as elizabeth hur reports, blooding could be the biggest problem with the storm. elizabeth: tropical storm cindy may still be heading toward land. but already it's hammering coastal areas with heavy rain, wind and water spouts. leaving the florida beaches empty and prompting officials in alabama and louisiana to take action. >> this will be a severe consists of threat of rain and flooding. but there also is a potential for wind damage as well. elizabeth: the two states in a state of emergency with millions from texas to florida watching the storm's every move. >> i look at the weather map and what it looks like it's not good. >> getting ready for some wind. right now it's just the wind and tidal surge. elizabeth: business owners and residents racing to protect their belongings. in new orleans, crews are keeping busy building a levee. more than a mile long and four and a half feet tall with the mayor warning the public stay alert. >> we learned many lessons from many other storms and we have paid the ultimate price in some instances for not staying vigilant. elizabe

reporting live in pennsylvania, i'm elizabeth hur for abc7 news. michelle: the defense rested today in the case of a massachusetts woman accused of sending her boyfriend dozens of text messages urging him to kill himself. 18-year-old conrad roy took his own life three years ago. michelle carter's lawyers say he h and she urged him to get professional help. alison: back at home, no one was hurt today when a food truck caught fire. this was here at metro center. our d.c. bureau chief sam ford live in northwest. sam, do they know what happened yet? sam: well, they are looking at that, alison. i'm at one of d.c.'s most popular noontime food truck spots here at 12th and g. there is just a backhoe behind me but normally there are food trucks here in the noontime hour. at 9:30 this morning one of the early arriving trucks burst into flames. firefighters arrived here at 12th and g and quickly extinguished the blaze that took out the gyro sandwich food truck that called itself d.c. doner. the fire started in the back driver's side of the van and burned forw