minutes. >> you can always follow the forecast by using our interactive radar. it allows you to track rain or storms right down to your own street. log on to wbaltv.com. click on weather. >> the big story tonight at 5:00, we're learning more about the racially motivated beating of an elderly fisherman. >> the suspect, 28-year-old calvin lockner, has a tattoo of adolf hitler on his stomach, even uses hitler as a nickname. lisa robinson joins us live from shock trauma, where the victim is being treated, and she has the latest. >> the victim, james privett, is suffering from severe head injuries. he's reported to be in fair but stable condition. mayor sheila dixon says she did speak with mr. privett and his family last night. she says that he told her he was doing what he loved to do in his retirement. he had simply gone fishing. >> but his family is understandably shaken from this.

by the violence and what was said to him and what was done to him. >> the mayor and police commissioner with civic and religious leaders gathered at city hall to denounce this hate crime. >> the individual in custody, his nickname is hitler. we cannot glorify that. >> charging documents reveal the man in custody for the hate crime, calvin lockner, has ties to the white supremacist groups aryan brotherhood and nordic brotherhood. police observed a tattoo of hitler on his stomach with the words "he lives." the same charging documents say when three white males approached pivot, one of them knocked him down and punched him saying you black n. i'll get you. the others beat privett with a bat. he was able to get away and get a guard to call for help.

in his taped confession, police say lockner told them this wouldn't have happened if he was a white man. police are investigating citizen tips and working with law enforcement agencies to find two other men involved. they say they need the community's help. >> we could say this was a bad deed on that day. these guys are disruptive in our communities all the time. >> neighbors of the privetts were shocked to hear the news of the attack. >> i think it's a shame. it's really awful. this day and age, you don't expect this to happen no more. you would think people would have come together. we have a new president, new world. you would think things is different. some things just don't change. >> at the bail review this morning, a $500,000 bail was denied. police say if you have any information on what happened to give them a call. live downtown, lisa robinson,

wbal-tv 11 news. >> we have a special consumer alert tonight. howard county police are investigating what they're calling a large-scale identity theft scheme. it spanned maryland and three other states. police found hundreds of personal and financial documents inside a room at the best western hotel in elkridge. some of the items included driver's licenses, credit cards, tchecks, social security cards and bank statements. they also found $12,000 in cash and several wigs in a vehicle belonging to suspects. >> investigators are contacting witnesses and we continue to identify witnesses. it will take some time to process all of the evidence. >> police arrested three women and a man, all from florida. they were charged with a number of crimes including credit card theft. police say they plan to file additional charges as the investigation continues. >> tonight, businesses in the united states are being asked to make a plan for managing the

flu this fall. both seasonal and h1n1 flu. businesses should encourage vulnerable employees who are at risk to be vaccinated as soon as vaccines become available. first in line, of course, pregnant women, health care workers and younger people with asthma. the vital oil and gas industries are already taking action. >> so their critical employees have back-up, cross-training has occurred, telecommuting has been explored. >> health and human services secretary kathleen el sebelius says the u.s. will be ready with millions of vaccines when the flu sane finally takes off. >> dozens of children got the vaccine today. the university school of medicine is one of five locations testing the vaccine. now that there are no red flags from adult testing. >> state experts say the

best-case scenario for this upcoming flu season is about 10% of kids in baltimore will get the h1n1 virus. worse-case scenario, the numbers jumps to 40%. here is what you need to know. this was the scene in annapolis today as the first trials of the h1n1 vaccine were given to children at one of eight centers nationally involved. >> each center is to vac nature children from 6 months to 18 years of age. all children are going to get two shots in this study and while we're going to get blood samples from each child to see if the vaccine made antibodies against this h1n1 strain. >> the trials are available to all maryland children. >> children and students enrolled in our schools should be vaccinated against seasonal influenza as well as h1n1. they may require two doses of

the vaccine. but the best thing is to talk to your doctor about it. >> the problem with the h1n1 is many people can catch it. it doesn't mean it's more severe. that's an important destination. as far as we know, this is not acting too much differently than seasonal flu. >> businesses are also being asked to prepare. >> specifically, looking at opportunities for staff to have hand-washing, to have those kinds of measures that delay the transmission of virus in a workplace. that's very important. employers need to think ahead about liberal leave policies. >> all week long, the c.d.c. will be giving out new guidelines. still to come this week, the recommendations for colleges and universities. >> now on to the nation's health care and reform. president obama is under increasing pressure from democrats on the issue of whether a government-run insurance program will be part

of harningte reform. the a.f.l.c.i. o'is threatening to pull support if the public option is not included. >> we don't have it -- >> four days after he signaled he might drop the public option, president obama is getting a healthcare warning from the powerful aflcio that claims 10 million union members. >> our message is you know we can't do health reform without cost control. the only proposal that's on the table now to control costs in the short term is the public health insurance plan option. >> backers say competition from government insurance would force private plans to improve care and lower premiums. and top aides say president obama has not given up on it. >> his preference is for a public option. if there are others that have ideas about how we can institute choice and competition, he's happy to look at those. >> thousands of customers are joining a boycott of whole foods groceries angry that the

c.e.o. opposes universal coverage and the public option. the champion of the public option, massachusetts democrat barney frank, blew up at a town hall tormenter. >> why are you supporting this? >> on what planet do you spend most of your time? you stand there with a picture of the president -- [applause] >> arguing with you is like arguing with a dining room table. i have no interested in doing it. >> republican lawmakers are adamant against it. >> if this is not about fixing the health care system, this is about government control. >> some democrats now say let's pass reform including the public option without g.o.p. help. but that would require democratic unity and conservative democrats, the blue dogs, are still leery of the public option.

>> in tonight's education alert, there's always lots of back-to-school questions around this time of year. in baltimore city, school officials have set up a call center with staff prepared with answers. tim tooten joins us with details. >> city school officials say this is the one-stop phone line set up to help deal with parent concerns, everything from registration to transportation. they're tucked away on the third floor of headquarters. close to a dozen staff members with on-the-spot answers to many of your pressing back-to-school questions. >> is there any other information i can give you at this time? >> this is a cross-functional effort. we have folks from academics, student support, transportation, food and nutrition. this is a real team effort for the district and hopefully any issue that a parent has, there's someone that can answer the question.

>> we do have that information for you. >> around this time of year, telephone calls seem to come in by the hundreds as students get set to return to the classroom. >> are you a student? ok. >> what's on people's minds so far? >> everyone wants to know about transportation. parents who have students with special needs want to know about special education. student placement is a big one. what school will i be going to? >> i'm looking for the student support file. >> those who run the call center say their mission is to try to give a timely and accurate response. >> from that we're going to go from there. >> there is also a level of calm confidence. >> you realize, once we get this going, you're going to get a lot of calls. >> we're more than ready. >> we want the command center to back the school command center. we want as many calls as possible. >> i hear the telephone number

is 443-984-2000. lines are open from now until september 4 from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. you can also email the district at back to school -- school officials tell us during the course of the year they respond to more than 100,000 telephone calls. for more information on the call center, log on to our website, wbaltv.com, and cleck on education. >> that was a long email address. the beautiful brand-new holt monaco just opened in downtown baltimore to much fanfare. but tonight it could be facing a court-ordered auction sale. the $65 million hotel opened just last month inside the historic b & o building. the corporation that owns it could lose it over nonpayment of a $184,000 lumber bill that is owed.

an attorney for the owners baltimore and charles associates say they'll appeal the ruling and post a bond. that would cancel the auction. the hotel is still open for business. >> turns out the most serious sports injuries aren't always on the football field or basketball court. they're also happening on the sidelines. why some say cheerleadering is the most dangerous. >> and the crackdown on credit card companies starts tomorrow. how the government is tchapinging the rules. finally a few perks for the customers. >> i'm reporting on a nationwide crackdown on drunk driving as a new report shows an alarm trend in the number of women driving drunk. explain.

oh yea, well for 6 months, customers get all three: fios tv, internet and phone for just $79.99 a month. oh, all right, see... you're just moving your fingers, aren't you? i gotta cut my nails. (announcer) now get three amazing fios services for the price of two. tv, internet, and phone for only... it all adds up to one incredible deal from fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v now to sign up. and get fios tv - ranked highest in overall customer satisfaction by j.d. power and associates america's top rated internet-- now even faster, and crystal clear phone service. all for just... it's like getting 3 services for the price of 2. that's a 180 dollars savings over six months for the best in home entertainment. don't miss this unbeatable value 3 great services, for the price of 2.

call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v today.

>> one of the baltimore's last remaining independent birth centers celebrated a milestone today, its 1,000th birth. the baby is the proof. he was born at special beginnings approximate birth center on august 6. the birth wasn't recognized until today. the center not only helps families with childbirth but with women's health and breastfeeding. the center is trying to get congress to pass legislation to allow payment of fees. >> if we can't receive reimbursement for our facility

fee for medicaid, we can't care for low-income women. >> staff and local leaders presented the family with a $1,000 savings bond. >> in tonight's "medical alert," sleep apnea may increase your risk of dying especially for men. researchers from johns hopkins studied sleep patterns of more than 6,000 people. those with the most severe cases of sleep apnea were 1.5 times more likely to die from any cause during the study regardless of whether they smoked. men are found to be at an increased risk for premature death. researchers say the decrease in oxygen levels associated with sleep apnea explains the increased risk of death. drug use among some baby

boomers appears to be rising. a new report from the substance abuse and mental health services administration finds the percentage of americans in their 50's who said they had used an illicit drug in the past year nearly doubled rising from 5.1% in 2002 to 9.4% in 2007. elicit drug use among other age groups stayed the same or went down. another new study says among all high school and college athletes, it's cheerleaders who get hurt the most. it accounts for more catastrophic injuries than basketball, soccer, even football. 2/3 of all serious injuries among female high school athletes are caused by cheerleadering accidents. the number of head and neck injuries that can cause paralysis, brain damage and death and because of the dangers schools are now canceling cheerleadering programs altogether. a small study from nationwide children's hospital in columbus, ohio, finds that

massage can relieve pain, depression and anxiety in kids with sickle cell disease. one side effect they weren't expecting with that anxiety levels rose in parents required to give the nightly massages. researchers hope giving parents more control might help lower that anxiety over time. >> so far here in the baltimore metropolitan area, some quiet weather today. temperatures up around 90 degrees. we have clouds in the area. here is the combined satellite radar image. all the thunderstorm activity this afternoon has been south of us. in that activity, there's one particularly strong thunderstorm cell down in st. mary's county. i've just circled it there. it was responsible for a tornado warning to be issued earlier. but that expired at 5:15. the cell is still there, though. the radar indicated a possible rotation in the clouds. no reports of any tornadoes

coming out of that area, at least at last check. but it's still a strong therm-selling and it's moving to the southeast. folks should be watching out around there for strong weather activity. as with any of these storms, any might crop up here later today, although it looks like a better chance south of us. lightning is a big hazard with these storms. let's look at the temperatures because that's probably what caught your attention today. not as bad as yesterday. yesterday at this time we were up near 90 degrees before the thunderstorm activity starred. today we just have clouds that if filtered the sun and held the temperatures down. it's 84 at the airport. 83 annapolis. middle river and downtown, 88.

90 at frederick. but the humidity levels are way up. the dew point temperature, when it's in the upper 60's and around 70 or higher, really sultry, tropical air. 75 the dew point at easton. 73 at annapolis. the further north you go, down a little bit. really sultry air and it's really thick down on the lower eastern shore and that's where that thunderstorm activity is headed. here is the satellite picture showing that strong thunderstorm cell over st. mary's county. they have a thunderstorm warning in effect until 6:00 for that area. but the clouds get thin up here and the sun is shining near the maryland-pennsylvania line right now. there is another line of storms ahead of a cold front up in pennsylvania. the front is going to more or less stall up there or die out. a real cold front won't come through this area until friday. that will have to develop out west.

you see it out in the dakotas here. it will take a while for that to move through our region. bill is a very powerful hurricane, category 4 storm. this is the eyewall of the storm. you can see right down to the ocean floor there on this image. we'll pull back. it's just to the northeast of the caribbean islands. it will stay in the atlantic passing between bermuda and the east coast of the united states. by the end of the weekend, it will be headed toward the maritime provinces of canada. warm and humid tonight. scattered thunderstorms. 70 to 74 the overnight low. 88 to 92 the high tomorrow. in the same range as today. tomorrow's forecast the same. warm and humid, scattered showers and thunderstorms in the forecast. the next seven days we have these sultry conditions into friday and saturday we start to pull out from under it a little bit. temperatures drop to the 80's. we still have a rain chance as the front tries to move offshore. sunday, partly cloudy skies. high of about 84.

that comfortable trend continues into early next week. >> up next, a deadly day in iraq. almost 100 people killed. >> who the iraqi parliament thinks is behind the violence and the message they're trying to send. >> from charm city to sin city. a baltimorian makes a run for the title of top chef. kd explain.

oh yea, well for 6 months, customers get all three: fios tv, internet and phone for just $79.99 a month. oh, all right, see... you're just moving your fingers, aren't you? i gotta cut my nails. (announcer) now get three amazing fios services for the price of two. tv, internet, and phone for only... it all adds up to one incredible deal from fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v now to sign up. and get fios tv - ranked highest in overall customer satisfaction by j.d. power and associates america's top rated internet-- now even faster, and crystal clear phone service. all for just... it's like getting 3 services for the price of 2. that's a 180 dollars savings over six months for the best in home entertainment.

don't miss this unbeatable value 3 great services, for the price of 2. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v today. >> it is one of the deadliest days in iraq this year. at least 95 people have been killed. >> hundreds more were wound in a string of bombings that targeted the government and business in baghdad. the latest from 11 news reporter chris clackum. >> the series of coordinated bomb blasts in baghdad came at mid morning wednesday and were as destructive as they were deadly. plumes of dark smoke rose from the iraqi foreign ministry building that was the target of a car bomb and where the damage extended for blocks. at least 5 people were killed here. another 250 injured. militants also struck and iraqi parliament building where some members see the attacks as an

attempt to disrupt upcoming elections. >> i believe the main motive behind this is an attempt to redraw the political landscape in the same sectarian outlines as we saw in the previous elections in 2005. >> but in 2005, american troops were in iraqi cities. they withdrew with a deadline of june 30 this year. today's attacks have let to concern about the ability of iraqi security forces to stem violence in advance of a full american combat withdrawal to be completed a year from now. chris clackum, wbal-tv 11 news. >> tonight the scottish government says the decision has been reach in the case of the locker bebomber. but an announcement will not be made until tomorrow. a statement released today says the justice minister has informed families and interested parties he has reached his decision.

this was the sole person convicted in the bombing of pan am flight 103 in 1988, which killed 159 people. >> are you rental sterd for the do not call list? but you still get bogus calls? who they may be coming from. >> and another problem for the cash for clunkers program. why some car dealers are putting the breaks on the program.

>> new at 5:30, a day of appreciation for the men and women who serve this country

overseas. it is military appreciation day at the ravens training camp. pete gilbert has the story from westminster. >> this is the second year the ravens have offered military appreciation day. while it's not that huge an undertaking for the franchise, they set aside special seating and make sure men and women who serve get to mingle with players after practice. >> any time that you get anybody showing appreciation, that's great. but to get an organization this big to recognize what the military does for the country, it's just great. >> for those back from the middle east with families, today is an extra special treat. >> i have my boys here to enjoy ravens camp. >> it's good because they're honoring the military and it's a very special day to try to get signatures, hopefully. >> every day is military

appreciation day for linebacker tony fine. he inspires today's special guests. >> to have served in the military and come back and try to get out and make it an nfl team, he's doing right by us the way we look at it. >> while i may be the hottest afternoon of the year, the military personnel say it is nothing compared to the heat overseas. >> here is a look at some of the our other top stories at this hour. bail has been denied for the convicted sex offenderer accused of attacking an elder black fisherman. officials say calvin lockner told police the attack would not have happened if the victim had been white. police accuse calvin lockner and two other men of attacking the 76-year-old man as he and

his wife were packing up from a fishing trip early tuesday morning. the search continues for the other two spubblingts. the victim is now in fair condition. recently recovered -- discovered records show the virginia tech student who shot and killed 32 people before committing suicide denied having home sidal thoughts a year and a half before the murder spree. the records were released nearly five weeks after they were discovered at the home of the director of counseling. the april 2007 mass shooting is the worst in modern u.s. history. advocates for maryland's disabled population rallied in annapolis in an effort to stop proposed cuts to developmental disability administration. 22,000 children and adults receive services fund by the state. they're concerned the funds

could be cut. there are currently 19,000 people on the waiting list to receive services. >> the labor day holiday is right around the corner. officials want to remind you that activities involving alcohol should not be followed by a trip behind the wheel. transportation secretary ray lahood is joining forces with mothers against drunk driving in a new campaign. sally kidd has the story. >> d.o.t. says police will be out in full force over the next couple of weeks conducting extra traffic stops and sobriety checkpoints and taking drunk drivers off the road. mike dean, husband and father of a baby girl, was killed by a drunk driver on a texas highway in 1991. since then his wife has been fighting to get impaired drivers off the road. >> i hope they'll get the message before they injure or kill somebody. >> a stepped-up nationwide crackdown begins friday with this message.

>> if you're over the limit, you are under arrest. >> transportation secretary ray lahood says the message is aimed at all drivers but especially women. new f.b.i. statistics show the number of women arrested while driving impaired rose nearly 30% over a 10-year period while arrests of impaired male drivers decreased. >> they have the pressures of being the mom, taking care of the house. >> in july, eight people died when a new york woman drove the wrong way on the taconic state parkway. police say her blood-alcohol level was .19. >> the message has to get out that there is no tolerance for people drinking and driving. zero tolerance. >> this is not about numbers or ticket qoutas. it's about stopping a common

threat to us all. >> a threat that takes lives and shatters families. d.o.t. says despite the increase in the number of impaired female drivers, the vast majority of drunk driving arrests, four out of five, are men. >> we have breaking news into the 11 news room. a drowning in baltimore county. >> this is the cut between miller's island and treasure island in baltimore county where it goes from the hawks point all the way towards the bay. from what we understand here, there is a drowning at this location. we're not quite sure if the gentleman injured himself falling off this vessel or if the operator of the vessel found the individual. right now fire crews are getting to the scene trying to check things out here. we're going to have to get a

little more information on this. as we do, we'll update you. live in sky team 11, i'm captain roy taylor. >> in tonight's project economy report, car dealers are calling it the no cash for clunkers program because they're still waiting for the government to pay them back for the money they gave customers. the national automobile dealers association estimates dealers have hundreds in some cases thousands of applications pending and millions of dollars hanging in the balance. some say they will not write more deals until they catch up. >> the dealers have advanced this money on behalf of the customers. that's money out the door that the industry is now trying to collect from the u.s. government. >> transportation secretary ray lahood today assured car dealers that, while there have been delays, the program is working and they will be

reimbursed. they're just wondering when. >> exactly. still ahead at 5:00, milwaukee's mayor is physically assaulted. at any time he's speaking out about the ordeal. >> could 40% of the children in greater baltimore get the h1n1 virus this flu season?

>> we have sad news to pass along tonight. cbs news has confirmed that "60 minutes" creator don hewitt has passed away. he joined cbs in 1948 and produce today first televised presidential debate between kennedy and nixon in 1960. don hewitt was 86 years old. >> tonight we're hearing the first public comments from the mayor of milwaukee since he was talked by a domestic violence suspect. tom barrett was released from a hospital monday after suffering a broken hand, missing teeth and cuts to his face and head. he said he was assaulted by the man as he attempted to intervene to help a woman and

her 1-year-old granddaughter at the wisconsin state fair. >> when someone says call 911, you call 911. it's that straightford. that's exactly what happened here. it was only at that point where the response was so bizarre that things took off in the wrong direction. >> a 20-year-old man has been arrested in that case. >> if you're looking for a job, a new survey says baltimore is a great place to be. >> starting tomorrow, credit card companies have to play by new rules. the new perk for customers. >> the best of baltimore edition of baltimore magazine is out and the party promise to be a big one.

>> here is look at what we're working on for 11 news at 6:00. a man accused of beating an elderly fisherman simply because he was black is held without bail. and a local woman cooks her way to a national tv show. tonight you'll hear from the owner of the restaurant where she works. my husband and i, we love to go to steakhouses

i can smile, i can carry on our conversation i do most of the talking yes i wear dentures and they fit wonderful super poligrip acts as a seal between my dentures and my gums super poligrip makes eating more comfortable. even well fitting dentures can feel more comfortable with super poligrip. just a few dabs of super poligrip create a seal between your dentures and gums to make them more comfortable while you eat. i can eat my steak, i just love it. try super poligrip. >> the best of baltimore issue is out and tomorrow is the big party to celebrate. but the big event is more than just a party. it's also helping a nonprofit

support families and prevent child abuse. jennifer franciotti has the story. >> it's one of the most anticipated parties of the year. baltimore magazine's best of baltimore party brings out the who's who in town, celebrating this month the most winners ever in shopping, service, food and more. >> 2,000 people usually come and they have the opportunity to taste from 50 restaurants or caterers, have specialityity drinks, listen to live music and have the best time of their lives. >> one chef just opened his restaurant last year and he's thrilled to win top honors for his cuisine, which features latin american and mediterranean influences. >> we opened in december and we've been making people happy. they're very, very, very happy. >> the night isn't just about a party. it's to support aworthy cause. the magazine teams with a

family organization on charles street. they offer a 24-hour stress line for parents, parenting classes and support groups. >> families want skills to raise their children. proceeds are so important to us now, particularly with the economy so rough. so many families are reaching out for help. we're grateful for this partnership. >> this year's best of baltimore party is being held thursday night at the hippodrome. tickets are $75 in advance, $90 at the door, and they're going fast. >> temperatures have been warm and well south of us in st. mary's county thunderstorms rumbling across the area. strong storms with a

thunderstorm warning remaining in effect for st. mary's county for another 12, 13 minutes or so. north of baltimore into york county, north of harrisburg, another severe thunderstorm cell ahead of a cool front across pennsylvania. that thunderstorm warning for the northern portions of york county remains in effect until 6:30 this evening. let's look at what's going on outside right now. i mentioned we had clouds in baltimore and points south. downtown it's 88. 84 at the airport. 84 at cambridge. cloud cover has held temperatures down. of course, we've had all this rain in the southern portion of maryland and also in virginia. quantico is only 78, along with the district. all the heavy rains in st. mary's county really held the temperatures down. but it's 90 at westminster.

cumberland 91. clouds from the city southward. they get really thick where all that thunderstorm activity is. here is that line of storms up in pennsylvania right now. here is the cool front. this will not move through. this warm, humid air stays stuck, in place. another weather system coming out of canada, the northern plains and great lakes. that will be friday into saturday. that's the one we expect to provide some relief. it's also the one that, once it moves out over the ocean, will tend to hold bill out over the atlantic. here is bill right now. category 4 storm. 135-mile-an-hour winds. well-defined eye as the storm spins through the atlantic. these are the caribbean islands here. it looks like it's going to stay north of that and even miss bermuda.

are the storm will track to about 250 miles to the west of bermuda by saturday morning. still a category four storm. here we are in baltimore. by sunday morning the storm looks like it will be about 500 miles to our east. rip currents and waves may be a problem. it looks like the storm will still be enough to cause problems in the maritime protcheses of canada. 70 to 74 the low tonight. 88 to 92 tomorrow's high. same as today. warm and humid. showers and thunderstorms are in the forge, especially in the afternoon and evening hours. the seven-day forecast calls for more humid weather and an increased for thunderstorms, maybe strong storms friday. then the rain chances back off for saturday. sunday, the humidity goes down.

temperatures much more comfortable. >> in tonight's "consumer alert," radisson hotels and resorts says its commur systems have been hacked. they have informed customers that their credit card information may have been accessed. a spokesperson says it happened between last november and may of this year. radisson did not say how many hotels have been affect or which ones, but it advised all guests to review statements. phone scams are on the rise. state officials claim they're getting more complaints about bogus calls about foreclosure or credit card debt. this is happening despite people being included on the national do not call registry. the f.t.c. says it gets more than 100,000 complaints a month. stats show an 11% increase from july of last year through june of this year. a spokesperson for direct marketers says the calls are coming from what he called back actors in the industry. meanwhile, new rules governing credit card accounts take effect tomorrow. credit card issuers must give

people more notice before imposing rate increases or charging late fees. the new law also offers cardholders another perk. >> a swipe of relief could be in store for millions of credit cardholders. new lending and interest rate laws kick in thursday designed to protect users and offer more control over their accounts. many consumers say it is about time. >> i feel they're not regulated enough and they need to be regulated. >> it should be 50/50 but it's definitely leveraged towards the credit card companies. they can change it but i'm not allowed to change it. >> the new rules give users more notice when changes are made to the account and tools to say no to higher rates and fees. banks are required to send statements 21 days in advance of the due date instead of just 14 giving customers a better chance of paying a bill on time. if a payment is missed, users have more options. if the company wants to raise

rates and late fees -- >> any adverse chances in terms have to be noticed by a 45-day notice and that notice has to tell you how to cancel the card and avoid paying the increased fees and penalties if you don't want to. >> consumer advocacy groups say credit card companies and banks are also making changes to counter the new laws, raising interest rates and fees across the board, even for customers with good credit. lenders say it is the rising cost of doing business. >> the law means that many businesses and people will have a harder time getting a credit card and the limits will be lower. in the future, interest rates and other fees will be higher. >> next year, more key provisions go into effect, including limits on the rates companies can charge on existing balances. >> if you're looking for a job, and many people are these days, apparently you're in one of the

best cities to find one according to one job search engine. it ranked baltimore third best because there was one job posting for every unemployed person and there were 112,000 people out of work that month. that's tonight's "consumer alert." >> the investigation continues tonight in the racially charged beating of an elderly fisherman in baltimore. coming up new at 6:00, more on the suspect's background, plus reaction from the victim's neighborhood. also, it's live with regis and sandra. behind the scenes of sandra shaw's co-hosting opportunity in new york. explain.

oh yea, well for 6 months, customers get all three: fios tv, internet and phone for just $79.99 a month. oh, all right, see... you're just moving your fingers, aren't you? i gotta cut my nails. (announcer) now get three amazing fios services for the price of two. tv, internet, and phone for only... it all adds up to one incredible deal from fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v now to sign up. and get fios tv - ranked highest in overall customer satisfaction by j.d. power and associates america's top rated internet-- now even faster, and crystal clear phone service. all for just... it's like getting 3 services for the price of 2. that's a 180 dollars savings over six months

for the best in home entertainment. don't miss this unbeatable value 3 great services, for the price of 2. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v today. cash for clunkers is available at your chevy dealer. with more eligible models to choose from than anyone. if your clunker qualifies to be recycled, you can get a $3500 or $4500 government rebate. and just announced! if you qualify for the clunker rebate, you may also qualify for 0% apr for 72 months. that means you can buy this silverado half-ton for $228 a month after a $3500 government rebate and no down payment. go to chevy.com for details.

>> a lesson in weather forecasting for regis philbin, with sandra shaw co-hosting along with regis and kelly. she was part of a co-host for a day competition. >> she looked really comfortable. >> she did. >> of course, it took a lot of preparation and sarah caldwell went along for the trip. >> time to get a little wake-up call. sandra! >> good morning. >> good morning! >> thank you. how are you feeling?

>> fabulous. i'm good. >> you got a good sleep? we're excited for you. >> i'm fine. it was great. they called me yesterday and said we want you to give a national forecast. they're making a special live regis and kelly map. >> unlike most days, sandra got to sleep in until 5:00 a.m. then she got to work, preparing her forecast. much of the prep began the day before with an afternoon delivery of a stack of notes to review for the show. >> this is the rundown. this is the longest host chat of any show. >> then a long list of questions and information on the day's guests. >> welcome tim gunn. >> how excited are you to meet him? >> i can't wait. >> we were all waiting for a peek at her outfit. she didn't disappoint.

the studio audience was arriving and baltimore represented. laura smith made the trip to give her hometown support. >> everybody is so excited for her. she's just always so cheerful and everybody loves her. >> with the clock ticking and showtime approaching, sandra was ready. but where was regis? >> 10 seconds. >> finally, with about five seconds to spare, regis emerges with a relieved sandra shaw. on the set and looking very much at home next to regis, her moment was here. what a frenzy. a little chat time with regis, interviews and a very entertaining forecast. [laughter] >> it's a challenge because everybody has a different personality. you've got to feel your way into their realm. does wbal hire anybody who is not as booble as you?

>> thank you. >> they had such a good time. it was good that they were there together. there is continuing coverage of sandra visit to new york on our website. log on to wbaltv.com and you'll find it on the homepage. >> she got to sleep in until 5:00 a.m.! >> that's all for us at 5:00. >> here is a look at what's new at 6:00. >> storms to the north and storms to the south. >> the racist ties of a man accused of a hate crime in a city park. that story coming up. >> preparing for the flu season with the h1n1 virus on the horizon, next. [captioning made possible by constellation energy group]

>> we begin tonight with a weather alert. parts of southern maryland saw a tornado warning this afternoon. there were even reports of a sighted funnel cloud. >> those thunderstorm warnings have ex spider for st. mary's county. but you can see the action there along the bay. they're not as strong cells as they were an hour or so go, but they did produce ping-pong sized hail and strong winds. we have a thunderstorm warning for york county currently. the storms themselves have moved to near the harrisburg area. this is all north of baltimore. that remains in effect until 6:30 this evening. we're kind of in between here in baltimore. we've had sunshine. heat and humid this afternoon. we'll talk about the prospects for rain this evening and the rest of the week in just a minute. >> you can always follow the