reporting live in fort washington, john gonzalez, abc 7 news. >> thank you so much. nbc set his chief foreign correspondent richard engle and production team have been released after a dramatic fire from. they were kidnapped and held captive for five days in syria. the entire crew was unharmed. the team is now out of the country. >> following a developing story, this coming in from woodbridge. investigators now searching for a man suspected of sexually assaulting a teenager. police tell us the man posed as a cable company employee, threatened a 15-year-old girl to get into the home and attacked her at knifepoint. the suspect is believed to be in his 20's with a medium build. police say he was wearing a gray jacket, red shirt, black pants and black dress shoes. this morning of the grieving is continuing newtown connecticut. but the town struggles to come to grips with an enormous tragedy. fuels will be held for more of the 20 children and six adults who died. two children were laid to rest monday. students in new town will return to class today -- newtown, they will e

john gonzalez? >> you can afford a ticket for you and me, john. this game is so big metro had decided to stay open an extra hour after the game. the game is so big it has been most to prime-time national television and the stadium is allowing the other games to start at 3:30 sunday. this weekend's game is the biggest redskins game in a decade. a matchup against the hated dallas cowboys, winner take all. some lucky enough to have tickets. >> i would not sell the tickets for the world. we have had many years of bad seasons. it's going to be electric. >> many fans during a accordingly. sunday night will be cold for this rivalry. >> i cannot remember being so excited for a game, at least since they left rfk stadium. >> it's not just diehard fans treating this like a playoff game. local businesses will reap the benefits./ >> we have 1500 wings ordered. people are asking if they can reserve reservations and asking whether we will show the game? of course we are. it's the redskins. >> according to a recent espn poll, 73% of the country wants the redskins

john gonzalez reporting. >> turning to the salahis. they used to be in the news a lot. he is running for virginia governor. >> tareq salahi is looking for a democratic luck."jummy olabanji explains. >> he will face tough competition when he's running against the current attorney general ken cuccinelli but he hopes to get some obama magics that helps the president win reelection in november. he's doing it with a new set of wheels. he has granted the same bus company that obama store bus used during his election season. --obama 's tour's tour bus used. tareq salahi has already put down a deposit of $60,000. it comes with a full kitchen high-speed wireless internet and a full office with printers and copiers, and a place to sleep and shower. it's the same bus president obama used for his 2012 presidential campaign. salahi hoping it can drive him into the republican nomination and maybe it to the virginia governor's house in richmond. not sure if he is in it to win respecit but we will see next year when this gets underway in virginia. >> i love your smile as you are report

as john gonzalez reports, the fans are excited. how excited are redskins fans? redskins fever is boiling over in landover, two days before arguably the biggest football game this town has seen in at least a decade. the fans are not holding anything back. >> i think it is the best thing to happen since my first child. >> you heard him right, and you cannot say anything better, and match against the dallas cowboys, the final regular- season game, winner-take-all. >> washington fans stick with their teams, the matter what they do. >> down the street from the stadium, burgundy and gold is in the air, everything from balloons to gift baskets. a bakery full of cakes and redskins pastries. >> a lot of party is going on. >> if you are still trying to get tickets, it will cost between $500-$800. >> it will be wonderful. >> the stadium and it's expected to be the loudest to has ever been. some say it could be reached rfk- type excitement. a prediction? >> they will win, 36-26. >> this is such a big game, metro will stay open an extra hour after the game and the stadium is

john gonzalez is out there. he is previewing what you call it an extra it christmas. >> is a bonus christmas a couple days after the real christmas. fedex field might look dark this morning, but it will be a few days. the last time the redskins were in the playoffs was 2006. at what is at stake on sunday night. the game will be so big that they changed the time of the game to prime time on national television. they could not expect a better opponent for this final game of the season, the dreaded dallas cowboys. the winner goes to the playoffs. i've been inside the stadium when it gets loud. i cannot imagine how the stadium will be on sunday night. some decrydescribed it as rfk rally. metro will stay open an extra hour after the game and tailgating will begin an hour earlier at 3:30 in afternoon. -- some describe it as r.f.k. roudy. >> i would not sell the tickets for the world right now. we have had many, many years of bad seasons. it's a point of electric on sunday. >> a good way to describe it. if you are stil

. >> and john gonzalez in this neighborhood in northwest d.c. new signs of hope for a drownsrhood that rains.me it they are calling it a miracle on snake river. and i demand a thankful to be after doctors say he was idaho manad -- an think obedient -- to be alive. .'m pamela brown >> i'm steve chenevey. let's go straight to jacqui jeras. start. chilly definitely better than good 5-10by a theees, the good news, but clouds have returned so it will of mourning.ind have a spotty showers north and west. front royal, drying out just a little bit now. ben and little movement toward the eastern shore. in thet seen anything metro accept drizzle on occasion reported at dulles. up and down temperatures will be the rule. a cloudy, persistent weekend, the showers will be on and off over the next four days. express forecast for today -- 40 by 9:00, by noon, 47, by 51 and mostly cloudy 5:00. the warm-up inu seven-day forecast. go back and forth. from the belfort furniture center, we attack on traffic now. quiet, no major problems crossing the legion wilson bri

john gonzalez has the latest on the efforts to make some sort of compromise. >> you can see the countdown clock on the bottom of your screen, counting down the new year and the dreaded fiscal cliff. there are reports this afternoon that there is a mini deal in the works that could spare millions of families from tax increases. after frustrating weekend, it's looks like negotiators are closing in on a deal with only hours to spare, a deal that would extend the current tax breaks for households making up to $450,000 and keeps the estate tax at upper level >> . congress is your under duress even with the people they love, themselves, special-interests. >> it appears to be a temporary bandaged and also extend unemployment benefits and delays the automatic spending cuts to the pentagon and domestic programs by three months. crack at some point you just want to not pay attention to it. >> others are more optimistic. >> hopefully, they will figure it out next year. we have options if we go over the fiscal cliff. >> mitch mcconnell and senate democrats hit a stalemate on the weekend and he met tw

. >> john gonzalez has the latest. >> highway crews are working as carefully as possible. you can imagine how dangerous the work is, but they are moving quickly. according to the maryland state highway administration, this cleanup will not be completed before the morning rush hour. the outer loop of the beltway just past the 270 spur. an 18-wheeler is on its side in the far right lane of 495. a tractor-trailer containing thousands of pounds of pineapples and other propoduce and it up on its side. the truck did not spilled its load onto the beltway, but what is going to happen for the next several hours as they worked up right the truck, more lanes could be closed. right now we know for fact that the right lane is closed, but more lanes could be closed later on this morning as more heavy machinery comes in. on the scene is a train trying to remove the cab, but they will have to unload thousands of pounds of produce from the main box. then they will be able to upright the truck. it will take several hours. traffic will be very messy this morning. reporting live along the bel

reporting live on capitol hill, john gonzalez, abc 7 is. >> thank you, john. 5:07. at 29 degrees. the kardashian clan is [ ma announcer ] pillsbury grands biscuits. delicious. busay i press a few out flat... add some beef sloppy joe sauce... and cheese fo it all up and boom! i just made an unbeatable unsloppy joe pillsbury grands biscuits. let the making begin. [ female announcer ] wh would you call an ordinary breakfast pastry that's been wrapped in a flaky crust stuffed with a gooey center toasted up all golden brown then given a delicious design? a toaster strudede pillsbury toaster strudel. so delicious...so fun. >> i am from fort washington, maryland. i am excited about the redskins. they are out there doing it. they have been all over the plate -- all over the place. i want to say good morning, washington. >> are right back at you. we are in the weather center. a little bit of burgundy and gold. look this is great football weather. great new year's eve at weather. >> it will not be bad. the only pickup is tomorrow. we'll have a bit of a wintery mix. i think it will be light

reporting live, john gonzalez abc 7 news. >> should be a busy day on the hill. crews are still working to fix a water main break in falls church. an eight-inch water main broke sunday afternoon. the section of haycock road is still shut down and no word on when they will finish the repairs and reopen the section. 28 degrees. coming up, a daring rescue nearly takes a tragic turn after a man falls into an iced >> i am karen from fairfax, virginia, and i want to say "good morning washington" and good luck. >> when authorities urge you to stay away from ice-covered lakes and ponds, they say it for a reason. a california man recorded a near tragedy on christmas day when somebody walking on an ice- covered lake phelan to the water. people trying to rescue that person also fell into the water. luckily everyone was able to get out on their own or were then to the rescue. authorities say the best thing to do in that situation is throw something for the victim to grab onto and do not go out onto the ice yourself. scary stuff. 6:40 this new year's eve. we want to check on

. >> john gonzalez has the latest on the security efforts in prince george's county. >> this is a moment of silence for those families of the sandy hook elementary school students. >> the principal amount is a moment of silence throughout the school while outside even before, the first school bus drop-off students, police of a service set up in the parking lot. >> i just told him to try to be calm even if you see the police. they are trying to make sure it is safe. >> pretty much every school system in the d.c. area is adding extra police patrols and grief counselors. >> we involve ourselves in anti-bullying and pierre meditation. >> each officer goes through at least 20 hours of intense active threat mitigation. they are on alert today and well aware of the paradigm shift since the first high-profile mass shooting at a school at columbine. >> we want to stabilize a situation but we understand our role is to go in and mitigate that threat. >> the concern is a copycat event even though there is currently no specific threat to any local schools. >> they know certain procedures to take in t

john gonzalez will have more details later. but the right lane will be blocked through the morning rush hour. after 9:00 we will try to get that back on its wheels. how about the forecast? >> 36 degrees. it is cold this morning. the big chill has returned to the metro area. you can feel the difference with the north wind at 13 miles an hour. 30 degrees at dulles, 27 in gaithersburg. 28 degrees in hagerstown, 23 in frederick. temperatures between 25 degrees and 35 degrees colder than this time yesterday morning. that is a pretty dramatic drop especially for a front with just a trace of moisture. 24 degrees colder in winchester. you can see skies will stay clear throughout the day. we will only get into the 40's with a high temperature. clouds will fill in overnight into early tomorrow morning. notice a couple shots off to the west. that will be possible. i don't think we will squeeze anything out here. today's forecast, mostly sunny and a high temperature between 41 and 46. back to you. >> thank you. prince george's county judge

john gonzalez is headed to the scene. look for his live report in the next hour. >> police on the scene of a barricade situation in silver spring. u.s. marshals there in the 1800 block of granite to which -- greenwich drive. >> more breaking news. this coming on the heels of what happened in connecticut on friday. dick's sporting goods has suspended the sale of modern sporting rifles. >> let's get more from jummy olabanji for the latest. >> a spokesman said this morning this move was made out of respect to the victims and families of the sandy hook shooting. i will show you their web site. as of this morning, when you search for modern sporting rifles, it completely goes blank. you cannot serve to them on line this morning. it has not said how long it will suspend the sale of the rifles, but the move was made after reports that investigators are looking into whether or not suspected gunman adam lanza tried to buy a gun from the sporting goods store 12 miles away from newtown, connecticut. the store says, based on their re

john gonzalez, abc 7 news. >> a barricade situation in adelphi has ended peacefully. the standoff began late monday night after u.s. marshals tried to serve a warrant at an apartment on greenwich which drives. he was considered armed and dangerous. he was taken into custody around 6:00 a.m. m county police searching for man suspected of sexually assaulting a teenager. the man posed as a cable company employee in and threatened a 15- year-old girl to get into the home on echo court in woodbrige. he is believed to be in his 20s with a mediumh buildae at knifepoint. he was wearing black dress shoes. >> it's going to be another heartbreaking day in newtown as more children are laid to rest. >> other schools in newtown every open for the first time since the shooting. tahman bradley has the latest from connecticut. >> today will be another difficult day for residents in newtown, as the greeks didn't -- as the grief-stricken community gathers for more funerals. we also know that 6-year-old emily parker will be buried back in her home state of utah. a small step towards norm

that's field, john gonzalez, abc 7 news. >> one or lose on sunday, the indianapolis colts will enjoy a huge personal victory. coach lagano will be back on the sidelines after wrapping up treatment from leukemia. the diagnosis came less than a month into the season so he took a leave of absence while he underwent chemotherapy but visited the team whenever he was able. coming up -- a special ceremony today at the national cathedral. we will tell you which president being honored. plus, the first steps toward rebuilding and alabama as the governor toward mass of tornado damage. and look back at the life of the general would lead the countries troops during the first gulf war. a live look outside -- mostly sunny through the morning but expect crop -- clouds >> the general who became a household name during operation desert storm has died. general norman schwarzkopf died in his home in tampa after complications due to pneumonia. the 78-year-old nicknamed stormin' norman commanded u.s. forces in the ground division to force iraqi troops out of kuwait in 1991 and also commanded forces in gr

john gonzalez, abc 7 news. >> thanks so much. 5:37 is the time. let's get to jummy olabanji. >> she has been tracking thelopments regarding ho was in of iraq, w overnight.l >> a spokesman tells the president press that had a stroke. no details on where he was when had a stroke. earlier, the reports said that taken to a hospital last night for extreme fatigue. a medical team in baghdad is stabilizing his condition. doctors have not decided talabani will continue in baghdad or be prone toill r country for treatment. we are keeping a close eye on story this morning. , we will passs along. back to you. >> thank you. 49 degrees, 5:30. >> much more ahead. another controversy for [ female announcer ] here's to a whole world of happier holidays. time to enchant, delight and amaze. safeway will help you gather everyone round. a smoked, shank half ham is only 99 cents a pound. get breyer's ice cream for $2.448 and dessert will surely shine. make it a grand finale with starbucks just $6.99. turns ouout this season less is really so much more. so make your ho

unload it.o john gonzalez as the latest. >> i have to tell you, a highway fast work ofing still takeswill hours. dozen workersa t now, and human conveyor belts inside the 18-wheeler, which test flipped over on its side. thousands anding thousands of pounds of pineapple, box by box. they have set up an area on the lane where they are walls of boxes. the outbound lanes of 495 near 270, the driver of the 18- wheeler lost control of his d over.nd flippe you can see one lane is still closed. too early to tell if they have to close other lanes. they unload the entire truck, they will have to upright it. they have heavy machinery, cranes, heavy-duty tow trucks, cab of the truck. once they have emptied the back, it. will upright traffic is getting thicker in the meantime. state highway administration officials tell us the work will done anytime soon, thenitely not before morning rush-hour. coming through this area, it will be very slow going. live along the gonzalez, abc 7. >> a good reminder. check in the jamee whitten. not just the beltway has problems. >> a couple incident. at foro to newschop

to pressure attorney general john ashcroft some into reauthorizing this surveillance of american citizens while ashcroft was in the hospital. after "the new york times" revealed the existence of warrantless surveillance program, the bush administration demanded the congress pass legislation authorizing it. this led to enactment of the fisa amendments in 2008. in short, this legislation was born in original sin. congress added some oversight requirements and civil liberties protection to the bush administration's warrantless surveillance program but they didn't go far enough. that's why i opposed the original fisa amendments act along with a majority of democratic senators. i supported an earlier version offered by senator leahy, chairman of our judiciary committee, which would have authorized broad surveillance powers but included civil liberties protections. back in 2008, the bush administration accused opponents of this legislation of not understanding the threat of terrorism. vice president cheney went so far to say -- quote -- "the lessons of september 11 have become dimmer and dimmer

. >> we'll have a look at all the irony and joy as well as the tragedy in the life of john kennedy jr. >> we have breaking news to report for you this morning. it appears that 6-year-old elian gonzalez has been removed -- >> oklahoma city, so much heartache and still hope. >> the people versus o.j. simpson. >> an elected president was impeached for the first time in history -- >> get the latest on hurricane katri katrina. >> overwhelming. >> it is so pitiful. >> it gave you so much hope that this child could touch people in a way that he truly changed their lives as much as they tried to change his. >> in haiti, the devastation is immense. the loss incomprehensible. >> so much of this show has become an extension of who we are. and oftentimes news happens in our hometown, people we know, people that are close to us that affect us. >> the attempted assassination of congresswoman giffords. >> the defining moment -- >> disaster in japan. an extraordinary new look at the moment of the crisis. >> allows us to cover the story with more dimensions. we spend time talking to people. i think th