wasn't until the indictment of john leopold that they decided to hold the vote. he was appointed to half years ago. >> the indictment of john leopold on misconduct charges and misuse of his security detail -- the deadlock over filling a vacant district seat and our concerns about the police department and fire department. >> it has become completely dysfunctional. >> members of the professional fire fighters union are taking a no-confidence vote. their members are determining if they still have faith in the fire chief. >> it sends a clear message to the citizens and executive that we no longer have confidence and the chief possibility to lead the organization into the future. >> the union has voted that they have no confidence in the leader.

the firefighters' union says the chief neglected staffing issues. they are also not meeting national standards for staffing fire engine and ladder companies. >> he started a process of rounding out units, so there was a pecking order of what units would be closed. >> we are wired to step up to the plate and fill the gaps, but that runs out eventually. we expect the fire chief to support us and help with air safety needs. >> a former police officer and police chief says it no confidence vote to approve a lack of faith that those in leadership positions will do what is right. >> they do not have faced they will perform their duties based on doing what is right. they will do things according to

these indictments, based on other reasons, be it political, self-interest, whatever, but they will not do it based on their responsibilities >> a spokesperson for the fire chief says the department has not been made aware of the vote. union members are voting until 9:00 tonight. >> thank you. an investigation is ongoing as to what sparked a fire at a senior center in and around all county. we understand some of the firefighters were hurt on their way to the scene. >> when the fire truck was here, it got into a collision with a car right behind me. four firefighters and three people involved in the jackson

were sent to the hospital. luckily, there were no serious injuries. >> a frightening situation forbes members of an assisted living apartment complex after a top floor apartment catch this fire wednesday night just before 7:00. fire officials say a man in his 50s or 60s received second or third degree burns all over his body and was rushed to bayview medical center in life- threatening condition. >> he was pretty well done from the foot up to one side. he was pretty well burnt. he was a real nice guy. >> some tense moments for arriving firefighters after a second alarm was called and a truck collided with a car at the intersection of ritchie highway and route 648. all involved suffered minor injuries and firefighters say it not hinder their efforts.

>> of they were replaced with another unit and we dispatched additional units to handle the person out there. >> four units were damaged by fire, smoke or water. but there were no injuries, which is good news. the housing commission says they were pleased with the orderly effort put forth by staff to get the residents out safely. >> we started coordinating within minutes. the staff stayed all night and kept everybody comfortable. some wore special needs and we had to account for them and we're doing that again today. >> the victim's name has not been released and we understand he is in critical condition. as far as a cause, investigators say it is still under investigation. residents say it is possible the victim left something on the stove and fell asleep.

>> a relative of three people who died from an upper respiratory illness is still recovering at a hospital and is reportedly improving. the family's eldest start at the end of february 1 and 81-year- old woman became sick. a short time later, her son and two daughters became ill while caring for the mother. eventually, they died. it was reported the two of them have a strain of flu that was going around of a bacterial infection made it worse. >> a senate committee adopted several tax hikes. one of them increases your personal income tax and eight other pushes up the price of cigars. we've got the latest from annapolis. >> here is the deal. the senate committee adopted tax hikes and a seismic shift in responsibility to balance the budget. if the full senate fails to vote in favor of the package, it did

-- it triggers doomsday cuts. >> the maryland general assembly is looking at filling a billion dollars hole in the state budget. the proposal is being dissected by the senate. a difficult process by any measure. >> the committee is in the process of making a decision to send to the full chamber for consideration. the committee recommends the state split the combined cost of teacher pensions and social security with local jurisdictions. they adopted a plan to phase in the cost over four years. the committee adopted a recommendation to commit money dedicated to the trust fund. no, but the fun in excess of 2 minute $50,000 may be used for purposes other than transportation projects without being reviewed by the general assembly's budget committee. >> we are looking at for bills here that are all very much a

package at dependent on each other. i am particularly concerned with the revenue for the state. the bills are tied to deep budget cuts one of those mentioned adopts a four% increase across the personal income tax rate. the committee accepted a recommendation to extend the 6% sales tax to internet purchases and agreed to increase the tax on cigars and other tobacco pride ducks, putting them on the same level as the cigarette tax expected to generate $20 million for the state. >> the senate committee wants to send what they hammered out to the floor by monday night. once the full senate is finished, it goes to the house, which has a different idea on how to balance the budget. the deadline to pass the budget is just three weeks away.

>> a new poll shows 52% of maryland voters would support a civil marriage protection act if the election were held today. 44% would be against it. the survey was conducted by merrill lenders for a quality. officials are pushing to keep the gun permit law in place. a motion was filed today asking a judge to reverse a decision he made earlier this week rolling the current laws unconstitutional. it would require residents to show a good and substantial reason to carry a gun. the state wants the judge to make clear whether he plans to take a step forward and that denied state from bari permits based of the current requirement. >> rick santorum told people in alabama that he is the true social and economic conservative. he spoke at the u.s. space and rocket center and drew big applause.

the former senator called himself the true conservative and likened mitt romney for being too much like prident obama. >> what we have to say is really important. alabama, which is the heart of the south, the conservative, rest part of this country that understands what made this country great. it becomes a two-person race. the conservatives will win that nomination. >> it is reported if newt gingrich loses, he may drop out of the race. critics are calling mitt romney a weak front runner but he is earning enough delegates to keep his rivals from clinching the nomination. you can track the delegates throughout the convention on wbaltv.com. you may have heard the news, but a solar storm is shaking the

magnetic field. >> what scientists are saying about this rare event. >> over the next few days, you may see the effects of solar storms. that's not the only thing that will have you looking up in the coming weeks. >> the game could either and the terrapins season or rekindle hope. see if they can keep hope alive later in sports. >> bake temperature changes on the way. a cold front right on the doorstep.

>> according to scientists, the plant was unscathed when one of the strong s solar storms engulfed earth earlier today. that could change as it is shaking the planet magnetic field like a snow globe. the solar storm started with a massive solar flare on tuesday and is about 10 times stronger than usual. >> last solar than i usually do. >> you now have another chance to learn about it. >> basket to the maryland science center for an explanation. >> our telescope can be filtered said that when you look at the senate is completely safe. >> if you want a close-up view, had to the observatory.

you can look to the clark telescope and you can see the large sunspot that has a some objecting parts of the sun into space. >> dislike this son of blowing a bubble. this one is coming in our direction. the senior director says the effects of what is an electrical storm can be good and bad. our own meteorologist talked about on the morning show. >> that could be affecting your cell phones during the day and if it weren't for the fact it was cloudy, we could probably see the northern lights. >> the senate is expected to be active over the next year. we're talking a rockets in the night sky next week and two planets that you can see with the naked eye. nasa will try to release five

rockets in five minutes in virginia. can so scientists can _ -- use the jet stream. started on monday, look west at a sunset. jupiter and venus will be doing something interesting. >> they're so bright you can't miss them. venus is above the sun and jupiter is higher. every night they will be getting closer and closer. by early next week, they will be very close to each other. then the crescent moon will join them. beautiful trio in the sky. >> exciting times in the sky. >> what an amazing phenomenon. >> all of those features will be obscured by clouds tonight. >> beautiful pictures. >> it is gorgeous. just fantastically amazing. looks like we got through the solar flare ok. even if we could see the northern lights as far south,

it's not going to happen tonight. a band of clouds and showers coming in from the west. it is going to get a lot colder when the showers move through. this is the dividing line between unbelievably spring warmth and chilly weather on the other side of this band of showers. looks like the timing of this friend will limit any thunderstorm activities. the warmest day since we hit 74 in november. you have to go back to october 10 to find a day that was warmer than this. 74 today. 23 degrees above normal. still not a record. in 2000, we hit 83 degrees. we have been running war all winter long but not setting any records. temperatures are mild up and down the interstate 95 corridor. manchester at 64 degrees.

68 in georgetown and southern delaware, getting cooler out west with oakland dropping to 50. the showers and the clouds coming and that after 9:00 tonight, we could see light rain showers were sprinkles here. the bulk of the showers come in around it 5:00 in the morning. by 6:00, the rain has passed baltimore. then the skies should clear and those are snow showers friday morning. that's a good indication of how much colder it is going to get once the front goes by. winds shifting to the west and northwest. that's the air that is coming in. temperatures below freezing. 55 degrees in western maryland. bake temperature changes as soon as the front as by. the cold front passes through an

high pressure will build in for the next couple days. even though it will be cooler, we expect to see showers and a little on a breezy side and the pitiful conditions on saturday. tough to get the temperatures out of the 40's. maybe all it'll milder but not like today. 53 to 58 tomorrow as the winds kick in of the northwest. on the bay, a small craft advisory. still rather breezy tomorrow with to 2 3 foot waves. breezy in the mountains tamara a passing flurry in the morning. eastern shore locations, 70 today. 50s on friday and the rain is going to linger longer on the lower eastern shore before it clears out in the afternoon. that opens the door to a chilly start on the weekend. we'll see temperatures dropping

by about 20 degrees tomorrow. back in the 40's on saturday. the turnaround begins on saturday but that's when we spring forward and lose an hour's sleep. 2:00 becomes 3:00. temperatures should climb into the 60s for most of next week. >> it to get to the n.c.a.a., the terps will have to pull off something it did not do in the regular season. if they keep playing like it today, they might have a chance. the first half, his best run of the game. looks like they might take control. the terps dominant from there.

19 points. a long three from the wing as maryland starts to put this one away. he finds the alley and right there, the terps went with the most lopsided win and the season. it gets tough tomorrow as they take on north carolina. the blast get started on saturday night. monday night in rochester will determine the answer to the championship game. if they make it back to the finals, they will face misery or a rematch with milwaukee. the head coach will focus on defense and that makes the team more dangerous than last year. >> defensively, we are a lot

better. we spent the last couple of years -- the coaches preaching defense, defense, defense. we're probably the best defensive team in the league. >> based on the numbers, he does not have an easy fit on the roster. if he keeps driving in runs, the orioles may have to find him a spot. texas and the off season -- the sidewinder looking for a job out of the orioles' bullpen. he's had four rbis in his last seven at bat. tying the score one apiece. the orioles have a positive finished today. a sacrifice fly to right field and the orioles went for the

second day in a row. stick around. we have more on your seven-day forecast and solar flares

>> your seven-day forecast -- in the low to mid '70's. only 40 is on saturday time and temperatures back to the '60s for most of next week. these shots of cold air don't stick around. >> thank you for turning us. >> nbc news with brian williams is next.