hospital. three people hurt, all three at the hospital, one in critical condition, perhaps medevac'd there. there was a bit of a fuel spill on the scene as well, and lots of people hard at work, trying to get the people pulled out of the cars safely. let's take a live look at the scene. right now even as we speak, fire officials say pennsylvania avenue southeast and alabama avenue is closed in both directions as we speak, even as the rush hour gets into full swing. as you can tell from the wreckage there, it's going to be a minute or two before they can clear that street. once again pennsylvania avenue southeast at the intersection of alabama avenue. it's currently closed in both directions. we don't have an aerial view, but you can only imagine the mess the traffic is in right now. so again, a very serious crash, three people hurt, one of them critically. all three transported to the hospital. we'll bring you more details as we know them. back to you. >> that's a pretty busy intersection even when it's not rush hour, derek. thanks for that. this just into the 9news

now information center. a two-hour bomb scare on the campus of the university of maryland has just come to an end. around 3 this afternoon, officials called in the prince george's county bomb squad after a suspicious package was spotted outside of the mckelden library on campus drive. we're told that package was some sort of homemade water weight used by scuba divers. the scene has been cleared. a powerful explosion rocked a hyattsville apartment complex this morning, and it's all being blamed on residents trying to get rid of bugs. >> blast happened at the quincy manor apartments in hyattsville, and that's where digital correspondent scott broom is live tonight to pick up the story. what happened, scott? >> reporter: well, it was insecticide foggers, or bug bombs, just like these. you can buy them at any hardware store, that are to blame for all this, except that the resident of the two-bedroom apartment behind me had seven set off inside the apartment, and somehow the fumes came in contact with a pilot light,

land was an explosion. >> it was like a bomb. those people in my building heard it in the back. >> reporter: jerome frye stunned by what he witnessed, when a two-bedroom ground floor apartment exploded at about 10:15 this morning. >> i saw them coming out of the apartment, as they step on the step. i saw the whole apartment blow up behind them. i saw the windows and everything. i couldn't believe it, but they stood here. she got cut. it was crazy. >> i got cut in the back of my head. >> reporter: a woman who was slightly injured by flying glass did not want to be identified, but said she was leaving the apartment with her boyfriend and his father when the explosion went off. >> boom, duck for cover boom. >> reporter: the explosion left broken glass more than 50 feet away. an air conditioning unit was thrown to the ground, and window frames were twisted. all this blamed on so-called bug bombs, insect foggers that are set off inside closed

dwellings to fumigate while residents stay way for at least two hours. fire officials said seven of them were set off in this apartment, more than double what might be needed. the explosion happened when the volatile fumes were ignited by an appliance's pilot light, according to investigators. foggers are plastered with lots of warnings, including one to turn off all pilot lights before fogging a dwelling. a computer search turned up numerous reports of similar explosions around the country. so as they say, safe if used as directed. i found one of the best safety sheets on these published by the state of california, which i posted on our website, wusa.com. i'm scott broom reporting live -- wusa9.com. we'll see u you later. bye-bye. >> all right, scott. thank you so much for that story. now to a happy home coming inuthern california for o american journalists held for nearly five months in north

korea. the two women are now back with their families after being freed during a surprise diplomatic visit from former president bill clinton. manuel gallegos joins us live from burbank with today's very emotional return. manuel? >> reporter: well, anita, it's been an emotional day for the two journalists, no doubt. they had no idea they were suddenly going to find themselves home in the united states. in fact, laura ling we have been joking has gone from north korea to her house here in north hollywood. from captivity to the arms of their loved ones. journalists laura ling and euna lee were reunited with their families after 140 days in north korea. >> we saw standing before us president bill clinton. [ applause ] >> we knew instantly in our hearts that the nightmare of our lives was finally coming to an end.

>> reporter: north korea's reclusive leader, kim jong-il opened the door to the meeting with mr. clinton. the women were sentenced to 12 years of hard labor, accused of entering the country illegally. they had been on a reporting assignment for al gore's tv network. >> we want to thank president bill clinton for underwaking this mission and performing it so skillfully. >> reporter: the ordeal has also been extremely difficult for the family and friends left behind. ling had just moved into this house with her husband before she went overseas. >> she actually has spent more time in north korea than she got to spend here. it was very lonely. >> to be able to look her eyes and her little face today was absolutely indescribable. >> reporter: so far ling and lee haven't said much about their captivity. they did say they were held simply in isolation most of the time, eating rice with rocks in it. >> and now we stand here home and free. >> reporter: families say the

women are exhausted, and after some rest, they will eventually tell their story. we've been talking to neighbors here in this usually quiet suburb, and usually people aren't too happy to have all the media descend on their neighborhoods, but everyone is relieved to have them home. >> thanks for that. police used in batons and tear gas to break up demonstrations. hundreds demonstrated against president mahmoud ahmadinejad as he was sworn in for another term. but we are not able to show you much of the confrontation. the government is tightly controlling the footage coming out of there today. outside the u.s. capitol today, a totally different kind of demonstration. hispanic civil rights groups are voicing their support for sonia sotomayor, supreme court nominee. inside the capitol, democrats are doing likewise, but republicans still voicing quite a bit of opposition. some believe sotomayor will bring a liberal bias to the

high court. >> those who are called to judge must adhere to the rule of law, no matter what they personally think the law should be. >> this is not a hard call. this ought to be an easy call for members here. >> with democrats in control of the senate, sotomayor's confirmation is all but a done deal. the final vote expected tomorrow. she will become the supreme court's hurst hispanic justice. new safety improvements are complete along a o-twmile stretch of fairlynn road. a 29-year-old woman was struck and killed when she was working near the intersection of fairland and serpentine way. and as well as bumpouts and crosswalks near pedestrian crossings and bus stops. >> far too often, it takes an incident, and in this case, a death to remind us that actions, resources, and timeliness in our ability to

concentrate and to focus on a particular problem can and could and should have made a difference. >> as a result of these improvements, the average speed on fairlynn road has been released from 50 to 40 miles per hour. sky9 was over the scene of a school bus crash this morning as seven little ones suffered minor injuries when an suv collided with a fairfax county school bus at maple avenue and courthouse road in vienna. they were on their way to a summer program when the accident happened. investigators are looking into the cause of the crash. three maryland students charged as juveniles with setting fire to a rival high school football field. the three 17-year-old brunswick high students were arrested early this morning. they are accused of torching the artificial turf at middletown high school over the weekend. that fire caused damage to the $850,000 football field. in thurmont, folks are hoping animal control can step in and help with particularly

pesky neighbors. more tn n a zedozehorses keep yard and windg inup in theirs, ine doitqua itbit of damage. digital correspondent audrey barnes has the story. >> reporter: diana miller doesn't mind her neighbor's horses, as long as they stay in her paddock, and not in her yard, which they don't. >> they damage our property. they have eaten my hosta. >> her mother mary sick of cleaning up the stallion-sized messes. >> reporter: here is one of the scariest things for the millers. a man who used to help take care of the property told them he buried a horse just on the other side of the fence. that's about 50 yards from their well. frederick county's animal control director says that's something for the health department to tackle. >> there is no violation for a property owner to bury their pet. >> reporter: because the horses are wellcareed for in his opinion, dollmer says they can't be seized. as for the horses gone wild,

that's a citation she has been cited for many times. if she doesn't reply soon, the civil matter will become criminal. >> this is not going unnoticed. we are concerned. we are taking enforcement action. and we will be evaluating where we need to proceed in the future. >> reporter: o'conner was at the farm today, but she wouldn't talk to us. she doesn't appear too anxious to pay up either. have you ever been paid anything for the damage on your property? >> no. >> reporter: not one dime? >> no. >> reporter: mary says it's not the money, it's quality of life on land she has lived on for 66 years. >> nobody else would live here like that. you can't tell me they would. >> reporter: audrey barnes, wusa9. >> conner used to live on the property but moved out after her house burned down. neighbors believe she is boarding the horses for other people. jason campbell was once again answering questions about his relationship with the teen brass today. >> trying to explain certain comments he made in "sports illustrated." live from redskins park with more on all of this.

sara? >> reporter: hi, everyone knows that campbell is a stand-up guy. he says the right thing, does the right thing, and never creates controversy, until now. although not to be petty, he wasn't the one that started it. the front office tried to replace him and left him to answer all the questions. the quarterback has been silent, but this week in "sports illustrated," he let it fly. for any athlete, making the cover of "sports illustrated" is exciting. >> i'm honored, you know, to be on there, and thankful at the same time, you know. i got to continue to come out here every day and prepare myself to play ball and continue to lead my female team. >> reporter: ironic, because campbell's ability to do just that is the reason he landed the magazine cover. the article that accompanies it has the quarterback taking his first verbal shot at the team which did everything to trade him away this off-season. campbell said he felt like a piece of tissue they were flushing down the toilet. >> it may be how i feel at one moment. it doesn't define how i feel about the whole process.

>> maybe that's how he felt. but basically, i know jason. he is ready to prove that wrong and get things rolling. >> reporter: jason went on the say in the magazine article that he felt, quote, betrayed a little bit. when jim zorn was asked about campbell's comments, he replied he hasn't even seen them but it isn't affecting anything that is going on out here. >> we're communicating a lot out here, but it's all about football. it's not about his situation and what it means and how to handle it. >> reporter: campbell wasn't ducking his article comments today. but those that are superstitious hope he ewill avoid the infamous s.i. cover jinx. jason isn't worried. >> i have faith in god. >> reporter: you know, jason may not be bothered, but at least one redskin teammate was. when i told mike sellers he was shocked. he said this is the last thing we need. jason needs to be under the radar. when you play for the redskins, that is never going to happen.

still ahe, i skipped the workweek, but who the players be allowed? that topic at 5:48. plus, the growing concern for the health of one veteran offensive lineman. that's all still ahead in the show at about 5:48. for now, guys, back to you in the studio. >> thanks a lot, sara. coming up, two window washers find themselves upside down 37 stories up. four people are dead after a shooting spree in a fitness center. what the shooter may have said in an in collier township, rypem in collier township, pennsylvania that story coming up. tfa

[ closing bell ] >> on wall street today, stocks gave back some of what they gained earlier this week. the dow finished the day down 39 points to close at 9280. the nasdaq fell 18 points, and the s&p 500 lost 2. the senate's top democrat

says a significant majority of the u.s. senate is now ready to move forward for the $2 billion extension for the cash for clunkers program. majority leader harry reed says senators will have to stay past the schedule ed august recess if they want to make changes to the bill. the house approved the additional funding last week. the new money will allow a half million more americans to receive up to $4,500 to trade in their gas guzzlers for more fuel-efficient models. president obama toured an rv factory today in indiana, and he told workers there that his economic stimulus plan is now providing $2.4 billion in taxpayer grants to create electric cars. and he says that is creating tens of thousands of jobs. it took just over a minute for a gunman to spray an aerobics class full of bullets, killing three people in the class and inring several l more before that gunman shot himself. wit johnson has more on the man who went on a rampage at a health club outside pittsburgh

yesterday. >> reporter: the man who opened fire inside this gym was a loner, and may have faced repeated rejection from women. police say 48-year-old jordan sodini killed three women and himself when he fired 36 bullets into an aerobic dance class. >> he had no relationship with anybody in that club that we know of. >> reporter: the gunman left a rambling note, complaining he never had spent a weekend with a girl. on a website registered to his name, sodini wrote that he hadn't had a girlfriend since 1984. and in another entry said "women just don't like me" there are 30 million desirable women in the u.s., and i cannot find one. sodini, a member of the health club, also talked about plans future a shooting, writing on august third "last time i tried this in january, i chickened out. let's see how this new approach works ." neighbors described him as antisocial. >> i was watching this last night on tv, and they talked about the car. that's when i thought it might have been him. >> reporter: a member of the

all-female class sodini targeted says a man walked in wearing workout clothing. he set down a duffel bag, turned out the lights, and opened fire. >> had a black headband on. he had a black duffel bag, and his clothing was black. >> reporter: stewart campbell had just left the gym when a friend phoned him to come back and help. >> my buddy richard was covered in blood, and a couple of other guys had blood all over him. there were people laying on the ground. >> reporter: police say sodini carried four guns into the gym and had lots of ammunition he didn't use. the women killed range in age from 48 to 49. nine others were injured. wit johnson, cbs news, collier township, pennsylvania. >> investigators say sodini actually canvassed that gym twice yesterday before going on the deadly shooting spree last night. two window washers are now become on solid ground after being stuck hanging upside down 37 stories up over downtown boston. a fire department spokesperson

says one side of their platform somehow shifted downward. firefighters rescued the workers by breaking the windows on the 40th story office building. neither one was seriously injured. i bet they were scared, though! authorities kept pedestrians away from protect from falling glass. >> whether you were up in the sky or down on the ground here. >> wow. >> thanks were hot. >> it was little warm today, but we lucked out with the thunderstorms. i really thought there would be a lot more rain today. but we lucked out. and the wind shifted to the west and dried everything up. i think we're going to get some rain tonight, and probably during the day tomorrow. but certainly this evening, it's not that bad. it's a little warm. but the humidity isn't bad. let's start with the three-day trend and see what is going to happen over the next couple of days. i think the chance for rain will go up late tonight, and tomorrow morning there could be showers around for the thursday morning commute. and the temperatures will be much cooler. that's going to change by the time we get into the weekend. i'll show you that seven-day forecast in just moments. partly cloudy skies for the rest of the night. chance for showers and thunderstorms late tonight. this evening it's going to be dry.

low temperatures upper 60s. variable winds at about 10. during the day tomorrow, mixture of clouds and sunshine. a chance for some rainshowers. the best chance will be in the morn. but they could linger into the early afternoon. the high temperatures only in the upper 70s and low 80s. well below normal for this time of year. but we're going to make a little flip in that department by the time we get to the weekend. 87 degrees at national airport. 82 in culpepper. 81 in hagerstown. and it really a pleasant evening. we had a little trough or wind shift line go through, and the wind shifted to the west. so it dried the atmosphere out. even though we have a front coming in, no thunderstorms. we could see some rainshowers off to the southwest, though. those will be drifting in here later tonight. and there is a lot of activity to our south where the humidity was a little bit higher. and all this is shifting to the north as an area of low pressure develops on the front that is going to come through here late tonight. that area of low pressure will pass by in the morning and give us that chance for some rainshowers and keep the temperatures below normal on thursday. friday looks like a nice day.

high temperatures in the upper 80s. and then we turn up the heat. maybe a thunderstorm on saturday. dry sunday and monday, with high temperatures near 95 both days. so just a little mini heatwave here, because i think another front is going to come through tuesday and wednesday with some rain, and knock the temperatures back into the 80s. but at least for a couple of days, late into the weekend, early next week, it will actually feel like summer. >> we like mini and heatwave. >> this whole summer when we get a little shot of heat like that, it's been gone in a day or two. we'll keep that trend going. heroes helping heroes. coming up in our heroes central report, a local group launches a new program to help people who lost ththeir sight fighting for our freedom. there's something big happening at pizza hut.

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- woooh, nice! - that's a lot of food! now get big meals like our stuffed pizza rolls, pizza mia, the p'zone... and our personal panormous pizza starting at just $5. the big eat tiny price menu. only at pizza hut. i'm howard bernstein with the living green tip of the day. have you ever wanted to try organic produce but the cost was too high? try replacing that uses high pesticides. peaches, apples are all on the list of the most contaminated fruits and vegetables. the pesticides on these products are bad for the

environment and also can be unhealthy for you. so buy organic when you can. for more tips, go to wusa9.com. just click on living green. washington-based columbia lighthouse for the blind has been around for more than 100 years. in january they launched a program to help blinded veterans. >> as kristen fisher explains in tonight's hero central report, this is already making a difference in the lives of local heroes. >> reporter: printing a document from a computer. it sounds simple. but try doing it if you're blind. it took irving anderson two months. the vietnam vet lost his site to glycoma28 years ago. >> it was the scariest feeling at first. it was a little scarier then because i didn't know what i was going to do to make a living. >> reporter: that's where the bridge to work initiative comes

in. it's a new program by columbia lighthouse for the blind that is training veterans how to work, even after they have lost their sight. >> i think that they bring a refreshing sort of optimism. >> reporter: willis is in arge of teaching them the four steps to digital data scanning. >> just like in the military, you know, you adapt and you overcome. so they bring that to the workplace. >> reporter: but the best part of the program is after three months of training, you're guaranteed a job. >> the training is one thing. the independent living skills, and the orientation. but it's the job that is really important for these veterans to get back into our society. >> reporter: it's becoming even more important as a growing number of troops return from iraq and afghanistan. >> we think anywhere from 12 to 15% of the veterans who are returning have vision impairment or blindness. >> reporter: for anderson, he is just happy the blind heroes can now come home to the bridge to work program. >> i think it's an excellent program. i guess i had started feeling sorry for myself. and it gave me an opportunity

to say hey, man, if you get up and go do it, it's out there. >> reporter: now the number of soldiers returning home from iraq and afghanistan with serious eye injuries is the highest it's ever been since at least world war i. so you can see why this program is so important right now. and the catch is the program is funded by grants. the grants expire at the end of august. so if this program is going to continue, they're going to need a new source of n sher, 9news kristen fisher, 9news now and wusa9.com. >> our thanks to kristin. do you know a hero or do you need a hero? click on the hero central button and tell us all about your story. it's no secret. being a parent is expensive. but now a new study is putting a price tag on how much it costs to raise a child. >> that's right. plus, the story behind a video of a wild horse smashing through the windshield of an oncoming car. why should a student caught taking a birth control pill at school receive the same

punishment as someone taking heroin? i'm peggy fox. i'll have a look, coming up. ng

welcome back. let's reset some of the top stories in the news now. and we start with this accident that took place a short time ago in southeast d.c. a car and an suv collided at pennsylvania and alabama avenues. the suv overturned. some people were trapped in the wreckage. bystanders rushed in to try to help them. at least three people were hurt. one of them is in critical condition. now to hyattsville, where a powerful explosion rocked the quincy manor apartment complex. blame it on so-called bug bombs. investigators say a resident activated seven of them. a pilot light ignited the fumes, and kaboom. fortunately no serious injuries. and in southern california, a happy homecoming long overdue. few american journalists have been reunited with their family after spending nearly five months in a north korean prison. laura ling and euna lee were released after former president bill clinton traveled to north korea to make a personal appeal. in fairfax county, a teenager has made the national

spotlight this week, and it started with a suspension in the last school year. 17-year-old fresia jackson was suspended for two weeks after being caught taking a birth control pill. as peggy fox reports, she has now appeared in a spoof on the colbert report, making fun of the school's zero tolerance policy on drugs. >> this is nail them. >> reporter: stephen colbert's singing satire takes direct aim at fairfax county. >> my name i go to oakland high school. >> reporter: she and her mom agreed to go along with the joke in hopes of changing the policy. >> i think it's ridiculous. >> reporter: she acted out what happened to her at oakton high school in april. well. sort of. >> i was sitting at the lunch table, and i took my birth control out discreetly under the table, and drank it with my drink. and a teacher saw me. >> this is not how it happened.

>> reporter: but she was suspended for ten days, and recommended for expulsion, a punishment mandated by the state. >> if she had heroin on her, then the same punishment. if she is wielding a machete, same punishment,. >> reporter: school board member says all drugs have to be considered potentially harmful. >> prescription drugs run the gambit. it could be a class 1 amphetamine or oxycontin or something that suppresses cough. our teachers and our staff can't be required to look at every pill and say oh, i know that pill is. >> reporter: she was allowed back on school on probation. she'll be starting her senior year and is now looking at colleges. because of the hearing she had to attend, she missed a hotel of three and a half weeks for school. but worst thing for her is that this incident will always be on her permanent high school record. >> most people going through looking through applications are going to just put her aside. >> reporter: peggy fox, 9news now and wusa9.com. >> what do you think? should a student receive the

same ten-day suspension for having birth controllb@pis at school as a student atbro ings in illegal drugs like heroin? to moms like me.com for a lively discussion on this topic. all d.c. public high school students now have the option of getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases. a pilot program launched last year at eight city schools found about 130 of 3,000 students testing positive for a new std. most were infected with gonorrhea or chlamydia. now the program requires students to go to a lecture about stds. the students are then invited to provide a urine sample if they want to get tested. back to school today for some arlington students. the new school year started this morning at barcroft elementary school. barcroft is on a different calendar than the rest of arlington county public schools. the modified school year allows for more continuous learning by dividing the longer summer vacation into shorter more frequent breaks. okay, parents, most of you already know this. but now there is some proof.

it costs a lot of money to raise a child. the average middle income family spends a quarter of a million dollars per child. and as brittany moorhouse reports, that doesn't even count college tuition. >> reporter: it's kids eat free night at austin grill in chinatown. >> this is wonderful, because with a 2-year-old, you never know how much she is going to eat. >> reporter: freebies like this are welcome. just like no cost play date. >> we do a lot of parks and the zoo and story times at the library. >> reporter: because let's face it. from their first birthday -- yay! >> reporter: -- to their middle school years and well into their teens, kids cost money. >> it's worth it, but expensive. >> reporter: and getting even more expensive, according to a new report from the usda center for nutrition policy and promotion. researcherfound a mifalymihat earns less tn ha earns less than ar a yell will spend an agavere an average of $160,000 on one kid by the timeh id mie faa middle income family,

that cost es to $20020 fo20higher income a oumips, falyfacould dish out up to $370,000 to raise one child. >> i wish i had known that before we had two, i guess. >> reporter: the single largest expense, housing. >> i think the second largest chunk, especially for working parents is day care. >> reporter: i think that's exactly right, along with food and education costs. what the study doesn't account for is college tuition. a thought many here and here don't even want to talk about. at least not until their child is driving. brittany moorhouse for 9news now and wusa9 tom. >> and even then you still don't want to talk about it. the study also found that the costs of raising a child are highest in the urban northeast part of the country, and they are the lowest in the urban south and rural areas. well, despite the recession, d.c. area workers can expect to bring home bigger paychecks. a new study finds that area employers are planning for the

biggest pay raises in the country this year, with workers receiving an average of 2.2%. baltimore workers will get a 1.9% raise. detroit and san jose tied for the lowest salary increases at 1.6%. now to a story about a 6- month-old in recovery from life- saving surgery. this is tyson. the boxer puppy got himself into serious trouble when he ate a comb. yes, a comb. it somehow poked a hole in tyson's stomach and became lodged in such a way, the vet says it could have killed him. >> had poked through the stomach wall. it then poked through the diaphragm, into his chest, through the ribs, and it was sticking out that way. >> how did he eat that thing? the vet says he has never seen anything like it in his 30-year career, and he says tyson is quickly rushing to his playful puppy self. a group of tourists captured this video of a horse trampling a car in northern israel. the tourist began filming when three horses began to run

alongside their car. two of them managed to avoid an oncoming vehicle, but a third hit it head-on, smashing the windshield before running away. the driver suffered minor cuts and broken glass, otherwise okay. the horse was slightly injured. paula abdul makes a big announcement. she is leaving "american idol," and she makes that announcement on twitter. that's probably not how most teens found out. we'll explain why. and you can see clearly now with the right displayer. find one that lives up to the height in "living smart." plus brett and brian are live at redskins camp. hey, guys. >> hi there, lesli. it's day 7 out here. if we keep losing offensive linemen the way we're losing them right now, we're not going to have any left by opening day. >> i think the coaches are more concerned with the fact that they don't have all the stars out there to get their work in. >> got get their reps. we'll have the latest on the walking wounded offensive line. and they can't be hurt any worse than that horse. that was awesome, that horse taking out that car. tony?

i have nothing nearly that exciting. it turned out to be a nice day today. but i do have some rain in the seven-day forecast, ang- tibi. e atll w i' s g- meth. atyo i'll show you that in u ju just aco ndse . l we yta'lth keeabrthwi numbers at the top of nuthe hours. 87 degrees at national airport. weather coming up next. there's something big happening at pizza hut. - woooh, nice! - that's a lot of food! now get big meals like our stuffed pizza rolls, pizza mia, the p'zone... and our personal panormous pizza starting at just $5. the big eat tiny price menu. only at pizza hut.

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one out of every three of us have an hgtv, and a blu-ray player to showcase the best of that screen. and with the prices dropping, you might want to trade in your old dvd. crisp, clear pictures on your television screen. hg tv delivers the goods, and many buyers want their disc players to live up to the promise too. >> it was supposed to be more clear. >> they said the picture would

be better if we had a blu-ray dvd. >> reporter: but which one is worth your money? >> nothing compares to the high definition image from a blu- ray. it's picture quality, high in detail, very life like, very nice to look at. >> reporter: many standard dvd players offer something called up conversion. but consumer report says that falls short. an upconverted dvd image is not as detailed as an hd blu-ray image. and today players come with features like bonus view, where you can see the director's comments right along with the movie. a few even offer what is called bd live. it's provides access to extra online content, such as updated movie trailers. blu-ray prices are falling. some still cost $1,000. but consumer reports recommends one for 300. it's the panasonic dmp bd35. here is a bonus. once you get the blu-ray player, it can still play all

your old dvds. if you don't have an hdtv; you don't need a blu-ray player. the pioneer dv or 10v is about $100 and gets pretty good marks from consumer reports. another good option is the lgdn898 for $80. we've got lots more consumer news you can use on our website, w usa9.com. click on living smart. paula abdul says she is not coming back to "american idol." the now former judge made the announcement last night on twitter. abdul and "idol" apparently couldn't come to an agreement over money. as we reported monday, the other female judge, kara dioguardi did sign a new deal. the show's producers released a statement saying they are saddened that paula abdul is done. now her announcement about the departure went out to more than 1.3 million people who follow paula abdul on twitter. but it's not teens. it's mostly adults.

that's because many teens aren't twittering these days. lindsey mastis explains. >> reporter: paula abdul typed four tweets, and avoided at replies when she tweeted about not returning to "idol" on twitter. it sounds confusing. but if you're between the ages of 25 and 55, you're more likely to understand what i just said. >> i have a personal twitter, and i started a work twitter. so i have two. >> reporter: a new nielsen study finds that 64% of people on twitter are adults. >> i own my own business. so i use to it keep in touch with clients. >> rert: eronly 16% of teens tweet, even baby boomers have them beat. a columnist for federal computer week and a twitter high pressure holic says he is not surprised. >> text messages and web access cost money. and they would rather not spend the money or use the money they do spend to send text messages directory. >> reporter: this is my work

phone. it has unlimited texting and unlimited internet. that means i can twitter all day and it doesn't cost a things. >> the prime minister that are the most popular, they tend to be computer programmers, marketers, salespeople, entrepreneurs, celebrities. >> reporter: many teenagers don't even have twitter in their vocabulary. >> i was kind of curious about twitter. i still don't understand it. >> reporter: and they may not need to. >> my friends are at school. so i talk to them at school. >> reporter: in washington, i'm lindsey mastis, 9news now and wusa9.com. >> why don't teens tweet? okay, we have more information and some links if you want to get started go. to our website, wusa9.com and click on lindsey's story. but don't leave yet. i want to tell you what is coming up 15 minutes from now. sheer look at what we have new for you tonight. it's a mystery. it is baffling investigators. was it fire or something else that killed man found inside a burning minivan. plus, a big show of support

for supreme court justice nominee sonia sotomayor. and see how you can cut your grocery bill in half. that's coming up tonight at 6:00. how about the air conditioning bill, tony. >> i think this weekend it will get a little workout. for most of the summer it's been okay. especially the end of june and beginning of july. >> it was in the 50s at night. you know you're going to get a couple hot days before we turn the corner into fall. probably going to do that over the weekend. in the short-term got a little bit of rain to discuss. a little bit of rain. we lucked out today. i tell you, i thought we were going to get more than we did. i think the next couple of hours are going to be fine as well. let's take a look at the three- day trend going into the weekend. i do expect rain to be around for the thursday morning commute. keep that in mind. the temperatures initially are going to drop off. we were int the upper 80s to around 90 today. tomorrow upper 70s and low 80s. and then we'll turn up the heat. you'll see that nature seven- day forecast. partly cloudy skies for the rest of tonight. a chance for showers and thunderstorms. but that would be most likely

late tonight. if you're going to be out this evening, i don't think you have to worry about any rain. low temperatures upper 60s. the winds light and variable. during the day tomorrow, mixture of clouds and sunshine. a chance for rainshowers. the best chance for rain, i think, will be in the morning. but it will probably linger into the afternoon. the high temperatures only int the upper 70s and low 80s. sunrise tomorrow morning at 6:14. right now temperatures low to mid 80s in most locales. 82 in culpepper. 87 degrees. low 80s at bwi. we had a trough go through a couple of hours ago. that shifted the winds to the west. even though we have a cold front coming out of the mountains, it didn't have any moisture to work with. things are beginning to change in the atmosphere. it's saturating. we'll see some rain coming up from the south. a lot of showers and thunderstorms through the carolinas in the more unstable air mass. and this is all drifting up towards us. that front will come through here late tonight. an area of low pressure will develop on that front and move off the delmarva coast

tomorrow. that's why we put the chance for a couple showers in the forecast. friday probably the nicest day of the seven-day forecast there with a high near 87. a chance for a thunderstorm on saturday. it will be dry on sunday and monday. but fairly impressive heat. high temperatures near 95 both days. it won't last very long, though. another front will come through and get rid of the heat on tuesday and wednesday. the tail-end of the weekend looking smoking hot. >> pool day! >> pool day. >> there you go. >> whatever you like, right? okay. well, practice is beginning to take its toll in the heat on players at redskins training camp. especially to a unit that could ultimately determine this season's success. brett headachier is live at redskins park with more. hey, b. >> reporter: hi there, lesli and anita. in order for jason campbell to successfully throw the ball this year, the redskins offensive line needs to create an impenetrable cocoon around him. the problem is at the moment 3/5 of that cocoon is hurt. and that's not good.

remember, we told you yesterday about the injuries to right tackle stefan hire and casey. they left with leg injuries. now problems with starting guard randy thomas. the 33-year-old has sat out all week with pain in his knee, the same knee on which he had surgery this off-season. the o-line coach joe bugle says he is concern candidate. randy says don't be. >> i've been through this before, you know. my career, i had to wait a minute to get going. it's a little frustrateling, but aim a pro and i'm going to continue to rehab. it's a long time before the season starts. so we'll let you guys get impatient. >> we have plenty of beef over there. just coach them hard. humpty-dumpty can get in there. as long as the guys are tough, i'll coach. >> they have plenty of beef, but right now the beef is getting too much tenderization. how concerned are we about the offensive line injuries? should jason campbell be buying some extra insurance? >> well, he should be, and he

should be concerned. you hear joe bugel saying they can put humpty-dumpty didn't block last year. they didn't protect the quarterback, and jason being in a contract year, he needs to be concerned about that. >> they kind of faltered toward the end of last season. that's a big part of the why jason faltered. let's talk good news. i think the linebacking corps has been good news. fletcher has been solid and rocky macintosh. how would you rate that? >> a 10 right now on a scale of 1 to 10 on paper. but still they have to go out there and play. we know london fletcher, he has been doing it for 11 years. the guy is remarkable. should have gone to the pro bowl. hasn't done that year. rocky, should be a big help. >> you know, the nfl is dealing with something new this year. they're dealing with twittering. a lot of the players are getting very savvy to social networking. players say including chad johnson that he is going to twitter during games and practices. jim zorn addressed the

twittering issue. >> i don't worry about it. but we've talked about that. and we try to educate and talk about the perils. they already know about the advantages. but you try to talk about the cautions that need to be taken with that type of issue. >> so what is the negative on letting players twitter? why can't they just interface with fans? a good idea? >> it's not a good idea. it's a terrible idea. you interface with fans when you leaf the game and off the field. when you're on the sideline, you should be focused on the game and trying to win. if i'm paying you, they should be worrying about football and not twittering. >> play now, tweet later. more at 6:00. guys including jason campbell's reaction to that si situation. see you then. >> thanks, brett. >> thanks a lot. coming up, a first for the d.c. metro area. a seven-way kidney swap g : wel what "living we." whatmade total wematcmabetween rangers possible. when my wife started forgetting things...

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a non-invasive way to stabilize the spine and stop back pain may not be all it's cracked up to be. it's called vertibroplasty. doctors put in surgical cement to the spine to fill up tiny fractures caused by osteoporosis. but a double blind study put it head to head with a safe procedure done the same way. doctor says the real technique didn't help patients any more. >> i have trouble recommending vertibroplasty. the procedure works. what we have learned, however, that apparently it doesn't necessarily work because of the cement. >> okay. until they figure out why that is, doctors may still use this technique, especially in people who don't really respond to traditional pain therapy. right now there are more than 80,000 people waiting for a new kidney to start a new life. some have loved ones ready to donate who just aren't a match.

tonight, how doctors in d.c. overcame that obstacle with a landmark organ swap. >> seven donors give to seven recipients. so seven kidney transplants happened over a four-day period. >> reporter: teams from georgetown university hospital and washington hospital center introduce the members of the first local 14-person kidney swap involving siblings, friends, and altruistic donors. >> i thought somebody else could use it. >> reporter: doctors use a blood-cleansing technique to make people match who couldn't before. >> plasma foresis is a process similar to dialysis where the blood circulates outside and comes back. when it circulates through this filter, the antibodies that are such a problem are removed so that the patient can then receive a transplant. >> reporter: a domino of transplants over four days in july match up total strangers with patients in need.

>> i was in the hospital, and i just shed tears. i can't explain it. i really can't. >> i've seen my sister come home from dialysis, just exhausted, you know, to the point where i've had to pick her up off the floor. >> reporter: dr. keith mellinson says it is helping save patients in communities where kidney disease is rampant and survival rates are low. >> in the washington metropolitan area, there are over 6,000 people who are on dialysis. the majority of those patients are african american. most of those patients have antibodies that make it very difficult for them to ever receive a transplant. >> i think that i love you. >> i love you too. >> so here is another look at that chart that they were talking about. again, where a friend may not be a match for another friend or a relative, they can be matched up with someone else in this pool using that plasma foresis which cleans out some of the antibodies. very important, especially in communities where so many

people are waiting for kidneys, and they're hoping to expand the types of swaps nationwide. >> wouldn't that be wonderful. shorten the stay on the list. >> absolutely. especially with dialysis. it's a tough road. coming up at 6, an update on that terrible rush hour crash that sent three people to the hospital and left witnesses in , etrgwee >> don't forget, w a on at wusa9.com. stay with us tonight. o lower your

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