said it wil take a while for them to get the big rig t truck in there. when we widen out, you can see th rest of the beltway looks okay. we're starting tsee the delays the top of the beltway there. justin finch just got out there at the scene. justin, tell me what you're seeing there, in terms of the cleanup and the whole progress. >> reporter: hey, melissa. asou can see behind us, quite a big mess here. that tractor-trailer hitting the median over here and taking up three lanes ofc, traf as well. i'll step out of the way and give you more of a look at the scene. we have firefighters beginning the cleanup process. we saw them dropping sand around that truck. there's been a spilling of the fuel from that truck. that makes this a bigger mess. they have to get this truck towed away from the scene and also make sure that the roadw is safe and secure for other

drivers. that means theye will ho bring in the sand truck to begin to absorb some of that fuel to reopen the lanes entirely. as for right now, we're not getting an et when that might be. but traffic is moving in that r left lane. as for a cleanup time, just bear in mind that as we start the holiday, as more cars enter the roadway, this can take quite a long time to revolve. it could be a mess for traffic this morning. ck to you in the studio. good morning, everybody. we have a high chance for rain today. not going to be all day long downpours. bu there will be periods of rain likely just about any time durir friday. first thing on a friday morning, howers near frederick and baltimore, up in northern maryland.

a few drops down the road in fredericksburg and rain drops near warrington virginia, as well. these are lifting off to the north, and there will be more of uose during the day. we ended with a break from the humidity for a couple of hoursdayest you probably notices, that probably doesn't feel that bad. ou due point's dropped ten degrees. it allowed for a blue sky. the humidity hasom back. we are starting off in the steamy 70s this morning. afternoon temperatures will be in the mid 80s. we're carrying a 60% chance for rain on your plans, particularly later in the afternoon. a closer look at the long holiday weekend in a few minutes. it's 4: road closures are around the u.s. capitol as hundreds plan to say good-bye to john mccain. if you plan to say your,

respecuch of the area will be shut down to cars. his casket is going to arrive mid-morning. the late senatorecved a hero's welcome. a military honor guard escorted his casket to a nearby he >> the welcome followed an emotional dayce and ser in the state he represented for six temples. >> mccain planned that arizona service himself. it included music and a eulog from his long-time opponent and friend joe biden. the same cancer that killed john mccainilled the former vice president's son. >> i know something else from ex rience, that there's nothing anyone can say or do to ease the pain right now. but i pray. i pray you take some comfort that the world shares with you

in the ache of john's death. >> we will have full coverage aftof all of the events plann for john mccain. we will carry the ceremony on our air. that will happen late morning. we will carry tomorrow's funeral at t washington national cathedral, live. ♪ that's juste a sampl of theu stared tribute cons earcert for aretha franklin. today, close to 4,000 people are set to attend her funeral. it will last 6 1/2 hours. a b greyhound and a semicrashed in m nico. the truck blew a tire and hit

the median. the truck driver survived that crash. re accused kil of a fairfax county teen is behind bars. the 18-year-old is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his girlfriend, hjine moussa. look for uates in the nbc washington app. d.c. police have found a person suspected of threatening a school crossing guard. witnesses say he threatened to shoot or run over the crossing guard a told h he shouldn't be working with white children. parents gave police cell phone video os the man' car. the skins fall short in the baf the beltway last night. they lost to the ravens, 30-20. coming up, we'll tell you about

the roster deadline that will involve cutting dozens of players from the team. todays the busiest travel day of the labor dayay hol weekend. look at reagan national airport. doesn't it look busy already. an estimated 2.7illion americans will board airplanes today. and 16.5 million americans are expected to fly somewhere for a final summer vacation. back to the look at the road a lot of people will be driving this holiday weekend. >> no matter how youlan to travel to your destinations, expect a lot of company along the way, to save some time and avoid delays, y can use express lanes during off-peak hos through tuesday. where you're going, expect to pay more for gas, too, this weekend. a gallon of regular unleaded is

$2.84. areas -- our area tends to pay mo . inmaryland, 8.$2 in montgomery, virginia, $2.94. >he suburbs are cheaper than d.c. e's accused of eating and running. now, an alleged serial dine and dasher is in custody. how he wase caught bef ditching another check. just ahead, we're going to walkou through the newest school in nearly 20 years to open in alexandria. we're keeping an eye on a first 4 traffic alert. atractor-trailern jackknifed the beltway, blocking lanes on the

you're watching "news 4 today." >> a so-called scammer is caught in bethesda. >> a restaurant manager was able to stop a mang try to dine and dash right in his tracks. he's known as dg the scammer. the man came io areek restaurant in bethesda. he sat at the bar and ordered a few beers and the smoked lamb shoulder. he told the bar tender he left his wallet at home. that's where the maner stepp in. >> he introduced his name as g doug. >> the restaurant owners have been onhe lookout for doug the scammer. he has bee arrested and stopped for now. >> surprising he didn't get away with it. right now, guys, the first 4 traffic alert.

inr loop has this jackknifed trailer. only getting by one lane t the we'll look at what this is doing to the beltway coming up. and for the unlucky kids that have to go to school on the fray before labor day, you should pack that umbrella. some showers and thunder showers today. everybody has the weekend off.bo more the holiday weekend forecast coming up. plus,aises rescinded. why the president is pulling the pay raises thousands of federal employees were counting on. we'll check in live on capil we'll check in live on capil hill wittoh

baliving healthy is ncing act. that's why i love light & fit greek non-fat yogurt. each delicious cup contains 12 grams of protein and 80 calories. it's nutrition that fits my healthy life. light & fit. do what fits you. welcome back. it's 4:45. we are tracking a traffic alert as we start the holiday e'ekend. ther trouble on the beltway. a jackknifed tractor-trailer is blocking lag in lanes at the be. melissa will have your traffic in a few minutes. also, we're preparing for tributes for senator john mccain.

his bod arrived in our area last night. today, thousands are expected to pay thr respects at the c capitol. president trump says the federal government does not have enough money to give thousands of federal worke the raises they were promised. >> thahas thousands of families in our area we working our budget in the last half of the year. tracie potts on why they chose to make this decision right now. >> reporter: in our area and all around the country, the workers that were supposed to get a 2% raise. prestrump says it's out. he says the country cannot afford it. critics say we can't afford it because of the tax cut that the president pushed and signed off on nine months ago. that with the, spendi the

congressional budget offices will have a huge impact on the deficit. president trump telling workers they wil not get that bump in pay that was supposed to kick in after the holidays. we are a few days away from a major murder trial. darren went is accused of murdering a family. >> no there's questions about he way the evidence was collected. police say he killed his forr boss and wife, child and housekeeper. in court records, investigators found a screwdriver holding a window open in the basement. is that how the suspect was able to get inside? >> the forensic biologist asked that the screwdriver be collected. she does not bieve it was

recovered. there's much more in the report that you can find in the nbc washington app. in t in the meantime, t anxious to see how the government came to accuse the wrong man of the heinous crimes and in the rush to judgment they overlooked the true culprit. >> the atf had no comment. you can look next tueay as we examine the evidence with lingering questionsnd a panel of experts. that's tuesday night at 6:30, for "mansion murder: insid the investigation." we could learn the fate of a former fairfax county teacher accused of abuse. timot t he l yt his license fourrs ago. but the student revealed new details that led to the charges.

in closing arguments, the prosecution said that he wasgr ming the student for a sexual relationship. her statements don't match the physical evidence. it is 4:49 now. and kids in prince george's county are ready to go back to sohool. for , that means a newly renovated elementary school. the school has new equipment, natural lightnd redone classrooms. in the old building, there were portable classrooms. district heights is closed because of mold. school starts on tuesday.> few virginia districts head back to class on esday. and t city of alexandria is ho pening its first school in two decades. >> david culver has a a look the new school that incarp raors

the past and the new of the city. >> we're in alexandria, one of the newest schools to open. the first school to open since 2000. this was a commercial building, v vacant. the first four floors, that's where the classoms are. the top two, for ainistrative offices. we're on this high-rise crosswalk, this bridge that takes you from the school, to the playground. the school in of itself, is named for fernand t. day, a local guy, a pioneer in civil rights. we caught up with his daughter. >> walking into this building and seeing this board and wall with everything about his life and seeing his name is humbling. >> reporter: 650s stude will call this space their school. in alexandria, i'm david culver, news 4. as alexandria and nearly a dozen local school districts

head back to class on tuesdayin mo we're working for you. we've been sharing starting off the new year on the.ight foot if you're a parent or teacher, trying to avoid the extra affic. weosted all of the stories in the nbc 4 washingto app. i'm not ready. >> get ready. we want to cck in with melissa on this traffic alert on the beltway. >> big issue, guys. inner loopfter connecticut avenue. jackknifed tractor-traileet you're onlyng by on the far left lane this morning. it is very slow throughhis area. just adding to the pain of this taway day. only the left lane is open. it's going to be some time before they get this cleared out of the way. thesow on the scene. we don't have the sand truck yet. the rest of t beltway looks okay right now. as john mccain lying in state at the chapitol.

first street between northeast and independence and constitution. >> thank you. chuck bell is here with more on the importantee holidaynd forecast. a lot of people traveling and a lot of people staying home. >> lot of people come here for labor day it is a great place to visit. >> and to live and work and raise and family. >> work and get up in the middle of the night and all that. it will be a fine weekend on the whole. there are rain chances you will deal with. there's a live picture of reagan national airport, comfortably ensconced in arlington county over the river. a lot of early morning drop-offs at the airport. if you are driving,r pack y patience. there's a lot of people out there. our graphic thinks the sun is already up. stupid computer. 79 degrees. sun is not up until after 6:30

morning. but it's humid outside. and there have been some late-night rumbles of thunder across parts of southern virginia and over the eastern shore. most of that isor dying down f now. we're left with a lot of cloud cover. but not as much coverage on rain here, first thing on a friday morning. you're going to make the drive out to theeaches here this morning, by the time you get there, most of the heavy rain will be off theco delaware t. it's just lingering cloudiness and lgeringuddles around, from the late-night showers that have already left the area. future weather has some chance for some rain from annapolis to baltimore early this rning. i think we'll get a break in the action, from late morning until early parts of the afternoon. by 2:00 3:00, rain chances are increasing once again. and the rain chances will reach parts of central virginia,s well. what about temperatures?

we're in the 70s this morning. just enough peeks of sunshine to get temperatures in the mid-80s today. and heat and humidity to lead the storm chances. the nationals are at home this evening for a 7:00 game with the brewers. hit and miss chances for rain. and fedex field on saturday. texas is coming p here toy maryland. maryland got them down there in austin last ye. hohat happens again. it makes an oklahoma fan happy when texas loses. highest rain chances tay and tomorrow. lower rain chances. labor day looks nice. and the first full week of september looks lik it will be real hot. many, many 90s in a row. >> 4:54 right now. and tribute to a teen killed in parkland, florida, at the high school massacre is getting a lotf attention this morning. the university of

connecticut honored alex shatter at the football season opener there. going-year-old dreamed of there for college before he was killed in februaryt stoneman douglas high school. he was made an honorary husky when the school learned of his love for that school. the mystics are in the finals but we don't know if the star player is healthy to take the cohet. at t last game, she tripped and injured her left knee against the dream. she had to behe helped off court. the ability to play be a game-time decision. >> she is walking much better. if your motion is not limited, you can push off and cut and go. there's gng to b pain involved somewhere, if she plays. she's a tough player. >> she is hopef w that shel be back for tonight's home game. don't want toush her too much. >> game three tonight tips off at 8: later this morning,

celebrating a summer sple in th area. molette green is headed down to thar to help us get ready for the holiday weekend. she willhaeng some of your recipes, as well. she's looking for good up o. withes, you can send them to her on twitter. we will check up with moletteco ming up. and still ahead, colin kaepernick helds to court. he's the man behind the police brutity protests at nfl games. now, h says that league owners colluded to keep him off the field. plus, saying good-bye to the queen of soul. 're live in detroit, ahead of funeral.anklin's as we head to break, another look at thatacnifed tractor-trailer scene, causing some backups on the outer loop. am coverage on is, next at 5:00. stay with us.

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ready, set, weekend. we're getting you ready for your travel plans with tips to avoid traffic and crow. final respects.ai john mccn returns to washington. what you need to know if you plan to say good-bye at the capitol today. paid increase canceled. trump said the country can't afford it. >> "news 4 today" begins with breaking news.

>> take a look at the mess here. a tractor-ailer has jackknifed on 495. the lanes are closed and the cleanup has begun. this crash is sure to impact travel plans today. good morning. i'meun yang. >> i'm aaron gilchrist.. 5:00 a.m this morning. we'll begin with melis good morning, guys. this is not the day for this to happen, especially inner loop with folks going over the bay bridge. this is inner loop, after connecticut aftvenue this morni. we are only getting by on the far left de. it's a jackknifed tractor trailer here. and a huge response on t scene. additional problem is we have a fuel spill with thisoi this is to take some time to get this out of the way. inner loo out o connecticut, that left lane is open.