from the first local station with news in high definition, this is 9news now. >> what we see is a reaction to a training exercise.

>> hello, i'm jaycee hayward. welcome to 9news now at noon. >> we have very, very well developed protocalls for protection of the national capital region. this being a normal, training exercise preplanned. the coordination was minimum with other federal agencies. i want to reemphasize that no shots were fired. there was no suspect vessel. there was no criminal activity. this was a preplanned, normal training exercise. i'm happy to take any questions that you might have. >> was there a discussion of shooting or guns on the frequency that led to the decision? >> on channel 81, which is on open frequency, but a coast guard working frequency, part of the protocall in their

training is verbalization of gunfire and orders between the boats simulating what we would normally do if we were intercepting a suspect vessel. that bang, bang, was verbalized on the radio, but i want to reemphasize that no shots were fired. no weapons were trained. no ammunition was loaded. this was strictly on the radio. a verbalization. that's a normal technique that happens all over the united states in major ports where our people train. >> somebody said bang, bang, or simulated the noise? >> no, somebody said bang, bang on the radio inthe appropriate time in e training exercise when the interdiction of the boat wld have taken place. >> d did you warn secret service that the president was in the area? >> the president was not in the area. he had been at the pentagon earlier this morning. he was not where this training

exercise was. there was no prenotification of secret service to my knowledge, because this was a routine training exercise. >> i'm going to take the questions. we promise to get to everybody. >> today the best day to be doing this? it is september 11. there's a lot of emotion on this day. is today the best day? >> we won't look at our procedures and our timing of this exercise, but i will tell you this. we are charged with 7 by 24, 365, all day, every day, all weather, security and safety on the interest of the national capital region. we train every day. we have crews that are highly proficient and this is a routine exercise. i don't think that our operational commander saw any reason not to train today. >> yes. >> can you explain again the

frequency was intercepted. can you clarify that? how that got out there? >> this is a discreet coast guard working frequency, but it is not encrypted. so anyone with a scanner, just like many police departments have their communications intercepted, this was intercepted. if we are involved in an actual operation with secret service or other federal agencies, we go and crypt it on the radio so it cannot be intercepted. for normal open training exercises, oftentimes we use clear channels and that is apparently what happened this morning. >> so many cases will notify us when they are going to be doing flights over the city. why did the coast guard not do that in this case? >> this is a low profile, normal training exercise that goes on every day as we train our people to handle the boats, handle the security protocalls. there's really no reasons for

specific agency notifications on an exercise that is this low profile. it's a routine every day exercise. other agencies conduct exercises on a daily basis. it is only when they are affecting national airport or in close to become noticeable to e pu blic public would they thosnoonfiticas. >> the tifaa called the flight during the incident. were you aware of that? >> we have very well defined security protocalls. apparently what happened is due to press reports and uncertainty that was generated by press reports, the faa reacted by putting a hold on a small number of aircraft at reagan nation until they could sort out the informattin. >> as you mentioned -- [ inaudible ] >> i would not have seen any

guns pointing at any other vessel? >> what you would have seen are four 25-foot response boats, they are colored orange. you have probably seen them out on the potomac before. they have automatic weapons. 7.62 caliber weapons on the bottom of the boat. you would have seen a crewman standing by that weapon as the boats were being maneuvered and simulating the interdiction they would have done. you would not have heard gunfire. you would not have had weapons pointed at anyone or anything of that nature. > follow up -- is there any thought given to the down river or up river away from the activities going on all day at the pentagon? >> well first of all, the training activity is quite removed actually from the pentagon, okay. but the potomac presents us with challenges. for those boats to maneuver at

high speed and do the training they need to do, they need a fairly deep and fairly open portion of waterway and that presents the best area and that is a routine training rmarea where it normally takes place. > either purpose for either of the ceremonies at the pentagon or because of the training? >> no. for special events, we oftentimes will put a security zone in place. >> we have been listeninto admiral, the chief of staff of the u.s. coast guard explaning it was a routine exercise on the potomac river this morning. it sparked a lot of confusion. fbi agents were scrambled. flights were grounded enfor mor than 20 minutes at reagan national airport, but it is a routine exercise. it is done all the time and he did not see any reason for it not being nedotoney daon the

anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. let's go to audrey barnes. she is at the coast guard headquarters. she can give us more information. audrey. >> yes, stacey. that vice admiral was trying to clear up some of the problems with that media report this morning. apparently, journalist heard on a marine radio frequency that is used excollusively by the coast guard, they heard a report of shots being fired. of course we know that was just during the drill. well apparently this news agency went on air with the fact that there was shots fired in the potomac river. of course, the concern was heightened because it is the anniversary of 9/11. but he was quick to say this was a training exercise. it was pretty routine. no shots were fired. he says there were four 25-foot boats involved, but there were no shots fired. first of all, about the timing

of this event. he said that they are charged with security 24 hours a day, seven days a week. there was no reason not to have it on september 11. of course, reagan national airport apparently was following these media reports and also delayed flights. the timing of this exercise is now underway. jaycee, back to you. >> all right. audrey barnes reporting live from the coast guard headquarters in southwest washington. we are going y to tato take a b 9news now will continue in just a moment. there's a big reason to lower high cholesterol... dangerous plaque that can build up in arteries. it's called atherosclerosis--or athero. and high cholesterol is a major factor. but crestor can help slow

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from the ground zero to the pentagon to a field in pennsylvania, ceremonies marking the anniversary of september 11 are happening around the country. drew has more frojeitrs ceyy.y.a a >> there were tears in the rain to mark the eighth anniversary of the september 11 terror attacks. after a moment of silence to mark when the first hijack jet struck the world trade center, family members and for the first time, volunteers read the

names of the victims. >> max who worked on the 154th floor. >> my little brother is my greatest hero. not just for the way he died, but for the way he lived. >> the void where the towers once stood is a reminder that new york city skyline was scared. the rebuilding has begun, but time is running out to get a memorial in place by the 10th anniversary of the attacks. president obama who signed a bill making 9/11 a national day of service layed a wreath at the pentagon where 184 people died. >> no passage of time and no dark skies can ever dull the meaning of this moment. >> a crowd also gathered in a field in shanksville, pennsylvania. that's where the fourth jet crashed. after heroic passenger es tried to take control from the terrorists. >> for that is what our loved ones displayed that day, courage in the face of

overwelming odds. >> though time has passed, the wounds from 9/11 still linger and the nation is taking time t drew elevenson, cbs news, jersey city, new jersey. >> american troops in afghanistan, wore shorts and sneakers today. about 1,000 soldiers ran about 5 1/2 miles at the air force base. the event commemorated the attack anniversary and it remembered the troops who have died in nearly eight years of fighting in afghanistan. >> a military widow who sent six of her children into harm's way and lost two sons to the vietnam war got a lot of love from volunteers today. as part of president obama's call to service, on the 9/11 anniversary. our digital correspondent, armando trull reports from southeast washington. >> reporter: 74-year-old

isabella knows what it is like to lose children to war. >> it was very hard to lose your two children, the oldest one and my baby. >> she is the widow of an army sergeant and desert storm veteran. >> this is my husband. his name is robert. >> isabella understands the meaning of duty. >> there were six of them that went in the service. very proud. all the girls we had, she is the only one that stepped up. >> the meaning of community. >> every child that came to this neighborhood -- >> on the eighth anniversary of 9/11, over 60 volunteers swarmed the southeast row house where isabella had worn. >> we are trying to be a part of a bigger industry. >> she got new appliances and a fresh coat of paint. >> this woman has been through a lot and she has given a lot to this country.

>> wonderful. i never expect anything like this to ever happen to me. >> the renovation of this 100- year-old home is one of thousands of similar projects that are happening all across the nation as part of united we serve. for the first time, america will mark the 9/11 tragedy with acts of service and because of those efforts, a woman who has given so much of her own flesh and blood in defense of this country will get a little bit in return as well as the heartfelt thanks of this nation. thank you very much. >> you're welcome. >> in washington, armando trull, 9news now and wusa9.com. >> she is now taking care of a severely disabled son and grandson and she says the newly installed handicap features will be a great help. get more service ideas by going to our website, wusa9.com. also tell us how you are

marking today and share your thoughts on the day that occurred eight years ago. and how it affects us still today. still ahead on 9news now at noon, a shuttle discovery and its landing plans are both still up in the air. kim has our forecast. > jaycee, there are a couple sprinkles out here, but the good news is, the heaviest rain is pulled north. i'm tracking it on doppler 9,000 and i have your forecast all ready to go this weekend as you head outside. join us during your lunch. you are watching 9news now. g

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a landing for discovery is scheduled tonight. rain and wind prevented a touchdown last night. it's still up in the air whether it will land in florida or california. so maybe kim has the suggestion. what do you think? >> split the difference, head to texas. how about that? >> boy did it rain this morning. it did some places between half inch and an inch. mostly folks closer to the chesapeake saw that.

on the delmarva. we have cloudy and dreary conditions outside, but we are looking at a forecast that improves over the weekend, but don't quite put away the umbrellas for your saturday. if you are going to be around in arlington tomorrow morning around 8:15, i'll be kicking off the girls softball tournament to honor the victims of 9/11. . le hope you'll t vi t moving. dor lean9,9,0 the radar loop working together to show all the heavy coinrinsping nsnspiring against southeastern pennsylvania, north eastern maryland, i'll tell you what. nsllwillzoom in using our doppler 9,000. i have it cufosed on our northern suburbs. you folks watcm nge frowibo up to columbia for sure and the eastern section of i-70, east of mount ari getting the heaviest rain. not all of this, but some of this is going to pivot down and still affect annapolis and bowie today, northern prince georges county. so head's up about that. back to the maps with the cloud cover, the rain, we have those

northwest winds now. make it feel raw outside. they are blowing pretty briskly. the humidity is 81% and that temperature at reagan national airport, 63. so don't look for the temperature to warm up all that much. some of these folks to the south had some more sunshine peek through the clouds. you haven't had as much rain. down here, any sunshine we get won't go into evaporating the wet ground, it will warm up the air. so you'll be in the low 70s today in fredericks berg and folks in winchester will have odds of getting warmer weather today. we'll keep it cloudy with those winds, a few rain showers linger tomorrow in your saturday. sunday is looking to be the better part of your weekend. here is the wiicw, lotropical l backing in all that moisture and around here. as forecast, the models have it at noon. north and east of dc, watch what happens over time. the rain begins to become more

showery and sprinkles instead of a steady rain. as we take you through your saturday morning, i think for our softball tournament, it will be cloudy. the ground is going to be wet. into the afternoon, we have a shot of a couple showers. don't completely abandon your umbrellas. we'll stay in the 60s today. tonight, pretty much close to the 60-degree mark and a little better tomorrow into the 70s. here's that seven-day. sunday is my pick of the weekend. in the 80s we go. monday is looking nice. sunny and 83. we will be drying out. no chance of rain until wednesday of next week. that's the pick of my forecast, the noon show is going to come right back and we yo wa you to join us. you're watching 9news now. if you've had a heart attack

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(announcer) new icy hot medicated roll. for wherever you hurt. icy to dull pain, hot to relax it away. the new icy hot medicated roll. with the roll, pain's under control. the time enwhthe time when we salute peleopthwho have made a incredible difference in our community and today i'm saluting my newest friend, charlotte wesley holloman. she is very well known in the washington area. she is actually well known all over the world. let me just tell you how she has been described. an extraordinarily gifted soprano. a great delicacy, and newspapers all over the world talked about her when she started her opera career. she was taught by the very great todd duncan, everyone knows him. a lot of people know him here in the washington area and he was very special to you.

he was special to you. why? >> he was special because he insisted that i study voice. >> he did? >> i had the slightest idea that i would do that. i was going to school at howard university where he taught. >> you entered howard university when she was 15 years old. >> go right ahead. >> i did. i graduated when i was 19. that year, i needed credit to graduate and i took voice. he was a friend of my father and mother's and so i went to him and said, do i need to audition? he said oh no. he said you just come and take the class. and of course, i did and i walked in and he said well what are you going to sing? and i said sing? which i had not done except in the choir. >> but she sang for him and she went on to many of the

great stages throughout the world and she teaches, still teaches today at howard university and i just wanted to salute and thank you for all that you've done throughout the years. you are just a perfect example of elegance and greatness. >> you are very kind. i thank you and it is such a pleasure to talk to you. >> nice being here with you. come back and visit us at 5:00. have a great weekend. we just love you. you are so sweet. >> thank you.