[captioning made possible by constellation energy group] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news at noon in hd. >> good afternoon. i am in the december print out big story -- president obama's walt street crackdown is closer to reality. tracie potts has the details. >> the bill as amended is passed. >> 59 democrats and -- 55 democrats and four republicans say they are shutting the door on wall street tampering with your money. it will shine the light on complex trades and create a new government agency to protect consumers, the man prove that

you pay your mortgage, and shut down failing banks without using your money. >> there will be no taxpayer- funded bailouts, period. >> what it does not do, critics say, is do anything about freddie mac and fannie mae. >> losses continue to mount, and the taxpayer exposure is limited. >> -- is of limited. >> a few democrats voted against it, saying it does not do enough. what passed last night now has to be merged with about the house passed in december. one of the biggest differences was our dealers, who finance -- was auto dealers to finance cars have to follow the new rules. >> meanwhile, relief is on the

way to maryland homeowners at risk of losing our homes thanks to a bill signed into law by gov. martin o'malley. it gives owners the opportunity to talk directly with the lender to find a solution. >> it requires the lender to make a series ever to renegotiate the loan if they can do it by changing the term, make some adjustments in principle, and if that does not work, it gives the homeowner the right to request mediation. >> the foreclosure rate is now at a record 4% in maryland. baltimore mayor stephanie rawlings-blake comments of the city council's decision to turn their backs on our proposed bottled beverage tax. she says she is anxious to hear their ideas hit. some of the ideas include new fees on billboard ads, increased parking meter rates.

the mayor says she is open to any suggestions. >> i know that from the press conference, they have some ideas as well. i look forward to actually seeing them. we have to take what their proposals are at work with finance to flesh them out. >> she is reviewing the proposals to see if they will cover the revenue that she says the bottle tax would have generated. 6000 people will be out of work in frederick by the end of the year as a credit-card company shuts down one of its call centers. jpmorgan chase has shut down the center, citing the need to increase efficiency. the facility will be phased out beginning this summer. the fight over the proposed slots at arundel mills mall is heading to court. -- the company is suing the elections board, saying that it overlook fraud

in the petition drive. the trial is set to begin on monday. >> sunshine is out, and a few high, thin clouds overhead. it is up to 85 on tv hill. not quite that one at the airport yet. just a few thin clouds over maryland and ease to the mountains. that year cost the western producing rainshowers. -- the heavier clouds to the west are producing rainshowers. is breaking up a little bit. we have if this area of high pressure protecting us so far. tomorrow and sunday is a different story. elements of the storm come in. we will detail at all coming up. >> a single car crash in harford county has claimed the life of a candidate for county executive. stephen wright was killed around

7:00 last night when his suv veered off the road in bel air and struck a utility pole. he had been challenging the incumbent county executive david craig for the nomination this september. he is on the way to it like -- he was on the right to -- he was on the way to a right-to-life meeting. police say he was not wearing his seat belt. police say that this vehicle caught fire not long after the crash. police are withholding the victims in until next of kin have been notified. city police are looking for whoever shot and killed a man in west baltimore yesterday. the unidentified victim was found shot multiple times in the 3000 block of north ave. he was taken to shock trauma, where he died three hours later. a baltimore city mother cannot understand why police have not charged a man that she says infected her 19-month-old

daughter with gonorrhea. the mother identified him as being alone with the child and a carrier of the disease, conclusive evidence to file charges -- but police say they do not have enough conclusive evidence to file charges. >> he has the same exact disease, and it is circumstantial? it cannot be circumstantial. i want to pay for what he did. >> police say it is possible to contract gonorrhea through non- sexual contact. coming out, lance armstrong fires back after he is accused of using performance enhancing drugs. >> as the gulf coast i continues to see where the oil will go next, it is

>> clean up efforts in the gulf continue as crew's attempt to cap the well. bp says it may not be until monday when they tried again to seal the well. >> 50 miles out into the gulf, efforts continue for the latest attempt at a fixed. they could try it this weekend, at shooting mud to seal the

leak, a week that continues to gush. it is much worse than we were originally told. though the amount has fallen, yesterday because it was collecting 5000 barrels a day, at the same amount that they said was all that was flowing. >> it is a blistering indictment of be pete's and attention to the scope and size of the greatest -- bp's in attention to the scope and size of the greatest environmental could catastrophe in the united states. >> we are also still waiting -- >> the obama administration still wants more answers, asking bp in escaping letter to turn over all data related to the leak. -- in a scathing letter to turn over all data related to the

leak. back in the bayou -- >> it is going to be devastating. >> all they want is their lives back, something to make the oil stop. louisiana officials say they may start to dredge a barrier islands themselves without the proper federal approval. they say that the government can punish them later. in florida, officials continue to plan what they will do if the oil makes it here. >> professional cyclist lance armstrong once again that denying claims that the used -- that he used performance enhancing drugs. he called a news conference after the accusation was made by eight floyd land is. he says that landis is a liar and that his performance speaks for itself. shortly after the news conference, armstrong was involved in a crash and was hurt

and had to withdraw from our race. and northern idaho man says he is thankful to be alive after a storm said a tree into his bedroom. he says he woke up just as the roof was crashing, and he managed to get out safely. i wanted, the tree fell on the side of the bed where he normally -- ironically, the tree fell on the side of the bed where he normally sleep spree he was sleeping on his wife's side of the dead. fast food restaurants are [ male announcer ] are you watching cable? here's what you should be watching: your cable bill, because you could be paying way too much. stop spending more for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone

for just $99.99 a month, guaranteed for two years with a two-year agreement. plus a free dvr for six months. fios gives you what cable doesn't: the best channel lineup and more hd; facebook and twitter on your tv, without interrupting your show. america's top-rated internet; plus a low price that won't go up for two full years. with fios, you get more for your money. why wouldn't you switch from cable? get fios tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month. a price guaranteed for two years, plus a special "welcome to fios" gift -- a free dvr for six months. avoid the next cable price increase. switch now. call 1.866.685.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v. this is beyond cable. this is fios.

>> now the forecast with meteorologist john collins. >> and area of high pressure keeping us and dry. as these clouds and rain try to move in, you can see how it is breaking up as a comes from west virginia and the mountains. the only clouds overhead are

these clouds. tomorrow and sunday, this storm coming in. today, we are in great shape. let's look at -- the pollen getting to me here. the count is low there. it does not kick in at the total pl -- pollen is high at 272. easton is 81, salisbury and ocean city. hagerstown is 80. seventies in the mountains to the west. they have a few more often clouds out there. the clouds are producing some of his rent out to the west. it is very scattered. it does not move all that much this morning. the low pressure center is going up towards the great lakes.

this high-pressure is deflecting the storm, so do speak. it will not last forever. the real humidity with this storm is on the gulf coast region and the mississippi valley. even though we are in the warm air, it will not be aggressively warm today. -- not be oppressively warm today. 8388 was the high today. we are in the range right now. south east winds at 10 to 15 mi. per hour. we expect plenty of sunshine. the temperature will back up to about 79 degrees around game time, about 7:00. insta-weather futurecast shows the clouds getting heavier over the night. rain will be with us and the chances off and on right into monday. it will not be a washout, but

nonetheless, the chance will be there. the rain is beginning to edge out towards the motion. -- towards the ocean. and then we dry out. by monday afternoon, and by tuesday, wednesday, and others did, we are back in the 80's. -- and thursday, we are back in the 80's. >> we recently learned that nbc is saying goodbye to the original "law and order." joining us is s. epatha merkerson. thank you for joining us. >> it is a pleasure. >> since this is the last episode, are there any shockers that viewers need to prepare for? it is a well written show. >> it is. it is a well-written show. i cannot tell you how it is going to end. but i will say that everyone

should have a hankie. >> thank you for that advice. i will make sure i keep mine close by. "law and order" is the longest running crime show. you left on the show for how long now? >> this was the end of my 16th season. >> wow. what is it like to say goodbye to that? >> well, i already made my exit or this news came along. i was prepared, i was ready. i have worked 16 uninterrupted years, and for an actor, that is an amazing feat. i am very proud of the work that i did on "law-and-order," i am proud of the work that we did over these years. there will be reruns galore.

we will necessarily be missed, but you know, i am definitely saddened by the fact that it has been cancelled. >> in what ways do you think the show has progressed over the years. why do you think it has been so popular for 20 years? >> well, i think it has been popular because, first of all, it changed the face of crime drama on television. it was quite innovative when it was originally aired in september 1990. i think why he keeps its viewers thebecause we don't dumb stories down. they are straight-ahead stories, they are written well. i think there is also the fact that they are ripped from headlines. you have an investment in the story. and then it is a world of fast- paced and short attention spans -- it is also a show that allows you to sit down and watch the full story, a beginning, at the middle, and an end.

it is like watching a mini- movie. when you get up from whatever you are sitting on, or when you are lying in bed watching the tv, when you are finished with the story, not only have you been entertain, but you have been educated as well. i think that is why it has kept a viewers for so long. >> it was a great show. i really enjoyed it and i really enjoyed watching you. thank you. in today's consumer alert, apple posted new i pat is out doing the rest -- apple's new ipod is out doing the rest. it has sold more than 200,000 ipads a week. it will be launched internationally in the next couple of months. the price of beef is rising but fast-food chains are not following suit. mcdonald's and burger king and wendy's are trying to hold the

line on prices. chains are coping by emphasizing other items that have higher profit margins and don't include beef. mcdonald's is keeping something else the sainted it decided not to get rid it -- keeping something else the same. it decided not to get rid of its redheaded clown after all. the mcdonald's seo told shareholders that ronald mcdonald is a force for good and does not hot food. the character has been criticized at -- the chain has been criticized in the past reporting kits with toys. coming up, the lottery numbers, and another check of the

>> it was an inspiring days a cancer survivor -- date for a cancer survivor who received a phd. robyn gilden had been working for her doctor at the time, but was forced to put studies on hold for surgery and chemotherapy did last night, she was given her degree by the university of maryland-baltimore city. >> she is a nonstop person. she persevered through everything that happened. >> i really do understand that we're not promised tomorrow and i tried to make the most of every day. >> she will assume an assistant faculty role at the university of maryland-baltimore. susan lindh is up to the

garden teacher, and was nominated by the pta president as one of the nation's top teachers could earlier she appeared on " regis and kelly." >> i was a stay at home mom, i always worked with youth organizations. i just loved children. >> with your help, she could get a brand new mustang and $20,000 staples but a vote online for all the details, go to our website. today's the last day to cast your vote. tonight on 11 news at 5:00, it is known as the silent killer because it is not diagnosed until it is difficult to treat it but now there is a promising new strategy to detect the disease earlier than ever. that is at 5:00. and now the maryland lottery numbers.

>> i am shari elliker from wbal radio. pick 3 numbers are -- now this lottery message. >> play pick three for $1 or more and you could win on the regular drawings, with the pick 3 bonus ticket, or by winning the weekly prize drawings. this week's top prize is $50,000. >> bob diamond is set, and pick four numbers are --

the maryland lottery, let yourself play. >> it is gorgeous outside. >> may has been up and down, up and down. lots of sunshine, 85 for the high today. saturday and sunday, we take it back a little bit. near 70 on sunday. on-again, off-again range our chances. not a washout, but the chance is there. >> be sure to watch tonight at 5:00.

- are you chronically ill and can't work? are you mentally ill and can't work? are you physically disabled and can't work? then the law firm of disability associates should be working for you. for years, disability associates has been working with our clients to get them the social security benefits that they deserve. don't be just another client at another law firm. - depend on disability associates because social security disability law is all that we do. >> lights,