Transcripts For WUSA 20100201

you folks in southern maryland in the northern neck, will probably just have rain. when it falls, the service temperatures will be above 32. that's going to cut down on the accumulation. accumulating more slowly, 3 p.m. tomorrow evening into 3 a.m. on wednesday morning. and tonight, not as cold. winds are light out of the southwest at 5 to 10 with some folks this morning in the single digit. getting down to six. tonight, 18 at great falls. and still some upper teens off to the east. temperatures right now, 36 for them at gaithersburg. and 38 at woodbridge. not crazy cold right now. mostly cloudy and cold tomorrow morning, but dry. teens in the 20s. by the afternoon, mostly cloudy and cold with the light snow possible. primarily mid to late afternoon. high temperatures near 40. certainly by the evening. the winds are southeasterly at 10. >> i know your eyes are drawn to this. but this is what they should be drawn to. and because this storm is going to miss it where that will be another area of the low pressure off the coast. the zone forecast, snow developing. 38 at manassas, 40 at fairview and woodbridge. upper 30s for dc, upper 30s for the banned. you folks in annapolis, primarily rain. okay, next seven days. upper 30s tomorrow. there's the the little snow. primarily on tuesday night really. we clear out on wednesday, back into the low 40s which is average. low 40s on thursday. a nice day. and then we have something interesting and howard talked about this at noon. another coastal storm. this is a much bigger storm. even this gives us a glancing blow that could be worse than saturday's glancing glow. temperatures in the 42. we're back in the 20s for sunday and monday. i believe that is a very active pattern in the next couple of weeks? >> yes, you're loving this. >> it's tiring but fun. >> of course he loves it. >> all right. well, coming up, we'll meet a single mom who was so desperate for health care, she has posted a video on youtube to find a husband who has some to share. it still works had they are plugged in. and they left that, accounting for 8% for the annual electricity bill. but who likes unplugging all of that if had why don't you invest in a power cord for all your charging needs and turn it off when you don't need it. it there are even smart strips to cut that to some outlets and not others. you can get more tips on wusa9.com. just click on living green. >> a california woman has launched a unique online surge for a new husband. >> not for love. it's for health care. >> reporter: the 45-year-old says she does not care what you look like, she will marry you. but only if you have good health insurance. >> the lower the copay, the sexier you are to me. >> reporter: carlson never had to worry about health care until now. and she is divorced and has one year left under the cobra health care. but after that, she'll have nothing to help pay for the dozens of medication. >> and then i have antibiotics. >> reporter: suffering from a rare genetic disorder. >> it makes me unable to process bacterias efficiently. and my body attacks itself, very similar to lupus. she works part-time from home. but her employer does not provide health care. and because of the disorder, insurance companies have denied her coverage. last week, she turned to the internet for help. >> desperate times call for desperate measures. >> the public has responded with more than 5,000 e-mails and counting from people all over the world. >> this is what i have to do to get the word out and put a face to preexisting conditions and people caught in the middle, i'm willing to do it. >> what lengths would you go to? log onto our mom's social networking sight and share your thoughts. welcoming up, prince harry takes the royal fall. plus, he was there for the national zoo's panda cub over four years ago. now it had zoo keeper just are saved the way from turning over her baby, tie shop -- tai shan. >> and in the aftermath of last month's deadly earthquake in haiti. stay with us. ñññññññññññññññññññññññññññññ plows are already out treating roads with more snow and with the snow removal budget but the entire winter. toyota says dealers should receive the parts to fix those sticky gas pedal problems by the end of the week. they will remain open around the clock to help prepare millions of vehicles affected by the recall. and president obama says that the new $3.8 trillion budget is filled to boost and solidify the economy. republicans say that they spend too much and don't do enough to bring down the deficit. in haiti, evacuation flights are badly injured earthquake victims to this country are resuming. getting aid to the survivors are improving as well. where that food distribution is now going smoothly using a coupon system. for the first time since the quake three weeks ago, public schools outside the capitol are starting to open. but it could be months before the children in port-au-prince are back in class. american baptist, air forced while trying to take children out of haiti, could face prosecution here in this country. 10 americans are accused of trying to take 33 children out of the country without the proper documents. haiti's prime minister calls the group's action, the illegal trafficking of children and in the wake of the quake, they stopped all adoptions. the end niece stopped the same thing in 2004. >> one can imagine the anguish here in haiti who might be currently separated from her child. and if that child was unwittingly taken out of the country. >> they were only trying to rescue abandoned and traumatized children. some of them say they were not orphans and told they were going on a trip to get away from the earthquake misery. tai shan is about to embark on the largest trip of his life. destination, his new home in china. alex trevino introduces us to the woman who knows the panda better than anyone. being with him when he was just a little butter stick. >> reporter: the one person who is clearly having the hardest time holding back tears is nicole meese. she's tai shan's proud keeper at the national zoo. the day left to spend with washington's most lovable panda are treadfully numbered. >> we have mixed emotions right now. i'll miss him tremendously. i can't believe how much i'll miss him at the zoo. >> it's been the four and a half labor of love. caring, feeding, nurturing the baby's only zoo from infant to adolescent. a job that has been out there as sweet for her as tai shan. >> i want him to stay forever. i love him. >> reporter: tai shan must leave. but meese says the memories will last if many her heart forever. >> probably the most memorable is the first time i got to put my hands on him. about three weeks old and one of the early cub exams. his eyes just opened and his ears your starting to open and beginning to explore his world. >> reporter: meese was there for the first day tai shan was born in 2005. and will be on board the fedex express to china this week. she's preparing to introduce him to the next chapter of his life, handing him off to the new keeper. she hopes one day that tai shan will father cub, helping to save the pan ta population -- panda population. >> reporter: such a big deal that they will be closed for the part of the thursday morning. that means you have up until wednesday to say your final good-byes. reporting from northwest washington, i'm al -l a, nine -- i'm alex trevino, 9news now on wusa9.com. >> tai shan is the only panda in the zoo to survive beyond infancy. something special. the portrait gallery is paying tribute to j.d. the recruits of catcher in the rye died last wednesday, 91 years old. the portrait was done by robert victory. that same portrait appeared on the time magazine back in 1961 of salinger. today is the 51st annual of the sit in. four black college freshman walked up to the white's only lunch counter and sat down demanding service. within two months of the sit-in being broadcast across the nation, sit-ins were happening in 54 cities and nine states. within nine months, they were desegregated. a part of that original counter is now on display at the smithsonian. and today, the international civil right's center and museum opened on the side of the world store. we're going to take you there coming up on 9news now at 7. we have been offered a lot of money. we said no. and that from the former edwards day alleging the sex tape, showing edwards and young. young tells abc news he reskwrebted offers to sell the tape -- rejected offers to sell the tape. but they also said that tensions over the cover-up got so heated that at one point, he feared for his family's safety. young has written a book about the scandal. and looking to shovel and wearing shackles, after rick torn appeared in the connecticut courtroom today. the 78-year-old the men and black, and larry sanders show that they broke into a bank on saturday with a loaded gun. according to the court documents, he was so drunk that he actually thought he was at home. he was released after posting $100,000 bond. his lawyer says that he is expected to enter an alcohol treatment center in new york and that could happen as soon as tomorrow. prince harry is getting into the groove. i know. >> the third in line for the british area. >> that's frightening. i'm sorry. >> that the donors pledge an extra $2,000 on the telethon for haiti. the prince took a spectacular fall on the polo charity during another charity event. harry will probably never be head of estate, but he is brushing up his skills in the royal roll, raising money for great causes. well, there she is. miss virginia. now the new miss america. the rest of fredericksburg is the winner of the 2010 miss america pageant. the 22-year-old is a communications major. cameron went to that area and wants to be aning an kor for the -- wants to be an anchor for the television news station. is it clearing up out there for stphus >> as you can see behind me, not clearing up fast enough for this monday evening commute. we're tracking traffic on the capitol beltway, both tracking delays here, north of the american legion. very slow, interloop delays continue until coldsville loop. taking drivers about 45 minutes to get from springfield over to college park at this hour. let's switch over to virginia to see how things are looking at i-95 as you can see the bumper-to-bumper traffic that will be the slowest stretch out here and right now. so that will be where drivers will take the slowest to get through. but the conditions on the roadways, not too bad. just watch out for the ramps and the overpasses and the budgets. that will be very slick out there. back to you. all right, the cbs evening news is less than an hour away. katie couric joins us live from new york city with the preview. >> hey, i'm excited. miss virginia is miss america. look at that. >> another virginia girl doing good. >> of course she wants to be a tv anchor, right lesli? >> i want to tell her to aim higher, katie. that's what i want to tell her. >> that's a good point. anyway, coming up tonight, guys, they are suppose to be protecting our skies. the u.s. air martials, secretly -- marshals secretly assigned to your flight. is there something wrong with that federal agency? we have a special investigation. and plus, steve hartman will take us to where he discovered a cold war about a kid and their operation to turn himself into a bodybuilder. don't worry, he will explain. those stories and a lot more tonight, only on the cbs evening news right after 9news now. lesli, i read that and it is actually a really good story now that i know more about it. >> looking forward to seeing it as to seeing you too, katie, thanks. ♪[ music ] i did not watch that, but i missed something. beyonce breaks something from last night's grammies the starts of the reward show. it was ladies night at the grammy's award last night. taylor swift collecting four trophies and at age 20, she'll be the youngest ever to win the night's big prize, album of the year. >> this is the dream come true. it's like i've never been presumptuous about dreams. i never actually could fathom that it could happen until i went up there and won one. >> but the night really belong to beyonce. the first woman ever to take home six grammies. now, she has 16 grammy awards for her career. >> to understand what's going on and now, i know how amazing this night is, like as i'm looking around, it's just, i'm sorry, i am emotional. i'm just so, so lucky and blessed and so happy tonight. >> although she didn't take home the grammy, pink pulled off the shocker. okay. she was the wet and wild and she wowed the audience at staple center. >> yeah. obviously i'm going to have to think about watching the grammies next year. i watched the pro bowl out there instead, the big mistake. >> such a derek thing. [ laughter ] coming up, built as one of the toughest races on earth. when you see the course, you'll know what we're talking about. >> plus, why you really should pay attention when your check engine light comes on. the capitols are out to set a new franchise record in boston. we'll tell you what very special carry-ons they are taking on that plane. i'm sarah walsh, that's ahead. a pretty nice day, we'll take you out to the almanac. you can access this on our website on wusa9.com. click on the weather tab and then follow a drop-down menu to the weather data. 39 rather and 20 goes to the books. averages are going up now. 43 and 27 the averages. record highs, you might remember, 77 just back in '02. record low of 6. we'll be back and talk about more snow on the way. stay tuned. ( music playing ) if toyota gets credit for being the most fuel efficient car company in america, well, then how do you explain all this? chevy malibu, cobalt, silverado, and the all-new equinox. compare them to anyone. may the best car win. body rested. stress gone. mind sharp. because unisom gave you deep restful sleep all night. morning early birds. unisom. good night. good morning. it is affected by your budget. in this economy, a car repair is perhaps the last priority. but ignoring little warning signs can turn into a costly mistake. seeing a lot of car repairs that could have been avoided in his 35 years mechanics job. the young lady was driving the car with the check engine light on for approximately a week. now, if she just had that check engine light diagnosed to see what the problem was, it would have told her just cooling. >> reporter: instead, the car overheated, the motor blew, and it will cost $3,000 to $4,000 to replace it. and they spoke to the automotive mechanics who have equally scary and costly stories. >> reporter: routine maintenances when something starts to go wrong can save you. for instance, a transmission rebuild. now, that could cost you about $3,000. it >> if your transmission fluid is low, probably because of a leak. if you do need to add fluids, don't overfill, that'll make it worse. >> reporter: more costly, an engine replacement, a $3,000-$6,000 job. >> to prevent this, check your oil pressure a month. check your oil and timing built according to your manual. >> reporter: another budget buster, a new catalytic converter, the price tag about $00. >> the catalytic converter can be overtaxed if your engine is in tune and starts to malfunction. don't ignore that check engine light when it comes on. >> reporter: the bottom line is this. catching car trouble early will spare you expensive repair bills down the road. >> consumer experts say always to refer to your owner's manual for the recommended service. if you hear an odd noise when you accelerate, brake, or turned and want it checked out by a certified mechanic. also, check the car's fluid levels and the tire pressure once a month. we've got more money saving car tips for you on our website, wusa9.com, click on living smart. survivor was never this hard. more than 5,000 people braved the bitter cold in england this weekend for the tough guy race. competitors had to shropblg through the icy ponds, jump over burning bails of hay, and then crawl through something called the con tunnels. >> mr. my dad thinks i'm very stupid. i cannot disagree with him at this point. i believe my mom is praying for me right now probably at church. >> hopefully that will have -- hopefully the prayers will have an affect. >> the most dangerous taste of the mental and physical pain. some others that people call it proof that people will do anything. 600 people began the event and dropped out. participants have to sign a disclaimer that reads it's my own fault for being here. >> 9news now at six is less than 15 minutes away. here's a look at what we have new for you tonight. the parts are on the way. we'll take a look at how the massive toyota recall are impacting owners here in our area. later, getting a loan modification that might be easier to explain in tonight's consumer alert. plus, a team of the local doctors, just back from haiti to hear their stories with us. on that and much more coming up at 6:00. you know, i came out of my house today and said, maybe the temperature will melt some of the snow and obviously we're going to be out of the woods for a while. >> not. >> it melted a little. i mean, it was 39. >> but more is on the way. >> yeah, a little bit is on the way tomorrow night. with the service temperatures above freezing, we'll get into this and it woebt accumlate -- it won't accumulate like it did on thursday. the next three days, right out of the box, 39 tomorrow. the light snow, late in the day by the evening. then we're looking at clouds, maybe lingering on wednesday and returning partly cloudy, pretty nice day, really. low 40s on wednesday and sunshine on thursday. highs in the low 40s. that's about average. our tuesday night, the tuesday afternoon and the evening storm. not a pure snow. it will mix with some sleet, south and east of town. it will be rain down towards southern maryland and the northern neck. the service temperatures will be above 32 when it snows. that could happen. the atmosphere could support the snow. but when they are above 32 at the service, they can accumulate that fast. more slowly. in a time frame, it's 3 p.m. until about 3 a.m. on wednesday morning. and increasing clouds tonight, not as cold. 18 to 28. and light winds. right now, we're looking at temperatures in the mid-30s. if you're headed out to brookville, 36 out here and 37 in colonial beach. tomorrow morning, mostly cloudy, cold, teens in the 20s. by the afternoon, mostly cloudy and cold with the white snow possible in the evening. winds are out of the southeast at about 10. satellite picture radar combined. this little system in the midwest will appear out to the midwest. this is the moisture of the area that we're watching any time from the south, it's a problem. again, this storm won't be that close to us. just throwing enough moisture to maybe give us one, two, maybe three inches as we get into tuesday night and early wednesday morning. -rz not a big storm. it'll probably impact the evening commute on tuesday and the morning commute on wednesday. the next seven days then. upper 40s. there's the snow. clearing out on wednesday. a break on wednesday and thursday. back in the low 40s. another coastal storm will develop. this is a much bigger storm. much more serious storm. temperatures fall into the 20s for the highs. >> all right, we're talking about the caps. they are great. >> yes, i had ten in a row. are you gratified to see that building full now every time? and they used to say, ha ha, that washington was not a hockey town. we laugh at that suggestion now. of course it is. with all the years to have a three-week olympic break, they have to be wondering why this year with the 10-game winning streak and possibly playing the best hockey of their lives. the last thing they want to do is interrupt the momentum. sarah walsh was with the team this morning and the "l" word losing, just doesn't come up. >> the capitols went back to work in the morning. thanks to their recent runs. >> mr. they have won ten straight games. >> reporter: life on the job has been pretty sweet. >> the responders are coming through that room. and that's just what we want to keep it. >> reporter: with the wins piling up, so are the fans. >> i love the caps and they are awesome. go caps. >> usually when they practice, it's a sell-out practice. i mean, there is people everywhere. >> reporter: while they have accomplished the perfect ten, grabbing 11th win will set a new franchise record for the consecutive win. >> any time you can set a record, it is always nice. 10 is great, but 11 will be better. keeping it rolling will be pretty good. >> mr. they are complaining about the way you are playing then they sit there and slap yourself and say, what the heck. we have won ten in a row. >> the opportunity to break the franchise record comes in a time when the capitols are taking extra motivation with them. today marks the start of the annual father/son road trip. they will accompany the team over the next two days. >> they put a lot of pressure on us. we want to win for them. it's great to have them around. our dads brought that when we were younger and now we get to put on a show for them here. it's great. >> reporter: athletes are known tor a superstitious bunch, but the talk of the streak is more than welcome. when you win ten games, you have to talk about it, right? but those guys are so superstitious, then they probably shouldn't be playing hockey. >> >> reporter: sarah walsh, 9news now and wusa9.com. >> the caps left for boston this afternoon. the annual father/son trip where all of them get to bring their dad on the plane. and tomorrow, the dads are scheduled to tour the sam adams brewery up in boston. so the coach was asked, hey, do you expect to have a loud cheering section at the game in boston tomorrow night? he said, man, i'll be happy if the dads just show up to the game at all. the honest appraisal of the dads. >> even awake when they get there. >> that'll be fun and conscious. all right, coming up, the herbal remedies, increasingly popular. but a new study said they may be harmful for people taking heart heads. we'll explain what you need to know in tonight's health alert. we're always on wusa9.com. stay with us, tonight's living well segment is next. sharing the spark of healthy living. an idea that attracted many of them to the free website and the ceo, he used some of the own fortune to launch the site which he says is all about taking small steps to overcome the obstacles that keep you from your goals. ingly didn't like it. i felt like it was an outgoing person trapped inside of me. just like a lot of the dieters today. i started putting that together to fix it. i personally did. and maybe as simple as doing 10 minutes of exercise a day, or eating one fruit and one vegetable a day for five days a week. and what these things do, they slowly build your momentum and they slowly help your lifestyle changes. and you start to feel in control of your destiny and to feel hope for maybe the first time in a long time. >> and you can find out more about the spark community and chris' brand new book on our website, wusa9.com. just click on living well. millions of americans use herbal remedies. but a new study finds they could pose a risk to some heart patients. researchers say that some supplements could reduce the effectiveness of the certain heart medicines. january january has more in tonight's health alert. >> reporter: jill byrd has been trying to manage her blood pressure. she sticks to the prescription. but not all heart patients do. be more than 15 million americans use the herbal remedies or a high dose vitamin. in a new study, those supplements can be dangerous when taken on top of the heart medication, especially in the elderly. >> one of the miss perceptions that people have about herbal remedy -- misperceptions that people have about herbal remedies is that they are natural. that couldn't be further from the truth. >> reporter: anxiety could reduce the effectiveness of the certain heart drugs. while garlic can increase leading risk when taken with blood thinners. even aspirin in some cases. is >> one of the biggest concerns for them in the study is here in the exam room, patients don't usually tell them if they are taking any supplements. and doctors may not ask. >> not telling your doctor is probably the most dangerous thing that you could do for yourself. >> reporter: the supplement industry also says it's important to take the herbal remedies to speak to your doctor first. supplements are not subject to the same regulation as traditional medicines. >> i try to be careful that i don't take anything that might interact. >> reporter: it's not just heart patients who should be concerned. >> mr. you can't diagnosis for -- you can't diagnosis for yourself just because in unavailable without a -- because it is available without a prescription. >> reporter: you need to be aware of possible harmful interactions. janet choy, cbs news, new york. thank you for joining us at 9news now at 5. 9news now at 6:00 starts right now.