right here in this neighborhood, i grew up learning strong families and hard work means opportunity. and that starts with good schools. it's a tradition here in maryland-- and why in these tough times i've put education first. we've made record investments in our classrooms... doubled the number of charter schools... and we've frozen college tuition for four years in a row. and it's working. experts say we now have the number one schools in the nation. when it comes to expanding opportunity in every neighborhood, i know that we must do even better. now practice clears forest and uses explosives to essentially blow the top off of mountains and then machines go in to

sweep out the coal. the land left behind is dumped in to valley and covers up streams. members of a kansas-based church known for protesting military funerals are planning to be in our area next week. it's the west burrow baptist church and they are planning to protest in silver spring. looney was killed in a helicopter crash in afghanistan earlier this month. and the pentagon says it spent $47,000 to destroy almost 10,000 copies of a book which it claims threatens national security. it is called "operation dark heart spy craft." it had been scheduled to come out on august 31st but the pentagon officials stood by and watched as copies of that first edition were cut in to shreds and recycled.

>> think it is possible that things got out there, and d.o.d. had concerns about and the publisher warned them about potential. he says he cleared the book with the army when he signed the publishing contract two years ago but the pentagon said he only approached the army reserve and not the regular army or the department of defense. the publishers redacting the material in a second edition. get ready to see more security around the naval observatory. the navy plans to install a ten foot security fence and several security check points an the vice president's home on massachusetts avenue. two new guard houses, four gates, phi vehicle barriers and 1800 feet of new security fencing all expected to cost $1.7 million. the u.s. secret service say the upgrades are not in response to any specific security threat. >> normally we say rain rain go away but we need it. topper is coming back with the full forecast in just a minute. but first another tax break on

the horizon. a look at how you might want to cash in. that's coming up next. building wind farms and expanding clean energy manufacturing. but in america, gridlock has held us back. now, the senate can change that - by passing a

renewable electricity standard. it will spur development of clean energy and boost manufacturing in america, creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs. so we can make our own energy future - not just buy it from china. call your senators and urge them to pass a renewable electricity standard today.

a green alert that could keep green in your pockets. virginia plans to hold the fourth annual sales tax holiday on energy efficient products next month and that means if you buy appliances certified by the energy star or water sense program you won't have to pay any sales tax. the holiday applies to items

worth $2,500 or less and the holiday runs october 8th to october 18th. if two of the nation's largest discount carriers are joining forces. southwest airlines is buying airtran. the cost $1.4 billion. that will give southwest a larger hold of the market by expanding its service in to 37 stu cities including atlanta. >> it has the potential to add more than 20% to our annual revenues or $2 billion a year. >> reporter: southwest is expected to take over airtran's slots at reagan national offering at least 11 flights in and out of the airport. of course none of that may happen for months because the deal has to be approved by the regulator and stockholders. work to extend metro to dulles means a commuter alert this week. in two hours the eastbound lanes of the dulles toll road will close just east of the beltway. that means drivers will have to take the beltway to route 123 and then back to the toll road

as a detour. the work will go on every night this week between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. come friday you will need one of those hands free devices if you want to make a call while you are driving in the state of maryland that's when the cell phone ban gets started and one of the stories in the where you live section attaboys wusa. find your community in our where you live section and keep up with what is happening in the neighborhood. if you have a story and want to hear from us, contact us and be part of the wusa 9 team. we want to remind you of our effort here at wusa 9 to get everyone to stop using cell phones while they are driving. it is called the great hangup campaign. if you have been affected by a distracted driver talking on a cell phone or perhaps texting we'd love to hear your story golf to the great hangup page at wusa9.com or call 202-895- 5960. a relic of a catholic saint is taking up a temporary home

here in dc. the name is st. john bosco, the patron of youth and today is the move in day at the shrine. >> he is large and imposing but in life all about the least of us. these days he is a wax figure and an urn arriving, including actual bones and tissues from his body buried in italy. >> a lot of people don't have a chance to go to italy. >> he made it his business to look out for the young people suffering on the dark side of the industrial revolution. >> young people were treated like trash and abused. >> the father is the local coordinator for the relic's stop in dc. the saint has been on a worldwide tour since 2009 in celebration of his upcoming 200th birthday in 2015. >> to welcome the founder which is my hero and inspiration for young people, which i have

dedicated my life to. >> reporter: it rests inside of a glass urn, surround by a cart made of wood and metal an weighs 1800-pounds. >> we really had to rely on our architect and engineers in order to determine how to get it in. >> reporter: the national shrine's construction crew prepared a scaffolding to bring it inside the basilica and a special mass to be held tomorrow with saint bosco's message in mind to tell the young people of the world. >> despite war and despite difficulty and a lot of addictions, they are respected and loved. >> reporter: and the public can view don bosco's relic tomorrow morning at the national shrine and the special mass is 8:30 p.m. rain rain rain and more rain my friend. about time i guess. >> it is but it is feast or famine, isn't it? we need something in between. but i think we are in good shape in the immediate metro

area, derek. the flash flood watch covers until everyone until 8 a.m. but the flooding may be west and east of town. start with titan. wide doppler radar. look at the heavy activity in to north carolina, southeastern virginia. this will move up to the east side of 95. and affect southern maryland and the delmarva. so if you are in annapolis down to st. mary's city this is got in the cross hairs so to speak. we have activity to the west. although this has been weakening the past hour or so. we will have rain and showers everywhere. don't get me wrong but i think in terms of the biggest threat east and west of town. let's start with drive. you can access this at our website at wusa9.com and check out our weather a. before we zoom in we had light activity in la plata and 95. this will get more intense the next couple of hours and skim over the bay and hit the eastern sections of anne arundel county and calvert

county. we will point up to the north and west. one area that is still fairly heavy off to the west now. it will cross over 40 and 70. it is west of meyersville and northwest of middletown and frederick county and produce heavy rain but nothing severe. let's go to the computer. tonight, flash flood watch, rain and thunderstorms. some heavy, some severe. low temperatures 65 to 70. winds south southeast at 10 to 20 and gusty. we will say it again. we say it every time. flood watch, don't cross a flooded street by car or foot. check the sump pump and basement attic before the next round rolls in. and we think by evening you can see by 11:00 some showers out to manassas. heavier activity to the south and east. but for the most part in the immediate metro area i think we will escape with good old fashion rain which we really need. tomorrow morning, showers will end. breezy and mild. i'd go ahead and prepare for a wet commute, though. 65 to 75 for temperatures and

by afternoon, decreasing cloudiness, breezy and mild. highs of 80. warm wind southwest at 10 to 15. we will break down tomorrow. an umbrella in the morning and sunglasses in the afternoon. 80 by evening across the board. and then we are looking at temperatures maybe heavier rain on thursday and then look at the fall in the 60s on friday for football and fall for fairfax. >> thank you, sir. from the weird news file, what in the world could drive a sane person to dye the family cat pink? i did it to match my hair says natasha. last saturday they found a pink kitty wandering around the garden. turns u.s. it was owned by a 22- year-old woman named natasha that said she got the idea from an american television show and she uses food dye so the animal is unharmed and while she insists no cats were injured in the making of this pink pet,

animal rights folks think she finds it more fun than the cat does. >> we want to hear what you think, send your e-mails to mcginty's mail bag. the address is pill mailbag@wusa9.com. we'll be right back.

four years ago, bob ehrlich got fired as governor of maryland. for good reason. first, he protected tax loopholes for giant cable cable companies. then, he let utilities jack up our rates 72%. and for the last four years, he worked as a hired gun for big corporations, even a bank that took billions from a taxpayer funded bailout. ehrlich sides with corporate executives again and again and again tell bob ehrlich big banks and billionares don't need help. middle class marylanders do.

and don't forget get your

news, weather and traffic that you need every morning before you head out. tune in to andrea, howard and angie starting weekday mornings at 4:25 a.m. in the mail bag tonight, surprising, at least to me, reaction to our story last week on the announce of confederate history month in virginia. governor mcdonnell says he is sorry for not mentioning slavery in the first announcement he made but michelle in hyattsville is far from satisfied. i think virginia's governor has dreams of white supremacy of long ago. he doesn't have to explicitly revoke slavery to remind everyone about it. i'm a minority male and i don't think i could stand living in virginia like some of my relatives. really, michelle? i think that is hair -- harsh. i think he is trying to balance two con stitch wednesdaycys with separate views. another says -- okay.

listen to this one which rockies of compromise and trying to see both sides. -- what do you think? i think it is a pretty good idea. i always like to point out to those who can't wait to celebrate the civil war that it was, after all, an illegal rebellion and if it had succeeded the united states of america, as we know it, the country that is more than once stepped up to save the free world very well might never have come to be. mcginty's mail bag only came to be because you time hundred took the time to drop us a line. that's our report. i will be back here tonight at 11:00 along with anita and tonight, $25,000 on the line for a local university and it all hinges on the ability to perform the scene from hawaii

50. see the university of maryland ban the rendition tonight at 11:00. and log on anytime to wusa9.com. we will see you a bit later. have aggrade great evening. bye-bye.

now, "entertainment tonight," the most-watched entertainment news magazine in the world. sarah palin's "dancing" debut. >> a lost hard work and passion. >> will she make the first

front-row appearance. what we've learned. inside bristol's rehearsal back home. >> this is an "e.t." exclusive. >> from wasilla, alaska. >> will sarah's daughter bust loose tonight? >> i think i'm coming oust my shell. >> florence, kyle, who is dancing what? as niecy nash breaks down the week two pressure. who's feeling the heat. >> lindsay out of jail and on the move. did she behave this weekend? where did papa pitt take zahara? tonight's celebrity gps. >> justin timberlake, alec baldwin and lea gushing over the "glee" episode. >> it's going blow your mind. >> shatner is a big bleeping hit. but which stars could get cut down in primetime? the tv shows on the bubble. plus secrets from "the good wife." will she leave her husband?