paid, you will deposit $307 million if you are the winner. lots of folks are unlined hoping they are the winner. -- lots of folks are in line hoping they are the winner. folks are dreaming about being very wealthy. >> i am going to win. we're going to win. >> i will retire early. >> i will take a family of a big vacation. >> take care of my kids, buy them a house down the street. >> the mega millions jackpot is at $640 million. tickets are selling at a record pace. >> as of noon, we were selling $19,380 per minute. that comes out to $323 every second. people are reacting strongly to the jackpot. it has been increased to $640 million for tonight. >> in east baltimore, ticket

sales were booming. but there is a line at 7:00 in the morning. it has been like that all day. >> today should be a record day for a single day. today is extra special. we expect to maintain that up until the drying time tonight. -- drawing time tonight. >> we are here to live at the soda pop shop. this is the owner. we're talking about tickets being sold. how many have you sold today? >> $9,000. that is about 4000 tickets. >> how much above normal is that? >> it is about four times above. >> this is good for business. thank you very much. they are buying the tickets. rob roblin for wbal-tv 11 news.

>> ticket sales stop it 10:45 tonight. you can watch the drawing tonight. we are airing it live at the top of the 11:00 news. how soon will we know if there is a winner? carol from the lottery will be answering questions at 10:00. submit your questions on facebook. watch for the answers. >> we have a developing story of baltimore city. 11 news has learned four elementary school students were taken out of class in handcuffs. police said there charged with assault in connection with a brawl it took place 10 days ago. sheldon dutes joins us live from north of war with what the aclu is saying about the situation.

>> -- from north baltimore with what the aclu is saying about a situation. >> the aclu is saying the arrest of minors should be handled differently than adults. they say the department violated state regulations when it comes to school of arrests. three girls and one boy were arrested yesterday for an alleged assault that happened last week. the alleged assault happened in southwest baltimore. police say the kids have been charged with aggravated assault after they were accused of threatening to put one victim's head under water at a lake. another victim claims he was assaulted at a nearby railroad track. it is not clear what happened. a relative of a victim was very upset by the arrest. he claims parents were not notified for several hours after the arrests. the aclu is not directly involved with the case. they say they are appalled by the actions of the police department.

>> the department appears to be in violation of state regulations regarding school arrests. they're not to arrest children at school when it is just as feasible to have arrested them at home. the parents would have been immediately notified. >> the department says the suspects were treated as felonies suspects, all other adults, but have not commented further. sheldon dutes for wbal-tv 11 news. >> another investigation is focused on sexual assault that allegedly happened inside north baltimore home last night. barry sims is live at police headquarters downtown with the latest. >> the victim says the suspect wore a mask and has on gloves. baltimore city police are looking for a man who concealed

his identity, with into a home on frisbee street, and sexually assaulted and 18-year-old female in a bedroom. >> the suspect had a mask. we do not have a great description. we are asking anyone in the neighborhood who may have been out last night around 11:30, if you saw an individual acting suspicious or running from the area, please contact detectives. >> she and others tell you the news their word. >> it is not good at all. i am afraid. i have young kids. i do not want anybody to come in on me and my children. >> police are not sure how the suspect that in the house. the victim was able to tell detective some information. >> the only description we have his e-mail approximately 6 feet tall with an average bill. he was wearing dark clothing with golf gloves and had a homemade mask. >> the mask was made out of a

black hat with holes for eyes. police are asking for help to find the suspect. she says she will double check her surroundings to protect yourself. >> i will keep my lights on in the front and back. i will go to the windows, make sure all the doors are locked. >> police are asking anyone with information to call the special investigations unit. 410-396-2076. barry sims for wbal-tv 11 news. >> a flap has erupted in annapolis. at issue is a bill requires seven of 11 school board members to be elected. they are all currently political appointees. david collins is following developments joins us with the latest. >> the status quo escher's

racial diversity. a powerful chair committee person wants to keep it that way. the baltimore city school board is made up of political appointees. handpicking appointees make sure african-americans are on the committee. the chair does not see any reason to change it. a bill requiring seven of the 11 members to be elected has languished in her committee since february. >> i do not like the bill. there is no diversity. >> the measure has the backing of the baltimore county delegation. a house bill calling for all members to be elected was passed in the house. the senate version allows voters in new districts to elect seven members to a four-year term. if no one runs or is qualified, the county executive would fill the vacancy with the advice and consent of county council. 20 local school boards in the state are elected or have the

combination of elections and appointments. >> i believe it is the best model. you get the democratic process. yeah people accountable to voters. depending on what you get from the electorate, you have the ability to round off experience or diversity. >> the cosponsor says parents like the measure. >> the board had issues with many of the parents having concerns. they have a hard time trying to talk to the board members. they believe they're not beholden to anybody other than the governor or whoever appoints them. >> the center believes his getting a bum rap for holding it up. >> everyone is opposing the bill. the jewish council opposes it. the naacp opposes it. >> the naacp did of respond to our inquiries. the organization cites no

assurances of racial diversity in the bill and expresses doubt the newly drawn districts would enhance opportunities for minority representation. >> i personally have concerns about diversity. >> within the hour, we have heard some things change. the committee passed the bill 7- 3 to send it to the senator for. senator conway abstained. the measure now calls for six elected positions, five appointed. the county council with the school board will draw the districts where voters will decide who gets on the board. david collins for wbal-tv 11 news. >> we are less than two month away from preakness 2012. >> the doors officially opened today. we will have a live report. >> the summer olympics will get here sooner than you think. the value of winning stretches farther than you might believe.

>> we're keeping an eye on showers and thunderstorms to the west. we will see how that impacts the weekend with the forecast. weekend with the forecast.

>> pimlico open today. the preakness is only a month or so away. >> kate joins us with the latest. >> this is the day maryland a horse racing fans have been waiting for all winter long. it is opening day of the spring

meet. it also means is that the days until preakness. >> we love it down here. we love coming to the track. >> it is opening day. the start of the spring meet. >> this and preakness, one of the two best days of the year. >> a total purse of $3.45 million. >> free to get in. everything is free. drizzle does not keep anybody away. it is packed. >> for some, it was a day of nerves. >> our horse is running in the second race. >> for others, the start of live racing means a lot of work. >> my crew is excited to be here and ready to rock and roll. >> just 50 days until the big headliners, the 137th running of the preakness, and the return of

pegasus. >> i am pegasus, board and protector of the preakness infield. >> the demigod is part of the plan to appeal to a wide range of demographics in 2012. >> nationally and internationally, all eyes are on pimlico. something for everyone, they say. she started her season off with a win. >> i am so excited. >> speechless. >> officials are very proud of the turf course. they said the mild winter made it easy for crews to care for it. i am kate amara for wbal-tv 11 news. >> here is your forecast with chief meteorologist tom tasselmyer.

>> to the south and west, more activity. the clouds are beginning to thin out around the baltimore area. that will allow some lake the sunshine. the storms have been bigger and more significant to the west. they're moving into the west virginia panhandle. it is worth watching. it looks like as it encounters stable air, the storms will fall apart. there is a severe thunderstorm watch in ohio. they have had warmer air. the storms are severe that way and into parts of indiana. temperatures have been warmer on the other side of the mountains of 80 degrees in parts of the ohio valley. it is 78 in cincinnati. it is only 47 at bwi marshall. the warmer air is moving into the mountains and the ohio

valley. as the storms and counter the cooler air here, they will likely weaken. just a trace of rain at the airport. the highs today were below normal. that is rare this year. 59 is the normal high. we were pulled short of that. -- we were 12 short of that. it is warmer out west. some of the ohio valley warrant is pushing into western maryland. -- some of the ohio valley warmth is pushing into western maryland. cloudy skies most of the night with close -- lows around 40 or 45. this will bring us scattered showers tomorrow. the second system will drop south and east by sunday evening. there are shower chances in the weekend forecast. it will not be raining all the time.

the best chance of rain tomorrow is in the morning. a little sunshine midday on sunday. sunday evening, here comes the next system with more scattered showers. we will call it mostly cloudy on saturday. east wind it 5 to 15. temperatures will be cooler than normal for most areas. northeast wind on the bay gusting. in western maryland, we see the storm is approaching. a few more thunderstorms possible to mark. scattered rain showers on sunday. eastern shore locations have a chance of showers tomorrow. it will be in the evening on sunday. the chance of rain will arrive later in the weekend on sunday. the lower eastern shore will have showers likely tomorrow. it will be partly cloudy and sunday. 58 to finish march on saturday. we will welcome april on sunday with partly cloudy skies and an evening shower.

up to 66 on monday. 70 on tuesday. a few scattered storms are possible tuesday afternoon. >> from the susquehanna bay sports center, this is 11 sports. >> jim johnson did not do much today to help his hopes of winning the job. he gave up a triple in the night today with a loss to the tigers. he tried to catch the attention of buck showalter the last spot in the rotation. maddis had a relatively solid outing but not a spectacular gem he was looking for. johnson has had a spectacular spring. his fourth home run came in the second inning. not enough to make up for the collapse. tigers win. world-class soccer returns.

two teams from england will face of any friendly game on july 28. the arrival of the two teams should provide a clash in the definition of football. it will take place close to the start of ravens training camp. peyton does not expect the commissioner to reduce the suspension. he wants another meeting to find out what he can and cannot do in the year ahead. the coach is always looking to develop a strategy. it will play out like a civil war in the state of kentucky. louisville will face kentucky in the semifinals. the kentucky coach has never won a national championship. he got a philosophical today. >> i have been put in this position. we do not know why. i am at the university of kentucky. my grandparents came through

ellis island. my parents are high school education. my mother passed away last november. why am i coaching at kentucky? i have no idea. i should not be there. i am not from the state. i did not play for the great coaches. you were great coaches, but i am having this opportunity. at the end of the day, i wanted to be about the young people but i coach. >> at the end of the day, ky loses. all the fans will say, why is the coaching at kentucky? olympics began in 118 days. the only have to look to the boxer to see the influence of a gold medal. he won the gold medal in atlanta in 1996. he auctioned off his gold medal for his charitable foundation. he raised $1 million. he says the foundation makes the dreams of thousands of children in ukraine come true. his efforts had a dream in being

as well. the bidder returned the medal to him after the auction is a sign of respect. that is the olympic spirit. stick around for the forecast straight ahead. [captioning made possible by constellation energy group]

it's oysternomics 101. you start with a u.s. senator named ben.

by helping restore thousands of acres of oyster beds, he kept hundreds of oystermen on the job... which keeps wholesalers in business... and that means more delivery companies... making deliveries to more restaurants... which hire more workers. and that means more oystermen. it's like he's out here with us. he's my friend, ben. i hope he's your friend, too. i'm ben cardin, and i approved this message.

>> we will continue to look into the assault investigation that led officials to handcuff four elementary school students and escort them out of school. mega millions media continues. you can find out if you are the lucky winner tonight. we will be airing it live at

>> we also happen to have the

metta forecast for you. [laughter] >> 58 tomorrow with a chance of a shower. 64 on sunday. the shower changes will be -- chances will be in the evening. monday looks nice, partly cloudy at 66. 70 on tuesday. the storms arrive tuesday afternoon and evening. breezy conditions on wednesday and thursday. still little bit of rain. >> we will be airing the mega million numbers at the top of the newscast. >> nbc nightly news is next. >> follow breaking news and weather any time at wbaltv.com.

it's oysternomics 101. you start with a u.s. senator named ben. by helping restore thousands of acres of oyster beds, he kept hundreds of oystermen on the job... which keeps wholesalers in business... and that means more delivery companies... making deliveries to more restaurants... which hire more workers. and that means more oystermen. it's like he's out here with us. he's my friend, ben. i hope he's your friend, too. i'm ben cardin, and i approved this message.