>> we will not shut the government down. >> this bill is 2300 pages. >> the link the legislation -- the long legislation covers the war in afghanistan and even congress itself. >> it is a good bill. it is not perfect. >> with one drama down, there is another to go. they were negotiating an extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits for millions of americans. >> i think we will get to that place. >> the main sticking point is how to pay for it and for how long. >> rumors are floating around about a two-month extension. if the bill comes to us, we will make changes to it. i guarantee you that the keystone pipeline will be in there. >> the house speaker insisted the controversial pipeline be part of a final package. >> it is a hard argument to make that a pipeline has anything to

do with whether middle-class americans get a tax cut next year. >> the white house is opposed to this. when the deal is reached, the house says it will come back from the break to act on it as early as next week. >> the house heads home. what about the senate? >> they still have to work out the agreement of the payroll tax extension. it is not clear when that will happen. hopefully sooner rather than later. they have to do something before the end of the year. the white house warns most americans could see taxes go up in january by about $1,000. the tax is what is taken out of your check the goes to social security. >> it is a big issue. is there any sense of how long it might take to work it out? >> it is pretty hard to tell. lawmakers would like to get this wrapped up before the holidays.

>> downtown property owners are trying to stop the project and picked up a key victory in court today. the judge granted their request to dismiss a lawsuit filed against them by the state. the property owners sued first are doing the project was not fairly bid. the state fired back saying they were just trying to delay the project. the property owners' suit now moves forward. the project would replace the state office complex on preston street. we have learned the baltimore city fire department is facing a $3 million racial discrimination lawsuit. deputy fire chief lloyd carter filed a lawsuit in federal court. david is live with more on the street. >> the lawsuit alleges the city fire department engaged in "an evil purpose."

the action claims race discrimination and civil rights discrimination. he is a 28-year veteran of the department. he entered the fire service as a paramedic. in a $3 million lawsuit filed against the department, he details a career blocked by acts of racial discrimination. he alleges department retaliation and harassment for reviews and investigations without just cause. the lawsuit claims the department's conduct and actions were done with ill will and malice. he says the first act of discrimination came after the retirement of chief good one. the former mayor passed over carter choosing clack instead. he says he was assured he would be groomed for promotions. he says he was passed over for promotions in favor of white canvas. he said he twice had newly created positions with no

responsibilities. he made a lateral move to run the city fire academy. court papers say one of the firefighters' unions complained recruits were allowed to retake tests after they failed, a policy violation. paperwork showed clack give them another year to train to pass. another complaint resulted in a secret investigation into misuse of a city-owned computer, a conflict of interest regarding his outside teaching job in claims he misled payroll. court papers say he was not informed that the state but the academy on provisional status. he says he was misled by an instructor about cheating allegations. the civil actions as carter was removed from the academy without warning and used as a scapegoat when trading was terminated at the academy. it includes a paper trail of carter expressing concern to internal investigators. he writes that the level of

institutional racism within the fire department has reached an all-time high. the disparate treatment of women and minorities is on the rise. he announced the equal opportunities commission to investigate. they did not find statute violations. did say he had the right to sue. no court date has been set. city officials did not have a comment. >> in what seems to be the first case of its kind in baltimore city, a family is suing the school system and two elementary school principals for more than $1 million in damages saying they did nothing to protect two children from being bullied. lowell melser has more. >> it is not enough to deny that something happens and pretend that your kids were never hurt. it is unfortunate.

the city can do so much better. >> after a second day in court, edmund seldom talks about why he and his wife are suing -- edmund sullivan talks about why he and his wife are suing the school district. he says their two children were bullied attending two different schools. he says no one listened to the families repeated concerns. the only person to testify on friday was the child's grandmother, anne marie polleta. she testified she did not appreciate the way she was treated by principal sidney twiggs when she tried to bring forward the allegations of bullying. that adds fuel to the story that no one listened when they

brought the subject of. >> i felt myself a peer of his. why would he address me by a word?g -- slang nobody calls me grandma. i felt not respected. >> she testified she videotape how she was treated with the tape was not shown in court. the defense asked if she had ever videotape the children after they were supposedly beaten up to show their injuries. she said she never did. in opening statements, city attorneys questioned the credibility of the sullivan stories saying that accused school principals have more than enough experience to handle these situations. >> scathing key testimony today

in the sex scandal that has rocked penn state. the judge says two university officials can be tried on charges of lying to a grand jury. curley and schultz will face trial on perjury charges related to the sandusky scandal. the decision comes after graphic testimony from assistant coach mike mcqueary. he talked about how he saw sandusky molesting a young boy in 2002 and reported it to his superiors. prosecutors say curley and shall slide to the grand jury about what mcqueary told them. the defense argues there were not informed of the seriousness of the matter. you will see a recap of the testimony and evidence following tonight's news. ♪

>> $50 million is how much money maryland is getting to improved early learning programs. nobody knows how and where the money will be spent. tim tooten joins us with more on the story. that is good news. >> they made the pitch for the money in october along with 35 other states. it is one of nine that made the cut. the check is in the mail. the state must are spending the money by the first of the year. -- the state must start spending the money by the first of the year. >> pre-k programs like this will benefit from the early learning grant. a good deal of the money is geared towards parents and how they can prepare their children from birth to age five for the first day of school. >> the parents see that they have motivations. i have three or four parents who stay regularly because they

enjoyed seeing what their children are learning. >> the states agreed to use the money to develop new ways of raising the bar at early learning centers. that will help to close the school readiness gap. >> it is a joint effort between the programs and families. the family is a part of this. the programs are there to support them. >> the support begins at home where parents can model good learning habits. >> using the language helps students come to school. they already know some of the language. they can make the connections. >> baltimore is one of a number of maryland school district's making plans for the money. >> it is rounds out the city's schools initiative. it gives us the opportunity and outreach to partner with day care centers, nursing schools --

nursery schools, to ensure that all the babies in baltimore city are successful. >> educators say success starts in the early years of learning. >> you can see it maryland's winning grant application at wbaltv.com. >> 100,000 cars travel on the jfx every day. today it is 50 years old. >> the ravens details are coming up in sports. >> we are seeing some rain and snow in the area. the forecast is coming up.

>> the jfx has been a connecting vessels for 50 years. today is the 50th anniversary since the northern artery open to commuters. it took five years to complete. about 100,000 cars use it every day. you can see some of the most memorable stories involving the jfx and more pictures on wbaltv.com. >> today the maryland press club presented ron smith with a lifetime achievement award. he retired from his on their duties last month when he announced he was beginning home hospice care for pancreatic

cancer. congratulations. it is well-deserved. >> here is your insta-weather plus forecast with tom tasselmyer. >> a high temperatures were around 60. that was around midnight. a cold front then moved through early morning. temperatures settled back into the 40's. that is where we have been for most of the day. 63 was the official high of the inner harbor. normal is only 45. look at the record for snow. that was back in 1973. the record high was two years earlier in 1971. we are seeing this weather system passed to the south. there is rain in virginia and the carolinas.

there have been reports of sleet. some snow is showing up in the mountains to the west. temperatures have been steadily climbing again as the front made its way down to the south. it is 28 in oakland right now. the rain is keeping temperatures in the 40's in southern maryland. the system to the south will probably be gone by midnight. the skies will clear as we head into the morning. we will see 30's for the lows and northwest wind at 5 to 10 miles an hour. the main threat for sprinkles and flurries will be south of the bay bridge. this area of low pressure is rapidly moving along the front. it will be gone overnight. another shot of cold air comes in and out of western canada. that will bring gusty wind, cold temperatures, and maybe a snow showers early sunday morning. it will feel more like december

over the upcoming weekend. it will be 41 to 46 degrees tomorrow just below normal. there will be small craft advisory on the bay. snow showers are coming to the mountain areas. temperatures will only be in the 20's on saturday and sunday. the eastern shore will not be as cold but it will be on the chilly side. the upper eastern shore as a chance of flurries. the ravens will be in southern california. there is a storm sitting off that coast. they have snow advisory is in the mountains east of san diego tonight. it will be on the chilly side for kickoff in the 50's. the 7-day forecast for our area will be chilly but it will warm backed up on monday.

there could be some rain on wednesday. >> from the susquehanna bay sports center, this is 11 sports. oping toavens are hpoin head west today. they had some difficulties at the airport. hopefully the game will go more smoothly than the trip to san diego. the third year corner has not practiced all week. it is nice to have a first-round pick like smith. ray lewis has practiced this week as if he will play on sunday night. they've learned they can win games regardless.

>> my brothers, we are all family. the one thing you do not want to do is disappoint your brother. you do not want to leave your brother hanging when he leaves you the most. that is the feeling we all have. >> you want to look forward to what is coming. everybody realizes if you are not committed to the one game as much as you have been in the past, you might not have the outcome that you want. >> here is the ravens text question for tonight. 885095. standard rates apply. we have already registered 200 votes. the steelers are traveling west. they will be in san francisco on monday night. they will not have james

harrison. the suspension was upheld. he must sit for this hit last week. the other player is still dealing with the impact of the hit. harrison lost the appeal today. along with the suspension, he loses a check worth $73,000. atlanta was rolling from the word go. 7-0 lead for the falcons. the running game was impressive. he takes the flying wedge on the play. he made it 16 yards. the jags are not impressing their new owner. atlanta is in prime position for a wild card in the playoffs. when something has not worked

and clearly that applies in spades to the orioles, change arrives. the new vp of operations change the structure for the scouting system. he wants to rely more heavily on stats and video for studying opponents. barry bonds largest rate today. he has taken years probation and community service. his major league baseball's most polarizing figure arguably. we will check on the forecast after this.

>> here is a look at what we're looking on for tonight. another school system says it has fallen prey to the man promising ravens appearances for money. we can see the new legislative map of maryland as early as tonight. it could impact the environment of the state. those stories

>> cold temperatures on saturday and sunday. snow showers on sunday morning. we will warm up again with possible rain tuesday and wednesday of next week. >> the pilot says they think they've found the problem. the ravens are trying to get out to san diego. [captioning made possible by constellation energy group] >> nbc nightly news is next. >> have a good night.