nearly $1 billion. >> in maryland, millions of dollars will be used to wipe out housing eyesores and even homeowners struggling with foreclosures could see relief. let's go live to northwest baltimore for more. >> some of the cities will benefit and homeowners as well. baltimore city is one of the hardest-hit areas. so was prince george's county. both will receive money directly from the settlement. >> the sound of heavy machinery demolishing vacant and bounden homes will increase in baltimore. the attorney general says that as part of how the $60 million will be used. >> the agreement is that they will use $10 million for a neighborhood stabilization for demolition of abandoned roadhouses in baltimore. they will knock them down and put glass then, whatever they

deem necessary until the money is spent. >> official said the money will help remove between 708 hundred dilapidated homes. >> everyone acknowledges that we have thousands of houses vacant in this city that people will not move back into. it just does not make economic sense to put the amount of money into them in order to make them more livable. the best thing we can do is to take the house is down and make that area safe, removes the dangers of vacant houses create. >> $14 million will be spent on a statewide neighborhood stabilization. prince george's county will get $10 million. >> have you heard about the foreclosure mediation program? >> the settlement funds will help to add more staff and the use for fraud prevention, legal assistance, and non-profit

housing counselors. >> to act as the foreclosure mitigation eliminators -- people that neighbors throughout our state can go to who do not have a profit motive in the outcome and say this is how we can help you save your home. >> baltimore city and prince george's county should be getting their funds within weeks. the governor says it's part of a successful effort to combat the impact of the foreclosure crisis in this state. >> the state attorney general says the state of maryland is sending a clear message about shady political conduct by ordering julius henson to pay $1 million fine for his election day roh calls. >> everyone is up for a fight in politics, and that is fine. but you cannot cross the line into illegal conduct, and that

was the message sent by the judge in this case. >> he was ordered to pay a fine for what they called the telephone consumer protection act. missing from the message to voters was the authority which says a who authorized a call. the attorney general said that of violated the telephone consumer protection act. baltimore county officials plan to blunt the effect of the steel plant closing next month, announcing a new initiative creating jobs and the surrounding areas. 16 businesses and private sector leaders would form the partnership that will let the best ways to generate job growth in the peninsula. they will look at how to take advantage of the unused portion of the plant and major steelmaking remains part of the area. >> burglars had a string of businesses last night and early this morning. police think it was all the work

of the same crew. nearly a dozen places were hit around east columbia. we spoke with business owners who are picking up the pieces. >> it certainly a disappointing morning for a number of small business owners in east columbia as they arrived to find their businesses fell victim to overnight burglaries'. police say more than 11 different businesses and restaurants were broken into, which they say is almost unheard of. >> they broke in and took our money and everything and tore the place upside down. >> it was a downright shocked. the same thing a few doors down. >> of our side window was arrested. some people came in through the bottom of the window and broke again to the register. >> police say their businesses

and nine others in four different shopping centers were broken into either late tuesday night or early wednesday morning. in most cases, cash was taken and entry was made to the front of the businesses. police believe they are all related. >> they are in close proximity to each other. in each case involved smashed glass in the front of the business. >> of the several business owners we spoke with, two of them said week -- they saw surveillance video turned over to police. they saw several suspects wearing surgical gloves. in every case, they were able to get past alarm systems by crawling on the ground. >> the alarm did not trigger often they were able to get in and out quietly carried >> police say the only silver lining is there were so many burglaries that will help solve the cases faster. it is still a tough pill to swallow. >> it is upsetting people would

do that for something so little. >> the police ask anyone with information to call their tip line. in colombia. >> a teenager faces nearly two dozen charges following a bomb threat last month that shut down can the county schools on april 3 when a threat was found at a county middle school forcing officials to evacuate all the schools in the district. the note said a bomb was inside that school and six others and they would detonate that day. since then, police have been actively investigating the case, using handwriting samples. he was arrested this morning. police and identifying a suspect because he's a juvenile and a motive has not been confirmed. >> more teachers are headed to the classroom this fall, but they should not be expecting a pay raise even though the district is getting an extra chunk of change.

the newsroom to for that story. >> $12 million is how much the school systems as they were shortchanged by the county council. while a good bit of the money will be used to hire teachers, there is concern over supplies of it is not going into their paychecks. >> teachers have been waiting for relief in the classroom where they have been forced to do more with less. that's about to change things to millions of dollars going back into the budget. >> there's no question there's a benefit to having more teachers in the classroom. >> but the school system has stopped short of keeping its promise. >> some teachers will see a decrease in workload and some may see a smaller decrees or none at all depending on where they go. that was not our greatest need. >> officials say the money came with strings attached that didn't connect to salary. >> the superintendent was very

clear that school system in place absolutely deserve raises just like police, firefighters and library personnel. >> here is where the money is going -- to pay for 120 positions, including teachers, a teacher assistants, and counselors. >> millions more to expand the charter school program. the rest goes to textbooks, materials, and transportation, and line with the deal struck with the county council. >> there are 13 different pots and within those pots, they have to live within the amount of money we give them. >> but it's doubtful that will stop the teachers' union from trying to make its case. >> as early as next week, both sides are set to head back to the bargaining table. >> fresh off preakness, another baltimore cultural statement has hooked up a few musical

acts. >> now that he has clinched the republican nomination, what is next for mitt romney? we'll take a closer look in our commitment 2012 update. >> why john hardball considers his speed week at raven's can't. >> their remnants of beryl moving off the mid-atlantic coast. 82 degrees at the airport.

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>> one of the biggest party of the summer a solid ally, but we're getting word of the entertainment. brian mcknight, a 16-time grammy nominee will be the headliner. organizers will section off a quarter mile section of charles street. there will be a 16 foot human face people can manipulate and change expressions. that event starts on friday, july 20 and ends on sunday, july 22. the mayor says more than 300,000 people will attend this year. it is the largest free arts festival in that nation with acts spread across four stages. it's expected to have a $25 million economic impact. >> net romney's primary win in

texas clinched the republican nomination for texas. now his campaign can turn all of their attention to president obama just as the president's campaign has turned their attention to mitt romney. >> mitt romney got a congratulatory call today from the man he will face this fall, the president. >> after clinching the nomination, mitt romney went one-on-one with president obama in a different way, receiving congratulations in a call the white house described as a short but family. >> the president mentioned how he looks for to what he believes is a very important debate that will be engaged during the campaign. >> he was 47 of 50 in the state of massachusetts. >> team obama plans to launch a new line of attack against the massachusetts governor. >> we expect to see them have it to mitt romney's record and his

rhetoric and gubernatorial campaign. that means this election will continue to be focused on jobs and the economy. >> the romney campaign called a desperate and defended their record, putting out a new ad hailing a nomination milestone. a poll shows romney gaining in popularity with 41% of voters holding a positive view. still less than the president and other polls show a tight race. >> when you have an incumbent president and it's that close, voters are trying to determine if it want to -- >> the latest polls show the two are in a tie, showing it could be a tough fight until the general election. >> romney is focusing on fund- raising. he had to schedule events today and several more later this week. speculation is building on who

will be his for vice president. >> we have been able to enjoy lake day's sunshine filter to the cloud cover. not so on the lower eastern shore. steady rain for most of the day, but about to wind down in ocean city. the rain gets heavy on the eastern shore and toward virginia beach. that is where the remnants of b eryl are moving through. we will keep an eye on some of the sprinkles that have popped up. a reenforcing shot of cool air coming our way and it still trying to kick up a sprinkle in some areas. i enlarge, the moisture is tied up with the tropical system moving off the coast and not much in the way of rain expected here.

it is now technically a post tropical cyclone. it still was the circulation and rain but the path takes it right out to sea and away from the mid-atlantic coast. behind that comes a nice air mass with a slightly cooler conditions for tomorrow. 82 at the airport. 98 is a record high set just last year. 38 the record low going back to 1996. there goes the tropical system. a dot of clouds with a new front coming in. behind that, it is cool with temperatures in the '40's and '50's. frost and freeze warnings in effect for michigan. a taste of that filtering in tonight and tomorrow. here comes the secondary front

sliding through tonight. it won't last for long with a new storm forming on the western end of the front separating the cool air from the heat to the south and west. this area of low pressure will reach as late in the day friday. lots of sun tomorrow, a little on a breezy side. the next system rapidly approaching and a chance for showers or a thunderstorm. this system moves through quickly on friday, so the showers should and around sunrise. a nice day on saturday after the morning rain moves out. a few scattered showers but it looks like most of the weekend will be nice. sunny skies and less breezy. when dawn monday gusting to 15 knots and waves around 1 foot. western maryland, 65 tomorrow. 65 with rain and dry weather for

the weekend. it the comfortable air mass moves across the bay and sunny and 83. thunderstorms reach ocean city on friday. looks like a nice day after today's wet weather. the seven-day forecast around baltimore, temperatures trending downward with the showers and storms and the rest of the weekend featuring a 20% chance of scattered afternoon sprinkles. looks like some unsettled weather on monday, tuesday, and wednesday with the late temperature in the high 70's. >> nobody enjoys watching it, but players like making the team. the kroll bowl, was on for another season. the nfl announced they will play the pro bowl in hawaii. they said they will work to make the game more competitive. no short of competition at the

ravens camp. everyone seems to want to make a big deal out of the veterans had to and don't take place. having a limited number of that actually helps the under players this time of year since the younger players get more snaps and get a chance to get up to speed the ravens like to work at. >> one of our philosophies is we want to chase perfection and do it as fast as we can. the game this fast. we have to perform under pressure, we try to create a game speed, and you can't simulate that in this situation but we want guys to be perfect and do it as fast as they can. >> the orioles have lost four in a row. the orioles still hold a share of the american league east, but if they don't eat up in every, the rest of this road trip could

have a doomsday feel. matt weaner ejected last night for letting the umpire know what he thought of his strike zone. not too much. that hurt. the orioles could have used a couple of those runs that they did not get. adam dow jones remains the constant. still not enough grid down 13 and two. the orioles will turn to jason hamel to get them out of their slide. brandon gets the start for the blue jays and the those looking to avoid a series sweep for the first time since the second series of the season. not that long ago, the s answering that williams would have made a name for finishing in the grand slam, this time

they exit 1 and 2 after serene a loss in the opening round. taking the first set 6-2. on to match point. venus in the fall are court. long and that will do it. straight sets as she advances. gone in france. don't go away. ♪

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>> some local residents are fired up about what's going on in vacant homes around their neighborhoods. one of the most popular series of books in the country is not available at one local library. y. "50 shades of gray" will be found on his bookshelf. the

>> what a wonderful change from yesterday to today. >> agrees and sunshine, 82 degrees. on friday, not a bad day until the afternoon when the wet weather returns. looks like it's moving along quick enough so that it will clear up on saturday. a 20% chance of a shower and isolated activity in that afternoon. the weekend looks decent and comfortable highs right where they are supposed to be. >> i like that long line of '70s sitting there. >> thank you for joining us. >> nbc nightly news with brian williams is next.

and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios tv, internet and phone for just $89.99 a month guaranteed for two years with a two-year agreement. act now and we'll add a special bonus: $250 back. but hurry, this offer ends june 2nd. unlike cable, fios is a 100% fiber-optic network that delivers america's fastest, most consistent, most reliable internet plus the best tv picture quality. why keep paying so much for cable? switch to fios for just $89.99 a month guaranteed for two years with a two-year agreement -- plus your special bonus: $250 back. save $600 in your first two years. but hurry. this incredible offer ends june 2nd. call 1.877.707.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.877.707.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. or visit us online to save even more.