with the fight between two students. those two students now face charges. but some parents say they are not happy with the way this was handled. >> reporter: when a school police officer used pepper spray at chesapeake high school tuesday, several other students in the school got sick, including a pregnant danielle nicholson. >> my throat was closing up and my eyes were starting to water. because i was getting a little hazy and dizzy. >> reporter: she and as many as 15 other students had to be taken to the hospital for treatment. police released details, saying it all started when two students wouldn't stop fighting, even after an officer and a teacher physically tried to break up the fight. >> our officer struggled with the student on the ground. the student was able to stand up after about 15 minutes. the officer warned pepper spray was going to be used if there was additional violence. and the student attempted to go after the first student again. >> reporter: police say the use of pepper spray was justified. >> as a parent, i'm scared for

my child and the other children. >> reporter: danielle's mom, one of several parents upset with how the situation was handled. many parents complain to wjz that fights at the school are a frequent problem. >> it's really upsetting to me. it's to the point i'm going to put her on maternity leave. ask i'm not sure she's going to that school. >> reporter: the two students involved in the incident now face charges as juveniles. one of them has been charged with resisting arrest and assaulting an officer. derek valcourt, wjz eyewitness news. >> students report there were no fights at the school today and say there were extra officers and staff on hand at the school. a marylander is found dead at a power plant in florida. police say they discovered the body of christopher artess, while emptying a shipment. artess is from the area. workers also found a woman's body, one day later. autopsies show their deaths

were accidental. and police believe they died while hitching a ride on the train. a sex assault investigation is under way tonight. denise is live in the newsroom with information that could help catch the man responsible. police have released a sketch of the suspect. detectives say a man who resembles this drawing, sexually assaulted a woman in the 300 block of hospital drive early this morning. the suspect met the victim at a bar on cronan highway. the man was last seen walking but officers were unable to locate him. >> reporter: anyone who can help identify the suspect should give police a call. mceldon square has reopened to the public after the eviction of "occupy baltimore." the mayor's order to get protestors out is drawing strong opposition. mike hellgren has more on whether occupiers will be back tonight. mike? >> reporter: kai, occupy baltimore is out but not down. and they plan to hold their general assembly right here at 8:00 tonight.

>> reporter: sky eye chopper 13 flew over mceldon square after it reopened to the public, cleaned up and sanitized. following occupy baltimore's encampment. some say good ridness -- ridness -- riddance. this >> it was a mess. i'm glad they're gone. get out of here. >> reporter: but others, like arlene rogan, wish the terms -- temps still occupied their perch. >> i don't think they should move out. i think we should listen to what they're saying. we're coming up on election year. and they're representing a voice that i don't think has been voiced in a long time. >> reporter: citing a lack of violence during the raid, the mayor told wjz, in hiernd -- hierpd sight, -- hindsight, the eviction she ordered was the right thing to do. >> i feel good about it. there were no arrests. i feel good the way things happened. >> reporter: holding their general assembly at one

memorial plaza. but now that barricades have gone down at mceldon, occupy protestors plan to come back to meet, not to live. they say they're just as passionate as other cities like new york, and might move into foreclosed homes, like occupiers have done in california. sticking it to big banks. >> we're in their face. we're all up in their face. and we're going to stay in their face. >> reporter: evicted but not silenced. >> reporter: and this has revived a debate about the use of public space in several cities, including legal challenges in boston, including whether staying overnight is, indeed, trespassing. reporting live at mceldon square, mike hellgren, wjz eyewitness news. kai? >> mike, thank you. since the raid, occupy baltimore has continued to maintain a presence online. an iconic restaurant is torn down. today, crews completed demolition of the mount washington tavern. the 80-year-old building was destroyed by a fire last month. the owners have vowed to

rebuild. and they hope to reopen in time for the preakness stakes in may. the cause of the fire is unknown. a setback in the reorganization of recreation centers in baltimore, under a controversial plan, some centers will be turned over to private operators. but today, city officials canceled the vote. wjz is live. adam may explains what this means for the future of the program. adam? >> reporter: city officials say they are moving forward. but organizer says they need more time to get support. >> reporter: just weeks ago, protestors expressed outrage over plans to close rec centers. part of the mayor's plan calls for turning over a handful to priority operators. that also triggered community backlash. >> you can't keep cutting the children short. >> reporter: now, city officials delay a contract vote on that privatization plan. >> we want to make sure that this is done right, with the amount of community support and

community engagement, make sure that it's accepted. >> reporter: some people say rec centers are being eliminated. what's your response? >> my response is that we are expanding. >> reporter: city officials say the public doesn't fully understand the plan, while the number of rec centers will drop from 55 to 30, the city will also build four brand-new, large regional rec centers. they'll have jim gymnasiums, kitchens and computer labs. >> when this plan is fully implemented, will there be more square footage in baltimore? >> there will definitely be more square footage in baltimore. the plan is to have better quality but less of them. >> reporter: city officials plan on revisiting this privatization issue before the end of the year. meanwhile, construction on those four new mega rec centers should be complete in the next couple of years. reporting live, adam may, wjz eyewitness news. >> adam, thank you. the new rec centers will cost $14 million. tonight, we are still enjoying a break from the

chilly temperatures. it is still unusually mild for december as we take a live look outside tonight. wjz is live. meteorologist bob turk with tim williams. we'll start with bob. >> we've clouded up. we have a bit of a weak warm front to the west of us. there you see it. a couple of sprinkles to pennsylvania. but do the west, that's where some shower activity is located. and eventually, we'll probably see a little bilt by tomorrow afternoon. we stay on the mild side. upper 40s. french here. 49 in washington. 45 at ocean city. even a 42 in oakland. these temperatures running 6 to 7 degrees higher than average for this time of year. so what does thursday bring for the region? tim has a look at tomorrow's forecast from the nice, pleasant outback. tim? >> reporter: it is nice and pleasant. we expect another nice and pleasant day tomorrow. we'll be up around 60 degrees tomorrow. we'll be on the warm side of a

front moving through. high pressure is easing off. and it's allowing for that warm air to move in. while we will potentially see some showers late into the day and into the overnight hours, for the most part tomorrow, temperatures will be very, very warm. we'll have more with bob coming up in a moment. back to you inside. >> the ravens head west to san diego sunday, with a chance to clinch a spot in the play-offs. stan saunders joins us with more on if ray lewis will be back on the field for the game against the chargers. hi, stan. >> hello there, kai. as you know, ray has missed the last four games with a toe injury. however, several report this could be the week number 52 returns to the playing field. >> reporter: no, that wasn't ray lewis. but rather ray rice, doing his mild version of lewis's dance. big ray wasn't on the field when our cameras weren't allowed at practice. but with the rays's' experience, he could be effective, even with limited practice time. >> the rays are different than probable-- ray is different

than probably most guys. he's going to try to practice, i'm sure, like he has the last two weeks. if he didn't practice, he could play on sunday. >> ravens are 4-0, without number 52 leading. some joke if ray should stay on the sidelines longer. >> i was thinking, we shouldn't use ray lewis on the sideline. just kidding. we need ray lewis. >> weget them back in there. get the greatest play are ever to play football game. they'll be doing great and playing great for us. i mean, it's a win-win for us. >> reporter: and in some off- the-field news, joe flacco confirmed that he and his wife dana are expecting their first child. joe was surprised the news got so much attention earlier this week. >> i honestly don't pay attention. you just hear you guys asking me about it. i think that's funny. other than that, i don't know what's going on about it. it's funny. it's not even close to being here yet. but we're really excited about

it. >> joe is going to be a daddy. now, if flacco can help the ravens to victory over the chargers, it will clinch a play- off spot and keep the team in line for the top seed in the upcoming afc play-offs. >> the ravens will end the season with divisional games against the browns and bengals. >> i think i saw a touch of excitement on joe flacco's face. >> yeah. just a little bit. not too much. >> not too much. still ahead on wjz eyewitness news at 5:00. an inconvenience delay. good news about several local post offices, scheduled to close. i'm mike schuh in towson. violent crime. suicide and the link to holiday stress. what baltimore is trying to do about it when we return. coming up, imagine swimming and fishing in the inner harbor. why some big players in baltimore say it isn't far- fetched. that story as eyewitness news continues. unseasonably mild evening. bob will have more on what's in store for the weekend in his forecast. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

well, the holiday season can bring many moments of joy, police see a darker side of these stresses that these times can produce. mike schuh reports that baltimore county is bringing some solutions to your attention. >> reporter: whether it's decorating the house or just shopping, this is eye time -- a time that brings with it, extra stress. >> the pressures that these expecting as bring, particularly in -- these expectations bring, particularly in a difficult economy, often makes this an emotional and economic stressful time for many. >> reporter: the word is getting out about holiday stress and its impacts on two fronts. the first, violent crime. >> i call these unhealthy behaviors, the "too much" syndrome. too much drinking. too much eating. too much arguing.

and too much drugging. >> reporter: it's enough to send people over the edge. lisa picknel is here sharing her story. 12 years ago, her husband killed their two kids. she urges families and those in crisis to get help. >> the more a family reaches out, the more a victim is willing to get help. >> reporter: and the factor in those who kill themselves. >> the cases of suicides usually don't occur at spur of the moments. there are months, if not years, leading up to these tragedies. >> reporter: but the use of three numbers and a telephone could prevent holiday tragedies. nose question, obviously you -- >> no question, obviously you can call the baltimore county health department. but any time there could be an emergency, you call 911. >> reporter: in towson, wjz eyewitness news. back to you on tv hill. >> and specialized help is available for those in crisis. in an emergency, it's suggested that a 911 operator can direct

such a call to the appropriate responder. you can also expect the stress of extra holiday traffic this year, unfortunately. triple a estimates more than 90 million will travel away from home. the majority of people will travel by car. if you're waiting for someone to get home from work, let's check on the roads with kristy breslin at wjz traffic control. hi, kris key. >> hi -- kristy. >> hi, kai. high, everyone. we have a lot to report. if you're traveling northbound 95, there are delays there, from pulaski to the beltway. traveling top side inner loop,a the least 15 minutes there, from york road to harford road. and the outer loop, also seeing some delays there, from dulaney valley to the harrisburg in that direction. 25 minutes on the west side inner loop, 95 to security boulevard. and 70 westbound, really backing up there, from the patapsco river bridge, to marriottsville road. as far as the accidents go, route 24 bypass, between east rio road and bel air parkway.

also, emerton road and trim road. east eager at north charles. and white avenue at hamlet. let's take a live look. as you can see there, we have a lot of congestion on the harrisburg expressway at shawan road. this traffic report is brought to you by bill's carpet, hardwood and laminate, too. bill's has it all for you. you can call them at 1-877-75- bills. back to you. >> kristy, thank you. water in the inner harbor is so unhealthy. going for a swim might end with a tetanus shot. but alex demetrick reports. local government thinks swimming and fishing are possible by 20 -- 2020. >> reporter: it's been a long time since people went for a swim in baltimore's inner harbor. how to get it cleaned up to go swimming again? >> what's it's hard to get somewhere unless you know where you're starting from. >> reporter: researchers have now spelled it out. >> this is the first baltimore harbor report card. and what we found, not surprisingly, is that we've got

really degraded positions. >> reporter: overall, water quality received a grade of d. with f in nitrogen levels. it did not offer a grade of tons of trash that washed into the harbor after rain storms. but for businesses who have spent millions for those water views, improving the harbor has become a cause, and forged an alliance with baltimore city and county to have a swimmable, fishable harbor in eight years. >> it's a huge goal. and if 2020 sounds ambitious, it is ambitious. >> reporter: if there is optimism by supporters in a cleaner harbor, it isn't just wishful thinking. >> reporter: the harbor is actually less polluted than it used to be. ryan has seen it firsthand in his three decades of running boats here. >> my first job was debris recovery in the harbor. and there's a lot less debris now than there was 30 years ago. >> i've seen it change a lot over the years. when i started, there was no fish to speak of in the harbor. >> reporter: today, there are

fish. but they aren't safe for eating. to do that and swim, the waterfront partnership has plans to better control what runs into the harbor. all that is missing is the money. alex demetrick, wjz eyewitness news. >> and it is estimated it will cost baltimore city and county $220 million to make improvements to reduce storm water runoff into the harbor. bob is going to be the first one in 2020 to take the plunge. >> there you go, bob. >> i said it here and now. it's on the record. >> you can do it. >> jones falls, gwynns falls, all ends up in the inner harbor. don't dump your trash. okay? if you see it in the street, it's going to end up in the harbor at some point. another mild afternoon. 48 now. humidity is up a little bit. south/southeast winds at 5. barometer rising. come back and take a look at a mild, perhaps a little wet thursday after this. ,,,, [ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable

and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement. it's an amazing holiday deal. but don't wait. it's only available for a limited time. so go to verizon.com/superoffer to sign up. act now and we'll add a special bonus -- $300 back. fios delivers the best picture quality, plus america's fastest, most consistent most reliable internet. spend the holidays saving money.

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sky eye chopper 13. showing us a few of the city here. state. and our national flag. >> mary, there are some folks who are not particularly happy with these mild temperatures. >> who is that? >> it ain't us.

>> e-mailing, telling me, well, how are stan going to get here. >> whoa. >> he'll be fine. >> children, he'll be fine. >> he has ways. >> he has a computer. >> technology. he'll make it happen. i don't think we'll see any snow for christmas, kids. maybe a little rain here and there. and some milder temps. but doesn't look like it's going to be cold enough in most of the east for snow. take a look at temperatures now. still pretty mild out there. normal high today is 45. still at 48. got up to 51 today. 42 in oakland. 47, ocean city. 48, pax river. d.c., just below, 49. dew points come up a little bit at 43. which means tonight's low will be colder than it was last night. 49, kent island, annapolis. d.c. once again, 48. trench 47 still -- 47 to the north. this morning, we had upper 20s and low 30s. but tonight, with the winds out of the southeast, with the

cloud cover and winds, it means a little more moisture, milder air. it sust will just -- will just not get that freezing cold tonight. northern michigan saw some of that. that's moving out toward canada. the cold air, really dominating the western portion of the united states. high pressure bringing cold air down. here in the east, high pressure off the east coast. which means our winds have generally been out of the south and southwest aloft. keeps us in mild air. overnight, tomorrow again, maybe a few showers as the actual cold front begins to swing across the ohio valley. maybe seeing a few showers. not looking for a lot of rain. but it may rain a little in the afternoon and evening. to the north now, we have this warm front that is keeping us in the mild air. a few showers showing up in pennsylvania and new york. but temperatures in the 40s and low 50s. so we'll be dealing with this mild air for about another day. friday, the front goes off. it will start turning cooler. and we'll call it colder, but back to normal. temperatures in the low,

probably even mid-40s. and that's normal now. on friday night, there will be a system, a weak system across from the carolinas. it will probably bring a little light drizzle or rain. maybe extreme southern maryland or virginia. that will not affect the baltimore region, we don't think. that moves off and we'll bring sunshine back. for the weekend, the bay temp, around 46. sunrise, there you go. at 7:19. that's terrible. sun sets at 4:45 on what could be probably a damp afternoon. maybe about 10 to a quarter of an inch of rain with this system. not a whole lot. so overnight tonight, still plenty of clouds. but warmer than it's been. 36, stay above freezing tonight for a change. tomorrow, plenty of clouds. maybe a little brightening of the sun sometimes. but a few showers developing in the afternoons. the front approaches. 59 degrees tomorrow. our normal high is 45. so we're talking, you know, 14 degrees above normal. that's quite it for middle of december. >> santa can deal with it,

right? okay. that's all we got to say about that. >> still ahead at 5:00. a college basketball game ends in violence. an important decision about the state of the players involve -- fate of the players involved. and a mishap that left a woman dead inside a new york city office building. will baltimore city's robocalls case influence federal law? i'm pat warren. coming up on wjz eyewitness news. it is used as an example in a bill ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

it's 5:28. 48 degrees and cloudy. good evening. thank you far staying with wjz eyewitness news. here are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. voter protection. maryland senator ben cardin proposes political penalties for campaigns that try to deceive voters. cardin takes pages from maryland's book to apply to federal elections. >> polling the voters. >> we're okay. relax. everything is fine. >> reporter: the maryland robocalls case in which a campaign director was found guilty of voter suppression, is an example of campaign tactics u.s. senator ben cardin wants to outline in campaign law. >> a baltimore jury convicted that individual from the campaign, under state election laws. and it points out -- it was a relatively recent change in the state election laws. what we are trying to do is make this a national policy. >> reporter: cardin says his

2006 senate campaign against michael steele is also an example of false information, used to influence voters. >> it gave the impression to voters that my opponent was endorsed by prominent african americans who, in fact, had endorsed me. >> it also included a sample ballot that we have here, which gives the impression that the republicans are actually the democrats. >> reporter: the voter intimidation prevention act prohibits false statements about endorsements, voter eligibility, times and dates of elections, and polling locations within 90 days of an election. criminal penalties include fines, up to five years in prison are or both. >> it's narrowly tailored within 90 days of an election, so that we framed it in a way that is consistent with the first amendment of the constitution. >> reporter: senator cardin thinks his bill should get widespread support. still, nothing gets juices

flowing like spirited debate on first amendment rights. i'm pat warren, back to you on tv hill. >> senator cardin was joined by then-senator barack obama when he started researching voter in -- intimidation in 2007. a federal judge says hasn'ts hasn'ts to hear more about the mental health of hernandez. the president and his family were not home at the time. he has been ruled competent to stand trial. but the judge set another ruling for friday to discuss extensive psychiatric testing. one of the largest youth sports organizations in the country. vic is in the newsroom with details. at least two men have come forward, accusing the president of inappropriate conduct decades ago. police in memphis say they are following up on the allegations against bobby dod but have not

received a formal complaint. today, they examined policyless and -- policies and safeguards. each will have access to aau records. kai, back to you. >> vic, thank you. the 63-year-olded to retired last month and is reportedly battling colon cancer. a freak accident in a new york city elevator, leaves a woman dead. jennifer jordan reports for wjz, from downtown manhattan. >> reporter: the woman was in the lobby of this midtown manhattan building, just stepping into the elevator. as the doors closed, she was only partly inside. police say her foot or leg got caught. then suddenly, the elevator shot upwards. a nearby store owner saw people running and knew something terrible had happened. >> all of the people were running out. and they were saying that the elevator crushed one woman inside. >> reporter: as the elevator rose, it dragged the woman into the shaft, crushing her between floors. >> there were two other people already inside the elevator when it mal malfunctioned, they

were not injured. but remember -- but were sent to the hospital to be treated for psychological trauma. >> reporter: this is the long- time home of the advertising agency, ynr. police say the victim was an executive there and was pronounced dead at the scene. >> i feel bad. everybody inside, we feel the same. >> reporter: police and the city's building department are investigating what caused the elevator to malfunction. the victim was just 41 years old. jennifer jordan, for wjz eyewitness news. >> people who work in the building say they have never had or heard of any problems with the elevators before. a utility company takes responsibility for a devastating neighborhood explosion in california. pacific gas and electric announces it will compensate the victims of a pipeline rupture in san bruno. this comes ahead of friday's court hearing on the case. that blafort killed eight people -- blast killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes in september 20 pen.

-- 2010. federal investigators said a falt -- faulty pape is partially to blame. a personal thank you from the if the president and the first lady. tara mergener reports on the tribute at fort bragg in north carolina. >> reporter: soldiers at fort bragg cheered president obama and the first lady as they paid tribute to the troops returning from iraq. >> reporter: as your commander in chief, and on behalf of a grateful nation, welcome home. welcome home! [ applause ] >> reporter: the last 6,000 u.s. forces are packing up. they'll be out of iraq by the end of this month. it's the final chapter in a nearly nine-year war that has killed nearly 4500 americans and injured tens of thousands more. >> all of the fighting and all of the dying, the bleeding and the buildings and the training and the partnering, all of it has led to this moment of success. >> reporter: the president

recounted the challenges u.s. forces faced during the course of the war and thanked the families who stood behind their loved ones deployed to the front lines. >> every military family that has carried that load over the last nine years, you, too, had the thanks of a grateful nation. >> reporter: and he renewed his pledge to support veterans on the home front and helped them find work. the unemployment rate for soldiers returning from war is higher than the overall rate nationwide. the president highlighted the bill he signed that offers a tax credit to businesses that hire veterans. even though american forces are leaving, president obama promised iraq's prime minister, the u.s. will help iraq with security, terrorism and military training in the future. tara mergener, wjz eyewitness news. >> this was president obama's first visit to fort bragg. special forces station there were among the first soldiers to enter iraq at the start of the war. an ugly brawl at a college

basketball game will not result in criminal charges. saturday's game between xavier ended with punches and shoves and one player getting kicked on the floor. prosecutors decided not to press charges, after reviewing the tape and interviewing several players. eight player were suspended. forced to face the victim's clegs and family members in court. derek valcourt reports on the large show of support for a fallen officer. >> reporter: the lock of -- look of a suspected cop killer. stone faced. hardened, shackled, before a courtroom filled with grieving nypd officers. in the lobby, standing room only, as police absoluted arriving family members. including two daughters ever fallen officer, peter figowski. shot dead in a drug robbery. the judge refusing to set suspected killer lamont pride free. >> police officer's figowski's

handcuffs were on these perps that walked into that building today. [ applause ] >> reporter: dba president pat liver announce -- lynch, announcing the capture of all five suspects. suspected triggerman, lamont pride, accomplices, nelson morales, ariel tejada, michael veless. two of them pretending be to neighbors helping the victim. >> they worked in conjunction because they were evil and they were cowards. they hid and then they jumped. and they pulled the trigger that took a good man. >> reporter: hailed as a hero, figowski's officer heard a fatal gunshot and sprang into action. >> even through his emotion, to run and capture the mutt that killed this poor police officer. >> reporter: not lost on the nypd, the fact that pride, a

career criminal, was out on the streets at all. now, he and his alleged cohorts get to be paraded in a caravan, through these same brooklyn streets, heading to rikers. >> reporter: all five suspects are being held without bail. the u.s. postal service agrees to postpone the quloations of hundred -- closings of hundreds of mail facilities. all scheduled to shut down will now remain open until may 2012. the move will allow congress time a plan to work on a way to save the service. in tonight's healthwatch, scientists are experimenting with a new procedure that could make lungs more available for transplants. right now, only 20% of donor lungs are deemed usable. randall pinkston reports for wjz, with a possible breakthrough. >> reporter: it's been a long journey for patricia kingsbury. she's been waiting six months

for a lung transplant. >> i had a number of calls that were -- they weren't viable. >> reporter: running out of options, the former smoker turned to an experimental procedure at the york presbyterian hospital. the human exvivo lung profusion system, or help, will allow doctors to determine if a transplant will work before they transplant into a patient. >> lungs that we would otherwise turn down at the time of assessment, at the procurement site, we have the opportunity to further test. >> reporter: a special fluid that is a blood substitute is circulated in the lungs, providing nutrients. sensors inside the lungs tell doctors if the organs will work. >> how the lungs are ventilating. what are the pressures in the airways, how the lungs are inflating. >> reporter: fewer than 2,000 lung transplants are temperatured in -- are positivelied in the u.s. each year -- performed in the u.s. each year. >> reporter: kingsbury is one

of about 90 patients taking part in the study. >> id just can't believe that these lungs are in me. and that i can breathe like a normal person. because for years, i haven't. >> reporter: she hopes this technique will be approved so it can save other lives. in new york, randall pinkston, wjz eyewitness news. >> trials are also being done in massachusetts, colorado and right here in maryland. time for a quick look at some of the stories you'll find in tomorrow morning's edition of the baltimore sun. recommendations will be released tomorrow for improved oversight of cardiac stent implantations. sounding the alarm about potential scalp damage, due to hair extensions. and walters art museum painting with ties to napoleon is featured with ties on a new holiday stamp. remember to look for the updated forecast from wjz's first warning weather team. if you love train gardens, this is your time of year.

tonight, ron matz is in dundalk worry a look -- for a look at one of the biggest on the east coast. >> reporter: take a look at the spectacular display. this is the train garden at the y's avenue volunteer fire company. nine trains, six levels, and new this year, a tribute to mark the tenth anniversary of 9/11 and much more. >> we also have to washington monument. a local gentleman made it for us. made out of clay. and it looks almost like the real. >> hey, bill. good to see you. >> same here, ron. >> bill price is one of the volunteers who helped set up this mammoth display. it takes six weeks to make it happen. >> it takes a lot of work. a lot of devotion. but the biggest reward is seeing that child walk in here. and its face lighting up like a christmas tree. that is our reward. >> you'll see crab houses. the ravens beating the steelers. a scene from back river.

number 19. and trains galore. >> you have about 1700 feet of wire that is for the track alone. >> reporter: the train garden is free. but they ask adults for donations. so this dundalk holiday tradition can continue. >> and the people in this area have also been really good about donating to this. and that's why we plan on keeping it here for a very long time. >> in dundalk, ron matz, wjz eyewitness news. >> i love that, ron. well, more than 30,000 people are expected to visit the wise avenue this year. the train garden is open through january 8th. for more information, go to wjz.com. click on the seen on section. you see it, ron? >> anyone deserves to be on a billboard and in lights, it's ron matz. >> you got it. still ahead on eyewitness news. a fierce bidding battle. elizabeth taylor's ledge understandary jewels hit the auction block. you won't believe the outcome. illegal carry-ons.

how drug smugglers snuck 150,000 pounds past security. i'm bob turk. a bit of rain on the way. then a cooldown i'll have the exclusive first warning five- day forecast. here's today's report from wall street. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, [ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable

and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement. it's an amazing holiday deal. but don't wait. it's only available for a limited time. so go to verizon.com/superoffer to sign up. act now and we'll add a special bonus -- $300 back. fios delivers the best picture quality, plus america's fastest, most consistent most reliable internet. spend the holidays saving money. switch to fios and get our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement when you order online. save $840 in your first two years. and don't forget your special bonus -- $300 back. hurry, offer ends soon. go to verizon.com/superoffer. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's verizon.com/superoffer. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead.

clouds out there on a rather mild night. thursday. tim in the outback with a look at that thursday forecast. tim? >> well, the short answer is yes. tonight, we'll be pretty mild. temperatures going down into the mid-30s. that's where we start tomorrow, with sunshine early on. and then we're looking at definitely temperatures going back up into the mid-50s, to about 60 degrees. and that's where we'll end up tomorrow. but we'll start to see the potential for some rain later in the day. and for a little more on how it plays into your five-day, here's bob. >> looking forward to the weekend. i can tell you that much. 59, 42. it will clear out somewhat on friday. but still some lingering clouds. 53, 32. and then it gets chilly, but normal for the weekend. 44 on saturday. and 44 on sunday. warming up again.

53. looks like our chance of showers back on tuesday night. and again on early wednesday. mary? >> well, not that you need it. but in today's energy saver, if you're in the market for a space heater, make sure you're getting an energy-efficient model. look for thermostat and timer settings. these can keep rooms from being overheated. for more information information on how you can be an energy saver, did to wjz.com, scroll down to the right-hand side of the page and click on our special section. police investigating the death of a student at florida a&m university uncover other possible crimes. the board got a letter today about potential fraud. as part of the probe of marching band member robert champion. police are looking into whether hazing played a part in the death. police make a major drug bust at an airport in michigan.

vrtszs confiscate four duffel bags at flint airport. police say the suspect stored the drugs in vacuum-sealed bags marked as determent or sheets. they were able to check the bags in but were arrested when they landed. alexis christoforous reports for wjz, her famous jewels fetched more than 116 million dollars. >> 300,000 now. >> reporter: collectors and fans of the hollywood packed the auction house. for a chance for one of the leg endary jewels. the iconic, 33-carat, potentially flawless, white diamond ring. a gift for husband richard burton. another burton gift, this

bulgari emerald and diamond necklace, fetched more. 80 earrings, necklaces, pendants and ring went under the gavel. >> a hallmark of this entire collection is the quality of the stone and the craftsmanship. >> it took elizabeth taylor a lifetime to a master jewelry collection. christies says it's one of the finest in the world. and as rich as taylor's jewels are, so are the stories behind them. >> this, a gift from her third husband, hollywood producer mike todd, sold for $32.4 million. the rare pearl necklace, which queen mary tudor of england once sold, for a staggering $11.8 million. a record for any pearl jewel. but for these, the legend of

elizabeth taylor makes her jewels priceless. alexis christoforous, cbs news, new york. >> and part of the auction proceeds will go to the elizabeth taylor a.i.d.s. foundation. check in with eyewitness news at 6:00. for these stories and more coming up, denise is standing by with a preview. a good trend, with the year winding down. baltimore on pace for a record low in murders. what police attribute to the drop. dangerous spice. more teenagers using the synthetic form of marijuana. what parents need to look out for. check in for these stories and all the day's breaking news. now, back to kai and mary. still to come tonight on wjz's eyewitness news. a police officer experiences the dangers of distracted driving. how he's doing after his cruiser winds up like this. ,,,,

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a tennessee man faces murder charges after he slams his truck through the front of a convenience store. take a look. the vehicle plowed into the store owner. but somehow, he managed to walk away with only minor cuts and bruises. police say the suspect was trying to run down his ex-

girlfriend. a florida police officer will probably think twice before taking his eyes off the road. an officer leans down to grab a pen. moments later, his cruiser crashes into a pole. and somehow, he ends up like this. firefighters managed to stabilize the car. no one was hurt. witnesses are still walking about the crash that killed four army aviators. richard tomlin reports from the army base where it happened. >> i saw the thing come over these trees. and i saw it come down on that angle. an angle like it was coming towards the ground. >> reporter: mark lindsey believes he was witnessing the deadly crash of two army helicopters. he was driving down the road, near jblm, when he heard and saw strange flashing lights and heard a strange mechanical noise. >> very strange, yes. >> that you could be witnessing this and could be killed.

>> reporter: the bodies were removed from the scene this morning. jblm soldiers were keeping the site secure, until investigators arrived. they remember were determined to figure out why. and the top priority, caring for the dead soldiers' families. >> any time you lose one soldier, you're losing one too many. >> reporter: just down the road, people down the town of rainier, consider jblm in their backyard. >> and god bless those who have sacrificed their lives, you know? >> reporter: an investigation into the cause of the accident could take up to a year. still ahead on eyewitness news. >> open to the public. i'm mike hellgren at mceldon square. occupy baltimore protestors are gone. but i'll tell you what is ,,,,

[ male announcer ] are you paying more and more for cable and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement. it's an amazing holiday deal. but don't wait. it's only available for a limited time. so go to verizon.com/superoffer to sign up. act now and we'll add a special bonus -- $300 back. fios delivers the best picture quality, plus america's fastest, most consistent most reliable internet.

spend the holidays saving money. switch to fios and get our best price online -- just $79.99 a month for two years with a 2 year agreement when you order online. save $840 in your first two years. and don't forget your special bonus -- $300 back. hurry, offer ends soon. go to verizon.com/superoffer. contact the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's verizon.com/superoffer. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead.

coming up on wjz eyewitness news. evicted but not silenced. strong opinions on the mayor's decision to raid occupy baltimore. what's happening at mceldon square tonight. what happened in the minutes before an officer used pepper spray at a baltimore county high school, sending some students to the hospital. i'm derek valcourt. new details coming up on eyewitness news. >> a controversial plan that includes closing some rec centers in baltimore. i'm adam may. city officials now try to clear

the air. what is their long-term plan? that's coming up. and get ready for some rain. how wet will it get? don't miss the updated first warning weather forecast. check in for these stories and all the day's breaking news. >> wjz eyewitness news at 6:00 starts now. moving the movement. occupy baltimore struggles to find a permanent home after police raid an eviction. >> where the demonstrators are tonight, and what's happening now at mceldon square. hello, everybody. i'm denise koch. >> and i'm vic carter. here's what people are talking about tonight. occupy baltimore is out but not down. vowing to rebuild after their eviction. some are happy to see