captions by: caption colorado, llc (800) 775-7838 comments@captioncolorado.com former d.c. council mapp harry thomas, jr. is leaving open the possibility of running for political office again. that's what close associates are telling 9 news now tonight. hello, i'm bruce johnson. harry thomas, jr. is eligible to run again for his ward 5 council seat after pleading guilty yesterday to tax evasion and stealing more than $350,000 from city youth programs. this comes as a surprise to you, then you should know d.c. law prohibits convicted felons from seeking office, but only if they've been convicted while still in office. >> 51-year-old harry thomas, jr. resigned as part of a plea bargain with prosecutors but his resignation from the

council came thursday night, hours before, he said guilty as charged to a federal judge on friday. in his comments from the steps of the u.s. district courthouse, he seemed to leave the door open for a return to public office. >> it is through the efforts of individuals like my mother, a public school principal and fay father, a former council member who served as a representative in ward 5 with great distinction that our community has become great. it is this legacy of service i hope to live up to again. >> reporter: he's due back in court for sentencing on may 3rd and could get three to four years in prison. his attorneys will ask for about half that. 9news now has learned leaders started meeting to map out a strategy to fill candidates to replace thomas in 114 days when a special election is held. at-large councilman vincent orange was there along with party leader anita bonds and

ward chairman robert branner. the special election is open to every persuasion. the winner fills the remaining three years of harry thomas' term. he could be getting out of prison about the same time that term on the council ends. joining us right now is tommy wells. we've invited you here because you were the one council member who stood alone voting on this ethics bill. first of all, where do you think the d.c. council is right now in terms of credibility and what people think of this legislative body? >> i think sadly, i don't think there's a lot of credibility. obviously, i just had a colleague that's pled guilty to stealing government money. i think that, um, i don't think my colleagues -- i mean, i tried to pass legislations and amendments around the ethics bill that would try to improve how much inflew thence is on council members and they all voted against it.

>> let me ask you about this. harry thomas, jr., if he comes out of prison and seeks that seat again, he's well within his right. your reaction to that? >> first in d.c., we really don't want to limit voters' choices, but in a case where someone has so violated a public trust to take public funds and utilize the office seemingly for that purpose, it really gives you, um, pause, to say that maybe this is the case where we need to revisit that law. >> should he be barred from seeking that? >> in my opinion, yes. >> so are you seeking the laws? >> the ethics law is going through now, and that is amending the charter, but this certainly is a case where the nexus is so close to what the crime was, taking government money for your own purpose, utilizing your office in order to do that. i think that sometimes hard cases make bad law, but i think we should look at it.

i don't like restricting the democratic choices of our citizens because it's limbed already. >> what about a referendum? let the people decide this. if they want a legislator who while in office committed these crimes be barred from end entering the office. >> my colleagues did not pass the things people of the district would like to see passed. around good government this may be a piece of it. a referendum is not what we would use as a a.en initiative. that may be the way of people in washington showing to take their government back. >> we're running out of time, but kobe king did what i think is a good piece in the post today where he had the records, and he went to the offices and showed how bundled donations work, how corporations are getting around what a lot of people think should be the law. same address, different cooperations, really the same and that way they are able to contribute even more money to the candidates. what do you make of that?

you tried to change that? >> exactly. my colleagues voted against it. there's too much corporate dollars in d.c. elections. we see it right now being poured in. so the corporations have far greater influence than the average person. i think we may have to put this back out to the public to let the people take their government back. >> ward 6 councilman, thank you for coming in. appreciate it. turning elsewhere to two people struck by a hit and run driver have now died. police are still looking for the driver. tim, what do you have? >> reporter: police are actively looking for whoever is responsible for this. they need the public's help. meanwhile, tonight, the friends and loved ones of 55-year-old michael thomas and 62-year-old mildred freeman have gathered here at the site of where this all happened yesterday for a vigil to memorialize the two lives tragically cut short. according to prince george's county police this happened yesterday just before 7:00 in the morning. investigators believe the two

were standing in the center turn lane in oxon hill when they were hit by a gray compact car. police say the driver left the scene leaving the two critically injured. michael thomas died late last night. as for the woman, mildred freeman died later today. earlier evening, we spoke to one of the victims' daughter. >> when i got to the hospital to see him, that was not my father. >> reporter: what was that like? >> it was gross. i'm still having a hard time believing that it was him because the man that i seen in that bed was not my father. >> reporter: another live look right now at the vigil taking place where folks are remembering the two victims of this. i can tell you, bruce, that there is a lot of grief here but also a lot of anger for what happened because this driver left them critically injured. of course they later died. tonight, police are asking for help. anyone who saw anything out

here, they are asking that you give them a call. kip moline that 9news now. turning elsewhere, 24- year-old airlineman from maryland has been killed in afghanistan. he with as among three airmen killed on thursday when an i.a.d. hit his vehicle. he was assigned to the squadron at peterson air force base in colorado. if you plan to take the metro this weekend, be prepared for more delays. maintenance work on four rail lines mean trains will share a single track on portions of the red, orange, blue, and green lines. red line trains will operate every 30 minutes between dupont circle and friendship heights and between takoma park and forest glenn. trains will run every 13 minutes between the smithsonian and eastern market. on the green line, trains will run every 15 minutes between georgia avenue and for the to then and nay lore road. this info is on our web site,

wusa9.com. coming up tonight -- >> i'm going crazy and i just can't imagine what he's going through. >> a frantic search for a missing rescue dog this weekend. congresswoman gabrielle giffords is back in tucson this weekend to mark a one-year anniversary of that shooting rampage. and what a fantastic day. just how warm did we get? check out the almanac. the official high at reagan national is 6 degrees. the record high on this date, 76 set in 1907. i'll let you know how much cooler we're going to get and also some changes coming up in that forecast. stay with us.

tonight, a maryland hunter is hospitalized after being shot by a fellow hunter. it happened just after 1:00 this afternoon in for the washington, maryland. the two hunters were in the woods near the 9200 block of oxon hill road. police say the victim was one of five people hunting when he was shot in the stomach by another hunter in the same group. tonight, authorities say all five will face charges. >> at this point, charges will be pending against all five of the persons because hunting is obviously illegal in anything owned by the maryland park and planning commission. >> the 60-year-old victim was take ton the hospital.

we're told tonight his injuries are not life threatening. arizona congresswoman gabrielle giffords is in tucson this weekend for the one-year anniversary for the shooting that killed six people and left her and 12 others wounded. she walked a hiking trail dedicated to the victim. it was for a ceremony to honor slain staffer zane zimmerman. she plans to appear at a vigil to mark the anniversary of the shooting which occurred during a january 8 meet and greet. giffords is still recovering from being shot in the head during that rampage. a dog trained in search and rescue needs finding himself tonight. his handler and many volunteers have been out searching for the german shepherd that never returned from a training session in the woods. >> i can't believe he's not in there. >> reporter: an empty crate brings heart ache to sonia heritage. >> i'm going crazy. i just can't imagine what he's

going through. i know he wants to come home. >> we need to find him. >> reporter: the 3-year-old black german shepherd was at the tail end of his training before receiving full certification as a disaster rescue dog. he got spooked off something off 301 in bowie. >> the fact that he went across a three-lane highway is just -- i can't even talk about that. >> he needs to come home, please. bring him home. i want him home safe. >> reporter: sonia part of fairfax county's urban search and rescue. she's been involved in countless searches in haiti, katrina and countless local searches. vito was supposed to follow in his dad's paws. >> it's a helpless feeling. i don't know what to do. >> reporter: take a good look at dad here because vito is nearly identical, black all over with brown legs. there is a strong possibility someone has vito already. sonia wants them to know that

this highly specialized dog has a higher calling. >> this dog is gonna save people. i mean, he is going to certify this year. he's going to replace his dad. his dad is retiring. he's going to go on to do amazing things. >> that's my boy. >> that's a good dog. >> it's a great dog, actually. >> reporter: in bowie, surae chinn, 9news now. >> if you spotted vito, you can call the number on the screen. call his name. he should come to you and you can take him to any law enforcement, fire department or animal control location. they've all been made aware of of the missing dog and what to do should you have him. coming up, we have the latest forecast.

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you know my question, what's going on out there? it's january and we have almost 70 degrees? >> yeah, upper 60s and a lot of places getting to 70 degrees. change is still coming this way. i hope you're able to enjoy it today. i know i did with my dog outside earlier today. it was feeling balmy for january, toasty. things are changing. we're looking at cooler air to

come this way as a cool front approaches. here is a look at our current numbers. it is still nice outside, i mean mild. 62 in downtown. it's 60 in la plata. far out there in ma massis, down to 50. if you are going out tonight, you have dinner plans, i think a life jacket is all you are going to need. the later you do stay out, we'll get back into the 30s overnight. here's a look at the national picture of the satellite radar where there's an area of low pressure that could bring us some showers on monday, but only generally south of town, not widespread showers. right now, we're expecting lots of sunshine for tomorrow, but it will be cooler, around 50s. cooler then it could become wet as we look at the forecast later in the week. hey a light jacket's okay for tonight. cooler for sunday. the storm's skirting to the south of us on monday, and then mid-week showers are likely as another area of low pressure approaches us. all right. here's your futurecast.

again, tomorrow lots of sunshine. not as warm, but still, a nice day. it'll be dry with plenty of sun out there. i think we'll probably see some temperatures into the 50s once again so still above the average high of lower 40s. then on monday, we got maybe some cloudy conditions coming in, and then again to the south of us, maybe have showers. overall, most people should be dry. so for tonight, partly cloudy and just chilly. a one-blanket night, lows getting down into the 30s. northwest winds at around 10 miles per hour. so lows around downtown 37. 32 in gaithersburg. manasis lower 30s. martins 33. annapolis around mid-30s. there is a small craft advisory in effect for the day. just until 6:00 tomorrow morning. now for tomorrow, mostly sunny, chilly, grab your sunglasses. temperatures in the 30s and 40s. if you are going out to do errands it should be a nice day. for the afternoon, partly cloudy and still general.

this is january. the winds will be light. so around town, going upper 40s, close to 50 downtown, 49 in downtown. 49 for andrews. annapolis near 50. fairfax 48. roxville and gamers all in the upper 40s so still not a bad day. so again, a cold start. so you want a jacket to start out in the morning, but by noon, 40 to 45 degrees, afternoon highs topping out at 45 to 50 degrees. here's a look at your seven-day forecast. a little cooler yet even on monday with clouds moving in. south of town may see a shower or two. tuesday's mild again, mid-50s. wednesday this is a washout day maybe even up to an inch possible on wednesday. then if you look at later in the week into next weekend this is kind of far out, but we get colder on friday for 40s. then on saturday, i have a snowflake on there. we could see wintry weather and light snow still several days out. we'll keep you posted on that,

but much colder especially by next weekend. i hope you enjoyed today. >> near 70 degrees and i can't go out. just painful, man. georgetown has been the talk of the town, right? >> you're not gonna win them all in the big east. proof once again there aren't many easy dates in the big east. hoyas make truck in morgantown once again see how. former maryland coach gary williams remembered by the school where it all started. it's coming up next in sports.

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give john thompson, iiu some credit, even though his team is rocking it, the hoyas are surprisingly in the top ten as well. the coach continues to say it's too early to know how good his team is. j.t.3 trying to keep it humble. maybe he knew something would

happen when he went to morgantown today. the first half, thompson environmentally unsound, offshore drilling. three ball and the foul with 20 points. typical big east getting ai little gritty, physical. jason clark with the steal, one of his five. second half, trent bryant only had two points at the half, told his coaches, i'm gonna get better, and he did. he got help from kevin jones, pure. then truck playing like a lamb gore guinea puts it away. west virginia 74-62 over number 9 georgetown. virginia tech/wake forest, acc opener for both. 21 seconds to go. let's get right to the nitty- gritty. c.j. harris, cold blooded. he had 15 putting the jackets up by three. tech's got time, though. robert brown, what can brown do for you? not that. he misses, virginia tech falls to 11-4. colgate at american.

coach 'em up, jeff. eagles were blowing this away. charles hinkle with 21. a.u. remains undefeated at home, 82- 54. speaking of american university, the school announced today it is inducting larry williams into its hall of fame. he is known for the exploits at maryland, of course, but he began at a. u. it is 72 wins in four seasons. the induction ceremony take place february 25th. how good or bad is the maryland terrapins basketball team? we're about to find out. the schedule hasn't been that challenging, but they've won all of the games they are supposed to, so that's good news. give first year head coach turgeon credit. it's a road test for maryland. the other has been at neutral sites. >> it's got to be consistent and play well. the good thing now is i have choices so one guy's not playing, well, i can play another one. if not, i can keep trying to

figure it out until we get the right guys on the floor. we didn't have that comfort two weeks ago. >> terps are 10-3. george ward and fordham in ladies hoops. tara booker, book it booker. you like that? no, you don't like that one? all right. lady colonials hold on to the win. you don't like that book it booker? >> not that one but the others were good. >> every team, every sport becoming more serious about taking care of its players when injuries to the head are a concern. one of d.c.'s own is dealing with it right now. that's nicholas baxter who got nailed in the noggin on tuesday. he's been out of the lineup since. it looked like he was going to play tonight and even went so far as to say he thought he was ready but after this morning, the team's taking extra precautions. >> we've all seen, you know, what happens if you put a guy in too earl little or if he's not feeling right. it's just potential for a lot

more energy and a potential for turning a molehill into a mountain. >> caps and san jose with highlights. you want to give us a recap? >> yeah, hey, a little cooler tomorrow. no upper 60s and 70s for sunday. temperatures near the upper 40s and 50 degrees. wet by wednesday. >> no snow in the forecast i take it? >> well, next week maybe. i have a snowflake on there for saturday. thanks for watching.