. >>> coming up jason pugh live at verizon center for the wizards home opener. a not so >>> this is the xfinity sports desk brought to you by xfinity, your home e most live sports. >> jason pugh warm and cozy on the inside of verizon center. >> reporter: huge game tonight for the wizards. their home opener taking on the milwaukee bucs. after last season's success everyone is excited for this year's wizard squad trying to build off the second round playoff performance from a year ago. if they are going to do that they have to protect home court. that starts tonight. last season they did not perform well here at the verizon center. they went 1-4 in their five post season games. not exactly what you call a home court advantage. this year with the help of their fans the wizards are hoping to change that starting tonight against milwaukee. >> we can't take anything for granted just because we play in front of our own fs and our crowd we have to be sure we perform the same way we perform on the road. we have to make sure we win games at home. >> that is one of our goa

wizards and pacers and going live to jason pugh and live to jason pugh and explaining why ♪ good morning hey! did you know bees communicate through dance? me too... we're practically twins! >>> if you have a score to settle, sometimes you're in a better position to do it. looks like a good one. >> looks like the wizards are on a roll tonight. no forgive and forget at the hands of the pacers. it broke the heart of basketball fans all over. joining us live from the center, they have a different look, but, man, are we loving the way they're playing right now. >> reporter: they're off to a great start and doing it without two key players in the lineup. bradley and martell, still out recovering from their injuries. once those two guys get back, this wizards team might be one of the better in the nba. the 3-1 start is one of the best since 2006. the perfect example of this in new york taking on the knicks, six different players scoring in double digitsor the wiz while everyone is focused on lebron james and cavaliers possibly winning the championship this year, you better watch out for this wi

i think concussion research is going in the right direction. >> that was jason pugh reporting.year the ncaa launched the mind matters challenge, a $30 million intisch toif to change the culture around concussions. >>> some of the tastiest food being served up among a ♪ they may not be the most handsome of body parts. yet, there they sit on the sides of our heads. for the world to see. but what happens when they stop hearing? should we stop doing? should we stop living? not today. esteem. the hearing implant. ♪ >>> you've got to take a look at this. rope walkers crossing waterfall. they had a safety tether with them. this is at victoria falls in zimbabwe in africa. the men walked about the length of a football field on that rope, spent two years preparing pour the walk. >> wow. you've probably seen them in the city or on the mall or even maybe in your neighborhood. food trucks are getting more and more popular. nbc's rehema ellis tells us about one that's helping turn lives around. >> reporter: the booming food truck business is changing people's eating habits. >> i got the gril

i think concussion research is going in the right direction. >> that was jason pugh reporting.unched the mind matters challenge, a $30,000 initiative to help change the culture around concussions. >>> the host of "the daily show" will be at the newseum about "rosewater," the true story of an iranian journalist arrested and detained more than 100 days. he was interrogated and tortured. stewart and the iranian journalist will take questions following the screening. >>> we have much more ahead on "news 4 today." >> that includes an hour by hour look at your forecast with storm team 4 meteorologist chuck bell. is it going to get warmer? stay with us. at shell, we believe the world needs a broader mix of energies, which is why we are supplying natural gas, to generate cleaner electricity, that has around 50% fewer co2 emissions than coal. and why with our partner in brazil, we are producing a biofuel made from renewable sugarcane to fuel cars. let's broaden the world's energy mix, let's go. >>> two americans held as prisoners in north korea are waking up at home this morning. what w

from the live desk, jason pugh, news4 sports. >> all right. thanks, jason. >>> it is a very busy day as the holiday shopping season gets you said way. good afternoon, i'm erika gonzales. >> whether you're headed out or staying in. molette green was there as protesters showed up at one store and chief meteorologist doug kammerer is tracking the cold. >> we begin with zachary kiesch live outside montgomery mall. hi, zack. >> reporter: actually, erika, i'm here in the middle of the mix at montgomery mall. they actually closed the doors last night at midnight and turned around and opened back up this morning at about 6:00 a.m., and the numbers don't lie mu. the numbers from last night, up 40% from where they were last year and good reason why. lots of activities going on at the mall today. of course, you've got santa and all of the helpers. but also a bunch of new additions here. over $100 million in additions here over the course of the last year. you're talking about a new cinema, new food court. i mentioned santa and his helpers and a couple new

jason pugh with the latest. >> the nfl pa did file a grievance against the organization on rice's behalf. he was due to make a big salary of $4 million this season. if rice does win his grievance against his former team he would get paid for every game check he missed from week 3 to week 13. that appeal has been overturned by u.s. district judge barbara jones. rice is eligible to sign with any nfl team. he could be in store for a pay day from the baltimore ravens. >>> thanks. and for the first time since his suspension ray rice and his wife are talking about the assault that resulted in that suspension. the couple spoke exclusively to nbc's matt lauer. >>> a man was killed trying to cross a busy street in maryland. investigators say a van hit him last night. police say he was trying to cut across the road but he didn't use the cross walk. the maryland doctor who died after contracting the ebola virus has been laid to rest. dr. martin salea was a surgeon. last month health officials flew him to a special unit in nebraska but he died a few days later. his wife and two kids live in new carr

jim, wendy, back to you. >> jason pugh, thanks. >>> now at 5:00 tonight, the scandal that took down the first couple of prince george's county. four years later, an inside look with the fbi agent who worked this notorious corruption case. >>> new recommendations are out today. why you should limit the amount of rice that your child is eating. >>> and the news4 i-team is uncovering some most dangerous spot pedestrians. why they're getting attention from police this time of >>> it was the phone call heard around the country. bringing down the most powerful couple in prince george's county. but that day in november four years ago was the cullim nation of a sweeping five year corruption investigation. for the first time we sat down with the fbi's case agent to find out how it went down and change to a county embroiled in skap dahl. >> what do you want me to do with this money? >> put it in your panties and walk out of the house. >> it's a desperate call between the county executive and his wife, a county council member. but in the early morning hour leading up to it, the lead fbi agent, wen

i'm jason pugh here at redskins park, where the redskins are searching for answers once again. especially at the quarterback position, robert griffin iii, he struggled mightily yesterday against the san francisco 49ers. and chris cooley is breaking down griffin's performance in this week's edition of "the cooley report." >> i don't think he took a step back but i don't think he took a step forward everybody was hoping he would take. it's time to get on the beltway right now. that's how easy it is to score touchdowns on this offense. i don't think it's a step back. >> and how about the defense? a lot of guys missing on that defense yesterday. they showed up. >> yeah. but they played so well. it's just frustrating for me to see them give up that last touchdown. because i thought the way they played, they deserved to keep themselves in the lead. they deserved that. we beat you, we kept you out of the end zone, and couldn't just -- couldn't quite finish. >> now, see more games left on the schedule. do you stick with robert grich iii, the entire season, if you're jay gruden, do you

. >> reporter: i'm jason pugh here at the verizon center, the biggest game of the season so far for theizards tonight. they host the cavaliers. lebron james is back in cleveland and the rivalry between the two teams is back. one rivalry has never gone away. paul pierce versus lebron james. these two men have a love/hate relationship. frenemies would be the best word to describe the two of them. >> i see lebron walking down the street, there's no fist fight. i've got a lot of respect for him. >> reporter: 64 times throughout their careers, paul pierce and lebron james have faced each other. the wins are split right down the middle. 32 victories for the man they call "the truth" and 32 for "king james." >> over the years, we see michael jordan and tracee mcgrady. i think that's stuff you see throughout the course of time when great players play against other great players. it brings the best out. >> the most consistent guy on the floor. and it has been great. like you said. 32-32. someone will have the edge after tonight. more importantly, it's the competition and teams we have been on. >

i'm jason pugh. chris a lot to get to. >> yeah, man.with the return of rg3 and what in the world happened to the defense between dallas and minnesota? so good, so bad. telestrator will tell us all. >> well get to it in a bit.

from redskins park, i'm jason pugh, news for sports. >>> and the commissioner says anchors and reporters should be able to call the name redskins. public officials should not let their own views stand in the way of tv stations reporting the news. he also says restricting the redskins name on air would be violating the first amendment. he did not give his opinion whether the team should change the name, redskins. >>> a subway murder suspect captured in new york. new details coming in about his crimina past and another rush hour assault. >>> 5 plus 3 equals 8 but not always that simple in schools. >> the national pta helping parents understand common core. >>> a new location for bus boys and poets east of the anti-costa, how they're hoping to b new business to southeast d.c. >>> cold air across most of the country. look at miami. only 62 degrees. wouldn't it be nice if we had this air coming our way, 50s and 60s. but, no, no, we have 20s and 30s coming back into our region. >>> if you have a child or grandchild, you probably spent some time on geometry quizzing them over the bis in tin emp

i'm jason pugh here at the verizon center where wizards will play host to indiana pacers that ruined their runoff last season. you better believe it's in their mind and they haven't forgotten it. here's images of the last defeat that ended the season. you can see the heartbreak and disappointment on the guys' faces. what made it worse, they lost all three games at home against the pacers. the guys are ready for payback tonight. >> a little redemption. indiana beat us at our place three times. we're going to come out. first and foremost we want to protect home because it's our home court and didn't do a good job last year. >> we have to get it. especially at home, that's something we try to establish. so nobody can come and beat us and have to leave some blood on the ground. >> they will try and improve on the 3-1 mark they started the season with. i will tell you just how good the start has been for the wiz from the verizon center. news for sports. >>> coming up on women in congress, how the numbers compare as women continue to make strides on capitol hill. >>> and new allegations fo

i'm jason pugh. former baltimore ravens running back ray rice has won his appeal against the nfl. he's now eligible to play immediately, and he can sign with any team in the league. this all started on february 15th when rice and then fiancee janae palmer were arrested for an incident in atlantic city. video was released four days later. march 27th, rice was indicted on aggravated assault charges. the next day, he and palmer were married. on june 16th, rice had a hearing with commissioner roger goodell. he claims he was truthful and that the league didn't learn of any new information after this meeting occurred. july 24th, rice gets suspended for two games by commissioner roger goodell. but on septemberth 8th more video surfaces. the organization released him from the team and nfl suspended him indefinitely. today that suspension has been overturned. he is eligible to play immediately. now rice did release a statement, saying he will continue to work hard to improve himself and help others to learn from his mistakes. erika, doreen? >> thanks, jason. >>> in the last couple hours, t

our jason pugh wanted to find out what it felt like to meet the players of his favorite team. >> reporterst heard you were coming to watch them practice, what did you think of it? >> yes! yes! yes! >> my kids are playing a lot of sports. they play basketball, and so they idolize those guys, and for them to be here is such a thrill for them. i think they can't even believe it. so it's an amazing opportunity for them. >> such a cool event and means so much to those families. on news4 at 6:00, the wizards open up to us about what it meant to them. >> reporter: i'm julie carey in woodbridge, virginia. this is where a 16-year-old high school junior was shot and killed yesterday. the suspect is at large. tonight, his mom is looking for ♪ they may not be the most handsome of body parts. yet, there they sit on the sides of our heads. for the world to see. but what happens when they stop hearing? should we stop doing? should we stop living? not today. esteem. the hearing implant. ♪ >>> we're learning more about the deadly plane crash in virginia that killed a fright instructor and injured a studen

i'm jason pugh. the redskins are back in action at fedex field t.ing off a buy week, hosting one of the worst teams in the nfl, the tampa bay buccaneer, bad on both sides of the ball, offense ranks 27th in the nfl in points per game. also among the worst when it comes to turnovers, their defense giving up 30 points a game, second worst in the nfl. despite their record, though, the fact they dropped stra games, rober griffin iii and his teammates aren't taking tampa bay lightly. >> our focus is to get to 1-0, not 7-024 week. we have to take care of business this week against dam pa. they're a very good team. there are no easy games in the nfl. we can't afford to overlook anybody. i think the guys are motivated. we do feel like we have an opportunity to seize. >> huge boost for the redskins defense, knows tackle barry cofield returns to the lineup after being out since the season opener with a high ankle sprain. cofield excited to get back on the field. >> i want to start by saying i missed you guys. there was no hello. my biggest thing is that we're