold in upper marlboro yesterday afternoon and left many

to get home, they could. . police had to shut down darcy and mat a peek drive because of a break-in. police say they located a man who they took in for questioning. prince george's county police are investigating a traffic stop after it ended when a officer firing his gun. police say they received a call about a man firing off a gun in capitol heights, maryland. they say when they pulled over the suspect, he them on a brief pursuit into the district ending near southern avenue and h street in the southeast. they say that is where the suspect reversed his vehicle into the police cruiser. they say as the suspect was being arrested an officer's gun was discharged. no one was injured. today fairfax county will celebrate the completion of the park and ride.

space,s, and light improvements. happening today is the 49th annual christmas tree-lighting ceremony. >> it will be the last time the obama family will light the tree as the first family. "news4's" megan mcgrath is live at the eclipse where the ceremony will take place. good morning to you. this has been an annual tradition for the city and for you too. >> reporter: yeah, yeah. i think i've done this or so years. it's always such a wonderful event and really a washington experience. it dates back to 1923. then president calvin coolidge lit the very first christmas tree on the ellipse. if you look behind me, everything is in place. we have the chairs set up for the audience, a number of jumbotrons for impeachment in the audience who have obstructed

the tradition continues tonight beginning at 5:00. now, you do need a ticket in order to attend. the gates open at 2:30 this afternoon. quite a celebrity lineup this year. ava longoria, yolanda adams, james taylor, kelly clarkson, garth brooks, trisha yearwood, a washington event. >> being able to come down for this event in person is something really special. you get to be here with the president and first lady and these amazing artists just a stone's throw from the christmas tree and the white house. it's a great time to kick off the season at our nation's capitol. >> reporter: also keep in mind if you're coming you'll have to

traffic light, really, if you can. wear your coa and leave everything else at home. ipads, drone, folding chairs, leave them at home, signs as well. you can bring strollers and wheelchairs, but keep in mind those will be checked by security as you enter one of the check points here. if you're coming on down, come early. there are some preshow festivities taking place to entertain you and the back to you guys in the studio. >> megan, thank you. we'll remind you all the roads around the white house, they will start closing at around 2:30 this afternoon. you can see they include 17th street, 15th street and constitution ave now. pennsylvania avenue will be closed from 14th to 15th starting at 4:30. most of the closures should be lifted by 7:00.

about snow. this year some people will face fines if they don't clean off the snow off the sidewalk. we'll explain that just ahead. plus, new details in the kidnapping of a california mother. the bizarre information just released about the people who captured her. and you may enjoy a glass or two of white wine with your dinner, but still ahead, we'

in my future, i'm twice as likely to have a stroke. i'm 26% more likely to develop an irregular heartbeat. i have a 65% higher chance of developing diabetes. no matter who we are, these diseases can be managed or prevented when caught early on. because with better research, the right medicine, and with doctors who help keep me healthy to begin with, we will thrive.

staying on top of the news. let's take a check with melissa mollet. >> shut down between claim bridge and glen eco turnaround. your alternate there. macarthur boulevard is going to braddock, various lanes blocked by a crash there at annandale. taking a look at the weather, good morning, mr. chuck bell. >> good morning, melissa. yes, indeed. a busy area yesterday across the area. make sure you have that downloaded.

it will be breezy. sunny and cool weather is back in fashion for the next couple of days. so your fitness forecast in the 50s this morning. your peek at the weekend, cool and dry. i'll give you the full five-day forecast coming up in a few businesses in montgomery county could face a hefty fine if they don't clear their sidewalks after it snows. the county is considering an increase of a fine of 50 doors to $500. residents and businesses have 24 hours to clear walkways after the snow stops falling. it would apply to personal properties and condominium yum!s

here's your top stories. today is the national christmas tree lighting at the ellipse on the national mall. the ceremony begins at 5:00 and will cause a lot of road closures. today the metro board plans to cut more hours. developing now, a murder investigation in alexandria. we'll have much more on that at 5:30. a standoff is over with police and t saw his way out of a county jay was arrested after standoff that lasted more than seven hours. the santa clara sheriff's department says the men sawed through the window bars in jail and used bed sheets as a rope to escape. between them they were already facing several charges including robbery, burglary, and false imprisonment. nbc news learns that a

at ohio state university bought a knife here in d.c. just last week. law enforcement does not know why he was in the area but they know he made a purchase at home depot. he bought a knife in ohio the morning of the attack. it's not clear if either were used. the national planning commission has to approve changes before they can make changes. they plan to raise it. there will also be spikes at the top to deter fence jumpers. the o administration is banning smoking in public development nationwide. they say the danger of second half hand smoke to children makes fwhan necessary.

all units. the cdc says this new rule will save housing agencies $153 million in repairs, preventable fires, and health care costs. >> listen up, wine lovers. there is now evidence that white wine may increase the risk of melanoma which is the most deadly type of skin cancer. researchers say they've followed more than 200,000 adults for more than 18 years. i say each drink per day mel nona by 13% in white men and women. other alcohol including beer, red wine and other alcohol did not affect them. >> switch up to red. >> red is good. you may need coffee this morning if you stayed up late to watch "the tonight show" with jimmy fallon. >> it was great to tune in. a leesburg native performs.

will toledo is the front man of car seat headrest. >> and now it's been a big week. "rolling stone" ranked their album the fourth in 2016. now he's on jimmy fallon. i love when local kids do good and he probably wanted to play in a band in >> even better, they start their international tour in january. >> way to go. i'm going have to download some music. >> all right. let's check in with melissa. breaking news. clara barton parkway shut down. your best alternate, macarthur boulevard. the express lanes after want co-not any big shutdowns. inner loop and outer loop, you

there's also a problem at clarksburg road. otherwise no major issues right now. i am seeing a problem on the green line. they've broken down a work unit. did you do that, chuck bell? >> no. >> i need a little help this morning. >> not taking the heat at all. if it was weather related, maybe. i otherwis responsibility, hopefully you got at least some of the rain fall needed in your backyard. 60s to 70s. rainfalls varied wildly. meanwhile dulles airport, almost an inch and a third. that was the daily rainfall. here's radar.

north and west. the colder air is still lagging a good bit behind. the cold front itself has already gone by. the winds have turned out to the west and northwest, but the colder air itself is going to wait until we get into the daylight hours before it starts to filter in. by 10:00 this morning, skies mostly sunny around here. maybe a few extra clouds out toward frostburg and morgantown. mid-50s around the city right now. there are 40s in the shenandoah valley. afternoon temperatures even with sunshine, struggling. we won't move much. what you see is what you get out the door this morning. mostly in the 50s. our high has pretty much already happened. breezy today and tomorrow. breezy and chilly goes into saturday. still carrying a slight chance for a shower. most of your weekend won't be a problem. back to the news.

5:22. it's all about shopping deals this time of year. the bargains aren't just on christmas presents. we have the best tips to getting on flight coming up. >> first, new information about the people who held a california

this morning we're learning more about the condition of the california mother who was kidnap and held captive. she said her captives wore masks, were armed. papini's husband told "people" magazine when his wife was found her nose was broken and her hair

suspects. >> what would that mean? >> maybe a method of torture. it could mean a way of control or exerting control over a person. >> the sheriff would not describe what type of brand the suspect left on papini. investigators are now working with a sketch artist as they compare her kidnapping to others in the state. rapper kanye west is the hospital. he was under observation after a string of bizarre incidents inclauding up showing up late for a concert, going on about beyonce and donald trump. doctors say he just needs to rest. you will notice a considerable difference. the four things to know about the forecast when we check back in with "storm team 4" meteorologist chuck bell. major mess on the road this

always wins. especially in my business. with slow internet from the phone company, you can't keep up. you're stuck, watching spinning wheels and progress bars until someone else scoops your story. switch to comcast business.

then why settle for slow internet? comcast business. built for speed. built for business. ?? ?? ??

i'm melissa mollet with your

down between chain bridge and glen echo. traffic diverted onto outbound chain bridge. macarthur is going to be very slow. k street and north capitol street have a crash there. backlick, various problems there. in germantown we still have this accident. eun and aaron? >> i'm eun yang. >> and i'm aaron gilchrist. let's get you up to speed on some. so far police have made no arrests. >> man was killed last night on colonial avenue just north of old town. >> of course, the weather a big story. we can expect a little bit of

>> that's right. welcome to meteorological winter. now, astronomers will tell you that winter doesn't start until the solstice. as a meteorologist, i will tell you it's officially warm outside. the rain is over. still a lot of wet slippery leaves on the sidewalks this morning and a lot of kids will be doing puddle jumping. a gusty northwest wind averaging about 15 to 25 miles an hour. it will be chilly at the national tree lighting. plan on temperatures in the 40s. this colder pattern will look like it's carrying us through the weekend. we'll have the full ten-day forecast coming up at 5:51. see you then. a dealt kbgs in alexandria is now being investigated as a homicide. police tell us last night they

north of old town for reports of shots fired. when they arrived, they found a 41-year-old man suffered from upper body trauma. police say the man is not from the area. there were two murders in the same area over the summer. this is the seventh murder in alexandria this year. a police officer shot around killed in tacoma, washington. we're learned that the officer at this hour, they have not released his name. this started to unravel yesterday afternoon with police responding to a call of domestic violence. we understand one officer entered a home and was shot multiple times. people, other officers lining the streets outside the hospital waiting for a sigh of relief. but that did not come. meanwhile that neighborhood has been roped off, and at this

so we understand this search is still on. from the live desk, i'm erika gonzalez. >> erica, thank you. it's 5:33. fairfax county police working to learn whether a former martial arts instructor abused multiple students. after multiple months of investigation, they arrested him. he's accused of inappropriately touching a 13-year-old girl during a camp this past summer. p girl after the camp. her parents called the police. miller has been fired from that studio. >> we getting more details this morning on last year's capitol terror plot. christopher cornell will be in on monday. he was arrested after buying two m 15-style rifles at a gun store

prosecutors want 30 years in prison but the defense wants 20 years. police are investigating what could be a possible bias-based vandalism. this happened before 6:30 yesterday morning. the homeowner found swastikas, the word "racist" and other derogatory remarks on all three of their cars. if you have any information, you're asked the statue is not going anywhere soon. state legislators will not introduce a bill to relocate the statue. in september the city council voted to move the statue. they also voted to rename jefferson davis highway. they will announce when they'll ask for suggestions. a city spokesperson said he

tonight you'll have a chance to weigh in. the vdot proposal calls to extend the northbound expressways for eight miles from turkey cock to edsel and e street. the meeting will at robert e. lehigh school at 6:30. every generation of teens invepts its own slang. sometimes i think it's to keep the parents in the dark. who knows. >> i did it. >> you made up words. >> we made up words that understood. >> straight fire mes you're hot. >> suh dude is an abreesh yags. >> dip. >> you're straight poppin'. >> ratching. >> do you know what they mean? >> straight schneier you've

more teen slaj later on the "today." >> she also explains how pop culture influences teen pop. >> now that they know we know? >> whole new list of words, done. >> that's right. it's first day of december. chuck keeps telling us it's winter. can i change that? >> it's rereality. how to dress with chuck in a bit. >> you see warnings on blinds. this morning a pro football player's daughter is dead after getting tangled in a cord and we're learning it's something that happens more often than you might think. breaking new this morning.

braking news in your "news4" traffic. this problem continuing. shut down between chain bridge and the glen echo turnaround. so traffic stopped there. outbound diverted.

going to get busy there. at braddock, all lanes are blocked because of that crash. wire going to keep an eye on that one for you. in virginia as far as travel time goes, not looking so bachld same thing here on 270 and the top of the beltway. no big worries there. we're going to keep an eye on this clara barton situation remember to listen to wtop 103.5 fm when you hop in your good morning, chuck bell. >> good morning, melissa. we're starting out with temperatures in the mid-50s around town, upper 40s and low 50s as you get west of the city and the shenandoah valley. not a bad day to be outside. it will be blustery at times. temperatures, low to mid-50s this morning. temperatures won't rise much. we'll still be in 50s by 3:00 when the kids come home from

i would certainly wear a windbreaker and a scarf as well. if you want to wear a windbreaker, hold on tight. today the daily grade is a b-plus. it was the last thing they wanted to see after a long tay of work, their neighborhood on lockdown. the incident that kept several people out of their upper marlboro home for hours. if you don't think you can find a deal on a flight home for the holidays, think again. your flight. and it's a national favorite but a pain for a lot of drivers.

fios is not cable. we're wired differently. that means incredibly fast 150 meg internet for the holidays. so in the 3.7 seconds it takes gary watson to beat the local sled jump record, fly, gary, fly. ...his friend can download 13 versions of the perfect song... ...his sister can live stream it...

now on "news4 today," a pro

and a store forced to close due to health concerns. >> it's the most wonderful time of the year to find cheap flights. it's a tradition that goes back 94 years and once again the president will light the national christmas tree tonight. a live report coming up. it is now 5:45 and we continue to get you up to the minute the minute you're up. >> more on all of those stories. first breaki melissa. >> mayor problem. clara barton parkway shut down. your alternate, take macarthur boulevard. this will likely be this way through the morning commute because of a fatal krarchlt eun? >> thank you, melissa. it's the 94th national lighting tree ceremony and it will be the last time the obamas light the tree as the first family. it will include a list of

of that for you. >> first megan mcgrath is life at the ellipse where the ceremony will be happening. megan, what do they need to know? >> reporter: it's a national event, a washington event. it's been happening for 94 years and the tradition continues tonig michelle obama flip the switch and light up the tree. it's a little bit dark. you can't see a whole lot but they're just starting to make out the stage there. you can see the wreath center stage there. now, the show gets start at 5:00 tonight. take a look at video from last year. the gates open at 2:30. security is going to be tight. travel light. no ipads, lights, umbrellas, folding chairs, or signs.

you're going to be checked by security. it's a star-studded night, something for everyplace and it's a very washington event. >> being able to come down for this event in person is something that's really special. this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for a lot of people. you get to be here with the president and the first lady and the amazing artists just a stone's throw from the national christmas tree and the white house. it's a great time to kick off the holiday season her nation's capitol. >> reporter: and everything is set up and ready to go. one piece of advice i would give, wear practical shoes and mud boots. >> a lot of people want to look cute, but it's hard, aaron. >> thanks for letting me know. >> you always look cute. there will be a lot of road closures and you can find them

if you're making plans. it is 5:48 right now. developing in prince george's county, police are questioning a person in connection to a break-in and barricade situation. this all unfolded in upper marlboro yesterday afternoon and left a lot of residents frustrated and alarmed. that's because they couldn't get into their homes. police had to shut down roads around the area in response to the report of a break-in. they kept it blocked for six hours as they searced ground and in the air. police say they located the man who they took in for questioning. we're also working to speak with a council man in prince george's county who's been charged with dui. mel franklin has been charged with that after he crashed into a car in upper marlboro. two others were taken to the hospital. according to records in october and december of 2012, franklin had accidents in two other county cars.

9 on the county council. >> it is 5:48. it's a building that's been there since the 1950s and one day you can live there. we're talking about the iconic brick building that's been fannie mae since 1979. the main building about ten acres ha has been sold for $89 million to a japanese company. they're planning to preserve the building's archict in colonial williamsburg. turning to president-elect donald trump's transition, where today he's taking a break from interviews to head to the midwest. he's making two stops including one in indiana where he'll tout a deal he said to keep jobs in the state. "news4's" tracie potts is live on capitol hill. this is a deal he made with the carrier corporation. still a lot of unknowns about this though. >> exactly.

indiana has put in to make this happen or what concessions workers may have to make salaries and wages to make this work. the bottom line, a thousand jobs not going to mexico, staying in the state of indiana which is, of course, where governor mike pence is involved in that. and today both of them, pence and the president-elect will be there this afternoon. this is something you probably remember him talking about on the campaign trail, that that campaign promise this afternoon. >> tracie, the wisconsin recount starts today. are they going to be able to get it done by the time the federal deadline arrives? >> they're going to try, eun. that deadline is february 13th. they're saying it's going to take two weeks -- i'm sorry. december 13th. two weeks, which the that amount of time. it's been pushed by the green

donations to recount. donald trump won wisconsin which had been considered a blue state. >> all right. live on capitol hill, tracie potts. thank you. >> take look at this. this overturned vehicle. you can see the tow there on the scene this morning. you can see this is supposed to be shut down for at least another hour through the morning commute. backlick and braddock. you have a hard time getting by. chuck bell jourks to have better news than i do. >> you would think.

yesterday's foggy rainy windy mess of a traffic nightmare, maybe we should go a couple of days. besides, we don't want rain today. getting christmas tree lit up. it will be chilly and you heard megan mcgrath say after all that rain yesterday, it's a muddy spot, so wear your mud boots. right now in washington, wear your boots. not cold at all. northwest wind at 13 miles an hour. that northwest wind will be with hang onto your hat kind of afternoon. temperatures won't budge mump. we might move a degree or two between now and the end of the afternoon. it won't be much. the rainfall is off the eastern seaboard. a couple of snow showers across parts of the great lakes. that's where the pool of colder air is. won't bring us anything in the

dry. that is the only place that might see anything in the way of rainfall. once you come east of i-81, it geengs be all sunshine, a couple of fair weather clouds from time to time. nothing major. you can use your app to help you with changes and you can also follow me on twitter and find my journalism page by searching for chuck bell 4. by tomorrow morning the it will be chilly tonight and by tomorrow morning you'll wake up with temperatures in the 30s. so cold mornings are coming back in fashion. here's a look at your ten-day forecast. a cold day tomorrow with highs around 50 degrees. another chilly one on saturday. sunday, still carrying it. better rain chances on tuesday and thursday. back to you guys.

reno mahe who played for philadelphia and is now an assistant coach talked about his daughter. 3-year-old elsie became one of more than 200 children whose death was the result of window blind cords. one child a month becomes entangled from a window blind. they have voluntarily put standards in place to make blinds safer but the product safe tiff commission says it's not enough. >> we have this push between us and the retailers to say enough is enough. i think with the new technologies that have come online, the time is right for this. >> "news4" reached out to the window covering manufacturers association. they have plans to submit its revised standards by the end of

cordless by 2018. happening today, a wayne state university police officer killed in the line of duty will be laid to rest. he was shot and killed last week at the university as he approached a suspect on a bike. hundreds of law enforcement officers are expected to attend today's service. covering the district, dc department of health closed the store yesterday. thigh released a statement saying they're working closely with the health organization to reopen as soon as possible. >> if airline tickets aren't on your shopping list, they should be. >> susan hogan tells us why now

>> we spend so much time talking about big sales on toys, electronics, clothing, but we also forget to talk about something heavily discounted this time of year and that's airline fares. here are four things to know to get cheap flights. according to a consumer report start with signing up for price alert. google or kayak will give you a price alert on a specific time frame or destination you might want to travel. if you see i've got to buy it. also buy quickly. whether you're tracking prices for an upcoming trip or you see a sale too good to pass up, don't. you get 24 hours to cancel your flight if you happen to change your mind. >> don't follow business travelers. tuesday, wednesday, and saturday are less busy days.

discounts but consider flying to a less popular major city and take a connecting flight. one more thing to take into consideration, you have to understand the fees. if you find the budget fare, sometimes it has to do with baggage and seating and sometimes that deal turns into a dud. developing right now police are investigating a homicide in newsroom this morning. >> we've also learned new things. who is now vowing to donate thousands of dollars. and new at 6:00, a swing and a miss. the new rules in major league baseball that could be a game-changer when it comes to

. we're talking about the section between chain bridge and the glen echo turn around. inbound traffic stopped aet the turnaround. outbound meaning you'll end up in virginia. your trip is going to be very busy.

i'm aaron gilchrist that and i'm eun yang. we want to check on the first 4 forecast. >> december is a winter month, december, january, february. welcome to meteorological winter, everybody. the winter solstice is still three weeks away. after a foggy and rainy day, everybody, the rain is over. no chance for rain, but there are lots of slippery leaves down on the sidewalks and be careful out there today. by this evening it will be breezy and dry and quite chilly. i'll give you that forecast coming up in a few more minutes. cold winds continue. temperatures at or slightly below average as we head into saturday and sunday. for today, fair weather. we're in the low to mid-50s and that's where we'll stay all day today. see you in a few minutes. >> all right, chuck.