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. this is 9news now. >> are you going to tell me an individual protected by the constitution, by the nine lt amendment and by the 10th amendment that i have to buy health care or else you're going to fine me $2,500 every year that i don't get it. >> as republicans sharpen their tax calling it too costly and bureaucratic, maryland senator was taking hits from his own constituents tonight at a health care forum he sponsored. i'm derek mcginty. thanks for being here. >> and i'm anita brikman. gary nurenberg was at the meeting tonight and joins us to tell us more on what he heard. gary. >> reporter: you know he's a proponent of health care reform but he still doesn't know how to pay for it. and although most agree with him on the need for reform, the

point for universal health care was far from universal. the plan is far from locked in. >> i want to hear what's on your mind. >> reporter: and he did. robert brotis lost his job, got one that plays less and chose not to buy health insurance. he doesn't like one part of the health plan. >> that's working out fine for me because i'm able to buy it for my family and use it for myself. i want to know are you going to tell me an individual that i have to buy health care or else you're going to fine me $2,500 every year that i don't do it? >> reporter: we edited his question and his answer for time. >> what happens if you get sick? what happens if you are in a car accident or what happens if you happen to slip and you have a broken bone and you end up in the emergency room? you don't pay. you are part of the population

that shifts its cost over to a person who does pay. and they're paying for you. >> reporter: and how does the country pay for a plan that can cost more than one and a half trillion dollars over the next ten year? >> i come here to tell you it's not resolved. there's an open issue. >> reporter: there are so many competing issues and so many committees, no one knows what an eventual compromise if there is one will look like. a neat it and derek. >> gary, thank you so much. right now the military is working around the clock to rescue an american soldier captured in afghanistan. >> i have a very, very good family that i love back home in america. and i miss them every day. and when i'm gone, i miss them. and i'm afraid that i might never see them again. >> the 23-year-old was kidnapped earlier this month.

we heard from the idaho native saturday for the first time when the taliban posted that video online. now, a few families understand the devastation that news like this can brick. but there is -- bring. but there is one whose son avoided capture. andrew stack talked with them tonight. >> reporter: derek, what's it like having a child in harm's way? we spoke with parents who alluded capture by the enemy in bosnia for six days. his parents were on pins and needles. >> taken captive. >> reporter: william and margaret are searching the taliban's latest video online. it's not clear how much of what he is saying is coerced. but it is clear his family back home is under a lot of strain. >> we would like to remind all of you that our focus is seeing our beloved son safely home. >> his parents are absolutely in shock. the reality is just not there

for them at this point. and they're just hoping that it all turns out. that's the only thing you can do. >> reporter: 14 years ago william's son scott was shot down over bosnia. william understands better than most the shock his parents are dealing with. >> and i didn't really know whether he was missing or dead. and i was totally devastated by it. >> reporter: scottie vaded capture for six days -- scott evaded capture for six days living in the forest, running at night and sleeping during the day. he returned to the states to a hero's welcome. he just hopes they have the same outcome. >> thank god he got away. >> reporter: and in this latest taliban video, it does appear the network is offering him for political purposes to try to get u.s. forces out of afghanistan. most are saying as long as he serves the purpose for his captors, it's doubtful they'll take his life.

>> and the only good thing we can say is he did look healthy and they were feeding him in the video. >> certainly. >> thank you for that. and you can see andrew's entire interview right after the show online wusa9.com. new details just in on a terrible crash on i270. police have now reopened all lanes following a single car accident near exit 18. that's north of clarksburg maryland. you can see it there. the accident led to a big traffic backup a couple of hours ago. no word yet on injuries, though, involving that crash. every second counted when an suv flipped over and caught fire trapping a mother and her two young sons. it was all caught on tape in wisconsin. that suv hit a tree, burst into flames. people used sticks and pipes to break the window and then pulled the mom and daughter out but they couldn't find a way to get to the 4-year-old boy. the best news, two off duty firefighters got there just in time to save the young boy.

>> the child was screaming. then it went silent. i didn't hear anything. and for that split second, i thought that's it. we're too late. i told him that he's just the toughest little boy thattive -- it was -- owe that i've -- it was emotional. >> tonight that 4-year-old boy was in critical condition. both firefighters suffered second and third degree burns. leaders are considering allowing alcohol to be served at libraries and two public parks. the washington in x er examiner reports it would be for special occasions. one recommendation calls for a year-long trial period at the park and the heritage farm museum. another would endorse a library board of trustees decision to serve beer and wine at select events. a local woman believes her family is in danger from the same people who murdered her sister and niece. last march police found the bodies of delores and ebony

dewitt in a burning car. today delores dewitt's sister came home and found vandals had been there first. police continue to investigate the mother/daughter murders but smith conducting her own investigation. >> my sister would do the same for me. she would do the same for me. she wouldn't rest content until this case is solved. >> well, at this point police have made no arrests. and today the smell of death was in the air at the murder trial of a dc woman. banita jacks is accused of killing her four daughters and living with their decomposing remains for month. today police brought boxes and boxes of evidence from court and when they were opened a horrible stench was in the courtroom. and when they showed pictures of the girls, the mother put her head in her arms. violence is plunging a across the nation. it may sooepd seem like a trend -- seem like a trend that flies in the face of economic theory.

but the jury is still out on the economy's relationship to crime. >> reporter: with shooting scenes, making headlines, prince george's police battle the misconception that violent crime is up. >> it's what we're hoping is what will drive us towards getting under the shadow of this image. >> reporter: because that image doesn't match this statistic. crime is at a 20-year low and homicides are down 17% in the county. and across the nation. >> our crime looks the way it did in the early 1960s. >> reporter: a university of maryland criminologist. >> police are much more proactive now. >> reporter: take leesburg where a hostage taking and robbery hired officials to get more officers. it helps police trap crime by the minute. but why is crime dropping when the economy is bad? after the last seven economic downturns, crime went up. >> that's what is especially interesting about this one. it's somewhat unusual. >> reporter: unusual until you consider the great depression.

crime went down. his theory is legitimacy. >> if people experience economic hardship but they feel everybody is in it together, they feel that everybody is pulling their weight, there is a lot of information that suggests that happened during the great depression, i don't think crime is going to go up. >> reporter: if that's true, that's one upside to a major economic downturn. brittany morehouse for 9news now and wusa9.com. >> in terms of homicide, dc and new york and los angeles are on track for fewer killings this year than in the last 40. and topper is here with the 9 forecast first. top, we saw some clouds today. a little change from what we've gotten used to over the last few weeks. >> we got spoiled over the weekend. but today was okay, derek. a few showers here and there. some breaks in the clouds. and for tonight, overnight we're looking at mostly cloudy skies. still comfortable, though. temperatures will make it into the 60s. a couple of showers possible. now primarily just west of town. i think in the immediate metro areasre we' goingo d te bry

overnight. satellite picture radar combined, here are thee swers th att en wthrough. parts of cenharlesntou c aynd s. mary's county had two inches of rain. everything has now died down. just some leftover clouds. we will come back and say if we need this tomorrow, we'll talk about the heat that is lurking around the corner all coming up. >> important stuff. thanks, top. if you're planning a trip to the beach, beware. the sand can make you sick. details on how to stay healthy coming up in living well. plus we're going to show you how to save as much as 70% on your food bill. we're taking you to a grocery auction in less than two minutes.

i'm meteorologist topper shutt. here are the next three days, your forecast first. 81 tomorrow. a shower possible. but, again, few and far between. and it will be golfable. mid 80s on wednesday. maybe a thunderstorm. and then upper 80s on thursday. a little bit more average, if you will. we've been pretty lucky so far this month of july. only two days -- only two days in the 90s. we averaged 14 days in the 90s on average. all right. forecast in detail overnight, mostly cloudy, comfortable. showers primarily west of town. winds northeasterly at 5-10. let me show you live doppler

9000. and most of the somehow twerz in the immediate -- showers in the atimdimee metro area are gone. we hadeadi hvy rain down south. and now serving out to the west. and primarily that's where it's going to stay. we'll put this into motion over the next hour or so and we'll see all of this activity work its way on the west side of i81 and up towards cumberland and eventually maybe towards hagerstown. but i think in frederick, leesburg, down to warrenton, over to annapolis, it's going to be dry overnight. and howard will be over here at 4:55 in the morning in case we have a shower. back to the computer we go. and we'll talk about tomorrow morning. mostly cloudy, mild. a couple showers are possible. but, again, a very nice morning. winds northeasterly at ten. and there will be breaks in the clouds tomorrow. it's not going to be overcast completely. by afternoon mostly cloudy. pleasant. we can have clouds together and pleasant in the same sentence. high temps only around 80 and winds easterly at about ten. we're looking at a cool day with

showers and we'll take it. here is a nine micro cast computer model. notice clouds tomorrow around 9:00 a.m. very little in terms of precipitation. a few showers may pop up by lunch time. but, again, more clouds nan anything tomorrow. most of -- than anything tomorrow. most of us won't see anything tomorrow. what we'll see will be light. the best chance for showers will be out in the mountains and that won't occur until tomorrow night and into wednesday morning early. so, again, more clouds than anything with this pattern. i think we'll break the pattern as we get into thursday with more sunshine and a little better chance of showers an storms. we may see a batch of storms west of us as we get into wensz evening. but that does not appear to be -- wednesday evening. but that does not appear to be particularly heavy at this time. you can see this activity. it's just moving from south to north. all right. and that is what went through us today. it was pretty heavy south of us. and, again, charles county some pretty good rain. it kind of diminished in intensity as it moved through the immediate metro area. it didn't really wet the ground

from the dc northward. all right. of the next seven days, 81 tomorrow. a shower possible. but, again, not much. a thunderstorm possible on wednesday. mid 80s. then we start going up a little bit. upper 80s on thursday. shower possible. maybe a shower on friday. we're near 90. and then on friday, saturday and sunday we're going to be around 90. thunderstorms are possible on sunday and monday but not washouts. that's only a degree off of average. average is 89. >> so we've been very lucky this far. >> and spoiled. >> july 20th, '90 is not scary. >> that's true. >> 98, 102, that's scary. >> thanks, topper. out on the interstates of virginia, a place to stop for a bathroom break or a snooze is going to get harder to find. >> money problems are forcing the state to close 18 rest stops as of midnight tonight. we sent james hash out on the

road to chase down reaction. >> reporter: they're a fixture of the interstate highway system. an asphalt oasis where drivers can catch some sleep, stretch their legs or grab a snack, and as of midnight, virginia will have less. >> pretty inconvenient. >> reporter: with no money in the budget to keep them staffed and maintained, they say they have no choice to close them. >> it's important to find the money somewhere else. >> reporter: they want congress to allow virginia to operate small commercial facilities like coffee shops or restaurants to offset the cost of operating them. >> that would be a good idea. >> reporter: convenience aside, most wrist say it's an issue of -- motorist say it's an issue of safety. as of last friday, the congressional committee turned down the request to allow for commercialization at rest areas like this. when and if it will reopen is uncertain. what is certain is as of midnight tonight there will be

more tired drivers with fewer options to take a break. i'm james hash for 9news now and wusa9.com. >> and both major party candidates for the governor of virginia have pledged to find a way to reopen those rest stops if elected. in living well tonight, why digging in the sand at the beach could end up making your child sick. a study of thousands of people found burrowing in the sand raises the risk of diarrhea by 44% from bugs like eco lie. experts say the -- ecoli. the best way is to make them use hand sanitizer when they're done digging, especially before something to eat. how would you like to save 50% or more on your groceries. all have you to do is reserve one friday every month and head east. >> five and a quarter. five and a half. take one. take one. >> good deal. good deal. >> six and a quarter. i have six over here. six and a quarter. six and a quarter. >> this is the wishing lock

grocery auction in maryland. ten dollar bill. >> we're talking meat, fish, snack foods, drinks. you name it. >> $6. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> among tonight's bidder, number 1248 a self described grocery auction junky. >> i have six kids that live with me and i need all the help i can get because they eat me out of house and hold. >> she is from florida and she travels the country looking for these auctions. she loves the savings. >> h i sav atstea l 60, 70%. cen i point he tatn grocery store, 2 bl paabso for $28. --leunchck at the auction it's eight. hrand bee tesox oesfri ttsuisc could set you back eight bucks at the store compared to only $4 at the auction. >> somebody give me five on it. >> sport bottles. >> this is the owner. >> i think they're great.

>> to get the food from wholesalers, some of it is close to expiration and there are lots of frozen items. the auction has become so popular, it's moved to bigger quarters. >> it's gotten more enormous than it ever was. unfortunately for the wrong reasons. >> $1.60. how many would you like. >> the economy is judging all of us now. >> six bucks. >> tonight linda has got some reinforcement. >> you really ought to bid against yourself. >> her sister-in-law and niece. >> i'm her keeper and i'm here to carry stuff. >> the bidding is fast and furious. and by the time the auction is done shortly before midnight, linda has almost two month's worth of food for her family at a total cost of $191. >>.

[ laughing ] >> wow. those might be bigger now that you know about it. the next auction friday night plus what you want to bring, go to our website wusa9.com and click on living smart. how about some free food? head to your nearest starbucks. tomorrow morning they're giving away a free pastry to every customer who buys a bench. but beware, restrictions apply. >> so you can get an apple friter but not the doughnut. >> no bagels with no jelly. >> you have to pay for your biscotti if you want to dip it in your coffee. do the nats roll like beating someone? >> no. today is the day that ends in a y. the nats got a visit from an old friend and he treated hem rudely. he comes back -- them rudely. he comes back to haunt his team. plus why this pitcher says

playing to the nats is like going to the it b wee barhr goggles on. 9 sports explains after this. fafa

it's time for 9 sports with brett haber, the best sports in town. >> five years ago livan hernandez through the first pitch in nationals history. and if we hadn't traded him away, he would be the ace of our staff. but we did trade him away who have eight wins in the three years since the trade while hernandez has 33. looking for his 34th tonight. mets at national park. nats already down two.

they had a chance to draw even but livo gets a chance to get it done. dunn did that twice tonight. nats would threaten again in the second. but livo tossing that. hernandez seven innings, never broke a sweat. for the nats after eight years in the minor not really the way it went when he dreamed about it. five runs in the first two innings. nats fall 6-2 as livo beat him six times this year. >> he's the mult mitt pro. -- ultimate pro. he gave them a great effort. >> mean whoil drama in the -- meanwhile drama in the bronx. all you have to do on this one is keep your eye on the right fielder. that is nick markakis and he's jogging straight for the old

clubhouse. the yanks down the o's 2-1. michael vick is a free man tonight. even though he paid his debt to society, when it comes to nfl, vick remains in federal jail. this is the scene of his home down in virginia as federal marbles arrived to remove -- marshalls arrived. vick remains suspended by the nfl before he can resume his career. but even if that happens, is there a team that will sign vick? >> maybe a dozen teams have already stated probably that they don't want michael vick. and that's because of all of the baggage and the attention and the backlash because of the severe nature of what he's involved it. but i think there will be interest. all it takes is one team and you can project michael vick to one of those teams. >> they said the niners are the front runner for vick. do you know how the tennis season started two weeks ago, the playoffs again this friday night. they don't want you to get sick

to it. and the washington capitals can make the playoff if they win a matchoff in missouri. that is one of the springfield players singing the anthem. they're a full service. taking out klotsen. but dc would lose and ultimately lose the match. i'm pretending that you know or care who any of those teams are. meanwhile shack may be moving to cleveland. i'm doing my best. but he still has one foot in holly wod. he'll -- hollywood. he'll be the star of a reality show entitled shaq versus. it will feature shaq faking on other pro athletes in their respective sports, williams in tennis and phelps in swim. i would like to see that. >> that last one. >> hopefully no speed owe. finally tonight, the nationals

cut reliever cut havaras last night. but it makes us say goodbye to one of the most honest nationals in the history. he was struggling to catch on when he finally, albeit, reluctantly signed with the nats, a team he knew would be terrible this year. so he was asked why did he agree to come here to which he reply "why did i sign with the nats? when you go to the club at 4:00 in the morning and you're waiting and waiting, a 600 pounder looks like j low. and to me this is jennifer lopez right here. it's 4:00 in the morning, too much to drink. so nationals, your jennifer lopez to me". now, the thing of it is, the girl that he "compromised" to be with dumped him yesterday because they cut him. >>s tt'ha.ad st'y ver bad. >> insulting. >> we'll be right back.

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all right. so what are we looking for tomorrow shingt top? >> here is -- tomorrow, top? >> here is the planner. i don't think there will be a lot of clouds. 69. lunch time mid 70s. and 5:00 low 80s. and that's pretty good for this time of year. average high is 89 and today's record is 106. and we have an in cressing chance of somehow -- increasing chance of showers and storms as we go through the woke. >> i'm just scared -- week. >> i'm just scared at some point in august we'll have pay back. five days in a row it will be 130 days. >> enjoy it while it lasts. that's 9news tonight. >> don't forget we're always on wusa9.com. stay up for letterman. bye bye. (announcer) tired of nighttime breathing problems? (sniffy/congested noises)

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getting up early, packing lunches and running for the bus. and we're ready for it. because we took all our lists and we went to walmart. since walmart checks other store's prices... i didn't have to. that means we got home in time... for just a little more summer -- and for one last night of lightning bugs. back to school costs less at walmart. save money. live better. walmart.