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the for ofen's cli bo has died. de. is family hi heopened b cli bowin e su of dc thsands politicians and celebrities have been there and have eaten, including our president. of course we will have more information on our website wusa9.com. and on 9 news now at 5:00 p.m. a suicide car bombing turned the morning rush hour in afghanistan in to chaos. the top u.s. commander on the ground says that he needs tens of thousands of troops to fight back against the attacks like these. however, it could be hard for the president to convince lawmakers. joel brown has more information from the white house.

the suicide car bomber set off his explosives at the height of the rush hour, turning part of kabul street in to chaos. the taliban claims responsibility. the blast killed at least 17 people and injured 80 more. it happened right in front of the embassy of india. there were a lot of workers cleaning the canals, this man said, most of them have been killed. this is the latest in a string of attacks that have shattered the relative calm in afghanistan's capital. taliban fighters beauvergne to ramp up the violence ahead of the elections and they haven't stopped. this morning's blast comes as the white house weighs a request by the top general in afghanistan to send 40,000 troops to fight the taliban and keep them from giving safe haven to al-qaeda. >> they commander in chief is city studying the question and talking an a shift in strategy. as the president considers his

opposition he is faced with opposition from his members of sending more troops even if it is not full 40,000. >> military power is not the answer alone to our problems. >> reporter: if he doesn't send more troops he will receive sharp criticism from republicans. >> there has to be an overall strategy and a significant number of troops on the ground. >> reporter: he will meet with advisers tomorrow as he tries on the next step in this increasingly unpopular war. joel brown, cbs news, the white house. one of the eight u.s. soldiers killed last weekend in afghanistan was from loudoun county, virginia. 21-year-old stephon mace visited his family in august. grieving relatives say he was apprehensive about returning to combat. mace and the seven other soldiers were in the same unit based at fort carson, colorado. it is back to class for

students at st. vincent pallotti in laurel, maryland. it is one of the first schools closed in our region because of the h1n1 flu. alex trevino was at the school when it reopened. >> my daughter had it. >> reporter: oh, she did have it? >> yeah, she did. she did. but it is intense for a few days but then they recover fairly rapidly. >> reporter: she feels confident to bring her 16-year- old daughter back to school after contracting the virus. >> completely recovered. still a little tired but fever free for two full days. >> reporter: some parents offer basic tips to children before dropping them off. >> just to keep her hands out of her mouth. use the sanitation things they have everywhere and she'll be fine. >> reporter: most parents aren't second guessing the school's decision to close for one day and students are on board with that call. >> i think it was a good thing because they could clean off the cools -- schools and get

everything clean. >> tyler says rom of her friends who have been ill are looking forward to returning to school today. the attendance numbers here at st. vincent pallotti are not out yet but the principal says it looks good morning reporting from laurel, 9 news now and wusa9.com. the district received the first batch of the h1n1 vaccine. it is the nasal spray and health care workers will start to get doses today and tomorrow temperature meanwhile fairfax county is starting to hand out 19 oodles doses of the vaccine. it is a test of the distribution system as communities begin to get doses of the nasal spray. >> this initial supply is intended for healthy, nonpregnant health care worker and emergency services personnel. >> reporter: fairfax county officials say they are expecting more doses of the h1n1 vaccine every week.

but officials are starting to see a shortage of the seasonal flu vaccine. right now the fairfax county health department says 99% of the influenza viruses circulating in the county are h1n1. with the holiday season around the corner federal and local health officials are concerned about the spread of the h1n1 virus. at airports across the country, security screeners will be looking for people who they think have h1n1. under new government guidelines, some passengers may be asked to pass through a screening device. they maybe asked to have their temperature taken, and they may be asked to answer questions about their health. and even quarantined if they show symptoms of h1n1. >> i'm all for it because i know if people cough on the plane, guaranteed all of those germs will be spreading all

around. >> reporter: so far there are no plans to enforce this policy aboard greyhound buses or amtrak trains. transit agencies in large u.s. cities, including washington, d.c., are posting signs reminding customers to keep their mouths covered when they cough and sneeze. you can learn more by going to our website at wusa9.com. we have a special page set up both in english and spanish on h1n1 and you can get to both by going to the living well section. organizers say that thousands will rally today to denounce last week's dc layoff of teachers. the washington teachers union is sponsoring a rally this afternoon at freedom plaza. students and other protesters rallied earlier this week in front of city hall and school chancellor michelle rhee's office. the teachers union also reports

it has now filed a lawsuit against last week's dismissal of 229 teachers. the union claims that veteran instructors were unfairly targeted. rockville native lisa nowak is fighting to get one of the charges against her dropped. she is the astronaut accused of attacking a romantic rival two years ago. her lawyers want the charge involving pepper spray dropped, and they have gotten permission to question the alleged victim colleen shipman about the situation. police in fairfax county have made an arrest in a sexual assault case. mohammad kaffi is accused of luring a woman this to an area where he allegedly assaulted her. this happened near the herndon monroe park and ride in reston. kaffi turned himself in to

police yesterday after he learned he was a suspect in this case. all pornography could soon be banned from state universities in maryland. this comes after a group of university of maryland film students played a pornographic film last april. when lawmakers learned of the event, they pressured the university in to cancelling the show. some faculty reacted to the cancellation by showing the film to honor free speech. well, now lawmakers are considering a measure which would force all state schools to adopt rules for showing pornographic films. >> it's not so much about being able to watch or show porn on campus but the fact they want to tell us we can't show certain things that really shouldn't be offensive to people if they don't come to them. it is not going to affect you if you don't watch it. and if you don't want to watch it, then don't watch it. >> reporter: if the measure is approved the university system would be the first in the

country to regulate pornography. coming up tonight at 11:00, be careful buying home gym equipment on the internet. what you are getting could be dangerous. counterfeit gym equipment. the sites that sell it and how to azero being taken. that's tonight on 9 news now at 11:00. we'll be right back.

we have much-saving tip for you today. our pets are part of our family, and we want them to get the best health care possible, but pet bills can also be enormous. so consider health care alternatives for your pet. visit humane societies or university vet clinics for discounts at medical services, and if your pet needs a procedure, call other vets to check prices. they can be a difference as much as $500 for the very same service. coming up next, kim has the forecast. stay with us.

join wusa 9 for a heart healthy weekend. it kicks off october 17th with bike dc. and then on sunday it is the

inaugural heart of dc 5k run. you can register for either or both of them by going to our website at wusa9.com and guess what. part of the proceeds benefit the american heart association. really want you to join us in this wonderful project. >> great thing and i have a link to it on my facebook page, too. j.c., i'm glad those winds are giving it a rest. >> my goodness. it was something. what, 55 miles an hour. >> yes. and we had tree branches down and even some trees. different is a different story i'm happy to report. let's get started this lunch hour. take a break. take a sip of that coffee i'm here to help you with the weather. a few high thin clouds pushing through. no rain and bright sunny skies from the south. here's a look at the numbers an. 63 west winds miles an hour. 8 feels great. 48 not so much. it was nuts yesterday

afternoon. we weren't alone. the winds were howling up in philly during their game against the rockies and it was windy like heck in new york city, too. frederick is 64. easton 63. and a lot of 60s from cumberland to martinsburg and winchester. we will put on the brakes today in the upper 60s for the high but look at the big step we take tomorrow, up to 81. however, the weather toll is we will have a lot of clouds around and might even have a shower tomorrow morning, especially to the north across the mason dixon line. let me tell you the reason why. the storm across the middle of the country isn't making a beeline for us but the front will lift through here. that's what is going to bring the clouds tomorrow and eventually rain on saturday and especially saturday night. if you are catching a flight to st. louis, back to kansas city, indianapolis today, columbus, cincinnati, even pittsburgh a little later, probably going to get showers that will slow you down. i can help with the details to

put the puzzle together for you, though. we love our computer models. high pressure on top of us keeping us sunny. but later tonight, this is 10:00, notice the clouds beginning to thicken up and you can see the green dancing across the screen, mainly across the mason dixon line tomorrow. you folks in southern pennsylvania or northern washington frederick, allegheny counties south of dc, you might be starting with the windshield wipers on. i don't think much of the rain will make it to our area throughout the day. a spotty shower up north is what is possible. but the rain moves in to our direction on saturday and saturday afternoon especially. so, if you are making plans this weekend, early is better on saturday. okay? let me help you the next seven. here we go. got my eye on the prize tomorrow with 81 degrees and that will feel really good. we will not have as much sun as we have seen today but it will

be warmer. we start to lose those temperatures as we head through the sec half of the weekend. by sunday afternoon things will be drying out. so that will be good news. but we will have to see. >> oh my gosh it is thursday. hi, tony. what did you bring for us today? >> this is pogo. >> it is okay. i have a treat for pogo. okay. >> very good. >> tell me about pogo. >> pogo is a puppy, between four and six months old. he is getting up there. very sweet. he needs some training, but he is very willing to please. so he would be easy to train. >> look at the coloring, black on his back and polka dot legs. >> that's right. it is hard to tell -- the treats are -- >> i love the animals so much. tell me how you found him? >> he came from a shelter.

he was a stray. he definitely needs training. >> okay. i'm done. >> he would be good with kids and be a great family dog. when he gets his excitement under control. >> i'm done, pogo. don't come bouncing over here. >> he is a sweet boy and really wants to please. >> will he be anywhere where we can meet him. >> at webbers pet supermark, not this weekend but the following weekend if fairfax. >> very good. we will have a link at wusa9.com, as well. pogo, i love you. you are a bouncing poe go stick. we will send it back inside to j.c. thanks so much. what a good dog. >> if you have not made plans for the weekend, let me tell you might want to go to the national theater to see jersey boys. one of my favorite musicals. i have only seen it three

times. michael toscano went to opening night a few nights ago. tell me what you thought of it. >> they blew the roof off of national theater. i think this is better than broadway. i really do. we know the four seasons they sold a lot of records of and we never heard of them and we know the name frankie valli and that's it. they have put together the true story of these four working- class i buoys somewhere new jersey. how they rose from a grimy existence and how they had to extricate themselveses from the mob and rose to being superstars. not your typical jukebox musical. it is dark at times and very interesting. >> what i like about it is the production value. the scenes are quick and they do -- i thought, an excellent job at the production. >> they do that.

bob, who was the tall guy that played the keyboards he was involved in the look and sound of the show. that's one reason why you hear the music and you think it is the four seasons it is like a good concert. he actually worked on the sound balance. when they work up in the beginning of the show they start to show how they developed their sound. when they get to this first sound and go to sherry babe. which was the first hit in 1962 a wave of energy comes off the stage and infuses the national theater and the place erupts. it is amazing to see the energy. i asked the actors does this happen every time and he said yes it does. the show is so well constructed by the time the sound hits the audience is ready for it. >> the audience gets so involved. i saw it in london and florida. >> i had to idea. >> i'm telling you. i love this show and it is at the national theater. >> through december 12th. we are talking about the jersey

boys. i think it is a wonderful and so do you. >> it is a great show. >> if you haven't made plans you might want to get tickets. i think tuesdays, wednesdays and thursdays are the best days to get great seats so consider that. >> good to see you. the new you. you are looking great. >> thank you. thank you for being with us. please come back and join us at 5:00. check us out 24 hours a day on our website, wusa9.com. have a great day.