to donate during private or parochial schools. wjz is live in annapolis. gigi barnett has more on the bill that is getting mix said reviews. >> reporter: the baltimore archdiocese has 10,000 empty seats that were once filled by students. it wants those students back. but it needs cash first and it's asking lawmakers to help. >> 13 baltimore catholic schools set to close at the end of the school year. >> really look forward to coming back here as alumni. and now, i won't have that. >> reporter: the baltimore archdiocese blamed the closures on years of record low enrollment. and sky high costs. >> if we're going to keep our school systems alive, we have to fill the seats. and right now, i guess you have two-thirds of the seats occupied. >> that's why catholic school leaders turned an eye and open

hand to annapolis, asking state lawmakers to approve a bill that would give private businesses a tax credit if they donate money to a private school. >> archbishop edwin o'brien testified before lawmakers today, urging them to support it. >> we're just depending on common sense on this one. and if they say they are saving as much as they are. i think some help is welcome from a private sector of the community. >> we don't want public dollars to go to private or parochial schools. >> carol runs the baltimore teacher's union. it's the thing. what's more, she says, state funding for private schools means less money for public schools. >> our public schools need that money. we're under more federal mandates, state mandates. and we have to abide by all of the testing regulation.

>> reporter: right now, maryland givens all private and parochial schools $4 million. other states like new york, new jersey, even pennsylvania, give their private and parochial schools $200 million for this similar bill. back to you, vic, on tv hill. the archdiocese says the 13 schools will close on june 30th. nine children and at least one adult were hurt today after a school bus crash in baltimore county t. happened -- county. it happened around 7:00 this morning. two school buses and another vehicle were involved in the collision. all of the injuries are reported to be minor. and another bus crash. this one in anne arundel county, has injured more than a dozen people. sky eye chopper 13 is over the scene, just before 3:00 this afternoon. happened at the intersection of crain highway and central avenue in glen burnie. 14 people were taken to area hospitals with neck and back injuries. tonight, investigators still don't know why a man shot and killed his ex-wife's fiance

before turning the gun on himself. wjz stays on this still developing story. weijia jiang is live at state police headquarters. with more on how loved ones are remembering the victim tonight. weijia? >> reporter: mary, those close to the victim say just a few days ago, they were helping to plan a wedding in mexico. but now they're planning a funeral. >> reporter: what prompted a vicious attack inside this handsome home is still unknown to detectives. they busted through and shot and killed the house owner, 51- year-old zidan steven acid. then turned the gun on himself. acid lived there with his fiance. 43-year-old hally swift, who is the gunman's ex-wife. police say she was home during the shooting. >> this also kind of brings some tears. because you see other people getting upset. and it kind of affects you more. and you start thinking about it

more. >> acid worked at a credit firm in columbia. he ate lunch regularly with this group. >> steve and i were more than just coworkers. we were very good friends. you know, it's just a process. it's getting here and helping each are the get through it. >> reporter: here, grief counselors were brought in to help console his coworkers. they say he was a man deeply devoted to friends and family. >> everything he did, he did for noah. >> reporter: noah was acid's child who died last november after a tree struck him. he was 9 years old. despite the bitter loss, acid was trying to move on. >> in his genes, he was optimistic type of person. and he had a lot to live for. >> reporter: details are surfacing about the trigger man, too. court records show swift was indicted for having machine guns. a judge ordered him on home

detention and ordered him not to have firearms. >> so it's not going to be the same. and it was so senseless. >> reporter: family members have not finalized funeral arrangements for either man. we should also mention that hally swift was taken to the hospital but did not have any serious injuries. we're live in pikesville tonight. weijia jiang, wjz eyewitness news. >> court records show swift was in and out of court for many other charges, including domestic violence, and malicious destruction. the reward has been stepped up in the search for a missing baltimore county woman. kai is live with the latest on this for us. kai? >> reporter: 23-year-old cherice ragins disappeared. police say she went to meet someone and has not been seen or heard from since that time. today, baltimore county police announced that an anonymous donor has upped the reward to locate ragins' killer to $4500. she has a tattoo of her name on

her neck. she was last seen wearing a red hooded sweatshirt, gray sweatpants and green shoes. >> if you have any information, you are asked to call baltimore metro police or crimestoppers. a loophole, designed to protect children from abuse could allow a baby to slip from the cracks. wjz's mike hellgren is slipping from the state to make sure it doesn't happen again. mike? >> reporter: problem was because of the timing of it, not everyone was being flagged. that will soon change. >> reporter: latesh -- lakeisha haney had a long history with social services. according to court records, at least two of her children were removed from her care. but none of the case workers knew she had given birth again, until police made the gruesome discovery. they say haney killed her newborn, his skull fractured, and buried him in druid hill

park. >> it's so very sad. and just to think, we could be celebrating that child's 3- month birthday, instead of mourning his loss. >> reporter: the secretary of the department of human resources, the agency charged with protecting children, tells wjz a law that went into effect in october is supposed to alert them in cases like this. when the department of health records a birth, it checks the parents' name against a list of those who have had children removed. >> if there is a match, then they send the information to the agency, and we go out and do an assessment. >> reporter: it went into effect in october. the loophole, parents whose children were removed before that date, like haney's, are not on the list. >> in this case, the parental rights were terminated, prior to that. so she would not have come on our radar screen. and our plan is to fix the regulations so that we can go back several years. >> reporter: outrage over several deaths in baltimore sparked the initial law, including that of little briana

harris, whose troubled mother, vernese, had children taken from her. and the broadway twins who were found dead, malnourished in a basement. their mother had a child removed from her care for abuse, less than a year before. >> what all of us should be able to say is that we are dog all that is in our power to make sure these incidents don't happen. >> reporter: now, there is a loop in the law, expose the haney case. making sure they're alerted in f mothers like her get pregnant again. >> this is not going to be a 100% guarantee. but it does expand our reach. >> reporter: the state's fix is putting parents who have had their rights terminated on that list, going back now to 2006. back to you. >> let's hope this works now, mike. you can also help the fight against child abuse. if you see a child that may be at risk in the city, you can call the 24-hour hotline. and you can remain anonymous. for the second time in three days, a suspicious package arrives at mitchell courthouse in downtown

baltimore. wjz is live at the courthouse right now. derek valcourt has more on the scare on what police found inside this package. derek? >> reporter: just like the incidents earlier this week. this package today contained a bullet and a powdery substance. >> reporter: hazmat teams race to the second floor of the baltimore county courthouse, where people called 911. a large envelope, containing a bullet, and a powdery substance was found in one of the judge's chambers. though a spokesperson told wjz, the envelope was not addressed to any particular judge. authorities did not evacuate the building, instead isolated the one room where the package was found. while police secured the entrances. >> we were told at one point not to leave. and if anybody left out, to come back in. >> reporter: hazmat teams quickly tested the substance found nothing dangerous and reopened the building. >> reporter: the pag they -- package they found here, similar to five other packages. police are investigating. >> that's when they received

informs containing threatening notes, bullets and an unknown powdery substance. and at city hall, employees were evacuated for 40 minutes monday, when a similar package was discovered by an employee there. back at the courthouse, concerned workers say they have been told very little. >> looming in our mind, when you hear white powder, that comes to your mind. and if it is in the building, we certainly would want to leave as quickly as possible. >> reporter: a police spokesperson would not comment on the incident today and would only say that they are investigating, as are u.s. postal inspectors. we're live at the mitchell courthouse, derek valcourt, wjz eyewitness news. >> derek, thank you. the fbi says it is not involved in the case. the bidding is over for some items once used as evidence against former mayor sheila dixon. the state prosecutor's office, listed two fur coats on ebay, that was seized from dixon's home. the gifts were from former

developer ronald lipscomb. the bids got a high bid of $2400. there's still time to purchase the x box that she bought with gift cards meant for the poor. that bid is now up to $3,000. proceed goes to charity. and a live look outside right now. and an equally beautiful evening. wjz has your updated first warning forecast. bob is here now from the first warning weather center. give it a 10 all the way around. and in the next 10 days, probably going to be even nicer. clear skies. temperatures get really up there. 66 here. still, 67 in d.c. 64 in westminster. cooler by the water, annapolis. and kept island, 59. and they'll be cooler tomorrow. but most places tomorrow will reach the upper 60s again. >> all right, bob. thank you so much. members of the baltimore city council want to change the way grocery stores bag groceries. jessica kartalija is in highlandtown with the details.

>> reporter: the goal is to get those flimsy plastic bags off of city streets and out of harbor. customers would be offered these paper bags or these reusable bags. >> reporter: at santoni's rarkt in highland town, you have a choice. >> would you like paper or plastic. >> reporter: plastic bags often end up in trees and can work their way down to the chesapeake. >> it's a mess. and i'm tired of seeing them on top of trees, on houses, they're like a flag. >> reporter: city councilmembers are pushing for a bill that would change the way grocery stores bag food items. >> you also want a clean harbor. you want clean neighborhoods. >> reporter: if the bill passes, local grocery stores would be required to set up recycling areas for these old plastic bags. they would also be required to sell reusable bags and post signs, encouraging customers to use them. >> we just despise the litter problem. it is a problem in the city.

not only here but everywhere. but if we can encourage our customers to use the reusable bags, we will make effort to do that. >> it's good. because you bring your bags and recycle them. >> reporter: paper bags cost three to four times as much as plastic. some say they support the bill and encourage shoppers to use reusable bags and recycle bags. in an effort to go green, whole foods has already stopped using plastic bags. >> i will pay for better. i like organic. stoz stores could be fined up to $1,000. >> the plan will go into effect september 1st. i'm jessica carta -- jessica kartalija. >> under the proposed bill,

they could be fined. upscale shopping. tiffany and company announces plans to open a new location atap an area mall. how you can help a couple have the perfect wedding. and just a spectacular evening. your updated first warning weather forecast is coming up. ,,,,

a baltimore county couple, with an amazing story. hoping you can help them with the letter of their dreams. watch this story. and you be the judge. erin williams and kevin richmond are engaged to be married. but their bond goes beyond the typical love story. erin was born with a -- genetic disorder that affects the bones in her face. when she was born, she went to full cardiac arrest. >> they didn't think i would survive, and if i did, that i would have a lot of damage. but they were wrong. >> erin went to middle school. and they reconnected later in my space. >> he's been there to hold her hand in the recovery room.

>> reporter: kevin helped erin to learn to live without her trach. he taught her to drive, and he fell in love with her. >> she loves what's in my heart. and what's inside. he knows what's important. >> reporter: erin, a first year special agency education teacher, put their love story online, hoping to win crate and barrel's ultimate wedding contest. >> with everything she's gone through and been able to overcome, to give her a fairy tale wedding would make us all happy. >> reporter: kevin and erin have captured so many hearts with their love story. ask they're capturing the votes as well. right now, they have more than 2,000 votes. >> reporter: 50 couples with the most votes will go on to the next level. it's clear to me and so many others who deserves it. >> we say in our mant ra, live for today, laugh often, and love much. >> if you want to vote for kevin and erin, head to our website, wjz.com. you'll find a link to the

contest site on our local news page. you have until the end of the month to cast your vote. >> okay. i'm going to be going, many times. a world-y 9/11 -- world- renowned jewelry store will be making its debut. tiffany and company will be opening up in the summer. the high-end retailer said that their new store will have an expanded shopping center. mary? >> the only other tiffany and company in maryland is located in chevy chase. wine lovers are looking for home delivery in a bill. it would allow them to buy wine and have it shipped to their front door. >> reporter: the owner of chesapeake wine company in canton thinks the state prohibition against shipping wine is behind the times. so while mitchell pressman's customers shipped chardonnay and soaked up the sun, he was in annapolis, testifying for businesses and couples alike. >> one of the be objections i heard testifying in front of

the house was that retailers from outside the shape could ship wine into consumers in maryland. but it's a resib -- reciprocal role. which means i will be allowed to direct ship out of the state of maryland to plenty of customers that i have. >> reporter: and that's why some of those customers made the trip to annapolis, too. >> i just returned less than a week ago, from a trip to napa, california, which is wine country, usa. and i couldn't ship wine back to myself from the winery. and i can't call the winery ask ask them to ship wine. i can ship wine to my daughter, who lives in d.c. i can ship wine to my friends in virginia. but i can't ship wine to myself in maryland. >> reporter: in addition to fear, opponents argue that kids can buy wine on the internet. >> as a parent of an 18-year- old high school senior, i know that he would need a debit card or credit card in order to buy something over the internet. and that would be much easier for me to monitor than what he

does with his babysitting cash. >> reporter: isis theerp -- supporters of direct shipping call the argument against it outdated and short-seat -- short-sighted. reporting from cantoning, i'm pat warren. canton, i'm pat warren. back to you. >> a group that is for retailers, testified against the bill. can we toast this day? >> absolutely. >> it's so beautiful. >> st. patrick's day. beautiful green out there. yes. 66. north winds at 3. barometer holding steady. dry, dry air. and warmer temps coming our way. i'm a broke college student. doesn't mean i have to eat like one.

right now any pizza from pizza hut is just $10. any size, any crust, any toppings! so we can get a supreme pan pizza or a meat lover's... any one we want for just 10 bucks. now, i don't have to ask my parents for money all the time. so do you need extra money this week? i'm good. you get yourself something nice. that freaked them out. [ male announcer ] right now, any pizza at pizza hut is just $10. any pizza, any size, any crust, and any toppings -- only $10. only at your pizza hut.

beautiful pictures from sky eye chopper 13. they're wonderful to look at. but bob wants us to hurry up. so he can get to his corn beef cabbage. >> beautiful afternoon. tomorrow, can you believe maybe two to three degrees warmer than today. take a look at temps now. 66. washington at 67. they got up to 68. 54 in oakland. 64 in cumberland. and the cool spot, by the water there. yes. 52 now in ocean city.

very light winds. generally out of the west/northwest. over the next couple of days, a west/southwest flow. most of the regioning, with deep south here. that's all moving off to the east now. and not going to affect the area at all. but quite a bit of rain across florida. and temperatures there were cooler than they were here. because of the clouds and rain. it was only in the 60s down there. we estimated upper 60s. clear skies, as you can see. way down to the south. high pressure over our region means beautiful weather will continue. into the weekend. now, by the end of the weekend, a front low approaches from the northwest. sunday night. we'll start seeing some clouds and shower activity probably by sunday even. -- evening. until then, warmer conditions. sunshine, wall to wall. then the front coming through late sunday night into monday. it will bring showers, maybe 4 or 5 hours. and rain. and it will get cooler behind the front. it may hang up a little bit. so maybe still showers, humid here on monday.

then it will definitely get cooler, compared to what we have the next couple of days. temperatures way above normal, from now through saturday. on the bay tomorrow, northwest wind, around 5 knots. sunrise, 7:14. sets around 7:17. bay temp at 45. by the way, spring arrives saturday afternoon. it's 1:38 in the afternoon. tonight, then, clear skies. chilly, with light winds. 38 with the low to mid-40s downtown. tomorrow, sunshine, all day long. just a perfect thursday. sunny, warmer. tomorrow's high, close to 70. let's call it 68, 69, 70 degrees. beautiful day. and even warmer on friday. >> thank you, bob. >> pretty good to me. still to come tonight on wjz's eyewitness news. nightmare flight. a cross country journey tracks passengers on board a plane for 16 hours. i'm alex demetrick. coming up, the long journey home for the arabbers' horses. that story when eyewitness news continues.

and st. patrick's day celebrations are in full swing. we'll take you to the world's largest st. patrick's day party.

it is 66 degrees and a beautiful clear evening. good evening, everybody. here are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. boarding your flight and get caught up. kelly lawless reports for wjz, on the virgin america flight that took more than a half a day to reach its destination. >> reporter: passenger david martin was documenting virgin america flight 404 on his iphone. the flight from los angeles to new york on saturday, scheduled to last 5 and a half hours, ultimately took 16. >> reporter: heavy winds diverted the plane to stewart, new york. passengers say it sat for at least 6 1/2 hours. >> thanks for your patience again. >> reporter: but things weren't great. passengers said there was little food available and that

flight attendants snapped at them. jet blue ultimately came to the rescue. taking passengers by bus to jfk. while in a letter to marriage -- passengers, virnin -- virgin america's ceo apologized. tarmacs must deplane all planes in under 3 hours or face steep fines. the case of virgin america flight 404, the incident could have meant a fine of $3 million. >> under the new rules, virgin america would have been fined $27,000 for each person trapped on the flight. banks of the mississippi river and red river are expected to crest sometime this week. the water level is expected to rise to 19 feet, a full two feet higher than major flood levels. lines of volunteer sandbaggers

are working tirelessly. that includes students who volunteered to help out spring break. >> it's good to be able to know that what you're doing is not only going to help yourself out, but help out your entire community. >> reporter: some areas have already declared a state of emergency ahead of the expected flooding. well, lawmakers on capitol hill continue to battle over healthcare reform. democrats still don't have all of the votes they need to pass a final vote. but today, they moved a step closer, pigging up the vote of ohio congressman dennis kucinich. that has republican lawmakers stepping up efforts to stop the bill in its track. >> the only way to stop this madness is for a few courageous democrats to step forward and put a stop to it. >> reporter: the president now promising democrats who are still on the fence that they will have the administration supports if they vis facea tough fight -- if they face a tough fight for re-election. >> arabbers are getting their horses back.

concern for the animals' care. >> reporter: friends will see the horse-drawn produce cars back on the streets in baltimore. after the vendors known as the arabbers reached a settlement with the city. >> it will provide for the hopefully satisfactory care and safekeeping of the horses. they'll be in a facility. they'll become once again, the responsibility of the arabber owners. >> reporter: a responsibility lost in 2007, when the horses were seized out of concern for their welfare. but temporary homes under tents and bridges were not much better. >> happy, no? the reason i say no is we were originally supposed to be going to a permanent home. but instead they moved us from one temporary location to another. >> reporter: they will now go to days end farm. they will now be going back to baltimore. but not to a makeshift facility

off centralally. >> we did meet with the arabbers. and they were up and excited to see their horses. and we're glad to see them getting them back. >> i know that the arabbers perform a service, a traditional service in our communities. but they -- it can't be done at expense of those animals. >> reporter: the care provided here at days end won't necessarily end once the horses return to baltimore. >> we'll also help them down the road with any kind of education they may need or anything like that. >> reporter: insuring a livelihood for the arabbers and a better life for their horses. alex demetrick, wjz eyewitness news. >> under today's agreement, the city humane society will split $47,000 in boarding fees. arabbers agree to training and inspection of their horses. bge says a contractor hit some of their equipment on lombard street and south street downtown. service was not interrupted for any customers, but crews did

have to make some repairs in the area. time now for a quick look at some of the stories you'll find in tomorrow's baltimore sun. what happened to the city police officer who failed to appear for a gun trial? why natural allergy remedies can be as effective as a pill. and team's tournament run. for all of these stories and a whole lot more, remember to look for the baltimore sun. many people will be having an alcoholic beverage or two to celebrate st. patrick's day. the tipsy taxi service will provide free cab rides for st. patrick's day riders tonight. they can get a free trip worth up to $50 for the evening. if you need a lift, call 1-877- 963-taxi. and the party is already under way. new york city, people packed fifth avenue in manhattan. as many as a quarter million

people picked up kilts and packed their bagpipes to mark the holiday. this is the 249th annual extravaganza in new york city. a quarter million people in the parade. >> exactly. still to come on wjz's eyewitness news. funeral. the day of 80s actor. party drugs. teens have found a way to get high. it's shockingly easy to get. bob turk. more spring-like weather. i'll have the exclusive first warning five-day forecast. wjz is always on. here are the top stories on wjz.com right now. for instant updates on all the day's news, and the updated forecast, log onto wjz.com. ,,,,

arrest in connection with his death. the arrest is linked in prescription to a drug ring. meantime, los angeles police release the 911 call. it was a heartwrenching call from haim's mom. >> on the same day friends and family gathered for corey haim's funeral, police released the chilling 911 call haim's mother remade.

>> he is not breathing! >> ma'am, are you with him right now? >> yes. >> how old is he. >> he's 38 years old. i don't know what is going on. he had a fever this morning. and cold. >> ma'am, is he awake right now? >> no! >> reporter: the dispatcher tries to get the mother to perform cpr, but no avail. >> put one hand on his forehead, the other head underneath his neck. and gently tilt his head back. >> okay. >> ma'am, keep doing the compressions then go open the door. >> i opened the door already. i opened the door. >> reporter: the coroner's office is still awaiting a toxicology report. a drug overdose has not been ruled out. >> a memorabilia dealer who is selling items for corey haim is paying for his funeral. a shocking easy-to-obtain

substance called meth methadrone. is taking lives. british government is