nbc's brian mooar joins us live with the very latest. brian, good morning to you. >> reporter: hi, veronica. the health care law was sweeping in its vote and so was the challenge before the high court. from the moment president obama signed his signature health care reform law, this dau was inevitable. now it's time for the supreme court. those on both sides of the debate have been waiting outside the high court for days. >> you don't get many opportunities to witness something like this firsthand. >> reporter: many are hoping to catch an extraordinary three days of argument destined to make legal history. >> i have a daughter 27 who has epilepsy. >> reporter: for this mother the fight is personal as it is for this carolina coastline. >> related to religious rights and freedoms in america. >> reporter: at the core of this case can congress force every american to pay for health care? >> 26 states are challenging the law including georgia. >> we look forward to the supreme court later this june holding the act unconstitutional. >> reporter

nbc's brian mooar has the story. >> reporter: speaking to a powerful pro-israel group one day before a critical meeting with israel's prime minister, president obama sent a forceful message on iran. >> iran's leaders should understand that i do not have a policy of containment. i have a policy to prevent iran from making a nuclear bomb. from obtaining a nuclear winnipeg. >> reporter: president obama and prime minister benjamin netanyahu are at odds on how to keep iran from developing a nuclear weapon. iran refuses to abandon what it insists is a peaceful power program despite mounting everyday and biting international sanctions. israel says it can't wait and is threatening a military strike. president obama says military action is an option but asks for israel's trust and patience. >> now is not the time for bluster. now is the time to let our increased pressure sink in. >> reporter: in washington, a showdown with israel over a showdown with iran. brian mooar, nbc news, washington. >>> and now here's a look at some other storying making news in america. in colorado a chilling individ

brian mooar has that story. >> reporter: passengers became the last line of defense as an apparently unhinged pilot tried to retake control of his plane. >> came running down the aisle, screaming afghanistan, said there's a bomb. i got to get in the cockpit. he started banging on the cockpit door. >> reporter: a federal complaint saying clayton osbon was behaving erratically. he was talking about religion and telling his co-pilot quote things just don't matter and we need to take a leap of faith. osbon left the cockpit and was up to passengers to keep him from getting back in. >> the co-pilot is the hero here. he was able to persuade the pilot out of the cockpit. that's what averted what could have been a tragedy yesterday. >> reporter: with the help of an off duty pilot who happened to be on board, the co-pilot diverted the plane to amarillo, texas. >> jetblue 191 emergency and we're going to need medical personnel. >> reporter: 13 hours after leaving, the passengers arrived in las vegas. >> i don't know. just happy to be on the ground. >> reporter: surviving a nightmare at 35,000 f

>> brian mooar in washington. brian, thank you. >>> today marks the one-month anniversary of the shooting of trayvon martin. the unarmed black teenager in florida was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer who claims it was self-defense. thousands are expected at a protest today after a weekend of rallies and prays. nbc's jay gray has details. >> we come tonight praying for peace. >> reporter: a show of unity in sanford, florida. >> it's about pulling our community together in the wake of an absolute tragedy. >> reporter: a shooting that has sparked a national outcry. >> we come tonight praying for the martin family. >> reporter: prayers that echoed across the country sunday. normal church attire replaced with hoodies. >> we stand in solidarity with the family of trayvon martin. >> stop the violence. >> stop the violence. >> save the children. >> save the children. >> reporter: a growing refrain for justice for trayvon martin. he is george zimmerman, a community watch volunteer who shot and killed the 17

brian mooar, nbc news, washington. >>> coming up next at 6:00, how a new program on the peninsula lets special needs kids take their talents to the stage. >>> plus, firefighters are investigating two fires in hayward. one of which ended in a dramatic rescue. >>> and talk about going the distance. >> it's going to take aingt months. >>> why four students launched the hike of a lifetime in san francisco today. their destination, capitol hill. >>> a theatre group on the peninsula is offering special needs kids a chance to do something they've dreamed of. act. youth drama for all is just that. it's a program that not only helps kids, but creates a supportive community for parents. kimberly terry is live with more on the program. >> reporter: hello, diane. today was their big annual performance and it was dedicated to a south bay family dealing the tragedy. on tuesday, a woman killed her 22-year-old autistic son before taking her own life. neighbors say she was overwhelmed, her son needed round the clock care. it is critical to have a strong support system. this program is open to kids from

brian mooar reports. >> reporter: louisiana. it's ground zero today in the gop presidential primary race, and as voters headed to the polls, rick santorum and newt gingrich are fighting to stop mitt romney from extending his delegate lead. gingrich has been hammering away at president obama's energy policy. >> so you could argue that the obama solution is walk for a decade and the algae will be ready. >> reporter: gingrich campaigned in the upcoming battlegrof pennsylvania. that is santorum's home turf. and after beginning his day there, the former senator was off to fight for wisconsin. >> we've got the energy, we've got the enthusiasm. and that's been able to overcome it in the past. and we're going to continue, we're going to work hard here. >> reporter: romney's campaign was hoping for a respectable showing in louisiana, a chance to convince conservatives he's a winner. brian mooar, news4. >> reporter: tea party activityists rallied, protesting health care reform. former gop presidential candidate herman cain was on hand. re

brian mooar, nbc news. >> here's a look at some other stories making news. in oklahoma, a dramatic end to a standoff. a s.w.a.t. team used a taser to take down a man who witnesses say had a gun. officers had tried repeatedly to talk him out of his apartment, next to a day-care center before firing the taser. >>> near philadelphia, a pet store dognapping was captured on surveillance video. a woman leaned into a bin, and snatched a puppy, sneaking it into her oversized purse. police say another woman and two little girls went along for the heist. even worse, right? the dachshund is worth $900. >>> in florida, someone broke that a bar and decided to treat himself to a cold one. the homeless man can be seen swiping a six pack of beer. it turns out he might also be the one who busted into the tavern on st. patrick's day and poured himself a pint. probably a likely connection. but police have declared last call. they've arrested him. >>> finally, our favorite story of the day. holy traffic stop. we can't make this stuff up. far from gotham city, batman got pulled

brian mooar, nbc news, washington. >>> there's more to come tonight on "news 4 at 6:00." coming up how a community is coming together to honor one of the victims of the ohio school shooting as he's laid to rest today. >>> the term facebook family gets new meaning for a couple from our area. >>> prince harry leaves behind protocol at a block party in central america in th >>> hundreds from a small ohio community came out today to honor one of three students killed in the high school shooting. daniel was 16. he was shot in his school cafeteria on monday. he was remembered today as a computer whiz who loved to laugh. fellow students lined the streets holding large signs with hearts saying, we are one heartbeat. the families of the three victims have donated their organs. funerals for the other two boys will be held next week. >>> a panel of four marine experts will try to reconstruct the wreck of the costa concordia and determine who is to blame for the deadly cruise ship crash in january. information was handed over to experts during a pretrial hearse in italy. captain fran

here is brian mooar. >> an ongoing study of 14 areas across the united states shows a troubling spike in autism cases. >> 1 in 88 people have been identified with autism. >> reporter: experts acknowledge this increase might simply be explained by better diagnosis. >> what we don't know that we should be alarmed by is this is truly a change in the number of children who are developing autism or whether we're recognizing it better. >> reporter: the study by the centers for disease control and prevention shows autism cases jumped 23% from 2006 to 2008 and spiked 78% when compared to 2002. the 2008 numbers show yos slow five times more in boys than girls. older parents and premature births are suspected factors. >> the idea is that it's something that affects the brains in utero, it's either genetic or environmental factor. >> the study shows the average age of diagnosis is down to 4 years old but experts say that's not good enough. they hope to get children diagnosed by 18 months to give them a head start on treatment. brian mooar, nbc news. >> coming up on nightly news, more information

brian mooar, nbc news. >>> the fight over louisiana is not finished. they will hand out more delegates in caucuses next month. >>> former vice president, dick cheney, is in the hospital recovering from a heart transplant. he had a surgery today in virginia. an aid to cheney says he's been wait i waiting for a transplant for 20 months. he's had a long history of cardiovascular trouble including numerous heart attacks. >>> syrian forces continue their s support on the city of homs. amateur video showed buildings billion shelved. smoke from numerous explosions as you can see, were seen rising from above the skyline. government troops targeted homs and they regained control of the city. peace envoy for syria flew there in an effort to bring about a cease-fire and open dialogue in syria. still to come at 5:00, thousands of people gathering in oakland tomorrow. it isn't to occupy. we'll explain that. we'll show you if there's a winning ticket in the eighth biggest megamillions jackpot. i'm more of an absentee plant parent. [ cellphone rings ] tuscaloosa? sch

nbc's brian mooar has the story. >> reporter: speaking to a powerful pro-israel group one day before a critical meeting with israel's prime minister, president obama sent a forceful message on iran. >> iran's leaders should understand i do not have a policy of containment. i have a policy to prevent iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. >>> president obama and israeli prime minister benjamin net enya hue are at odds from keeping iran from developing a nuclear weapon. iran refuses to abandon what it calls a peaceful program. israel says it can't wait and is threatening a military strike. president obama says military action is an option but asks for israel's trust and patience. >> now is not the time for bluster. now is the time to let our increased pressure set in. >> reporter: in washington a showdown with israel over the showdown with iran. brian mooar, nbc news, washington. >>> here's your "first look" at some of the other news going on around america today. in colorado, chilling video shows an armed robber storming into a pizza parlor, ordering the owner to hand over cash at gunp

as brian mooar shows us, the fight for the nomination is unlikely to end soon. >> reporter: as puerto rico held its sunday presidential primary, mitt romney and rick santorum were fighting for delegates and momentum. romney was on the ground in tuesday's battleground, illinois. and attacking president obama in his own backyard. >> he's an economic lightweight and he's made decisions that have hurt the american people. it's time to put in place an economic heavy weight and i am and i'll get the job done. >> reporter: santorum is hoping to hit another home run by focusing on social issues. >> liberty, marriage and the family and life. they are at the core. they can't be ignored. >> reporter: santorum, newt gingrich and ron paul are trying to drag out the fight and keep romney from winning enough delegates to nail down the nomination. >> we're only at halftime. i think that this process is going to play itself out. we will have a nominee. i think fairly soon. one, two months away. >> the tampa convention may not turn out to be a coronation. the republicans are already preparing for the p

brian mooar, nbc news. >> at least a dozen people in our area are partial winners after last night's drawing. five tickets that matched the first five numbers were sold in virginia. one at the hanson sunoco gas station in fredericksburg. those winners will each get $250,000. now, four $250,000 tickets were sold across maryland. and in d.c., the mac market and deli on mccarthur boulevard in northwest was one of four stores in the city to sell a $10,000 ticket. now, chuck bell, by your presence here at work tonight, i take it you're not holding. >> i love my job so much that i'm here even with $200 million in the bank. >> uh-huh. >> nice day outside today. would have been nicer if we had hit the jackpot, chris, no doubt about that. but alas, it's a good thing i like what i do for a living. outside today, we've seen breaks of sunshine from time to time, and that did help push temperatures today up into the low 60s for a brief time. right now, though, as the sun getting ready to go back down fairly shortly, temperatures drifting back into the mid 50s from washington northbound to the pen

brian mooar, wbal tv 11 news. >> and now, let's go to kerry cavanaugh. she is in the newsroom with the final push for voter turnout. >> participating in the upcoming merriman presidential primary, and president obama is running for reelection in a heavily democratic he state, it is not expected to draw much excitement. however, a stronger incentive to vote, some political analysts believe entrenched politicians will never give it a chance. >> a killer of an american democracy, but more and more in maryland are opting out on election day, making for increasingly low voter turnout. baltimore's last mayoral race had a historically low turnout rate of 12%. the city election director says he does not expect our state's primary to draw a much better results next month. >> at least 15% or 20% of early voting for the presidential election, but i think because the momentum is down and the main candidate is unopposed, think that the numbers are down. >> tuesday was the deadline to register to vote in time for the april 3 primary. jones says most of new voters are

brian mooar, nbc news, washington. >>> federal prosecutors sent out a flurry of subpoenas today in d.cs ongoing scandal over allegations of campaign corruption. the subpoenas ask for information dating back to 2003 on any dealings with businessman jeffrey thompson. the fbi recently raided his home and offices. news 4's tom sherwood broke this story and reports the subpoenas are seen as a major expansion of the criminal probes into d.c. politi politics. the u.s. attorney's office refused to comment. >>> now to our weather and the warmest temperatures of the year so far, in the 80s in some places. doug, will this continue? >> 80s in a lot of places, 82 in culpepper and fredericksburg. it was warm everywhere, all across the region, sxe we saw thunderstorm activity tonight very reminiscent of what we would see towards late spring or early summer. along the eastern shore we will see another chance for thunderstorms, though. some could be strong, and we'll talk about those plus how long can the nice temperatures last. the complete forecast is in just a minute. >>> still no sign of a man who

brian mooar is in washington for us. good morning. >> still struggling with conservatives but he has the numbers on his side. >> reporter: as the gop presidential race takes a turn to the south, newt gingrich is on home turf and talking about gas prices, an issue he hopes will kickstart his campaign. >> if you prefer algae, vote for obama. if you prefer drilling and $2.50 a gallon, we want you to join us no matter what your background. >> reporter: gingrich won his home state of georgia on super tuesday, vying for third or fourth place with ron paul and most of the other states. and rick santorum supporters are urging gingrich to get out of the way. >> and if this a two-person race we will nominate a conservative as president of the united states. >> reporter: mitt romney is the frontrunner after his string of super tuesday wins, but his victory in ohio, conservatives still aren't won over. he's counting on delegates. >> time and resources and a plan to get the delegates and we think that will get done. >> reporter: romn

nbc's brian mooar has details. >> bubble. >> reporter: an ongoing study of 14 areas across the united states shows a troubling spike in autism cases. >> 1 in 88 children has been identified with autism. >> the man -- >> yes. >> reporter: but experts acknowledge, this increase might simply be explained by better diagnosis. >> what we don't know that we should be alarmed by is if this is truly a change in the number of children who are developing autism or whether we're recognizing it better. >> reporter: the study by the centers for disease control and prevention shows autism cases jumped 23% from 2006 to 2008 and spiked 78% when compared to 2002. the 2008 numbers show autism spectrum disorders are five times more common in boys than girls, and the largest increase among hispanic and african-american children. older parents and premature births are expected factors, but the cause remains a mystery. >> the prevailing scientific idea is that it's something that affects the brain development predominantly in utero. so in other words, it's either genetic or some environmental factor affect

but first brian mooar is live in washington, d.c. with the latest on the shooter, the outrage, and whether the fragile relationship between the u.s. and afghanistan is damaged beyond repair. brian? >> reporter: yeah, marla. u.s. officials are calling this cold-blooded murder, but the afghans say it was an act of terror. secretary of state clinton expressed the shock of the u.s. government. >> awful. i can't even imagine. >> reporter: and she promised an american soldier will answer for the weekend shooting rampage that claimed the lives of 16 afghan civilians. t nine were children. and some of the corpses were set ablaze. >> this is not who we are. and the united states is committed to seeing those responsible are held accountable. >> reporter: the suspect, an army staff sergeant deployed from joint base lewis-mccord in washington state, is in u.s. custody. but afghan leaders are demanding afghan justice. the taliban is calling for revenge, blood for blood. this threatens to reignite the violence that flared after the burning of musli

supreme court, brian mooar, nbc news washington. >>> governor gary brown's tax initiative seems to be gaining ground with voters. 64% of those surveyed say they support the measure. the proposal would raise the state sales tax by .25% for the next four years. it would also raise taxes for people raising more than $250,000 a year. governor brown aims to put this initiative on that november ballot. >>> what's in the forecast for today? let's check it out with meteorologist christina loren. >> good monday morning to you. you don't need that umbrella today, but you'll need it every other day this week. this morning, though, i wanted to show you the radar, because for the short time, it is bone dry. we wake up likely tracking showers, a strong storm system on the way between tuesday and wednesday and about a 30% chance of rain every single other day this week. so it all works out like this. temperatures are cold right now. make sure you grab your jacket on the way out that front door. 36 in santa rosa, 45 in livermore. throughout the day today, we will hit the 60s. this looks like also, it

nbc's brian mooar has that story. >> reporter: passengers became the last line of defense as an apparently unhinged pilot tried to retake control of his plane. >> came running down the aisle and was screaming afghanistan. there's a bomb. i got to get in the cockpit. he started banging on the cockpit door. >> reporter: a federal complaint says clayton osbon was behaving erratically shortly after flight 191 left new york for las vegas. he was talking about lere lidgion and telling his co-pilot, things just don't matter and we need to take a leap of faith. osbon left the cockpit and it was up to passengers to keep him from getting back in. >> the co-pilot is really the hero here. he was able to persuade the captain out of the cockpit. that is what completely averted what could have been a tragedy yesterday. >> with the help of an off-duty pilot who happened to be on board, the co-pilot diverted the plane to amarillo, texas. >> jetblu 191 emergency. we're going to need authorities and medical to meet us at the airplane. >> osbon was taken out of the plane in restraints, taken into fbi custody

brian mooar has the story. >> reporter: speaking to a powerful pro-israel group, one day before a critical meeting with israel's prime minister, president obama sent a forceful message on iran. >> iran's leaders should understand that i do not have a policy of containment, i have a policy to prevent iran from on taping a nuclear weapon. >> reporter: president obama and israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu are at odds on how to keep iran from developing a nuclear weapon. iran refuses to abandon what it insists is a peaceful power program, despite mounting evidence and biting international sanctions. israel says it can't wait and is threatening a military strike. president obama says military action is an option but asks for israel's trust and patience. >> now is not the time for bluster. now is the time to let our increased pressure sink in. >> reporter: the president's republican rivals are questioning his commitment to protecting israel. >> is pretty straightforward, in my view, if barack obama gets reelected, iran will have a nuclear weapon and the world will change. >> israel is su

brian mooar, news 4. >> taking a look at the current delegate count, mitt romney leads the pack with 443 delegates. rick santorum is a distant second with 184. newt gingrich has 137. and ron paul trails with 34. the magic number they need to win the gop nomination is 1,144. >>> president obama, the first lady, and daughter sasha walked to church this morning. they attended service at the historic st. john's episcopal church. it was a short stroll through lafayette park. and after the service the first family walked back to the white house. >>> still ahead tonight, why apple's not making as much money off the ipad as it used to. >>> plus, the changes that start tomorrow that could make it easier for some people to get through airport security. >>> i feel very badly for you, lou, because i know how hard you've worked. >> and the donald's final word. donald trump reveals his thoughts on tonight's boardroom. >>> and coming up tonight on "sports final" -- march madness turns into march sadness for georgetown as the wolfpack sends the hoyas packing. >>> 20 police officers were hurt and mor

nbc bay area's brian mooar shows us the fight for the nomination is unlikely to end any time soon. >> reporter: mitt romney is the projected winner of puerto rico's sunday primary. he walks away with 20 delegates and that is a critical step toward slowing rick santorum's momentum. romney was on the ground in tuesday's battleground. illinois. and attacking president obama in his own backyard. >> he's an economic lightweight. he's made decisions that have hurt the american people. it's time to put in place an economic heavyweight, and i am, and i'll get the job done. >> reporter: six days before the louisiana primary, santorum is hoping to hit another home run for focusing on social issues. >> liberty,y, marriage and the family, and life. they're at the core. it can't be ignored. >> reporter: santorum, newt gingrich, and ron paul are all trying to track out the fight and keep romney from winning enough delegates to nail down the nomination. >> we're only at halftime. i think this process is going to play itself out. we will have a nominee. i think fairly soon. one, two months away. >> r

. >> brian mooar has the latest in this "commitment 2012" report. >> rick santorum scored big in the louisiana primary where nbc news projects he is the winner. >> the people of louisiana sent a loud and clear message. this race is long and far from over. >> it was another disappointment for mitt romney who still has a strong delegate lead but can't close the deal with conservatives like this one. >> were he to be the front-runner, i'm not sure where i would be. >> in pennsylvania, newt gingrich was capitalizing on that doubt. he advised voters what romney said in recent days, that campaigns are reset. >> i thought they were children's toys, not presidential design systems. >> gingrich has vowed to fight on, but the road to tampa is now up hill all the way. brian mooar, wbal-tv 11 news. >> mitt romney and newt gingrich are sending get-well wishes to dick cheney. he is recovering from transplant surgery. he and his family said they will be forever grateful for the life-saving gift. he has had five heart attacks over the past 25 years. >> early voting kickoff. for now until thursday, r

brian mooar, wbal-tv 11 news. >> 9:08. 39 degrees on tv hill. update your spring wardrobe without shell out a lot of cash. we'll show you how. that story ahead. >> it is never too late to plan for retirement, even if you are nearing that age. coming up, the five financial tips every baby boomer should know. >> if you think today's high temperatures look good, we're going to the 70's. >> good morning. we'll start you off with a live look outside. a shot joup town, mostly clear skies. sun outh. winds out of the southwest at 3 miles per hour. daylight savings time has begun. we get the sunshine back later into the evening hours. you will be sleep deprived whether you started work today or maybe you go back tomorrow. 37 degrees at b.w.i. 37 at gaithersburg. 37 in the western part of the state. along the eastern shore, ocean city, 37 in georgetown and delaware. weather pattern showing clear skies across the mid-atlantic. down into the southeast as well. this is due to an area of high pressure make its way off shore. in its place, we'll see storm syst

brian mooar reports. >> outside the u.s. supreme court, as citizens from all over the country sounding off on president obama's health care reform law and the epic constitutional showdown got on inside. the first hearing in an extraordinary three days of arguments. at the core, this is a fight over the boundaries. 26 states are arguing that congress has overstepped its bounds by forcing all americans to have health care. on day one, the justices are tackling a more elemental issue. it could be too early to hear the case to the key components have not taken place yet. demonstrators outside made an appeal that was purely in nature. >> i refuse to give over my control to someone else, a bureaucrat or politician. >> i stand here today because no one should never be told they have cancer and to go home and die. >> these arguments are the hottest ticket in town. the line began forming on friday for a chance to see history. court, brianme mooar, wbal like the tv 11 news. >> trayvon martin was shot and killed a late february by a ne

brian mooar, wbal-tv 11 news. >> senator roger manno will be our guest later this morning.uestion, e-mail us at sundayquestions@wbaltv.com. >> 7:06. 33 degrees on tv hill. you want to save more on your household energy bill? start by changing the type of lightbull ps you use. >> and vaccines every adult should consider. >> and ava up next with your insta-weather plus forecast. stay with us. we're coming right back. >> good morning. a beautiful shot of sunrise happening an hour late this monk because of the time change. the sun officially rises at 7:23. it is 30 depreeze at b.w.i. 38 at the inner harbor. we have calm winds and clear skies. it could be a beautiful day. we have to get through this chilly start. a lot of people might be dragging this morning as we did push our clocks forward. that is keeping temperatures colder now as well. 37 degrees at the inner harbor. 32 at westminster. 37 in frederick. 33 in hagerstown. west mostly clear skies. large high pressure in control. it allows sinking air to happen and that clears out the skies. high pressure moving off the gulf o

brian mooar, nbc news, washington. >>> now to decision 2012 where early voting starts today in maryland. maryland's republican primary is not until april 3rd, but voters can get a head start from today through march 29th. there are specific early voting centers. tomorrow the voting centers will be open from noon until 6:00. for a list of early voting centers, head to nbcwashington.com and search the key words early voting. >>> meanwhile, the polls will soon open in louisiana for their presidential primaries today. yesterday mitt romney visited the city of sheave po-- shreveport. he commented on the trayvon martin shooting calling it a tragedy and unnecessary. rick santorum was also in louisiana at a firing range and back tracked on comments he made earlier in the week. the former senator said voters should support president obama over mitt romney. yesterday he said that he would support the republican nominee over the president no matter who it is. after firing off a few rounds, santorum turned his sights back on romney saying he had no true core. >> it's the reason he hasn't been able

brian mooar has the latest. >> reporter: as voters headed to the polls in alabama and mississippi, mitt romney was showing surprising strength in the polls. but still fighting the enthusiasm gap. >> i felt like romney was the best candidate for me. >> reporter: he's already moved on to the caucus of missouri. >> how many here in the audience call it missoura instead of mississippi? a win? >> he has the ability to seal the deal tonight with a win in either state. but a loss means this race continues to move on. >> reporter: newt gingrich may have the most riding on today's results. no win and his path forward looks like a deadend. rick santorum is hoping to transform himself from underdog into serious contender. even his supporters seem skeptical. >> even if santor umt is not electable. people voting for him make a stand that his values are important. >> the man they all want to beat in the fall was talking tough today on china and foreign trade. president obama is showing weakness in the latest new york times cbs poll. a nine point approval ratings plunge in a month. the washington post

brian mooar, nbc news. >>> that does it for news 4 at 5:00.there, news 4 at 6:00 starts right now. >>> announcer: now, from washington's leading news station, this is news 4 at 6:00. >>> a flight forced to make an emergency landing. captain of the plane had to be wrestled down by passengers. >>> a former fairfax county police officer involved in a murder suicide with his 13-year-old daughter. >>> the case of trayvon martin turned to washington. >> good evening, i'm wendy rieger sit iting in for doreen gentzler. >> i'm jim vance. we begin with a law case. the second day of oral arguments. whether the government can force every american to buy health care. 26 states are challenging the law. at least one justice said today, proving the law is constitutional will be a heavy burden. steve handelsman is there with more on this.

>> brian mooar on capitol hill. you. >>> more than 75 million people have now watched the viral video, kony 2012 about the ugandan war lord named joseph kony. it's been met with criticism and praise, the video. tonight we are hearing reaction from someone in kony's native village. he was once part of kony's rebel group. >> if the situation is going on of this nature? it is good. it will make people aware of kony and the i.r.a. >> the video was created by a nonprofit group called invisible children, in the days since its release, critics questioned their reasons. >>> government forces have captured another town held by rebels in syria. rebels have lost control of a city near the turkish border. it was once a major base for the oppositi opposition. we have just gotten individual yost fighting over there. one consequence shows rebels setting up an improvised explosive device in a road in the hopes of bombing an army tank. 9 rebels are shown grieving after several of their friends were killed. >>> some tense moments bet

brian mooar, nbc news. >> as bales waits to be charged, his family is living in protective custody on u.s. base in washington state. >>> an afghan community in california paid tribute to the 16 civilians in afghanistan who were killed. the vigil was held in a neighborhood nicknamed little kabul. people carried signs calling for peace, justice and an end to the war in their native country. >>> a susan g. komen chapter is seeing a major drop in donations just weeks before its biggest fund-raiser of the year. the southern arizona chapter says contributions have only reached $200,000 instead of its $700,000 goal. the komen race for the cure in that area is less than two weeks away and the drop comes after komen's national organization got backlash when it announced that it pulled funding to planned parenthood's breast cancer screenings. komen officials said a government investigation was the reason for the funding cut. komen later apologized and planned parenthood could apply for future grants. >>> the time right now is 9:35. he oversees one of the most provocative websites on the interne

brian mooar, nbc news, washington. >>> now here's other news making news early today in america. a chilg video shows an armed robber storming into a pizza parlor ordering a man to hand over cash. >>> construction workers in kansas blew up a pair of bridges above a highwayover pass this weekend. it took just seconds for it to come crashing down. the biggest concern was protecting the interstate below. crews poured dirt on the interstate ahead of time to make sure it wasn't damaged by degree. >>> in hawaii, a lava from a killer volcano finally meant the end for the last resident, but it wasn't without warning. the homeowner knew the end would come one day after the molten rock first began pouring out nearly 30 years ago. >>> and finally it's time to yell mush. the 409 annual iditarod sled dog trails race, 66 teams powered by hundreds of man's best friend kicked things off with a symbolic start to the race in anchorage, but it will be a very real track of more than a thousand miles over the next eight days. >> all right. now for a look at your national and regional weather, we check

on capitol hill, brian mooar, news4. >> as is tradition, president obama and the first lady presented gifts to the prime minister and his wife, samantha. those gifts include white house chef jackets and barbecue grill customized with american and british flags. and for the camerons' three children, personalized american-made bean bag chairs, each featured the presidential seal and embroidered with the child's name. safe to say they won't have those already. >>> when news4 at four continues, an actress known for her role as a serial killer becomes a new mom. >>> plus, a second chance for a dog rescued from the war zone in afghanistan. >>> and later, we told you about a wave of detergent thefts in our area. now the crime i was shocked to find out how many couples don't sleep in the same bedroom. but in the sleep number store, we hear it all the time. nine out of ten couples disagree on the firmness they want in a mattress. i sleep on the couch. with our bed, the sleep number setting represents the firmness that you like on your half of the mattress. you can have it your way and i'll hav

brian mooar, nbc news, washington. >>> it's another day that could prove pivotal in the race for the white house. the republican primary is under way in illinois. mitt romney has had a comfortable lead heading into today and may be helped by a verbal gaffe rick santorum made yesterday. he was arguing that his campaign is focused on smaller, less intrusive government rather than the economy. >> i don't care what the unemployment rate is going to be. it doesn't matter to me. >> i do care about the unemployment rate. it does bother me. i want to get people back to work. >> of course i care about the unemployment rate. i want the unemployment rate to go down. i'm saying my candidacy doesn't hinge on whether the unemployment rate goes up and down. >>> meanwhile, newt gingrich was campaigning in louisiana, the seen of the next primary which takes place on saturday. >>> today the granddaughter of dwight d. eisenhower told congress the family wants some changes in a memorial planned in his honor. susan eisenhower told a congressional subcommittee that the central theme of the design should b

nbc's brian mooar has details. >> reporter: an ongoing study shows a troubling spike in autism cases in the u.s. >> 1 in 80 children has been identified with autism. >> reporter: experts acknowledge this increase might simply be explained by better diagnosis. >> we don't know what we should be alarmed by yet, if this is truly a change in the number of children who are developing autism or whether we're recognizing it better. >> reporter: the study shows autism causes jumped 23% from 2006 to 2008 and spiked 78% when compared to 2002. the 2008 numbers show autism spectrum disorders are five times more common in boys than girls. and the largest increase? among hispanic and african-american children. older parents and premature births are suspected factors, but the cause remains a mystery. >> the idea is that it's something that affects the brain development predominantly in utero. in other words, it's either genetic or an environmental factor. >> reporter: the sfudy shows the average age of diagnosis is down to 94 ye4e 4 years old, but exp it's not it good enough. they hope to get child

nbc's brian mooar explains. >> we've had a very, very good day. >> reporter: with a strong showing ins caucuses, gop presidential hopeful rick santorum notched another victory, and he is making the case he is the conservative choice. >> and we have to have candidates, a candidate, a nominee who can get up there and draw a clear contrast with the president of the united states. >> reporter: for santorum, newt gingrich and ron paul, the saturday caucuses in kansas and wyoming were another chance to play delegate catch-up. but the contest this next week in alabama and mississippi are about survival. gingrich has to win one or both to keep moving forward. >> it's a big deal. if we win alabama and mississippi next tuesday, by next wednesday, this totally wild roller coaster race will be reset one more time and we will be on the way. >> morning, y'all. >> reporter: for mitt romney, a strong showing in the south is critical to show conservatives he can win. >> this president has not succeeded. this president has failed, and that's the reason we're going to get rid of him in 2012. >> reporter

"today in the bay's" brian mooar joins us in washington with more. ng, brian. >> well, after more than two years of debate and rhetoric and protests that have polarized this nation, it's going to come down to the nine justices. the arguments get underway in just about 20 minutes. this is the beginning of three days of extraordinary arguments and epic case. basically arguing that the obama health care overhaul law is a constitutional overstep. that it is the federal government stepping way too far into the lives of individual americans. the obama administration and supporters, of course, are standing their ground here. this is going to be a case that the obama administration believes it will be able to withstand and the president's supporters say in five, ten, or 15 years that obama care will be a label worn with pride on this law. live at the supreme court in washington, i'm brian mooar, now back to you. >> thank you, brian. >>> it is 6:42 right now. coming up, 15 minutes of uninterrupted news including an update on the investigation into the killing

brian mooar is live at the supreme court with the latest.rning. >> reporter: good morning, joe. s of people have been camped out here -- dozens of people have been camped out here. they've seen cold weather, rain. this morning they got hit by the sprinklers. those waiting this out, the lucky few who will be inside the courtroom today say it will all have been worth the wait. today, the beginning of three days of epic arguments over president obama's health care law. it is a law sweeping in its scope, and so are the challenges to it. 26 states saying that the law in its essence is illegal. at the core of this is an argument over whether the government can force americans to pay for health care. beginning today, drier legal arguments over whether it is time to take up the case. over the next three days, the nine justices will hear the arguments on the case and its constitutionality. and it will be a law, a ruling that affects americans all over this country. joe? >> thank you very much. brian mooar reporting live. >>> former vice president dic

brian mooar, nbc news, washington. >>> now to decision 2012 where early voting is about to start in maryland in just under an hour the polls will open in maryland for those who want to beat the crowds and vote. the state's primary ask april 3rd. there are specific early voting centers in each county which are open from 10:00 in the morning to 8:00 p.m. tomorrow the voting centers will be open from noon until 6:00. for a list of early voting centers in each county, head to nbcwashington.com and search early voting. >>> right now the polls are open in louisiana for their presidential primaries today. yesterday mitt romney visited the city of shreveport and spoke at an energy event. the former massachusetts governor told the crowd he hopes to soon turn his attention during the general election. he also commented on the trayvon martin shooting calling it a tragedy and calling it unnecessary. palin santor-- rick santorum wa in louisiana at a shooting range back track on things he said earlier this week. he said people should support obama over romney. yesterday he said he would support the republ

brian mooar, nbc news. >>> santorum's win, though, is complicated by some rules for awarding delegatesn louisiana. there are a total of 46 it delegates but only 20 were at stake tonight. the rest will be allocated at a state convention in june. as it stands right now, santorum is slated to get 10 of those and romney 5. >> bf the republican presidential hopefuls are offering well wishes to former vice president dick chien 88. he's in a hospital in virginia after a heart transplant. a cheney aide said he's been waiting for a heart transplant for months. he has had multiple heart attacks and other trouble. >>> right now we want to bring in henry wolford of comcast sportsnet for sports. i understand the women basketball players are dog pretty well. >> they are doing pretty well, die yn. thanks for having me on the show. come pg up in sports, the stanford women are the only college area teams with the national title still up in the air where they can get it done. could they advance to the elite 8? plus, the sharks fight for their playoff lives at hp pa little onwhere things get ugly against

live in washington, i'm brian mooar, "nbc bay area news." >>> defense secretary leon panetta is backingy from new demands for u.s. military involvement in syria. today he told the senate armed services committee it does not make sense to advise president obama to dispatch u.s. forces. but the panel's top republican, senator john mccain, says the bloodshed beckons u.s. leadership. >> before i recommend that we put our sons and daughters in uniform in harm's way, i've got to make very sure we know what the mission is and whether or not it will make matters better or worse. >> americans should lead in this. america should be standing up. america should be building coalitions. >> in the past year, an estimated 7,500 people have been killed in syria as part of the uprising against president assad's regime. >>> the navy is making big moves to cut down on alcohol and drug abuse by sailors and marines. they will be required to take a breathalyzer test when reporting for duty. the navy's secretary says move is meant to help identify sailors who might be struggling with a drinking problem. the na

brian mooar, wbal-tv 11 news. >> the shooting death of trayvon martin is sparking outrage and demonstrations across the country. the man police say is the shooter has not been arrested. kim dacey has the details. >> sanford, florida, is far from baltimore. they are joining in mourning for the teenager. it was subtle but powerful. two young men wearing hooded sweatshirts and bags of skilltt, the items found on trayvon martin the day he was killed. like a lot of sunday services come this c congregation war hoodies. >> praying for the countless thousands who are lost in the justice department. >> preparations underway for a local rolley. most 200 of these signs will be used. then over to city hall. circumstances surrounding his death are reminiscent of incidents in baltimore. >> we will want to say no to racism and note to racial profiling. we have local tie-ins. >> the march will start at 5:00 tonight and will move over to police headquarters and wind up at city hall for a rally and vigil at 7:00 p.m. tonight. >> police are investigating a number of weekend shootings. there was one on sunday e