welcome to 9 news now. schools in heyward are cancelled and one of the largest areas is crippled by rising floodwaters. we'd like you to look at this video. roller coasters at lane's six flags amusement park are submerged under floodwater from the nearby chattahoochee river. joel brown has more. floodwaters shut down highways during the rush hour. it has been struggling with torrential rain and deadly floods. more than a foot in a few day has left entire neighborhoods under water and washed out hundreds of bridges. 2-year-old preston crawford is among the victims, swept away when a raging flood crashed in to his family's creek side mobile home. >> a freak accident. we don't understand why it

happened. i don't think we ever will. >> reporter: in this atlanta neighborhood, everybody is okay after some scary moments in a dramatic rescue. >> it was like a wave of water. >> reporter: neighbors jumped in to the water to save donna floyd, only to be swept away themselves. a rescue crew saved the day. >> scary. i was a little nervous and started to panic a little bit. everyone got out thanks to the rescue boat. >> reporter: georgia declared a state of emergency in a dozen counties and with more rain in the forecast they fear the situation could get even worse. joel brown, cbs news. >> the death toll has now reached eight. today they discovered the body of a 15-year-old boy in northwest georgia. new details are emerging from a shocking murder in a small virginia college town. police say that all four people killed in the town of farmville died because of blows to the head. a 20-year-old rapper who goes

by the name of syko sam has been charged with one of murder and police say that richard alden samuel mccroskey bragged about the thrill of killing in his song. authorities expect to charge him with the three other murders, as well. a construction worker in crystal city had to be rescued this morning. he suffered a medical emergency and was lowered to the ground from the fourth floor of the building on a construction crane. officials say the worker was conscious and alert as he was transported to the hospital. president obama is making his debut at the united nations today. he is spending the day tackling several international challenges from global warming to middle east peace. drew levinson has the latest now from the united nations. >> reporter: president obama kicked off a marathon day of diplomacy with his first u.n. speech. welcome to the united nations. >> thank you. my pleasure. >> i'm very honored. >> the topic climate change. >> 100 world leaders are

meeting for a special summit. the head of the united nations general assembly. they hope to make progress leading up to guess negotiations on a treaty to curb global warming. >> all of us will face doubts and difficulties in our own capitals as we try to reach a lasting solution to the climate challenge. but i'm here today to say that difficulty is no excuse for complacency. >> reporter: the obama administration may be moving full speed ahead, but congress on -- progress on climate change has been slow. they congress passed a bill to reduce green house emissions but the senate is yet to act. global warming will be on the agenda when president obama meets with the chinese empty this afternoon. the two are expected to tackle trade issues and the nuclear standoff with iran and north korea. president obama's hectic day has meant wading in to the

israeli-palestinian conflict. he met privately with benjamin netanyahu and abbas and then brought both together for the first time since netanyahu's election. no one expects a middle east peace breakthrough today through the talks themselves represent a step forward. drew levinson, cbs news, the united nations. president became the first sitting president to appear on the late show with david letterman last night and the president talked about those who say racism is to blame for the sharp political rhetoric these days. >> first of all, i think it is important to realize that i was actually black before the election [ laughter ] [ applause ] >> really? >> this is true. how long have you been a black man? >> the president added he believes unemployment will remain high for least another

year. >> president obama will address former president clinton's global initiative this evening. mr. clinton is also due on the late show tonight and it will be his sixth appearance on that show. >> reporter: well, virginia is getting -- giving tax evaders a chance to make good on what they owe. the old dominion launched a program called get square on back taxes. they hope it will raise $41 million. dc council chair vincent gray is trying to impose an ethics code on the council. it is a direct response to the investigation of councilman's marion barry's use of tax dollars. according to councilman gray it would impose -- the fbi has issued alerts

to mass transit systems and to stadiums across the country. the bulletins come as investigators look in to an alleged terror plot that may have involved setting off homemade bombs. karen brown reports that the feds insist the alert is just to raise awareness. >> reporter: mass transportation systems across the u.s. are on alert today. >> i try not to think about the possibility of what could happen. >> reporter: and it is not just trains and buses. the fbi and homeland security are also issuing security bulletins to stadiums, entertainment complexes and hotels around the country. the warning comes after the arrest of an airport shuttle driver near denver and growing concern he may have been planning to detonate backpack bombs on new york city trains. >> our premise here is that the city is at the top of the terrorist target list. there are always those people that want to come here and hurt us. >> reporter: najibullah zazi and his father are already behind bars charged with lying

to the government and ahmad wais afzali is also under arrest. but the fbi is searching for nine to 12 other people in the u.s., pakistan and elsewhere who may have been involved in planning an attack. details of the plot are still allegedly unknown, but sources say that najibullah zazi was conspiring to set up edge employees i haves at one or more locations. backpacks and cell phones similar to those used in the london and madrid attacks were found in queens where he recently visited. and bomb making instructions were found on his computer and cell phone video in his possession had scenes of grand central terminal. new yorkers are taking today's security warning in stride. >> it is something that you would have in your mind at anytime. >> reporter: homeland security say the alerts are simply to raise awareness and not a sign an ago imminent. karen brown, cbs news, new york. >> maryland is preparing to finally award the state's first slot machine gambling license.

it is expected to be awarded tomorrow to the ocean downs racetrack. that's just outside of ocean city. the "washington post" reports that the track is seeking to install and operate 800 slot machines. it is -- if the operation is approved it would it would require the approval of the state lottery commission. the slot parlor could open by next may. a fairfax county schoolteacher has been charged with public drunkenness and contributing to the delink wentcy of a minor. police say they found valerie roesler drunk inside of her car with a 15-year-old boy. she's been suspended from her job at heyfield secondary school and police say that valerie roesler and the teenager were found parked along gunston lane in lorton on sunday morning. still ahead, on 9 news now at noon, former super bowl hero, plaxico burris learns more about his fate. plus, two people accused of

trying to extort money from john travolta go on trial today. we will have the latest developments. we'll be right 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 the buildup of plaque in arteries. go to arterytour.com and take an interactive tour to learn how plaque builds up. and then ask your doctor if crestor is right for you. along with diet, crestor does more than lower bad cholesterol and raise good. crestor is proven to slow the buildup of plaque in arteries. crestor isn't for everyone, like people with liver disease, or women who are nursing, pregnant, or may become pregnant. simple blood tests will check for liver problems.

you should tell your doctor about other medicines you're taking or if you have muscle pain or weakness. that could be a sign of serious side effects. learn more about plaque buildup at arterytour.com. then ask your doctor if it's time for crestor. if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. former new york giant plaxico burris was sentenced to two years in jail today. he pled guilty to illegal gun charges after shooting himself in the leg at a manhattan nightclub. burris says he hopes to resume his nfl career after he is released from jail.

and two men accused of trying to capitalize on the death of john travolta's son go on trial today. a former bahamas senator and an ambulance driver are accused of trying to extort $25 million from the actor. >> reporter: local politician and a paramedic have pleaded not guilty but prosecutors say that pleasant bridge water and tore lena -- demanded $25 million from travolta and threatened to go public with a document related to the emergency care of his son. attorneys say that travolta's testimony is key. >> he has to give evidence. >> why? >> without it then the prosecution cannot get off the ground. >> reporter: he has to take the stand and tell the jury what it felt like when he received that demand. how upset and disturbed he was. nobody else can do that for him. >> the 16-year-old died in january after suffering a seizure at the family's vacation home in the be happen

hamas. the ambulance driver told inside edition that both parties were emotion an and rode with their son to the hospital. >> he was crying, eyes were red. i remember him looking up at the ceiling and saying, god pleasant help me. >> reporter: trial evidence may include reported conversations with the two defendants. >> there were negotiations, they were tape recorded. they have a record of what went on so they have tried to create a tape recording and paper trail to nail these people. >> reporter: his testimony at trial would be the first time travolta has talked publicly about the tragedy. he cancelled interviews for his films is rarely spotted out and according to "people" magazine takes solace in piloting his plane. >> john travolta has been devastating by his son's death. >> reporter: john travolta is one of 14 potential witnesses for the prosecution. he's the world's top cat. coming up we will introduce you

to the world's tallest feline. >> that's the kind of cat i need to have i must say. today is autumnal equinox. straight ahead i will explain what that means and how our our weather is shaping up as we look at the weekend. you are watching 9 news now. stay with us.

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it's a tall order. the guinness book of world records says a cat in southern california is the tallest investigate feline on the globe. the 18 month savannah cat stands 17.1 inches high. now savannah cat is a cross between an african survell and another breed. they are log long and leggy and distinguished by their long ears and markings. they are known to be intelligent and even will walk on a leash like a dog. >> i'm sure that cat, like all four of my cats will come running when the tuna can is open. it is instinctive. >> what's the name of your cats. >> we have booty and bubbles and cleo and issis and they all don't get along. we have to keep them sequestered but that's how it is. we are merging the brady bunch

with mimeos my new husband. check out my blog, i just published my interview with noaa meteorologists. it was great chatting with them. look outside. today is the autumnal equinox this evening at 51:99. that means the suns rays are over the kuwaiter and if you are in barrel, alaska or visiting scientists at antarctica at the research laboratory everybody around the world has equal day and night. that's the equinox. after today the days get shorter. even more so. now we will have less daylight than we have been seeing in the long summer months. a hong kong on what is going on. 75 to 80 today and a few showers are starting to move in. tonight we will be cloudy again as we touchdown in the 60s. all right.

here is a check on the numbers. 79 despite the clouds. 75 frederick. so really not that chilly. you would think on a cloudy day with rain threatening it would be chilly, not the case. as we look at the satellite and radar loop, you can see a batch of rain here. i will show you the rain creeping in rain working toward i-81. as for our weather, we will expect a couple of showers an the commute but especially later tonight they will be spotty tomorrow. definitely a cloudy day 83 and then 85. not as many showers on thursday. so as we zoom in, you can see the rain pretty intermittent here. downtown in georgia, the lane area our hearts go out to those people with the flooding rains they have had. basically from the same system moving here. we are too far east to be in the main band but the next couple we will be dodging the drops ourselves.

we are not expecting flooding issues like down south. take you through this hour by hour as you can see by 6:00. we are looking a rain to be moving up 95 and extending between here and baltimore by 9:00. then, during the overnight some scattered showers, frederick to fredericksburg. it will be touch and go. throughout the day on wednesday, cloudy times with intermittent showers once again. seven-day forecast, it is coming up straight ahead. here it is unfolding for you. we will keep it dicey today, tomorrow. thursday we will start to get clearing in here. not rain-free but more sunshine which will feel good. if you are asking my pick of the week i'm going with friday, partly sunny and 79. hoping for a rain-free terps game. can't promise you, though. some thunderstorms may be moving in. >> we will keep the umbrellas handy. thank you. julia louie dreyfus is returning to cbs for the fifth season of the new adventures of

old christine. she's in los angeles now with the preview wretch happy to have her with us because i understand you have some local ties. >> i do indeed. in fact, i was listening to the weather report right before me and it made me feel so home sick. >> tell me where you are originally from. >> i'm originally from washington, d.c. yeah, i lived in spring valley for years and years and years right near american university and i went to school in bethesda, maryland and i love it back there so much. i understand it is raining there. i wish we had rain there. >> come back and visit us anytime. but i know you must be excited. you are going to the fifth season. are you excited? >> i'm deliriously happy. can you believe we're having a fifth season. i'm so happy about that. and it's particularly good season.

the premier episode tomorrow night is actually one of my favorites we have ever shot, with the wonderful wanda psychs, whom everybody adores. she plays my best friend barb. and in this particular episode she is threatened with deportation to the bahamas because she's here in the united states illegally so she enlists christine, me and my brother matthew to fly to the bahamas, find some guy named bonn go to get her papers. matthew gets stoned on the beach, christine loses her passport and in a jail. it is a disaster and incredibly funny episode. it is really good. >> i cannot wait. >> yeah. it's a good one. >> tomorrow night here on cbs. and what time. >> 8:00, baby. >> i will be there with you. and listen, come back and visit us anytime, okay. >> i come back right now if i could. >> we wish you could. we'll see you when you get

here. thanks for joining us. and best wishes on your fifth season. still to come on 9 news now at noon, the dc city council takes a look at preventing the mayor from taking over an education center in southeast washington. we will tell you why. you are watching 9 news now at noon.

dc city council is taking up emergency legislation today to prevent mayor fenty from taking over the tennis and learning center in southeast washington. our 9 news now digital

correspondent alex trevino has more. >> reporter: supporters of the southeast tennis center want to keep the doors open. they want to prevent the city government from shutting them down. former dc government first lady runs the center. >> tennis is the hook. education is the key. >> reporter: the political duel is heating up. the judge stopped the district from evicting the founder and fears students who rely on the program would lose if it was forced to shut down about searching for new quarters. >> not only do they not get money for what they do they actually raise money for the kids. they provide educational programs. they provide scholarships and other support for these kids. >> reporter: dc leaders say they ordered the eviction because the corporate status had expired and therefore the lease became void. chairman gray expresses his commitment to introduce a bill at the council session. one that will restore the lease between the dc government,

which owns the building and southeast learning center. >> no clear reason why the fenty administration wants cora master barry out of its offices. owned by the center -- owned by the city but rented by barry. the meeting is expected this afternoon. we are following dedates -- details. 9 news now and wusa9.com. thanks for joining us. that's it for 9 news now at noon. come back and visit us at 5:00 p.m. thanks for joining us. bye-bye. cncn