megan mcgrath is out on the scene there on 270. megan, what are you seeing? are there twoanes open there? >> reporter: just wthin the last a couple of minutes they startedno open lanes o 270. il peek over here. it was two lanes that were reopened. now looks le we may have three sanes. yes, three lane on 270 now open. what is still impacted by the cra, though, is the ramp for 118. germantown road, they are still working on some of the debris thr is in the aea as a result of this accident. that is still closed but the good news here is that 270 had really been bottled up in the southbond direction right here at exit 15. they only had one lane getting by for a wecle bause of the accident. that just changed literally withco the last a uple of minutes. now we do have quite a few delays. a big bakup here so it will take a little bi for this to dissipate so ople should keep that in mind. i believe you've b showing the video here this morning of the accident involving the tractor-trailer. toere was a traffic sp that was happening alongthe side of 270. police cruiser

megan mcgrath is joining us live from the scene. what can you tell us. >> reporter: we have hit a bit after complication. they hoped to have this tractor-trailer up and out of here but you can see it's still on its side here on the ramp for germantown road. they were trying to atta it to this wrecker here and haul it out, the tractor-trailer started coming apart so they haven't been able to get it onto the tow truck here.no what they have to do is off-load the contents of the truck and we are told that that is about 40,000 pound of candy. they will to take all of that off of the truck first be re they can then haul it out of here. bottom line this is going to be potentially be an impact for a number of hours here. 270 all of the lanes have reopened so an improvement from earlier this morning. the lanes alo running but they are open. this ramp to germantown road is still closed and that may be the case for several more hours. this all stems from an early morning accident here. a police officer was doing a traffic stop here on 270, wa

news4 megan mcgrath is tracking the damage in bethesda this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this bethesda neighborhood has a lot of very old, very large trees and you can see that some of those trees came down in last night' storm because of the high winds here on whittier boulevard. the tree actuall came down on an suv that was parked here along the side of the road. in other cases they fell on houses and power lines and the likes. a lot of cleanup still tobe done this morning. take a look at se video that was shot last a night you can see wh happened with all of the rain that fe very fast last night. .iver road where these images were taken we had some flooding in that area. cars going through standing ater on the street there. also a lot of tree damage, whole trees brought down,omin se case they came down on homes. fortunately no serious injuries were reported and in other cases we still have power outages hbecause of the lines tat were brought down. several hundred people still without power today. wheaton and kensington are areas

news4 megan mcgrath is trackinga the dmage in bethesda this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning.s there i a lot of cleanup still to be done this morning. i'm here on whittier boulevard in bethesda. we have a tree that has fallen across the street here so it's completely shut down.th t tree, though, also falling on a car. it looks like an suv that was parkde hire along the si of the road. we are seeing similar scenes here on road around the area. odr example, wo haven boulevard, brook drive also closed this morning because o tree damage. in some cases, the trees bringing down power lines. in other case, they hit cars, as well as homes in the area. so a lot of damage heavy rain caused flooding on river road with the water going across the roadway and causing dicey situations. we are expecting to see people out and about this morning with chain saws and cleaning things up asthey continue to recover from the storm. bethesda and potomac and kensington and wheaton were areas hard hit. we spoke to a man last night. he described what it was like.

back to y guy. >> megan mcgrath live for us on beltway, we will see how that workout. thank you. >>> let's get you now to a story that can be pretty hard for any parent to watch. believe me, i just kind went through this with my 3-year-old. this boy is in the hospital after climbing on to an airport baggage conveyer belt in atlanta. security footage here capturing the terrifying moments earlier this week. police say the litt boy's mother put him down at a spirit airlines kiosk to print her boarding pass. he got away and road on the baggage belt ten minutes before he land inside a tsa bggage room. >>> it was a tearful reunion between a metro transit police ufficer and a 4-year-old little boy. yomay remember andrew pamia who has autism. on friday, he had a bit of a meltdown on the metro ride home. a picture went viral showing qu officer dominicase helping him on the train. yesterday, the two got a chance to see each other again. later on today, officer case will be honored at the metro bohird meeting for all of help with that family and andre and hither plan to attend. >

back to you. >> megan mcgrath live in prince georges county, thank you. >>> d.c. police and the fbi are stillrs searching for the peon who they said fired a gun in the direction of an on duty police officer. >> the search continues we're learning new chaeling details about the incident. take a look. we showed you thisei survlance video yesterday morning. it all happenedarly in the morning on the fourth of july on hillside road in southeast. police said the shooter put two lives at risk. >> the officer was in the area. he was outsideis vehicle. he was actually having a conversation with a citizenwhen the shots rang out. ey for e is reward m information leading to the arrest and conviction of the shooter. >>> new information about a on crash the beltway in maryland. state trooper warren thompson was pinned against the guardrail while he was investigating a rain reaction crash yesterday happening near pennsylvania avenue in forrisville. involvede five drivers in the crash. one of the drivers is being arged with failing to control speed to avoid a collision. >>> oscar

. >>> plm megan mcgrath is live i ospringfield with more this story we are bringing you. >> reporter: good morning. the outbreak began 12 days ago. 1 in 5t residents ae skilled and assisted living section here at greenspring have fallen ill with some sort of respiratory illness. the illness likely contributed to the death ofwo residents here who also had anchorage complicated health issues. now, 18 residents have been taken to the hospital, 7 of those were treat and have returned to greenspring. 54 people have gotten ill. dew the tests are being taken. there are tests way to try to actually pinpoint the exact cause of this respiratory illness. greenspring released a statement saying, in part, they are working with health official here in the county and that they have taken all necessary measures to fully implement proven infectiond prevention an control strategies. the hope here is that things are i hroving. thee not been any new infections in the laed cou coming up we will hear from the health department and some of the steps that are being taken nfection doesthis not spread any furt

news4 megan mcgrath is live on the scene now with the latest. good morning. >>reporter: good morning. we have just been able to confirm that the two people who died in this accident were not in the vehicle that left the roadway. they were actually in the park. james monroe park. they were struck and killed by that vehicle as it le the roadway and actually went into the park, landing on its se. i'll st i'll step out of the way. pennsylvania avenue nd me is closed between 20th and 21st streets. we have 2000 block of i street closed as we. his is monroe park you see behind me here with therees and this vehicle was travelings we on pennsylvania area just about a quarter of 12:00 last night. for whatever reason, we don't have that information, for some reason, it left the roadway, potentially traveling at a high rate of speed, jumped the curb andent into that park, striking these two people, killing them. he vehicle then landed on its side. ale a little whigo a tow truck came here and positioned in place and and the police office are me removing some of the tap an

back to you. >> megan mcgrath, live for us in ashburn. gan, thank you. >>> we turn now to decision 2020 and a look at last night's democratic presidential debate. ten of the candidates hoping e secure party's nomination were on the stage for the first night of another two-night event. >> immigration, gun control and president trump's fitness for office were all discussed, but once again, the issue of health care cauitd a spl amongst the candidates. news 4 jummy is here to break it down for us. good morning. >> good morning to you. we know health care is a big thing among many voters. and those ten candidates agreed that health care should be a rightand not a privilege. they want every american, they say, to be covered, but when it comes down to the discussion on how to that, the candidates seem divided into two groups. the first group suggests a medicare for all plan. ofyou probably heard that before, which would eliminate private insurance and put everyone on the same government-r plan. then there was the second group of democrats that b

our megan mcgrath will have a preview in just a few minutes. >>> the biggest headline will come with the president's salute to america event particularly the display of this country's military power. look at new cell phone video shows miliry tanks moving rough the streets of d.c. late last night in the southwest. check this out, this video shows those tanks inat place the lincoln memorial. tomorrow's program will include 24 different aircraft representing each brach of the military. president trump will make a 0-minute speech at the lincoln memorial. all of the events will be open to the public and there is a ticketed section for reserve for vips. there will also be protests tomorrow. news 4 learned that the national park servce approved a permit for that baby trump balloon. the balloon can be near the washington monument from 4:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. tomorrow. >>> as the president's event wraps up tomorrow night, the 39thn aal capitol fourth concert kicks off and the dress rehearsal for that big show is scheduled for tonight. >> megan mcgrath on live the national mall with what you ne

to you. >> all right, megan mcgrath. >> thank you. megan. we have team coverage of a live look from the white house now. the celebration will look different because of the president's event, "salute to america." tracie potts reports onhe president's plan. >> reporter: president trump is promising a "salute to america" like no others. we'll have planes over head at the bes fighter jets and tanks station outside. the traditional fireworks after the president speaks at the lincoln memorial about atriotism and he sa healthcare >> republicans are going to save p preexisting conditions. the democrats' plan are going to destroy the country. >> reporter: to some this is apart of the campaign rally. he's giving out vip tickets to top republican donors. >> mr. president, how about a hike and a hamburger rather than an extravangaza. >> they would rather having a beer and barbecue. >> reporter: the national park service is shimiing $2.5 lion from repairs to fun and security event. >> we don't know how much the entire event will cost. tracie potts, n new

. >>> many of you will celebrate today on the water and megan mcgrath is herewhat you need to know to stay safe while boating and swimming. o reporter: an absolutely beautiful morningut here on the potomac river. you can see how calm it is. for a lot of people, fourth of july mean getting out on the water and getting out on a boat. a lot of fun, it can be dangerous. so there is safety tips you want to follow. first of all, whenever u're out onboat, wear a life vest. having a working two-way radio b is importacause cell reception isn't always great on the water. also don't drink and boat. and don't boat alonean if you avoid it. having another set of eyes and hand on board, if something goes wrong, could be very useful. in addition to the general boating safeom tips, shing else to be aware of if you boat or swim in the chesapeake bay. a boy wh went swimming in a bay near ocean city contracted a form of flesh eating bacteria. here are the pictur that show it. they were posted on facebook by the boy's mother. a mom says her son contracted a form of the flesh eating bacteria after swimming

back to you guys. >> megan mcgrath, live in prince georges county. megan, thank you. >>> 5:49 now. after first sing he would not run for president in 2020. california billionaire tom ed steyer decid he will now. he is joing the field of more than 20 candidates vyingor the democratic nomination fowthe hite house. >> what do we care snabt do we care about improving the world and handing it on to the next generation in ways they can lead better lives than we've had? in a way that's safer, more prosperous and more beautiful and creative. >> steyer has been a vocal critic of president trump and spent millions of dollars onm corcials calling for his impeachment. like he did in 2016, he says his wealth makes him immune special interests and corporate pressure. >>> another 2020 race to keep an eye on the kentucky senate seat. 're going to go right to chuck bell. >> all right. yeah. the forecast for 2020 is more of the same. >> all right. >> cold in the winter. hot in the summer. >> you are just a genius. yes. >> g science. there you go. >> that's the difference between weather and climate.

we will check in with news4 megan mcgrath in a few minutes. >>> developing this morning pushingback. president trump's embattled press secretar alex acosta is defending himself. >> it is a sex crimes case involving jeffrey epstein in 2008. at the time, epstein's lawyers hire able to secure him a plea deal which many t let him off easy. >> the goal here was straightforward. put epstein behind bars and ensure he registered as a sex offender and a mean to face restitution. >> kristen welker joins us from the house with more on this. good mrening. >> rter: good morning. growing calls on labor secretary alex acosta to resign, the labor secretary is digging in and essentially not apologizing but now the finger pointing has begun. acosta argued yesterday that he had to step in essentially to take over the state case and that is why he cut that plea deal. he said thatsentially jeffrey epstein wouldn't have spent any time in jail if the fed hadn't stepped in. now the former ste attorney general who was handling that case is accusing him of rewriting history and call cacosta's recollectionplet

news4 megan mcgrath is live along connecticut avenue now he near t beltway with what you need to know. good morning. a reporter: good morning. this will have big impact on people who use the beltway in montgomery county. the work means that lanes are be going to losed and, at times, there is going to be a complete shutdown on both sides of the beltway. it all gets under way sunday night. take a look at the map here. you can get an idea. the work is happening on the inner and outer loops of the beway between georgia avenue and connecticut avenue. crews are installing structural steel on the seminary road bridge overhe beltway. and here is how it works. :0tarting at 9 one lane will be closed. at 10:00, two lanes will be closed. at 11:00, theyhuwill s down three lanes. then total closures up up to 15 minute will start happening as a needed that will be between midnight and 4:00 a.m. for those total closures. the work is happening sundaysth ough thursdays, all of the lanes should reopen by 5:00 a.m. so in time for the morning rush hour. the work should be completely finished by mid august

megan mcgrath is live near the scene with the latest on this investigation. this is awful. >> it was a terrible accident. talk about the wrong place at the wrong time, the two victims who died here, innocent bystanders in all of this. to give you an idea of the force with which this suv came barreli through, thiss one of the benches here on this park. you can se the chunk of concrete, that is what is left of an identical bench right next to it, it was hit by this suv along with two other benches. the driver leaving p avenue and driving straight through. two people were on those benches. and they were killed. >> chun of the splintered wood, that's all that remains of one park bench, two others nearby were also destroyed. strewn about,personal belongings including a cooler, clothing. police say it appears the twos victimre on the benches, when an suv ered off pennsylvania avenue and continued on through the park. the victims were struck and died on the scene. >> it simply caught them off guard. that's what makes it so sad. >> it happened in this small park at p

. >> megan mcgrath i livehere with more. >> reporter: good morning. this outbreak began 12 days ago and 1 in 5 residents at the skilled and assisted livingon secere at greenspring have come down with a respiratory illness. health official areve igating whether that are whether that contributed to the deaths of two residents that also had other complicated health issues.en now 18 resid have been hospitalized. 7 of those residents have since returned to greenspring after getting treatment. 54 residents have gotten sick. the retirement community is working closely to the health department and working hard to prevent further spread of this virus. >> the recommendations of the health department incle ncelling gatherings among the residents, keeping residents who are ill in their rooms, increasing cleaning and hand washing at the facility. >> reporter: greenspring released a statement saying, in part. i should mention that lab tests are under way to try to pinpoinu the exact c of this respiratory illness and the hope here is that they have turned the corner

megan mcgrath is live at greenspring retirement community in springfield with more. >> reporter: good morning. we have new information today following an update from healto official ab the situation. a third death has happened at the greenspring retirement h communityere in springfield and we have learned that 60 from nts have gotten hi this respiratory infection. health official are still trying pinpoint the exact cause. the three residents who did die, they are elderly and health official say they have other complicated medical conditions so health official don't know yet the extent which the respiratory illness, what is connected to their deaths. official say that they are also dealing with reports of a respiratory illness outbreak at another assisted living facility. that one in burke, virginia. 25 people are sick at that facity but no deaths have been reported. health official say at this point, there is no connection and seen no evidence of a connection between the two outbreaks but the outbreaks are striking because they are happening in the summertime when normally it's the wi

>> ow megan mcgrath helps you decide if you're going plant-based is right for your family. al for many.ealthy living is a one trend gaining in popularity is switching to a plant-based diet, emphasizing fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts. studies have shown the health uc benefits red risk of type two diabetes include heart health and weight loss. >> this is what i recommend to sel of my patients. it's a planted-bawhole food diet. >> reporter: ashley jarvis is a. when switching to a plant-based di o focus urges people on food as close to their natural state as possible, so-called whole food and you'll find vitamins and minerals and fibers and antioxidants. >> think about not just plant-based but whole food. they are the actual food, right? the broccoli, the pea, the soy bean.it is the whole food. it's not some part of it has been isolated or processed out. >> reporter: plant-based products that taste like real meat have become all of the rage. it >> i thought was tasty. very good. and the impossible burger can be found on menus and grocery stores around the dmv.s jarvis sayey ar

. >> megan mcgrath is joining us in northwest d.c. on how the law could impact your life. >> reporter: good morning. quite a few change you need to know about. it's julyst 11hich means new law are kicking around in the dmv.t e a look at what is happening. no more plastic straws or stir ers unless you're prepared to payan fine. the book effect earlier this year with warning but starting today, business will be fined anywhere from $100 to $800 to serving drinks with straws. let's go over to maryland. maryland becomes the first state to ban restaurants and schools from using styrofoam food containers. in virginia, you must now be 21 years old to buy e-cigarettes or tobacco product. enand minimum wage. take a look. now these are just a few of the laws that are taking affect today. there are a lot more and we have a complete list on our nbc washington app. back to you guys. >> megan mcgrath, live for us dntown, thanks. >>> two pele are under arrest ndis morning in maryla, accused of trying to smuggle painkillers in two different prisons. a

megan mcgrath, news4. > we are starting off on the right foot. the sun is comin a little after 6:00 a.m. 77 is ourp tature. 90 today.

back to you. >> megan mcgrath rolling along the express lanes this morning. thank you. >>> we are hours away from the r first ptice of the 2019 spring training camp for the redskins. our sherree burruss is in richmond this mornito explain the team's focus on day one. >> reporter: new year. same goal for the redskins. make the playoffs. that journey starts here as now it looks like the burgundy and gold will be trying to do that o thout pro bowl left tackle trent williams still holding out. head coach jay gruden expecting williams to be back, eventually. >> hope is not a wo i'll use. i expect him to come back and he understands what this franchise has done for him and he understandwhat he has done for this franchise. hopefully we get him back soon. >> the plot thickens at quarterback. long time redskins backup colt mccoy is 100% healthy after suffering a broken leg last season and he will compete with nine-year veteran case keenum and this year's 15th overall pick dwayne haskins. >> i feelryonfident in one of our quterbacks. they have the still set to win foot

megan, good morning. >> reporter: well, good morning, guys. yeah, this is an annual event here on the grounds of the u.s. capitol. now t t the sun has comeup, we can get a better look here at the stage that's been set up igere. it's r on the west side of the capitol. you can also get an idea of some of the security that you canex ct to encounter if you are going to be attending the festivities. we have a number of gates and re perimeters hehat are set up and people are going to have to go through security at certain morts here along the mall. now, john sta is hosting the concert again this year. grammy winner carol king is among the performers. take a look at some video from u previoyear. the show is at 8:00 on the fourth ofjuly. f you don't feel like dealing with all of the crowds and the logistics, there is a dress rehearsal that' taking place tonight. it's free and open to the public. now, that rehearsal gets under w at 8:00 but gates open at 3:00. su're going to have to pass through securi keep that in mind. some of the prohibited items yo

a live report from megan mcgrath is coming up in a little bit. inner loop and snroouter loop nb prms. >>> next on ne4, finding growth in an unexpected place. a the keeper of hundreds of plants and county the author of a best selling book, i'm justin finch here. one-on-one with hilton carter to showcase ways to help your own plants grow. >>> if you're home this afternoon, don't miss "ellen" at 3:00 and then news at 4:00. >>> some people who have a house plant here or there. >> have dead plants all around the house. you get those special few who can keep hundreds ofthem. i mean, really. here is justin finch with one of those special few who has grown his plantassion into a new balk and a must-follow instagram page. >> reporter: hilton carter not only knows his plants, knows what you think of them too. >> this one here is a neon post and they are what you had earier, your grandma plant, right? you've seen them in your grandmother's home. >> reporter: maybe you've seen t grandma dohis one too. it looks wrong. but he is allowed. >> when i come to most

a battery sparking the fire engulfing theusour b in flames and megan mcgrath explains that the he and humidity outside me tough conditions for the firefighters. >> reporter: this cell phone video taken by a viewer shows flames.tour bus in this was a challenging fire to knock down. the burning bus inside a very large wehouse. the curved roof, the kind that's prone to a collapse, a dangerous situation for first responders and then there was the blinding smoke. >> it's a very dangerous situation. we try to prevent the firefighters from getting lost. at one point we had aire officer become separated from his company. he delayed a may day, but fortunately he was abl to find his way to anac at door. >> reporter: making the job even more difficult, the extreme heat an humidity. wearing heavy full protective gear, extra units werealled to the scene so fifth corsi gets pped out frequently. >> it's hot outside. inside you encounter heat, smoke, zero vsibility. working your butt off to the point of exhaustion and beyond. cture running the marathon and come out ande ging your gear off and hitting

ur megan mcgrath is stuck in all of this or was stuck in all of this and looks like on things are flowing along from this vantage point and she is about to join us in a few minutes with a live update on what is happening there. >>> first up, let's go to first 4 traffic who has been on top of this with melissa mollet. >> th270 souund before germantown road, it looks to me from that camera like wemiingg . before all of that, as you're hittiy father hurle boulevard and heading southbound, a two-mile backup because it is just very low. this happened around 1:00 in the morning and tractor-trailer into a cruiser and that cruiser into a second cruiser. because of this we also have a closure on

a lot of logistics. 24 ceras had to be lined up so it would all come together on megan mcgrath for us on the wall. thank weathe alert. >> dangerous levels of heat, aftern right now the sunrise is just temper in the upper s.70 if you had a morning run, jog, 73 in leaseberg. your forecast high today, 96 degree danger heat. danger humidity. again, a likelihod of heat index 100 in gaithersbur 101 in manassas and in southern maryla danger high. the heat advisory with all of out onto the eastern shore. offici it goes from 11. code orange air quality. poor quality. tomorr a little bitore humid but no as who th 96 today. 94 tomorrow. all of the latest information is availa on the nbc wshington app. my social dia pages. all of this moisture, that was it will lead for an opportunity. 2:00, 3:00, cooing unfort may not a riff today and tomorrow thunderstor heat index nearing 105. that for friday, saturday there signs that next week >> good morning. vehiclfire. should there. enjoy th live pictures from above. capito heights, the ramp to ramp blocked by an earlier crash. brough sign down. third, ou

news 4's megan mcgrath joins us in ashburn with the latest on this.morning. >>. >> reporter: good morning. investigators still here on the scene. this is the home that -- where they believe the fire started behind me. you can see fire marshals in the garage area looking around trying to figure out the cause. the flames spret fromhis house to the home on either side. a lot of damage was doon here. fortunately, no majorri inju. >> chopper 4 shows the extent of the damage. four houses in a row on milstead drive in ashburn. the two in the middle, a complete loss. >> through the back. so it's just a total destruction. totally has to be taken down and replaced. >> his son owns this home. he's working out of the country. so the house was empty. >> it's not as bad as it could oe. thank god nob was hurt, there. was no possessions in the house. >> the house next door, they weren't so lucky. the residents were also away, t theirbelongings, including a car were inside the burning home. just the -- the neighbor across the street -- >> the roof was on fire everywhere. both houses. it was scary. >> the

megan mcgrath is livehet battle of landover thismorning. >> reporter: the donations are underway here at the community center. this is the battle of the badges, public service agencies coming together here to do a good thing, to help bolster the blood supplies in the area, which are at criticalsn[ level the red cross saying they have less than a two day's supply. they really need help here, at stake is this trophy, the winner gets it, but more important than that, iselping people and boosting those blood supplies.w3 they are the people who come to help when yo call 911. these prince georges county emergency responders know f hand the importance of donating blood, it can literally save lives. >> severe accidents where you have at of trauma, blood loss, shootings, stabbing those types of incidents where people lose a lot of blood. and need to have blood repl ed. >> try to write a sentence without the letters a, b, o? you can't do it. fire and ems areofficers, we can't save lives without that blood. >> the countyes agenci went head to head to boost the blood supplies and claim bragging

megan mcgrath, news 4. >> a new push tokeep you safe on the beach this summer. today new jersey senator bob menendez asked the government to the hep prvent wind-swept beach umbrellas from hitting you. meneez asked the consumer product safety commission to improve its regulations by properly ople how to stake their umbrellas in the sand. last month a mother was recording as anumbrella nearly hit her toddler.pe that haped in south ca. that was close. >> they can be weaponized and some are pretty darn heavy. >> whoa. >>> w what, a day i we were at the beach today even though ra's a h one today. high temres generally in the low 90s. tomorrow, maybe a little hotter. >>>> okay. n our way back up? this is how many heat waves. >> >> this is our fifth heat wave this year. today was e 34th day that we've hit 90s degree or higher so 34 days,e the averag for the entire year in our area which is 36. we sould hit that by wednesday, the last day of july and then we have all of august sot's other hot summer around here. right now on storm team 4 radar i'm also tracking some sho

. >> megan mcgrath breaks it down for us. >> right now i'm on 495 in maryland, continuing along here, we're seeing some congestion, but nothingoo terribly bad. if you've driven through the area, through the region, youh know t rush hour can be a bear. and that's what this whole thing, this whole plan is about, trying to cut down on your time and traffic. trying to duce the amount of congestion you have to travel through during rush hour. our news partners are reporting at mdot is going to review a plan that would take a look, extend the 495 express lanes in virginia into montgomery county. 270 toll lanes would go up to gaithersburg and join the icc, and traffic could then connect with i-95, this is not a done deal at this point. state transportation officials in maryland areaking a closer look and they're going to be exploring the optionhe over t next several weeks. >> this is just one of several proposals in the mix to try to improve the traffic situation in the region. we'll have to see where it goes. back to you. >>> this afternoon d.c.'s mayor and police chief will join members of

in ashburn, megan mcgrath, "news4." >>> the s severerm threat easing up for d.c., but it's not over yet. good evening. >>> right no00 at 6:, who is seeing those strong winds and heavy rains tonight and what's coming the regt of the week. all.m team four tracking it >>> plus a front row seat to the shooting. the passenger who saw his cousin get shot talks to "news4." >>> and part 2, eat toect from tonight's presidential debate from do it after the candidate's spl candidate's' split along ideological fight last night. >>> let's get right to doug and amelia in "storm team 4." >> plenty of us are still seeing strong storms. what's the latest, yu guys? >> that's what we're telling you. a better chance of seeing them. to the north, completely out of the clear. >> we have a new flood warning until 9:00 p.m. from the heavy rain al a rainfall and a new warning for maryland. >> there's one through calvert and anne arundel county. a strong storm e saw a lot of trees around the fredericksburg thi incde arease in dar. krca.h and to the south. no longer under severe or thunderst watches now in that a

. >> megan mcgrath is live outside of greenspring retirement community in springfield. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. fairfax county official are still testing and figure out the origin of this illness why people are getting sick. we have new information here. we have learned that a third death has happened here at the greens ing retirementmmunity in springfield and that more than 70 residents have gotten ill from this respiratory infecti infection. three who died were elderly and complicated medical conditions. health official don't know the extent theesespiratory il contributed to theirh. deat health official saying they are dealing with respiratory illness outbreak in burke, virginia. 25 people stiick there but no deaths. health official say no connection beten thewo outbreaks' two different communities but the outbreaks are striking because they are happening in the summertime, not the winter when normally we see lu and respiratory illnesses spreading through communities so a little unusual here. the testing continues and still trying to gure out the origi

megan mcgrath is on her way to the scene. light volume on this holiday f beltway through maryland and virginia very quiet this morning. no issues down around the woodrow wilson bridge.ff tra light. back in to you. >jack, thank you. >>> fireworks lit up the night's sky in new york city for the fourth at this year's macy's extravagaa. music and pyrotechnics were there. millions of people in new york watched the show above the brooklyn brge in person. many of you watched it from the here on our home new news4. >>> so if last night's fireworks weren't enough for you, there are more shows this weekend. news4 tommy mcfly explains that and more in the "weekend scene." >> reporter: we found some fireworks that ve not been set off yet. i'm tommy mcfly with your "weekend scene." bladensburg, we are looking to you. waterfront park tomorrow 6:00 the music and fun starts and then more fireworks into the night's sky. if you want more fireworks, thee are still a couple of ce brations still happening this weekend. f searchireworks on the nbc

mcgrath shows us what you need to know about this. >> this is going to have a big impact on people who use the beltway along this stretch in montgomery county, the work means that some lanes are going to have toede clos and at times the beltway will shut down completely in both directions. take a look at the map here, you can get an idea for the area we're talking about, this work is going to be happening on both the inner and outer loops of the beltway between georgia avenue and connecticut avenue. they're installing structural seal over the beltway, the work begins on sunday night. and here's how it's going to happen, at 9:00 at night, one lane will be closed. at 10:00, two lanes will close, 11:00, they will shut down three lanes. and then total closures of up to 15 minutes will ppen as needed between midnight and 4:00 a.m., the work is going to be happening sundays through thursdays. all lanes should reopen by 5:00 a.m. in the morning in time for rush hour. now, the work should be completed by the middle of august. things will getoack toal then, it all begins staunting this sy at 9:

in kensington, megan mcgrath, news 4. >> iin love see all the kids decked out in red, white and blue. >> adorable. >>> how many bygers do think you can eat in ten minutes? >> about one. >> one woman devoured 32. >> she made history in the district. molly schuyler congered the championship in northwest yesterday. this year she demolished, that's a good word. she ate the previous record 28 burgers. winning is nothing new for this fast od champ. she won the competition five years in a row. she beat 13 other competitors from arounthe country a took home the grand prize of $1500. >> how do they do that? >> i needmo more ey than $1500, though. if i'm going to try it. >> happening at coney island, a kch dent joey chestnut hopes to win hi12th nathan's hot dog eating contest. > chestnut and miki sudo weighed in. sudo ate 37 p if they repeat, they'll each take home ,000 bucks. >> congrats to all of them. >>> decades old dupont staples. according to the washingtonian, buffalo billiards and front page onth.close next they share the new hampshire avenue building about to be revamp under brand new

here's news4's megan mcgrath with how the law might affect you. >> reporter: it's july 1st accident ever which means that a lot of new laws are kicking in jurisdictions around the dmv. let's start here in the district of columbia. no more plastic stra at bars and restaurants, unless you're prepared to pay a fine. the ban took effect earlier this year, but starting today, businesses can actually be fined anywhere from $100 tor800 fo repeat offenders. and in maryland, restaurants and schools can no longer use styrofoam containers. penalties won't kick in until 2020, but they're going to bin publicizing the ban starting today. >>> and in virginia, you now need to be 21 years old to buy tobacco products. thaoms up fr 18. however, there are exceptions for active duty military imrsonnel. and the min wage is going up in two area jurisdictions. here in the district, the hourly wage goes from $13.25 to $14.an hour, regardless of the size of the business. and in montgomery county, large employers with 51 or more workers must pay $13 an hour, up from $12.25. small and mid-sizedusinesses in montgome

megan mcgrath is heing to the scene. pretty troosk pretty well on 295 right now. eastbound i-66 at blake lane, looking in decent shape.pretty now. eastbound i-66 at ooake lane, lng in decent shape.well on 295. eastbound i-66 at blake lane, looking in decent shape. >>> we talk about the future weather four friday. we are talking about some cloud for yourfriday. we do see the sun trying to peek through across our area. take a look as we throughout the late morning around 11:00 a.m., starting to see some rain showers but we also see out to our wet, we are starting to see those storms or rain shower starting to building and we know what happens after 2:00 or 3:00. the rain showers will move across our area as we go over the mountains andtart to become more enhanced. we see by 5:00, more green across your screen which mean more shower, possibly more thunderstorm. but after the sun starts to set, after 9:00 p.m., those shower will move across the area and then clear out. for today's pool forecast, everyone, temperatures will rise to a very steamy 89 degrees with chance

back to yoot >> a of people impacted there megan mcgrath live in ashburn, virginia. megan, thank you. >>> 5:49 now. drama played out on capitol hill during a confirmation hearing for general john eighten. he's the man president trump nominated to take over the second highest position in the u.s. military. >> general heighten was accused of sexual assault two years ago but yesterday he once denied those allegations while his accuser sat in the oom. army kernel katherine spoke afterwards. she accused him once again of lying. a lengthy air force investigation found insufficient evidence to charge the generalt buhose same investigators also found no eviden that she was lying. >> i want to state to you and to the american people in the strongest possible terms that these allegations are false. >> ttom line is he lied about sexually assaulting me. >> senator mcsally, former fighter pilot and sexual assault survivor herself says she supportsl.he genera the committee could vote by the endthe week. >>> we are working for you and staying on top of that capital one data breach

megan mcgrath is live along connecticut avenue and the beltway with what you need to know. >> reporter: this will cause problems for people who use t is stretch of beltway in montgomery county. the work means lane closures and at times a complete closure o thebeltway. and it's going to be happening starting on sunday. take a look at the map here. you can get an idea for the area that is affected. this is going to happen on both the inner and outer loops of the avenue between georgia avenue and connecticut avenue. crews are installing structural steel on the seminary bridge over the beltway. here is how it breaks down. at 9:00, one lane on the beltway will be closed. 10:00, two lan. 11:00, three lanes will close. then the total closures up to 15 minute at a time will happens needed. that will take place between midnight and 4:00 a.m. the work is happening sundays through thursdays, all lanes will reopen by 5:00 a.m. in time for the rush hour but p overnight hours, you can expect to see those closures and the lanes taken away. this is certainly going to impact a lot of people. the work s

megan mcgrath live in bethesda, thank you. >>> the heat is being blamed for the death of a womanho took a weekend hike along the montgomery county trail. she was on the billy goat trail near great falls on saturday. when she suffered at's being described by first responders as some sort of heat-related emergencyas that woman waken to the hospital where she died. on sunday, the trail was closed. first responders tell us thathi wit temperatures and humidity, hikers can quickly run into trouble. >> well, you know, we talkedou you go early in the morning or later in the evening when it's cooler times than middle of the da it's not a good time. what you've done yesterday and day before as far as hydration is going to help you today. >> we're still working to learn whe that trail will reopen. >>> today at 11:30, d.c. mayor muriel bowser and police chief newsome plan to address the gun violence in the district. this video from saturday showing them announcing an arrest in the murder of 11-year-old caron brow >> news 4's megan fitzgerald joins us from the north west with more e on what we cect

news 4's megan mcgrath breaks it down for us. t you've driven through area and the region you know rush hour could be an absolute bear. trying to cut down on your time and traffic and reduce the amount traffic that you have to travel through. mdot is going to take a look and extend the express lanes in virginia over a rebuilt american legion bridge into montgomery county. the toll lanes would then go up 270 to gaithersburgnd would join the icc and traffic would connect with i-95. this is not a done deal t state, transportation officials in maryland are taking a closer look and they are going to be exploring the option over the next sever weeks. now, this is just one of several proposals in the mix to try to improve the traffic situation in the region. we'll have to see where it goes. thank you very much. "news 4 at 5:00" starts right now. >> we start this hour with an argumendo over a car that led to a deadly fist fight at a ce george's county shopping center. >> two punches later a man laying on the ground and a few days later h