he was charged with transmitting hiv back in february. police say he met the 13-year- old on a phone app called grindr. police are urging parents to know what their children are doing online at all times. >> we want parents to make sure they are checking these applications so they know what their children are downloading and to make sure they know who their children are communicating with. >> podles is out on bail awaiting trial. we are live at the county health department towson. sheldon dutes, wbal-tv 11 news. >> police in anne arundel county need your help tracking down several sex offenders. detectives say the five men on your screen are known to frequent glen burnie and other areas. have been spotted in baltimore

city. we are told these men have failed to register on a weekly basis. anyone with informational about them, call the police. >> new details tonight regarding the investigation into violet ripken's induction. the aberdeen police department has released a photograph of the suspect. david collins has the latest on the search for that man. >> this is a picture of the suspect. please ask, do you know this man? if so, give us a call. aberdeen police believe this is the man who abducted violet ripken at gunpoint outside her home on tuesday. all white male, 180 pounds with short brown hair and glasses. correct it enough that individual, we asked them to call. >> a team of agencies is working on the case. the ever been police department is in charge. authorities have not developed a

motive. police say her hands and feet were bound with duct tape and the suspect drove for a round in her car for some 24 hours and then abandoned her and the vehicle in her neighborhood. >> i saw a white sweater being weighed outside a car window. i asked the lady inside and she needed help. she informed me that she was left there and that her feet were bound and she was stuck in the car. >> an officer stationed in front of her home did not spot the return of the vehicle because it was left on the street beyond the house and out of sight. reached by phone, an fbi spokesman characterized the case is unusual and raised some of the same questions the public is asking. if he know her or not? what did he not call family members demanding money or have her do it? he said the investigation will boil down to good old-fashioned police work.

they declined to cite specifics. the fbi visited businesses along here asking for surveillance footage. this is the area where a citizen alerted baltimore county police after spotting mrs. ripken in the back seat of her car. >> had we not had that piece of information, we don't know how long it would have been. >> aberdeen police ask, if you recognize this person, to give them and not -- to give them a call. there is a $2,000 reward for information leading to conviction. david collins, wbal-tv 11 news. >> now to a warning from state officials. a code red alert is in effect for baltimore city as temperatures may be shooting past 100 degrees. tom tasselmyer is tracking olcott in the weather center.

-- is tracking it all. but the heated last week, the region goes until 8:00 tonight. downtown baltimore has topped 100 degrees. just a hot, humid weather we are dealing with is creating programs in the baltimore area. that may change later tonight as we get toward midnight. an area of heavy thunderstorm activity coming up out of pennsylvania. some tornado warnings have been issued in central pennsylvania. we could have some storms here later tonight. we will attract those and check the forecast and a few minutes. >> it was breaking news yesterday at 5:00. a massive sinkhole devouring a section of a street in east baltimore. skyteam 11 was over the scene as the news broke over east monument street. utility crews and police began racing to close the street to all traffic to try to get everything under control. this is what it looks like right

now. we are told it could take weeks before that stretch of monument street is back open again. captain roy taylor has an update on traffic. >> because mondawmin has four blocks shut down it is because monument has for blocks shutdown -- monument street has forelocks shut down. we do not know how long it will be shut down -- four blocks shut down. >> tonight police are investigating a homicide in west baltimore that have been on north smallwood street around 3:30 this morning. police say someone broke into a man's home and shot him several times. the victim was pronounced dead shock trauma. the identity of the victim has not been released and there is no word on a possible suspect. >> the call to action from a gun-control group ined bug

washington. the campaign says there should be concrete plans on gun- control. they say 48,000 more will die in the next president's term. >> we are long past the point of saying enough is enough. it has grown old. it is time to take action, to keep firearms from dangerous people. >> last year, gunfire was the leading cause of death for police officers killed in the line of duty, surpassing death by motor vehicle accidents for the first time in many years. 86% of americans, including gun owners, support background checks for all firearms.

obama is urging house republicans to pass the tax cut extension bill that cleared the senate late yesterday. challenger mitt romney's in england right now. jennifer johnson is on the campaign watch and we are hearing that romney is already ruffling a few feathers. >> another showdown on capitol hill and for president obama, while mitt romney causes a stir as he begins a three-nation overseas tour. taking his presidential campaign to the world stage, mitt romney met with england's prime minister david cameron's today. the trip got to a shaky start after romney told brian williams he found britain's olympic preparations disconcerting. >> stories about the private security firm not having enough people, the supposed strike of the immigration and customs officials. >> that did not sit well with the brits, ann romney did a

quick about-face. >> i expect the gains to be highly successful. >> across the pond, the waters are just as turbulent. president obama is pushing house republicans to pass the tax-cut bill, extending cuts to all but the wealthy. >> we need 218 votes in house of representatives to make sure that 98% of americans do not see their taxes go up next year. >> republicans told the president they will not raise anyone's taxes. >> the best thing you can do is drop your plan to increase their taxes on january 1. >> democrats accuse republicans of misleading taxpayers. >> they sold the country a fable that of a democrat tries to take away tax breaks for the wealthy , then middle class taxes would rise as well. that has always been a lie, and our vote on our bill yesterday exposed as a lie.

>> of another fight on the economic front in the presidential campaign. >> with the house and likely to pass the bill, americans will not know if they are getting a tax cut next -- tax break extension until after the election. >> that have the same dangerous effect as cocaine, amphetamines, and many other illegal stimulants. >> the problem is, many of them are legal. now there is a nation of -- national -- nationwide federal crackdown. >> one local hospital is trying to help detect a heart condition that affects people under 30. i am tim t#f#f#f#f#f#f#f#f#f#f#f

x. we are not sure if it is a conditioning test issue, but it is all systems go. ray lewis, does like the last 17 years we started with ray lewis. he said he wants to beat faster and that is the reason. smith would be faster without a groin injury he played through last season. had read and his customary cut off sweat -- back to ray lewis, his journey it was 17 years as a middle linebacker, you have to come up with the new name for experience because it doesn't seem to do it justice. the bar had been set high.

lewis enjoyed as a different view. >> coming into the minicamp with all the new additions, both of them have a different spirit over there which equals out the defense. i think it will be an exciting season. >> ray lewis, absolutely unbelievable in his 17th season. he was out here and long sleeves and full sweatpants. coming up at 6:00, gerry sandusky will be here. pete gilbert, wbal-tv 11 sports. >> an investigation is under way at a popular purchase store in montgomery county. " northbound and southbound lanes had to be closed at the

start of the evening commute. we are told 85 firefighters raced to the scene to try to save the first door as flames were shooting out from the second floor of the building. we are told two firefighters were in st. -- were injured, but injuries were not life- threatening. according to the county executive, john leopold, he has an intimate knowledge because he also served as county police chief until 1998. >> a nationwide crackdown is under way on the synthetic designer drug industry that makes those dangerous basalts. the drug enforcement -- nearly

100 cities and states were involved in that news -- in that crackdown. >> they received an outpouring of help from police across the country. drug enforcement agents raided warehouses and retail outlets in more than 100 cities seizing 5 million packets of designer synthetic drugs and $36 million in cash. >> we have taken decisive action at every level of this illegal industry. >> operation logjam targeted what police say is a rapidly emerging threat. designer drugs being deceptively marketed to teenagers with captivating names like bonilla sky. they are being packaged as

ordinary household items. >> they are incredibly dangerous. >> dea officials say they are seeing more large-scale manufacturing operations like the one discovered in west palm beach florida after an explosion set the place on fire in may. operation logjam resulted in more than 90 arrests and agents say the crackdown will continue. the message is this. >> if you are involved in the manufacture, distribution, or sale of these illicit chemicals, we will come after you. >> earlier this month, president obama signed into law a ban on the production and sale of 26 different kinds of synthetic drugs. the dea says additional legislation would help. sally kidd, wbal-tv 11 news. >> the dea also points out that synthetic drugs can cause

hallucinations, psychosis, violent behavior, and even resulting, or death. scientists at uc-berkeley have discovered a chemical that restores vision to blind mice. the effect of the chemical wears off after a while, which researchers say may be better than other experimental approaches to restoring site that permanently altered the retina. >> now, your insta-weather forecast with chief meteorologist tom tasselmyer. >> the heat advisory remains in effect through at o'clock this evening. -- threw 8:00 this evening. we have the warnings of around natural family, advisories' brown all of delaware. only western maryland is not included in the advisory at this hour. 100 degrees in about -- in downtown baltimore right now.

college park is nearly 100 degrees. the difference today, the dewpoint went from the 50's, which was comfortable yesterday, to the 70's today. what it feels like it is about 115th. it is sweltering lee hot outside and will stay warm for most of the night. while we are dealing with the heat here, to the north there are big thunderstorms, much of pennsylvania covered in mornings at this hour. there is a line of thunderstorms cutting across pennsylvania with isolated tornadoes. you can see the tornado watch in the yellow shaded area. the pink shaded thunderstorm watch area goes back through the ohio valley.

garrett county is not in the watch area but the line of thunderstorms is working its way south and east. some showers move through earlier this morning and heavier line of thunderstorms coming out of ohio and pennsylvania is making its way south and east. next two-three hours is when it will make its approach to baltimore. we will see if it will hold together or not. it will stay warm and muggy overnight. 82 for the low in downtown baltimore tonight. tomorrow, 93-98. thunderstorm chances will diminish to a 20% chance, but with that front slowly working its way through, did not expect immediate heat released tomorrow. waves about 1 foot and high tide at fort mchenry at 1:43 in the morning. the chance of a thunderstorm in the area tomorrow and on saturday. eastern shore locations, they like over 100 degrees and it

will still be warm tomorrow. it looks like the weekend will get off to a cloudy start with some scattered showers and storms in the area. marriott tomorrow, thunderstorms rolling through the region and a slight chance for a shower on saturday and sunday. it will start to cool off little at ocean city over the weekend. 96 tomorrow in baltimore, 20% chance of a storm. a nice finish to the weekend, partly cloudy and 88. monday, nice weather and then the storms will start to return for the middle of next week. >> the 2012 summer olympics are so close, we are almost breaking into a sweat in anticipation. >> some of the athletes are still training, getting ready in

>> we are less than one day away

from the opening ceremony for the london city -- london summer olympics. it is crunch time for the athletes. brian hickey finds out how they are gearing up for what could be the challenge -- the biggest challenge of their lives. >> final preparations are underway here in london as they get ready to welcome the world. some athletes are choosing to focus only on their training, while others all around town and relax. >> she has a lot to prepare for. >> we have been training, resting, eating. this is my get away right now from that atmosphere. >> between workouts, she takes a walk around some of london's iconic sites. >> i am seeing the payoff right now. >> or others on the same quest

for gold, there is no time for fun. >> usa volleyball medalist lindsey burg -- >> i don't think anybody has gone out and seeing the sights. >> i will not even see the opening ceremony, choosing instead to rest and focus. >> we are not going to the opening ceremonies because we compete the next day. i am disappointed, but i would rather have a medal round my neck going to the closing ceremonies. >> some athletes have complained they don't even get to see the opening ceremony while they stand around waiting to march in the parade of nations. >> we are your home for the summer olympic games. starting tomorrow you can join jerry sandusky and donna hamilton for the olympics own --

you can join gerry sandusky and donna hamilton. >> it has been nearly a week since 12 people in colorado lost their lives during the largest mass shooting in national history. >> new details are emerging that paint a dark picture of the man accused in the attack. >> this weekend, the junior olympics will have a weight lifter from baltimore county who is hoping to bring#f#f#f#f#f#f#f

>> live, local, late-breaking. you are watching wbal-tv 11 news at 5:00 with stan stovall and donna hamilton. wbal-tv 11 news at 5:00 p.m. continues now. >> a local hospital is teaming up with the junior national olympics to help save the lives of hundreds of teenage athletes who fall victim to a mysterious but preventable heart condition. it is called hcm, and primarily affects young people under the age of 30. >> johns hopkins university is prepared to screen student athletes who may unknowingly have that heart condition. tim tooten is sheriff that story. >> is a very serious condition -- tim tooten is here with that story.

>> this coming saturday at morgan state university, where thousands of teenagers are competing. they are competing for top prizes, athletes from all over the nation. this event caps off months of training and grueling competition. there is concern that some of these teenagers may have signed of hcm, which can lead to a heart attack. reggie is watching his son compete in the shot put. >> i am from the houston area and taxes. unfortunately, we have heard of athletes falling down and having cardiac arrest are up -- or some other type of heart condition. we understand it is a serious situation. >> dr. theodore abraham will lead a team at the track and

field championships to screen teenagers. she says for the most part is hereditary. >> they have no symptoms and they feel great. it is a problem that could manifest itself at any time without warning, which is the scary part of this whole equation. >> hard to believe that somebody can just drop dead. >> i think it is a good idea. it is important to know if it is an issue are not with the individual athletes. >> anything that is hereditary or congenital that he might not know about, to discover that early is a good thing. texted can be prevented and recognized with a very focused examination which is not in basis. >> johns hopkins has screened over a thousand jr. olympians in the past five years. >> the screenings are available all day saturday at morgan state. we have all the information on

our website. >> a baltimore teenager will represent the country at the junior national olympics this weekend in the weightlifting in bed. >> it is the story really promising career. -- in the weightlifting event. >> 13-year-old maizels is practicing for the biggest event of his life. >> i am very excited. i have a good chance of winning this time. i think i can do it. >> tyler came in second last year and is favored to win. he started weightlifting at the age of nine. his dad, patrick, was a professional weight lifter.

so is his stepmother and his little brother has also started. >> it is about 2.5 hours per session, four days a week. a lot of dedication and discipline. >> tyler has competed locally, regionally, and nationally and has taken home a host of titles and metals. >> i am just so proud. he is better than i ever was. he shows true grit and determination. that is something that has to be innate, and he has got it. >> tyler has learned those qualities carry over from the gym to school and other parts of light. >> you have to really try for it. it is a lot of discipline. >> his ultimate goal is to represent the united states in the olympic games in 2016 or 2020. the title at the junior olympics this weekend would certainly put him on his way.

>> he just might make it. here is a look at some of our other top stories at this hour. the aberdeen police department has released to back photos of the man they say is connected with the induction of violet ripken. he is described as a white man, weighing about 180 pounds, with short brown hair and glasses. the mother of cal ripken was kidnapped from her home on tuesday and found near her home the next day. baltimore county man is now charged with several counts of having sex with a minor. police say 36-year-old steven podles met the 13-year-old through an iphone application called grindr. we are told that he uses the profile named steve. anyone with information should call baltimore county police. a code red alert is in effect for residents of baltimore city and the region.

if you do not have to go outside, don't. >> one of the problems with the heat advisories' is that the night time does not cool off a lot. we are not expecting a dramatic cool down tonight even after sunset. it is just scorching hot. all around region, temperatures feeling very hot. it is hard to colophony he indexes that high. we are keeping an eye on thunderstorms. tornado warnings and parts of pennsylvania. that line of thunderstorms is dropping to the south and east. we may have to deal with the few strong thunderstorms in addition to the heat. more in the forecast coming up and just a few minutes. >> hazmat cruz and maryland state police say cleanup efforts will be extensive after this crash on i-270 this morning, all because of an overturned beer

truck. >> won a pennsylvania movie theater turns into a brawl. theater turns into a brawl.

>> a beer truck overturned in montgomery county in cause traffic delays northbound on i- 278. the truck slammed into a guardrail and hazmat team ended up being called out because of the fuel tank ruptured. the driver was taken to the hospital and is not believed to have been seriously injured. clean-up efforts are underway. >> video shot back in 2006 is giving us a glimpse of 24-year- old james holmes, the suspect in colorados movie theater mass shooting. >> coming into timbrel alignment with the effects. >> the video was shot in california, showing a then 18- year-old holmes giving a

presentation as an intern at a summer camp. he is accused of shooting and killing 12 people and injuring dozens of others at a midnight showing of the new batman movie last friday morning. security video has been released of two separate incidents that prompted moviegoers to run for safety. in one incident, a man shot another man to the ground and punched a woman in the face after she poured a drink over him. in another incident, police say to women are fighting at a screening of the movie when someone apparently yelled something that prompted everyone in the theater to panic and run. two people were hurt and police have charged one person with us all. >> the effects of the drought are not confined to the midwest. >> it will be hitting your grocery store.

>> i just think it is really scary. god forbid anything should happen to my daughter when she is in her stroller. cracks like thousands of strollers are being pulled from store shelves, and what you nd to do now. >> severe thunderstorms and parts of pennsylvania and amounts to our w [ male announcer ] now at your neighborhood subway: the new santa fe steak melts. get extra grande flavor with the santa fe steak & bacon melt or add egg for a santa fe steak, bacon & egg melt, perfect for breakfast or any time of day. subway. eat fresh.

x coming up at 6:00, a man is accused of having sex with a teenager after meeting him through a smart phone application, but the details get worse. police say this is the man who abducted the mother of cal

ripken jr.. but michael phelps had to say to the world, just two days before his first race. those

x the drought disaster of 2012 get worse by the day. federal forecasters and just last week, the trout became more intense and miserable for the people directly affected by -- the drought became more intense. >> in just the last week, an area larger than california and new york combined moved into a state of extreme or exceptional drought made worse by relentless heat. the weekly u.s. drought monitor

report calls it alarming how quickly the drought is intensifying. >> we wanted to go all the way to the lincoln memorial on bikes today, but it is just too hot. >> the few women -- remnants of monument city indiana. >> there is very little, as you can see. >> it is reemerging after the drought brought the water level 13 ft. very little is left of the arkansas river. >> the continuing drought has really taken its toll out here. >> it is not as bad as the drought of 1988, but some of the mississippi river bed is exposed for the first time since then. >> in memphis, the river is lower by 17 feet. in vicksburg, mississippi, 21 feet lower.

in illinois, some corn farmers have given up on this season's crops and are mowing down their fields. the number of roads and highways buckling under the heat and drought continues to mount, too. >> really an interesting sight to see a riverbed totally drive. -- totally dry. >> even here we are running well below normal transport -- precipitation for the year. thankfully are reservoirs are full so we don't have to worry about that. no rain down at bwi marshall today. for july, we have at 3 inches officially down at the airport. for the year, 16.39 inches is

the total precipitation, a solid 7.5 inches below normal. another hot day to day. clouds in the morning helped keep the temperatures down a couple of degrees, but we did hit 97. normal is 87. 101 in 1940, and that record will last for another year. you can see a couple of showers passing north of baltimore into southern pennsylvania. then the sun broke out and he did things up and has been a hot afternoon. a second line of storms stretches from parts of the catskills in new york through pennsylvania and back into the ohio valley. a lot of damaging winds and dangerous lightning associated with it. tornado warnings have been popping up in parts of northeastern pennsylvania along that line of storms that is approaching us.

the orange shaded areas are where severe thunderstorms are breaking out. the pink shaded areas are where the watch is in effect. here we are dealing with the heat. we will keep an eye on most forms as they approach later tonight, but for now the main concern is the high heat. lots of moisture in atmosphere, and it feels like over 100 and in many areas around baltimore. -- feel lika cold front is stiln northwestern ohio in southeast michigan. it will take awhile to approach. tomorrow is likely to be another hot, steamy day. tonight it will probably not get

below 82. partly cloudy skies, still humid and a chance of thunderstorms up in pennsylvania making their way down here in the next two-three hours. tomorrow, 93-98, partly cloudy and humid. waves about 1 foot on the bay. you will have pop-up thunderstorms, coach -- on the coast. a chance for showers saturday, a little more comfortable on sunday and monday. >> stocks are soaring after european financial officials promised to keep their economy intact. analysts say it is a signal the markets are waiting for.

companies like facebook are looking at a downgrade and a drop in share value. the number of foreclosures is up. foreclosure activity in the last six months of the year increased over the previous six months. banks are going through backlogs of mist mortgages. -- a settlement cleared the way for lenders to focus once again on new foreclosures. awarding tonight for parents of young children. if you are using certain types of strollers, you should stop. a six-month-old baby died. these are the products to look out for tonight. both are made between 2004 and

2007. an infant could slide through an opening, trapping their head and potentially strangling them. >> i will get my own stroller and say, could that happen with my own stroller? so many of them are built similarly. >> the front wheel and brake, putting a child at risk of falling. for more information on all the recalls, code to our website, wbaltv.com. do you ever wonder what happens when the company refuses to recall their product? one companies being sued by the u.s. government. the concern is, more than 60 children have swallow the magnets, and that generally require surgery and they may have to deal with torn

intestines. the company refused to pull the product from shelf, so now there is a lawsuit. >> a lawsuit against retail giant wal-mart. the complaints, the stores checkout lanes are not accessible for people in wheelchairs or scooters. the suit claims walmart has ignored customer complaints for seven years. in one case, a woman said she has to share her pin because she cannot reach the pin pad drummer chair. -- from her chair. >> thousands of people lined up pony jam. this year's organizers say nearly 40,000 people were on the sidelines to

watch that 10-minute long event. the first whole foods in howard county is on its way. that is just one of a number of big changes coming to colombia. the tells new at 6:00. >> if anyone knows the importance of organ donation, it is this man. he has received three transplants.

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>> more than two dozen maryland athletes are headed to michigan this weekend for the transplant games. >> it is a chance to celebrate life and bring attention to the importance of organ donation. jennifer franciotti has the story. >> henry and his wife pack up in the living room for a trip out west this weekend to the 2012 transplant games. henry is one of 29 maryland athletes competing at the event in michigan. he is a three-time transplant recipients. >> cry first heart transplant was when i was a 16-year-old in high school. -- my first art transplant. >> i developed kidney failure due to the medication. i received a gift from my sister

who donated her kidney to me. i will be forever grateful. >> this is henry's third trip to the games where he will compete in several events. >> just to hear the amazing stories of the transplant recipients and see how well everybody's doing. i have friends from philadelphia that i played tennis against. >> there are 2000 people in maryland on the waiting list for organ transplants. that number is more than 115,000 nationwide. >> share it with your family. let them know your decision. it is so important for people to become registered because it is such an important calls. we have so many people on the waiting list right now. >> angie says the transplant games are quite emotional.

>> i know i will cry at some point, just from saying hello to somebody. that was their loved ones final decision. >> the games start on sunday. 3000 transplant recipients from around the country competing in much the same way the olympic athletes will this weekend. jennifer franciotti, wbal-tv 11 news. >> that is all for us it 5:00. here is a look at what is coming of new at 6 spot. >> call baltimore county man is facing child sex charges. he has disturbing charges in his past. >> you are watching wbal-tv 11. >> live, local, late-breaking. this is 11 news at 6:00.

>> currently we are under a heat advisory. baltimore city has issued a code red alert. some storms are apparently heading our way. tom tasselmyer will how that information for us in just a moment. a man reportedly used a smart phone application to sexually assault a 13-year-old boy. >> he was charged with passing along the hiv virus. sheldon dutes is live with this developing story. >> those really are some disturbing charges. i just got off the phone with the state's attorney here in baltimore county. he said his office will put together a team to look at additional charge is being added to the case based on those court records. officials said the man had unprotected sex with a minor and county health officials are urging anyone who may have had sex with this guy to come forward and get tested for hiv andth