. >>> if it will get metro riders to dulles just as fast as the current plan and save $70 million why is the metro board ignoring that new proposal? >>> is, the professional photo journalist who got arrested for taking pictures. >>> plus, having a baby could be life's greatest treasure, so 0 what's it like giving yours up for adoption? ally local woman what did shares her story and the endless hours of wondering, what if. >>> late breaking news out of montgomery county where firefighters are responding to a call and found a six-year-old child home alone. >> we just spoke to police about how this all went down. keny, tell us more. (s:reporter the mom's child is only identified as a 39-year- old woman but tonight police are saying she made one heck of a reckless decision by leaving her six-year-old alone inside this apartment hear along the 6400 block of rock force. officers say the little girl was trying to make toast when the toaster oven began to overheat. when asked where her mother was at, the six-year-old told police she had gone to the gym. when her mother came to pick her up she was charged for le

competitive range with other commodities. >> we are just beginning to dig out of the hole. >> at the metro board meeting, general manager says a good news the extra 20 cent peak of the peak rate will go away. metro says $66 million from the fare increases will pay for continued repairs to trains and escalators, faster service and more officers on buses and rails. >> this is not a done deal there will be a series of public hearings if the board votes by may 1. we are likely to see changes at metro july 1. outside metro headquarters in downtown, 9 news now. >>> here is how metro's base subway fare compares to other cities. the minimum metro fare is $1.95. in new york it's $2.25. will get you anywhere on the system. and $1.70 in boston. $2.25in chicago. some transit systems have different prices for cash fares versus using a transit card just like metro. >>> metro is working to improve bus service after several collisions and near misses were actually captured on tape. and one instance a bus driver is about to slam into a car that is stopped at a crosswalk for a woman with a baby in a stroller. ano

anything but distain. >> they just keep charging and asking for more. >> at the meeting today, the metro board ahead for plan public hearings required before the increase could take effect. the maximum fare would rise to $5.75. >> they are just robbing us with no gun. >> today's incident with a cracked rail illustrates the need to fix the system. >> we need to get back in shape. that is really what remedies are all about, to help us support operations and build a much better system than they deal with today. >> they are still upset. >> they don't know what they are doing. they are making everybody else pay for it and is not even our fault. >> between bus and rail metro carries 1.2 million passengers a day many who have no other option except to pay the higher rates. metro says the public hearing should get underway in the jurisdictions in service around the region in february and march. sam ford, abc7 news. >> with the constant complaints about delays and other issues like today's crack real, would you be willing to pay more for a reliable commute? that is the question we ask on facebook. 72%

the issuement the board wants the hike the fare up to $2.10. maximum fare up to $5.75. it would do away with the peak of the peak surcharge. but metro's board wants to create a flat fare for anyone using paper fare cards. $6 at rush hour and $4 all other times. >>> we have a commuter alert for metro riders this weekend because starting tonight at 10:00, there's going to be a closure on the red line. no service between dupont circle and van ness. that part of the red line will stay closed through sunday night. shuttle buses however will beyou around the closure. also work on the blue and orange lines downtown. trains will single track between mcpherson square and the smithsonian. and more single tracking on the green line between nailer road and branch avenue. and that will affect yellow line service. all northbound trains on the yellow line will terminate at mount vernon square. >>> coming up on 9news now, one community thinks it's going to the birds. we'll explain that. >>> plus, there's a big baking contest underway. you'll want to hear about it. it's for a good cause. >>> i'm meteorologist howard bernstein. sunshine coming out now.

the board finally votes on this proposal. if the board does say yes and approve the rate hike, they do so by may 1st, we could see a change here at the metro july 1st. at gallery place, delia gonsalves, 9news now. >> under the plan, bus fares will increase by 10 cents. parking increased by 25 cents. the proposal will be presented to the metro board on thursday. >>> well, there is some good news from metro because work is 60% completed on the silver line. phase one will go from east falls church through tysons corner to reston. the track is being laid in some sections and the extension is slated to open by late next year. >>> here is a deal that you might find hard to refuse. if you commute to fort belvoir, quantico or the mark center, there is a plan in the works to pay drivers to carpool. the northern virginia regional commission is organizing the program called real time ride sharing. it allows commuters to find rides using a smart phone app. about 1,000 riders and 500 drivers are being recruited for a six-month pilot program. the funds are coming from both the state and the federal government. >>> d.c. police are looking for the gunman

the extra costs could be seen in service improvements. >> rate hikes not set in stone. metro has scheduled a series of public hearings in the coming weeks but if the metro board signs off the plan, we could see the hair hikes in place by july 1. >>> here's some of the other stories making news now this morning. people sterilized against their will in north carolina decades ago may soon be getting a form of compensation. a task force recommended the victims of the state's iew eugenic program be paid $50,000 each. the sterilizations occurred for 45 years between 1929 and 1974. in one case a 14-year-old rape victim was sterilized under state order after she gave birth. >>> the los angeles county times reports the l.a. county sheriff's office has found no evidence of follow play in the death of actress natalie wood. she died in 1981 while she was boating off catalina island with her husband robert wagner and actor christopher walkens. the case was reopened months ago after new sources came forward with new information. >>> the time 4:38. the cost of your morning oj could be going up. >>> 4:50, the fact is working to -- the n.t.s.b. is working to make sure and everyone else

the metro. >> i wouldn't necessarily paying more if extra calls can be seen. >> all right, the rate hikes are not a done deal yet. metro will hold public meetings. but if the metro board does sign up on the plan, we could see those fare hikes if place for the summer season. >> coming up tonight on 9news now at 7:00, we want ike. apparently his family doesn't want us. now they want to stop the planning for president dwight eisenhower's memorial. we'll tell you why that might be at 7:00. >> still to come, from foul language to wardrobe malfunction. the supreme court is taking up the debate over regulating what you see on tv. topper. >> very nice evening and look at numbers that go in the books. we hit the 50s again today. 54 and 32 at national. average is 42 and 27. the record low is 3 below set in 1875. we'll come back. rain is on the way. we'll tell you which commute that is going to affect. >>> and up next, these sisters aren't just hanging out at a local restaurant, we're going to tell you what was really worth the wait. ♪ [ gasp ] [ mom ] my husband -- he thinks it's a 3-sheeter. i say 1-sheeter. bounty can clean the mess with less. [ female announcer ] in this lab

single tracking until noon and metro said it's constantly fixing the rails and trying to avoid the issues. >>> and metro is considering raising rates again. the metro board has 50 possible fare changes on the table, ranging from raising the basic rate on metro rail from $2.10 on the peak hour and $1.70 offpeak hours. metro will hear hearings on the proposed hikes. >> a lot of people not happy about that. >> not at all. >>> the presidential confrontation on the tarmac. was this blown out of proportion. >>> -- proportion. >>> president obama sets this straight with about the headline grabbing encounter with arizona governor jan brewer. >>> and hope you're hungry for some truly unique dining here. >> um. >> always hungry. >> know you are. >> today's deal is coming from heydo restaurant in fall's church, virginia. they offer 50 versions of the noodle soups with a variety of other dishes there. $25 buys you an appetizer and two entrees. not too bad there and let's go to our website, click on my fox half off link to take part in that. >> i'm doing that now. i'm hungry.  . >> hi, welcome back. your itunes downloads could be taxed. this affec

the issue. the board wants to hike the minimum fare up to $2.10. it would do away with the peak of the peak surcharge. but metro's board wants to create a flat fare for anyone using paper fare cards. $6 at rush four, $4 at all other times. andrea? >>> thank you. d.c. fire and ems want to know if carbon monoxide poisoning made some people sick early this morning in georgetown. ten people were evaluated but it doesn't look like anyone will have to go to the hospital. this happened on 33rd street just hours ago near m. street. there were high readings of carbon monoxide in the area at the time we're told. this could make two carbon monoxide poisoning incidents in the district in less than 24 hours. the d.c. fire department is making a big push to get co and smoke detectors in every home. we're joined this morning by chief kenneth ellerbe. usually we are reporting these kinds of stories during the winter months, why is it that co is a problem in winter? >> well, that's because people use their heaters in the wintertime and a lot of times they don't have the furnaces checked there could be a leak they're not aware of.

. >> today i'm the metro board will hear a proposal to raise bus and rail fares by 5%. >> that is a significanteneral manager says the price hike is necessary to fill a $160 million deficit in the upcoming budget. brianne carter is live in northwest. good morning >> , this is a hot- button issue with writers. whenever we talk about fairness, many of them say they have been going for so much through track failures entailing breaks and that they want to see improvements before they pay for increased. metro officials say they need the money to continue their rehabilitation. all this will come to a head at this meeting at 9:00 this morning. more money for metro from your pocket -- that is the issue the transit agency's board will take up today. >> what are we paying more for? >> they say the money is needed to offset a $160 million shortfall. the transit agency says the additional funds will eventually mean additional trains on the tracks. >> you will see six additional trains and arms line, more trains on the blue line, yellow, and green. >> the base fare during peak hours will jump from $1.95 to

the metro. the metro board has 50 possible fare changes on the table. now, they range from raising the basic rate on metro rail to $2.10 during peak hours and $1.70 during off-peak hours. metro will hold public meetings on the proposed rate hikes. >>> today is your last chance to pay those unpaid parking tickets in the district without added penalties. the city's amnesty program ends today. the city is trying to collect nearly quarter of a billion dollars in fines from unpaid tickets issued before january 2010. the dmv says maryland drivers account for nearly 38% of those unpaid fines, the most of any jurisdiction. >>> imagine winning $7 1/2 million and not getting it. that's what someone out there is dealing with. a mystery lawyer who submitted the winning ticket to iowa lottery officials never came forward to explain how he got the ticket. crawford shaw, that's the attorney, told an iowa law firm that he didn't know who purchased the ticket. the lottery said he needed to explain everything or lose the jackpot. shaw then withdrew his claim before today'

the split. that's a check of your fox 5 on-time traffic. >>> we should learn more today about fare hikes which are likely to come from metro riders. the metro boardon the table is a proposal from the metro general manager calling for higher flat rates for paper fare card users as well as increases in fares for smart trip users. the smart trip bus fare would go up by 10 cents. parking could also go up by 25 cents. >>> there have been investigates of reports of battery fires. the findings were not made public until november. now, republicans are asking if the government's partial ownership of gm create a conflict of interest in the investigation. juror our secretary of transportation knew you were investigating this vehicle, was asked a question about the safetivity creek and says it is fine. that was given -- that answer was given 6 week before you formally said it was fine. >> the secretary knew of all the facts and the details as to whether they -- radio don't you think that is a little unusual? >> no, it wasn't unusual. the secretary is asked questions like that all the time. >> the government ended its investigation last week including that th

tlae the metro board of directors met today to talk about the general manager's new budget proposal. along with fare hikes it would also mean more jobs. according to "the washington post" the plan would add 1,000 more workers. that would bring metro's total staff to more than 12,000. the big issue board members and riders continue to focus on is a 5% hike on bus and rail fares. >> i think it's ridiculous. we, you know, use this transportation every day. things aren't operated properly. >> i think it's not good. i think it's -- people can't afford it. it's hard times. >> i'm upset but i'm going to pay because it is cheaper than driving. >> before any fare hikes happen there will be public hearings and a vote with the board. the earliest those increases could go into effect would be july. >>> next at 6:00 a baby left alone at the occupy d.c. camp. tonight her father is in court telling his side of the story. >>> a spike in crime in upper northwest washington. people walking home targeted by armed robbers there. >>> two years later people are still struggling to rebuild after a devastat

the more you pay. and now metro's general manager is suggesting you pay more. >> they are going up again. it is not like the service is that reliable. >> reporter: the metro board understands that that this how most customers feel. that's why during the last night's board meeting arlington rep mary hunt suggested monthly fare cards. >> riders pay a certain amount of money often pegged to a certain number of trips a month at a certain price. and then anything they do above that is free. >> that means if you pay, let's say, $95 for a fare card and use it up before the end of the month, you can still ride the train for free. they hope it will encourage people to use the train more often. even when they normally wouldn't. would you also be more likely to ride it outside of the times you normally take metro if you had this kind of a situation? >> possibly. i haven't thought about it yet since i didn't know that until you just told me. >> reporter: right. >> but, yes, sure. >> i think that would definitely help with it. it would make it's easier for me to get to work every day. >> reporter: riders could also jump off of the train, run an errand and then get back on w

now, of course, this all has to be approved by the metro board and public hearings held. those would happen sometime in february and march. if the board does approve this proposal, this budget, we could see the fare increases in july. back to you. >> i know you spoke to people and the riders aren't happy about it. >> reporter: not happy, yeah, sure. >> live in northwest. thank you. >>> it's now 5:09. 46 degrees. blocking a number of controversial pardons, why several prisoners in mississippi may be staying behind bars for a while. >>> and is that glass of wine really good for your heart? why the actions of one doctor casting doubt on a number of studies. >>> plus, the rain is gone, but you won't get to enjoy our weather for long. what's in store for you. the rain is beginning in virginia and in much of virginia. there is light to moderate rain right on the montgomery howard line to the east of gaithersburg and over toward columbia and howard county getting moderate to herb rain. else where the area in green and prince george's county, anne arundel, light to moderate rain.

. >>> the metro board continues discussions on whether to hike fares. e board met today to discuss when to hold public hearings on the proposed hikes. among the changes, people who don't use smart trip cards but pay a flat $4 one way fare during off peak hours and a $6 fare for peak trains. day passes would be eliminated. smart trip fares, metro bus, and parking fares would also increase. meetings on the fare hikes will continue in february. meanwhile, talks of a fare increase come as problems mount on the rails. earlier today there were big delays on the red line after part of a rail cracked near the tinley town station. trains had to single track between friendship heights and van ness. others turned back to silver spring and farragut north. trains were so crowded the doors had trouble closing. the problem was resolved and things got back to normal around 12:30 this afternoon. >>> a local elementary school is honored today for its dedication to fitness and healthy eating. william ramsey elementary in alexandria received the healthy schools award from t

the wilson building this afternoon. metro's general manager, richard sarles, and board chairwoman katherine hudgens are also scheduled to attend. all three jurisdictions appoint members to the metro board and fund the transit agency. gray's office says the issues up for discussion include safety and metro's governance. >>> expect delays on the metro trains in the coming days. the transit agency is using the long holiday weekend to do major track work on the blue, orange, and red lines starting tonight at 10:00. shuttle buses will run between l'enfant plaza and market plaza on the blue and orange line. federal center, southwest, and capitol south will be closed. on the red line, lanes will be single tracking between dupont circle and friendship heights as well as between tacoma and forest glen. trains should be back to normal schedules by tuesday morning. you got that? >> no, i'm sorry. i don't. >> quiz next block. all right. >> i'll walk. >>> 5:38. 37 degrees. making the grade. we look at how the district, maryland, and virginia stack up against each other and other states when it comes to education. >>> paying more for

the driver's travel every year according to metro. it says the videos are used for training purposes and have helped to reduce accidents. metro's board of issues including a budget proposal. >> it calls for raising fares and hiring new employees. brianne carter is in northwest. whenever you talk about raising metro fares, that gets writer's work up. >> absolutely. the earlier this week they had a lot to say about it. metro riders say they have been going through a lot lately. you know there have been cracked rails, failing breaks. metro riders say more needs to be done before they are willing to increase. however, metro says they need the money to continue the rehabilitation of the rails and to help with a budget shortfall. under the proposal, the base fare during peak hours would jump to $2.10. the maximum fare would increase to $5.75. tolliver, the people using paper farecards will see the biggest strike. a one where rush-hour trip would cost $6 no matter the distance to of the trip. before any of this can happen, passengers will get away in. also they are calling for 1000 metro employees under the proposal, all of this expected to

suspect is behind an armed carjacking in wheaton. >> richard sarles will present fare increases to the metro boardn average of 5% a hike in parking rates, metro says it needs the money to rebuild its system, which has been neglected for yearpay for hiringover 1,000 employees. >>> metro drivers crashing into cars, hitting people, running red lights see that on the drive cams attached to every bus. sherry lee takes a closer look. we have to warn you some of this is tough to watch. >> one of the most disturbing videos shows a metro bus going down the street, notice the other traffic stops but the bus keeps going and suddenly you see a man in the cross walk, get clipped. some how he walked away on another video the bus approaches an suv at a stop sign rear ending it so hard it hits a school bus too. >> these are some of the hundreds of videos first obtained by wtop, buses hitting buses, running red lights, hitting other cars and near misses. they were captured by metro's drive cams every bus has one, metro says the operators in these videos have already faced disciplinary action if warranted drivers m

the proposal will add 1,000 new workers. that would bring metro's total staff to more than 12,000. the big issue at hand for metro's board members is the proposed 5% increase in bus and rail fares. >> costs go up. the demands on the system in order to plain tain maintain it, change and it has to be paid for. >>> there will be public hearings and discussions before metro's board can vote on any of the proposed fare hikes. the earliest the increases could go into effect is july. we'll head back to the pentagon and jim miklaszewski. we were talking about that controversial video, mick, that has outraged a lot of people, marines apparently urinating on the corpses of taliban militants. do we know who these marines are? [ no audio ] >> all right. we just can't seem to fix that. but we will so please stay tuned because we do want to hear more from mick about that story. >>> meanwhile we'll regroup and when we come right back a whole lot more on news 4 tonight. a baby discovered alone at the occupy d.c. camp. her father has been arrested and is telling his story of what happened. >>> a couple is charged with using drywall to ba

when the metro board meets this morning, it will consider a hire 1000 when hikes.and consider fare newschannelth a check traffic >> metrorail is a normal service. it has been a long ride on the loop from virginia up to 66. eastbound 66 from manassas and to hundred 23. let's see if we can pull up a picture in springfield. northbound 95 as the pace the pentagon. waterloo of the belt university boulevard pest -- this is the outer loop of the bill would pass university boulevard. some of the cloud cover is out of town. 41 degrees at dulles airport. is warming up a little bit. it will be a warm afternoon with near 60 degrees later on today the big cold front is cause a lightuld of snow on the grass morning. colder and highs in the 30's this weekend. we will be back at 8:56. ♪ we know that we are living in a material world and i am a material girl ♪ >>> that is material girl. almost a third of you voted for that song to come back with this morning. and we're going the hear from the superstar tomorrow. in her own words. right here. on "gma." and you know who is not a material girl? your precious litt

the area. i think it is a good thing. >> reporter: metro's general manager is calling for an 8% increase in the subsidies paid by the local jurisdictions served by metro. if the board does approve fare hikes, they wouldn't kick in until july 1st. barbara, back to you. >> thank you so much, megan, for that report. >>> take a look at the backup on the outer loop of the beltway this morning after a multicar accident there. this hneapped around 6:30 this morning. just after connecticut avenue. police are investigating if weather may have been a factor. the backup lasted for hours. and the heavy rain lasted for hours as well. but it looks like it is finally moving out. tom kierein joins us with the first forecast now. tom? >> yes. rained for about 17 hours but we only had about an inch or so of rain. so it didn't come really hard a lot of the time. enough for ponding of water and certainly wet this morning for the commute and no doubt that certainly contributed to that accident. and as we look at temperatures, it is climbing to near 50 degrees in washington and the nearby suburbs in prince george's, arlington, fairfax, montgomery counties. warmer, fredericksburg, to 54.

that money would accelerate the national safety board's recommended improvements for metro. f metro, and also that car replacement work they've been doing. and here's what he's proposing for riders. let's start with smartcard users. he want to eliminate the peak of peak or p.o.p. surcharge and wants to make the surcharge less than 5% with a maximum fare of $5.75. he wants to increase base off-peak fares to $1.70 a trip. the maximum off-peak fare being $3.50. there's also a change for paper fare card pricing, a $6 flat rate during peak periods and $4 for off peak. he also wants to eliminate the short-trip pass and day pass. he says that will make it simpler to understand. here are the proposed changes for bus riders. increased smart-trip local fares by a dime from $1.50 to $1.60. if it costs $2 for limited stops, $4 for the express bus. there's also a proposal to increase parking fees by 25 cents. he's saying that we should get $66 million in additional revenue from metro if his proposals are accepted. in order for that to happen, the public has to agree. there will be hearing

. >>> new at 6:00 a radical proposal tossed out during a conversation about extending the metro out to dulles. board member robert clark brown suggested scrap being the plans for a station at the airport in favor of a people mover system between the route 28 station and the dulles airport. that idea was met with skepticism even as the metropolitan washington authority tries to lower the cost of the $2.8 billion project. >>> 21 people are still missing tonight after friday's deadly cruise ship accident off the italian coast. rescueser are hoping for prance a miracle or two but they don't think they'll find any more survivors. they had to stop their operations today. the rough seas were shifting the costa concordia along the rocks that it originally ran into. crews are looking to offload 500,000 gallons of fuel from that ship. >>> a win for environmentalists today as president obama reject an application to expand the keystone pipeline between canada and texas. supporters say that 1,700-mile project would help reduce u.s. dependence on foreign oil. the president argues his decision was based more on w

metro officials to talk about transportation in the d.c. area. gray's office says the officials plan to discuss issues including safety and metro's governance. all three jurisdictions appoint members to the metro boardhe transit agency. audrey. >>> other stories making headlines this morning, there is more fallout from the harry thomas, jr. scandal. the head of a nonprofit is expected to plead guilty today to a felony charge in connection with the money scheme. marshall banks is is accused of knowing that thomas was stealing. a court document filed yesterday says that banks was aware that the former d.c. councilman was taking grant money, but he never reported it. thomas pleaded guilty to embezzlement last week. his sentencing is scheduled for may. >>> navel criminal investigators are looking into the shocking evidence of marines relieving themselves on a dead taliban fighter. the marines were part of a unit at camp le jeune, north carolina. the pentagon has now identified two of them. defense secretary leon panetta warns that video could endanger peace talks with the taliban, but a taliban spokesman says the video won't affect the talks and says that u.s. soldiers have done "a lot worse in afghanis

the paper fare. . metro is trying to lower the number. the boardof directors is trying to meet on friday with a chance for the public to voice concerns. >> we would love to hear from you. we in on the poll on our facebook page. >>> 15 witnesses are testifying about the events leading up to the deadly air show crash in nevada as a part of a one-day hearing. officials want a better understanding of regulations and practices. a pilot and 10 spectators died in september. there were eight year grace and air show accidents last year. >> this was a different -- >>> this was a different whether mess in texas with the city of houston under water. two-tothree inches fell in an hour. heavy wind ripped some roofs off houses. 20,000 homes and businesses lost power. that is a lot of damage. >> an unfortunate situation that the rain came that way, but it is a part of the u.s. where we really need their rain. >> does it help when it comes all lead once? >>. extend, the reservoirs -- to an extent, the reservoir is need to fill up. -- reservoirs need to fill up. >>

reporter: as crews tried to fix the red line thursday, metro board members were holding a safety meetingoard member muriel bowser hopes the rail issues will soon be a thing of the past. >> that's why you see the one track on the weekends, the work being done on the weekends constantly on the red line, our oldest line, but that type of steady work is what's going to get us to having the trains function the way everybody deserves. reporter: by noon the crack in the red line was repaired, a new patch on a struggling rail system. metro says it is constantly inspecting the rail throughout the system trying to avoid the issues like the one that happened on the red line this morning, but the best way to avoid these issues is to replace aging rail with new rail. in tinley town, matt ackland, fox 5 news. >>> today's break came down just as a metro board member was discussing a plan on how to close the projected $116 million budget deficit. the proposessed spending plan would include fare hikes. most fares would go up 5%. some fares would go down or be eliminated. the board will hold public hearin

the race for second place here. >>> riding metro may cost you more. the transit agency unveiled a new budget proposal. there will be a public hearing to discuss the proposed increases in february and march. metro's boardl have to approve any changes by july. >> the fda says it will clarify, but not make any significant changes to safety rules at air shows. 11 people were killed and 70 injured when a world war ii plane crashed at an air show in reno. the ntsb held a hearing to determine how safe air shows are. >>> stocks closed higher on wall street. the dow jones industrials picked up 69 points. the nasdaq was up 25 points, and the s&p 500 closed 11 points higher. >>> well, beyonce and jay-z may be singing a new love song about their baby girl. not everyone is so happy with the way she was brought into the world. >> wee onsay was brought into the hospital last night. ♪ the most amazing feeling i feel. >> reporter: rapper jay-z released this song in honor of his baby girl blue ivy carter. her birth was emotional and extremely peaceful, we are in heaven. but it was not heaven for roslin and neil who like the superstar parents delivered at lenox hill hospital on the upper east side. they were zee nied ac

no. 5, metro and the department of defense working to improve bus service to the new mark center in alexandria. metro's boardexpected to approve a plan this week to add more buses to routes between the west falls church station and the mark center. no. 4, google is getting more personal. starting today logged in google plus users will see content sprinkled in with their search results every results. if you search for the name mary, you may seat profile picture of a google plus -- see the profile picture of a google plus user in your friendship circle with that name a. no. three, holding teachers accountable in virginia, teachers jobs won't necessarily be protected by tenure if their students aren't learning. no. work heads up the bridge on blackburn road in woodbridge, virginia -- no. 2, heads up, the ridge on blackburn road in woodbridge virginia is closed for repairs. drivers are detoured to route 1. no. 1 tonight, alarming new numbers about binge drinking. the cdc says college ag binge drinkers average nine drink time they get drunk and it's more common among people ages 18 to 34. about 17% of adults surv

the current facility, located at metro west. city officials are hoping construction will spur future development projects around the metro station. there are no future plans for the metro west facility. >> the maryland state school boardoking to drastically change the way schools discipline students. >> board officials want to cut back on how many kids are suspended and virtually eliminate expulsions. >> newt gingrich goes after mitt romney in advance of what is sure to be a fiery debate tonight. we are in washington with the story, coming up next. live, local, late-breaking, this is wbal tv-11 news at 5:00. [captioning made possible by constellation energy group] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> new tonight at 5:30 p.m., the mayor could once again get control of the city school system if a lawmaker gets his way. 15 years ago, baltimore handed over control of the school system to the state. >> the goal was to help the district get more money, but now a delegate says it is time to turn the reins back over to city hall. >> this has always been a touchy issue, who should have the last word on how school dollars are being spent. the school board, a ceo or the mayor? there has been a ste

the busiest periods. today, board members say not so fast. sherri ly has more on the budget battle. >> reporter: metro's general manager formally proposed his budget to the board's finance committee. the board members had their own ideas on how to raise fares and how much. this year, riders will pay $12 million extra to travel during the busiest time of the day. dropping that peak surcharge is no small change. >> in my mind, eliminating the peak-of-the-peak, the cost of $12 million at the same time and suggesting a $7 million budges increase. substantial explanation. >> reporter: metro's proposed budget would make up the loss by raising base fares on rail and buses. it's visitors who use paper fare cars that pay the most, four or $6 one way. the board members weren't thrilled. >> i am very concerned that riders within the district and visiters are going to slow the taxi cabs and the circulator bus and enormous numbers. >> reporter: for the school group from virginia, it would cost the 10 students $40 to $60. >> and i feel like that is a look too much, i guess and right now, people are trying to get by. >> reporter: or for the family, it means no s

support complaints of distracted driving but metro says the images are just a small fraction of the millions of save miles driven by qualified drivers. metro's board is meeting today. they will discuss a proposal to raise bus and rail fares 5%. officials say it is necessary to cover a $116 million deficit in the projected budget. metro also wants to hire 1000 workers, and officials say you will see an improvement in overall service. >> you will see six additional trains on the orange line, more trains at service stations on the blue line, yellow, and green as well. >> under the plan, the base fare will increase from $1.95 up to $2.10 and metro will hold public hearings in the coming months and a final decision will be made by june 30. after a few flurries on monday, today we could be feeling a little spring fever. adam caskey. >> the fever will break kind of soon. take the tylenol now because a big cold front is moving in rather quickly and it will be here later tonight and it will have a profound impact on temperatures the next few days. a great time lapse. damascus -- look at the damp conditions and the lingering rain. then the clouds clear rath

the time. right now coming up, as everyone heads back to work, you might get a surprise when you board metro. anges you'll notice when >>> good morning and welcome back. new laws around the country aimed at cracking down and cell phone use around. all truck and bus drivers are banned from using handheld cell phones. the law affects an estimated 4 million commercial drivers. the law does make an exception, however, for emergency responders and roadside assistance workers. >>> beginning today, metro riders will notice a few changes with smarttrip cards. riders do not need to go to the vending machines to add money or smart benefits to their smarttrip card. riders can also add money to their card online. the federal transit benefit dropped from a maximum of $230 a month to $125 a month. and if riders do not use all of their smart benefits by the end of the month, they could lose all of that cash. >>> prepaid gas pumps may be a thing of the past if new technology proves effective. consumer reports magazine says two michigan gas stations are testing a new program called post pay. it allows people t

the plan to see if it's feasible. >>> metro is not considering offering riders a new monthly pass. this idea came up at yesterday's board of directors meeting about the transit agency's new fare hike proposal. "the washington times" reports that some of the board of directors expressed concerns that rider are so upset with the metro rail service that they won't pay more to use metro without some new incentives. so now they are introducing the unlimited monthly pass so that riders will find it as a cheaper alternative than hopping into their car every day. no word on how much this unlimited ride monthly pass would cost. >>> about time they came one that idea. 4:55. >>> the future of alexandria's waterfront could be decided this weekend. we'll plane why when we return -- we'll explain why when we return. ♪ so in love with you >>> whoa. flexing his presidential pipes. what inspired president obama to burst out in song. >>> this weekend the alexandria city council could vote on a plan to develop the city's waterfront. it would create new parks, hotel, and stores as part of a walkway for pedestrians. opponents have swung int

the metro area is down 19%. >> the mayor and two governors also said metro's board appears to be functioning well and did not need to make changes. >>> one of the boards around the king memorial may soon change as crowds come to see it this weekend. ken salazar gave the park 30 y days on a controversial quote that read, i was a drum major for justice peace and righteousness. many thought the paraphrased quote made dr. king sound conceited. the original quote reads, if you want to say i was a drum major, say that i was a drum major for justice. say that i was a drum major for peace. i was a drum major for righteousness and all of the other shallow things will not matter. the national park service will work with the king memorial foundation and king family to find a solution. >>> right now, d.c. and howard university police are looking for a missing student. they are searching for ar irian carr, a freshman from california. the flew back to d.c. after visiting campus on oakland. family members have not been able to contact her. friends passed out flyers around campus last night. if you have any information on her wh

. >>> metro officials are now considering giving riders the option of buying a monthly pass. the idea was floated yesterday at a metro board meeting. mary hine says the price of the monthly cards would be tied to a certain number of trips per month but any additional rides would be free. metro general manager richard sorrels has proposed a new wave of fare hikes but board members are concerned riders will not pay more for the system without some incentives. >>> there could soon be big changes when it comes to d.c. food trucks. the popular trucks serve everything from pizza to cupcakes. they are now facing a possible total overhaul in where they can serve their food. megan mcgrath has the latest details. >> lunch time at farragut square. food trucks are lined up along the curb and customers are lined up too. >> i like the mexican food they bring into it and also i like the spicy food, the fusion between asian and new american food. >> reporter: a revolution in midday dining has taken root in the nation's capital. there are even apps to track your favorite truck from gourmet cupcakes to crab cake sandwiches mobile vending ha

the progress that metro has been talking about. they say they're making some headway a long way to go though. the gm presents this plan to the board later this morning. if they vote by may 1st we could see some changes july 1st, the paper fare cards though, likely after labor day. jessica, mike back to you. >>> now to an update on the battle over church property in virginia. a judge has ruled against seven congregations who split from the episcopal church after it installed an openly gay bishop. this case started back in 2006. those churches wanted to keep their buildings and land after switching denominations but yesterday, the judge ruled the episcopal church should be restored as owner of all of the churches, that same judge initially sided with the seven congregations but the virginia supreme court disagreed and ordered a new trial. >>> to campaign 2012 we go. the republican presidential hopefuls are zeroing in on south carolina. the primary there next saturday. mitt romney is leading the pack gong the gops. he admits knot going to be -- it's not going to be easy. just one of the candidates he's trying to attract support all t

the other camp at freedom plaza. >>> fox 5 monitoring metro and we're not the only ones. today d.c. mayor vincent gray, virginia governor bob mcdonnell and maryland governor martin o'malley met with metro's ceo and board chair to talk about safety. they're pleased with the improvements made so far but realize more needs to be done. mayor gray asked ceo richard sarles what changes have already happened. >> i asked him a question what two or 3 factors he could cite. he talked about a change in culture within metro, a change in the structure of how they address safety and adding more staff, more resources to the safety department and also the process by which they look at safety features within metro. >> last year the governors and mayors suggested the board should focus more on policy and leave running the transportation system up to the o. they say that change has been made -- the ceo. they say that change has been made and seems to be working out well. two metro stations on the blue and orange lines will be closed, federal center southwest and capital south stations. shuttle buses will take passengers between l'enfant plaza and eastern market and single tracking well continue on parts of the red line.

metro officials to discuss transit issues in the region. d.c. mayor gray will host virginia governor bob mcdonnell and maryland governor o'malley at the wilson building this afternoon. metro's general manager and board chairman hudgins are scheduled to attend. all three jurisdictions appoint members of metro's board and they fund the transit agency. gray's office has issues of up for discussion of safety and metro's governance. >>> expect delays on metro this weekend as the transit agency uses the long holiday weekend to do track work. two stations, federal center southwest and capitol south will close tonight at 10:00 on the blue and orange lines. shuttle buses will run between the l'enfant plaza and market street. transparency will be single tracking. trains should be back to normal schedule by tuesday morning. >>> let's check in one more time with dan allege sealock to see how things are moving on the roads this friday. almost noon. good morning again. >> good morning. still seeing the accident overturned tractor trailer. this is on the ramp to shady grove from 270 northbound. this was the scene earlier today and i can tell you not much has changed. but the good news is so far the driver seems to

metro officials. d.c. mayor gray will host virginia governor mcdonnell and maryland governor o'malley at the wilson building this afternoon in a closed door meeting. metro's general manager, richard sarles, and board, katherine hudgens, also scheduled to attend. all three jurisdiction appoint members to metro's board and fund the transit agency. gray's office says a number of issues on the agenda including safety. >> speaking of metro, two stations will close this weekend. the federal center southwest and capitol south stations will close at 10:00 tonight. that means major delays on the blue and orange line as shuttle buses will run between the l'enfant plaza and eastern market stations. on the red line, trains will be single tracking between dupont circle and friendship heights as well as between tacoma and forest glen. trains should be back to regular schedule by tuesday morning. monday's a holiday. >>> if you have a district that you haven't paid, now is the time. there are two weeks left in the ticket amnesty program. it allows people to pay the face value of any ticket written before january of 2010 without paying late fees. payments can be made at the dmv, by phone, or on line through friday

the lexington market metro station. they found him conscious and alert under the train. passengers on board the train say it was a scary experience. >> the stock was pushed -- it was like a sudden stop like that. i knew something was wrong. i did not know it was a person. he was on a wheelchair. he had slept under. >> i did suffer some contusions and abrasions as a result of being run over by the train. >> you are taking a live look at the lexington market station. it reopened about 1 hour ago. that man is recovering from his injuries at a local hospital. >> an update to another story we brought to you as breaking news at 5:00, a 16-year-old girl is recovering after anne arundel county police say she was attacked in pasadena. she was stabbed in the stomach. happened around 3:30 this afternoon. there is no word on the victim condition or what led to the violence. >> as governor o'malley offered an alternative to the 15 cent increase gas tax. >> the governor is floating the idea of raising the sales tax from 6% to 7%. david collins has the latest. >> governor martin o'malley. >> the governor

metro. ahh... so much better than last year. [ both screaming ] throw the food out the window! throw the food out the window! [ growling ] never again. everyone deserves a great vacation at a great price. get on board a carnival cruise and get more fun for all. >>> heads up for metro riders. pretty soon it could cost you nor ride. of the transit agency's general manager is unveiling the new budget proposal this week that calls for a 5% increase to bus and rail fares. tracee wilkins is live in chinatown with the budget breakdown. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. seems that with every budget metro riders are holding their breath because they know there will be increases in that budget. the general manager is saying that better is not cheap. here's a look at what he's proposing. metro general manager richard sarles' $1.6 billion operating budget is $116 million more than last year's budget. he's proposing paying for it with increases for everyone from riders to the jurisdictions. he wants an additional $53 million for maryland, d.c., and virginia. that money would accelerate the national safety board's recommendations for improvements for the system. it also would pay for the rebuilding of met

the achiever in you. >> a proposal sparked a lot of controversy. a board member suggested the new metros the airport. >> it would save millions of dollars, but upsets a lot of people. >> under the current plan, the mattress stop would be on the other side of the parking garage -- a metro stop would be on the other side of the parking garage. his remedy takes the stock altogether out. >> catching a flight from dulles is a bother. >> especially if you're looking at flights going out towards rush hour. it can be a hassle. >> the prospect of the highly anticipated metrorail project not having a stop is a little confusing. >> the whole idea was the whole convenience factor. >> and new proposal would have the ground 28 stop be designated airports drop-off. riders would be shuttled to their terminal from a people mover. >> i see this -- not to some parking lot a quarter of a mile away. not everybody sees it some way. >> it seems like it would be a waste of time to get another form of transportation. >> it would save $70 million and would cut off about 2 miles. travelers are not keen on adding

. >>> and the timing of this mishap came as metro board members were deciding how to close a projected $116 million budget deficit. the board will hold public hearings on the proposed budget the coming months and that will include fare hikes. a proposal would raise fares by an average of 5%. >>> and fox 5 is monitoring metro 24/7. send it to us. >>> a large crowd of protestors paid pepco a visit today, demanding the power company draw a rate hike request. and they marched up and down the street. they had planned to sit in the lobby and service center there. the police blocked the doors and wouldn't let them inside. the protestors say they want to be heard. >> we're here because pep who -- pepco refused to talk to us and want to raise rates on our residents. as we see, there are way too many people here who can afford that and -- and that large package. >> the protestors also demanded pepco cut their top executives pay in half and to dedicate the utility companies to infrastructure improvement and to job creation. s public schools. who is recommending closing 3 dozen schools and some of

the surcharge. the board said not so fast and as part of the budget proposals, metro's finance committee agreed to look at whether the peak-of-the-peak surcharge on should stay. it brings in $12 million a year and several members were not thrilled about raising prices for visitors whoous paper fare cards and they would go up to $4 offpeek and $6 peak. >> $6 per trip for a family of four is $24 and if do you that in a couple of days, you are in -- . >> and i echo my colleague's comments about making sure the paper card issue is fully vetted. >> and that committee is recommending that metro consider a surcharge on paper fares instead of a flat fare or to create a two-zone system for the paper fare cards. no decisions will be made until june and that is after the public hearings. any increase won't happen until july. >>> send us your video to fox5.com. >>> the gun fire rang out around 9:30 in front of an elementary school and that is not far from the other schools. the parents showed up saying thigh they knew something like this would happen and are demanding more police enforcements. >> and they need to

the metro riders may see an even steeper fare hike than proposed. this week a budget was laid out including a 5% increase but got rid of a surcharge for the busiest periods. today some board members said not so fast, fox 5's sherri ly monitoring metro tonight. reporter: this year riders on metro way will pay $12 million extra to travel during the busiest time of day dropping that peak of the peak surcharge being no small change. >> in my mind eliminating peak of the peak at the cost of $12 million, at the same time suggesting a $7 million bus increase needs substantial explanation. reporter: metro's proposed budget would make up the loss by raising base fares on rail and buses. paper fare cards that pay the most 4 or six dollars one way. board members weren't thrilled. >> i am very concerned that riders within the district who are visitors are going to flow the taxicabs and circulator bus in enormous numbers. reporter: from this school group in russberg, virginia, it would cost the students 40 to $60. >> i kind of feel like that's a little too much because right now people are just trying to get by. reporter: or for the stark family it means no souvenirs. >> we'll be spen

the third was found guilty after a four-day trial. >>> monitoring metro now. the new fare hikes, metro's general manager laid out a new budget proposal to the board and it includese won't have to pay the surcharges for riding during the busiest peak period. the budget also calls for hiring more than a thousand new workers. >>> three dangers are recovering after being shot in front of an elementary school. this happened yesterday on alabama in southeast d.c. most of the young students were already inside the school when the suspects fired these shots. officers near the scene chased down two groups to different locations. the victims are between the ages of 16 and 18 years old. >>> stuck in the mud. a man had to be rescued in clinton, maryland after getting trapped in a waist deep mud. this happened at the regional park. the lake there had been mostly drained and the worker somehow got stuck in the gooey mud. rescue crews laid down large pieces of plywood to reach the man. he was able to climb out with the help of a rescuer and a shovel. >>> health concerns for actress heather locklear. >> still ahead, an update on her condition after she was rushed to the hospita

the passenger experience. >>> a new budget to raise metro fares. the general manager plans to present the bill to the board today. it will include buses and parking. >>> a program hoping to expand in baltimore. a public health campaign to cut gun violence through mediation and community outreach. it's called the safe streets program. a request for a proposal was approved by the board of estimates yesterday. it's received $2.2 million in funding so far from the department of justice. it -- it could help neighborhoods promote nonviolence. in a new study the program was effective in the past several years. >>> would you believe this is a toy gun? it is. police in westminster arrested two people -- three people for pointing it at a car driver on route 97 wednesday. police say the victim says the passenger in that car rolled down the window and pointed this rifle at her in sykesville. todd gory has been charged with assault. they are also charging a 17-year-old in this case. >>> police in montgomery county need your help to catch a burglar caught on tape. you see it taking place here thanks to the homeowners' s

the years. bruce. >>> lesli, another day, another threat to bail on plans for metro's silver line. the washington business journal reports tonight, loudoun county's board of supervisors is considering dropping out of the project. that would cancel the last two stations on the line. of course, we'll keep you posted on what happens. >>> overnight, storms left parts of the dallas area under flood waters. most of the dallas, fort worth, metroplex has 3 to 4 inches of rain by daylight today. several more inches are expecked to fall by this evening. they closed several roads due to the high water. >>> remnants of the solar flairs have blasted past earth. despite concerns, the satellite networks and such, no major problems have been reported. the radiation passing through the earth's magnetic field created spectacular light shows like these recorded over norway. >> did you see any outside? >> i looked a couple times and didn't see anything. >> i didn't see anything, either. >> which is why we have video. >> thank goodness, right? >> yeah. we are looking at rain tomorrow, but nothing heavy. there's no cold air in place. not a question of what it's going to be.