mr. peterson, what is your organization? >> >> guest: we're an organization of state governments whose principle purpose is to reduce the burden that retailers face as they're trying to collect state sales taxes. ?rts well, we just finished talking with patrick byrne of overstock.com, and he told us why he doesn't think a company such as his, based solely in utah, should have to collect sales tax from all the different taxing jurisdictions around the country. why do you think that a company like overstock should? >> guest: we, our view is that retailing has changed, and there was a time when retailing was impossible across state boundaries even though some tried to engage in business across state boundaries. today it's extremely simple to engage in interstate business, and the world is slowly moving toward a -- not in the too distant future we'll be the majority in internet sales in this country. and at that point in time the state sales tax will have ceased to exist. but the internet, frankly, was -- is perfectly suited for

mrs. peterson, will allow us to continue to offer programs and to have our doors open. >> reporter: kai jackson, wjz eyewitness news. >> reporter: dr. hayden says this fall, the pratt will start loaning out e-readirs. so the money will start to support the use of this popular new technology. >>> still to come. dramatic rescue caught on tape. see what happened to this woman. >>> scandal -- tabloid scandal. the fallout. who -- >>> warm and sunny. i'll have your exclusive first warning five-day forecast. >>> and wjz 13 is always on. here are the top stories at wjz.com at this hour. for updates on all the day's news, and updated forecast any time, log onto wjz.com. ,,,,,,,, when i joined the national guard, i never thought i'd be saving lives. i put on the uniform and i have a whole new outlook on life. country, community, family-- that's what matters most to me. if that matters to you, go to 1-800-go-guard.com. >>> dramatic pictures in southwest china. take a look at pictures as torrential rains caused the landslide. the cleanup is expected to take several days. the government says the blocked rai

mrs. peterson, will continue to allow us to offer programs and have our doors open. >> reporter: and dr. hayden says this fall, the pratt will start loaning out e-readers. so the money given today, will help support this use of popular new technology. >>> severe thunderstorm warning. storms have been moving through the state all afternoon. you're taking a live look now. when will they clear out? meteorologist tim williams and bob turk have a look at what we can expect over the next days. >> take a look at radar. we've cleared out nicely. it's all south and east of the baltimore, washington area. all moved through rather quickly this afternoon. but we still have severe thunderstorm warnings going on across extreme southern maryland, as you can see, calvert, charles, and st. mary's county. and southern portions of pg county. a lot of activity out there. and some of it is vanish heavy. heavy wind gust -- it is very heavy. heavy wind gusts. the rest of the region, eastern shore is headed in your direction. it will be headed in your area, over the next couple of hours. particularly, the north

mrs. peterson in cranberry, texas. caller: good morning. how are you? host: very good.hat do you think about this phone hacking scandal? caller: i thought it was so funny with the pie. [unintelligible] host: do you think that this is a big deal at all? in aer: in a way, yes, and a way, no. he is a nice man, but he is too old. it takes a man that this young to do something like that host: do you think you could run all of those companies? caller: me? i am a painter. host: i know. i have your painting in my office. caller: my wife is looking at me and telling me to tell you good morning. host: good morning. send me your e-mail address and i will send you a picture of it in profit -- in my office. caller: listen, my wife's birthday is tomorrow, she turned 81. host: that is right. you married an older woman. mr. peterson, you enjoy that heat wave in texas. we have got to get moving. we appreciate it. this would message, regarding the phone hacking scandal -- host: mike is a republican in arizona. hello. caller: i can see this going on in great britain, i guess the police ar

mr. peterson, this issue is getting some attention in congress. senator durbin, senator enzi are working on a draft bill, the main street fairness act. what would you like to see congress do? >> >> guest: we would like to see congress adopt the main street fairness act as senator enzi has been working on for ten years now which gives states the authority to require retailers to collect their sales tax if those states have done the minimum simplification things that we, the states, local governments and businesses have worked the last ten years trying to establish. give states who have made the actual effort to make their tax better the right to enforce their sales tax. because that's what this is all about. this isn't really about making somebody collect that's not collecting, this is about getting our tax enforced. >> host: gautham nagesh, last question. >> host: now, in this your view is legislation necessary? mr. byrne brought up the constitutional argument that congress is the body given the authority to regulate interstate commerce. could thi

commissioner peterson: that was my question. >> on that permit, i agree with mr. duffy to address the borad -- broad and general things. the completion of the bathroom, i would absolutely past that we be permitted to complete that. i think he plumbing pipe is on there. >> i think you would be better to take that offline with mr. duffy. >> commissioners? >> i will start, but i am not sure i am going anywhere. it is difficult to see the position from both sides. on the one hand, i don't know why you appeal something that takes you three months alcohol stopping the work that you want. i am not quite sure what to do. commissioner garcia: i am concerned about dealing with things that have to do with code and the authority. i would think that the accommodations thing and all that would have been a rent board issue. someone could come in with -- your alternative would be, and even if weather was awful, walk to take a shower. the loo will be a port-a-potty in front of your house. i would hope that -- i don't want to say that. mr. eppstein would have said, i think it is cl

mr. duffy? ok, commissioners, the matter is submitted. commissioner peterson: i have some sympathy for the appellant, being out of work, and i also think that she bit off more than she intended with replacement. so i would be supportive of production. commissioner fung: i am in agreement, and i think she will have bigger problems. vice president garcia: did you have -- commissioner fung: motion, unless there is further comment? i will move to accept the appeal and reduce the penalty to two times. >> which like to state the basis for the motion? commissioner fung: on the basis that she is unemployed. vice president garcia: if i could add to the reasoning, commissioner, i would support that, but the additional reason i would give it is the fact that she thought she was in the hands of someone familiar with construction, familiar with replacement windows, and relied upon that, and she was not aware that a permit had not been pulled or was told that one was not needed. >> on the basis she was relying on experienced contractor. vice president garcia: right. >> ok.

peterson. that is offering you perhaps false hope. sit down and have a conversation. mr. sanchez and mr. sider -- you might walk away with them saying they would love to help you but cannot. that is the sentiment of this board. we would love to help you, but we can't. commissioner fung: the proposal to continue, i will support that. but i will remind everybody he has 8 feet for an elevator. that includes framing and the cab itself. that is not going to get done. if they can find something that turns the language, ok. but i do not see a technical response to this attrition. vice president garcia: i misunderstood. i thought you could not go above 75. commissioner fung: it is 16 feet above the 65 for elevator. vice president garcia: i thought they could go 16 above the seven. >> commissioner fung articulate it best when he said the 65 foot height limit is the point at which any exemption is taken. 10 feet in the case of stairs and 16 in the case of elevators. because this building is already 8 feet above the height limit, they only have a fee to play with. perhaps when i indicated an elevat

mr. harrison, i think the chief has something for you. thank you, sir. next speaker. >> good evening, commission. commissioners. my name is doherty peterson and i need some information. over two years ago there was a murder in our development. i'm one of the early risers, 5:30, had a cup of coffee about 6:00, saw the usual people going to work, about a couple hours later, i heard what i thought was firecrackers, didn't think anything of it until i heard all the drama, sirens, etc., etc., on my street. that's when i looked out the window. it was under control, went back to doing my dishes and cleaning my house. about three days later, inspectors knocked on the door. of course, the first thing i asked was where did you get my name and address? they said the owners of the complex gave us your name and address and everybody's name and address. it's on, you know. a sheet of paper, standard operating procedure. i said ok. come on in. i don't have anything to hide. i didn't see anything. told them point-blank i did not see anything, just what i communicated to you, i communicated to them. so to my surprise, yesterday i got a phone call saying th

mr. sider opened a window where there might be a ray of hope. if you want to pursue that, some of us are willing to continue this. commissioner peterson: i will move to continue. >> do you want to suggest a date? commissioner peterson: the end of august? how about august 24? >> commissioner, did you want any additional briefing? commissioner peterson: i think this is an opportunity for them to discuss. >> this would be a motion to continue to august 24 with no additional submittal is allowed. vice president garcia: i would recommend that if you start feeling like you might get some accommodation that would work for you, make sure you leave their knowing all about -- there knowing all about the certificate of appropriateness from the historic commission. >> the motion is from commissioner peterson to continue this matter to august 24. the public hearing has been held. it is to allow discussion of alternative options. no additional briefing. commissioner fung: aye. >> the president is absent. vice president garcia: aye. commissioner hwang: aye. >> the boat is -- vote is 4-0. >> there is no additional business this evening. vice presiden

peterson: yes, but i have watched the video. >> update, thank you. we will hear from the department first. -- ok, thank you. we will hear from the department first. mr. frye. bu >> good afternoon, i am tim fry, on behalf of the planning department. the board requested that the department and the appellate work on a viable compromise to the proposed project. we represent. we met with the appellant's representatives. it was a project that would be in closer conformance with the interior standards. it would not trigger any additional ceqa review, no additional review through eir, and it would allow a number of additional features to be incorporated and constructed into the design. unfortunately, the appellant was not willing to accept the compromise. i reiterate that the department and the historic preservation commission have all try to work with the appellant to develop a style that met the standards and allow for the conversion to a residential unit. does indicate what the compromise recently developed, we still believe there is approval for the project at this location, but without compromise on the design and the fact the appellant would like to m

he helped prevent convicted killer scott peterson from profitting off his heinous crime. good to see you, mr i guess the big difference between the scott peterson case and casey anthony is that scott peterson cannot profit because he was actually convicted? >> that's a huge difference, yes, absolutely. scott was convicted first-degree murder with special circumstances. the law in california allows us to go after any potential profits up to 10 years after he were to be paroled or released so we certainly have plenty of time. we tried to put procedures in place to prevent that before conviction but at the trial court level, a judge was not -- not in agreement. >> so in this case with casey anthony now that she's been found not guilty at least of murder or manslaughter, she will be able to profit because some of these deals coming out now are saying even a million bucks to get her interviewed. >> it's completely insane. yeah, she's been acquitted of the charges, if in fact she walked in tomorrow and said i did it, i was responsible for the death of my daughter, she can't be charged again or tri

this evening to our peterson institute for international economics for a uniquely important and unusual session, with the vice president and minister of finance of the hellenic republic. mr. venizelos has been here in washington all day talking i was at the international monetary fund to put the last part of the current economic reform package together. he obvious it comes to us after a busy week in europe last week, a very successful results that he will talk to us about. we have a lot of greek connections you at the institute, and our greek friends tell us that his name is translated into messenger who brings good news. so we are certainly and hoping that he will fulfill that mission with us tonight. the vice president, of course, assumed his position as minister of finance just over a month ago to take charge of the reform program and the greek response to the economic and financial difficulties of recent time your he was previously . he was previously, minister of defense. in earlier governments he observed in four or five different ministry of functions, including in 2004 in charge of the athens olympics. so we all saw much of his wonderful results at that time. he