>> all week long, nbc will be airing stories about the changing roles of women. tune in later this morning to the "today" show for more. >> sta with us, everyone. "news 4 today" continues now at 5:00 a.m. intercepted. big changes for redskins head coach jim zorn after a disappointing loss to the kansas city chiefs. what this move may mean for the future of his coaching career. >> made for tv. it was a little boy's story that captivated the eyes and ears of the nation. why criminal charges could soon be filed involving that runaway balloon. >> well, good morning and welcome to "news 4 today." i'm joe krebs. >> and i'm kimberly suiters sitting in for barbara harrison this morning. it's monday, october 19th, 2009. taking a live look outside. beautiful start to the morning. no rain, which is welcome news this monday morning. >> what a soaker of a weekend. fimly we did dry out in time for the game yesterday. overnight we cleared out. this morning under a clear sky we have the autumn constellations gleaming in a black sky. only near 40 in washington, the nearby suburbs of prince george's county. a few isolated spots around the shenandoah valley in light blue have a freeze this morning. the counties in darker blue, frost advisory until 9:00. maybe a little scattered frost. eastern shore, upper 30s. it's below freezing. out in the mountains there's a hard freeze going on there. a clear sky and plenty of sunshine today. afternoon highs warmer near 60, even warmer tomorrow and wednesday, into thursday. dry all through the period. a look at the weekend coming up. >> that was a quick peek at the rest of the week but that's good looking. great. >> let's go to jerry edwards now and the news 4 traffic network. >> good morning. happy monday and all is well. pretty quiet as we get going here. northern virginia along 95 and 395, clear, dry road surfaces. trav lanes, regular lanes and hov moving along nicely. southbound, very light volume of traffic. elsewhere this morning along i-270, travel lanes are open. no active work going on today on the beltway. around river road, still have the uneven pavement. south of town, wilson bridge looking okay as we get going on a monday. back to you. >> thank you very much, jerry. >> thanks, jerry. well, it was an ugly loss for the redskins. jason campbell threw a late hal. then he was pulled from the game. but his backup, todd collins, did not fare much better. the redskins lose to the previously winless kansas city chiefs 14-6. >> and after that loss, the team's top brass called an audible. >> head coach jim zorn will no longer be calling offensive plays. this afternoon the team will announce who is taking over that role. >> megan mcgrath is live this morning with more on the shake upof the team. >> reporter: another bad night for the redskins and their fans. they lose 14-6 to the previously winless -- todd collins, but collins just wasn't able to do enough for the team to turn things around. of course, another disappointing loss for the skins. now, this has led to some big changes. coach jim zorn will no longer be calling plays for the offense. sherman lewis, brought in as a consultant, will reportedly be taking over that responsibility. now, coach zorn, though, is taking full responsibility for the team's losses. >> when we get down there, i mean, we're on -- we're deep into the red zone, and to not be able to score, it's awful. and it's my fault. it's my fault. you know, our players are rallying and all that kind of stuff, but i got to be better. and it really irritates me. it truly irritates me. i'm just not going to rest until i get that taken care of. >> it's hard. this has been the toughest season that i've been a part of early. again, i don't have any answers but to come back and keep doing what i'm supposed to do. i just don't. >> seems to be no confidence. that's a good reason. >> reporter: coach zorn says he will work tirelessly to turn things around. the big question, though, is will he be given that opportunity or is he going to find himself without a job? joe, kimberly, back to you. >> okay, megan, thanks very much. we'll certainly be watching. >> yeah, thanks, megan. it turns out the runaway balloon drama that unfolded before the nation last week was a hoax. the parents behind it were hoping it would land them a reality tv show, but instead it could land them in jail. it all started last thursday when this balloon floated away from a colorado home. the owners said they thought their 6-year-old son was inside. he was later found hiding in a box in the attic. well, afterward investigators interviewed richard and mayumi heene and searched the family's home, and soon after that, the realized they had been duped. >> we have since determined that, in fact, they met together. the way they met and established a relationship was in acting school in hollywood. so, needless to say, they put on a very good show for us. and we bought it. >> 6-year-old falcon heene, their son, helped out, too. he admitted on cnn that his parents told him this was for the show. the parents may now face felony charges, including conspiracy and making a false police report. >> well, if you travel the beltway in prince george's county, slow down. a new report out today shows that that portion of the roadway is the deadliest section. 42 people were killed in crashes between 2006 and 2008 on the section of the beltway between the virginia border and the interchange where i-95 splits off north toward baltimore. during that same time, 18 people died on the rest of the highway. according to the ntsb, long-term construction projects are a likely factor, but speed could also be a major issue. >> one person is dead and three others are injured after three shootings this weekend involving prince george's county police officers. the latest shooting happened yesterday afternoon in college park when officers shot and killed a man robbing a 7-eleven on route 1 with a knife. that was just down the street from a shooting friday night. police say an off-duty officer who was working as a security guard at a clothing store shot and wounded two shoplifting suspects. investigators say he opened fire after the suspects, who are transgendered, closed their car door on his hand and then ran over his foot with their car. one of the suspects tells a very different story. >> he, he said now make me shoot y'all. so as the car was rolling back, he was running with the car, and he shot several times. >> the other suspect's mother says her son is in critical condition under heavy sedation. police also shot an armored car robbery suspect in the stomach friday afternoon in beltsville. >> well, president obama is apparently practicing some patience in deciding on a new strategy in afghanistan. the white house says the president will not commit additional troops until he is confident afghanistan's government can be seen as credible. the top u.s. military commander in afghanistan says the work would be lost without more troops and critics of the president say that waiting too long to decide on a strategy could be dangerous. the white house says president obama will not rush his decision. >> a lot of people who all of a sudden say this is now the epicenter of the war on terror, you must do this now, immediately approve what the general said, where before it never even got on the radar screen for them. everything was all about iraq. >> the white house says meetings to discussion the strategy are scheduled for at least the next two weeks. >> it's tough to tell which side is winning in the new fight between pakistan's military and the taliban. pakistan launched a new offensive over the weekend after a string of deadly attacks on security forces. both sides are claiming early victories. pakistan saying dozens of taliban fighters have been killed. the u.s. is supporting pakistan's efforts, sending supplies to help out. today general david petraeus and senator john kerry will be visiting pakistan to meet with top leaders there. >> 5:08 is our time right now, 41 chilly degrees outside. deep cuts coming to a local school district faced with a multi-million dollar bunning it deficit. >> passengers onboard a bus thrown to the floor when the driver takes an unexpected detour. >> the investigation into why someone would stab and kill a star football player. weather and traffic on the 1s. good morning now at 5:11. a chilly 41 degrees in washington. in the nearby suburbs our temperatures are only near 40, in montgomery, fairfax and prince george's counties. it's only in the 30s around the shenandoah valley. a few places in the central part of the shenandoah valley are in the low to mid-20s right now. and where you see those counties in light blue, that is a freeze warning. if you have any plants outside, the house plants, bring them in. those counties just to the west of washington, including montgomery, howard and fairfax, prince william, fauquier, loudoun county under a frost advisory for this morning. there could be scattered frost over the next couple of hours. right now, no frost around. for the rest of the day, bright sunshine, highs near 60. it will be near 70 on tuesday and wednesday. thursday, too, near 70 with sunshine. end of the week, though, as we get into friday and saturday, we may ha a few passing showers with highs near 60. that's the way it looks this morning with the weather. now let's check traffic. how's it looking at this hour? >> good morning, everyone. doing fine so far this morning. i-270 picking up a little volume in a couple of spots. nothing to worry about. the good news is the pavement is dry. elsewhere there had been an accident outer loop at allentown road. quickly moved to the shoulder. northeast, southeast, looking okay. back to you. >> thanks. >> thanks, jerry. the time is 5:12. new regulations are being ago nounsed today formarijuana. >> the debate over health care reform and whether a public option should be included. the investigation into the brutal murder ofn up and coming football star. well, it has become a weekly part of attending a game for fans at fedex field -- the call of the boo birds. the redskins are now 2-4 after losing to the previously winless kansas city chiefs. the team mustered only six measly points. after the game, the skins stripped head coach jim zorn of his play-calling duties. stafford county joining the fight against swine flu. the county will begin vaccinating its students later today. a clinic is scheduled for 5:00 at north stafford high school today. the parents of the will could colonel boy thought to have floated away in a giant helium balloon could now face felony charges. investigators say the entire thing was a hoax. according to the larimer county sheriff, the incident was a marketing ploy to land a reality television show. and the white house says president obama will wait until he is sure that afghan's government is seen as credible before committing more u.s. troops to the war effort. a u.n.-backed investigation into voter fraud from august presidential election is complete but has not been released. kimberly? >> thanks, joe. congressional leaders are continuing to meet this week to craft a single piece of health care reform legislation. meanwhile, the bat e between the white house and the health care industry is intensifying with president obama warning that the way the industry has done business in the past may no longer fly. brooke hart is live on capitol hill with the latest now. good morning, brooke. >> reporter: good morning. so much for insurers and the white house being partners in reform. some democrats here are now openly challenging the industry's long-standing immunity from antitrust laws. one week after health insurers warned reform would raise premiums for americans with coverage -- >> it's smoke and mirrors. it's bogus. >> reporter: -- president obama opened a new line of attack on something insurers have enjoyed since 1945. >> a privileged exception from our antitrust laws, a matter that congress is rightfully reviewing. >> reporter: congress passed the exemption then so states would regulate health insurance. critics, as in this ad, claims it helps keep prices high. >> when baseball players fix games, they get in trouble. when health insurance executives fix the game, they get rich. >> reporter: insurers deny there's any price fixing. they're fighting efforts to repeal the exemption. >> believe it will lead to more competition, lower insurance costs, and basically what it says is nobody's above the law. >> reporter: in the meantime, democrats remain at odds over the public option. >> we have some tough choices to make, but i think the public option makes the most sense. >> reporter: opponents are making their criticism more specific. >> i will not support any public option tied to medicare levels of reimbursement. >> reporter: could democrats agree on higher negotiated rates to hospitals and providers, or allowing states to opt out of a public plan? republicans are wary. >> what they're really good at doing is putting it in a different package, putting a different color ribbon around it and saying, well, it's only the public option. if things don't work out in a couple of years or something like that. that's the concern that a lot of republicans have. >> reporter: in a health care battle tested again this week. and tested this way, too. democrats here will be pushing a separate $250 billion bill to raise medicare rates to doctors. critics call it a trick, splitting off a high cost piece so theain reform measure can be called deficit neutral. live on capitol hill, i'm brooke hart. back to you. >> the nitty-gritty is the toughest part, isn't it? thank you. president obama is leading medical marijuana users and providers alone. the justice department will issue new guidelines on its policy later today. it's expected to tell federal prosecutors not to waste their time going after people who use or sell pot for medical reasons as long as they aren't breaking state laws. the bush administration continued enforcing federal antimarijuana laws despite what states said. 14 states will allow some use of pot for medical purposes. >> police at the vrt of connecticut are trying to figure out why someone would want to kill a star football player. jasper howard was stabbed to death during a fight outside the student union. he was there for a school-sponsored dance. investigators say they don't believe the stabbing was premeditated but also don't think it was a random crime. the crime has left howard's coach and teammates shaken. they also learned that howard was going to be a father. >> but as jas looks down on us, i can promise him and his family that son or daughter will have 105 uncles. >> just hours before his death, howard had helped his team win the homecoming game. well, it's another disappointing week for washington redskins fans certainly. >> even after coaches tried to come up with a new plan of attack, the skins lost to another winless team and dan hellie has your sports minute. >> good morning, everybody. after losing to a winless team for the third time this season, changes were bound to be made and last night it happened. jim zorn was not fired. instead he was stripped of his play-calling duties. sources tell us that sherm lewis, who was hired less than two weeks ago as an offensive consultant, has already been named the new play-caller. the redskins will make that announcement today. jason campbell was benched at halftime, generating just 89 yards passing and throwing one interception in the first half, so in comes the veteran, todd collins. first play of the second half, first pass play, that is. collins going deep. 42 yards to santana moss. that would lead to a field goal. fourth quarter, skins trailing 12-6. collins still in the game, and trying to make something happen with about 30 seconds to go. this was not good. holly sacked collins in the end zone. that's a safety. chiefs win it 14-6. here is zorn's reaction when asked about his future immediately following the game. >> that part's not up to so i won't answer that question because it's not up to me. what we all ought to look at is how -- see if our players are going, what? and i don't sense that. i don't sense any moaning and groaning on that sideline between series. it's going to be a very hard week. last week, i thought that was as hard as it could get. it just got harder. >> going to be a long week at redskins park. the redskins play host to the eagles next monday night and if zorn is fired, it's possible jerry gray, the current secondary coach, could be named the interim head coach. that's your morning sports. i'm dan hellie. everybody have a great monday. >> going to be an ugly week for those skins and skins fans. >> that locker room could not have been a fun place to be. >> i can't imagine. >> oh, my gosh. >> 5:21 is our time. time again for traffic and weather on the 1s. let's go to meteorologist tom kierein. >> good morning, tom. >> good morning. we finally dried out yesterday afternoon, still dry this morning thankfully, now just near 40 degrees in washington and the nearby suburbs. a few locations around the blue ridge and shenandoah valley are right near freezing this morning. that's where they do have a freeze warning in effect from the blue ridge to the nearby suburbs of washington. we have a frost advisory, a little scattered frost over the next couple of hours. lots of sunshine today. afternoon highs climbing to near 60 degrees. sunny and warmer tuesday, wednesday and thursday with highs near 70 each day. into the weekend, friday, saturday and perhaps into saturday night, some passing showers but drying out sunday. jerry, good morning. how's the mondaycommute? >> tom, good morning. good morning, everyone. we will head south, take a live look thousand oxon hill, maryland, let you know things are movingretty well. inner loop of the beltway as you come down 295, there it is moving nicely. did have that accident outer loop at allentown road, quickly moved to the shoulder. on the rails this morning, so far trains pulling out on schedule. metrorail, vre and marc tell us no early delays. back to you. >> good news. thanks. >> thanks, jerry. >> 5:22, 41 degrees. how some maryland residents will be able to voice their concerns about toellls on the i.c.c. >> also, the terrifying ride on board a bus and why riders were thrown to the floor. >> the deep cuts coming to a local school district in hopes of balancing a major budget deficit. >> and a reminder, news 4 is always connected to you on facebook and twitter. for up to the minute breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, you can find us on either site by searching news4today. take a look at this. a city bus collides with a car before slamming into an overpass in albuquerque, new mexi. the crash happened when a car turned in front of a city bus. the bus drier was not able t stop in time and hit the car before running in a a concrete pillar. luckily, no one was seriously injured. >> that is terrible. today will be a pivotal moment in the political career of south carina governor mark sanford. the south carolina supreme court will hear arguments about whether legislators should get initial findings of an ethics panel investigating the governor. sanford opposes the release and filed suit in the state's highest court to prevent the state ethics commission from giving them to legislators. >> why health officials are raising new concern about the swine flu and children. >> after another loss to the skins, some big changes being made the next time the team hits the field. >> also a dramatic rescue attempt. now a group of local responders bein fail to the chiefs. the skins suffer another loss this morning, their big changes for head coach jim zorn. >> opportunity knocks. what motivated a family to make up a story involving