>> a historic vote in maryland as the same-sex marriage bill is passed in the house bringing the measure once the close to becoming law. after weeks of compromise and high hopes on both sides of the issue, the house passed the bill by a vote of 72-67. 70 democrats and republicans voted yes, 26 democrats and 41 republicans voted no. we have a front-row seat report. [applause] [inaudible] >> it was like new year's. reporters left from the seats, embracing the house vote to legalize gay marriage. celebrations rock to the state house hallways. the public began lining up just

for a seat inside the chamber. gov. o'malley ran down the steps to embrace a teary eyed speaker. >> of the dignity of every individual, these guys did this. >> how the house spent two days debating and amending the legislation. >> we should extend, to families, same-sex love uncouples, the right to marry in a civil ceremony. >> got himself to find a marriage as the union of one man and one woman. >> i believe that this is a civil rights issue of our generation. gosh i wonder, are our churches fully protected? >> i am confident that this legislation has some of the

strong distillations -- strongest language in the country to protect religious institutions. >> my constituents did not send me here could judge people. >> it is time for us to move beyond this issue. >> of the catholic conference crediting passage to extraordinary political pressures have a legislative maneuvers. passage puts maryland closer to be the eighth state to legalize same-sex marriage. they passed a similar measure last year. in annapolis, wbal tv 11 news. >> there were many comments on our facebook ways. we have evolved from the stone age. how far away from god is this

country going to get? we invite you to add your comments and votes. the new jersey governor has fallen through on his promise to -- and followed through with his promise to reject a bill to veto same-sex marriage. the state senate passed it on monday and lawmakers have until the end of the legislative session to override the veto. the state senator faces a diminished role at the state house. the state senate unanimously voted to center the democrat after an ethics panel determined he used his position for personal gain. he was immediately removed as the chairman of the budget and tax committee. he also publicly apologized. >> i will not stand here and make excuses. i have flaws and weaknesses.

i never intended to do anything that would bring harm or dishonor view, my wife, or me. >> this is the first time in 14 years the said it issued sanctions to one of their own. the congress approved a bill extending payroll tax cuts. the bipartisan plan means more money in the pockets of most americans. with live in the studio details. >> federal workers make up 10% of the work force. new federal workers will be forced to make significant concessions. >> republicans and democrats on capitol hill approved a $144 billion package that will extend the tax cut through the end of the year and ensure that unemployment benefits continue for 63 weeks and protect doctors from reimbursement cuts. >> which is growing about 2%,

this extra income have been getting as a result of the payroll tax deduction is extra money in your pocket. >> it will keep the tax rate at 4.2%, about $20 a week to most workers. they called it a positive deal for the state in the country, but a majority did not vote for it because it means major concessions will have to contribute more money to their pensions. >> not a billionaire, not a billionaire, not an oil company, nobody in this bill other than federal employees is asked to pay. >> he was the only maryland democrat to support the bill citing economic growth and jobs. >> it will help people throughout the united states. this gives people extra money to get out of the recession.

the from 1.8 million employees are getting a benefit from this. we can't look at this through a microscope of just the federal employees. as important as they are, as important as the federal government is to this state, we have to look at as a state as a whole. >> they will pay more than triple what workers paid out. president obama is expected to sign the bill into law over the weekend. >> tonight, federal officials say they have foiled a terror plot targeting the u.s. capitol. authorities have arrested the 29-year-old after he struck on a suicide bomb vests. he thought he was working with al qaeda, but he was working with undercover fbi agents.

>> you would of had a lot of people around, so this would have been a very deadly type of attack. >> lawmakers and the public were never in any danger, and he is charged with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against federal property. he could face life in prison. police are investigating a double shooting in east baltimore. there is no word on their condition or any suspects. the murder trial of the lacrosse players called again today as one of his defense attorneys called in sick. he is accused of killing yeardley love. hughley and love held hands and seemed happy the week that she was found that. there is a lot of ground to make

up including defense medical witnesses. you can find out the latest developments on wbaltv.com. we are now hours away from the elevation of the cardinal doesn't that as the excitement builds. and rod daniels spoke exclusively with the head of the baltimore archdiocese. >> congratulations, again. >> shortly after they emerged from prayer and conversation, o'brien granted an interview with us. >> we had a couple of hours with the holy father and heard a couple presentations. it was excellent about the new

faith in the catholic community, and will have a a year of evangelical. >> o'brien and the other cardinals went to meet and pray with the holy father for a second time. a short distance away, a special mass was being celebrated. >> as he places the beretta on the head of cardinal o'brien and the 21 other cardinals, there is a reminder to each one, the the color that they wear, the red, it is symbolic of the blood that they are called to shed the, if necessary, for the unity of the growth of the church. >> the baltimore faithful express their feelings in support of the soon to be cardinal edwin o'brien.

>> we are pleased to help celebrate with cardinal o'brien and the rest of the folks here from baltimore. when the holy father calls out, what do you think you will be feeling? is are's, chills, it tremendous opportunity to be here with him. >> one of the most sacred ceremonies we can attend in the catholic church. >> they will drop the doesn't that and call him a cardinal. -- designate title and call him a cardinal. >> we will broadcast the entire ceremony tomorrow starting at 4:30. family and friends gathering in new jersey to say goodbye to whitney houston.

>> she was wonderful in it. >> the final preparations to memorialize the iconic pop star. >> a baltimore woman arrested in the 1950's for having a black man's trial. the couple gets a call from some local nuns, how they want to help, coming up. >> at 2 feet of snow blanketed the region, letting people trapped inside their homes for days. >> we are beginning to see the first signs of a developing storm. we will sort it all out coming up, 45 down town. up, 45 down town.

>> massive fireworks in libya today as they mark the anniversary of the revolt. it was one year ago that anti- government protests erupted. he answered by sending forces to squash the protesters, they resisted. the country has yet to stabilize, today was for celebration. friends and family are prepared to celebrate the life of whitney houston. loved ones gathered ahead of tomorrow's service. kevin costner is expected to speak at the service. the program will include performances by stevie wonder, dionne warwick, and aretha franklin. >> it is not going be easy, i will tell you that.

i am just going to try to do my best. >> of the family extended an invitation to bobby brown that paid a tribute to houston during a performance in maryland. a local order of nuns was touched by a story they saw here earlier this week about an interracial couple whose relationship endure great hardship, including their son being placed in an orphanage. the nuns felt compelled to call them. >> within minutes, the connection between these nuns and the baltimore family grew stronger. they were surprised to hear from the sisters of st. francis. >> they were very moved by it, they were crying. >> they were contacted shortly after the report of the law that impact of the couple.

>> how touched the sisters were, and how much we would love to help. anyone else in the family that like to come and join us for dinner one night. >> she was indicted and jailed for being a white woman impregnated by a black man. >> in some ways, it was overwhelming. i literally got choked up and i can't imagine they went through, knowing what she was going through. >> they had to visit johnny for nearly two years. >> it was her child, and i can't fathom what that was like for her. >> photos give a bit of the facility's history. it was constructed in 1917, the

funds the sister's bed for in boston, philadelphia, and baltimore. >> i had never seen an african- american child born and grew up in maine. she was still concerned about them after they left. >> of the child was able to go into either a foster home or adoption. >> they took us on a tour of the facility. caution this is the area that the babies and the toddlers were kept. >> of the orphanage closed in the 1960's, they're looking forward to getting together with them. they believe the family history is intertwined with their own. >> they always wanted to see their sons records from the time he was in the orphanage. >> well it was the biggest snow

storm on record in baltimore nine years ago. the blizzard of 2003 came across the presidents' day weekend, and it was a record setter for baltimore. these pictures might jog your memory. not a whole lot of that this year, but nine years ago, we were in the midst of the single biggest record snowfall. it is a record for the official measurement in baltimore. the wind and cold to go along with its hot, there you see if ranking no. 1 all the way back to 1891. in january of 1922, all kinds of havoc in dc. then in 2010 the couple years ago, the first one of the week with a 25-inch snowfall.

warm temperatures in the continuation of the unusually warm winter. it would rank ninth of all time as one of the warmest on record. and we have half of a month ago with the official end, the ninth warmest on record in baltimore. 1976, three as the record low. came out in 1893. the skies cleared out nicely for now, we will start the weekend fairly quiet before the winter storm gets here on sunday. we will start to see temperatures dropped into the 30's now, freezing in cambridge and the soul's burry. the morning will be chilly, 24 in the suburbs, a light westerly breeze coming in at 5 miles an hour. a high-pressure drift on through. colder air, temperature down to eight.

the back of gold is going to come rushing south and east as the storm develops and drags all of this moisture to the north. mild temperatures here with what conditions and cold air coming from the north. that is where the winter weather will be. approaching st. louis, heavy showers approaching texas with a bigger thunderstorms there tomorrow. while it will be quiet and sunday to start the day, look at those scattered showers in new jersey. there is the cold front coming through tomorrow night that delivers the cold. right now, the timing looks more like a sunday afternoon. afternoon hours going into the evening, rain, sleet, and snow breaking out here. up to about a 11:00 midnight, instead of going up the coast in keeping it going, as you see,

the snow and is very rapidly. that snow is going to end just about as quickly as it started. a quick shot of winter weather and that the mid atlantic. you could talk of what there, maybe even 15 inches in some of the mountains. the blue shaded region, it seems like the most probable amount we will get. it is possible the storm will miss us to the south. how about a 60% chance we get anywhere from 1-3 inches. only a 10% chance right now that it would top 8 inches. the quiet before the storm, the seven-day shows the storm rolling in sunday afternoon and goes until about 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning. presidents they should feature

sunshine and 45 degrees. >> i have some great highlights coming up. the season opening game, i will show you the highlights. >> i will find it right now, i am all over it. >> across america with a jackpot, it is mega millions. >> friday, february 17, an estimated until it does a $61 million. at's see if we can make you millionaire tonight. he first number tonight is 16, followed by 25, 28, the next number is 32. the final is 40. tonight's number is 3. 16, 25, 38 with 3. 16, 25, 38 with 3.

share the love with a delicious chocolate heart donut from dunkin'. spread the donut joy today.

>> when you face the national

power, skull and early doesn't matter as much as scoring often. they learned that lesson tonight as the blue jays opened the lacrosse season with a strong wind. hawkins was up to the task at home, down 1-0. polymer for the blue jays, one of peace. a hat trick and three assists. two-one, surprisingly early going. for the tigers, they think maybe they will have an upset brewing, but 31 minutes without goal.l it was all blue jays second half. later in the third quarter, the second of the day, 7-2 blue jays at the point.

12-6 the final this evening. baseball will follow shortly. catchers and pitchers report to spring training tomorrow. after having the worst in baseball a year ago, when the of names and competing for the starting rotation. they will all get along luck, and by the end of spring training, some of those names might start to sound familiar. time wakefield announced his retirement today with an impressive 186 wins for the red sox. the second most behind only roger clemens. jeremy lin will continue to be big business and so will linsanity. he went to harvard, he's got

brains to go along with a celebrity. he has filed for trademark on linsanity. if he continues to play well and when, the word has major marketing potential and the dollars behind it. if he takes from the spotlight, the trademark won't much matter since nobody buys t-shirts from a has-been. [unintelligible] a showdown of the top two teams in the southeast division, spiraling on offense until third. they tied the game at one apiece. they did not dominate the sport until about seven minutes left. the rivals in for the winner. they beat florida tonight home in florida, 2-1 the final period if you call phil

nicholson a front-runner, he will thank you. the last time he led the tournament, he went on to win the tournament. they did not budge from the lead today. it was 16, a long putt for birdie and he nailed it. nichols and equally adept with the offense today, this was on an approach. when you can get the ball in to, the eagle has landed. the official terminology for the play, nicholson in first. you know your golf terminology. >> kerplunk is an official spores term.

>> the seven-day has a little bit of snow, it is a 60% chance in the afternoon. there is still a 40% chance that this store misses us. that is why you need to watch john tomorrow and saturday. sunshine and 51, if it gets here, sunday afternoon. it got to the tonight show is next. see you tomorrow everybody. see you tomorrow everybody.

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>> announcer: it's "the tonight featuring rickey minor