. hello and thank you for joining us. i'm jc hayward. opening statements began this morning in the trial sex abuse -- in the sexual abuse trial of

jerry sandusky. he's charged with 52 counts of criminal assault involving ten boys. manuel gallegus has the latest now from pennsylvania. >> reporter: jerry sandusky could come face to face with his accusers as early as today. a jury of seven women and five men listened as the prosecution began to lay out its case against the former penn state assistant football coach showing pictures of eight boys describing how sandusky befriended them and later sexually abused them. >> there really is no physical evidence. it's entirely a question of he said versus he said but there are a lot of hes in this case. >> reporter: the credibility of the accuse es will make or break the -- accusers will make or break the case against the 60-year-old. they will try to prove discrepancies and some are telling stories for financial game. game. they did set up a tent outside the courthouse so the accusers could come and go as privately as possible. prosecutors are expected to

show how sandusky gave the boys expensive gifts as part of his pattern of abuse for more than 15 years. sandusky met many of the accusers at second mile, the charity he founded. a key witness for prosecutors will also likely be penn state assistant coach mike mcqueary. he's expected to testify he saw sandusky sexually assault a boy in a penn state campus shower. that boy has yet to come forward. manuel gallegus, cbs news, belfont, pennsylvania. >> eight of the ten jurors have ties to penn state. fairfax county police are still searching for the suspect in a very mysterious homicide. saturday night police responded to a call about a fight on winterthorough lane in restton but found nothing. an hour later officers received a missing person's report that led them back to the lane where

bharat patel was found. he had just opened a dunkin' donuts a few blocks away. in a statement dunkin' donuts said all of us are extremely saddened to learn of the tragic death of patel. we send our deepest sympathies to the family and friends. the man police say deliberately rammed a stolen jeep into a northwest d.c. building is heading to court today. 32-year-old charles bell of new market, maryland has been charged with assault with intent to kill. investigators say that bell tried to douse the vehicle he was in with gasoline and tried to set it on fire. the jeep owner is a woman he was living with and filed a restraining order against bell the same day of the accident. a government spokesperson is shedding new light on the cause after two-car accident that led the u.s. commerce secretary into trouble over the

weekend. bigad. shaban has more. >> reporter: john bryson reportedly suffered a seizure behind the wheel of his car when he allegedly caused two separate crashes in the los angeles area saturday. the commerce secretary spokesperson tells cbs news bryson spent a night in the hospital for observation and has returned to washington. police say bryson first crashed his lexus into another car that was stopped here waiting for the train to pass. police say he spoke to the three men inside the vehicle and then hit the car again as he drove away. minutes later bryson allegedly hit another car in the neighboring city of rosemead and was found alone and unconscious in his vehicle. no one was seriously hurt. bryson was cited for felony hit and run but has not been charged. >> no alcohol or drugs were a factor in either accident at this time but the investigation is ongoing. >> reporter: the 68-year-old former utility executive was sworn in as commerce secretary last october. he is set to be a key member of the president's economic teamworking to create jobs.

bigad shaban, cbs news, california. >> secretary bryson was in california for a excessment address -- commencement address. he has a home in san marin. let's turn our attention to campaign 2012 because there was quick reaction to controversial comments that president obama made on provide. the romney campaign launched an online ad after the president said, quote, the private sector is doing fine. the ad features people who are struggling in the weak economy. the obama campaign said that romney's family are twisting the president's words. and pointed fingers at capitol hill. >> what the president has said is that we need to take some urgent action and he's called on congress to do that. >> they're more eggtory have a debate over an ad of context clause in his remarks than the substance of what he said. >> it's very clear that this information had to come from the administration. >> meanwhile republicans are accusing the white house of

leaking national security information to make the president look tough in the war on terror. the administration has appointed two u.s. attorneys to investigate but some republicans want a special council. former arizona congresswoman gabriel giffords is trying to keep her seat in democratic hands. giffords campaigned this weekend for her former aide ron barber. giffords was -- he was shot twice in the january 2011 attack that left giffords critically wounded. barber's opponent in tomorrow's special election is republican jesse kelly who narrowly lost to giffords in 2010. the signs are up but so far crews have yet to break ground on the lengthy u street construction project. the plans call for widening sidewalks, upgrading streets, and intersections and improving the landscape along u street

northwest between 9th street and 14th street. crews plan to work monday through saturday. however, there may be some construction work on sundays and also overnight. traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction while the crews are working. property ject is expected to be -- project is expected to be completed sometime next spring. a bittersweet musical hit plenty of high notes at the 66th annual tony awards. "once" captured eight trophies, including best direction, best lead actor in a musical and top musical. this musical was based on a low budget 2006 film about an unlikely romance between a czech flower seller and irish street musician. the inventive play peter and the star catcher was next. they got a surprise victory for

best actor. you can read more about the winners, get more information about the tony awards by going to our website wusa9.com. the story is on our morning show page. still to come when 9news now continues, i'm going to salute a northern virginia nonprofit organization that provides housing for local families who are down on their luck. shelter house is being spotlighted today on my hero central. meanwhile more heroes out west are battling a huge fire that has destroyed nearly 30,000 acres. we'll give you details when 9news now continues.

today i'm one on one with terry lirnlg, a long time d.c. activist and the scrambling has begun for the position of chairman ever the d.c. city council in the wake of the resignation of kwame brown. and so the question is to decide who is going to fill that slot. what about the other shoe? is there a second shoe that's going to drop. let's talk about the scrambling for that position. >> phil mendelson is scrambling for it. the olds are that mr. -- the

odds are mr. mendelson is seen at the front runner. voters are going to get to decide it. there could be an opportunity with every -- as i like to think with every opportunity there is -- with every disaster there's an opportunity. hopefully the voters will get a chance to get a real reformer who can help pull the council together, much like inside you had kenyan mcduffie emerge out of ward five as the replacement to harry thomas. mr. mcduffie has a clean slate, comes with -- [indiscernible] hopefully the voters will make a good choice and have a chance to right the ship. that's our hope. >> right now residents aren't feel going about their elected officials. last fast forward to the future. what else can we expect. >> everyone knows the u.s. attorney is all about business.

they vo not finished their investigations. -- they vo in the finished their investigations. there's all sort of validations and it's not done. but it seems to be quickening and we need to get to the bottom of it. >> do you think there will be charges filed against the mayor? >> i think obviously i think absolutely there's a target to what did he know, when did he know it. that's the question everybody is asking, what everybody is thinking. what did he know, when did he know it and that's going to come out i think sooner than later one way or the other. that's what we need resolved because the city's stymied at the moment. we're not able to take on the initiatives for jobs, safety. municipal functions are happening. bargain gets picked up, signs get replaced but real initiatives aren't happening till the investigation is over. we're sort of stuck in the water. >> let's go to the mayor. do you think it's going to be soon? >> i think it's going to be soon. i think one way or the other we're going to get it resolved

and put it behind us. >> how soon? >> i think within a month's time, within the next six weeks. one way or the other something is going to come out. either it's resolved and it's over or more people will be charged one way or the other let's hope so we can get this team moving again. i know that's what the mayor wants. the mayor wants to move the city forward and that's hopefully what we can do. >> thank you for being my guest. >> thank you. howard is coming up next and he has the forecast. stay with us. [ male announcer ] here's a friendly reminder.

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i've been combing through the day's daily deals and retailer websites to find deep discounts. here are some of my favorites on this monday. you can take off the pounds during pool season with this deal on groupon for diet to go. pay $29 and you're going to get a six-meal sample pack for one person. that's 51% off or 55 -- $55 for a six-meal sample pack for two people. one of the most popular deals on living social right now, you can pay 35 bucks and then you will get $210 to spend on prescription glasses and lenses at my eye doctor or you can pay $55 and then you're going to get $225 to spend plus one eye glass exam. my favorite towels are on sale right now on target.com. they're from the thomas o'brien towel collection. for example, a bath towel now going for $6.99. that is down three bucks. plus you're getting free shipping on this. if you have an offer you've seen or if you're a local

merchant with a deal for our viewers, i'd love to hear from you on facebook. i'm jessica doyle, 9 news now. the weather making things difficult for crews trying to tame the little bear fire in new mexico. it's now burned 26,000 acres. bob martin has the latest. >> reporter: some dayss the western flank looked like friday's surge. that's when the small lightning fire declared contained was suddenly blown past its fire breaks by gusty winds and exploded. sunday with winds gusting again, there was no bringing air tankers into this turbulent and treacherous part of the fire. up at the sierra blanca ski area, the fire continued to close in on the main compound. helicopters worked to douse some of the flames and the ski area concontinued to use its

snow making machines to wet down the main buildings. severe damage stretches across much of the white mountain wilderness north of sierra blanca. flames have scorched thousands of acres. across the lower elevation, the fire is mostly gone. a few hot spots here and there, mostly low burning brush and grass. in and close to the canyon is where the most concentrated construction of homes has occurred. whole sections of large neighborhoods were leveled. the fire also destroyed other more isolated homes, workshops and barns scattered throughout the rolling countryside. a sign of recovery under way, utility crews working to replace burned power lines and restore electrical service. the fire remains well south of capatan and no immediate threat

to residents there. >> it's so unfortunate and it happens this time of year. >> it does. there are policies where they stop the fire so -- they are trying to let more rural areas burn, but obviously they are trying to protect the homes. it's a tough situation. >> it really is. it's a little cooler today than yesterday. >> yesterday was 92. >> i know. >> while today may be 90, 91. it's cooler by a smidge before the day is up. we have a little more humidity, more clouds and a threat of a few showers and storms before the day is over, especially west of washington. here we go with a look at the allergy update. the numbers have come in and the grass pollen once again is in the high category. trees, weeds, mold spores, they're all low. we'd like them low. we would like them absent with you we'll take low. the day planner partly to mostly cloudy. lots of high thin clouds.

we're already 87. i think at times we'll poke up depending how much sunshine we get. may flirt with 90. other times when the wind is coming off the water at national, it will cool them off a little bit. won't get too much warmer and then late this afternoon, this evening even, even here in the metro, we've got a threat for an isolated thunderstorm or two but i still think the best chances are going to be west of d.c. this is why. as you look at the dopplers in motion, heavy stuff is actually in ohio and kentucky but we're seeing an area now which is coming up this way. and look, you give it another six hours or so, eight hours, yeah, this stuff is going to be in toward the metro, especially on the west side. here's charlottesville up to harrisonburg, petersburg. another three hours or so this pay be into winchester by mid- afternoon. then the stuff well south of there, that may make it here toward the evening hours. so at least here in d.c. we've got several more hours of dry but hot, humid weather. this morning we've got down to the the lower 60s west. we stopped in the low 70s. you see 68 in easton and

frederick and la plata 63. right now while easton is actually 90 at the airport, a little more sunshine. out west and southwest, more clouds and showers. leesburg is 80 while we are kind of toasty, 87. some hazy sunshine out there on our michael & son weather camera. cloudy skies but the high thin ones being reported at national with the humidity at 43% of the i checked the heat index still in the upper 80s. we're watching this line of showers and storms ahead after cold front. some severe storms down across southern missouri, northern arkansas. that's one piece. then you've got moisture flowing north. that's piece number two. all of this is going to come together late tonight and tuesday giving us showers and thunderstorms. some of them could be around for the morning rush tomorrow and the afternoon rush. so today green, good, just hot, 90. there will be an isolated storm or two. and we may see something this evening move toward us. the more storms tomorrow. only about 80. breezy. warm and drier on wednesday,

84. as we head towards thursday, some marine air moves back. upper 70s on flag day with a chance of a shower. a nice looking weekend. we'll be back with 9news now at noon right after n. jc, back you to. sorry. >> thank you, howard. a nonprofit organization in fairfax is on a mission to save and empower families in need of affordable housing. shelter house helps families escape the clutches of homelessness and so today on heroes central, i salute shelter -- hero central, i salute shelter house. >> i was not able to keep up with the rent. i got maybe a month behind. >> reporter: she faced an eviction last spring. her job had been downgraded to part-time hours giving her a smaller paycheck. she and her four children suddenly became homeless. >> you are absolutely embarrassed when this happens. shu you are. who wouldn't be, you know. you feel oh, my goodness, i can't take care of my family. what am i going to do.

you feel that. but this program helped me to not focus on that but focus on what can you do to get out of it. >> reporter: the family shelter gave her a second chance. she and her family were provided with the basics: housing and food. >> when you come in a place like this, i mean, it's already, you know -- you're thinking what are my friends going to think. what is the impact on my kids, you know. and sitting down, talking to them, of course they were concerned. and when i got here, the concerns left so to speak because the staff, they never made me feel less dignified than what i am. >> reporter: the shelter in fairfax gave karen's children a safe place where volunteers assist with after school tutoring, ronald redman is the board president of shelter house. >> it certainly helps to try and minimize the impact that children in our shelters feel

through bringing in groups to read stories to the kids, bringing in groups that help bring backpacks and supplies. >> reporter: meantime karen continued to work at her job. >> you have to give to get. >> reporter: the shelter house staff helped karen keep track of her newly established savings. >> we have a strict program that we focus on employment, finances, and identify housing. >> reporter: the goal for shelter house clients is to save 70% of their income. >> you're not here to live. you're here to plan. >> reporter: karen's plan worked. 26 days later she was able to sign a lease on an affordable housing unit in manassas. >> the katherine k. hanley shelter is a rapid housing program. it provides for first month rent and deposit for its

clients. the family shelter is one of six programs of shelter house. if you'd like more information, go to my website jchayward.com. we'll be right back.

thank you for being with us. come back and join us at 5:00. don't forget to go to jchayward.com. we'll see you later at 5:00. topper will have an update on the storms that could be headed our way tonight and tomorrow. bye-bye.