Top News from WTOP - 8AM Update - August 10th, 2026

What's the secret recipe to making money topics interesting? I think you start off by relating money to your everyday life, like more vacations, more living, less worry about your next paycheck. And that's how we built the Stacky Benjamin Netanyahu Show, the personal finance show. It's full of good times, great laughs, and big lessons. Whether you're paying off debt, building wealth, or just trying to stop hemorrhging money at the grocery store. We got you. Find the Stacky Benjamin Netanyahu Show wherever you get your podcasts. The greatest money show on earth, now part of the Gamut Podcast Network. From ABC News. I'm Sherry Preston. The week begins in no breakthrough in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, even though Iran does say it continues to negotiate with Oman. ABC Chief White House correspondent Mary Bruce says more. Iran well aware of the power of their stranglehold over the strait as energy prices remain high. They are also likely well aware of reports that this war is taking a real toll on U.S. munitions. Now Iran says they are exchanging messages with the U.S. through intermediaries, while President Trump told Axios they are, quote, only semi-negotiated. with them. Trump saying we are low-keying it. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejecting the big Gaza peace deal touted by President Trump's Board of Peace last week. More than 180 new wildfires are now burning nationwide. Along the California-Nevada border, the so-called bugfire threatening homes near Reno. Across the region, extremely hot and dry conditions fueling the flames and straining firefighting resources. Officials forced to redeploy crews and shift equipment to the most dangerous areas. Sophie Flay. Smoke from wildfires also burning in Canada continues to drift down into the continental U.S. The man charged in rapper Tupac Shakur's 1996 Las Vegas murder is going to trial beginning today. ABC's Sasha Peznik says 63-year-old Dwayne Davis hasn't shied away from being linked to the killing. For years, Davis actually boasted about his involvement in the shooting in multiple interviews with police, then on the pages of a memoir and in public media interviews. after that. And in fact, investigators have even credited Davis' own words as helping to reinvigorate their investigation. They then took his confessions and said about the work of shoring up their case with other evidence and finally brought charges in 2023. Boat Captain in New York is facing charges after his vessel capsized, killing a woman and her five-month-old baby over the weekend. This is ABC News. If you have... 802 Monday, August 10th. It's currently 76 degrees at WTOP, a chance for late showers today, and high near 95.

Good morning. I'm Kristen Diaz. I'm John Aaron. Our top local story, brace for a big closure on the George Washington Parkway. WTLP's Luke's Luke's there telling us what drivers should look out for over the next few weeks. The good news is that these closures will not be during morning or afternoon rush hour. But from 9.30 a.m. until 2.30 p.m. every Monday through Thursday, crews are going to be working on tree maintenance on these northbound lanes of the parkway from spout run all the way up to the Route 123 interchange. Drivers during these times will be funneled on to spout run and detoured to North Glebe Road and Chainbridge Road until they can hop back on the parkway north of the chain bridge. During these times, crews will be pruning and removing any trees to support the landscape's health and safety of the parkway. If you plan on traveling this way, you may want to find another route. Work is scheduled until September 1st. On the GW Parkway, Luke Lugar WTOP News. Our region has seen a drop in gas prices over the past week. Gas Buddy reports prices fell 1.4 cents in D.C., which is now averaging $4.11 a gallon. Maryland saw a bigger jump. Prices there on average fell about... 13 cents to an average of $3.99 a gallon. In Virginia, drivers are paying about $3.81 a gallon for regular gasoline. Gas buddy price, guest buddies Patrick DeHan says. We should enjoy the dip for now because the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remains volatile and prices could go up at any time. Some D.C. residents are speaking out about plans for development around the future Washington Commanders Stadium. WTOP's Grace Newton is hearing from a community leader. You know, it's supposed to be an anchor of Word 7, but right now it just feels like a place where people are supposed to drive to. and then be stuck in traffic. Residents of Kingman Park, such as Alexis Pasmino, hosted a lawn party Sunday to inform community members of ways the new development would impact the neighborhood. The focus is so much on the stadium and the riverfront where it's transients. There's transient visitors to those areas, but this. part of the plan that we are talking about, people live here. A main concern is plans to pave over a large section of green space along Oklahoma Avenue for a road and the creation of a massive parking garage. I mean, we're called Kingman Park, right? So we don't want to be Kingman parking. The period for the public to comment on the draft plan ends this Friday. Grace Newton, WTOP News. It's the final days of summer for students across the region and some counties will be starting classes as soon as this week. Sponsylvania County is starting school tomorrow. Stafford County Schools will start classes the following day. We spoke with its superintendent, Daniel Smith, on what's in store for students entering new schools this week.

Wednesday is our very first day of school with all students. On Tuesday, we will have transition day. And really, that is meant for our students in pre-K, kindergarten, sixth grade, and ninth grade. And you'll notice those are students going not just to new schools, but at new levels. And so we spend the day, all of our staff are there, and spend the day just helping them to transition. Fredericks, Fredericksburg City. City public schools will do the same as their first official day of school is Wednesday. There are a growing number of AI tools helping kids in the classroom. And as we get you ready for back to school, our John Doeman says it is too early to say which one of these tools are actually helping. For all the tools and programs that are out there promising results. There's just not a lot of evidence on how these tools are affecting students and teachers. Lily Fessler is a senior researcher at the AI Hub for Education at Stanford University. She says chatbots have been shown to increase test scores until students can't access them and then scores go down. What's likely happening there is that students can be offloading some of the cognitive burden of the task onto the AI assistant. which can make studying feel easier, but also means that students aren't retaining that knowledge. But AI tutoring assistants do show early promise. AI is also helping teachers, especially with lesson planning. Again, too early to say definitively on this, but it does seem to be a time saver. Though Fessler also warns, another study found that teacher use of AI can also decrease student motivation in the classroom. John Dome in WTOP News. Check our complete list of our back-to-school stories by visiting. WTOP.com and searching back to school. Money news. The big guy is bringing Big Chicken to Maryland. Shaquille O'Neill's fast casual restaurant is opening its first standalone location in the state today in Gambrels. And there is a good reason to get there early. The first 100 people in line get three free chicken tenders and four dipping sauces. And then after that, you get it for five bucks. The restaurant is at Waugh Chapel Town Center. And the grand opening will also feature giveaways and entertainment. Big Chicken has more than 40 locations across the U.S. All lending giants, Fannie Mae and Freddie Macs. are starting to change the rules for condo associations. WTOP Steve Dresner explains. If you live in a condominium, your association fees may be going up. According to the Wall Street Journal, tighter federal mortgage rules will require many condo associations to budget more for future repairs. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will require condo associations to allocate at least 15% of annual dues to reserves. This is up from the... current 10%. Steve Dresner, WTOP news. Coming up. Virginia will soon enforce stricter THC restrictions and several businesses are suing. I'm Lynn Bowie.

Welcome back. It's 814. I'm Kristen Diaz. I'm John Aaron. Virginia will start enforcing stricter THC restrictions. Governor Abigail Spanberger has said they're creating a safe, legal, and well-regulated cannabis marketplace in the state. But a group of hemp businesses filed a lawsuit saying they could be forced to close. Here's WTOP's Lynn Bowie. The change is cap, the amount of total THC per package for hemp products at a strict 2 milligrams. But several Virginia hemp businesses claim this will result in significant financial... losses. They're seeking an injunction to stop the restriction from taking effect August 15th. Barbara Biddle owns district hemp botanicals in Manassas and spoke to our partners at 7 News. If this law goes into effect, if we don't get this injunction, I have to file for bankruptcy. And I don't know what that means for my family. I'm going to adjust. The new restriction ends a loophole that currently allows higher THC levels if a product maintains a 25 to 1 CBD to THC ratio. Lindbuwee, EWTOP News. Well, some meat and poultry products are being pulled because they may have been exposed to jalapenos linked to seminala outbreaks from Taylor Farms, which has also been linked to a recent deadly cyclospora outbreak. The food safety and inspection service now saying several meat and poultry products contain peppers that may be linked to the growing outbreak in more than two dozen states. The products include burritos, enchiladas, wraps, and salads sold at majorie grocery chains like Kroger, Walmart, H.E.B. and Albertsons. And that is Melissa Adon. A warning for some cancer patients who are searching for alternative treatments. Ivermectin and Benzumadazzle class drugs are FDA approved for the treatment of parasitic worm infections in both humans and animals. In humans, a drugs are approved for river blindness, intestinal parasites, head lice, and some skin conditions. But new research published in JAMA Network Open find same-day prescriptions for the drugs nearly doubled after their combination was promoted on a popular podcast as a cancer treatment. The podcast. episode viewed by over 60 million people specifically promoted an animal deworming drug, not FDA approved for human use. Unproven health claims may be particularly dangerous for vulnerable cancer patients who may be searching for alternative treatments. While a National Cancer Institute has announced plans to study Ivermectin in cancer care, current clinical evidence does not support its use, and the Ivermectin-Benz-Madazzle combination for cancer remains entirely unproven. With this Medical Minute, I'm Alex Stone. The finishing touches are now being done to the Hirshorn Sculpture Garden on the National Mall. It underwent a major makeover, and the Smithsonian says the garden will reopen October 31st after a four-year renovation. It will feature 60 sculptures, nearly 50% more than before, including works by Picasso, another famous artist. The redesigned space will also have nearly 30,000 new plants and trees, and there will be more ways to enter and explore the gardens, including...

a wider entrance facing the National Mall. The project is designed to bring the museum and sculpture garden together as one campus. Here are the top stories we're working on at WTOP. Well, the push for peace in the Middle East is now facing new roadblocks with Israel rejecting a Gaza deal backed by President Trump and Iran making demands before reopening the street of removes. The Pentagon is reportedly pressing the U.S. defense industry to accelerate weapons production. Keep it here full details on these stories coming up in the minutes ahead. Well, coming up on WTOP, President Trump names a new White House counsel. Good morning. This is WTOP. News happens here. A person who helps secure approval from the National Capital Planning Commission over the controversial White House ballroom project is set to be the next White House counsel. President Trump says Will Scharf will start in the role next month, replacing David Warrington. Sharf was the Trump appointed head of that planning commission. He also previously served as a federal prosecutor and separately represented Trump in a number of cases. Trump calls Sharf tough, strong, and smart. and says he respects the law. The White House counsel's job is to advise on legal and policy questions related to the presidency. The FCC has approved eliminating the cap on the number of TV stations a company can own. After the vote, it's expected there will be more consolidation among ownership groups. Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is criticizing the vote. He says it's up to Congress and not regulators to change ownership rules. Scott Nover, media reporter at the Washington Post, tells us the FCC decision will most likely lead to more legal action, too. It's the end of the issue for the FCC, but the lawsuit is coming. And ultimately, I think it'll be up to a judge to sift through whether or not the FCC has the authority to unilaterally change a cap that Congress imposed. Some station owners say their companies need to get bigger in order to compete with today's online media, which they say are not as heavily regulated as broadcast outlets. An investigation continues into a deadly boat accident in New York Harbor over the weekend that killed a five-month-old and a 27-year-old woman. Twelve other passengers survived. The NYPD now confirming that 46-year-old Manuel Hernandez is in custody. He's charged with 13 counts of reckless endangerment after that deadly capsizing near the Statute of Liberty. Authorities say that there were 14 people aboard that 22-foot boat when an overturned just before 1030 Saturday night, sending everyone into the water that triggered a massive response. Newspard, NYPD, FD and Y boats, a NYPD helicopter was above.

That's ABC's Morgan Norwood. Authorities are now trying to determine if the vessel was being used as an illegal charter. Fast-moving wildfires have destroyed homes and forced more than 20,000 people from their communities in Western Canada. Dozens of people have had to be rescued by aircraft. More than 100 wildfires are now burning across British Columbia. Thousands escaped on jammed roads, as officials warned that explosive conditions could threaten even more communities. Canada has endured increasingly destructive wildfire seasons in recent years, forcing mass... evacuations and repeatedly sending smoke across large parts of Canada in the U.S. Maryland's tax-free week is underway. Through Saturday, you can skip the 6% sales tax on qualifying clothes and shoes, clothing, and footwear priced under $100 are tax-free. You can also get the first $40 off a backpack or book bag tax-free, but some items are excluded, including jewelry watches, ties, and protective sports gear. Things like school supplies, laptops, and... Graphing calculators are still taxable. The tax break does apply to online purchases as long as you pay during the tax-free period, and the item is chipped right away. I'm Terry Gerton from Federal News Network. On Monday's Federal Drive, sometimes the most interesting challenges to conventional wisdom come from inside the tent. We'll hear why one conservative scholar makes the case for a professional civil service and why a new watchdog report says federal spending becomes much harder to track after the money leaves Washington. Plus, we'll have our Capitol Hill update as lawmakers head toward the August recess. Tune into the Federal Drive Monday on 1,500 AM and at Federal Newsnetwork.com. Sports brought to you by Amentum, delivering advanced solutions for space and defense. What's up, Dave Preston? Yes. Oh, yeah. It's a happy Magnum Monday to all out those who celebrate. You look very good. You got the Hawaiian shirt and the ball cap just like Magnum. You kind of have the Higgins. A little sweater thing going on. I don't have the little mustache or anything like. No, no. It's tough to pull that off. This week's mystery that the case that Magnum gets this week, who moves into the left tackle position for the Burgundy and Gold. Commanders practicing shortly. Head coach Dan Quinn saying earlier this hour that Laramie Tunsell is having surgery on his torn triceps. When these tough scenarios come up, it does provide some opportunities, and Brandon Coleman will shift back out to left tackle. He's played a lot of winning football left tackle here, and we know that he's ready for it. He's put an excellent offseason, and the team is very confident in him. Coleman, no stranger to the position. He made three starts at left tackle last year, 12 the year before. Baseball nationals may have known something we didn't when they parted ways with first baseman Luis Garcia Jr. Right intersets and Antone delivers and Chaparro lines it right center field toward the gap. That's going to get down and go to the wall. Rowling third Ruiz, he will score. Young behind him, he will score. On a two-run double to right center field for Andres Chaparro. Charlie slows on 1,500 a Natsby at-speed Cincinnati, 7-1 to complete a three-game sweep. Andres Jeparo, a force of nature since the All-Star break hitting 3-18, 5 homers, 21 RBI, and 18 games played. Orioles first baseman, Pete Alonzo, goes three for three with two homers and four RBI on the birds, 10-5 went over Texas. WN.

NBA Mystics are the hottest team in the league, taking a seventh straight victory by smoking Phoenix 95-75 PGA tour. Leesburg, Virginia native Michael Brennan cards a final round 64 to finish, 22 under par and take the Wyndham Championship for those curious. The victory qualifies Brennan for the 2027 Masters and PGA Championship. Dave Preston, WTOP Sports.