[captioning made possible by constellation energy group] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> rumors surrounding the future of the dr. joe hairston sorrow, but it easy -- is the leading? some have said baltimore county school superintendents hairston is ready to move on, but is it just here say question mark jennifer franciotti talked to him in person and has this

exclusive reaction. >> dr. joe hairston was elected superintendent in the year 2000. his blueprint for progress included very specific goals for the district's achievement, including increased college enrollment, recruiting and retaining quality teachers, and closing the minority achievement gap. this past august as hairston began his 12th year he told us student performance has increased consistently. >> no one is perfect. there is no perfect school system in america. but if there is a school system that is committed to do all it can do for its children you will see it in baltimore county. >> the district has continually scored high marks and one awards for student achievement and spent millions for the construction of new schools. but on the flip side, hairston took a lot of heat for teachers over the controversial initiative for teachers to start -- chart progress. teachers complain to the paper work was enormous and an unfair

way to measure performance. multiple sources tell 11 news hairston will not stay on it after his current contract expires. >hairston denied any decisions have been made about his contract or his future with the district and told 11 news education reported tim tooten that he would likely not discuss his plans for several months. >> right now it is business for usual for joe hairston, and at the appropriate time we will certainly make comments. >> jennifer franciotti, wbal-tv 11 news. >> speculation more light can be shed on this issue at the next school board meeting october 11. a suspicious person was apprehended on aberdeen proving ground property. two employees recorded a man walking with a rifle in the edgewood area. law-enforcement questioned him a later released them after

finding out he was an environmental contract employee carrying a stick. a woman is recovering at johns hopkins after she was arrested from the waters -- rescued from the waters of the bay. fire crews responded around 5:30 a.m. this morning for a person in the water. the victim was transported to shock trauma. the issue remains under investigation. please continue to search for a harford county man wanted for yesterday's double shooting in aberdeen. 44-year-old michael mack is accused of shooting 21-year-old tyrell polley and david dudley. police believe polley and dudley rob mack before the shooting took place. officials now say an unintended -- unattended cigarette was irresponsible for a two them out -- two-alarm fire in harford county coming in the baelair.

they say most of the damage was contained in the front area of the home. no one was injured. >> it was nice to see the blue skies across the area. this is the fall whether we have been dying to see here in baltimore. mostly sunny and the airport. 70 degrees currently. 44% humidity and the wind out of the northwest, 9 miles an hour. if anything, a bit refreshing. your evening and afternoon the quiet. a lot of sunshine, maybe a few clouds, by 6:00 p.m. the cool down quickly. clear skies, and the temperatures dropped out overnight. we will talk about how long the pleasant weather will last on the seven-day forecast. >> the prosecution will continue to present its case against senator ulysses currie this afternoon. a former grocery store executive testified tuesday that he ". -- appeared to be more than a politician helping constituents. he also said a meeting with

carrying led him to question the senator's role with the store chain. the defense says the executive continued to work with him for close to 11 months after the meeting. the prince george's county the presented is accused of accepting bribes and performing political favors on behalf of shoppers food warehouse. prosecutors in the conrad murray trial is trying to prove the dr.'s extramarital affairs played a key role. three of his mistresses took the stand, all testifying they had regular contact with the man while he was supposed to be caring for jet -- caring for jackson. one woman described her phone call with him the day of jackson's death. >> i was just talking and the next thing you know i ain't said hello, hello, and i did not hear anything. that is when i pressed the phone against my ear and i heard mumbling of voices, it sounded like the phone was maybe in his pocket. and i heard coughing. >> the prosecution insists mary

was distracted but the defense maintains michael jackson was an addict who overdosed on propofol. after a long and dramatic court battle, friends and family are celebrating the homecoming of amanda knox. the college students murder conviction was overturned two days ago but not before she spent four years in an italian prison. our reporter from our sister station and portland, oregon, has her story. >> a homecoming four years and the making. a tearful amanda knox was greeted with rousing applause from supporters as she returned home after four long years in an italian prison there and -- present. >> i am overwhelmed right now but i was looking down the airplane and it seemed like everything was not real. >> a day after an italian appeals court overturned her conviction, amanda knox thanks her supporters. >> thank you to everyone who believe in me, who defended me,

and who support my family. >> it is her first taste of freedom since the seattle exchange student and two others were charged in 2007 with the brutal murder of her british roommate. knox's parents have stood by her side since the case began. >> it has been a long four years but we could not have made it through without all you people -- support. and especially amanda. >> for years she maintained her innocence and fought for freedom. on tuesday, she finally won it based primarily on all the dna evidence that led it deals court to overturn her conviction. on monday, she broke down when she heard of the verdict. it now it is tears of joy as the 24-year-old begins her first day of freedom. in italy, the prosecution says she plans to appeal the ruling. in the kircher family says she is still no closer to the truth. one suspect is serving a 16-year

sentence on his conviction. >> avoiding the government shut down -- once again. the latest legislation to bear the president's signature of. you don't have to refinance to lower your mortgage payments. some tips that can save you a bundle of cash. but first, chris christie gives his final answer. willie want -- run for the 2012

>> washington has avoided a government shut down once again. president obama signed legislation tuesday that will keep the government up and running until november 18, giving lawmakers time to combine individual spending bills and agree to a single budget plan. in this afternoon's commitment 2012 report, one potential gop candidate says he won't commit. new jersey gov. chris christie will not run for the nomination and will not get the idea anymore consideration. tracy potts has the latest on the impact of that decision. >> on the day equity act poll shows -- showing chris christie

beating president obama by 3 points, the new jersey governor made it clear -- he is out. >> what i always felt was the right decision remains the right decision today. now is not my time. >> reaction from the campaign trail. >> competition is always a good thing. and he would have been a very fine contender. >> christie's final exit leaves mitt romney as the front runner again and rick perry reeling from a quick rise and fall. the mcchrystal ben looked at that and said, we will wait, and we will build the >> christie looked at that and said we will wait, we will build relationships. >> perry, now third behind herman cain, still has a fighting chance. >> if he were to have even one really good debate, everyone would set up and say this is a different rick perry. that is the advantage he has. people are still learning about him. >> for cain, the tea party is watching him. >> they want somebody who has

actually worked in the private sector in business, understands that you can't spend your way out of that or into prosperity. >> as for endorsement, the tea party is still watching and waiting. gov. christie is not endorsing anyone either, at least not yet, and not ruling out a run in 2016. in washington, and tracy popped. >> still to come -- a shocking case of child abuse. the cruel punishment suffered by a seven-year-old pennsylvania boy and where he is now. plus -- >> sometimes people are afraid to seek help because they feel they are going to be stigmatized or judged in some way. >> october 5 is national depression screening day. the warning signs and how to get a free screening. >> while the weather is improving in the east, the west is taking a turn for the worst. a look at the map across the nation coming up in your forecast. beautiful blue skies.

70 and bwi

>> covering the nation, two people lie dead and four injured after a disgruntled employee opened fire at a limestone quarry in california. police say the man walked into a safety meeting with a hand gun and rifle around 4:00 a.m. authorities are still searching for the suspect and his identity has not been released. we will bring in much more on this at 11 news at 5:00. a young boy placed in protective custody after enduring years of horrible of use. police say the seven year old was placed in a diaper and forced to sleep in a coffin as punishment. the house in this case is in such poor shape it is now condemned. >> we walked into the basement area -- electrical problems, heating problems, pretty much you name it -- plumbing issues. >> the boy told authorities the suspects told him ghosts lived

in the house and had previously kept take him to a chair. after days of searching the man and woman believed to be responsible for the abuse turned themselves in. cadaver dogs will now help and the continuing search for robin gardner, a maryland woman missing in aruba. they are focusing on the southeast section of island close to the spot she was last seen. heard traveling companion is still behind bars this new. he continues to deny any wrongdoing. in our consumer alert, according to freddie mac, the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage recently fell to 4.01%. refinancing is a popular option to lower your mortgage payments. but as linda m. carroll explains, there are some other options. >> every little bit counts when it comes to your mortgage. dale tells me she pays an extra $100 a month. >> i think it will cut off about seven years if i calculated

correctly. >> it is worth it to you? >> it is. >> i add a payment or two a year to bring the balance down quicker. >> a senior analyst says adding a few dollars every month = big savings. >> or just round up to an even dollar amounts or extra 50 or $100 and over the next decade it can save you months of payments. >> with a lower mortgage rates, nearly three-quarters of, loan applications are for refinancing. >> they might opt for a 15-year mortgage so their monthly payments may go up $100 a month but they will shave about nine years of payments off. >> another option to speed up payments and save on interest, a biweekly mortgage where you make a half payments every two weeks. >> over the course of the year, it equates to 26 half-payments or 13 fullr payments. >> according 13ate, only 24% of

american households have an adequate emerging -- emerges savings account. in that case paying off your mortgage not be a priority. >> if you have high-cost debt, like cret-card, that should be your first priority. >> finally we are getting a taste of beautiful fall weather. a we had a crystal morning and now it is a very comfortable afternoon. that is the current weather right now. not even a cloud in the sky. enjoying wall-to-wall blue skies. the sunshine is pretty bright as well. we do have a few clouds to the west in west virginia, but it looks like they should stay mostly to our west throughout the day. high-pressure is in control right now and it will give us quiet whether nec -- weather not only today but through the weekend. about high-pressure will hold off any storm system, including all of the active weather in the west. the weather has taken a turn for

the worst. cooler temperatures in california and they have seen heavy snow in the sierra mountains. even los angeles may see some rain what the storm. here in maryland, it is looking beautiful. not even a chance of rain. talking about image is getting into the 70's. 71 in baltimore -- in a harbor. we even have 70 in frederick right now. in the 50's in the western mountains but that is expected. we are still on the backside of a high-pressure system -- or, i should say on the front side. we have stronger winds out of the north and west. they are about 14 miles per hour in the inner harbor, 12 miles an hour in edgewood, may not sound like much but if you are in the open water it is a concern for small craft. winds this evening out of the northwest around 15 not, they cannot -- can gusts up to 20.

speaking of the water, we have the latest tropical system which is staying well offshore. tropical storms with winds of sustained at 55 miles an hour. the latest storm system that finally moves off the coast, that is what you see hanging around bermuda. all the banding of clouds. it is good news not only for the east coast but bermuda as well. we expect clear skies to continue tonight. another chilly one. dropping down to the low 50's downtown the 40's in the western suburbs. the seven-day forecast of my better than this. temperatures right around normal both tomorrow and into friday. this weekend warms up even more. drive through the weekend. maybe chance of storms away in the distance next week. >> thank you. a physics and astronomy professor at john thompson's walk up a happy man after winning the nobel prize in physics. adam reece was given the nobel

prize for his discovery that the expansion rate of the universe is accelerating. he is also a scientist at the space telescope science institute and the shares the prize with another astrophysicists from the university of california berkeley and says he could not be happier. >> this has just been an incredible day so far. it has been an incredible 15- year ride in this era of cosmology. >> a great honor. for his efforts he will receive the medal, a diploma, and a cash reward of nearly $1.5 million. experts say a cure for pink i could be on the way. swedish researchers developed experimental eyedrops that prevent the virus from attaching to the eye so that it can be washed up easily by tears. scientists have only tested the drops on animals but so far there are few side effects.

pinkeye is a highly contagious virus that causes millions to miss school and work every year. one in 10 people report symptoms of depression, but only 10% get help. october 6 is national depression screening day and that has officials pushing anyone who might feel the symptoms to seek treatment. >> obviously feelings of sadness, feelings of fatigue. not having as much energy as he once had. poor concentration. difficulty focusing at work. changes in your sleep -- either sleeping too much or too little. and also changing in your weight. >> mental health specialists across the country will be offering free anonymous depression screening this month. when it comes to outlook on life, middle age women are more optimistic about the present and future than middle-aged men. researchers say socializing it is the key. researchers looked at men and women between 45 an d 50 and

women were much more likely to have a strong social network of friends. the most optimistic women spend about six hours a day interacting with friends. women do like to do that. coming up next, your maryland lottery midday pick 3 and pick 4 numbers and another check of the forecast. but

>> time now for your maryland lottery numbers. >> what a wonderful wednesday? i am sarah from 98 rock. a pick 3 numbers.

9, followed by 6. the last number is 4. 964. we'll get to pick 4 in a moment but the double play -- it is back. through november 23 visit your favorite maryland lottery mid taylor and box your pick 3 or pick 4 numbers for a chance to double your winnings. ready to go with your pick 4 numbers. 8. 8. your next number is 6. a final number for your pick 4 game is nine, as printed on the ball. 8869. the maryland lottery, let yourself play. >> a quick check of the forecast. >> it is just nice out. 70's today and the rest of the

week and warming up this weekend and the next chance of rain holds off until next week. >> thank you so much. thanks for joining us. it be sure to watch tonight at 5:00. >> have a great day.

bge's instant discounts got our homeowner to switch to