tracie potts has our report. >> reporter: in st. louis today, protestors tried to disrupt a congress made's news conference touting the success of cash for clunkers. >> the billions we're spending we don't have. we're borrowing it from china. >> reporter: dealers have already claimed more than half the billion dollars in government rebates that was supposed to last through october. today lawmakers promised another $2 billion this week. >> cash for clunkers will pass. >> when will do you that? >> before we leave here. >> reporter: chrysler sold so many cars dealers are running out. today the company stopped doubles reet bait. the government says more than 130,000 americans have traded for new cars. saving the typical buyer up to $1,000 a year on gas. ford rolling out its new taurus said it could boost the economy. clearly this h been a home run but at what cost? >> i'm not going to pass a bill on to our kids of 2 wld to buy a car today p about it's not fair to our children to keep doing this. >> reporter: and some ask is it fash just

traci potts reporting. >> it is 61 degrees on the deal. coming up two firefighters are killed battling several wildfires that forced major evacuation and california. >> people -- eight people are dead after weekend mass murder. the details ahead. >> first i want to give you a live look at traffic. on the major roadways it is looking okay. on the west side at liberty on your screen. we will get you up-to-date next. >> welcome back on this monday. it's the last monday of august, but it won't feel like it. if you like fall. highs in the 70's. a mix of sun and clouds. there is a disturbance to our south that won't make it any farther north than it is now. it is over southern maryland. if light showers to the south of annapolis approaching ocean city. it's going to be nice in baltimore with partly clouds at 70 degrees. >> in california they're all wildfires destroying acres of land, houses, and commercial properties. hundreds of people were evacuated from the town of all burnt-- of auburn. the station wildfire in the southern part of the state,

im traci potts reporting from washington. >> 69 degrees on tv hill but at 5:07. the leader of the virginia spca is morning accidental loss of vermontpet -- of her pet. >> and new information in a cold case from california with an 11 year-old girl having turned up now. >> we will look at the weather and traffic straight ahead. >> 72 degrees with cloudy skies just about everywhere. there is some rain activity here and there around the area. there's a flood warning for harper county to 7:00 this morning. pretty intense showers in cecil county. anywhere from 3 inches to 6 inches of rain measured in some areas overnight. intense thunderstorm activity. there are thunderstorms in annapolis. thundershower activity leading into carroll county and frederick county at this time. we are not done with the range chances. the rain is in the forecast today, tonight, tomorrow. we will detail that an insta- weather plus forecast in a minute. >> of covering the nation, officials believe they found a woman alive after she was kidnapped in 1991. 11 year-old jaycee lee dugard was abdu

tracie potts, nbc news, washington. >> next up, these researchers are going to look at the brain scans of multitaskers and study whether their grades and relationships suffer as well. >> we all know that people who chew gum don't walk so well. >> there you go. >> stay with us, everyone. "news 4 today" continues at 5:00 a.m. >> we'll be right back. >>> endemic potential. the possibility of a

i'm traci potts in washington. who will step up to the plate? will have that story next. >> we are still taking your answers to our question. does the start of the school year have you concerned about the spread of h1n1 swine flu virus? email us at watercooler@wbaltv.com. watercooler@wbaltv.com. what about the drink and the chips? extra. think a $5 sub is a good deal? it's time to unthink. kfc's new $5 fill-up boxes, each with a side... and medium drink for just $5 bucks. unthink. and taste the unsub side of kfc. this is fabulous! new kentucky grilled chicken! marinated and grilled to perfection... for that five-star, fall-off-the-bone taste. mix original and grilled in your bucket! taste the unfried side of kfc. i eat anything that i want. key lime pie, pineapple upside down cake, raspberry cheesecake... ... yeah, every night is something different. oh, yeah yeah... ... she always keeps them in the house. no, no, no. i've actually lost weight... i just have a high metabolism or something... ...lucky. babe... umm, i gotta go. (announcer) 28 deli

tracie potts, nbc news, washington. >>> we have breaking news right now out o montgomery county. police and fire aren o the scene involving a pedestrian. pened river roaditoa and tis i reportedly suffering life-threatening injuries. that does it for news4 at 4:00. news4 at 5:00 begins right now. >>> tonight on news4 at 5:00, a history-making day as the senate votes to confirm sonja sotomayor as the new justice on the supreme court. >>> firefighters encounter a room full of snakes. >> tricks of the trade keeping food in your fridge fresher, longer. >>> good evening and welcome to news4 at 5:00. i'm pat lawson muse. >> i'm wendy a rioeger. aleiontnt robbery ended with a t amo five eiv f w people arrested for er sies of ieerbbs, bberies,ne onc ingdi one nek i lt week in

here's tracy potts. >> reporter: cdc is not recommending extra cleaning.solate sick students and staff and send them home. but very few schools should have to close. >> it is nowlear that closure of schools is rarely indicated, even if h1n1 is in the school. >> reporter: officials now recommend sick students stay home only one day after they're well, not a whole week, unless their virus gets worse. kids with sick family members may have to stay home. they will have to move desks further apart and hold classes outside to prevent the virus from spreading. >> we want toeep schools open. that's our mission. >> reporter: they are preparing online lessons in case schools close. >> if we have families without internet access, we want to make sure we had have packets so you can come to the school and pick those up. >> our students have to keep learning. >> reporter: they want to vaccinate children on site. catherine maxwell volunteered to test the vaccine. >> this is going to save a lot of lives. >> reporter: the trials will determine if two shots three weeks apar

pots pots -- tracie potts has the story. >> everyone is taking precautions, from employers allowing the sick to work from home. >> we could survive on a quarter of our work staff. >> to daycares asking parents to drop their kids at the door. >> we try to find a balance between being proactive and not overreacting. >> today a world health official said expect an explosion of swine flu this fall. >> i that word "explosion" but it is possible as the kids come back and conjugate together, you will see an up surge. >> and because the virus is flowing slowly, you will -- >> it is a race between the virus and the vaccine, and we'll see what happens. >> 4,500 children and adults are in clinical trials, and so far there have been no safety problems. results on how well the vaccine works will start coming out mid september. anti-viral medicines like tamiflu can also help fight, but doctors are asking to save those for the young the elderly and pregnant women. >> after h1n1, maybe we'll get a double barrel. regular flensia may come along, too. we have to be flexible this year. >> and in australia

from washington, i in tracie potts. >> that would be good news. studies of the swine flu will begin soon. the lead a vaccine investigators says that 67 young adults volunteered and 67 senior citizens will get a detailed screening and orientation on monday. if they give their consent, they will be getting two shots, three weeks apart, to determine the effectiveness of the vaccine. if the vaccine is found to be safe, it will be tested on children. >> still ahead, another horrifying case of animal cruelty. kids are accused of setting a cap on fire. >> we will have an update on the cats condition. >> firefighters are heading out west. details on their trip. >> or get help through, one group has started the gross food movement. see some of their gluttonous creations in medical it. >> the could be fighting to stay on top of their (employee 1) subject: urgent!! bob!! i need the baker file stat!! reply!! still making changes. circle back later!! what's with the yelling? oh, our internet slows down during peak hours so sending e-mails and large files just

tracie potts, wbal-tv news. >> be prepared for fewer toe nature owes -- tomatos at higher prices. first a look at events going on around town. >> a fungal disease known as "late blight "has hit maryland. one maryland farm says that blithe is here. >> and how that will mean fewer tomatoes in the produce section. >> growers here say light blight isn't all that uncommon, but this year it hit hard at the beginning of harvest. >> what you see here is a large, brown lesion. >> growers here knew something was wrong as soon as their toe natos began to ripen. late blight had arrived early. >> one of our best varieties was hit hard, so we had to harvest all those ripe fruits and unripe fruits early. >> growers are being hit hard in the eastern u.s. due to cooler temperatures and higher rainfall. >> it can be devastating. it quickly invades the plant tissue and within days can kill a plant. >>ed -- the threat has jose medina on edge. >> last year in about a week they were dead. >> lily french hasn't noticed anything different at her local farmer's market. >> if it started to get in the news,

from capitol hill, tracie potts. "news 4." >> that's "news 4 at 4:00."news 4 at 5:00" starts right now. >>> tonight at 5:00, an emotional homecome oing, two journalistists jailed in north korea for five months return home tonight. >>> caught on tape, a man is tasered by police three times and gets up like nothing happened. >>> and cash-for-clunkers program is creating big business for automakers but the programs are causing problems at local charities. good evening, welcome to "news 4 at 5:00," i'm wendy rieger. >>> there was a serious car crash within the last hour. several people were hurt. traycee wilkins is on the scene right now. tracee? >> hi, jim. you see these two vehicles here. they were involved in this accident. the cadillac came down the street, striking this suv. the suv flipped over. the cadillac wassal seriously damaged in this extent as you can see. there were two people in that cadillac. three people in the suv. er

tracie potts. >> reporter: many of us are e-mailing so mail carriers are delivering fewer letters and the postal service is losing money. >> post office has to adjust to it or they will go the way of the horse and buggy. >> reporter: even after raising prices, getting rid of mail boxes and cutting work hours, eliminating thousands of jobs and soliciting new businesses online. >> give flat-rate boxes a try. they won't make a $5.5 billio y retiree health payment. >> somebody will pay and that will be the u.s. taxpayer. >> eliminating regular deliver on saturdays and closing nearly 700 postal facilities. >> i won't have a place to come at lunchtime to drop off my mail. very inconvenient. >> we want to keep as many open as we possibly can, but we cannot just sell stamps in those outlets. >> reporter: one senator says all those changes amounts to 1% less than operating costs. union workers are at odds whether to reduce that massive insurance payment. >> the requirement for the postal service to prefund the massive 75-year liability over a ten-year period is not possible. >>> tracie potts,

tracy potts, news 4. >> health officials say we are probably weeks away from knowing how bad the h1n1 virus will be this year of course because most schools have not started yet. while the swine flu is new, school closings because of the flu are not. every winter a relatively small schools close because of the regular flu outbreaks. >> well, summer is not done with us yet. erious heat coming up this t ilet'go to bob. >> it is. what an exceptional day we ha and enjoy this evening. sparkling blue sky early. got down to 55. it's only around 80. some spots in the low 50s out to our west. right now into the 80s. the hottest days, the hottest temperatures of past summers. remember a couple years ago we got up to over 100? well, i think over the weekend we may be seeing our temperature 98 degrees which would be as hot as it was last summer. a turin increase and it will feel 15 to 20 degrees hotter than it does right now. so get ready for some big changes. the humidity is coming back, along with the heat for a good part of the weekend and into next week. back to you. >> thank you, bob. >>> co

tracie potts has that story. >> reporter: some students at the university of north carolina chap hilln't seem too concerned about swine flu. >> nobody is dying around me. i'm good. >> i guess i will just have to worry about if i get it. >> reporter: administrators are asking students to bring their own thermometers, avoid class and dining hall it is they are sick, and preferably go home to recover. >> if they are able to go home, the roommate to maybe bunk with some friends and to -- and to be out of the room, you know, as much as possible. >> reporter: that's exactly what the government's recommending along with encouraging colleges and universities to offer vaccinations when they are available and asking them to be flexible if a stanley cup is missing class and missing a midterm exam, they are doing the right thing by not coming to class. we don't want them penalized. >> reporter: the government is telling universities if their there is space for temporary dorm rooms for sick students, consider using them. 20 sorority students got sick, they are ramping up on disinfectants. >> antib

tracie potts looks back at her life. >> a couple of a member of the kennedy family, eunice kennedy shriver war the mantle of public-service largely out to the public eye. unlike her siblings, john, bobby, and ted. her life's work was inspired by another sibling, rose mary, who was born mentally retarded. she founded the special olympics in 1968, inviting people with mental disabilities to showcase their abilities. >> each time you run and jump, you will save others everywhere , "come to our world, where we are free, free to choose our sport." >> her husband, at sargent shriver, co-founded the peace corps and ran for vice president with george mcgovern in 1972. pearse son-in-law, arnold schwarzenegger, is governor of california. she produced a television special on religious faith, binding the kennedys through generations. she focused on the story of mary and jesus. >> that kind of a lesson, "if i had a faith, i can change the world of." >> another time to turn to prayer and each other. >> president obama has released a statement saying that she will be remembered as "i checked in for peopl

from capitol hill, i'm tracie potts, news4. >>> a low-carb high-protein tie-dye it may help you lose weight but it may also lead to heart problems. researchers placed mice on a low-carb high-protein diet. the diet did not affect their cholesterol levels but there was significant plaque buildup in their arteries. within just three months. the kind of fatty plaque that can lead to heart attacks or strokes. the mice also have problems forming new blood vessels and damaged tissue. researchers say this diet should contain more starchy carbs and a balanced diet is the best option. >>> it is news that it is semi sweet to those of us with a sweet tooth. the american heart association says we weigh too much, too much sugar. today the group is out with some new guidelines that they say will help keep us healthy. leanne gregg has the latest. >> reporter: the nation's love affair with sugar is not so sweet when considering the potentially dangerous impact on health. >> obesity is practically an epidemic and obesity is almost root and cause for a lot of the diseases, especially heart disease. >>

tracie potts, nbc news, washington. >>> final check on the weather. >> it is hot. hasn't gotten much cooler. temperature in northwest washington, 90. dew point, feels like it is close to 100. common temperature. that's 90. dulles, 93 degrees. heat index of 99. great picture from space with winds of 125 miles an hour. how would you like to be looking down the center of that? th 's all the way to the sea. looking around the canyon of the eye wall, hurricane bill. we won't see any effects from that but will see a weather front tomorrow, bringing a chance of nasty thunderstorms. more comfortable here by sunday. back to you. >> thanks, bob. >>> coming up tonight at 11 cloak, a dozen student fall ill during a high school football practice. we will have the latest. cash for clunkers may be ending but there could be another wave of subsidies on the way for consumers. >>> he lost his wedding ring 16 months ago and he finally found it on the bottom of wellington harbor. he's an ecologist. he was conducting an environmental sweep of the harbor when the ring flew off his finge

i am traci potts in washington. we will explain. >> we are giving you a lot of view of the west side at liberty road. looks good. but there (announcer) get our best back to school prices... ...at the jcpenney lowest prices of the season sale. all arizona tops and bottoms are buy one, get one for 88¢ plus, save on denim at america's biggest back to school levi's sale kids' backpacks are only $11.99 athletic shoes are $38.99 all bath towels are buy one, get one for 88¢

tracie potts, nbc news, washington. >> u.s. secretary of education arne duncan says schools should be prepared to keep teaching even if swine flu sickens large numbers of students. >>> a small plane crash landed in the parking lot of a mall in new jersey today. it happened at the rockaway township mall in northern new jersey. an instructor and student walked away from the crash, only onl minor injuries. the plane had just taken off from a nearby airport when the pilot reported engine trouble. the plane hit several trees and then it lost a wheel before it spun around and landed on its nose. no one on the ground was injured and emergency crewsoved in and blew foam all over the plane to keep it from catching fire. >>> an update on the overnight launch of "discovery" has been scrubbed yet again because of a valve problem. the shuttle was scheduled to lift off around 10:0 tomorrow morning. but the scoffry of that problem will make eight no go. the shuttle was also supposed to launch at 1:30 this morning. last-minimum thunderstorm po

tracie potts has our story. >> reporter: they say confirm her now.lly outside the capitol, lawmakers, civil rights groups, hispanics, women and others urge them to say yes to judge sotomayor. >> judge sonia sotomayor is not only an excellent choice, she is the right choice. >> reporter: inside they took turns debating her record, rulings against gun rights and white firefighters claiming discrimination, but mostly they debated whether she'd be fair. >> i'm troubled by her decisions. >> reporter: at least 28 republicans say they'll vote against her. >> i'm not convinced that judge sotomayor will set aside her personal judgments and views. >> reporter: democrats defended her wide latina comment. >> she should have been commended for that statement, not criticized. what's wrong with a little ethnic pride? >> reporter: not on the high court, critics say, where decisions are all about applying the law. some republicans are saying they're willing to give sotomayor a chance. >> i do not believe the constitution tells me i should refuse to support her merely

tracie potts, nbc news, washington. >> you can take vitamins.et 400 units a day for most people. 6 to 800 ubts for older adults. >>> cing up tonight at 11:00, a shot that might be able to prevent breast cancer in some women. >> there's no history at all of breast cancer in my family. and it was a shock. >> reporter: she underwent chemotherapy, but since the cancer had already spread, doctors said her chance of recurrence was high. a frightening thought for the virginia mother and wife. >> a lot of it is that. if i could do anything, you know, to keep it from coming back, like you said, you know, you feel very young like you're not ne rar feaordynghi ttoes b do. din h f outow a vblnee a t o obl a to stop bkgac i b sneomin patients. we'll have more on that tonight at 11:00. >>> we've had a nice august day out there. nothing to worry about. there's our sky watch looking down the river. here's our temperature right now in washington. we're at 83. the dew point will be creeping up tonight with reasonable air temperatures into the low 60s. some of the

tracie potts shows us why a deficiency can lead to serious problems later in life. >> a study finds that seven in 10 american children do not get enough vitamin d. one in can have a level so low that they are deficient. milk and fish are big sources of vitamin d, but so is the sunshine, and that is where researchers think american children fall short. >> four hours a day of using computers or watching tv or playing video games, there were 60% higher risk of developing and vitamin d deficiency. >> i get it from yogurt or anything with not in it. sometimes i go out in the sun. i play with my friends. >> it is a bigger issue for those with darker skin, because their bodies cannot absorb vitamin d as easily. six in 10 african american girls are vitamin d deficiency it can lead to osteoporosis and cancer. >> two times the risk of high blood pressure, two times the risk of having high blood sugar or blood glucose concentration, about four times higher risk of having the metabolic syndrome. >> all of which are risk factors for heart disease, but can be reduced for most people with just tend to

tracie potts is joining us live with more from capitol hill. good morning. >> good morning, everyone. evidence is actually mounting that we may be coming to an end here when it comes to this recession. the problem is your wallet may not realize it. today we'll learn what people spent and what your paychecks look like in july. analysts predict the economy may actually grow for the first time in a year, a sign the recession may be on its way out. we're already seeing a small rebound in housing as fence-sitters decide to buy. >> if they see that housing prices are stabilizing they're going to jump into the market and we'll see a small surge in sales. >> reporter: some corporate profits are up. dell's reporting an unexpectedly strong second quarter, b analysts say companies are making money because they've laid off workers. >> personal disposable nm begins to rise again, these are the things that determine a recession to the average person. >> signature and date. >> reporr: unemployment's not expected to bottom out until next spring at 10% or more.

. >> -- tracy potts has the details. >> protesters tried to disrupt the conference, topping the success for cash for clunkers program. >> the billions of dollars we are spending on the program, we don't have. >> dealers have already claimed nearly half of the billion dollars. >> when will you do that? >> before we leave here. >> chrysler dealers are running out of cars. the government says more than 130,000 americans have traded gas guzzlers for cars that are 61% more fuel efficient. this is the typical buyer $1,000 a year on gas. ford says cash for clunkers could boost the economy as manufacturers make more cars. clearly, this is a home run. but at what cost? >> i am not going to pass a bill that will cost our children to billion dollars. >> some ask is it fair to just help automakers? >> there are many people asking why is that industry being assisted when my industry isn't? >> so far, half of the cars came from america's big three that were sold under this program. some say it will not have a lasting impact on the economy until the government can create more jobs and boost consumer c

tracy potts has more. >> a study in today's journal of pediatrics finds seven out of 10 children do notet enough vitamin d. one of 10 have levels so low that they are deficient. researchers think american children fall short in the sunshine. >> they were at 60% higher risk of having of vitamin d deficiency. >> this girl looks for vitamin d elsewhere. >> i get it from yogurt. i don't really drink milk. >> it is a big issue for people with dark skin because their body cannot absorb vitamin d as easily. six out of 10 african american female girls are vitamin d deficient, which could lead to osteoporosis, cancer, or even heart problems. >> the risk of high blood pressure, two times the risk of height -- of having high blood sugar, and four times to higher risk of having the metabolic syndrome. >> exposure without sunscreen 10 to 15 minutes a day could help. let your kids play outside fort tenor 15 minutes, then apply sunscreen. -- for 10 or 15 minutes, then apply sunscreen. >> now, your forecast with tom tasselmyer. >> relatively comfortable temperatures for august. 100 degrees for a record

tracie potts joins us live from capitol hill now with more on that. good morning, tracy. >> reporter: good morning. if you live in this area i don't have to tell you that washington is a town where politics reigns and there are often fierce debates but the tone here this morning on the political front is very different. this is a city in mourning. >> the hope rises again. >> the dream shall never die. ♪ we shall overcome >> reporter: a vigil and moment of silence in washington's dupont circle to honor the man known for much more than the causes he championed. >> for me, i lost my best friend in the senate. a great friend. >> repter: congress is still on break but around the country, senator ted kennedy's colleagues remembered not only his passion for helping people -- >> you name the subject, ted kennedy was there. >> reporter: they also remembered his personal touch with democrats and republins. >> he gave his word, he kept his word. and that meant a lot to me. >> he was universally beloved in the senate so we're going to -- we're going to miss him. >

tracie potts reports. >> reporter: in saint saint lieu issues protestors tried to disrupt a news conference touting the success of cash for clupgers. >> the billion of dollars we're intending, we don't have. >> reporter: dealers have already claimed more than half the billion dollars in government rewaits that was supposed to last through october. law lawmakers promised another $2 billion this week. >> when whether you do that? >> before we leave here. >> reporter: chrysler sold so many car, dealers are running out. today they stopped doubling the government rebate. the government says more than 130,000 americans have traded gas guzzlers for cars that are on average 61% more fuel farkt. saving the typical buyer up to $1,000 a year on gas. ford rolling out its new taurus said cash for clunkers could boost the economy as manufacturers make more cars. clearly this has been a home run, but at what cost? >> i'm not going to pass a deal on to our kids of $2 billion to buy a car today. it's just not fair to our children to keep doing this. >> reporter: and some ask is it fair just to help automake

tracie potts has more on the story from washington. >> with swine flu on the way, everyone is taking precautions. from employers allowing the sick to work from home. >> day cares are asking parents to drop their kids at the door. >> would try to find a balance between being proactive and not overreacting. >> today, a world health organization executive said to expect an explosion of swine flu this fall. >> it is entirely conceivable that as kids come back to school and contradict close together, you will see an upsurge. >> because the virus is growing slowly, we will only have a third of the dose is expected by mid october. >> it is a race between the fibers and a vaccine. we will see what happens. >> 4500 children and adults are in clinical trials and there have been no safety problems so far. results will start coming in in mid september. antiviral medicines can also fight swine flu. the world health organization is asking doctors to save those medicines for the young, the elderly and pregnant women. doctors warn that swine flu is not the only health concern this fall. >> maybe we

from capitol hill, i'm tracie potts, news4. >>> a friend of michael jackson's is explaining why he believes he may be the biological father of jackson's daughter, paris. ma lrtees is the godfather of the late singer's three children. he told the "today" show's matt lauer he donated sperm for jackson at a decline nick london. lester said jackson confided in him that he wasn't comfortable having sex with a woman. and when the topic of sperm donation came up lester said he did it because jackson was a close friend. >> when i gave it, i made the decision that was it. i had given something as a gift and didn't want anything in return for it. that was it. end of story. >> do you know definitively whether you are paris jackson's father? >> no. >> no idea. >> no idea. even if i was, without it make absolutely no difference to the status quo of the family anyway. >> lester says while he does not know if he's paris' biological father he believes there obvious physical similarities between paris and lester's 15-year-old daughter seen in this picture on the right. lest also say he is willing to take a

tracie potts joins us live from capitol hill. she has the latest on this battle. good morning, tracy. >> good morning, everyone. getting this done and getting it done this year looks tough. hope for getting it done with republicans and democrats on board, a bipartisan effort don't look good at this point because both sides are firmly planted in their corners and as you said, the senate's best negotiator is no longer around to pull them out. the loss of accept tour ted kennedy in the middle of trying to craft a deal on health care means democrats need a new leader and they're looking to the white house for help. >> well, i think the president's got to decide in a sense that he has to step up and train this again for us. >> reporter: analysts say with congress deeply divided -- >> we're looking at a congress that's never been more polarized. >> reporter: president obama must set a clear course. >> sooner or later the president has to weigh in and he has to carry the ball. >> he has failed to articulate a strong message about what he wants in a final bill. >> reporter

tracie potts, news4. >> it has been 47 years now since marilyn monroe's death at the age of 36. she is still an icon with the public. it would appear that somebody has paid millions of dollars to have a final resting place near monroe. her remains are in a burial park in los angeles. the crypt above monroe's crypt was just sold on ebay. the space will have sold for more than $4.5 million. >> wow. >> the crypt belongs to a woman named elsy pauncher. bdurie uri forever if she did not bury him face down so that he was looking toward monroe. so

from capitol hill, i'm tracie potts, news4. >> and that means exposure without sunscreen, which raises concerns about skin cancer. most of us put the sunscreen on first and then go out. take 400 units a day. 600 to 800 units for older adults. but many doctors are recommending 1,000 units a day. make sure you get your d. you don't like milk. >> right. chocolate milk, i'll take it. or cereal. >> you spend extra time in the sun. >> that's it. >>> coming up next, you play games for fun, right? we'll show you one man who seems to have taken his monopoly game a bit too far. now he's in hot water. >>> also, how you can benefit from a new strategy by airlines from a new strategy by airlines to fill those empty seats.a# julie loves target, it's got the supplies teacher told her to get and for a great deal. she also expects he'll love the sandwich. she expects he'll think of her when he sees the note. so she shops target. gotta have deals on the stuff she's gotta get. target. expect more. pay le. >>> if you are looking for a cheap airline ticket, try twitter. jet blue and united airlines are off

tracie potts, nbc news, washington. >> here's what this means to you.our local post office may close, and the agency is considering no more mail delivery o saturdays to save money. about 1,000 offices across the country are on the chopping block. 14 branches in our region are on that preliminary list. nine of those are in the ri dict. the columbia heights, .ct davis, resrceahesearch lara nto,ryavy annex, northeast, peorth,, randall and woodbridge branches.wo brbechth,da ibethda, hyattsville des silprinprgg could also be closed, iludi ng fredericksburg. no closures expected until at least october. keith? the widower of a woman who is accused of a horrific wrong-way crash is now defending his late wife. diane shuler's action killed eight people last month in new york, including her 2-year-old daughter and three young nieces, though tests reveal that shuler was drunk and high on marijuana at the time, her late husband says it is not true. >> i go to bed every night knowing my heart is clear, she did not drink. she is not an xolic. she not an alcoholic. my

from washington, i'm tracie potts, wbal-tv 11 news. >> and just in time, a special delivery at the marylande need continues to grow. >> but first a look at events going on around town this weekend. >> the maryland food bank had a special gift from the feeding america partnership. a new truck was delivered last week. the 2009 14-foot truck will be used to deliver food donations to local participates, but workers may have a hard time filling it. their shelves are bare. they are looking for donations. >> the annapolis police department are helping kids get a fresh start back to school. saturday morning the annapolis police department and moon barber shop gave away free school supplies. kids that visited received pencils, pens, notebooks, binders, and more. they say they want to make sure kids are prepared for the school year. >> they decided to collaborate with helping the kids get back to school. we felt that we would give back to the community. >> such a fun program. in addition, the police department also provided a free lunch to all participants. very cool. >> get this -- shaquille o'neal

tracie potts, nbc news, washington. >> well, president obama is retooling his pitch for health care reform. today he will host a town hall meeting in new hampshire and things could get pretty boisterous. this new pitch is aimed at people who are already -- have health insurance. the health care issue has already sparked heated debates around the country. president obama has called the debates healthy, but opponents say it's a sign of widespread public dissatisfaction with his ideas. >> what this country desperately needs is a real, honest discussion about what the problem is. we're going broke on health care. >> people who are protesting are the taxpayers who are thinking, wait a minute. we have to pay for all this. maybe we need to slow down. >> the president says he's confident that despite the heated debate, reform will happen this fall. >> well, a student apparently messed with the wrong clinton. hillary clinton got testy with a student for asking what her husband thought about international affairs. she was in congo yesterday taking questions from university students. one of them aske

many children don't get enough of it because they spent too much time in doors. 11 news reporter tracie pottsas more. >> a new study finds seven in 10 children do not get enough vitamin d. milk, fish, and sunshine are big sources of vitamin d. >> using computers, watching tv, ow or playing video games, there was a 60% of having vitamin d deficiency. >> jasmine carter can't drink milk, so she looks for vitamin d elsewhere. >> i get it from yogurt. sometimes i put on the sun and i have sun screen on. >> it is a big issue for people with dark skin because their bodies can't absorb vitamin d easily. 6-10 african-american girls are vitamin d deficient. later in life that can lead to off the prosis, cancer, and heart problems. >> two time the risk of high blood pressure, two times the risk of having high blood sugar or blood glucose concentrations and about a four-time higher risk of having met policyic syndrome. -- metabolic syndrome. >> all of which can be reduced by 10 to 15 minutes of sunshine every day. >> of course, that's exposure without sun screen which brings up issues about skin cancer.