♪ ♪ everybody loves the underdogs that's my dog ♪ what a festive night on the show. appreciate all ten of you watching. well an adorable dog is at the center of an ugly custody battle. >> it is a multimillion dollar tug-of-war over a tiny pomeranian. our paula faris has the story. >> reporter: meet sammy, the picture perfect pooch now at the center of a $500,000 breakup battle royale. he is the star of sammyandthecity.com, a wildly popular web site showcasing the photogenic pomeranian's adventures in new york. in april, scott smith and his then girlfriend, anna, launched the site hoping for internet glory. but when mommy and daddy went their separate ways last year, sammy and the potential fido fortune generated by his website got caught in the crossfire. >> sometimes it is not even about the animal. it's just they want to get one over on the other side. >> reporter: smith tells "the new york post" he is filing a $500,000 lawsuit for his share of the rights telling the paper this is one of the biggest atrocities that ever happened to a family. in a statement, kimara says she hasn't seen any lawsuit and there is no money to fight over. writing, "truth is i never made a dime. no offers were ever made." but the fight over this little looker is more about cash than custody. and it is turning ugly. smith says his ex allegedly stole his ipad, deleted all of sammy's pictures and yanked his access to their online accounts. something she denies. and then in april, he landed in jail after allegedly grabbing her iphone at a meeting. he pleaded not guilty. paula faris, abc news, new york. >> it is true, people do love their dogs. they love their pets. >> i get that. somebody tried to take my dog. they would have a custody battle. >> we love dogs here on "world news now." >> you know me. >> we love our dogs here. on "world news now" as well. and over there by jack. a lobster going to the boiling pot. be careful of that, man. be careful with that. be careful. >> i love this show. >> ah-ha! >> this is what we do. the finest entertainment in the middle of the night on july 4th. a dancing wiener. look, i am hungry. i requested one. all i want, thank you, captain jack, relish, and ketchup. you are different. >> spicy mustard. maybe. maybe onions. maybe. >> what do you like on yourself jayce? or is that personal? >> mustard. >> mustard. >> see, he has it right. >> he does. he does. >> food on the set. relish. you don't like relish? >> anyway. >> communists. [ laughter ] >> communists on this 4th of july. >> we'll be right back. ♪ ♪ ♪ everybody knows that, no matter what age. he was one of the most recognizable faces in hollywood, and a symbol of a simpler time. both in television and really for the country as well. andy griffith, of course, died tuesday morning. >> he was best known for his role as sheriff andy taylor on "the andy griffith show." abc's brandi hitt has a look back at his life. ♪ >> reporter: to this day, that whistle calls tv viewers back to mayberry where, for eight years beginning in 1960, andy griffith starred as sheriff andy taylor, opie's pa. >> you know you have been taught the golden rule. do unto others as you would have them do unto you. >> yes, pa. >> you think you have been following that rule? >> sure, tommy does unto me, and now i am doing unto jerry. >> reporter: after learning of griffith's passing, ron howard, the actor, starred as opie, tweeted his pursuit of excellence and the joy he took in creating served generations and shaped my life. i am forever grateful. rest in peace, andy. griffith with his wise words and laconic southern drawl was the straight man in the comedy about small-town america. >> why are we stopping at ms. kelsey's? >> she had to go to -- >> going to check the locks, huh? >> no, we are going to take in her laundry. >> reporter: the real mayberry many believe was griffith's hometown of mt. airy in north carolina. the movie theater is a monument to his career. griffith started out as a high school music teacher and got his first break with the funny radio monologue about football. >> it was that both bunches full of them men wanted this funny looking little pumpkin to play with. >> reporter: soon griffith was appearing on broadway and in movies like "in no time for sergeants." >> sergeant, i am plo. >> what? >> permanent latrine orderly. >> reporter: he had a good boy brand and was funny. hollywood took note and gave him "the andy griffith show." when it went off the air it was the number-one-rated program. 20 years later, griffith made a come back as yet another southerner, this time a guitar playing lawyer, named ben matlock. >> you have no idea. he didn't think for a minute that you would kill him first. >> reporter: fans and friends are now leaving flowers at griffith's star on the hollywood walk of fame. elements of griffith's personal life would have distressed aunt bea, he was married three times. he once said he wished he could have been a little more like sheriff andy taylor. brandi hitt, abc news, new york. >> an iconic era for this country and tv. he has already been buried. he requested he be buried after his death, buried 11:30 yesterday, family farm on roanoke island. that has taken place. >> an accomplished musician. i didn't know. he recorded successful albums of christian hymns and in a music in 2008 for w brad paisley. >> looking at the world today, mayberry doesn't seem like a bad place to be these days. rest in peace, mr. griffith. ♪ it may be the detergent. add finish power up to boost your detergent and you'll see a huge difference. watch what it can do. look at that sparkle! now that's clean! cloudiness! spots! tough stains! even dishwasher build-up! gone! just like that! so don't give up. add finish power up. wow! see the difference! it's a must have! do you ever wish you could make some things just disappear? ♪ ♪ [ ping! ] [ ping! ping! ] that's why i use new tampax radiant. it helps keep my period invisible, combing tampax's best-ever leak protection with a revolutionary resealable wrapper so all they'll see is me. [ ping! ] ♪ ♪ hi. totally new, awesomely-invisible tampax radiant. check out the whole radiant collection. ♪ ♪ ♪ can you tell what holiday it is, folks? take a wild stab. 4th of july fireworks in city that really does need something to celebrate. >> thousands showed up in denver for a free concert and fireworks. this wasn't just a night to mark the nation's independence and dedicated to helping support victims of the wildfires ravaging colorado. >> the was like, is it okay in colorado to do fireworks. under the control of professionals. they don't want private folks doing it. >> exactly. >> way too drive. prevent any more fires. of course everyone at the fourth of july celebrates, independence, of course. >> here are some facts about the date you may have not known. july, 1776, 2.5 million people lived in the united states, now the nation's population is nearly 314 million. >> fireworks, of course, are a booming business with annual sales at nearly $232 million. that's a lot -- almost as much as the costume the independence day -- not always a celebration. three u.s. presidents have died on july 4th. i didn't know that either. of course, as you can tell by our serious set, we are doing nothing but celebrating right now. get that wiener, amanda, show initiative. this is our facebook question of the day, what are your plans for the 4th of july. go to wnnfans.com and let us know. uh-huh. and you can tell us or you could show us if you want to. >> yeah, tweet your pictures to us at abcwnn, hash tag wnn fans. you never know your photos could wind up here on "world news now." love to see that. >> oh. she found that cart. we got our friend captain jack back over here. wienermeister for us tonight. >> easy with the titles. >> sorry. take it easy. >> hot dog chief, how about that. top dog. commissioner. >> the commish. >> served up two, to yourself and to our old friend, jamie mccarty. >> i'll take one. i will take one. >> all right. >> i will take one. >> you tell -- what you like on yours, you are picky. >> mustard. >> mustard. >> we don't have onions. >> i prefer dijon. i will do the classic. >> she is so -- >> did you wash your hands, too? >> yeah, absolutely. >> wash your hands. >> oh. >> we have food. we'll be back. >> we have food. we'll be back. i'm only in my 60's... i've got a nice long life ahead. big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all standardized medicare supplement plans it could save you thousands in out-of-pocket costs. call now to request your free decision guide. i've been with my doctor for 12 years. now i know i'll be able to stick with him. you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. plus, there are no networks, and you never need a referral. see why millions of people have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp. don't wait. call now. this morning on "world news this morning on "world news now" -- holiday hell. more than a million people will spend president 4th sweltering with no air conditioning. >> the agony days after terrible storms of course knocked out power on top of one of the hot -- hottest independence days ever. it is wednesday, july 4th. good morning, everyone. happy 4th. >> is that what date it is? i thought it was casual wednesday. >> happy fourth, i'm sunny hostin, paula faris is on assignment. >> good morning, everybody, i'm rob nelson. we are celebrating an american tradition, hot dogs served up throughout the morning here. a little hot dog stand in the back here. you have yours over there. you have started. just mustard, mustard? >> just mustard. >> very good. also on this busy travel holiday, cutting edge car technology to keep you safe out there on the road. we will show how it could protect you. this to me makes a lot of sense and is becoming more and more standard in a lot of vehicles out there by some of the country's automakers, could save lives and money. >> i like it. >> amen. and then maybe not so safe. the parents who put their kid in the water to swim with sharks. 5-year-old little girl. and put the whole thing online. now there is a feeding frenzy of angry reaction. >> i guess so. are you kidding me? you're a mom, would you do something like that? >> no. >> with sharks, people losing limbs, the little girl, they videotaped it. you can imagine the reaction. also this half-hour with katie holmes seeking her independence from tom cruise some new revelations about how he tried to control her career. a very interesting event that she wanted to do he did not want her to do. maybe one of the other factors that led to the divorce we are seeing now. >> i suspect we will be learning more and more about what is really going on. >> it could open a window to his life, up to the church of scientology, next couple months very interesting what we learn about the world of tom cruise. let's say that. >> absolutely. but first, record high temperatures could turn independence day celebrations into meltdowns in several cities. there are heat advisories in effect for 16 states from the dakotas to the east coast and nearly a million customers are suffering through another day of no electricity. abc's karen travers is covering it all, good morning, karen. >> reporter: good morning, rob, good morning, sunny. utility companies say they're doing all they can as quickly as they can to get the power back up. but for the people who haven't had power since last friday their patience is running thin. utility crews are working round the clock, but with nearly a million and a half people still without power, they're facing an uphill battle. >> there are just not enough people. there are just too many problems. there are too many situations. >> reporter: but that is not going to ease the frustrations of so many customers without electricity who feel powerless. >> basically, the response is, that they must all have the same scripted spiel. we are going to get to you when we get to you. >> reporter: maryland governor martin o'malley has pleaded for patience. >> 75% of those who suffered power outages as a result of this hurricane punch without the hurricane warning have now been restored. >> reporter: it will be a different kind of 4th of july this year. 20 states have some ban on fireworks because of the heat. temperatures are in the 90s across much of the nation, and no power means no air conditioning. >> it is -- got to be above 90 in here. and it's hot. and there is not much air moving around. >> reporter: and no refrigerators. >> we can't afford to go out every single meal. we have been bringing stuff home, using the grill. used up everything we could up in the first 48 hours. >> reporter: thousands are without power in west virginia. mary young has a well but no electricity to run it. that means no water. >> we came and got some water here. but it is 104 degrees up in the shade at our house now. >> reporter: for those that don't have power, the heat is unfortunately expected to last several more days. it is going to be a scorcher of a 4th of july today. rob, sunny, back to you. >> hot holiday indeed. thanks, karen. and it got so hot in the state of wisconsin that the highway literally buckled. check this out. a suv ended up going, whoop, airborne, when it hit that part of the pavement. passengers were not seriously hurt. crews went out to fix the problem. we are told the highway buckled again and the road had to be closed. look at that. that is some heat. watch the roadways, folks. and all this extreme heat takes its toll on animals as well. this cattle barn in missouri has some high-tech ways of keeping all the cows way cool. there is a mist that actually sprays on their backs and the barn's structure allows for air to flow through the shaded area. if the cows get stressed from all that heat, they simply don't produce as much milk. we need to keep bessie cool. that was awful. >> good. i enjoyed it. >> that was bad. well, here's a look at the rest of the nation's weather on this holiday. pop-up showers across the south with oppressive humidity. showers in the northwest this morning. but it will clear by afternoon. >> phoenix is a few degrees cooler than normal with a high of 97. oh, springtime. minneapolis could break a record at 102. and if you are looking for relief, you will find it in anchorage. all the way out there, their high, lovely sounding 59 degrees. a big load of fireworks has blown up at the wrong place and wrong time hurting at least nine people inside a house in pelham, new hampshire. the explosion late tuesday set the house on fire and filled it with smoke. one neighbor said it sounded like a million gunshots. two children who suffered the worst burns were medivaced to a hospital in boston. >> we see stories every year. of course, the holiday means people across the country are hitting the road. triple a says 35 million americans are traveling via car for this 4th of july, gas prices $3.33 a gallon. actually down 22 cents from a year ago. but it is a different story for people taking a flight. >> gas prices are going down at the same time that airfare is going up. so this may be the summer that people actually get back to taking road trips. >> road trip. and travelers are watching their wallets when they get where they're going and planning to spend 7% less on their trips than a year ago. a new look at crash statistics confirms july 4 is the deadliest day on american roads. for everyone behind the wheel, some welcome news about road safety and the latest high-tech equipment being built into cars. abc's jim avila went for a test run. >> reporter: new technology designed to eliminate scary car crashes and keep drivers alert so they don't run off the road like this unbelted driver who survived his rollover. today's automakers are moving toward not just protecting you from an accident, but avoiding one altogether. and it's working. >> this technology is the first steps towards a car that can drive itself. >> reporter: 18 car manufacturers, chevrolet, toyota, ford, chrysler, offer optional forward collision avoidance using radar and lasers embedded in the grill to warn the driver he/she is approaching a slower or stopped car. reducing accidents by 14%, according to the highway loss data institute. we went to the insurance institute track to test it ourselves. >> it is assuming i am distracted or asleep? >> exactly. >> reporter: just in time i got the warning. >> there's 20. >> reporter: allowing me to brake or swerve out of harm's way. supposedly i am kind of dozing off. if i ignore the warning, the car brakes itself, but not quite aggressively enough. here we go. it's going to beep. i am not going to do a thing. it does hit it. run over it and kill it. an optional $1,200 update on most cars. the average accident costs $2,000. these new devices are available already as optional equipment and safety experts say eventually they'll become standard. but even before that, they're still worth the money because they can avoid an accident that is costly. jim avila, abc news, chesapeake bay, maryland. >> that's -- go ahead. >> i had no idea july 4 was the deadliest holiday, i thought cinco de mayo. or new year's eve. >> makes sense. the average crash will cost you $2,000. the radar will cost you $1,200. a smart investment. we have the kind of technology where cars can talk to you these days through the bluetooth, that technology makes sense, all about safety. i like it. it will come standard which is good news over the years and become commonplace, which is great to hear. speaking of cars, new cars are selling fast these days. in fact automakers just had their best month in five years. dealerships exceeded sales expectations last month. analysts predict this year could be the best since 2007. car sales up 22% from a year ago with generous incentives. showrooms are expecting a busy 4th of july today because of all the summer sales. >> i didn't know that either. >> the day to go shopping for your back to school supplies and your car. >> and your car. >> look at all that! well a big crowd was there to watch the final rehearsal ahead of tonight's big concert at the u.s. capitol, but they couldn't control just one part of the show. ♪ >> famous conductor john williams there with the national symphony orchestra and a musical tribute to the nation's olympians. pbs and capital fourth concert hosted by tom bergeron from abc's "dancing with the stars." and the dress rehearsal was called to an abrupt end when severe weather warnings were issued. everyone was told just to go home. >> mother nature is not messing around this week. hopefully it will stay dry enough for all the fireworks around the country. >> i hope so. i love fireworks. >> everybody does. the cool part of the day. all right. coming up next, new beginnings for tipper gore after an end to her political marriage. first, would you let your kid swim with sharks? would you? some serious questions for a mom and dad who thought it was just a great idea. you are watching "world news now." 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[ "jaws" theme plays ] i'm hungry -- sorry. mm, that's good. >> you recognize that music, right, "jaws" music. if you are a parent as i am, you know we do everything possible to keep our children safe. so imagine, just imagine, potentially -- intentionally, rather, putting them at risk just feet from the teeth of hungry sharks. >> i don't get this at all. some connecticut parents thought that was a fine idea. when they posted the adventure on youtube no less. here's abc's bazi kanani. >> reporter: ileana and david barnes make sure their little girl plays it safe. she rides in a car seat. wears a helmet on wheels. >> we are very cautious parents. >> reporter: they made sure their 5-year-old wore a life jacket when they took her swimming with sharks. yes, sharks. >> it was really fun. >> reporter: the connecticut family shot their home video of their bahamas vacation. at first you can hear ileana sound nervous about the fins in the water. >> david, are you at a safe distance? >> reporter: but even this feeding frenzy couldn't stop the little girl, swimming with a instructor above nurse and caribbean reef sharks. >> it was thrilling, but it wasn't scary. >> reporter: the sharks seen here are rarely aggressive but rarely is not never. she is your daughter why take the risk at all? >> you can't live your life in a box. >> just risk assessment inthe time. i'm concerned they don't put seatbelts on the school buses. >> reporter: the barnes says in this case the risk paid off. >> life is too short to be boring, you know. >> reporter: bazi kanani, abc news, new york. >> i'm floored. especially when you see sort of that feeding frenzy. >> what? why would you put your little girl in harm's way? all the shark stories we've heard. >> you hear it all the time about sharks, you know that are allegedly not dangerous, and then they go and bite some one's leg off. >> don't get it. don't get it. don't get it, parents. uh-uh uh. coming up, controversy involving tom cruise, katie katie holmes and a "dawson's creek" reunion show. and on top of that what is snooki thinking about? we'll explain. and a very unique picture when we come back in "the skinny." skinny ♪ ♪ so skinny ♪ welcome back to our festive little july 4 show here on "the skinny." more news leaking out about tom cruise and katie holmes. all the sordid details will pour out. the latest tidbits. katie was excited doing a dawson's creek reunion. anyway, there was all this talk coming together to do a movie, james vanderbeek, joshua jackson. tom cruise was like, uh-uh, i don't want you to do it. they were begging her to sign, he thought it would be backward in her career to do a reunion movie. a source saying tom was saying absolutely no way, going backward would be bad. holmes on the other hand didn't care how low brow he thought "dawson's creek" was. she wanted to do the movie and reconnect with the fans of the show. he apparently put the stops on that. that's why the reunion movie never happened. because tom stepped in. i hope that is not true. that is pretty sad. >> little controlling there. >> uh-huh. stay tuned as the details unravel, folks. next, remember tipper gore and al gore after 40 years of marriage announce their separation. no one filed for divorce yet. seems they have all moved on. because tipper has a new man. >> oh, tipper got a new man. >> look at him. yes. he is bill allen the former editor of "national geographic" magazine. everyone saying are they boyfriend/girlfriend, dating? the close friend said they have a deep friendship. >> we all what's that code for. uh-huh. yeah. >> huh. >> tipper, tipper, tipper. >> he is sexy. cute. >> good for her. after 40 years to find love again, good for her. >> he is 71. she its 63. >> older, older. tipper, tipper. all right. well speaking of true love let's talk about snooki for a second. let me set this photo up briefly. she is pregnant. in her third trimester. spotted going to a barbecue with "jersey shore" folks. take a look at the picture, folks. if this doesn't make you proud to be an american on this july 4, i don't know what will. that is snooki toting beer back to the party in the stroller. >> expensive stroller. >> according to sources she did not drink any of the beer, which is important because she is pregnant. just to show you she is putting her stroller to good use. god bless our country. >> nice going, snooki. >> indeed. she is classy. she is a lady. little bit of "glee" scoop. everybody -- yes everybody -- returning for season number four. so if you love "glee" and you love all of the regular they're going to be there. interestingly enough, your favorite big-lipped blond babe, well according to deadline, not only returning, in talks to be upgraded to a regular. real quick. dr. drew -- you remember from "loveline." the "wall street journal" reported in june, 1999 went on the airwaves to talk about virtues of glax smith-- glaxosmithkline wellbutrin. two months before the program aired he actually took, $275,000 from glaxosmithkline. he got paid to extol the drug. as we heard yesterday that drug had serious dangers. everybody is dirty. 3q what if you had up to 28 days of beautiful ? 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[ female announcer ] head & shoulders. live flake free. ♪ oh when the sun beats down ♪ oh when the sun beats down ♪ >> oh, oldie but goody. i like that. well done, music department. well if a gas grill doesn't do it for you, imagine smoked barbecue waiting for your 4th of july feast. >> if that sounds good to you amarillo, texas, was the place to be. the world's largest traveling smoker and grill. check it out. all 17,000 pounds of it. the driver of the rig is from amarillo but takes it all over the country to cater special events. imagine all the barbecue? >> i am grateful for our hot dog stand here this morning to celebrate the 4th. i am a huge barbecue fan, some ribs, some burgers. >> little pulled pork. >> love that dirty swine. we don't have all that here, but we have the commissioner of the hot dog stand. jack is back in the house. >> i am a little busy. our old friend from march madness competition joins us. >> we were out of money for the budget. >> that is just about right. just about right. >> okay. >> business picked up over here. >> they're good. >> yeah. we have a new wiener. don't we have a new wiener here? you had moves you wanted to show us? >> i like that! >> somebody, a little edgy for this show. that's all i'm saying. >> i'm going to call the emmy committee. >> somebody call. dancing over there. oh, lord have mercy. >> so, jack, we talked what we look on our hot dog. i'm ketchup/relish. sunny is creole. what do you prefer? >> i have to be honest, i am really not a hot dog fan. >> you know what is in them? >> yeah. if i had my druthers i would have a hamburger, something like that. keep it simple. >> have we found them? >> have not found the beer yet. >> his feelings are hurt. hamburger. >> your feelings are hurt? never worse than a sad wiener. get him. let him get his now. >> a huge order here from the graphics folks. >> graphics one of our favorite departments. make sure. >> keep them happy. how many hot dogs did we get with our budget? >> a dozen. >> two dozen. >> we had a good quarter on the overnight. very impressive here. that's the news for this half-hour, everybody. go to facebook, tell us what you hey, your high speed internet here at home... and on the go... ...with some really big news. it's b-i-g, big. high speed internet from at&t at home... includes wi-fi access on the go -- whoo-hoo! it's an unbelievable deal. it's an unbelievable deal. 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[ female announcer ] go to the website below and get high speed internet for just $14.95 a month for 12 months with a 1-year price guarantee. that's all the speed you need at a great price. it's an unbelievable deal, so why wait? act now! act now! like he said. ♪ ♪ this morning on "world news now" -- holiday heat. it could be the hottest this morning on "world news now" -- holiday heat. it could be the hottest independence day ever in several cities across the country. >> the potential dangers, especially for more than a million people with no power. it's wednesday, july 4th. just another day in the office. nothing special. nothing to look at, folks. we got a hot dog cart in the bag, flags, red white and blue, we have cookies, skittles, we got everything. >> everything we need. >> everything we need. >> who needs anything else? >> fully set. how we roll on the overnights. fully loaded. good morning, everyone. happy, of course, 4th of july. i'm rob nelson. >> i'm sunny hostin in for paula faris who is on assignment. well, it is a red-hot holiday, right? we have our own red hot right here, our hot dog commissioner is here to serve. and cut the mustard. >> which is far better than cutting the cheese. we appreciate that, jack. get back to the hot dog cart in a minute. didn't know you could rent a hot dog cart. >> love that. >> always thinking on the overnight. >> think we should have it every day. >> i'll take that. lobster stand tomorrow. barbecue pit. anything for food. we will read for food. also in the headlines this morning, an eye-opener found inside a broiling hot house in kentucky. 19 children, some of them babies fending for themselves in filth. a heartbreaking story. >> unbelievable. later on, a new word of warning before your cookout. why trying to keep your barbecue grill nice and clean could be putting you in danger. this is important. because, i learned something ne dngur aeou do cptabou unfortunately takes an accident to make, open up your eyes to it. happen when yucur and maybe you'll have a hot dog or two from the grill, who knows, but how about 50 or 60 of those things. what would 4th of july be without all that american face stuffing, eating contest. we will have a preview and, sunny, getting a start, you may not break the record, slowly getting toat >> i am. >> don't pick at it. take a bite of that thing. >> i like the bread. >> the bre >> oh. give me that. i'll eat that. but first, there is no holiday from the heat and hdity 4th of july. 16 states from the dakotas through the midwest and into the east coast are advisories >> as abc's ginger sze report, it will be the hottest july 4th on record in several cities. >> eat that thing. >> reporter: desperate for ice and water in west virginia volunteers delivering relief. >> it is 104 degrees up in the hadouseow. lines to buy generators. and in wisconsin, oven-like heat caused the pavement to expand and the road to buckle creating a ramp that launched that suv theresa reich pulled over to take a picture of the buckle in the road and instead captured that dramatic moment. >> you don't normally see that stuff in real life. >> reporter: temperatures pushed well into and past the 90s. 101 in north carolina. 100 in st. louis. five cities, chicago, minneapolis, detroit, memphis, and kansas city, now on track to have their hottest 4th o ever. and the extreme heat is making the extreme drought even worse. last year at this time, a third of the nation was experiencing drought. this year, 3/4 of the country parched. which is a big factor in the epic wildfires out west. back east, more than a million homes in seven states are still without power, the region still reeling from last weekend's violent storms. many could remain in the dark for the rest of the week. and the big concern is that heat index. let's look at this map. osnoto expect on the 4th of july. places like memphis, detroit, will feel like 110. not only do you have that ho pockethe of t1o thunderstorms up and down the east coast. ginger sze, abc news, new york. >> mm, a rough one out there, folks. crank up the ac. a look at the weather around the country. ers n ney should clear by night fall in time for the fireworks show. a risk of dust storms and flash flooding in the southwest. the south meanwhile, hit or miss thunderstorms.in boise, billings, salt lake city in the upper 80s. remember that jetblue pilot who had a midair meltdown. well, he is off the hook on criminal charge. found not guilty by reason of insanity. a federal judge says captain clayton osmen was suffering from mental illness when he left the cockpit and started screaming about terrorists and religion during a flight last march. the judge will decide to whether to release him or have him committed. now a disturbing story out of kentucky. 19 children were found living on their own in filthy conditions in a bowling green neighborhood. they ranged in age from 8 months to 14 years old. a neighbor said she reported the terrible situation two weeks ago but nothing was done. late yesterday, the mother of some of the childrno cfaresan c abuf o >> heartbreaking there. also, another heartbreaking story here taking place in a detroit courtroom. that's where 74-year-old grandmother listened to the final frantic words of her grandson moments after he was shot. the twhis,he one accused of killing him. s sit b drugs were making him dangerous. abc's linsey davis has more. >> what's your emergency? >> i've been shot. i have just been shot. i'm gonna die. >> reporter: the desperation of this frantic 911 call made by 17-year-old jonathan hoffman brought tears to the eyes of his grandmother as she sat in court. not only because the gunfire killed her grandson, but because she is the one on trial for pulling the trigger. not once, but five times. >> how did you get shot? >> my grandma. grandma shot me. >> your grandma and grandpa shot you? >> my grandma. >> reporter: the troubled teen moved in with his grandparents, during that time the grandmother started to fear her grandson because she suspected he was using synthetic marijuana, k 2 or spice. a relatively new drug, herbs, sprayed with chemicals. often marketed as incense. doctors say what makes it most dangerous is they don't know what kind of chemicals are used or what behavior it will provoke. >> i have seen children who are aggressive and violent. on another spectrum we have seen children with catatonic, slow movements not moving at all or no speech. >> reporter: tests show the drug was in lane's grandson's system at the time of the shooting. but the critical evidence may be this sound. another gunshot while he was on the phone with a 911 operator. >> i got shot again. help. >> reporter: a grandmother now on trial for murdering the very person she says she loved. and was trying to help. lindsay davis, abc news, new york. >> okay, the kid was using drugs. if she shot him while he has been shot on the phone to police and they're on their way what possible defense? >> i have no idea. i am just flabbergasted. when you listen to something like that. grandparents are just -- you know they usually just adore their grandchildren. so, i don't know. >> had to be some kind of self defense, she would have to use. >> she says she felt he was dangerous. >> he had been shot and was on the phone. >> he was shot and on the phone and asking for help. >> scary all the way around. >> i think grandma may be found guilty. we'll see. >> all right. we've learned more about the death of an associated press intern found dead in mexico. detectives in mexico city say armando montano suffocated in the elevator shaft where his body was found. the 22-year-old arrived from colorado springs early last month for an internship. >> violence in that country. wow. the u.s. has a wary new eye on iran this morning as tensions ratchet up. iran is boasting it test fired more missiles that could hit u.s. bases in the region. on top of that, tehran is now threatening to block a crucial oil route in the persian gulf. we get more from abc's martha raddatz. >> reporter: there is a build-up of fighter jets, ships and mine sweepers in the gulf, it clearly shows concern on the part of the u.s. when you transit through that strait of hormuz as i did recently with a carrier strike group, you see how easy it would be to shut it down and what a disaster it would be. the shipping lanes are only two miles wide in some places. all iran would have to do is lay a few mines or say they were laying mines and traffic would halt. so everything the u.s. is now doing is to protect our interests in those vital shipping lanes. martha raddatz, abc news, washington. and now, safety warning on this holiday. as millions of americans fire up that grill today. here is something that may never have occurred. didn't occur to me. injury reports are piling up now from people who clean their grills with those metal grill brushes. well, the wire bristles end up in the food cause something serious problems when accidentally swallowed. >> it can cause a puncture. it can cause bleeding. abscess, infection. >> a pennsylvania woman in fact had to go to the emergency room after a bristle the size of an eyelash caused her some extreme pain. experts say it is still okay to use the brushes, just check them regularly and get a new one if bristles are loose and starting to break off. think you are doing a good thing cleaning the grill. bristles you can choke on that. >> i will tell you that one looks just look the one that i have. >> got to get a new one. got to get a new one. >> lesson learned. as long as you clean. as long as your brush is clean, grilling up a few dogs, a fun american tradition. imported straight from germany. it is said that the frankfurter way back in the 15th century. -- it is said that the frankfurt er created in frankfurt, germany. >> a frank fact. the first word that mickey mouse, uttered was hot dogs in the carnival kid in 1929. and a hot dog unlike any other can be found in chicago where it is served only with yellow mustard, dark green relish, chopped raw onion, tomato slices and celery salt. rob, no ketchup. >> i'm basic, ketchup/relish on mine. you are more mustard/onion girl yourself. right? >> yeah. >> captain jack, everything all right back there? >> we don't have any mustard because it disappeared to graphics. >> graphics, bring it back. >> and, some of you had a dog yet? >> working on a hot dog. >> here it is. there you go. >> thank you, graphics for returning that. coming up, it's a recipe for the latest fad diet. take a tub of ice and two cups of hot coffee and one latex -- sound like a good weekend. one trainer says it all adds up to weight loss actually. also ahead, forget the scale for the day. the olympics of eating is about to commence. this one promises to be a real bun burner. you're watching "world news now." 3q take the gamble out of stain removal. only resolve all-stains has two formula chambers to remove all types of stains. using shout or oxiclean? that's just playing the odds. don't chance it, resolve it. see a resolve difference or it's free. attention - americans living with limited mobility. what do you do when you can no longer get around like you used to? 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>> exactly. not. doesn't make sense. our time would be much better be spent, sleeping longer, exercising more in the morning or taking the time to prepare a healthy breakfast. the omg author advocates skipping breakfast and exercising instead and says you should drink two big cups of black coffee to boost your nervous system and burn fat faster. i think the reason you will lose weight you are so jacked up on caffeine and climb the walls. the diet was self-published by a british scientist and celebrity personal trainer. already a best selling ebook women across the u.s. are trying it. >> it's worked great actually. i have lost the weight that i hoped to lose and feel like it is really easy to maintain. >> reporter: the full name of the ebook -- "six weeks to omg: get skinnier than all your friends." >> the title alone is just all wrong. first, it's using the phrase, omg. so, we are targeting a young audience here which could be okay if the message was a positive one. i think this is absolutely one of the worst fad diets i have ever seen. because it is targeting young people, targeting teens, and also because some of the points in the book are built on horrible habits. >> reporter: the author, who goes by the pen name, venice a. fulton, says the book is for adults and vigorously defends his diet on line. >> a lot of people have picked up on the get skinnier than your friends thing and taken it perhaps the wrong way. the fact is two out of three of us are now overweight. >> reporter: even stranger than all of that is the omg tip to get good abs. the author suggests blowing up a balloon. which some nutritionists insist is little more than a lot of hot air. i am ready to pass out. >> that diet doesn't make any sense to me. you got the cold water and then -- i mean could you do that. >> none of the diets would be necessary if you start eating right. don't understand the problem, america. >> interestingly enough, the most popular hot dog toppings ts is mustard. and among children it is ketchup. your favorite? >> kevin relish is delicious. stay with us, we'll be right back. and eat right, girl. ll be right back. and eat right, girl. ♪ hot dog ♪ ♪ hot dog ♪ ♪ welcome back, everybody. we are feeling very patriotic here this morning. and music like that. >> one of the most patriotic and admittedly gluttonous events of the day, nathan's famous hot dog eating contest in coney island, brooklyn, new york. they started cranking up the hype machine yesterday with the official weigh-in. >> it is a moment for all new yorkers, and all americans, to celebrate the inalienable rights bestowed on us by our forefathers, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. for the contestants included here, that pursuit includes consuming as many hot dogs as is humanly possible. >> mayor bloomberg, have a small coke with that, just wondering? >> the winner of the men's and women's hot dog eating contest gets the title of world champion and a $20,000 prize. $20,000 prize. >> revolting contest. the water. i don't know how they do it. as for the famous contestants you may recognize joey chestnut from the video, favored to win again. one eater not at nathan's, is takiro kobyashi, involved in a different contest. he himself helped organize it. >> sonya "the black widow" thomas the odds-on favorite to retain the title she won last year. she weighed in yesterday at 102 pounds. unbelievable. she holds the world record for women, having once eaten 41 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. [ burp ] >> exactly. well done. >> our sister network, espn, will have action from coney island today. at 11:30 a.m. eastern on espn 3. tape delays on espn 3:00 p.m. eastern. >> our hot dog commissioner, jack, captain jack. want to talk about the contest a little bit didn't you? >> yeah, it is always a big deal. they're expecting 40,000 crazy people down there, hanging out to watch people eat hot dogs. >> i wouldn't mind. >> have you ever been to watch it yourself? i don't have no interest. >> only time i have been to coney island, was to finish a half marathon. >> jack is a healthy guy. >> after the hot dog eating contest. >> come here, man, i want all the young people, i want to introduce you to what we do in the "world news now" internship program. you'll learn a lot. ha-ha! we'll be back with more after this. a lot. ha-ha! we'll be back with more after this. 3q what if you had up to 28 days of beautiful ? you can have up to 28 days of beautiful, smooth skin with veet wax strips. veet hair coating technology removes hair as short as 1.5 millimeters... ... and leaves your skin smooth for up to 4 weeks. try getting that with a razor. with veet you'll always be putting your best skin forward. veet. what beauty feels like. also try new veet high precision facial wax for salon-quality smoothness that lasts. ♪ in the summertime when the weather is hot ♪ yes, indeed. welcome to a 4th of july version of "the mix." we have the commissioner of hot dogs, jack with us here. and we are made in america. we love that in this building don't we? this guy celebrates fourth of this guy celebrates 4th of july in a special way. this guy comes to us from the "sun sentinel." "he was carving a 640-pound mound of cheese into a mini mt. rushmore rushmore. >> love that. >> that kind of cheese works best, it has a high butterfat content. he carved celebrities as well, dr. oz, steven colbert, and biff from "the letterman show." doesn't go to waste. goes to charity. people come by and munch on it. he is celebrating the nation's history. 640 pounds of cheese who doesn't like that? >> the plumber. more than that, it's good stuff. >> talking about cheese. chuck e. cheese, kids love it. my 6-year-old daughter insisted having her birthday party at chuck e. cheese. been around forever. 35 years. apparently they are changing chuck e. the whole mascot thing is changing. the new chuck comes clad in jeans, carrying the electric guitar, a hip -- chuck e. i don't know. i think he is scary looking. kids love the old chuck e. if it ain't broke, why? why? >> it's still a rat. >> she is -- hugging. hugging. does she look happy there? >> your beautiful little girl. >> she is at chuck e. don't think she will like the new chuck e. >> she is having a good time. forget jumping in the balls -- those balls are filthy. let's be honest. breaking news. three hot dogs left. >> oh. and if you have not had your hot dog. everybody had three. >> he had three. >> the control room has not had any. they have been upstairs. you snooze, you lose. that's tough. i want to talk to you, jack, final thoughts as we end the holiday. you are a sports nut. >> we mentioned the big hot dog eating contest. i will not be watching that. i will probably watch the tour de france today. americans in the tour de france. >> very nice. >> that will be good. >> you used to -- >> the one whose are on the bicycles as opposed to not. >> indeed. from the staffwise, how many hot dogs have we gone through already on set? >> i think we started with two dozen or so. >> done to three. >> that's a record. >> hungry staff here, man. the overnight shift. >> graphics. >> happy 236, america! >> hungry staff this morning on "world news now" -- hitting the road. july 4th travelers get behind the wheel instead of boarding airline flights. >> what's driving travelers' decisions this holiday now more than ever. it's wednesday, independence day, july 4th. and you know clearly just another day at the office. just another normal show. nothing special here, what you see on any other network news program. of course now it's independence day, july 4th, having a lot of fun. good morning, everybody. happy fourth, i'm rob nelson. >> i'm sunny hostin. paula faris is on assignment. we are celebrating july 4th with our very own july 4th cart. >> our top dog. >> oh. oh. >> get this. tip your bartenders. so you returned the wieners tonight? >> they told me there would be all the fixings. the search continues for the beer. >> no cold ones? >> that is very un-american. no beer. we don't get that. >> no anheuser-busch. >> and throughout the show this morning to celebrate the holiday. of course, also news to get to. serious news on this holiday morning, holiday tragedy in fact in new england. a fireworks explosion sends several people to the hospital last night. we'll tell you in a few second exactly what went wrong. and he's as american as apple pie and hot dogs. fond remembrances of andy griffith, a mark on television history. >> sad news. i don't know whether "matlock" or his show decade ago. everyone loved him. a charming every man kind of actor. >> i used to watch "andy griffith show." >> you are dating yourself. >> forget i said that. >> on the fourth of july, look good, red on. flags here. hot dogs, your hat. i took mine off. my head started to sweat. of course, on this holiday, millions of americans are on the move looking for a little bit of fun and some freedom from the blistering heat wave out there. >> yeah, of course the holiday is falling right in the middle of the workweek, there are people grabbing days on either side and taking a longer break this year and paying less if they're driving somewhere, but more for a flight. abc's matt kozar has more. >> reporter: gas prices are lower. that is helping, but americans are still watching their wallets. despite a heat wave gripping much of the country, triple a is predicting more than 42 million americans will travel this 4th of july, that's a nearly 5% increase over last year. >> gas prices are going down at the same time that airfare is going up. so may be the summer that people actually get back to taking road trips. >> reporter: the current national average for a gallon of regular is $3.33, down nearly 22 cents from a year ago. that's encouraging more americans to drive rather than fly. according to triple a, 84% of all holiday travelers will be hitting the road. but americans will be spending less during their trips. $749 per person, which is down 7% from last year. >> people want to take vacations they want to get away with their families, but they don't want to break the bank. >> reporter: if you decide not to take vacation and hang around the office, chances are you won't get that much done. according to one study, work place productivity falls by 20% in the summer. rob, sunny. >> by 20%. no one wants to work when it is so beautiful. >> holidays. when the holiday falls in the middle of the week like this people have taken the week off. last weekend. this coming weekend. so, for the folks, thoughts with the folks who don't have power. air conditioning. it's tough. but hopefully in the midst of all that, find time to have a little fun today. a good holiday. and it is going to be a dangerously hot day in many places on this july 4th. five cities in fact, chicago, minneapolis, detroit, memphis and kansas city are now on track to have their hottest 4th of july ever. the heat is being blamed now for at least five deaths on top of that. heat advisories posted now in 16 states from the dakotas to right here in new york. and the heat is proving especially hard on those who are still without power in the mid-atlantic. we mentioned a second ago. hundreds of thousand of folks are now entering a fifth day with no lights, no ac, no fridge. utilities were warning that many neighborhoods could remain in the dark for much of the week if not longer. a stark example this morning of how dangerous fireworks can be in the wrong hands. at least nine people including three children have been hurt in a fireworks explosion inside a house in pelham, new hampshire. crews rushed to the scene when neighbors heard blast after blast and then saw the fire and smoke. >> it sounded like a million gunshots going off. i was like, oh, maybe i'm so close, maybe they're testing it before they set them off later tonight. then i saw a huge mushroom cloud. >> two of the badly burned children were rushed by helicopter to hospitals in boston. there is also the danger that fireworks could spark wildfires especially given dry conditions. cities and towns in at least 20 states are now banning private fireworks. in fact, abc's ryan owens has more on the warnings. >> you can see the sparks flying all over the place, raining fire down on us. >> reporter: the ominous glow, the crackle of dozens of homes ablaze. it's our first look behind the lines of the most destructive fire in colorado history. >> this took my breath away. >> reporter: this driving tour shot by a veteran colorado springs firefighter shows entire neighborhoods reduced to apocalyptic landscapes. >> oh, boy. >> reporter: one of the fiercest nights of the waldo canyon fire. it destroyed nearly 350 homes. but hot shot crews like this one running toward the flames saved many more. >> they were enduring tremendous amounts of heat. but they saved this neighborhood. >> reporter: fear of new blazes led to fireworks bans in bone-dry communities in 20 states this 4th. indiana is one where police will be watching the skies. >> pretty much a cat-and-mouse game. especially once the word gets out that it could be a $2,500 fine or misdemeanor. >> reporter: their concern is one founded. one study found fireworks cause 15,000 blazes and $36 million in property damage in 2010. of course, fireworks can and usually are set off safely. especially at large shows like this one in dallas, where they set off 15,000 pound of fireworks. ryan owens, abc news, addison, texas. >> certainly understand, 75% of the country, very, very dry right now. you understand why states are saying don't do the fireworks. leave it to the pros. don't do the -- for all the folks who want to set them off for parties. looking at pictures what it could potentially lead to. particularly because the as we said conditions are so dry. colorado being an example, 600 homes destroyed and the fire 70% contained. a lot of progress. still miles to go. >> doesn't mean you can't enjoy the fireworks. leave it to the professionals. don't do it at home on your own. >> go to your city sanctioned show at the river, enjoy that. limit it this year. for a few seconds of fun out there, could be tragedy. >> exactly. well, in louisiana some say the effects of the huge gulf coast oil spill are still being felt two years later. shrimpers are seeing their worst catches since nearly 5 million barrels of crude oil spewed into the gulf. they're not sure when thing can get back to normal or if they can last until then. a biologist says other parts of the ecosystem has recovered. interestingly enough, lobster fishermen in maine are having the opposite problem. there is a glut of lobster there, that has driven down prices to less than the price of baloney. the lobsterman's association is trying a hard sell for the shell, cook a lobster. >> forget the hot dogs. get lobster. >> my favorite thing. that and bacon. >> lobster is your favorite? i knew that. bacon. lobster, absolutely. >> if you're back next year, we'll do bacon-wrapped lobster for you. >> does it get better? >> eat well in maine. lobster cheaper than baloney, you kidding me? and speaking of food give the folks at taco bell props. >> from bethel, western alaska, it's only accessible by boat or air. >> it was by air that taco bell brought in a truck filled with 10,000 tacos at an event last sunday. it was the company's response to a hoax, in fact, which said taco bell is about to open a new restaurant in the area. well, there's not going to be a taco bell there. hey, it sure seemed like the company made some friends. 10,000 tacos. i love taco bell. >> i do, too. >> mild sauce, cheese, lettuce. >> when i was pregnant i got hip to taco bell. >> your craving? >> i an not a fast food person, really. but taco bell called me. >> you picked up that phone didn't you? >> it called to me. spoke to me. >> like -- she's calling me. she's calling me. yes, indeed. coming up next, facts about independence day that you don't often see in the history books. >> first, the custody fight over a precious pomeranian, gets even nastier.it till you hear how how much money is involved. you're watching "world news now." you're watching "world news now." lved. you're watching "world news now." ♪ ♪ ♪ everybody loves the underdogs that's my dog ♪ what a festive night on the show. appreciate all ten of you watching. well, an adorable dog is at the center of an ugly custody battle. >> it is a multimillion dollar tug-of-war over a tiny pomeranian. our paula faris has the story. >> reporter: meet sammy, the picture perfect pooch now at the center of a $500,000 breakup battle royale. he is the star of sammyandthecity.com, a wildly popular web site showcasing the photogenic pomeranian's adventures in new york. in april, scott smith and his then girlfriend, anna, launched the site hoping for internet glory. but when mommy and daddy went their separate ways last year, sammy and the potential fido fortune generated by his website got caught in the crossfire. >> sometimes it is not even about the animal. it's just they want to get one over on the other side. >> reporter: smith tells "the new york post" he is filing a $500,000 lawsuit for his share of the rights telling the paper this is one of the biggest atrocities that ever happened to a family. in a statement, kimara says she hasn't seen any lawsuit and there is no money to fight over. writing, "truth is, i never made a dime. no offers were ever made." but the fight over this little looker is more about cash than custody. and it is turning ugly. smith says his ex allegedly stole his ipad, deleted all of sammy's pictures and yanked his access to their online accounts. something she denies. and then in april, he landed in jail after allegedly grabbing her iphone at a meeting. he pleaded not guilty. paula faris, abc news, new york. >> it is true, people do love their dogs. they love their pets. >> i get that. somebody tried to take my dog. they would have a custody battle. >> we love dogs here on "world news now." >> you know me. >> we love our dogs here. on "world news now" as well. and over there by jack. a lobster going to the boiling pot. be careful of that, man. be careful with that. be careful. >> i love this show. >> ah-ha! >> this is what we do. the finest entertainment in the middle of the night on july 4th. a dancing wiener. look, i am hungry. i requested one. all i want, thank you, captain jack, relish, and ketchup. you are different. >> spicy mustard. maybe. maybe onions. maybe. >> what do you like on yourself, jayce? or is that personal? >> mustard. >> mustard. >> see, he has it right. >> he does. he does. >> food on the set. relish. you don't like relish? >> anyway. >> communists. [ laughter ] >> communists on this 4th of july. >> we'll be right back. >> communists on this 4th of july. >> we'll be right back. ♪ ♪ ♪ everybody knows that, no matter what age. he was one of the most recognizable faces in hollywood, and a symbol of a simpler time. both in television and really for the country as well. andy griffith, of course, died tuesday morning. >> he was best known for his role as sheriff andy taylor on "the andy griffith show." abc's brandi hitt has a look back at his life. ♪ >> you know you have been taught the golden rule. do unto others as you would have them do unto you. >> yes, pa. >> you think you have been following that rule? >> sure, tommy does unto me, and now i am doing unto jerry. >>er learning of griffith's passing, ron howard, the actor, starred as opie, tweeted his pursuit of excellence and the joy he took in creating served generations and shaped my life. i am forever grateful. rest in peace, andy. griffith with his wise words and laconic southern drawl was the straight man in the comedy about small-town america. >> why are we stopping at ms. kelsey's? >> she had to go to -- >> going to check the locks, huh? >> no, we are going to take in her laundry. >> reporter: the real mayberry many believe was griffith's hometown of mt. airy in north carolina. the movie theater is a monument to his career. griffith started out as a high school music teacher and got his first break with the funny radio monologue about football. >> it was that both bunches full of them men wanted this funny looking little pumpkin to play with. >> reporter: soon griffith was appearing on broadway and in movies like "in no time for sergeants." >> sergeant, i am plo. >> what? >> permanent latrine orderly. >> reporter: he had a good boy brand and was funny. hollywood took note and gave him "the andy griffith show." when it went off the air it was the number-one-rated program. 20 years later, griffith made a come back as yet another southerner, this time a guitar playing lawyer, named ben matlock. >> you have no idea. he didn't think for a minute that you would kill him first. >> reporter: fans and friends are now leaving flowers at griffith's star on the hollywood walk of fame. elements of griffith's personal life would have distressed aunt bea, he was married three times. he once said he wished he could have been a little more like sheriff andy taylor. brandi hitt, abc news, new york. >> an iconic era for this country and tv. he has already been buried. he requested he be buried after his death, buried 11:30 yesterday, family farm on roanoke island. that has taken place. >> an accomplished musician. i didn't know.ums of christian hymns and in a music in 2008 for w brad paisley. >> looking at the world today, mayberry doesn't seem like a bad place to be these days. rest in peace, mr. griffith. ♪ t the world today, mayberry doesn't seem like a bad place to be these days. rest in peace, mr. griffith. ♪ it may be the detergent. add finish power up to boost your detergent and you'll see a huge difference. watch what it can do. look at that sparkle! now that's clean! cloudiness! spots! tough stains! even dishwasher build-up! gone! just like that! so don't give up. add finish power up. wow! see the difference! it's a must have! do you ever wish you could make some things just disappear? ♪ ♪ [ ping! ] [ ping! ping! ] that's why i use new tampax radiant. it helps keep my period invisible, combing tampax's best-ever leak protection with a revolutionary resealable wrapper so all they'll see is me. [ ping! ] ♪ ♪ hi. totally new, awesomely-invisible tampax radiant. check out the whole radiant collection. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ can you tell what holiday it is, folks? take a wild stab. 4th of july fireworks in city that really does need something to celebrate. >> thousands showed up in denver for a free concert and fireworks. this wasn't just a night to mark the nation's independence and dedicated to helping support victims of the wildfires ravaging colorado. >> the was like, is it okay in colorado to do fireworks. under the control of professionals. they don't want private folks doing it. >> exactly. >> way too drive. prevent any more fires. of course everyone at the fourth of july celebrates, independence, of course. >> here are some facts about the date you may have not known. july, 1776, 2.5 million people lived in the united states, now the nation's population is nearly 314 million. >> fireworks, of course, are a booming business with annual sales at nearly $232 million. that's a lot -- almost as much as the costume the independence day -- not always a celebration. three u.s. presidents have died on july 4th. i didn't know that either. of course, as you can tell by our serious set, we are doing nothing but celebrating right now. get that wiener, amanda, show initiative. this is our facebook question of the day, what are your plans for the 4th of july. go to wnnfans.com and let us know. uh-huh. and you can tell us or you could show us if you want to. >> yeah, tweet your pictures to us at abcwnn, hash tag wnn fans. you never know, your photos could wind up here on "world news now." love to see that. >> oh. she found that cart. we got our friend captain jack back over here. wienermeister for us tonight. >> easy with the titles. >> sorry. take it easy. >> hot dog chief, how about that. top dog. commissioner. >> the commish. >> served up two, to yourself and to our old friend, jamie mccarty. >> i'll take one. i will take one. >> all right. >> i will take one. >> you tell -- what you like on yours, you are picky. >> mustard. >> mustard. >> we don't have onions. >> i prefer dijon. i will do the classic. >> she is so -- >> did you wash your hands, too? >> yeah, absolutely. >> wash your hands. >> oh. >> we have food. we'll be back. >> we have food. we'll be back. this morning on "world news now" -- holiday hell. more than a million people will spend president 4th sweltering with no air conditioning. >> the agony days after terrible storms of course knocked out power on top of one of the hot -- hottest independence days ever. it is wednesday, july 4th. good morning, everyone. happy 4th. >> is that what date it is? i thought it was casual wednesday. >> happy fourth, i'm sunny hostin, paula faris is on assignment. >> good morning, everybody, i'm rob nelson. we are celebrating an american tradition, hot dogs served up throughout the morning here. a little hot dog stand in the back here. you have yours over there. you have started. just mustard, mustard? >> just mustard. >> very good. also on this busy travel holiday, cutting edge car technology to keep you safe out there on the road. we will show how it could protect you. this to me makes a lot of sense and is becoming more and more standard in a lot of vehicles out there by some of the country's automakers, could save lives and money. >> i like it. >> amen. and then, maybe not so safe. the parents who put their kid in the water to swim with sharks. 5-year-old little girl. and put the whole thing online. now there is a feeding frenzy of angry reaction. >> i guess so. are you kidding me? you're a mom, would you do something like that? >> no. >> with sharks, people losing limbs, the little girl, they videotaped it. you can imagine the reaction. also this half-hour, with katie holmes seeking her independence from tom cruise, some new revelations about how he tried to control her career. a very interesting event that she wanted to do he did not want her to do. maybe one of the other factors that led to the divorce we are seeing now. >> i suspect we will be learning more and more about what is really going on. >> it could open a window to his life, up to the church of scientology, next couple months very interesting what we learn about the world of tom cruise. let's say that. >> absolutely. but first, record high temperatures could turn independence day celebrations into meltdowns in several cities. there are heat advisories in effect for 16 states from the dakotas to the east coast and nearly a million customers are suffering through another day of no electricity. abc's karen travers is covering it all, good morning, karen. >> reporter: good morning, rob, good morning, sunny. utility companies say they're doing all they can as quickly as they can to get the power back up. but for the people who haven't had power since last friday, their patience is running thin. utility crews are working round the clock, but with nearly a million and a half people still without power, they're facing an uphill battle. >> there are just not enough people. there are just too many problems. there are too many situations. >> reporter: but that is not going to ease the frustrations of so many customers without electricity who feel powerless. >> basically, the response is, that they must all have the same scripted spiel. we are going to get to you when we get to you. >> reporter: maryland governor martin o'malley has pleaded for patience. >> 75% of those who suffered power outages as a result of this hurricane punch without the hurricane warning have now been restored. >> reporter: it will be a different kind of 4th of july this year. 20 states have some ban on fireworks because of the heat. temperatures are in the 90s across much of the nation, and no power means no air conditioning. >> it is -- got to be above 90 in here. and it's hot. and there is not much air moving around. >> reporter: and no refrigerators. >> we can't afford to go out every single meal. we have been bringing stuff home, using the grill. used up everything we could up in the first 48 hours. >> reporter: thousands are without power in west virginia. mary young has a well but no electricity to run it. that means no water. >> we came and got some water here. but it is 104 degrees up in the shade at our house now. >> reporter: for those that don't have power, the heat is unfortunately expected to last several more days. it is going to be a scorcher of a 4th of july today. rob, sunny, back to you. >> hot holiday indeed. thanks, karen. and it got so hot in the state of wisconsin that the highway literally buckled. check this out. a suv ended up going, whoop, airborne, when it hit that part of the pavement. passengers were not seriously hurt. crews went out to fix the problem. we are told the highway buckled again and the road had to be closed. look at that. that is some heat. watch the roadways, folks. and all this extreme heat takes its toll on animals as well. this cattle barn in missouri has some high-tech ways of keeping all the cows way cool. there is a mist that actually sprays on their backs and the barn's structure allows for air to flow through the shaded area. if the cows get stressed from all that heat, they simply don't produce as much milk. we need to keep bessie cool. that was awful. >> good. i enjoyed it. >> that was bad. well, here's a look at the rest of the nation's weather on this holiday. pop-up showers across the south with oppressive humidity. showers in the northwest this morning. but it will clear by afternoon. >> phoenix is a few degrees cooler than normal with a high of 97. oh, springtime. minneapolis could break a record at 102. and if you are looking for relief, you will find it in anchorage. all the way out there, their high, lovely sounding 59 degrees. a big load of fireworks has blown up at the wrong place and wrong time hurting at least nside a house in pelham, new hampshire. the explosion late tuesday set the house on fire and filled it with smoke. one neighbor said it sounded like a million gunshots. two children who suffered the worst burns were medivaced to a hospital in boston. >> we see stories every year. of course, the holiday means people across the country are hitting the road. triple a says 35 million americans are traveling via car for this 4th of july, gas prices $3.33 a gallon. actually down 22 cents from a year ago. but it is a different story for people taking a flight. >> gas prices are going down at the same time that airfare is going up. so this may be the summer that people actually get back to taking road trips. >> road trip. and travelers are watching their wallets when they get where they're going and planning to spend 7% less on their trips than a year ago. a new look at crash statistics confirms july 4 is the deadliest day on american roads. for everyone behind the wheel, some welcome news about road safety and the latest high-tech equipment being built into cars. abc's jim avila went for a test run. >> reporter: new technology designed to eliminate scary car crashes and keep drivers alert so they don't run off the road like this unbelted driver who survived his rollover. today's automakers are moving toward not just protecting you from an accident, but avoiding one altogether. and it's working. >> this technology is the first steps towards a car that can drive itself. >> reporter: 18 car manufacturers, chevrolet, toyota, ford, chrysler, offer optional forward collision avoidance using radar and lasers embedded in the grill to warn the driver he/she is approaching a slower or stopped car. reducing accidents by 14%, according to the highway loss data institute. we went to the insurance institute track to test it ourselves. >> it is assuming i am distracted or asleep? >> exactly. >> reporter: just in time i got the warning. >> there's 20. >> reporter: allowing me to brake or swerve out of harm's way. supposedly i am kind of dozing off. if i ignore the warning, the car brakes itself, but not quite aggressively enough. here we go. it's going to beep. i am not going to do a thing. it does hit it. run over it and kill it. an optional $1,200 update on most cars. the average accident costs $2,000. these new devices are available already as optional equipment and safety experts say eventually they'll become standard. but even before that, they're still worth the money because they can avoid an accident that is costly. jim avila, abc news, chesapeake bay, maryland. >> that's -- go ahead. >> i had no idea july 4 was the deadliest holiday, i thought cinco de mayo. or new year's eve. >> makes sense. the average crash will cost you $2,000. the radar will cost you $1,200. a smart investment. we have the kind of technology where cars can talk to you these days through the bluetooth, that technology makes sense, all about safety. i like it. it will come standard which is good news over the years and become commonplace, which is great to hear. speaking of cars, new cars are selling fast these days. in fact automakers just had their best month in five years. dealerships exceeded sales expectations last month. analysts predict this year could be the best since 2007. car sales up 22% from a year ago with generous incentives. showrooms are expecting a busy 4th of july today because of all the summer sales. >> i didn't know that either. >> the day to go shopping for your back to school supplies and your car. >> and your car. >> look at all that! well, a big crowd was there to watch the final rehearsal ahead of tonight's big concert at the u.s. capitol, but they couldn't control just one part of the show. ♪ >> famous conductor john williams there with the national symphony orchestra and a musical tribute to the nation's olympians. pbs and capital fourth concert hosted by tom bergeron from abc's "dancing with the stars." and the dress rehearsal was called to an abrupt end when severe weather warnings were issued. everyone was told just to go home. >> mother nature is not messing around this week. hopefully it will stay dry enough for all the fireworks around the country. >> i hope so. i love fireworks. >> everybody does. the cool part of the day. all right. coming up next, new beginnings for tipper gore after an end to her political marriage. first, would you let your kid swim with sharks? would you? some serious questions for a mom and dad who thought it was just a great idea. you are watching "world news now." 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[ "jaws" theme plays ] i'm hungry -- sorry. mm, that's good. >> you recognize that music, right, "jaws" music. if you are a parent as i am, you know we do everything possible to keep our children safe. so imagine, just imagine, potentially -- intentionally, rather, putting them at risk just feet from the teeth of hungry sharks. >> i don't get this at all. some connecticut parents thought that was a fine idea. when they posted the adventure on youtube no less. here's abc's bazi kanani. >> reporter: ileana and david barnes make sure their little girl plays it safe. she rides in a car seat. wears a helmet on wheels. >> we are very cautious parents. >> reporter: they made sure their 5-year-old wore a life jacket when they took her swimming with sharks. yes, sharks. >> it was really fun. >> reporter: the connecticut family shot their home video of their bahamas vacation. at first you can hear ileana sound nervous about the fins in the water. >> david, are you at a safe distance? >> reporter: but even this feeding frenzy couldn't stop the little girl, swimming with a instructor above nurse and caribbean reef sharks. >> it was thrilling, but it wasn't scary. >> reporter: the sharks seen here are rarely aggressive but rarely is not never. she is your daughter why take the risk at all? >> you can't live your life in a box. >> just risk assessment in life all the time. i'm concerned they don't put seatbelts on the school buses. >> reporter: the barnes says in this case the risk paid off. >> life is too short to be boring, you know. >> reporter: bazi kanani, abc news, new york. >> i'm floored. especially when you see sort of that feeding frenzy. >> what? why would you put your little girl in harm's way? all the shark stories we've heard. >> you hear it all the time about sharks, you know that are allegedly not dangerous, and then they go and bite someone's leg off. >> don't get it. don't get it. don't get it, parents. uh-uh uh. coming up, controversy involving tom cruise, katie katie holmes and a "dawson's creek" reunion show. and on top of that, what is snooki thinking about? we'll explain. and a very unique picture when we come back in "the skinny." snooki thinking about? we'll explain. and a very unique picture when we come back in "the skinny." skinny ♪ ♪ so skinny ♪ welcome back to our festive little july 4 show here on "the skinny." more news leaking out about tom cruise and katie holmes. all the sordid details will pour out. the latest tidbits. katie was excited doing a dawson's creek reunion. anyway, there was all this talk coming together to do a movie, james vanderbeek, joshua jackson. tom cruise was like, uh-uh, i don't want you to do it. they were begging her to sign, he thought it would be backward in her career to do a reunion movie. a source saying tom was saying absolutely no way, going backward would be bad. holmes on the other hand didn't care how low brow he thought "dawson's creek" was. she wanted to do the movie and reconnect with the fans of the show. he apparently put the stops on that. that's why the reunion movie never happened. because tom stepped in. i hope that is not true. that is pretty sad. >> little controlling there. >> uh-huh. stay tuned as the details unravel, folks. next, remember tipper gore and al gore after 40 years of marriage announce their separation. no one filed for divorce yet. seems they have all moved on. because tipper has a new man. >> oh, tipper got a new man. >> look at him. yes. he is bill allen, the former editor of "national geographic" magazine. everyone saying are they boyfriend/girlfriend, dating? the close friend said they have a deep friendship. >> we all what's that code for. uh-huh. yeah. >> huh. >> tipper, tipper, tipper. >> he is sexy. cute. >> good for her. after 40 years to find love again, good for her. >> he is 71. she its 63. >> older, older. tipper, tipper. all right. well, speaking of true love, let's talk about snooki for a second. let me set this photo up briefly. she is pregnant. in her third trimester. spotted going to a barbecue with "jersey shore" folks. take a look at the picture, folks. if this doesn't make you proud to be an american on this july 4, i don't know what will. that is snooki toting beer back to the party in the stroller. >> expensive stroller. >> according to sources she did not drink any of the beer, which is important because she is pregnant. just to show you she is putting her stroller to good use. god bless our country. >> nice going, snooki. >> indeed. she is classy. she is a lady. little bit of "glee" scoop. everybody -- yes, everybody -- returning for season number four. so if you love "glee" and you love all of the regulars, they're going to be there. interestingly enough, your favorite big-lipped blond babe, well according to deadline, not only returning, in talks to be upgraded to a regular. real quick. dr. drew -- you remember from "loveline." the "wall street journal" reported in june, 1999 went on the airwaves to talk about virtues of glaxosmithkline, wellbutrin. two months before the program aired he actually took $275,000 from glaxosmithkline. he got paid to extol the drug. as we heard yesterday that drug had serious dangers. everybody is dirty. 3q what if you had up to 28 days of beautiful ? 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[ female announcer ] head & shoulders. live flake free. ♪ oh when the sun beats down ♪ oh when the sun beats down ♪ ♪ oh when the sun beats down ♪ >> oh, oldie but goody. i like that. well done, music department. well if a gas grill doesn't do it for you, imagine smoked barbecue waiting for your 4th of july feast. >> if that sounds good to you, amarillo, texas, was the place to be. the world's largest traveling smoker and grill. check it out. all 17,000 pounds of it. the driver of the rig is fm amarillo but takes it all over the country to cater special events. imagine all the barbecue? >> i am grateful for our hot dog stand here this morning to celebrate the 4th. i am a huge barbecue fan, some ribs, some burgers. >> little pulled pork. >> love that dirty swine. we don't have all that here, but we have the commissioner of the hot dog stand. jack is back in the house. >> i am a little busy. our old friend from march madness competition joins us. >> we were out of money for the budget. >> that is just about right. just about right. >> okay. >> business picked up over here. >> they're good. >> yeah. we have a new wiener. don't we have a new wiener here? you had moves you wanted to show us? >> i like that! >> somebody, a little edgy for this show. that's all i'm saying. >> i'm going to call the emmy committee. >> somebody call. dancing over there. oh, lord have mercy. >> so, jack, we talked what we look on our hot dog. i'm ketchup/relish. sunny is creole. what do you prefer? >> i have to be honest, i am really not a hot dog fan. >> you know what is in them? >> yeah. if i had my druthers i would have a hamburger, something like that. keep it simple. >> have we found them? >> have not found the beer yet. >> his feelings are hurt. hamburger. >> your feelings are hurt? never worse than a sad wiener. get him. let him get his now. >> a huge order here from the graphics folks. >> graphics one of our favorite departments. make sure. >> keep them happy. how many hot dogs did we get with our budget? >> a dozen. >> two dozen. >> we had a good quarter on the overnight. very impressive here. that's the news for this half-hour, everybody. us what you are doing on this 4th of july. more from abc coming up next. ♪ falling in love under the boardwalk boardwalk ♪ dy. go to facebook, tell us what y hey, your high speed internet here at home... and on the go... ...with some really big news. it's b-i-g, big. high speed internet from at&t at home... includes wi-fi access on the go -- whoo-hoo! it's an unbelievable deal. it's an unbelievable deal. 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