at the washington monument. it is tuesday, july 21st, 2009. good morning. i'm steve chenevey. >> i'm allison seymour. you can definitely see it in that shot, can't you? >> sure can. >> tucker barns is in today for tony. how warm will it get? >> only iesthe 80s. but that hey torstofthe story i humiddiy huheidity t there with scattered showers and er thunderstorms and the possibility of more during the er. fno let's start with the max hd da r. ostshower activity is south and east of the tyc ictyi beach d rehoboth some omse thunderin caerlvt bay and e pushint toward annapolis. a better chance of showers this afternoon. toward the south you'll notie sh hat the air s ve rytcaropithl around here.

our dew point temperatures are pushing in the middle 60s so it will be a humid afternoon with a mix of sun and clouds and the possibility of more scattered showers and thunderstorms. humidity is 73%. our temperature mild at 71 degrees. here is a quick look at the forecast and i'll be back with more details. partly cloudy weather expected today. scattered showers and thunderstorms return. high temperature is only 82 degrees. i'll be back if a couple of minutes. and let's get to lauren demarco. how is it running? very good right now. prince william county, the accident cleared out. 28 at maplewood, delays easing out. we're seeing bail out traffic on old centreville road. also dealing with visitor centers being closed in virginia. 95 northbound we have the topper over a lot of pictures there, and you can see it is blocked off at the visitor

center. but no problem passing dale city. on the brakes up through woodbridge across the occuquan. back inside, at the mixing bowl in springfield, the 95 looks good up towards 395. there are delays across the 14th street bridge from the pentagon at this point. now on the beltway, on the inner loop in prince george's county, right lane blocking disabled vehicle. no problems toward the wilson bridge but once you're there at telegraph road, the lane d keoc blocked with debris. so stay to the right t by . geby. at's a check of fox 5 on-time traffic. more trouble fortroor this. time a idr tcerca s hea bus driver reading behind the wheel. more than a dozen passengers were on board. this happened while the bus was in stop and go traffic last

month. >> just the latest ia string of incidents, including one caught sleeping at the wheel of a metro train. sarah simmons joins us this morning. >> reporter: good morning. this bus driver was caught reading behind the wheel. a 13 year veteran and officials say he should have known better and policy changes could be on the way because of it. >> it's a little unnerving. >> reporter: captured we the iphone, a metro drivereading on the job. >> he was constantly reaching into the bag and pulling out a book and reading and then when traffic would move s he would keep the book there and -- continue looking down. >> reporter: one person captured the picture during the evening rush hour commute. the bus was filled with 20 passengers and it was raining. >> all of our safety is in his

hands. >> reporter: nothing bad happened while on the bus, but this is troubling in the wake of the metro crash that left 9 op epledead. the driver there was not at fault. but this is the latest photo of metro drivers caught breaking the rules. a 14-year-old boy captured a train operator sleeping on the jo while his train sped along the green line. june 5th, another metro driver caught texting. this was the latest brought to the metro's attention. yet the metro -- metro says the driver will only get a reprimand. >> is that strong enough? >> that is what the policy is right now. >> reporter: and the policy right now is four strikes and you're out. >> it's the lack of accountability on the metro.

>> reporter: the transit authority just passed a zero tolerance policy for using your cell phone, using a pda or texting behind the wheel. at this point metro says that does not cover it. there is a possibility there could be policy changes coming, but metro officials want people do send in the photos so they can address the problems -- and try to make changes. steve. in boston, a former subway operator accused of causing a crash because he was tempting on the job appeared in court yesterday. he pled not guilty to charges of gross negligence by a person in control of a train. more than 60 people were hurt when the train slammed into the back of north trolley in may. a cultural exchange lands some group of 17 u.s. students in quarantine.

it is said they showed symptoms of swine flu. one student from our area told the dynasty outlet television they are being treated well and comfortable. a woman shot during a barricade situation last week. john valentini shot her last week and barricaded himself in an apartment with his child. valentini shot himself later snapless are looking for help to track down a -- a man who attacks a woman. the trial of banita jacks continuing. yesterday the assistant medical

examiner testifying he found wounds on the oldest daughter that led him to believe her death was a homicide. banita jacks told the judge she believed her deceased boyfriend was jesus christ and her children were possessed by demons. now to the faceoff over health care reform. the president taking a swing at his critics as concern grows about the cost to you. today the president meets with key house democrats on the energy and commerce committee and the only one of three house panels that have not passed some sort of reform legislation. under the bill passed by the ways and means committee last week, taxewould increase for couples making $350,000 and individuals making $280,000. but nancy pelosi has a proposal

for less. caroline keely has more. >> reporter: the president made clear liz desire for health care reform continuing his push for a bill, the president says it must slow the cost of health care over time. >> so let's fight through the politics and pass reform by the end of the year. >> reporter: at the national governor's association conference there is fear health care reform could put further pressure on state's strained budget. >> we're concerned we're going to get stuck with huge unfunded mandates as part of this pros res. >> the governors are clear that our plate is full. we're not the vehicle to pay for this. it's congress' idea and they have to find the way to pay for it. >> reporter: with one poll showing his approval rating on health care dipping below 50%, many say its risky. >> president obama is conducting a dangerous experiment with our health care and with the quality of our

lives. >> i don't think necessarily doing something on the timetable that president has laid out is doing something improper. >> reporter: with work still left in the house and senate, some say the august deadline is in wt tebue white house says they are positive congress will pass the bills before the recess. courtney keely, fox 5 news. many changes wouldn't be up and running for almost a decade. first comes the pain to taxpayers in 2011 and the government will start collecting higher taxes from wealthy people to pay for the overhaul and the uninsured would wait until 2013 for benefits to kick in and we won't see a implement until 2018. and the obama administration pushing back its deadline for developing new anti-terrorism policies coming

six months after an attempt to close guantanamo. the report is expected to be delayed six months. sonia sotomayor could move closer to joining the supreme court as the senate judiciary panel is set to vote but republicans are divided and some g.o.p. senators plan to block the vote today and try to delay it until july 28th. sotomayor has solid support from democrats who control a 60% majority and three republicans have said they intend to vote for her. you can expect a more upbeat outlook on the economy when chairman ben bernanke delivers his semi report before congress. they say his views on the football crisis should have an immediate impact on wall street. 7:10 right now on a tuesday morning. the economic outlook not great r local budgets so you can forget about saving money on

the back to school shopping. find out where the plug is pulled on back to school holiday. and rest stops all over the commonwealth shut down for good starting today. plus a d.c. landmark could have a wnew owner starting toda the latest oa real fixer-upper. the latest on the watergate coming up.

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startling accusations could tarnish the badges of several area police officers as an fbi probe will find out if they took money protect drug smugglers. some officers are under investigation.

no one has been fired or charged but department officials are deeply concerned. >> we wear the same badge as officers that commit misconduct. one bad cop tarnishes its badge we all wear. i want to assure our resident that's no officers that may be asrt of this investigation are signed to patrol duties. >> according to the washington post, the officers under investigation include five veterans of the prince george's county police district. the baltimore field office would not confirm or deny the investigation and a spokesperson for d.c. police denies any officer is involved. 7:15 right now. temperature at about 71 degrees. haven't seen much movement this morning. >> the clouds are holding temperatures in tact. but you'll notice the humidity. it kicked into gear yesterday and it will be around all week. >> i liked t itbetewh itno h

hu mi. hiotik n lnge having your shirt stick to your back when you w llkao the mailbox. for the most partwehos rlk activityas been east of the city this morning. that vibd down toward lvert county has been very persistent erank anstucthere and very slow pushing to the north. could pick up another ach of n in of rain in n n iutsouth ou e aruely. cnt a of low pressure off the coast. let's go to the maps. and most of the activity is out to the west. there in fact where they have flash flood warnings w th e the st. louis and into western missouri, very heavy rain. and temperatures right now he ryin wn,htoryngasve mgy7, ve1 degrees. rosh chester 57. and tpeths this ti meof year. 70th and 80 nc texas, 50s and

60s elsewhere. and low pressure will be 107 today. >> wow. >> that's typical of the area there. our forecast has a lot of clouds around today. we'll go with scattered, 30-% of rain. the humidity will be around all week. look at our weather pattern, staying the same through saturday. >> when i saw your long range temperatures last week i thought we would get a break but that humidity kills it all. >> it sure does. it's more typical of summer. >> thanks, tucker. 7:17, let's check in with lauren demarco who is handling traffic. >> i think i would rather be in vegas, what do you think? >> yeah, nice. >> we do have an accident to report on prince george's- charles county line at mckendry road, to the left side of the right. now out to the roads in

montgomery county, looking good at the american legion bridge. volume on the outer loop as you head around from 95 and college park into silver spring and bethesda. outer loop heavy at this point. and prince george's county at route 5 branch avenue the left lane is blocked with a disabled vehicle. no problems across the woodrow wilson bridge but seeing slow traffic on 66 eastbound from route 29 in gainesville past the visitor's center in manassas. that's a check of your fox 5 on- time traffic. well a boost for some road projects in virginia as governor tim kaine says the commonwealth has received more than a billion dollars in funding for infrastructure projects. the governor said $123 million went to highway safety and the rest toward bridge replacement and repairs and sewage plant projects. virginia is expected to receive a total of $4.8 billion in stimulus funding. however, you're going to need to keep this in mind the next

time you head out on a road trip in virginia, because beginning today 18 rest areas are shutting down for good, including a few along i-95 and one along i-66 in manassas. and that's why sky fox is right now. take a look. to left of your screen, the eastbound rest stop closed at midnight. they have the signs up blocking the exit lane. the westbound welcome center will close in september after the summer travel season. it is a cost-cutting move expected to save the state about $9 million a year. virginia is close to $2.6 billion in budget shortfalls. there is a full list of the rest areas that are closed on myfoxdc.com. just look under web links. well you can forget about the tax holiday in the district next month. the d.c. governor is canceling the august tax-free week. in the past it had allowed customers to buy items under $100 without paying sales tax but as will thomas discovered, ghe city i ha

a hi iecatsffs r taer s. >> it affects us that have children and grandchildren. >> reporter: she's a d.c. grandmother of two children and helps foot the bill for school uniforms. blanche mccloud relies on savings from the district's 9 day tax break on clothing, accessories, schools and shoe supplies for $100 or less. but now the holiday from the 5.75 sales tax is canceled next month. >> $20 saving or $30 savings that's a pair of uniform pants. >> what is your reaction? >> i'm completed devastated. >> reporter: she's in the business of selling clothes. as manager of this northeast clothing store. >> i want to say at least 20- 30% more. >> reporter: the impact of losing tax holiday sales will not only be felt by smaller to

medium size retailers. giant chains report big time sale spikes around the holidays. >> back to school is coming, people like to shop and save some money, especially during hard times in the economy. >> this is a big hit. >> absolutely. >> reporter: d.c.'s office of tax and revenue tells fox 5 is comes down to dollars and what makes sense in the economy. city will avoid losing an estimated $640,000 by canceling the august tax holiday at a time when some government workers are being laid off, they say it's a matter of survival n. washington, will thomas, fox 5 news. >> d.c. has another tax holiday in november. a decision hasn't been made about that one yet no. tax holiday in maryland either. they haven't had one since 2006. virginia's tax-free week is still in tact, kicking off october 2nd. and the watergate going into foreclosure and now on the auction block. the winning bidder will have to

put down $1 million. the 12-story hotel has been closed since it was sold back in 2004. 7:22 right now on this tuesday morning. relief for troops stretched thin. robert gates plan to help ease the strain of two wars and other global missions. details coming up next. and also just ahead, hear what joe jackson had to say last night about the death of his son on michael jackson and who he believes is behind his son's death. and coming up later, we are heading out on two wheels. and as we learn how to ride a harley, holly is getting lessons. we'll hear from her coming up. there are moments in time

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than any other company - improving and expanding our network, to keep you in control. and behind the scenes, that takes work by our employees, who pride themselves knowing, that because they do it right, you might not even notice. if all of that, makes your connections, faster and more secure... well, that's our business. at&t... your world... delivered. the pontiac summer closeout is here;

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virginia, was killed in combat outside of new delhi. he join the the marined back in 1994. he leaves behind a wife, a daughter and soon to be born son. he'll be buried at arlington on thursday. robert gates increasing the size of the army by up to 22,000 soldiers temporarily, the increase is meant to help ease the strain of wars in afghanistan. gates says the increase won't create new forces but will help commanders in the field and families back home by reducing the pressure of multiple rotations. the endorsement for bob mcdonnell in virginia as sheila johnson is now backing mcdonnell. johnson has donated money to tim kaine for the past nine years but she's given $15,000 to republicans as well. coming up next on fox 5 morning news. we're breaking down the battle

over health care reform. today the president is calling wayward democrats to the house saying it is now or never. we'll take a closer look at the next step after the break. plus a harvard professor arrested outside of his home. arking uion sp allegations of racism. it is now 7:27. ar steak, chicken, ribs, and burgers on the grill.

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a couple ticks away from 7:30 and a time for a look at our top stories. a metro bus driver caught reading a book behind the wheel has got a light punishment. he was caught in the act by an editor for the washington examiner. it happened last month while the bus was in stop and go traffic. right now the transit authorities rules state that a bus operator caught reading the first time will get a written reprimand. and would have to be caught tro says it is taking another look at the reading policy. several washington area police officers stand accused of using their badge to protect an illegal gambling ring and ny are accused drug dealers. prince george's county police confirm the fbi is investigating and says none of the targets are on patrol duty and no one has been fired or charges. according to the post, two of

the officers may eavh helped tov smuggle or store drugs as well. more than a dozen rest stops in virginia closed this morning. five of the rest stops in northern virginia. one is on i-66 in manassas and the other on i-95 from dale city down to lady smith. all total, 18 highway rest stops aclosed across state because the state doesn't have the money to keep them open. triple-a is asking the governor to reconsider the plan. >> you need to have a heads up if you travel with pets or kids, to make sure to stop along the way. >> i just stopped at one last week and it's really nice. a nice facility. too bad. >> it is too bad. just have to give a quick shoutout when i met to ocean city. and susie kathwatch and i met them on the bus on philadelphia avenue in southwest. so good morning, ladies. >> did you have a good time. >> i had a great time.

ocean city is run very well. props to the mayor down there, meehan i think i sis name. >> llwe werain showers down there. >> well kathy and susie are n ckbaow. d a look at hckda hora sewers pushing off ot sthe north and uast hebt t still lingering showers. a lot of clouds. it rains there overnight so stha iha nthere. itt be a perfect day, although we might see so me opieces al lit,ecs al list, toward chesapeake beach, this area o shower activity has just kind of been -- stuck here. nothing pushing it along so very slow to move across the western shore of the chesapeake bay. it rained about a quarter of an inch there. it could rain more as it will rain itself over the next couple of hours. a couple more showers across crofton and buoy. we'll see if the showers don't

fill in during the course of the afternoon. more scattered showers during the course of the afternoon. very muggy. dew point in the mid-60s so it feels tropical. 72 at reagan national. 69 at dulles. 66 in fredericksberg. very mild startment our high temperatures later today with winds and flow out of the south and north in the low 80s. the reason temperatures are down are because we have a lot of cloud cover. out there. you can see that in motion. when i put this in motion, look at the clouds to the south and north. and most of the rain shower activity is off to the south and east. it was at the beaching and now pushing up into new york and boston. low pressure developing right there along the del mar peninsula. and so much like yesterday, scattered showers in the forecast. let's go to the tropics. not much happening. we'll see one tropical wave

overnight. and now west of antilles, hurricane center keeping an eye on this one. they'll keep a close eye on that area of thunderstorm activity over the next couple of days pushing off to the we have. if it does develop it will be tropical storm anna, our first storm of the season. our forecast, mostly cloudy, scattered showers and thunderstorms return by afternoon. some could be strong. best chance is north and west of the city for strong thunderstorms later today. 82 for an afternoon high. winds out of the east. and not a whole lot in the way of changes. temperatures in the mid-80s. mix of sun and clouds with a possibility of a scattered shower and thunderstorm each day through saturday. so this will be a summer pattern for the next several days. that will do it for weather. let's get to fox 5 on-time traffic and in is lauren demarco. we're still dealing with delays because of the rest area closures, so 66 eastbound from route 29 in gainesville heading across toward manassas, you will be on the brakes past the visitor center. 95 northbound the same story at

dale city, the visitors center closed there but passing at speed and on the brakes across the occuquan. and at the mixing bowl northbound 95 looking good up to 395. onhe beltway, in montgomery county, we're dealing with delays on the outer loop making your trip from 95 and college park around toward the american legion bridge. we have an accident reported, university boulevard inbound, the right lane blocked at the beltway. now on the prince george's county, charles county line we're dealing with a rec. this i301 north of bean town road. you'll lose the left lane in both directions. just a brief delay getting that. that's a check of your fox 5 on- time traffic. take a look at your screen right now. this is just one of the sticking points of our health care reform. taxing the wealthy to pay for it. under the bill passed by the house wa and means committee last week, taxes would increase for couples making $350,000 a

year and individuals making $280,000 a year. but house speaker nancy pelosi has a proposal to limit increases to couples making more than a million dollars and individuals making more than $500,000. that coming as the president is set to meet with other house democrats today. now for more on the health care debate we're joined by the white house reporter from congressional reporterly. does the latest push by nancy pelosi to change the limit, will that have impact. >> i think the president is getting pushback from the members of his own party in the house and senate. they're concerned about the price tag, a trillion dollars or morettached to some plans circulating in congress and the time frame. he said he wanted to get -- he wanted to get bills passed by august and now is pushing back and you think if there is more friction we'll see this debate go on into the fall. >> does that mean more concessions on the president's part?

>> i think they are accepting that but how far will it go from the orangeal goals which were to cover all 47, 48 million uninsured americans and that has a plan over 10 years pays for itself. getting the math right is because he wanted to make it responsibility and not creating a burden that is own -- onerous for grandkids. >> how does he win over the conservative democrats that are opposing to spending. >> it becomes a number debate more than a debate about coverage and the uninsured. there is a social imperative like this but this is becoming a budget debay or economic debate. he's trying to make the case that without a plan that pays for itself, you can't build a

sustainerecovery and you have to have price controls, get extractions from insurers and drug makes to make this work. and so i think he's trying to make this an economic debate. >> it seems like that is the big question that comes up among a number of people who may say well the government is proposing to put all of this money in but we still have the issue with the insurance companies, its drug makers and hospitals. are they willing to play ball here? >> some of them have made nonbinding concessions saying we, the drug makers and hospitals are going to extract x-number of billions out of the health care efficiencies. i don't think anyone disagrees with slimming it down. but if you're leaning on the providers to make all of the concessions and extract all of the efficiency, there is another part, you have to raise taxes and that is where it becomes a big political debate. >> michael steel, speaking on

behalf of the republican party has called this an experiment on the president's part, saying that you need to make some other changes here, perhaps saying that the whole thing is going to slow the economy in many ways. how do you -- do you counter that argument as opposed to what he's trying to do within his own party. >> what the white house is saying is that republicans lost the two most elections -- recent elections badly and they're trying to keep a broken system that is pricing more people out of the market and making american families vulnerable and they're trying to portray the republicans as stuck in the mud and the republicans are saying what obama is doing is assist in a government run health care system. >> and for those that don't have health care and aren't able to get the coverage they need, if any plan does go through, whether by august or

by the end of the year, at what point might some of the people start getting some help that they need. >> well these are decade-long plans so everything would be phased in over time. and certainly if you're levying surtaxes on certain people or changing benefits, the best place to do it is 20 election. >> and that looks like what should happen on the screen. thanks for joining us this morning. allison, back to you. >> steve, thank you. a harvard professor arrested and accused of breaking into his own home. now that professor is one of the nation's black scholars is accusing the local police department of racial profiling. we'll take a closer look at this story next. and later a mother and two children trapped in a burning suv and the quick actions of good samaritans the difference between life and death and the rescue is all caught on camera. we'll be back with those stories and more.

henry lewis gates, jr., the african-american history scholar grabbing headlines after being arrested at his own

home. this happened after massachusetts police received a call about two black males breaking into a house. he claims the arrest was race- based. ted daniels has the story. >> reporter: henry grates, jr., handcuffed on his own front porch. at rest of the 58-year-old scholar has this neighbor and admirer alleging racial profiling. >> if it was me, trying to get into that house, i don't even live tere, i can guarantee you nobody would have called the police. >> reporter: according to this report, cambridge police were called to 17 ware street after a woman s a man trying to break open the front door. when they arrived, gates refused to identify himself as the homeowner and yelled quote, this is what happens to black americans and quote, you don't know who you are messing with. >> he should have given his identification. this would have never happened with him saying this is what happens to a black man in america. >> reporter: through a statement released by his attorney, he says he told the

officer he lived at the home and produced two forms of identification. gates claims he was arrested for disorderly conduct only after he repeatedly asked for the officer's name and badge number. gates is the director of an african research institute at harvard, a noted author and long time friend of tax show host oprah winfrey. respected in academic circles, it isn't over yet. >> i see the professor quite often and i see police around here too and they're both accommodating too. it's hard to be a judge and jury until the facts come out. >> that was fox's ted daniels reporting. gates says it took four hours before he was released from police custody. 7:45 on this tuesday morning. tucker barnes keeping an eye on the weather outside today which is not doing too much right now. >> quiet out there. muy y sggthrswiwe thoff oo se

downowards thbeaches we'll see more today. we could use the rain shower activity. only picked up a third of a inch of rain for this month. >> it's already muggy, you might as well bring the rain. >> that's a b jotelling the sy.ort i'll show you the temperatures r currently onx ma2 at reagan national. n are in the 70s, 72 right now at reagan national. the drier air off o tthe o west 62 in pittsburgh. 59 in cincinnati. you like the graphics there? >> really nice. >> notice the flow here out of p r the last couple of weeks our wind pattern has brought the air into the north and west and that's why it's been cool le and dry but this week tropical air will be set upon us. most of the shower activity up in new york and boston. but the thinking is later today with this unstable air mass around here we may see showers and thunderstorms fire up. because of that, we're officially under a slight risk

for severe weather. north and west of washington, if you're in one of those communities, keep an eye in the sky. some thunderstorms could be strong this afternoon and maybe some hail out there. we haven't talked too much this month about the possibility of thunderstorms. they are a possibility this afternoon. 82 for an afternoon high. mix of sun and clouds in the forecast. and this week we're stuck in the 80s with clouds and showers each day. >> it could be worse. we could be stuck in the upper 90s. >> that's right. >> tucker, thanks. let's check in with lauren demarco with a look at traffic this morning. >> hey, guys. how are you doing? we do have slow traffic today because of the rest areas closed in virginia. right now 66 eastbound, you're on the brakes from gainesville heading past the visitor's center in manassas. 95 northbound getting past dale city, you're looking okay but you'll be on the breaks through

woodbridge across the occuquan to lorton in montgomery county, down toward 28 heavy on the volume. and the outer loop slows from college park toward bethesda. 95 spillover delays inbound slowing at bladensberg road and the 3rd street tunnel. that's a check of your fox 5 on- time traffic. it's 7:48 and marylanders being challenged to incorporate locally grown products in their diet and later we'll head to the farm to find out how easy it is to eat local. and let's check in with holly. >> i know you're green. if you've always dreams of learning to ride a harley, is your chance. we are live this morning at harley-davidson of annapolis where we had signed up for the

riders edge academy of moator cycling. how you can sign up and get out on the road in no time next on fox 5 morning news. stay with us. there are moments in time when the paths we take do determine our future. today we are communicating with each other as never before - and that requires a seamless network that is nstantly growing better, smarter, and more secure. that's whour scientists and engineers in our labs,

are taking the fastest technology in the world and making it mobile, better and faster - to keep pushing the internet further than anyone dreamed. last year alone we invested more in building america's future than any othecompany - improving and expanding our network, to keep you in control. and behind thscenes, that takes work by our employees, who pride themselves knowing, that because theyo it right, you might not even notice. if all of that, makes your connections, faster and more secure... well, that's our business. at&t... your world... delivered. if we don't act, medical bills will wipe out their savings. if we don't act, she'll be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. and he w't get the chemotherapy he needs. if we don't act, health care costs will rise 70%. and he'll have to cut benefits

for his employees. but we can act. the president and congress have a plan to lower your costs and stop denials for pre-existing conditions. it's time to act. announcer: during the autobahn for all event, you can get great lease deals. i love it! i just want to know it's the right move. me? thirteen days in the future. you get a al on the car you always wanted. scheduled maintenance is included, it's all good. what's the future like? you love your new jetta. and the suit? you like it? no...i love it! we were born to run or born

to ride. get ready for the ride of your life. >> holly has become an honorary member of the annapolis harley owners group where she is getting ready to take a ride on a hog. you're looking great. >> reporter: thank you very much. this is the one and only time, allison, you can call me a hog. >> okay. >> reporter: this is very cool hog, harley owners group is what hog stands for. we're live at harley-davidson- buehl in annapolis. dave is with the riders edge academy of motorcycling. good morning. >> good morning. >> reporter: how did you decide to come up with the riders' school. >> we started a class to bring

women and others into the family. >> reporter: and it's been popular. >> it's been great. >> reporter: tell me what the class entails. >> a four-day course, two full days, 8:00 in the morning until 5:00 so you get a 25 hour course. you take your riding test and written test with us, complete them both successfully and you get a certificate and te that to mva and you get your license. >> reporter: and if they completed the course, do they get a bike? >> that was last week. [ laughter ] >> reporter: and one of my favorite sayings is what you wear when riding and that's where maria comes in. i'll move over here in my leather chaps. let's talk about what you need to wear. >> the most important thing is your helmet. you want to have a d.o.t. helmet. you want to make sure it's not too tight or too loose. >> reporter: and while i look cool, there is a purpose behind the boots and the chaps and the

fact it's all leather. >> it's all going to keep you protected when riding. >> >> reporter: what about the bling? >> that's just something special. >> reporter: it just makes me look good. i have a look and knowledge about the class, now all i need is a bike. and that's where ms. patty comes in. so patty, in two minutes time here, how many bikes can we fit? >> let's get four or five in. why don't you hop on. >> reporter: what am i looking for here? >> turn your wheel and stand up. this is a pie per -- a high performance bike. it is liquid cools. and it's one of our sport bike. so you'll get action, extra room to gary some more glitter to pack in some stuff. >> that could be a selling point, packing for glitter. but as i'm looking for a bike, what do i want to keep in mind. >> first of all, what riding experience are you looking for?

are you looking for something that is just short-term, or from point a to b, or dance riding and will you have a passenger? this bike is in our startster family, the new xr1200 and you'll get higher torque out of this one. >> reporter: i'm sitting more up right. >> more up righ andyou're feet are progressive. >> reporter: and what kind of cost are we talking here. >> definitely under $12,000, $15,000. and this is the soft tail family. >> reporter: now i feel like i'm on a harley. >> this is a more perfect position. you're relaxed and you have foot boards. a lot more comfort for cruising. >> reporter: i could take a nap on this. >> you wouldn't want to. >> reporter: not while riding. and over to our last bike, i'll tell you myfoxdc.com is our website. we have a link to their website

here so you can find out more about the class. and last but not least. >> this is the rocker c also in the soft fail family. put your feet up. you're in a forward position and this is just a little bit more of like your chopper feel. >> reporter: this looks pretty -- like something off of the tv. and i love the blue. it's amazing. it just really pops. i think it makes my eyes pop. maria bring over my helmet and glasses. in our next hour we are indeed heading outside. we're going to hop on the bike, see what we can learn. because the class is certified with the mva. so if you're going to want to come learn and be a real hog, this is where you need to do it. so cool. back to you guys. >> looking good, holly. i like it. i like that last bike too. looks good on it. i like the blue too. >> very pretty. holly will be outside though this -- this morning and

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another metro dricasomethin ri. dngvi this one reading behind the wheel. and some passengers say his punishment is unacceptable into then fire engulfed an suv. a mother and her two children trapped inside. t rescue caught on camera. and this morning half of virginia's rest stops are shut down. if you're traveling throughout the state, you better come up with another plan. good morning. i'm steve chenevey. >> and i'm allison seymour. we're happy you're with us in this 8:00 hour and tucker barnes is here today for tony perkins. >> tony is a little under the weather. >> a little under the humidity.

>> and there is a lot of it out there. tha.e n iatha. loren swhoers inhose th the forecast. right r the ares is dry rghit sr howeshower ay ctitiv a icnty.he east, pushing toward 'weofav he a lot of cl dsou ou artoouday and the possibility that by afternoon some more scattered showers and thunderstorms return. and with the cloud cover, temperatures will hold out in the low to mid-80s. 72 right now at reagan national. 69 at dulles. 71bwi marshall. that is only telling you half of the story. our dew point pressures have been pushing through the mid- 60s so we're starting to get into the uncomfortable range and you'll notice that today. the possibility of afternoon showers and thunderstorms, be ready for a bad hair day as the humidity will be high up. temperature at 82 degrees and winds out of the east at 5 miles per hour. i'll have por detail -- have more details on the forecast in

a few minutes. >> and i was going to call the girls and tell them pony tail hair day today. bad hair day today. >> we'll check in with lauren demarco. >> good thing i curled my hair today. and a jackknifed tractor- trailer in the median from lynden. and on the brakes from the visitors center in manassas and delays for the beltway. right now 95, looking pretty good here at the mixing bowl in springfield heading northbound toward 395. delays through stafford, woodbridge and into lorton. 95 at dale city, the visitor center is closed there. you're moving at speed. 270 southbound is slow leaving father hurley and off and on to the split. the outer loop of the beltway in montgomery county, on the brakes from 95 in college park

past georgia avenue, delays on southbound 95. that's a check of your fox 5 on- time traffic. another metro operator caught in the act. a bus driver now reprimanded for reading a book behind the wheel. but this morning some people are ndering if the punishment fits the crime. sarah simmons joins us live from metro headquarters in northwest d.c. with more on the story. >> reporter: some of the riders are not happy with the reprimand. it was a written reprimand. and some people say here is a bus driver behind the wheel reading a book with 20 passengers on the bus. and the man that took the photo says it was rush hour traffic and raining outside at the time. this happened last month on the 42 route. the bus was in stop and go traffic on connecticut avenue between k. street and l. street. the picture shows the bus driver reading a book while driving. the rider, jp freer, the editor with the washington examiner,

sitting next to the driver and took the picture with his iphone. >> i noticed that the bus driver was constantly reaching into his bag and pulling out a book and reading and then wn traffic would start to move a little bit -- bit more he would look up and continue looking down. >> is reprimand enough for this type of behavior? >> it's what the policy is in place. it's something they want to look at down the road and in terms of possibly changing the policy. >> reporter: now remember, the transit authority passed last week a zero tolerance policy but that was only for texting using your cell phone and pda, that type of thing. in this case they say the man was reading a book. so it's a different policy at this point any way, so he will only receive a written reprimand. but it is something they'll continue to look into. and by the way, metro officials are encouraging people to send in their videos and photos of people doing things, employees, drivers doing things they think

may be wrong. they want to look into it and address the problem and make changes if need be. steve. >> sarah simmons, thanks very much. and apparently more and more drivers are distracted while behind the wheel as the new york times is reporting that the national highway traffic safety administration chose not to release documents out of fear it would lose federal funding. but here is what they found. researchers found cell phone use in 2002 was tied to 955 deaths and 240,000 accidents. and the research shows hands- free devises didn't help drivers concentrate any better. it found drivers using cell phones were four times more likely to crash. heads fun -- up if you're driving through the state of virginia. state has closed rest areas hoping close budget gaps. one is on i-66 in manassas and the others on i-95 in dale city. this is what you can expect to

see if you try to get off into the rest stops, barricades blocking the entrances. the cost-cutting move is expected to save the commonwealth $9 million but some say the move could put drivers at risk. >> i think there are other ones that you bypass that aren't as necessarym but this one, getting through that mess, this is well deserved. >> i travel late at night usually by myself so sometimes getting off at some of the exits is not the best neighborhood. so there is always safe and it's well lit. >> triple-a is asking the governor to reconsider the plan and we've posted a list of the rest stops closed at myfoxdc.com. you can click on web linkings to check out those. the president has given some ground on health care after telling congress to pass a plan by august he's likely to conceding that. doug luzader from capitol hill on why it's more than just the

timetable in jeopardy. >> reporter: good morning, steve. the president is going full tilt on the healthreform after spending some time sitting in the background, waiting for congress to step up. at the same time you have republicans and some democrats who are saying that he needs to slow down. the arm-twisting can get intense at the white house today as president obama calls in wayward democrats and delivers this frank message. >> we've talked this problem to death. year after year. but unless we act, and act now, none of this will change. >> reporter: but he'll have to convince democrats why [ inaudible ] >> it's how to construct a piece of legislation so it achieves what you want to achieve. >> reporter: fiscally conservative democrats and and republicans are questioning how the president will pay for the health care reforms and the programs he's pushing. and many republicans see it as one big step toward government- rationed health care. >> he's conducting a dangerous

experiment with our health care and the quality of our lives. he's conducting a reckless experiment with our economy. >> reporter: and polls show the criticism is taking its toll. there are fewer supports and more skeptics. the president argue that's reform cannot wait and shot back at republican opponents. >> this isn't about me or politics. this is about a health care system that is breaking america's families. breaking america's businesses and breaking america's economy. >> reporter: and that is the argument the president will make tomorrow night during a prime time press conference. steve. >> doug, thanks very much. allison into for the second time since 2007, the army is sending more troops to afghanistan and iraq. robert gates wants to add 22,000 soldiers for three years. the increase is meant to help ease the strain of two wars. secretary gates says the increase won't create new combat forces but will help commanders in the field and also families back home by reducing the pressures of

multiple rotations. a local parrine fighting in afghanistan has died. staff sergeant david spicer killed outside of deli july 13th. he leaves behind a wife, daughter and soon to be born son. he'll be buried at arlington national cemetery on thursday. the u.s. military says it's doing everything possible to rescue a soldier captured in afghanistan. the family of bowe bergdahl has asked the country to pray for his safe return. the soldiers family is asking for privacy but did release this statement through police in idaho. >> we have been overwhelmed with the outpouring of support and concern toward our family. as you know, the situation is extremely difficult for everyone involved. we would like to remind all of you that our sole focus is

seeing our bee loving son safely home. private bergdahl went missing july 2nd. he was said to walk away from base but he says he was captured while lagging behind his patrol. some d.c. students under quarantine in china due to swine flu fears. chinese officials said some of the students and british students showed symptoms of the viru some students are in the hospital. one student from our area said the kits are being treated well and went there for a cultural exchange program. and there is a campaign under way to get families to buy local from fresh produce. we'll check out some of the products that you can buy in maryland. time now is 8:10. fox 5 morning news will be right back. ♪

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8:13 right now. time for a lo at stories making headlines. jogger who's use part of the

washington and old dominion trail have been on alert since a woman was attacked. this suspect was riding a brown or tan cruiser style bicycle. if you recognize him, you're asked to call police. some officers are suspected of protecting a gambling ring and many of those gamblers are part of a drug ring. and the developers who bought the watergate hotel five years went into foreclosure and now it's up on the auction block. the winning bidder will have to put down a $1 million deposit. the hotel has been closed since 2004. let's check in with tucker borns for the forecast and the cute factor of the day. >> it is the cute factor of the day. let's start with i look -- with

a look at our morning photo. this is lani on her first trip to six flags. the teacups. i was never big on the teacups. >> but when you're here age, you can handle it. >> you hop in there with the kids and then you can't walk the rest of the day. but it looks like she had a great time. m send dcndou a onork gheto myfoxdc.com and r.rak on the morning so tyfhesih s ious ish touh h and east of t city, but it's been very persistt asthle t cpoule of hours, down toward chesapeake beach, very slowly e shpuinuppu the stn weerside of the sakcheeape. e arso tow d annapolis, some er owsh tactivity. loof shower ivactity toward buoy. down in ocean city now dry

after overnight rain. let's move on to the maps and t show us the rest of the country. most of the activity, or the worst across the central portions of the country. pushing into dallas. but most of the country featuring quiet dry weather, particularly out -- the west where there are heat warnings outside of los angeles as they're expecting lots of warm air ut there. our dew point numbers through the middle 60s. our forecast calling for clouds and a few peeks of sun throughout the day. our high about 82 but with shores and thunderstorms in the forecast, what you'll notice is the humidity. so the next several days you can see the weather pattern more of the same. let's get to on-time traffic and my pleasureto introduce lauren demarco. >> thank you, that's very sweet. right now we're dealing with delays on 95 northbound through woodbridge and into

lorton. the inner loop of the beltway, slowing from the robinson terminal, the 66 and past gallows road, the left lane is blocked with a disabled vehicle. on 66, we're still dealing with the delays eastbound as you leave route 29 heading up toward manassas and the visitor's center which is now closed. then on the brakes off and on from 123 to the beltway. here we are at the dulles greenway in toward the toll road from loudoun county, no delays. 28 looks good between the toll road and 66 as well. in montgomery county, we're on the brakes, 270 southbound from father hurley down toward 28 and off and on to the split. right now no problems reported on the beltway in montgomery county or in prince george's county. that's a check of your fox 5 on- time traffic. marylanders are being challenged to in corporate locally grown product news their daily diet. >> it's part of a buy-local program going on statewide this week and gurvir is in dickerson this morning to find out more

about the challenge. gurvir, it sounds like one we'd be happy to take on. >> reporter: tell me about it. this is wonderful. we are at lewis orchards in dickerson. it took us about 45 minutes to get out here because of the traffic and more people are moving into our air why but so much of our area is still in farm land. and kelly is with the montgomery county conference and visitor's bureau. and she is the director. and this is great. this farm has been around for a century. >> it's been around for a century. you're sitting here today at lewis orchard, which is part of a entire 93,000 agricultural reserve program that montgomery county has which is the largest in the nation and there are 560 total farms here in montgomery county. >> reporter: which we forget about with all of the development and those types of things. but everything we see here

today from the peaches to the blackberries and water melon, everything is locally grown. >> and it's important to buy locally because we want to stulate the economy here in montgomery county and the state of maryland. >> reporter: how much of an impact to the local armer have on our economy? >> it's large. it's hundreds of millions of dollars. and we have 560 farms total here. anything we have -- we have breeders of goats, of sheep, of cattle and we have a winery in this part of the agricultural reserve. we have just about everything. >> reporter: and in july you're sort of encouraging people to buy local and give back to the community. not only does it put money back into the economy and keep the farms going but it helps us to sort of stay green, doesn't it? >> it does. it's important to communicate that to the general public. >> reporter: right. this particular farmers market, i was talking to folks putting out our produce right now, they

say they're family have en coming here for 30 plus years. >> the farm is a century old. >> reporter: not only are you encouraging people to buy local produce, but there are many other things people can do to stay local. are there other things in montgomery county and in maryland that people can do? >> yeah. the nice blend is you can be in an urban district but come out and enjoy the rural country side. you can ride your bike or take a hike or visit a winery, our sugarloaf winery. you can take a ride along our civil war trails so we have the mix of the country and the city combined. >> reporter: i know you're doing this push in july. is it something that you're going to be doing down the road to just sort of encourage people to come on out? >> yes. we want to do some statewide. and july is a great time of year to do that. and this culminates in our form tour this weekend. july 25th and 26th where people

can come and visit farms in montgomery county. they open their doors for two days and it's a great event. >> reporter: like i said, we're so close to the district, just within 40-45 minutes depending on traffic. and especially for the youngsters, it's good to know you can grow your own food and buy it at the farmer's market. >> it's great for the kids because they can experience and see some demonstrations and take a hay ride and enjoy the farming side of our community. >> reporter: thanks for sharing it with us this morning. if you get a chance to come on out here, it's not that far of a drive from the district and just a little bit of heaven out here in montgomery county. back into you. >> and you should eat the locally grown food. >> definitely. >> gurvir, thank you very much. in the meantime, we are continuing to follow what is happening with virginia's

gubernatorial race. b.e.t.'s co-founder throwing her support behind the republican candidate. >> we'll have more on that. plus we'll check with holly, hopping on a hog, learning to ride that hog in annapolis this morning. stay with us. there are moments in time

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marand senator barbara mccul ski says he's receiving excellent care at mercy medical center in baltime. she's undergoing surgery for broken ankle. she broke her ankle while walking down steps in a baltimore church. her surgery has not been scheduled into the black entertainment network is now endorsed republicabob mcdonald from virginia. sheila johnson backing mcdonald besides being the biggest funder of tim kaine. she's made small donations to republicans in the past. sasha and malia obama having a fun summer vacation. yesterday they toured madame

tussauds' wax museum. they took pictures with their wax pictures of their parents and laughed. >> they weren't excited about the neil armstrong we had here. we should have gone back with it to see the obama children. oming up in the next half hour, where you can get free food this morning with your coffee. and crash tests being released this morning. the cars in question are small two-door models. despite the dangers, off duty firefighters step in and save the day. an incredible story when we me bk.

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his body. a trace of marijuana was found in the body of kazemi. michael vick is free to start lobbying from the return to the nfl. he was released yesterday. his next step is to convince roger goodell he was reformed. he was suspended after being convicted on dogfighting charges. the falcons released vick in june. more lay -- delays on the red line. trains are running slower and run at a time between the takoma and fort totten stations. this thursday the takoma station will close at 10:00 p.m. for more safety testing into times are tight so you can. times are tight so the tax holiday for back to school shopping has been suspended.

a special treat for coffee lovers. this morning starbucks giving away a free pastry when you buy a drink. >> but you have to buy a drink to get it. they're promoting a new men yo with no artificial flavors, transfats or high fructose corn syrup. the offer is ly good until 10:30. you do need a coupon but you can find that on myfoxdc.com. >> i think i'll try to do that this morning. >> we'll go, tucker, right after the show. and there is cloud cover across the area and much like yesterday, humid out there and very muggy conditions and the possibility of scattered showers and thunderstorms. i've been tracking this all morning, since the 4:00 hour. west cheer of the -- west of

the chesapeake bay. earlier today shower activity in ocean city and bethany and row and rehoboth. 72 right now at reagan national. 70 in fredericksberg. this is only half of the story because the dew points have been pushing up into the middle 60s so it feels humid. notice that motion in the atmosphere is from south so north. so unlike the last couple of weeks when we had the northwest flow, this week we'll be dealing with winds out of the south and the southwest and so our temperatures, although under the cloud cover, will be in the low 80s our dew point and humidity levels will increase and with itwe the possibility of more scat you ared showers and thunderstorms. at this time we're fine, but later today the radar will start to fill in in the late

afternoon. you will see peeks of sunshine during the day. scattered showers and thunderstorms return by late afternoon. high temperature 82 degrees. winds out of the east at about 5 miles per hour. let's get to on-time traffic with lauren demarco in for julie wright today. starting on 410 leaving riverdale to the east you'll be on the brakes. slowing toward the third street tunnel. to the roads in virginia, 395 at the 14th street bridge. on the brakes from the pentagon. 95 northbound slows from stafford through woodbridge and in toward lorton. no problems to report on the beltway in virginia. we do have some delays from the robinson terminal from 66 and to accidents on the beltway in montgomery county. the outer loop slows from 95 and colege park around toward georgia avenue. 270 brakes from father hurley

toward 28 and off and on to the split. and keep in mind 66 eastbound from gainesville to manassas, dealing with delays past the visitors -- center. that's a check of your fox 5 on- time traffic. more good news for drivers. two-door cars getting good safety ratings. .in terrance institute gives the ford focus and volvo c320 good reports. and the cobalt and got a good score. all cars tested were 2009 models. pretty incredible home video as a mother and two children are trapped inside the burning suv. the truck burst into flames and pinning all three. they were in the rights place at the right time. two off-duty firefighters just block as way rush to the scene and city officials saythat made the difference between life and death. laura engals with the details. >> there's a baby in there. >> reporter: it's the kind of

scene that sends chills up your spine. and suv slips over on a milwaukee street, bursting into flames with a mother and two young children inside. two good samaritans jump into action. >> just seeing that, it would face me the rest of my life. >> reporter: block as way john and joel race to the scene to help. with the flames climbing higher, the off-duty firefighters beat the truck's windows with pipe. they manage to break the glass and free the mother and her 2- year-old daughter but her son is till trapped -- still trapped in the backseat on fire. >> as soon as i saw him crying, it's a sound any parent knows. >> reporter: he was pulled from the burning truck. now the city of milwaukee is calling the brothers heroes. >> you can see by the gauze on

their arms that they put themselves in arms way to help extract the boy from the vehicle. >> reporter: the 4-year-old boy has burns on 30% of his body is still in the hospital. his mother and sister were treated and released for minor injuries. the firefighters had burns to their hands but say it was worth it and they would do it again. laura engals, fox news. >> amazing video. time now is 8:36 on this tuesday morning. richs ill ahead, singer brown is saying he's sorry. >> and you'll get to here his apology to reana and his fans later on. and look us up when you become a fan at myfoxdc.com. you can find us what is ahead on the show and comment on stories. just search fox 5 morning news. we'll be right back.

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your appetite is your brain. doctors at yale school of medicine found that by reducing a certain brain enzyme in mice it decreased their appetite. it caused them to lose weight and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. doctors hope to find a if you drug to phytoobesity. and it's bathing suit season and folks tend to worry about the weight. but sometimes you eat 2-3 times more than you should. >> reporter: we spend billions trying to lose weight. we make healthier choices but still losing the battle with the bulge. >> and we're seeing the creep going in the wrong direction. >> reporter: what is sabotaging your diet plan. >> it drives us nuts. we go out to dinner and you look at the food on your plate and you think, this is obscene.

hocan i eat all of this. >> reporter: coming up on the news edge at 11:00. america's portion problem, bigger food may seem like quite a bargain. >> unfortunately it's dangerous. >> and it could put your health at risk. >> i have to be concerned with it at all times. >> reporter: we help you find the right serving size. >> the brain drives us to eat more. >> reporter: and reveals some strategies for success. melanie alnwick, fox 5 news. the time now is 8:41. they say they were kicked out of a swim club because of the color of their skin. >> but now tyler perry is giving the kids from the philadelphia day cam something better than a trip to the pool. and flying can be scary especially when there is something poisonous on the plane. more on one man's wild ride when we come back. (announcer) it's time to raise the bar

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she'll be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. and he won't get the chemotherapy he needs. if we n't act, health care costs will rise 70%. and he'll have to cut benefits for his employees. but we can act. the president and congress have a plan to lower your costs and stop denials for pre-existing conditions. it's time to act. ♪ the art of getting dirty. the art of getting clean. new powerfully formulated wisk®... is better on tough mud stains than tide total care. wisk®. powerfully clean. perfectly priced. it is 8:44. time for a ook at stories making headlines. some damaging evidence revealed in the trial of banita jacks.

the medical examer testified he found wounds on the oldest daughter that led him to believe her death was a homicide the decaying bodies of her four daughters were found in their southeast home last year. a woman shot during a barricade situation last year has died. john valentini shot her and then barricaded himself inside a house with another woman and child for more than 24 hours. standoff with police ended after valentini shot himself. he later died at the hospital. the other woman and child were not hurt. they are already behind bars but they want more jail house credit. so bernie madoff may have to watch himself. fellow inmates are talk about attacking him. and other inmates have said he's handled himself well since arriving in prison. michael jackson's father says he knows that foul play surrounds his son's death. >> during an interview with cnn

last night, joe jackson says he believes that dr. conrad mary is behind the king of pop's death. >> you don't take a doctor and stick him in the room there and the doctor gives him something to make him rest and then he don't wake up no more. something is wrong there. >> the coroner's toxicology is expected next week. the lawyers are working on custody of his kids and the estate. we have the latest there. [ music ] >> reporter: more than three weeks after michael jackson's death, the legal battle over his estate and children's custody matches on. his will has a no contest clause, meaning anyone who challenges it can be disinherited but last week his mother katherine asked for a judging ruling on whether or not she can argue the men her

son famed executor -- named as executors of the will. and then there is the question of his kids. a custody hearing has been pushed to the beginning of august. katherine jackson was given temporary custody, sfor now all three will remain with their grand parents. attorneys for the jacksons are reportedly working with debbie rowe, jackson's ex-wife, who has a strong claim to guardianship under california law. [ music ] >> reporter: sony pictures says it is close to sealing the deal on rights to hirehearsal footage for his comeback tour. it's a -- if the deal goes through, there could be a movie by the end of the year. and the los angeles county coroner's office says it may need up to two weeks to finish the pop star's toxicology report. it's still unclear what will happen at never land. neighbors of the ranch don't want to see his former home

turned into an elvis-like grace land. the property owner have not proposed developing the site. jonathan hunt, fox news. back to the rehearsal of michael jackson. a source close to the negotiation says sony paid $50 million for the rights of the video and may come out with a physicalm. in other entertainment news, a member of the beastie boys has been diagnosed with cancer. adam yonk made the announcement on his website. he has a tumor on his salivary gland. he's expected to maca full recovery and says his vocal cords are not affected. the group canceled summer tour plans. after pling guilty to assaulting rihanna, chris brown has announced a public policy. >> i am ashamed for what i've done. my mother and spiritual leaders

have made me known of that. i am truly sorry i wasn't able to handle situation differently. >> he says he wanted to speak out sense the attack back in february but his lawyers wouldn't let him do that. he claims he is getting help to make sure it doesn't happen again. it nearly hit the chopping block, but an annual summer series is underway. the screen on the green film festival is under way. kicking off last night. but this year's event almost didn't happen. back in may hbo had canceled the summer favorite but facebook rallies to save it and two new sponsors were convinced the show must go on. >> we received response from the community about how much this has become a summertime tradition. and we were so thrilled that comcast and the trust for the national mall were able to come on board. >> we have people who met their wives or husbands or

girlfriends, this is the first movie they ever brought their kid to. it was a family friendly event. >> next week it's dog day afternoon starring al pachino. you've heard of snakes on a plane. a man on a flight says he was bit by a scorpion. the critters were smuggled on to the plane in a passenger's carryon luggage which went undetected. >> i thought what it's his seat belt and i feel something crawling up my leg and i went to go sweep it and that's when i felt the swing. >> they won't show up on x-ray and these things are built to hide. so they with be in a suitcase and you'll never find them until they find you. >> experts say a scorpions bite can be deadly for young children. well they are going to days

-- disneyworld. you remember the kids kicked out of a swim club, and they are now going to disneyworld. the swim club aintains the money was refunded back because of safety issues not racism. and now harley is going hog wild with holly. >> reporter: i'm going hog wild. i'm in hog heaven. you can make all of the hog references you want as we are live at holly davidson of annapolis. learning how to ride a harley starts out as easy as just doing a rocking exercise it get an idea of the friction zone. it's one of the many things you learn if you sign up for the riders edge academy of

motorcycling. we'll tell you how you can to. live next on fox 5 morning news. stay with us.  there are moments in time when the paths we take do determine our future. day we are communicating with each other as never before - and that requires a seamless network that is constantly growing better, smarter, and more secure. that's why our scientists and engineers in our labs, are taking the fastest technology in the world and making it mobile, better and faster - to keep pushing the internet further than anyone dreamed. last year alone we invested more in building america's future than any other company - improving and expanding our network, to keep you in control. and behind the scenes, that takes work by our empyees, who pride themselves knowing, that because they do it right, you might not even notice. if all of that, makes s your connections, faster

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there are over 4 million motorcycles registered in the u.s. and holly morris is about to hit the road. >> she joins us from harley- davidson of annapolis. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. and i want to make something very clear. we don't want to give the impression you can learn to ride a harley in a single morning. it is a definite course that takes a definite amount of time. but we're learning about what you need to know so you can come out and be safe. that's the key thing here. this is phil with the mva,

which does this course, the riders edge academy of motorcycling. and one of the big things about motorcycles is that people are afraid that they're not safe. and so it must make the mva feel good there is a course like this out here? >> yeah. maryland has one of the top five motorcycle safety programs in the country. we operate 17 training centers across the state and harley- davidson is one of our training center. it's licensed and approved by the mva and individuals completing this course can earn their motorcycle license. and also this course is accepted by the district of columbia to waive the riding portion of the test. >> reporter: i want to bring in scott because he's one of the instructors. and obviously safety is paramount. give us an overview of some of the things you learn in the class. >> so like a car, you have an accelerator. you have a hand brake and a

foot brake, which is a lot different than a car so it takes coordination and you have a clutch lever and a gear shifter. so you're doing things with all parts of your body at one time. the skills yo learn is a good foundation to do things like the people are doing out here riding around right now. >> and we're seeing them ride around in a parking lot but they're doing certain drills. >> you'll see someone coming into a braking drill and use both brakes and use them smoothly. and we also have an exercise where there is a swerve, if you're doing over 18 miles per hour, is the safest way to avoid an obstacle. it's safer than trying to stop. >> reporter: do you find that most people find it's easier to ride a motorcycle than they thought or more difficult than they thought. >> if they take this course, they find it's easier. you don't get any bad habits and gives you good foundation so you don't -- when you learn some somebody that hasn't been riding for a long time or for a

while, they have bad habits. >> reporter: phil, how dangerous is it to ride a motorcycle these days. i'm not worried about me, but i'm worried about the other drivers out there. >> it's more risky than operating a motor vehicle. in a car your protected by the vehicle. on a motorcycle, you're exposed to the environment and you're protected by the gear that you wear. that's why the motorcycle safety program promotes wearing all of the gear all of the time. like what you're dressed in. the other part is road management where if you learn the skills to have a good mental strategy and then you can avoid the pitfalls. >> reporter: and i want to bring in christina. i know they do a lot of programs so give me a quick rundown of what is going on. >> this week we have kicked off the biggest bike event in the mid-atlantic. so come in and check this out. and right now throughout the

summer we are gearing up for some of our huge charity work. we are actually going to be participating in the 2010 superplunge. so cheer us out. we'll be out there and i'll be out there and doing the plunge. >> reporter: so listen, i couldn't drive a harley today because i haven't spent enough hours but i have to have a friend that has one. that's where marshall comes in, so i'm going to hop on the back and marshall, you take us away. if you want to go by starbucks that's okay too. it's $335, go ahead and ride, to sign up. it's two nights two days. 25 hours in the seat. if you sign up before august 31st, they'll take $50 off. back to you. >> have a good ride. >> that's great stuff. >> she looks cool. >> outfit is night. five-day forecast, cool, 82 for highand chae for showers and thunderstorm this