beauty just walking along the street. [ joplin's "the entertainer" plays ] scott joplin. ♪♪ [ cheers and applause ] this was my favorite sound in the whole world. [ applause ] [ laughs ] >> it's not just music that's entertaining the crowds as they go about their busy day. there's also some magic involved. fox 5 photojournalist dan grudovich takes us inside one man's bag of tricks. >> this is what happens when you make your career decisions at age 3. ♪♪ what i like most about street magic is -- people have no idea

that you're gonna be there. what's your name? >> i'm ashley. >> ashley. that's correct. they're completely surprised that you're even there and that they're meeting a real magician. and then you surprise them with the effect. >> [ gasps ] oh! >> they're not anticipating a show. they're just strolling along, enjoying their day, and -- boom! -- something impossible happens. whoa! it's a communication. ow. >> ew! >> [ laughs ] >> you know, i'm communicating with the audience. so, what i'm about to show you is completely impossible. and they see it, visually. anywhere. anywhere. right there? so their response comes back to me as another communication. the queen of clubs. >> whoo! >> it feels like i've just snapped them out of... oh! ...a moment where they may have been jaded or felt like they'd seen everything. and then, suddenly, i show them something new, and they light up. >> wow! [ laughter ] >> the apex, the crux, the biggest moments are often these

day as people drop their barriers... ♪ da, da, da-da, da, da ♪ ...after seeing some magic, and you're just really kind of touching someone's day for a brief moment. bah! and then they move on, and they're like, "wow. so, it's cool to be able to kind of connect with people on that level anywhere... >> all: abracadabra! >> ...and randomly, when they're not even expecting it. [ all cheering ] i'm exploring the changing realities of the audience and shifting my street magic to match that. throughout the years, i would roll a coin down the back of my mind. and i would borrow a coin from somebody and make it disappear. but now, many people aren't carrying coins. thank you for that face. i used to be known for this floating wand that i would fly around an area. and people would go, "whoa!" and they'd be totally blown away. and, slowly, that faded. and i changed it to a selfie stick, you know, with a camera on top, and then i would float

and, suddenly -- bam! -- it was "whoa" again. wow! >> whoa! >> that was real. >> so, i'm shifting the street magic that i do to stuff that people would have in their pockets, ready to go. can you turn your cellphone screen on for me? cellphones, credit cards, all of those things people use every day -- that's what i want to do magic with so the street magic is real to them... i need it to be extra, extra shiny. ...relevant to them... right through the middle here. ...and even stronger to them. >> [ gasps ] >> wah! my favorite part about being a magician is all the people you get to meet. ♪♪ >> we still have much more on "the best of beyond the lens." up next, we're gonna take you on two remarkable rides all across the dmv -- one in a chopper, one in a crop duster. >> comm check from dragon. you guys got me? >> got you loud and clear, boss. ♪♪

♪♪ >> welcome back to "best of beyond the lens." this next story is about a retired army general who not only broke through the glass ceiling but shattered racial barriers, as well. here's fox 5's bob barnard and photojournalist indira levine with her story. ♪♪ >> i see, in the mirror, that i raised my hand as a timid private and said, "oh, god, can i do this?" and when i see the star, i said, "you did it and you earned it." nothing was given to me in life -- nothing. i earned it. hello. i'm brigadier general julia j. cleckley, united states army, retired. i did 28 years of service in the military. i was in the women's army rp

i was a weekend warrior, part-time soldier, and i was active duty. and i am proud to be a 28-year veteran serving this country. i was raised in the south. i was raised since i was born in the south. my mother raised five of us. my father abandoned us. she struggled to keep us fed and trained us well. and i know that i got my strength and my perseverance from watching my mother. with my dreams, i knew i wanted to graduate from high school. i wanted to go to college. i couldn't go to college, 'cause we didn't have the funds. so i had to find that vehicle to go to college. and, so, it ended up being the vehicle to go to college was the military. once i went in, i set my goal to get to the highest rank i could possibly get to. i worked hard at every job, but i never lost that sight of that dream to get a college degree.

>> general cleckley's success has come with its share of heartache. her husband, gus, died suddenly, at age 41, leaving julia a single mom. >> and he was a medic and he was wounded in vietnam. he stepped on a mine. and, at the time, i was an e-4. and i worked in the meeting office. our eyes caught each other, and even though he was on a litter. and my girlfriend said, "he's a patient. don't look at him." [ laughing ] you know? i checked him out, but i'm very cool. he didn't know i was checking him out, you know? but then he started checking me out, 'cause he was in that hospital for almost a year. so, he survived vietnam, but he didn't survive a heart attack, so... >> daughter ellen died of cancer at age 31. her surviving daughter, helene, has special needs. >> my daughter that lives with me now is challenged. we don't like to use that word "handicapped," but she's disabled. she's disabled.

see, and she has a learning disability. but she does very well. does very well. >> armed with her college degree and fearless ambition, julia jeter cleckley rose steadily through the officer ranks, becoming the first minority woman brigadier general in the army national guard. >> it makes me proud to see these older gentlemen saying, "i never saw a general during my career -- especially an african-american general, that i was always the only one. and when i say "the only one," you got to double that up. i was the only african-american and the only woman in the room, even when i was at the pentagon. >> general cleckley earned her rank. people's respect was a different story. even driving on base had its challenges. >> you know, i have a star on my car. you show your i.d. they don't really look at the

all they see is a woman or a black woman sitting behind the wheel, even though they saw the star, and they assume that -- i guess they're assuming that i'm the wife or a driver, and they don't salute. and, often, i have to say -- they say, "okay." they're very nice. they'll say, "okay, ma'am. have a nice day." and i say, "well, i think you have to look at that i.d. card again." and they'll go, "ooh! i'm sorry, ma'am." and they immediately look at the name tag, because i can report them, which i don't. "i'm sorry, ma'am." and then they salute. it's certainly all right dream. dream and then set your goals to accomplish that dream. and once you reach your goal, just make another goal. then just strive, strive, strive to reach your potential. i have worked so hard all my life, and there was a time in my life when i was younger that i didn't think that i would have

all of this. and i just feel so blessed. you know, i try very hard to say a prayer to my god every day and then just look around and say, "oh, my god. this is what i have. my husband -- god rest his soul -- my baby, my mom up in heaven, you know, looking at me -- they're my angels -- they must be so proud. every rank that i achieved, i was proud to have earned it. so when i see that star, i see that 19-year-old young lady who went into the military, as a private, and said, "i just want to be all that i can be." and when i look at myself, i felt that i was all that i can be in the army. ♪♪

>> still ahead, a father and son bonding over a sport, but there's much more to this story. >> hey! he's been enamored with just the sound of the chains. he made that sound, he was addicted. and i think the big thing that we get from it is togetherness. just lucky to have found it.

fred would do anything for his daughter. get in, fred! even if it means being the back half of a unicorn. fear not fred, the front half washed his shirt with gain. and that smell puts the giddy in “giddy-up”! ah... the irresistible scent of gain flings laundry detergent. you can't help but smell happy.

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♪♪ >> welcome back to "the best of beyond the lens." we're about to show you an aerial ballet all over the dmv's farmland with fox 5 photojournalist dan grudovich. >> i've had people pull over and i land, and they go, "how do you get from here, this car, to what you're doing? that is the coolest thing i've ever seen." and, you know, start with some flight lessons. [ laughs ] i've been a skydiver. and then i learned to fly. and i happened to be looking through the trade-a-plane magazine and i saw a bankruptcy

sale for the biggest helicopter outfit around. i figured, if a place with a dozen ships is going out, that's gonna open up a window for one. but i called up an instructor and said, "let's start helicopter right now." my biggest pleasure from it is being a part of the agricultural process working so well. we increase the amount of grain in the world like 150 million pounds every year. they spray pumpkins. they spray christmas trees. there's one county where we spray mosquitos, and they've never had a west nile virus outbreak in that county. but all the adjoining counties that don't spray have had west nile virus. we're standing in a pumpkin field, which is a good example of what a helicopter can do. when it comes over, the downdraft from the blades will cause all sorts of leaf rustle, and the sprays you're putting on get on the undersides of the plant. on a rough look at it, you're

normal aircraft. there's a lot more finesse to it. we're at different heights for different crops, different speeds for different crops. the hazards are -- you're right down where you'll hit a deer's antlers, you know, if you don't settle the power. you know, you're that close. and wires are a hazard. so, you learn. you scout the field before you go in. you identify the hazards. you remember where they are. you look at, what livestock could you harass? what neighborhood could you harass while you're doing it? and you just design your spray based on that. so, you're fully engaged. you have a long day, but you are fully engaged. you're not doing an aerobatic show, but the only you're making money is when spray is coming out of those booms. and, you know, you're paid by the acre, so you turn as quickly as you can. and part of the efficiency of the turn is to maintain a constancy of speed. you're anticipating what it's

talking to you with a little bit of movement. and you put in the correction before it actually happens. you just feel the slight inertial change. i like once you get in that rhythm and you've got everything just right, and the turns are coming out right on the mark. and you're seeing the hazards. you're just tuned in, you get that groove going, and, you know, you do it all day. and the farms i spray for, the crops are just getting better and better and better. and it's pretty neat. >> from the air to the field. a father-and-son duo bonding over the game of golf with a special twist. fox 5 photojournalist ronnie mccray has the story. >> yes. no better day to be out taking pictures of a couple of fine people like me and "cush." i've been looking for a sport... through the turn. ...for us to play and to be able to do together... little bit high. ooh. fell. uh-oh. ...since he was a child...

gregory cushing rowse. he goes to wootton high school. >> yeah. yeah. putter. >> yeah, putt-putt, right? he's in an autism program there. and i said, "do you want to learn disc golf? and he said, "yes." yeah, there you go. he's been enamored with just the sound of the chains. when he made that sound, he was addicted. and i think that the big thing that we get from it is togetherness. come on. give it some good mojo. he's just being himself. come on. there we go. good mojo, baby. and that's all i ever want. after school, we come out here... whew! ...to this beautiful playground. he likes taking his own bath and doing his own thing, but this is his favorite thing is to be around nature. come on, bubba. i don't have to argue with him. i don't have to bully him. all i have to do is bring him outside and get him the exercise that he needs. knock that down. two years ago, he was unhealthy. oh, nice try! hey, good try! he was extremely obese. and now i've seen such a marked change in him. e

in him that i very rarely have seen throughout his life. i actually saw pride. hey, hey! all right! and i saw him being proud. we come out every day, so we're with each other and exposed to each other every single day. hey, hey, hey, hey! got to end positive. it brings us together. good job. i'm just lucky to have found it. >> it's an opportunity we don't get every day. it's a chance to go up in the air with the air force. and the results? they're simply breathtaking. we're gonna take you on that journey next. ♪♪

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♪♪ >> as part of our coverage of the united states air force's 70th birthday, fox 5 got a chance to go high up in the sky, all over the d

chopper. fox 5's steve chenevey, photojournalist don watrud, and photojournalist mike horan take us along for the ride. >> how's it going, guys? thanks for joining us today. that's air force colonel john teichert, nickname "dragon." former fighter pilot, now commander of the 11th wing at joint base andrews. >> comm check from dragon. you guys got me? >> got you loud and clear, boss. >> today, he's also our tour guide on an exclusive flight over washington, d.c. strapped into our uh-1 huey helicopter, after a thorough equipment check and a quick wave to the second chopper on our mission of operation photograph d.c., we're off. leaving andrews and quickly climbing to about 1,000 feet, the view is phenomenal. cellphone in hand, i couldn't help but take some of my own video to remember the moment. our first major flyover -- reagan national airport, carefully making sure air traffic control knew we were in the area right over the runway.

a glimpse of the air force memorial, right on the edge of arlington national cemetery. two landmarks so revered by the colonel and his colleagues. >> that's where our nation's heroes are laid to rest. >> a sharp dive of several hundred feet in just a matter of seconds, and we were basically looking into the windows of the pentagon, an amazing view that continued to get even more scenic as we flew along the river, past the memorial bridge and lincoln memorial. >> just to be here is such an honor. >> after a cruise up the potomac, we reversed course back toward washington, where the colonel and i reflected on the beauty of the nation's capital and its landmarks that are so rarely accessible by air because of washington's no-fly zones. you tapped me a few times. i tapped you a few times. we're looking out like we're kids enjoying the view out there. >> that's exactly right. >> do you have a favorite when it comes to flying over washington? >> when i see the capitol from the air, when i see the white house from the air, when i go through the tidal basin and see the jefferson memorial and the washington monument and the white house, i pinch myself. >> the white hou

small from the air. the low profile of the city buildings became more evident than ever from up above. but the u.s. capitol still loomed large on the hill in this city of power. our exclusive flight would come to an end soon, but this huey and every other helicopter at joint base andrews will stay on standby 24/7, 365, ready when needed to protect this city and this country at a moment's notice. >> thank you for joining us for "the best of beyond the lens." happy thanksgiving. ♪♪

♪♪ what if home security was different? what if it looked different? what if the measure of working,

♪♪ what if it was so easy to use, you actually used it. [alarm] you have 3 minutes to exit. what if it gave you time, and what you really need from home security. a sense of security. ♪♪

>> ♪ >> this is fox5 news morning. >> coming up on fox5 news morning, an overnight fire rips through a popular restaurant in northern virginia. the latest on the investigation. >> it's thanksgiving. from the food, parade, shopping, fox5 has you covered with all your turkey day coverage. >> taking a live look outside on this thanksgiving morning, looking good out there. a lot of lights on, a lot of folks getting the turkey into the oven early so you can start eat buying noon maybe. >> should be done already. >> already? >> yeah. >> haven't even started. >> had mine done two days ago. >> seems like thanksgiving. we're already arguing. >> it is thursday, thanksgiving day 2017. mike thomas happy thanksgiving to you. >> happy thanksgiving to the both of you as well. >> when we get