NATION

Boy Scouts to vote on allowing openly gay Scouts in

The Boy Scouts of America's national leadership will vote Thursday whether to allow openly gay Scouts in its ranks, a critical and emotionally charged moment for one of the nation's oldest youth organizations and its millions of members.

• Boy Scouts to consider allowing gay boys to join

CRIME

State trooper hit by car, dragged by suspects

A Maryland State Police trooper was critically injured Wednesday night in a hit-and-run crash while investigating reports of vandalism in Caroline County.

ENTERTAINMENT

Farewell, Bob: Bob Ryan retires from WJLA

In the late 1970s, Bob Ryan was the first meteorologist to regularly appear on the Today Show before coming to Washington in 1980. Now, after 45 years in the business, he's retiring from television to spend more time with his family.

• Bob Ryan Retires
• Bob Ryan: A lifetime of weather

SPONSOR GENERATED CONTENT

Cirque Du Soleil’s Quidam coming to Patriot Center

Cirque Du Soleil is bringing their critically acclaimed production Quidam to the Patriot Center for seven performances starting July 17th through July 21st.

D.C.

The CoStar Group in DC gives employees a desirable workplace

Does your office have Segway’s and bikes available for employees to use to catch a quick ride to lunch, or for an off-site meeting?

NATION

New York 'ghetto' tours outrage, are stopped

A company that promised sightseer tours to the Bronx that included a New York City "ghetto" has stopped the bus rides under fire from an outraged neighborhood.

SPORTS

Harper scores both Nats runs in 2-1 win over Giants in 10 innings

Ian Desmond singled in Bryce Harper in the 10th inning, and the Nationals beat the Giants 2-1 on Wednesday to avoid a three-game series sweep. Harper hit a solo homer in the sixth inning.

VIRGINIA

Fairfax County movie theaters to show ads to curb drunk driving

There's a big push to put the brakes on drunk driving this holiday weekend. And it's coming to a movie theater near you. Two short ads from the Unified Prevention Coalition of Fairfax County will reach moviegoers starting Friday.

WEATHER

Bob Ryan: A lifetime of weather

Bob Ryan was a simple kid who loved the weather. Now, after 45 years as a broadcast meteorologist, he's stepping down.

D.C.

Repairs to Bloomingdale flooding problems upset neighbors

In D.C.'s Bloomingdale neighborhood, neighbors have faced a chronic flooding problem for years. Now, as the city is trying to fix the problem with an improved drainage system, they're upsetting other residents nearby.

CRIME

Jurors can't reach decision in penalty phase for Jodi Arias

Jurors in the Jodi Arias murder trial said Wednesday they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict on whether she should be sentenced to life in prison or death for killing her one-time boyfriend, prompting the judge to instruct them to keep on trying.

• Jodi Arias begs for life in prison
• Jodi Arias trial: Arias expected to speak to jurors Tuesday

CRIME

Appeals court allows new trial in Justin Wolfe case

A federal appeals court will allow Virginia to pursue a capital murder case against an alleged drug kingpin from northern Virginia.

• Justin Wolfe: Appeals court considering Va. inmate's release
• Justin Wolfe's release halted after appeals court intervenes
• Justin Wolfe retrial: Special prosecutor can stay on case

MARYLAND

Heroes for the Homeland plans to send volunteers to Moore

As soon as the twister hit Moore Monday, one local organization, Heroes for the Homeland, knew it had to go and help.

• Oklahoma tornado destroyed 12,000 homes, President Obama to visit

D.C.

More than 100 D.C. teachers, staff must reapply for jobs

More than 100 teachers and staff at two District of Columbia public schools will have to reapply for their jobs.

WORLD

Britian's Cameron: 'Appalling murder' was likely act of terror

The British government's emergency committee met Thursday after two attackers butchered a British soldier in a daylight attack in London that raised fears terrorism had returned to the capital.

ENTERTAINMENT

Cicada snapshots from your backyard!

32 Photos

Welcome back! The cicadas are emerging again for the first time in years and they're popping up just about everywhere. ABC7 viewers sent us these cicada snapshots for your creepy-crawly viewing pleasure.

NATION

Welcome news: Jobless benefit filings down by 23,000 last week

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell by 23,000 last week, further evidence that the job market is slowly returning to health.

WEATHER

Humid day with potential for severe rain, storms

Thursday will be a cloudy, muggy day with highs closer to 80 degrees. Scattered thundershowers develop through the day with some being on the heavier side, maybe even severe.

POLITICS

President Obama to address Guantanamo, terror, national security

President Barack Obama on Thursday is expected to address some of the thornier aspects of national security policy.

NATION

DAYBREAK DAILY: Maryland's Rocky Gap Casino Resort 'jamming'

The gambling began Wednesday afternoon, and will continue around the clock.

SPORTS

Lawsuit over UMD's ACC exit goes before court

A judge in Prince George's County will hear arguments in a lawsuit over the University of Maryland's withdrawal from the Atlantic Coast Conference.

D.C.

14th, F Streets remain closed due to sinkhole

The nightmare drive in downtown DC, caused by the massive sinkhole on 14th and F streets, is not getting any better yet, it seems.

• 14th Street sinkhole repairs could stretch into weekend

NATION

U.S. admits killing Americans in drone strikes

On the eve of a major national security speech by President Obama, his administration acknowledged for the first time Wednesday that four American citizens have been killed in drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen since 2009.

POLITICS

Democrats take aim at GOP pick Jackson's 'extreme agenda'

Virginia Democrats continued focusing their fire in November's bellwether statewide elections not at the top of the Republican ticket but in the middle, at E.W. Jackson, the outspoken conservative black minister nominated by GOP delegates for lieutenant governor.

D.C.

D.C. 911 center employees to be retrained after ABC7 story

ABC7 has uncovered a potential major safety issue when it comes to cell phones and D.C.’s 911 call system.

• D.C. 911: Woman says 911 hung up on her three times

D.C.

Bozie, National Zoo's new elephant, arrives from Baton Rouge

A new Asian elephant has arrived at the National Zoo, reuniting her with another elephant she once lived with in Sri Lanka. Bozie, 37 years old,  traveled by truck more than 1,100 miles from her old home at the Baton Rouge Zoo in Louisiana.

VIRGINIA

Police: Off-duty Arlington deputy shoots, kills man

Alexandria Police are still trying to figure out what led to an altercation between a 17-year veteran of the Arlington County Sheriff's Office and 22-year-old Julian Dawkins, which ended with the deputy shooting Dawkins to death.

VIRGINIA

Spotsylvania school employee accused of dating student

Police say Keith Bradley Pendleton, a Spotsylvania County, Va. school employee, had dated a 17-year-old student for several months. He's being held without bond at the Rappahannock Regional Jail.

Health

Alison Starling's baby: Putting DNA to the test

ABC7’s Alison Starling decided to dig into her past to learn about the future of her unborn baby girl. It’s all about new research and the surprises of DNA.

• Alison Starling's baby: 31 weeks in and inching closer
• Alison Starling's Baby: A hothouse cucumber?
• Alison Starling's baby: Week 24

NATION

Man with possible Tsarnaev ties shot, killed during FBI questioning

A Chechen immigrant shot to death in central Florida after an altercation with an FBI agent had several ties to that of one of the Boston Marathon bombing suspects who authorities were questioning him about at the time.

• Boston lawyers to get bombing suspect prison files
• Dzhokhar Tsarnaev left note inside boat where he was hiding
• Tamerlan Tsarnaev body buried in Virginia Muslim cemetery

NATION

Mayor: Up to 13,000 homes destroyed by Moore tornado

Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett says 12,000 to 13,000 homes were affected by the tornado that tore through a city suburb. President Obama will see the wreckage first hand on Sunday when he travels to Moore.

• Search for survivors, victims close to done
• Tornado reaches highest EF-5 status
• How you can help the victims