here you go, breakfast sandwich from dunkin' donuts. what's in it? turkey sausage. turkey what? amazing. right? yeah. next one's on you. yeah, okay. introducing dunkin's new turkey sausage breakfast sandwich. the surprisingly great taste of turkey sausage on a pepper-fried egg with under 400 calories. try it, you'll like it. america runs on dunkin'. hurry in for dunkin's new turkey sausage breakfast sandwich today! >> live and in hd, this is abc 7 breaking news. >> an earthquake hit tonight, a 2.0 magnitude earthquake that hit 4 miles from mineral, va..

that was the epicenter of the major earthquake in august of 2011 that caused widespread damage. tonight's quake showed no major damage. the other story, robert griffin iii's long recovery begins hours of their he had surgery to repair two ligaments. the controversy remains a big headline as does when he will return to the football field. tim brant, who has called nfl and college football games for 30 years is live to lead our rgiii coverage. >> the criticism is reaching a crescendo against mike shanahan and the washington redskins. it was the worst case scenario for the washington redskins. it lasted 5.5 hours. they repaired the lateral ligament and the aclu. -- acl.

this is the second time rgiii's knee has been reconstructed. the integrity had been compromised in the longevity somewhat diminished. when can you expect him back? that also is controversial. the first six-eight weeks of recovery are critical. the redskins says he could be back in the six-eight months. that is very optimistic after a full reconstruction of the need. it is a redo, the second time he has had the knee reconstructed. that is the optimistic probability. the rehab it now begins. he is fit and extremely motivated. >> we definitely know that much. the reconstruction of two ligaments including the acl is a long the process for a professional athlete, let alone for anybody at home. tom roussey with the struggle

people face with a knee surgery. >> folks we talked to in the medical community, and somebody who has been to the surgery they say the same thing. >> rgiii's surgery is over but fansworried about the future. >> it is up setting. >> physical therapists say he has a long road ahead. >> he will have to learn how to walk and put weight on the leg. >> wjla.com's senior editor tore her acl six years ago at james madison. >> it was one and a half years before i felt like i could run. >> she said the slow pace of her recovery was frustrating. this past summer she was injured a second time. rgiii's second injury was again is acl and also his lcl. >> the surgery part was a bit

easier because i do what to expect. cooks in a another way it hurt. but because there was scarred tissue and things from before, it seems like it was more complicated. >> the idea rgiii could be ready for the start of next season is extremely optimistic. some fear he could miss some or all of the season. fans are trying to stay optimistic. >> it is definitely a huge -- here is hoping and wishing for the best. >> a high school quarterback had to have two surgery's and he said his knee has never been the . he said if there is a silver lining, griffin is a world- class athlete and he should recover fast compared to other people. >> stay with abc 7 news for complete coverage of the recovery. log on to wjla.com or go to our

social network website facebook and twitter. d.c. police say an officer is under arrest for sexually abusing a child. a department spokesperson said wendell palmer was arrested for first-degree child abuse. also new we are learning more about an abuse investigation. this was at a local home day care center and the man at the center of this case. detectives are asking for more possible victims to come forward following the arrest of a care giver who was accused of attacking a two-year-old. roz plater with the details. >> it is every parent's worst nightmare. we do not know how many kids are at the day care, but police want to get the word out in case there are other young victims out there. police say this upper marlboro

home is the site of an unlicensed day care center, and a worker is accused of kicking a two-year-old child. what that is terrible. that really needs to be shut down if that is what they are doing. >> jonathan oummings has been arrested and check out -- charged with child abuse. a witness capture the whole thing on video tape. >> next to him is a two-year olds child. for no reason the suspect lashes out and strikes the two-year-old child. >> it is not known if this is an isolated incident. folks who live nearby say they will have to worry about who they leave their children with a. >> most parents are put into a situation where they have to go to work or they do not work. suntans they have to compromise. >> i am a substitute at the day

care. that is sad. who ever did it needs to be prosecuted to the fullest. >> they have ordered the day care to shut down. >> investigators tell us that the day care worker admitted to taking the child and is out on bond. they want to know if any of the children may have been insulted. we are live, roz plater, abc 7 news. >> the controversy surrounding gun laws is back into focus tonight. hours ago joe biden vowed urgent action targeting gun control while speaking at the white house. the nra and gun retailers are scheduled to come to the white house to discuss the issue. it was the massacre at sandy hook that led to the talks. victims of another mass shooting came together to help the families of in conn.

>> when the tragedy happened, people all across the country felt compelled to do something anything. none more than those who fell to their pain including those that were on the campus of the virginia tech when the massacre happened. tonight local hokies came out for the victims. >> it is a rough recovery, but i think coming out to the event shows how much support the community is receiving. >> the focus of this happy hour is sandy hook. who better to do it than those who were witness to the worst. >> it did bring back a lot of the motions. but she watched in horror as the events of newtown occured. her heart still hurts for the victims. she turned to night's happy hour into a fund raiser for the victims. $10 donations were taken at the

door and the promise that conn victims are not reading a loan. >> to think it is young children, it just made it even worse. >> a major tonight's fund-raiser was about paying the same support forward. >> those who have the same emotion or have gone to the same tragedy is helpful because it is nice to know others are keeping you in mind. >> it was a pretty solid turnout tonight. 50 people came out to the fund- raiser. all proceeds will be donated to the sandy hook support fund. >> good cause, indeed. bob mcdonnell used his state of the commonwealth to up the pressure for a long standing transportation reform. >> we must reinvest in the transportation and infrastructure or job growth will suffer.

>> the governor is pushing to get rid of the gas tax and instead increase the sales tax to help raise funds. made its cost will go up nearly $140 million annually in the next five years if lawmakers do not take action. d.c. taxpayers this doubt hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal settlements and fees due to the flawed breathalyzer system. the district settled 20 cases paying out more than $368,000. the flawed breathalyzer system was cracked two years ago and at the time official said as many as 400 people could have been wrongly convicted of drunken driving using faulty test results. the legendary board game monopoly is getting a facelift. how you can help decide what will change.

>> two maryland men accused in the rape of a woman is scheduled to face a judge tomorrow. they repeatedly raped a woman they knew from a martial arts school after the accuser met the man at a nightclub. video captured the rape after she was driven to the parking crunch. police in chevy chase are looking at two theft cases they think are related. home surveillance captured a man going into an unlocked vehicles

on december 31. they say somebody also went into a vehicle on the 3700 block of the village park drive and they believe it was the same man. tonight the alert over the flu all across the nation is growing more and more curious with each passing day. health officials and boston have declared a public health emergency after the flu is blamed for 18 deaths in massachusetts. our region is not immune to the concern. they have seen a significant spike in flu cases. tom roussey is live. >> they have 700 confirmed cases of the flu compared with just 70 all of last season. from new england to parts of the midwest and our area, they are bracing for problems to get worse before they get better. >> the mayor sounded the alarm. >> today i am declaring a public health emergency and in the city

of boston. >> there are now 24 our wits to be admitted and when you do see a doctor they will be wearing protective masks. >> it has been a problem for us where we have seen unprecedented levels of hospital crowding. >> it is not just boston, one pennsylvania hospital is so inundated with the flu they set out a special tent outside to deal with patience. in minnesota where they have already had 1000 confirmed cases, they are trying to stop everything -- there are trying to do everything to stop the spread. >> doctors warn you may be contagious for up to five days without a single symptom. doctors are on high alert seeing a spike in cases after seeing 142 confirmed cases two years ago and just 20 last year washington hospital center has already diagnosed this year 159 cases of the virus.

doctors warned that the problems are just beginning. >> you can probably anticipate another several weeks for the time line before things come down. >> if you think you may be coming down with the flu doctors recommend taking anti viral medication and isolating yourself from others in the house and disinfect your house to help stop the spread of the virus. >> good advice. thank you. robin roberts goes on social media to share an update on her road to recovery. she went on medical leave in september. she underwent a bone marrow transplant. video messages have shown her getting stronger every day, she did mention on her facebook page that she says she will be returning to gma "soon." that is what we are hoping for. the makers of a classic board

game is sitting out with the old and in with the new. they are holding a contest to get rid of one of its eight iconic monopoly tokens and to replace it with a new one. there is a cat a diamond ring, a robot, and a helicopter. monopoly was released nearly 80 years ago. it is an effort to keep the game fresh after 80 years. i think most women would pick the diamond ring. fun is the weather. if you like warmth and something unusual. >> temperatures stayed very warm. south of the city called. the front gate been sooner than you thought. a temperatures spread. at this hour temperatures all over the place. one of the rooftop cameras. this is washington lee high school. it shows cloud cover during the

day. as we get through midday, more overcast. a couple of sprinkles came through town. right before sunset it cleared out. we have some patches of cloudiness around the area, but it is interesting to see the temperatures. a high of 52 and a trace of rain. 51 degrees in fairfax. check out temperatures right now. 34 degrees in manassas. 49 in dallas. it is 50 degrees in winchester. -- 49 in dulles. 54 degrees in annapolis. temperatures will start to fall overnight. 50 was the high at reagan national. there are the averages. generally around '50s tomorrow. that was the high today. somewhat warmer to the south.

tomorrow it will be about 50 degrees. the high seven degrees warmer for us, 11 degrees warmer than average in pittsburgh. 18 degrees warmer than average in raleigh. 21 degrees in nor folk. i think we will be in the 20-25 degree category. here is what we are watching. an area of low pressure from the gulf will come up and it could bring some rain friday evening and friday night. as it moves up from the south there are no flow of wins. we will not turn colder behind the system. we will -- there is no flow of winds. we could get a push of a few showers late friday as the system is to the west. skies will clear out and it will be beautiful. we think in the 30's. be surprised when you get up in the morning. check with jacqui jeras early.

for the next several days, close to 50 on friday and a much warmer, mid to upper 60's over the weekend. a chance of showers monday and tuesday. we will turn cooler, but nothing cold turning up in the seven-day forecast. >> today was a strange day. we will see you shortly. now we go to tim brant with the latest in sports. >> the rehab begins for robert griffin iii and the washington redskins. out here in college park, you are right. the maryland terrapins and the defending champions go down to the wire.

>> robert griffin iii is resting

comfortably after having reconstructive knee surgery this morning. dr. james andrews repair the lcl and acl and a strengthened the acl with a graft. the operation lasted 5.5 hours this morning. dr. andrews and the redskins say the recovery will begin and he should be back in time pretty 2013 season. i spoke with dr. craig bennett here at the university of maryland. when they look at this reconstructive surgery on rgiii today and they say six-eight months, is that realistic? >> maybe a month longer, but i think seven-nine months is very typical. >> will he ever be what he was? i know he can still be a great athlete, but will he have the same range of motion? >> you have to have been in there and seen the need, see the

cartilage and the menaces to know what we are dealing with. i would not say that he cannot come back the way he was before. but the recovery begins and the redskins are optimistic saying he will be bad for the 2013 season. the maryland terrapins trying to extend their win streak against the florida state seminoles. this one came down to the wire. maryland led by nine at the half. florida state was up 8 at the end with time at the end it. he was fouled and the three- point play. suddenly it was 61-59. 4 of 6 from beyond the arc and this shot was huge. he hits the three ball and the terrapins are still alive. down two with three seconds left. he really had him on the pick and roll for the two. but florida state goes on to win. the final 65-62.

uva and wake forest. yes, sir, wake forest on to beat virginia. the final 55-52. virginia tech and boston college, and boston college got a big game out of brian anderson. they beat the hopis 86-75. the hokies go to 0-2. rgiii had reconstructive knee surgery this morning and maryland lose to florida state and their 13 in game 1 street comes to an end. >> thank you very much. [ male announcer ] now at your neighborhood subway: the big hot pastrami melt. we've perfected the pastrami sandwich -- filled with juicy pastrami pickles, yellow mustard and melted cheese. all piled-high on freshly baked bread. taste one at your local subway today! subway. eat fresh.

>> ryan gossling and brad baisley headline jimmy kimmel.

here you go, breakfast sandwich from dunkin' donuts. what's in it? turkey sausage. turkey what? amazing. riright? yeah. next one's on you. yeah, okay. introducing dunkin's new turkey sausage breakfast sandwich. the surprisingly great taste of turkey sausage on a pepper-fried egg with under 400 c calories. try it, you'll like it. america runs on dunkin'. hurry in for dunkin's new turkey sausage breakfast sandwichch today! >> a lot of sunshine on saturday and low temperatures. warmer on sunday. a chance of showers late friday. it will clear out on saturday and hit the mid 60's. a few showers early next week. jacqui jeras will start your day with the latest weather at 4:30.

>> thank you for joining us.