at the national harbor erika gonzalez news 4. >> almost old enough to drive. >> we'll see more of her >> incredible. >>> coming up something that has not been done in decades. we'll tell you about a splash landing for a spacecraft. >> and doug is still hanging out in herndon. now what? >> you know what, doreen? it is the wild bill soda pop stand. i tell you what, they got the best stuff right here. coming back we'll talk more about the herndon festival plus the chances of severe weather during the day tomorrow. you don't want to miss my >>> mayor bloomberg up in new york wants to stop people from buying super sized sodas and other sugary drinks. the mayor proposed a ban on selling sugary drinks over 16 ounces at restaurants, sports venues, theaters, too. he says the ban will help fight obesity. large diet sodas and drinks made with milk would still be allowed if it's brewed by the city board of health. the ban could take effect as early as march. the plan is drawing strong opposition from the beverage companies. >> here is a blast from the past. we haven't seen a space capsule splash

i'm erika gonzalez and i'll have more on the renovations going on here in culpepper coming up. >>> andllegations of racism at ♪ [ male announcer ] for our families... our neighbors... and our communities... america's beverage companies have created a wide range of new choices. developing smaller portion sizes and more low- & no-calorie beverages... adding clear calorie labels so you know exactly what you're choosing... and in schools, replacing full-calorie soft drinks with lower-calorie options. with more choices and fewer calories, america's beverage companies are delivering. >>> we have an update on our breaking news this afternoon. chuck brown d.c.'s godfather of go-go died this afternoon at john hopkins in baltimore. >> he had been hospitalized with pneumonia for the past two months. his daughter joined us on the phone to talk about his legacy. >> i know that all of the fans -- he lived for family and he lived to perform. >> chuck brown's musical career lasted for 50 years. he got his start back in the 1960s playing the guitar for a latin band in d.c. by the '70s he created go-go

news 4's erika gonzalez is live on the scene in chevy chase with more on the arson arrest. >> reporter: a lot of folks had to spend the evening at a red cross shelter about a mile away. if you take a look behind me most of the units are boarded up and dead bolted. i'm told many of the residents here did not have renters insurance. this video was taken by one of the residents of the round hill apartments on terrace drive in chevy chase yesterday around 2:00 p.m. 32 units went up in flames displacing nearly a hundred people and causing more than a million dollars in damages. the cause? montgomery county fire investigators say 24-year-old abraham keefloo who lived here with a relative confessed to the arson and turned himself over to authorities last night. he spent 78 days in jail last year after pleading guilty to charge of malicious destruction. today this is what's left of the units charred by the fire. black floors, tarnished belongings, and a sky light from what was once a roof. [ speaking in foreign language ] >> reporter: this man doesn't have renter's insurance. the family stoppe

i'm erika gonzalez and i'll have more on this story coming up. >>> japan's tsunami swept away a prize possession. now the owner of a harley davidson that washed >>> the story of chen chong is far from over. he is the blind chinese dissident who escaped house arrest last week and sought refr refuge in the u.s. embassy in beijing. american diplomats oversaw several days of negotiations between chen and the chinese government. today it appeared the matter was settled but not for long. ian williams has our report. >> reporter: chen chang left the u.s. embassy this afternoon accompanied by u.s. ambassador gary loch. they drove to a beijing hospital where chang was reunited with his family, his wife and two children, and where he'll receive treatment for injuries received during that dramatic escape from house arrest. he will be staying in china. senior u.s. officials say that is his decision, that he didn't request asylum in the u.s. they say the chinese authorities have given assurances that he will be properly treated. he'll be treated like an ordinary citizen, that his complaints will b

erika gonzalez reports. >> reporter: yet another woman attacked on the hike and bike trail behind the hyattsville metro station. it's one of many incidents police say has happened there since the beginning of the year. this time maryland national capitol park police say a 17-year-old woman was nearly sexually assaulted on the trail around 1:00 am saturday. police say the attacker came at her with a knife but she fought her way to safety. the suspect made a run for it. >> sometimes it makes me feel scared to walk over there when there are no people walking and i'm by myself rnch later that day police arrested this man 24-year-old edwin rivas. they say he confessed to sexual assaults at knife point in both the hyattsville and mount rainier area dating back to january. >> we already had the identification for one guy. we were able to use a photo spread and one of our victims was able to make an i.d. on that. we shared that information with prince george's county who in turn was also able to close one of their cases. >> reporter: you can still find composite sketches all along this trail

live in the newsroom, erika gonzalez, news 4. >>> the nato summit is wrapping up in chicago at this hour. nato leaders focusing on putting an end to their involvement in afghanistan by the year 2014. meanwhile, protesters are focusing on boeing aviation. they call it a war machine. the demonstration was notably smaller and more peaceful than the weekend protest that drew thousands to the streets. president obama will leave chicago within the hour to speak at the commencement ceremony for graduates of joplin high in missouri. >>> there is still no verdict tonight in the john edwards corruption trial. the case went to the jury on friday morning. the former democratic presidential candidate is accused of using nearly a million dollars in campaign funds to hide an affair with his pregnant mistress during the '08 presidential campaign. if convicted of all charges, he faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of $1.5 million. >>> the naacp says the same sex marriage is a civil right and today it explained what's behind that decision. the group is hoping its endorsement will encourage blacks to

news4's erika gonzalez reports. >> reporter: peak season for balloons at party mania.irthdays, holidays, graduations. thousands are made on a weekly basis. a shortage in helium is causing business to deflate. >> you take it for granted helium will always there be. >> reporter: it may not. in 1996 a federal law was established to force the government to sell off its helium stockpile by 2015. ferrara says she pays almost 50% more for her helium than she did less than a decade ago. each of these tanks can fill about 300 to 400 balloons. she says she gets them from three different suppliers and one has already placed a cap on the amount of tanks that she can order. >> all kids like balloons. even the older kids. >> reporter: but that's not its only function. in fact, it is used in flat-screen tvs, mris and even help babies breathe. so is it really possible for the world to run out of the gas? >> yes, it is. >> if helium comes from the ground, much like oil does, couldn't we just dig for more helium? >> yeah. i mean, that's a very good analogy because helium, like oil, is c

news 4's erika gonzalez talked to both children afterward. hear from them at 5:00 tonight. >>> in the race for the white house there were tough new attacks today from both mitt romney and president obama's re-election team but there were also -- was also a reminder of the common bond among the men who have won election to the white house. steve handelsman has our report. >> reporter: a picture of bipartisanship. president obama hosted both presidents bush 41 and 43 and their wives at the white house. for the unveiling of george w. bush's portrait. >> behave yourselves. >> reporter: he paid tribute to his dad. >> i am honored to be hanging near a man who gave me the greatest gift possible -- unconditional love -- and that would be number 41. >> president obama paid tribute to his predecessors. >> president bush understood that rescuing our economy was not just a democratic or republican issue. >> reporter: but the president's campaign team had opened a new attack on the republican running to be president. mitt romney charges the new obama vide

erika gonzalez has more on his lasting legacy. >> reporter: students, faculty and alumni are mournings of a great educator. dr. jerry marco the second principal of bethesda's walt whitman high school died last week after years of underlying health problems. one of his former students who is now an assistant principal kathy mchale says after 44 years of service marco helped grow whitman into one of the top 100 high schools in the country. >> the kids, the school, the community, this whole process of education was his life. >> reporter: marco ushered in a new era of leadership and took whitman from this to this. his love for the arts lined the walls of the school. but it was his design of controversial programs like that of no tolerance that still resonate with the community. this after three students died in alcohol and drug related accidents under his term. >> it was very harsh but upheld by the superintendents. we didn't have any student deaths from that point on. >> reporter: the school stadium was dedicated to dr. marco in 2004 when he retired. although most of today's students did

erika gonzalez joins us with details. >> after years of treating children for cholesterol and hypertensiondoctor decided to start the first ongoing childhood obesity center in northern virginia. his story is about a lot more than just teaching kids how to eat well. take a look. meet 17-year-old jennifer hoya. she took on night classes so she could graduate high school a year early. she wants to be a civil engineer. she spent four to six hours a day doing handwritten work. leaving little time to care for herself, eat right and exercise. >> breathe out. >> reporter: she began having chronic headaches and severe chest pain. she was diagnosed as being obese. the pediatric cardiologist. >> how much of a problem is obesity in this country? >> it is a big problem. >> reporter: she decided it was time to be proactive. she created the first ongoing childhood obesity center in northern virginia and works hand in hand with registered dieticians. >> half your plate should be vegetables. >> reporter: because a great portion of the work is seen as preventative care, it is seldom covered by insurance. >>

news 4's erika gonzalez joins us in the studio with more on this. >> hi, richard.ell, two dozen local students competed in this year's bee. two of them advanced to the semifinals and one other is quickly becoming a starlet. it's day three of the scripps national spelling bee. the semifinals. but 6-year-old phenomenon and woodbridge native lori anne madison lost her shot at the trophy yesterday. she got her first word right. it was the second that was the clincher. >> e-n-g-l-u-v-i-e-s. >> that is incorrect. >> reporter: the crowd favorite says she is ready to plop down on her couch and play this summer. >> a lot of things. so many lots of things such as online games. >> reporter: if the winning words of former spellers is indicative of anything, this eloquent media darling says she'll no doubt be back next year. >> some went on therapy. i mean, come on. >> reporter: virginia and maryland's last shot at taking home a title rested with these two spellers. that was until the bell toll. >> i don't remember what it means. it's etopen. >> reporter: you ever going to use