the other state's slot palaces. bruce leshan with that story. >> reporter: fireworks at national harbor. as leaders in prince george's county celebrate victory in a fiercely fought battle of gaming giants. >> so happy. >> reporter: supporters of expanded gambling promise thousands of jobs. and millions of dollars in new tax revenue for schools and roads. >> it's going for health care and jobs and jobs and jobs. >> but we've heard those empty claims before. >> reporter: critics say it's all a mirage, there's no guarantee the money will actually go to schools. >> it's going to lead to political corruption. >> reporter: but voters sided with supporters and the pan who developed national harbor promises an $800 million resort casino on a hill overlooking the potomac. a destination resort more like something you would see in las vegas. >> we're going to by the you something that -- give you something that you will love and prince george's county really needs is an economic development plot. >> reporter: supporters say marylanders are already spending hundreds of millions of dollars at

now only 25% of the gas stations are open. >> our own reporter bruce leshan knows what it's like to have to start over apartment tree crashed down on his home during superstorm sandy forcing him and his family out. >> reporter: i'm learning a lot about how to come back after a huge tree nearly destroyed my home. i'm hope wag i've learned is going to help other people. a week ago i lived in a forest of poplars. but all around the neighborhood now the chain saws are buzzing, the cranes are lifting the logs out of people's back yards. my neighbors are all scared that what happened to me might happen to them. and so they're taking out this tree now. later in the afternoon, this one will come down. luckily my wife had decided to ride out the storm down in the basement, because this was my bedroom. this crisis has convinced me that my friends and neighbors are the best ever. they helped me move into this house just a few blocks away. my wife and may kids and i are all thinking that this sunroom is going to be a really nice place to spend the winter. in bethesda, bruce leshan, 9news now. >

remarkable tells and bruce leshan is still listening. >> reporter: richard kirkland's life sounds more like a movie. >> charles a. lindbergh, tommy mcgwire. >> reporter: he flew with some of world war ii's greatest aces. >> that's the picture of my squadron. >> reporter: he knew charles lindbergh and howard hughes. he met eisenhower and mccarter. >> as i backed up i glanced down at him. he was sitting in the cockpit, flames going all down the airplane. >> reporter: he shot down at least four japanese zeros. >> he turned and looked up at me, and i was looking down at him, and for just a second, we had eye contact. >> reporter: in the korean war, he choppered patients to the surgeon memorialized in mash, the t.v. show. >> the infamous hawkeye. his name was sam gillfan. here's a picture of him. there's his buddy, trapper. >> reporter: so you were there for the atomic testing? >> oh, yeah. >> reporter: to the test in the pacific. >> it seared the board and left that. that's atomic bomb blast. >> reporter: kirkland has painted and collected mementos of the war and his life in the basement o

they'll stay and rebuild. our own reporter bruce leshan knows what it's like to have to start over. a tree crashed into his home during superstorm sandy forcing out him and his family and he's hoping what he's learning trying to rebuild will help others. >> reporter: i'm learning a lot about how to come back after a huge tree nearly destroyed my home and i'm hoping what i've learned is going to help some other people. a week ago i lived in a forest of tulip poplars, but all around the neighborhood now the chainsaws are buzzing, the cranes are lifting the logs out of people's backyards. my neighbors are all scared that what happened to me might happen to them. so they're taking out this tree now. later in the afternoon this one will come down. luckily my wife had decided to ride out the storm down in the basement because this was my bedroom. this crisis has convinced me that my friends and neighbors are the best ever. they helped me move into this house just a few blocks away. my wife and my kids and i are all thinking that this sunroom is going to be a really nice place to spend th

now the city is proposing new regulations. >> reporter: i'm bruce leshan in d.c. where some popular food trucks say some proposed regulations could drive them out of business. >> if the public did not want us here, we would not be here. >> from the curb to the end of the sidewalk how much face do we have? >> reporter: the city's proposal would ban food trucks with less than 10 feet of unobstructed space on the sidewalks. we found eight out of 10 of the most popular food trucks spots where customers want food trucks to be would not be legal under the proposed regulations. >> it has nothing to do with trying to limit their ability to conduct business in the city. >> reporter: they are making money, paying taxes, employing hundreds and feeding thousands. >> i've only had a bite of the chef special, but it was very good. >> i think they're really convenient. >> i love the food trucks. they've got delicious food. they're where you need to be for lunch. >> reporter: the question is whether they will be able to stay. in d.c. bruce leshan, 9 news now. >> the city is giving people until next

story from one of the few guys still around to tell it. i'm bruce leshan. that's coming up. >> if you're looking for a way to honor a service member this holiday, why not donate thanks giving or christmas basket to -- a thanksgiving or christmas basket to a local family. call 202-895-5560, donate whatever you can afford. a $50 donation will feed a family of six, but if you can't afford that, that's not a problem. you can donate whatever you can give. you can also go online to www.wusa9.com and click on the uso button on our homepage. >>> welcome back. each veterans day leaves us with fewer world war ii heroes to tell the amazing stories of the greatest generation. >> but in vienna one of the most vibrant vets is still telling his remarkable tales and our own bruce leshan has been listening to him. >> it's been a good veterans day. >> reporter: richard kirkland's life sounds more like a movie. >> charles a. lindberg, dick ball, tommy mcguire. >> reporter: he flew with some of the world war ii's greatest aces. >> that's the picture of my squadron the flying knight squadron. >> reporter: he

medic service in the district between 1:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. 7:00 a.m. >> i'm bruce leshan where there is more fallout tonight over the fire chief's plan to pull all the advanced medic units off the street during the graveyard shift. the fire chief says there are far fewer calls during the hours but firefighters say it's that one call, that one heart attack, that one baby having trouble breathing that they are worried about. now there would still be paramedics on the fire chucks and still be -- trucks and still be basic life support or ems units on the street. >> a fire and the medics that ride the fire engines -- are tied up on the fire ground. and not able to provide advanced life support. >> we also have seven ems supervisors who don't put out fires so we will have als coverage. >> reporter: fire officials say they only get a total of 40 to 60 medic calls between the hours of 1:00 and 7:00 in the morning city wide and the fire chief says by changing shifts around he can have more units out there ready to go when they are really needed. in d.c., bruce leshan, 9news now. >>> d.c

are learning some pretty hard lessons after the superstorm. >> our own bruce leshan is living the nightmare, trying to rebuild after a tree nearly destroyed his home. he hopes it will help others. >> i'm learning a lot about how to come back after a huge tree nearly destroyed my home. and i'm hoping what i've learned is going to help some other people. a week ago i lived in a forest of tulip poplars. but all around the neighborhood now, the chainsaws are buzzing, the cranes are lifting the logs out of people's backyards. my neighbors are all scared that what happened to me -- might happen to them. and so they're taking out this tree now, later in the afternoon this one will come down. luckily my wife had decided to ride out the storm down in the basement because this was my bedroom. this crisis had convinced me that my friends and neighbors are the best ever. they helped me move into this house just a few blocks away. my wife and my kids and i are all thinking the sun room is going to be a really nice place to spend the winter. in bethesda, bruce leshan, 9news now. >>> you can hel

region disproportionately hard. >> i'm bruce leshan on capitol hill where worried demonstrators from across d.c. urged house speaker john boehner to compromise with president obama and avoid direct budget cuts. >> jobs, no cuts. >> reporter: more than 100 protesters. >> 47%. this is the vietnam veteran. >> reporter: organized by the group rdc. crowded the hallways outside the house speaker's office. >> i have three children. >> reporter: april thomas was homeless up until two years ago when federal help finally put her young family in an apartment in southeast. >> now i'm told that it will be a possibility that i might end up back where i came from. >> reporter: the speaker staff locked the doors. but a spokesperson says that they proposed a responsible and balanced framework to avert the fiscal cliff. bruce leshan, 9news now. >>> it was the worst oil spill in our nation's history and today bp says they will pay $4.5 billion for that deadly oil rig explosion in the subsequent massive oil leak. that money will also include more than $1 billion in criminal penalties. bp plead guilty to

for. 48% are against question number 7. we take it live to bruce leshan who's been following this story for us all night long. bruce, what about the mood where you are tonight? >> reporter: i tell you, the mood is absolutely overjoyed. it is a little tentative still on the question of expanded gaming, and this is supposed to be a victory party for gaming here at national harbor. they aren't quite ready to call that, but i'll tell you what. when cbs and the other networks called obama wins a second term, huge roar went up throughout this crowd here in prince george's county, and among the people roaring was the man who's standing right next to me, the lieutenant governor of maryland, anthony brown, an iraq war veteran, a guy who has been campaigning for president obama all around the country. what's your mood now that this has been called for the president? >> look, i'm excited. i really am. this is clearly the most important election today, put aside question 7, 6, 5, 4, and even the senate races in maryland, this clearly was the biggest one. we'll now continue moving america forw

some questionable facebook postings. bruce leshan is live with that part of the election story from the harbor today. >> we're live in national harbor because this is the headquarters for the yes on question 7 folks and they too are hoping to have a big old victory party here. that is the casino question. the expanding gaming in maryland question. and in addition to the yachts behind me, they're hoping to build a big casino up on the hill here in prince george's county. now this has really been one of the most fiercely contested questions in maryland. get this -- 100 -- $100 million invested by casinos and developers on both sides trying to influee voters here. but the polls, the most recent poll that we have on this question of expanded gaming in maryland has marylanders divided right down the middle. and so people were campaigning on both sides and all the polls that we went to today, rushern baker the prince george's county executive encouraging voters to say yes. the controller peter fran kho for the whole state of maryland saying that all the promises of jobs and additional tax

drive them right -- city regulations could drive them right out of business. i'm bruce leshan this, story coming up. >>> when you guys are done, the work that i'm doing is approved. i'm really proud of that. i'm really proud of all of you and what you have done -- [ cheering and applause ] >> just released video from the obama campaign shows the president getting quite emotional as he thanks his young staffers the day after his reelection. >>> a worker at a family medical practice in the atlanta area has been fired for a fire posting that has gone viral. the woman used the n word to refer to president obama. wxia, our sister station in atlanta, says a number of people expressed concern. one viewer asks, "does this young lady care for african americans as she does all patients? " the medical practice says the woman's views do not reflect the clinic's views. >>> around our area in the last couple years the food trucks in d.c. have exploded. there are hundreds now serving everything from korean tacos to mac and cheese. >> tonight some of those truck owners are complaining saying new r

in prince george's county and table games in five other gambling venues. bruce leshan has more. >> reporter: fireworks at national harbor. as leaders in prince george's county celebrate victory in a fiercely fought battle of gaming giants. >> so happy. >> reporter: supporters of expanded gambling promise thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in new tax heavy ewe for schools and roads -- revenue for schools and roads. >> it's going for health care and jobs, and jobs, and jobs. >> but we've heard those empty claims before. >> reporter: critic vas i it is all a mirage -- credittics say it is -- critics say it is all a mirage. >> it's going to lead the political corruption. >> reporter: but voters sided with supporters and the man who developed national harbor promised an $800 million resort casino on a hill overlooking the potomac. a destination resort more like something you would see in las vegas. >> we're going to give you something that you will love. and in prince george's county really needs is an economic development property. >> reporter: supporters say marylanders are

the waist down. couldn't get away with that on this show. bruce leshan reports there's yet another difference as well. >> ladies and gentlemen, one, two, me. >> reporter: stephen colbert plays a right wing pundit on comedy central. like anyone vain enough to appear on tv every night. >> i may be a news junkie but i also got to have my story. >> reporter: he just cannot get enough of himself. ah, self-love. colbert said the artist painted him in dots and measured him with calibers. >> i even sent them a dvd of my latest colonoscopy. >> reporter: ey missed one detail. >> i'm american. >> reporter: tried not to be a pompous tv guy myself. how do they do this? do they dip you entirely in hot wax and it pulls all your hair out and everything. >> most of the time they actually murder the suspect. >> reporter: they didn't murder dan rather but they did relegate him to the gift shop to make way for colbert's man crayole. he called himself the latest wax american. >> it reminds me of my infancy. >> looft spitting up. >> reporter: the guy who's run for president a couple of times refuses to

but now we move on to maryland where voters are weighing in on major iues. bruce leshan, we're talking expanded gaming here. >> reporter: no kidding. we saw all the an ads in the presidential race and it seems if you're washington washington d.c. tv, there are just as many ads about expanding gaming. you see the big vote for question 7 behind me, the big sign, and supporters are hoping to hold a big victory party here at national harbor tonight. this is where they want to build a $800 million destination resort casino, but first they have to get the nod from voters to build both maryland sz sixth casino and to allow table games at slots palses across -- pal asses across maryland. voters are conflicted because of either side of this issue. polls suggest that voters going into this are split right down the middle. >> i'm just -- i'm not certain when i get in there which way i'm going to go. >> reporter: you're actually going to decide in the ballot box. >> in the ballot box, that's what i'm going to do. >> that will bring more jobs. i didn't think any would go toward the schools

. they're okay, they're without power after that. >> our own colleague bruce leshan suffered the tree through the roof -- >> but they're safe. >> they're safe. >> that's a good thing. >> yeah. let's talk about today because another day like we've had. breezy. cool lots of clouds a little sun and maybe a shower. this pattern will break down slowly as the remnants of sandy fete out

colleague, bruce leshan and what he and his family are dealing with after a tree crashed into their home when super storm sandy hit our area. top? >>> temperatures below average. but the wind made it feel much cooler than the actual numbers. 56 and ho will go in the books. we had a trace of snow again in the second row at nationals. records, 81 and 27. we'll come back and talk about the winds going down and temperatures going up. >>> but first a landmark church becomes a scene of a massive traffic jam in potomac. why they might be slowing down to look at it yet again for tomorrow. >>> we've got a commuter alert tonight if you travel to montgomery county. and that is because of the bbc, they are filming a movie in a church in that area. and that filming will be expected to run from 6:00 in the morning until 6:00 tomorrow. look out for traffic again. >>> on metro, the upcoming three-day weekend made somestations. they will be closed on the orange line, so the buses will replace trains between the east falls church so the crews could work on switches at the ballston stations. and that

. among those struggling to recover is our own bruce leshan who is trying to rebuild after a tree nearly wiped out his home. he is hoping what he is learning helps others. >> reporter: a week ago, i lived in a forest of this view. but all the way around the neighborhood now, the chain saws are buzzing. the cranes are ripping the logs out of people's backyards. my neighbors, they are all scared about what happens to me. that it might happen to them. and so they are taking out this screen now later in the afternoon. this one, they will come down and then that one over there will come down and my next door neighbor over here has already removed three. three huge trees. this is a tree house that i built for my kids. and it actually survived the tree falling initially. it balanced the tree up on the corner of the house there. but the portion from my house and about 11,000 pounds. and the crane, they just could not hold it. so when they cut it off my house, the log is going to collapse on here. one more little bit of destruction. >> luckily my wife, they had decided to ride out the stor

! >> and we were really disappointed until bruce leshan told us there are other differences too. >> reporter: ladies and gentlemen, one, two, me! >> reporter: stephen colbert plays a pompous, right-wing pundit on comedy central.  >> i point the finger at american enemies. >> reporter: and like anyone vain enough to appear on tv every night, he just cannot get enough of himself. ah, self-love. >> mmm. >> reporter: he says the artist painted him in dots and measured him with calipers. >> i even sent him a colonoscopy. >> reporter: but they missed one important detail. i tried not to be a pompous tv guy myself. >> how do they do this? do they dip you entirely in hot wax and then it pulls all your hair out and everything? >> most of the time they actually murder the subject. >> reporter: they didn't murder dan rather, but they did relegate him to the gift shop. colbert was born in d.c. and he says he's happy to be back. but the guy who has run for president a couple of times refuses to divulge his secrets for solving the nation's problems. >> i'm not gonna tell you. you have to el

leshan is live with the latest on this. bruce? >> reporter: yeah, the plan is to pull all the advanced life support. the a. l. s. or paramedic units off the streets between the hours of 1:0and 7:00 in the morning. the fire chief says that there are far fewer calls during those hours. but firefighters say it is that one call, that one heart attack, that one baby having trouble breathing that they are worried about. now, there could still be paramedics on the fire trucks and there would still be basic life support or emt unitth units on the -- units on the street. the civilian paramedic union thinks that might be okay. but the union that represents firefighter paramedics thinks there are all kinds of scenarios where it would be a terrible idea. >> a natural disaster just seen sandy come through mt. middle of the -- in the middle of the night. a high demand. a fire in an area of the city that border area of the city. such as east of the river. and the medics that ride the fire engines are tied up on the fire ground. they're not able to provide advanced life support. >> we also have seven

pretty close race. our bruce leshan is at national harbor with some of the supporters of 7. >> reporter: our timing couldn't be worse. they just had the big victory speech. they are going to have fireworks outside in one second. votes still coming in. votes still being counted. still very close for question 7, expanded gaming here in the state of maryland. but these guys have called it. and i just heard a big boom. and the fireworks are going off now. people are celebrating. you know, there was a lot of questions here about whether this money, tens of millions of dollars, hundreds of millions of dollars in gaming expenditures by people from the state of maryland, in other states, whether that would go to classrooms and schools and healthcare and roads in maryland. they say it will. apparently their argument carried the day and they are overjoyed here at national harbor where they plan to build an $800 million resort casino. back to you. >> so, while it was close and there were millions of dollars spent to defeat this referendum with regard to expanded gaming, the folks that

. bruce leshan has been looking into things we can do to perhaps make it a little easier on the populous when they want to exercise their public obligations. >> yeah, their duties and responsibilities as citizens. in almost every other democracy, tell you, what even in third world democracies, you get the results almost instantly. an independent national agency counts the ballots quickly, racketly with few allegations of -- accurately with few allegations of fraud or voter suppression. so why can't we do that? >> this is the longest line that i've ever seen. >> reporter: all across america on election day. >> i got up early this morning and i went to cast my ballot and now they're telling me that my vote is not going to count. >> reporter: voters complained the system had failed them. >> when an individual would press the romney button, it would come up obama on the printed record. >> reporter: couldn't it be easier? in new jersey in the wake of the super storm the state let voters cast ballots electronically by e-mail, by fax, not that it worked perfectly. even in the former so

you, bruce leshan. several board of education seats. >> they're also being asked to address three ballot questions including one that would allow the council to remove for poor conduct and bar those convicted of felonies from holding seats on the council or ever becoming mayor. >> you can get your election results directly on to your phone. all you have to do is text "election9" the number 25543. you can also follow us on twitter at @wusa9. we'll be back in half an hour with the latest results. i believe they'll begin to release the results at the 8:00 hour. we'll have more for you in just minutes. stay with us. >> this has been a 9news now campaign 2012 campaign update. >> pelley: the polls are now closed in half the states but there's still time to vote in the other half. as america elects a president tonight. five of the nine swing states are now closed, including the two biggest, florida and ohio. but no projection yet in any of the swing states. mitt romney has a small lead over president obama in the electoral vote count but both are still a very long way to go from the winn