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station. >> a major gas main break, crews strike a line, leaving hundreds without heat. >> today when crews expect to have it fixed. >> good afternoon, i am don scott. >> i am jessica kartalija. >> here is what people are talking about today, the hundreds of family still without natural gas service right now after crews hit a big gasoline in southwest baltimore yesterday. wjz and monique griego are live with more on the efforts to get the gas back on. good afternoon. >> reporter: good afternoon, don. and good afternoon, everyone. families in this area have been without gas service for more than a day. as you can see crews are working non-stop to get things repaired but the gas probably won't be turned back on until tomorrow at the earliest. sky eye chopper 13 is over a public utility nightmare in southwest baltimore. >> bge is also digging in an area south of the shopping center. >> reporter: it started around 2:30 wednesday morning. the crew was working on a water main when a piece of asphalt fell on a gasoline and broke

it. 900 homes lost gas service. resident amanda dudley lives in one of them. she has water and electricity but no heat and two sick children. >> it is terrible. my house is freezing. i had to buy electric heaters. it is terrible. >> natural gas is volatile and the process of repair is delicate. >> damage occurred to our gas main, as a result of that it has gotten water into it so we have for get that water out. you can't have water in a gas main. >> 100 residents also lost water service but it has been restored. before the utility can repair the gas line they have to go inside each building to shut off the gas. >> that is a la bore intensive process. we have people going door to door so we can get access. >> so far they have reached less than 600 homes. they are working on finishing the rest and hope to have repairs done today but it will still take time. >> once we make repairs we will go back and reintroduce gas at

each building and have to relight each aappliance at each of the buildings. >> a few seconds ago we did speak with a representative. we do have an update. she told us the repairs are fixed. now what they have to do is flush the system then go house by house and trp turn the gas service back on to each of those individual buildings. that is going to take some time and they are hoping to have that done by tomorrow. >> once the gas does come back crews will still have to check each home's natural gas appliances to see if they have got water in them and if they do customers will have to pay to have those repaired. >> the defense is expected to tick over today in the murder trial of george huguely, he is accused of killing his ex- girlfriend yeardly love of cockysville two years ago. wjz is live in charlottesville, adam may has

this report. >> reporter: yeah, prosecutors have appeared to save some of their best testimony for last in this case as they are beginning to wrap it up. all morning long we have heard from a number of uva lacrosse players, many were close friends with george huguely, some of them roommates and going through his access in the hours leading up to yeardly love's death, found dead in her apartment back in may of 2010. these lacrosse players taking the stand are all testifying that huguely was very intoxicated in the hours leading up to yeardly love's death. one of them also said that huguely was, irritated with his father over a graduation gift that he called, a scam sat a restaurant. george huguely was spilling wine, making a scene in the hours leading up to tragic death. after george huguely disappeared for a brief period of time when prosecutors alleged he was at yeardly love's amount. he came back to an apartment filled with his uva lacrosse

friends and they say he seemed to have a change in demeanor, one of the friends asked him what was wrong and he said nothing. they asked a couple of more times and got no response then they say huguely walked down to the bathroom. stripped-down to this boxer shorts, with the door open and went back his room and closed the door and no one heard from him the rest of the night until hours later when police showed up and arrested him in the death of yeardly love. the defense is taking over probably later on this afternoon. a very intense trial. lots of emotion. you can only imagine what it is like in the courtroom with huguely there and his friends on the stand giving prosecutors good material to work with. back to you. >> please stay with wjz as this murder trial continues we will bring you the latest on air and online. >> the city has signed a new 5

year deal with another promoter to put on the grand prix. and gee andrea fujii has the details. >> reporter: good afternoon. the mayor made the new deal public today. in a press conference she said down force racing has the racial and financial management experience needed to make the event work in baltimore. earlier this ye the city terminated with baltimore racing development, after the group failed to pay $1.5 million owed to the city. this new deal includes protections to ensure the city receives the money it is owed. >> i think it is in the best interests for our local economy, and the city, that we move forward but move forward without any risks to taxpayers. >> that final contract with down force racing will be presented to the board of estimates next week. >> back in the newsroom a study finds the inaugural grd prix last year generated $47 million for the city. >> congress hopes to send president obama legislation to

renew the payroll tax cut by the end of this week, details of an agreement to extend the tax cuts cut through the end of the year will go through today. it will extend it for 160 million amerans. maryland same sex marriage bill is also one step closer to passing. last night two house committees passed the bill. that means the legislation moves on to the full house of delegates, where they are expected to vote tomorrow. it is still not clear if the bill has enough support in the house to pass. a similar bill died in the house last year. >> new details this noon about whitney houston's funeral. a grammy award winning singer will give her eulogy. here is our report. >> reporter: the rain could not keep her fans from the memorial. >> she was a beautiful person. beautiful voice. no one will ever be able to

replace her. >> reporter: funeral services for the late singer will be held at this church on saturday. gospel singer and pastor marvin winans will give the eulogy. >> it didn't ta you long to find out she was still that little girl from new jersey. >> reporter: he was a close friend of the superstar and recalled the last time he performed with her on stage. >> we sang together i go to the rock and it is that rock of salvation, that rock, that faith that we have in jesus that sustains us during times like this. >> knee 48-year-old houston was found in the bathtub of her beverly hills hotel room. they are waiting for toxicology results to find out what killed her. her family has asked for privacy and her fans understand. >> if this is the only way for us to grieve and mourn, then

that is why i am here. >> many are still holding out hope for a public memorial. >> houston will likely be interred at the same cemetery where her father is buried. >> a nice and warm day. take a live look outside, the usual chill of winter noise where to found. i think it is still chilly out there but i don't know. >> not for february. >> okay. but you know, i mean, let's not get carried away here. >> i have not got my speedy on but u don't have long underwear on either. >> okay. thank you. >> -- guy -- >> thank you for the visual. let's start with bird. we can use that as our guide. here are the temperatures we are dealing with right now at noon. this why we are saying warm for february standards, the ample is average is up to 45 but we are already 41 and going up, 45

westminster, 46 bellaire, 51 in columbia. storms moving our way over the next few days, for the first one we are going to send it out to marty in the outback. >> than you very much, bern. a most pleasant afternoon and take a look at the graphic i will show you why. we are in between weather systems, kind of a time out if you will. let's show you on radar indeed an arof low pressure gathering moisture and got a little bit of umphf to it. because of that low there is a multi state snow event. once again we are on the outside looking in. here it is just gray skies and rain tomorrow but take a look at how many people are going to be dealing with a bit of winter weather as we move into late february. but not us and that is a good thing. meteorologist bernadette woods talk about not only tomorrow's weather but maybe a little more weather trend getting here this weekend and those details shortly. now we throw it back inside.

>> local watermen should be feeling good today. a fall survey says oysters have hit a 92% survival rate. the highest number since 1997. the department says lower salt levels have helped rid the bay of the diseases that have killed oysters in the past. >> still to come, flames ripped through a honduras prison, hundreds killed there, what survives are saying. >> and they are getting blasted by deadly winter snow. >> and here not a flake in sight. your complete updated first warning weather forecast is next. >> complete coverage continues with don scott, jessica kartalija, and first warning weather with marty bass and meteor,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

hundreds of prisoners are dead after a blaze breaks out in a jail in honduras, surviving prisoners say they were asleep and woke to the screams of their fellow inmates, it is still unclear how it started some 3500 prisoners were transported to a hospital with burns, before dawn today family members were gathering in front of the jail demanding to know if their

loved ones survived. >> iran revealed they have taken two major steps toward mastering the production of nuclear fuel. the west suspects their nuclear program is aimed atproducing atomic weapons, a charge the country denied. >> heavy snow fall continues to blanket eastern europe, burying some people inside their homes. a man in romania dug for hours to uncover his home from the snow. the cold snap has killed hundreds of people all across europe as temperatures in some countries have plummeted to nearly minus 40 degrees. >> that is unbelievable. there is a is a new top

dog. malachi the pekinese won. >> stick around your complete first warning weather forecast now just two and a half minutes away. >> first here is a look at today's midday stocks and last night winning lottery numbers. ,

now, your weather, complete forecast and the first warning of severe weather. >> welcome back, everybody. the sun has returned and we are warming up. it is 51 degrees in baltimore right now. look at all these 50s out there. and remember our average high is on the rise but it is still on 45 degrees. we are going up from here this afternoon. now the wince have turned around to the northwest and usually that brings in a cooler air for us. in this case there is just not a lot of cooler air where that wind is coming from, out west though colder air is making its way in that will factor into our forecast down the line but a couple of storms before we get to that. the first one tomorrow, we get a break today from yesterday's storm but the clouds come in tonight. we are going to see rain and drizzle from this storm right here during the day tomorrow. we are chose to 50 degrees though so this is in the form of rain. this will get out of here on friday and when it does we are

going to see still mild air around before the next storm comes our way over the weekend. that one over the weekend is a little bit different. it will be coming across the south and the big question is does it kit up or cut through the virginias and tennessee and clip us along the way but all the while if it takes that southern thrak we will be on the colder side and rain-snow mix is possible so we will be watching it and keepyou updated over the next couple of days, today though none of those issues, going up to 56 degrees, tonight the clouds come back in. we are still at freezing at 32. then tomorrow we go right back up, up to 49 with rain and drizzle around, we are going to take you through that five-day- forecast with marty in just a bit here. >> looking forward to it. still to come clearing up sinus infections how doctors say you can treat them on your

on. >> here ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

in today's wjz health watch as many as 20% of antibiotic prescriptions are for treating sinus inferkses but there is serious doubt now about whether they really work. a study published in the journal of the american medical association found that antibiotics do not clear up a

sinus infection any better than a placebo, they suggest treating symptoms instead and allowing patients to get better on their own. >> check back with us at 4:00, 5:00 and 6:00. the latest on repairs to a gas main break affecting hundreds in southwest baltimore. the defense is expected to begin its case in the george huguely murder trial. highlights of the testimony. join us for these stories and the breaking news at 4:00, right after dr. phil. >> please stay with medicare. it doesn't cover everything. and what it doesn't cover can cost you some money. that's why you should consider an aarp... medicare supplement insurance plan... insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. all medicare supplement insurance plans can help pay... some of what medicare doesn't, so you could save... thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses. call now for this free information kit and medicare guide. if you're turning 65 or you're already on medicare... you should know about this card --

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all right. now, this is what i am talking about, bern sitting in the studio wishing beyond hope for help with her twins and a snow storm and i am wishing for a couple of things to help them out children hanging out on that ticki bar at 82 degrees. >> open, open, vibe. >> let's take a look at the five-day-forecast. tomorrow we are going to have rain then low 50s with calm weather and sunday we do have to watch we could see snow showers and report on this over the next couple of days. should not be any big snow ma get in, monday clear it out 44 degrees now throw it back inside to the snow queen and her palace. >> we will meet you down there. >> don't miss the primetime

line up. at 10:00 the original csi followed by eyewitness news at 11:00. >> i should say i love snow when you are skiing on it. >> when you can go skiing then. >> okay. i will ski right down broadway at ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,