an emotional comeback from a disease that nearly killed her. we're live at the all england club with williams' win for the ages. the celebration that you have to see. ♪ hey, good morning, everybody. i love this. a very subtle sign of serena williams' glee at having won wimbledon yesterday. in a tweet, with "yea" with 42 "as." we actually had bianna golodryga do the math on that one. >> but, what a fighter. what a comeback. after multiple surgeries, the lung clots, she never gave up. she's a tough girl and good for her. there's a lot of other news to get to this morning as well, including a manhunt on the west coast. who was shooting lasers at pilots as they were coming in for landing at san francisco? the fbi has now joined the hunt. this is no kids' game. this could be deadly, possibly causing a plane crash. what's more alarming, this type of prank is on the rise. >> jim avila on that story. and a remarkable coming together in one of the most act acrimonious, the r&b singer usher putting aside their differences with his ex-wife, after his stepson was critically injured. a tough summer for usher. we'll get into that in a moment. also, is this woman a hero or a lawbreaker? you heard about this woman, dan. she wrote out this sign to warn drivers about an upcoming speed act. but that act may have landed her in jail. is what she did legal? can you be arrested for warning drivers? we'll have the answers coming up. some good news this morning. the heat wave that has tormented much of america for ten days has now finally peaked. there's a huge mess to clean up, like buckled roads and train tracks. and there are some fresh storms on the way. abc meteorologist ginger zee has the latest. ginger, good morning. >> we start with the around 2,000 record highs, all of the yellow bubbles that you see here, representing a high temperature since july 1st, almost 2,000. i mean, think about that and the yellow bubbles represented by numbers that look like this. st. louis had their tenth day above of 100. d.c. made it to 105. indianapolis, on 105, too. just incredible. remarkable heat. we'll go back to close to average for summer. it's still going to be hot and stormy. last night, with the heat, spawned some intense thunderstorms, this is from new jersey. our hairstylist dora said one of her friends had a picnic in their backyard it ended up on the highway. relief is in the sight, look at philadelphia, 83 by tuesday. 83 by tuesday for d.c. you're starting to breathe. st. louis is starting to breathe, at 87. i'll have more on the severe storm forecast coming up in just a couple of minutes. for now, back to the desk. >> you know things are cooling down when she's inside not outside with that huge thermometer. >> thank you, ginger. let's turn now to abc's jim avila for the other top stories. in for ron claiborne. >> we have a hairstylist? didn't know that. >> not for me or you. good morning. heat at home, the death toll is rising after flash flooding in russia. more than 200 people are believed dead. nearly a foot of rain fell, creating a wall of water they swept through as most people slept on saturday. authorities are investigating a nearby dam would have had a downpour and continued with a scheduled relief. more good news for afghanistan this morning, the obama administration is promising cash behind the pledge of continued support, a day after declaring afghanistan a major ally, secretary of state hillary clinton today in japan, hillary clinton asked the aid to remain five years after combat troops come home. the first openly gay sitting massachusetts congressman barney frank married long-time partner jim ready last night. he's a welder and 30 years younger than the congressman. and finally, more fun video that shows us that it's not just washington, d.c., that can be called dysfunctional. take a look at this live tv debate. he throws his shoe and then pulls his gun. the arguing continued, after they went off the air. which is why, they ask to check our side arms when we come in the morning. all right, now to that sudden whiplash at the pump, gas prices now rising after more than two months of constant dropping. in some areas, they shot up 30 cents in one day. so what's going on? david kerley, this seems to be the one bright economic spot that we have been talking about. >> it's been great for a loft people. lot of cash in their pocket. we called it the summer surprise? watching those gas prices going down. now, they're going the opposite direction. how long will that last? and will it stop? what happened to that amazing ride we have been on. the signs are now changing. take a look. 3.73 in may. down to 3.52 in june. all of the way to 3.34 last sunday. >> we have a slew of economic news that's been a driving factor behind lower crude oil prices. but then something happened. >> clearly it's much higher. >> reporter: last monday, the prices started heading up. two cents increase yesterday. to $3.37 a gallon. >> it's better than a couple of months before. but it could be still be cheaper. >> reporter: but why? after 75 days watching prices drop, why all of the sudden the change? good news about european economic news could cost you more to fill up next week. >> positive economic news both domestically and internationally, a more robust economy is expected to consume more crude oil and more gasoline, which puts upward pressure on prices. >> reporter: so if you're trying to budget for the rest of the year, any way to predict how much we'll be able to pay for gas? here's what the experts believe. and this is just what they believe, when summer driving season comes to an end, these price increases will slow down and of course, more bad economic news could mean prices would go down. so, dan what do you want -- good news or lower gas prices? apparently we can't have both. >> david, next report, we would like to see more zen with one of those hats on your head. excellent report. thank you for that. to politics now. it's your voice, your vote. let's stay on the topic of those gas prices. could gas prices play a role in the presidential race. terry moran is hosting "this week," subbing for george stephanopoulos. terry, good morning to you. >> well, dan, there's no question that president obama is facing a huge challenge this year. this is his economy, he owns it. gas prices. that depressing jobs report. this is his economy. in particular, given the promises that he made, he promised that unemployment would be lower and that this would be recovery time in the united states so there's no question that he's going to face very serious headwinds in the campaign. >> terry moran, we look forward to your broadcast this morning. make sure to join him on "this week." martin omali and louisiana governor bobby jindal. we turn now to danger in the sky. the fbi is on the case after dangerous laser points were aimed at two passenger jets. in critical seconds just before landing. some may call it a prank. but it's becoming a growing problem that could prove deadly. jim avila covers aviation for abc. and he's back on the story. >> reporter: these lasers happen at most critical times for the pilot. landing and taking off. it happened just outside of san francisco's international airport. two commercial planes. a virgin atlantic and a sky west commuter jet. just minutes from landing. when the pilots noticed a blinding light. >> we just want to let you know that there's a laser by the bridge. it's green. it came through our window. >> reporter: that laser likely one of these. a simple point and shoot. it can blind a pilot. >> san francisco, that laser is almost right underneath us right now. >> reporter: with potentially deadly consequences. >> what happens, that pinpoint spreads out once it's higher and further away. >> reporter: police were immediately dispatched to find whomever was shooting the laser. and this weekend, the fbi has joined the hunt. this is just the latest incident in what is coming from an alarming trend. just this past may, in salt lake city, two planes hit. >> we have a laser strike at about 12 miles out. >> reporter: in 2011, there were more than 3500 documented incidents. who's behind these attacks? people looking to cause trouble. and others who just don't know how dangerous it really is. >> there's a 12-year-old boy in tulsa who said, i wanted to say hello to the pilot. >> reporter: for those planes heading into san francisco, both planes landed safely despite the laser. >> it appears to be definitely being focused on the aircraft. >> some view these laser attacks as just pranks. authorities do not. the fbi is now involved. they're promising to prosecute. trying to land, you can't see, it gets to you. >> all right, jim, thank you. now to usher, hit with another family drama after a serious jet ski accident on a georgia lake that critically injured his stepson. john muller is covering the story. >> good morning. tragedy certainly has a way to put things in perspective. usher and his ex-wife putting their legal battles aside, fighting to save her son. a dayton water goes horribly wrong as a 11-year-old boy is emergency air lifted to an atlanta hospital. now, atlanta tv station wxia the critically injured child is the stepson of usher. and the son of his ex-wife tamika foster. he was riding on this inner tube when he struck by a man he knew riding this jet ski. >> it looks like they were trying to have a day on the lake and have a good time. but, obviously, something went wrong. ♪ >> reporter: usher and his ex have made headlines this year, amid a bitter custody battle. over their two children. but tmz reports that this tragedy has brought them together. the star entertainer chartered a plane for foster so she could rush to her son's side. for usher, it's the latest in a string of bad news. after the bitter news, he had to call 911 for a stalker incident. in which a woman got into his gated community and rack his door and camped out on his front stairs repeatedly. >> i have two children in this home. and three adults in the house. and, um, this young lady apparently is a bit delusional. >> reporter: while now divorced from his mom of his children, usher recently told abc's robin roberts that he takes fatherhood very seriously. >> it's my belief that a father is important to a child's life. >> and now this latest tragedy threatening the life of his stepson. some of his powerhouse music pals have taken to twitter to offer their support. russell simmons tweeted, praying usher and tamika's son is okay. while he fights for his life, the investigation continues. very tough times, as usher and his family hope and pray that the boy pulls through. for now, no charges filed in this case. police do say that alcohol was not a factor in this crash. guys? >> thanks, john. appreciate it. all right, now to that texas folk hero or is she a villain? we're talking about the woman who was arrested for warning drivers about a speed trap ahead. in my hometown of houston. >> reporter: good morning, police put natalie plummer behind bars because they say that she was a danger to drivers. she wasn't behind the wheel. but, get this, she wasn't behind the wheel. she was riding her bike. natalie plummer is either a motorist's best friend or a menace to society. just depends who you ask. just two weeks ago, she was riding her bike along this road, and noticed that police were pull cars over in a speed trap. so she made a sign. >> i was completely abiding by the law. i was warning other citizens of a situation ahead. >> reporter: but the officer in charge didn't agree and hauled her off to jail. she was charged with standing in the street obstructing traffic, a misdemeanor and spent 12 hours behind bars. >> i didn't recall jumping in the road. if there's a video of me jumping in the road i would be more than happy to see that. because i don't think it exists. >> reporter: she said that according to texas law the sign is legal. in fact, some states allow drivers to flash their high beams to alert drivers that police are ahead. while other states are vague. plummer's story has gone viral with thousands of americans showing her support. >> i guess you could say i was standing up for all of them. we're all citizens and we're all drivers. pretty much a majority of us would like to know, you know, where there's a speed trap. >> reporter: some of her houston neighbors gathered friday to support her cause. standing up for what they believed a neighbor doing a good deed, not a criminal act. >> if you have a sign and you want to sit anyway and you want to warn people of anything, i don't see the damage of that. >> reporter: and plummer is now working with an attorney to file a formal complaint against the houston police department. she said that her actions were well within the law. dan and bianna, the investigation on this one is going to be continue. >> this is going to make me incredibly unpopular, but there are a lot of law enforcement officials who would say that speed traps are very important. >> she's helping out her fellow citizens. >> i'm sure my mom and dad would feel relieved to have her warn them. >> i don't know. >> thank you, john. appreciate it. let's get the weather now and ginger. where did you stand on this debate? >> i'm neutral. let's go ahead and start with the weather, we're seeing a big wave. you're going to see some severe thunderstorms. look in this area. mid-atlantic will have that cold weather in place. another region that we'll be watching for some severe weather, mudslides would be the wild fire area, that got 1 to 2 inches of rain. they're going to have another big rain coming today. let me show you what to expect here. ra rainfall totals 2 to 3 inch range. back in the fire zones, anywhere from 1 to 2. i want to focus in on phoenix, still very hot, 108. good morning, after an day, 105l hot no surprise it is hot morning, 88 degrees at national with the dew point, it feels like 99 degrees, another extremely hot day and they heat advisory is in from 11:00 a.m. until evening a front will be sagging down setting of some severe storms today. for temperatures 94-99 and >> that is a look at your nation's weather. dan and bianna. >> thank you. now to serena williams and that monster comeback after nearly losing her career and her life. i'm not sure which image sums up the thrill of victory? we love the tweet. but maybe, jumping into the air with the dish, jumping into the stands to hug her sister, venus. hannah storm, from our sister network espn, good morning to you, quite an afternoon at wimbledon. >> reporter: dan, it stretched into the night for serena williams. she didn't leave here until after 11:00. because what she did after the singles title, came back with her older sister venus and they won the doubles title here. so, what a day for the williams sisters. venus said afterwards, her sister serena and her battles against all of her health problems has been her inspiration. it was a match made in heaven. what a triumphant day for serena williams. it was a huge victory. that came with huge emotions. serena williams winning her fifth wimbledon title. but this one may be the sweetest. she quickly jumped into the stands to celebrate with her family, and moments after that win, choked back tears as she spoke to them. >> thank you from the bottom of my heart. and i love you all. and i couldn't have done this without you. i almost didn't make it a few years ago. i was in the hospital and now i'm here again. >> reporter: it's been the toughest two years of the athlete's life. bouncing back from surgeries. and blood clots in her lungs that almost killed her. now, tying her big sister's five wimbledon crowns. >> i have always wanted everything that venus has had. >> reporter: all this at the age of 30. >> the way you're playing today, i mean, is 30 the new 20? >> oh, my god, of course, hello. and this morning, all eyes will be on centre court again and a chance to make history. andy murray, the 25-year-old brit is carrying the entire nation's hopes on his young shoulders. if he beats six-time roger federer today, he'll be the first british male to win wimbledon in 76 years. murray mania is sweeping the nation. for perspective, since that last victory, three british monarchs have held the crown, queen elizabeth for the past 60 years. there have been 17 prime ministers who have come and gone without a male wimbledon winner and perhaps the most famous brit of all, paul mccartney, he was born, formed the beatles, broke up the band and even married three times, all the while no british winner. so much history here. so much bearing down on andy murray. who has vowed to stay away for the headlines, like he has the past couple of weeks. andy murray planned on watching a funny movie last night, walking his dogs, playing on his playstation. anything to not think about the monumental task ahead. dan? >> i don't care how much playstation he is playing, he has to be under an enormous amount of pressure and federer is a machine. right? this is going to be a tough match. >> roger federer is quite simply considered by many to be the greatest tennis player of all-time, he is inching toward 31. he hasn't won a grand slam title since beating andy murray 2 1/2 years ago at the australian open. he has a lot to prove. he wants to match the all-time record of seven wimbledon titles. he really is the favorite son. andy murray is the native son, and one can only imagine the crowd today, equal parts, anxiety, apprehension and anticipation. dan? >> so well said. hannah storm, always a pleasure to have you on the broadcast. i want to remind everyone, catch the men's finals today on our sister network on espn starting at 9:00. coming up here on the broadcast -- a new twist in an unsolved mystery. officials now saying they're not sure natalie wood's death was an accident. what happened on that star-packed boat 30 years ago. plus, are tom cruise and katie holmes, making nice? new reports this morning that the two sides are talking. we have the details. and an amazing story of this little dude, this is a baby beluga whale at the center of an extraordinary rescue effort. experts from around the world racing to help this animal beat very long odds. keep it here on "good morning america" this sunday morning. down here, folks measure commitment by what's getting done. the twenty billion dollars bp committed has helped fund economic and environmental recovery. long-term, bp's made a five hundred million dollar commitment to support scientists studying the environment. and the gulf is open for business - the beaches are beautiful, the seafood is delicious. last year, many areas even reported record tourism seasons. the progress continues... but that doesn't mean our job is done. we're still committed to seeing this through. ♪ [ male announcer ] food you eat [ sizzling ] is a blt. but food you love ♪ is a blt with hellmann's. nothing tastes like it. made with real ingredients like cage-free eggs and exceptional oils and vinegar ♪ for the unmistakable taste that can only be hellmann's. bring out the best. >> live and in hd, this is an abc 7 news update. iscould sunday morning, it 8:27. digit temperatures have caused several power outages in our area. dominion is reported more than power inmers without northern virginia. 2800 bge in the customers are in about 550nd pepco has ustomers without power >> with relief at hand, everyone is anxious for this afternoon. it feels like 99 degrees now. a heat advisory from 11:00 a.m. tonight and high- temperature today 94-99 and showers tonight and tomorrow, temperatures much cooler. thanks for watching and we ♪ ♪ i'm a survivor look at that face, he's perhaps the cutest whale that we have ever seen. the fact that he's alive, credit to a rescue teams from across the country. the incredible tal