the governor to sign the bill into law. opponents in the state have been virtually -- supporters and opponents in the state have been virtually split on the issue, allowing same-sex couples to marry. at this point, they've taken one giant step in that direction. >> reporter: maryland becomes the 8th state to legalize same- sex marriage. >> i'm honored to be able to sign the marriage equality bill today. what we are showing, through the passage of this bill, is that as marylanders, we understand that we can protect religious freedom and rights equally under the law. >> reporter: now that the bill is signed, it is out of the politics and onto the polls. md petitions, the group that spearheaded the group for undocumented students that will appear on the ballot this november. will now have a referendum. >> for whatever reason, the

governor is pushing this beyond what they're ready to do. i think when it goes to ballot, the marylanders will say, just like every other state, are we going to keep marriage one man and one woman? those states resounded with a yes, and i think maryland will, too. >> so the two sides clash again. >> i feel like our lives are not an "american idol" contest. i don't think the validation of our family's responsibility should be put up to a vote. >> reporter: but it appears that's where it's headed. >> reporter: there were a couple of conditions that had to be met in order for the bill to be passed in the senate. one was to protect religious liberties. the other was to delay the bill from coming into law until january 1st, to allow for a referendum and any legal challenges that might come out of that referendum before same- sex couples begin to marry in the state of maryland. once again, we're expecting any minute, the governor, the senate president, and the

speaker of the house, to sign that bill into law. reporting live from the state house, i'm pat warren. now, back to you. >> thank you so much. and we will have much more on tonight's bill signing and reaction, coming up all new at 6:00. more fallout tonight, for state senator ulysses currie, according to our baltimore media partner, the baltimore sun, currie has been removed from two important committees. it is all part of his punishment, decided by his colleagues, after an ethics pag decided he should disclose income. the notorious alcoholic drink, four loko, has been linked to two deaths in maryland. some say the government is not going far enough to warn about its legal potency. mike hellgren investigates the criticism. mike? >> reporter: kai, the manufacturer took caffeine out of four loko. but some, including maryland's attorney general, say it's still too strong with alcohol.

and he would like to see the portion size downsize said. >> reporter: it's nicknamed blackout in a can. and the furor over four loko has reached a fevered pitch. saying a settlement with the maker over its packaging and marketing doesn't go far enough to regulate the drink. four loko gained notoriety, over several deaths in maryland, including that of courtney spery in 2010. >> she blacked out within 30 minutes of having the alcoholic beverage. >> and 30-year-old michael trulock. >> it could have been any of these children out here. >> reporter: the government will mandate labels, saying it contains the same amount of alcohol as 4 1/2 beers. they're also requiring resealable cans. but critics, including attorneys general in more than 30 states, led by maryland's doug gansler, wrote the ftc, calling four loko, disarmingly sweet, eye-catching cans,

normalizing and promoting binge drinking, especially among youth. >> i think it's inherently dangerous among children. >> they want the agency to limit containers to no more than two servings of alcohol. >> reporter: while they say it is a recipe for disaster. the ftc says there is little more that the agency can do. >> but they can't limit the size. >> i think what needs to be done is parents needle to talk to their kids about underaged drinking and stop blaming this particular drink. >> reporter: now, the makers of four loko say they do not market to underaged drinkers. they could not comment on the terms of this ftc settlement. reporting live in hamden, mike hellgren, wjz eyewitness news. >> the ftc will make a final decision on four loko regulations sometime later this year. a baltimore man is convicted in the brutal killing of a standoff high school student. vic is in the newsroom with details of the jury's decision. >> reporter: jurors find daunte perry guilty.

jason madison was killed inside his aunt's east baltimore home. prosecutors say perris showed up at the house. his handprint was found in the teen's blood on a bedroom door. the killing happened just after perish is freed from prison in another murder case, with the help of the innocence project. mary, back to you. >> thank you. perish will be sentenced on april 3rd. he maintains that an unknown man is responsible for the murder. mystery continues to shroud maryland's largest public university. the president of umuc is placed on administrative leave, without any explanation to the faculty and 90,000 students who use the online university worldwide. wjz is live. derek valcourt with the latest from the head of the university's system. >> reporter: even though the umuc president has been placed on leave, and no one will say why, wjz has learned that she will still continue to collect her paycheck. >> welcome to the university of maryland, university college.

>> susan aldridge is considered a national leader in online higher education. since 2006, she's been president at umuc, headquartered in college park. the school claims to be the world's fastest-growing virtual campus. >> we are now today, the largest state university in the united states, with 94,000 students. >> reporter: in a stunning announcement to umuc staff last week, the head of the system, chancellor william kerwin announced aldridge had been placed on indefinite leave, offering no explanation. thursday afternoon, kerwin still guarded details. >> i can't tell you anything that i've already said. she's on leave, for an indefinite period of time. and javier harris is the acting president. and that's all i can say at this moment. when i can be more forth coming, i will be. but i just cannot be at this time. >> reporter: here at their location in largo, prince george's county, faculty and staff are also being very tight-

lipped about aldridge's departure. >> she's on paid leave. >> reporter: kerwin acknowledges that for now, aldridge will continue to collect her $306,000 salary, while that indefinite leave continues. >> in a letter to faculty and staff, chancellor kerwin says it could be weeks. he says the management team, serving under aldridge will continue to push on in her place. derek valcourt, wjz eyewitness news. >> board members have also declined to discussald ridge's- - discuss aldridge's departure. another round of violence could hit the country. as people are reeling from a deadly line of tornadoes. more on the latest on the cleanup efforts. >> reporter: the thick, brick walls of st. joe's catholic church, were no match for the 200-mile-an-hour winds that roared through. >> history in god's hands have took care of it all of these years. and i guess it was time.

>> martha's father and grandfather helped build the church. it's weathered many storms. today, they presented with one of the building's bricks. >> i've got a brick from st. joe's church, which i'm going to cherish the rest of my life. >> reporter: church members are rebuilding. wednesday's tornado left both of them untouched. >> reporter: cold, rocky mountain air, collided warm midwestern weather. they stretched from kansas to tennessee. and over a period of 24 hours, killed at least 12 people and injured hundreds. the largest, an ef4, leveled much of harrisburg, illinois. an ef2 tornado hit the country music mecca of branson, missouri. residents credit the 35-minute warning from a radar technology called dual polarization. it sends out both hor hor

horizontal and vertical pulses. >> we're going to know that that is a tornado. >> reporter: 34 are in place nationwide. and 160 will be by year's end. residents hope they won't need the warning. >> and believe it or not, today is the traditional start of the tornado season. but the united states has already had more than 120 tornadoes in 2012. that is more than double the normal number. in maryland, temperatures are above normal. wjz found people taking advantage of the weather. an incredible first day of march. it feels like april as we take a look outside. let's check in with meteorologist tim williams and bob turk, they're tracking our updated continues. -- conditions. bob? >> it's going to be a very fickle month. yeah, believe it or not. we've had big snowstorms at the end of the -- of march.

60 degrees. winds out of the negotiate today. shifted a little. temperature-wise, most areas still in the mid- to upper 50s to the low 60s right now. 54 up in elkton. 46, ocean city. and a little cooler in oakland, at 44. tomorrow will be a nice day, until late in the day. some more clouds and a chance of showers by evening. and a better chance late tomorrow night into saturday morning of some more showers. and then it will clear out. so there's more rain on the way. speaking of rain, tim has a look at the upgraded, new rainfall numbers that just came in. tim? >> well, we went into the end of february. actually, about two and a half inches down for the year. and after yesterday's record rainfall at bwi marshall, we took a big chunk out of that number. our normal for this time of year, just around 6 inches. 5.95. so far this year, we've had only 5 inches. it is just under an inch, just

a skosh. yeah, that's a meteorological term. yesterday was a record for that date. of course, not that many february 29ths around. but for that date, 1.64 is an actual record. and we hit that yesterday. we'll talk about how warm this winter has been so far. bob has the complete updated first warning forecast coming up. don't let this will beautiful weather fool you. we are not in the clear when it comes to the flu. although we have largely avoided seasonal influenza, doctors are reporting the jump this week in the stomach flu, which is caused by different viruses. and you can remain contagious, up to two weeks after you recover from that stomach flu. so doctors are warning everybody to be extra vigilant about hand washing. it went through my house. but only one of us caught it. so we were washing hands like crazy. still ahead at 5:00. wjz is live in annapolis, as we

wait for governor o'malley to sign the same-sex marriage bill into law. we'll continue to bring you the latest. government versus religion. why the fight over white house birth control policy still isn't over. students are going back to the scene of a school shooting in ohio. there's something unexpected, creating a stir among lawmakers on capitol hill. i'm weijia jiang. i'll tell you why it has everything to do with mustaches. that story up next. it fits her quite well. fantastic way to welcome a new month. but can this gorgeous weather last through the weekend? bob has the updated first warning forecast. ,,,,

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we continue to follow the breaking news in annapolis. governor o'malley has just signed the same-sex bill into law. it is officially called the marriage protection act of

2012. let's go live to annapolis. right now, you see the governor. you see senate president mike miller and also speaker bush. right there. the support is obviously behind him. as you know, this battle according to opponents of the same-sex marriage bill is not over. they want to take this matter to a referendum before voters. we will see if they get the petitions to do that. but once again, governor martin o'malley has signed this. maryland becomes the 8th state in the nation to sign such a bill into law. the battle over contraceptives and insurance plays out today. democrats have defeated an effort to knock down part of president obama's healthcare reform at. >> 48, the motion to table is agreed to. >> reporter: the senate keeps the senate birth control coverage in president obama's

healthcare reform law. lawmakers rejected a law that would have given insurers the opt to pay if employers reject on religious or moral grounds. >> if you are of faith that something is absolutely wrong, as an employer, why would you want to pay for that? >> reporter: but democrats claim that the amendment would, in effect, allow insurers to exclude almost anything. >> now, mr. blunt is giving insurance companies a way to say, oh, we really feel sorry that you have cancer, we're really sad that you have diabetes. we're really torn apart that you might have a stroke. but you know what? we have a moral objection. >> reporter: the vote was not entirely along party lines. one republican, retiring olympia snow of maine, voted against the proposal. three democrats voted for it. >> reporter: both sides intend to use thesh to their political advantage this election year. >> this issue will not go away

unless the administration decides to take it away, by giving people of faith these first amendment protections. >> reporter: we will make sure that women across the country are aware of what republicans in the senate propose to do. >> reporter: a recent cbs news new york times poll found 61% of americans support requiring employers and insurance companies to cover the cost of contraception. randall pink pinkston, wjz eyewitness news. >> the president's healthcare plan originally called for all employers to cover the cost of birth control. after hearing objections from lawmakers, he reworked the policy, requiring insurance companies to pick up the cost if employers object. if you're waiting for someone to get home from work, let's check on our roads here. here's kristy breslin. >> hi, mary. hi, everyone. another difficult day for the harrisburg expressway. we're watching an accident at shawan road. that has traffic pretty much heavy back to the beltway. the left lane is blocked. also, southbound 29, we have a tractor-trailer fire that's right past 70 that will

definitely catch your eye. slowing from wilkens to security boulevard. about a 25-minute delay. north side inner loop, expect another 15 minutes there, from york road to the perring park way. and the outer loop, 25 minutes from harford road to charles street. northbound 95, still brake lights to watch for eastern past the beltway. and an accident howard at west mulberry. let's now take a live look. as you can see, on the right- hand side of the screen. traffic slow there because of that accident. this traffic report is brought to you by pizza bolis. stop in today and try two medium one-topping pizzas, only at pizza bolis. >> i was going to ask kai. we'll ask you in a second. >> okay. >> should men receive tax breaks for their mustaches? >> yes. >> yes. >> and bob. there saturday other one. the unusual issue is raising eyebrows among lawmakers tonight. >> they both have bushy

eyebrows, too. weijia jiang explains how a maryland congressman is at the center of this facial hair controversy. >> reporter: this congressman is very well known for his mustache. but tonight he is denying all claims that he ever supported a proposal that would give tax breaks to people who grew facial hair hoovment. he is calling it ridiculous. >> reporter: he sported this bushy mustache since 1950. but it got him into a hairy situation. ♪ [ music ] the american mustache institute, or ami, is lobbying for a tax break. it would give those with hair on their lip $250 a year, for grooming expenses. >> reporter: ami's so-called chairman tells wjz, the congressman initially supported the stache act but then backed

out. >> i think you have people trying to cover their back side. >> after opponents blasted him for it. >> i think we have other issues that are a little more important than facial hair. >> reporter: bartlett's attorney says the congressman is definitely pro-stache, but he never, ever, ever supported the act. >> government does not do enough for those with mustaches. >> reporter: the ami promotes mustaches for two main reasons. they say it is good for the environment because it keeps hair out of landfills. they also say it makes everyone better looking. >> how do the ladies like your stache? >> they love it. that's why i keep it. >> reporter: of course the stash is nothing new. the handsome, the distinguished, the local, the fictional have all worn one. even the real deal guy. >> i was actually born with this. >> reporter: but some say they would never do it, not even for cash. >> no, a mustache doesn't pay

my bills. >> reporter: i talked to a lot of ladies today who say they felt left out by the stash act. but the guys over there say no worries. if it were ever passed, the way it is written would also cover waxing. so you know, we're all included, mary. >> weijia, i had it upside down. >> that's okay. it's hard to grow one so fast. >> hard to talk with this thing. all right. i am going to take it off to read this tag, though, weijia. thank you. the institute chairman is also the head of a public relations firm. partnered with a tax firm for a mustache march from the capital to the white house. marchers will, of course, all have a stash. >> marchers unite. with your mustaches. >> with a true, faux or the real thing. are these the real thing? >> march madness early. that's what it is. let's take a look at temperatures right now. still mild. upper 50s to the low 60s.

north/northwest winds. we'll come back and take a look at the weekend coming up after this. ,, what's the matter? uh, trouble with a car insurance claim. ah, claim trouble. [ dennis ] you should just switch to allstate, and get their new claim satisfaction guarantee. hey, he's right man. [ dennis ] only allstate puts their money where their mouth is. yup. [ dennis ] claim service so good, it's guaranteed. [ foreman ] so i can always count on them. unlike randy over there. that's one dumb dude. ♪ the new claim satisfaction guarantee. dollar for dollar, nobody protects you like allstate. i'm carol. and this is my cvs pharmacist. i found out i had cancer. diabetes. i had a heart attack. so, i needed help with my medications.

because mixing them... can be dangerous. not with maria around. not with pete. not with nakea. alerting you to potential drug interactions. another reason to transfer your prescriptions today. ♪ i'm sue, and i bring all my prescriptions to my cvs. and enjoying it less and less? stop paying for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for an incredible price: just $89.99 a month for two years with a two-year agreement.

it's an amazing deal, but it's for a limited time only. so don't wait. want to save even more? call right now and we'll add a special bonus: $300 back. unlike cable, fios delivers a 100% fiber-optic network to your home. get america's fastest, most consistent, most reliable internet, plus the best tv picture quality, and more hd. why keep paying so much for cable? switch to fios for just $89.99 a month for two years with a two-year agreement. save $600 in your first two years. and don't forget your special bonus: $300 back. hurry, offer ends march 3rd. call 1.877.827.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.877.827.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v. fios. a network ahead. what a beautiful, beautiful start to the month of march, which, as i mentioned, can be a very fickle month. it can be lion-like or lamb like. today, very much like a lamb.

take a look at temperatures right now. still beautiful. 64 here in washington. it is quite a bit cooler. oakland at 44. ocean cities, winds off the ocean there. it's only 46 degrees. locally, cooler to the north. warmer to the south. 54, 55. and low 60s down by the bay. the winds have just turned to the north. actually, a weak front has gone through the area. the few high clouds and middle clouds. and tonight will be generally clearing out. but it will be clearing out last night. that's for sure. 8-mile-an-hour winds in easton. a weak front, you can't even see it. but there are clouds across the maryland pennsylvania border. snows in the west. new england was still snowing from that storm we had all of that nice rain from. 1 to 2 inches of rain across the region. next system will start developing to the south and west of us. also, a couple of impulses to the west. will bring a chance of for shower -- more showers by tomorrow evening into saturday. still snowing right now. new york state, maine, in through boston as well.

almost to the long island sound. it's that much cooler, up to the north of the region. now, high pressure over our area. nice night tonight. then low pressure in the front, approaching from the west, friday night and saturday. then it clears out late in the day on saturday. and sunday, looks like a partly cloudy but will start turning cooler this weekend. east winds on the bay, around 5 knots. not that strong. start bringing in moisture off the ocean. bay temp around 46. tonight, a few clouds. but generally clear later on. and back in the mid-30s. normal lows, 29. 59 determine. maybe -- 59 tomorrow. maybe showers by evening on your friday. and showers into saturday morning as well. >> all right, bob. thank you. still ahead at 5:00. the nightmare vacation is over. cruise passengers arrive on dry land. hear their incredible story. three days stranded at sea. it's happening again. why bank of america is considering new fees and how much customers could be asked to pay this time. home invasion. an 82-year-old shot in his own home, by his own gun.

i'm andrea fujii in severn. how you can help police find the gunman. that's just ahead. ,,,,,,,, [ male announcer ] for some reason

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it is 5:30. 60 degrees and mainly sunny. good evening, everybody. and thank you for staying with wjz eyewitness news. we have an update to the breaking news from annapolis. minutes ago, maryland makes history. governor martin o'malley signs the same-sex marriage bill, making maryland the 8th state to legalize gay unions.

the law is scheduled to take effect in january of next year. but opponents to the bill are already collecting signatures to put the measure on the november ballot for voters to decide. referendum organizers have three months to collect 56,000 signatures. wjz will have the latest on this breaking news coming up live at 6:00. an 82-year-old man is recovering tonight after he was shot by a burglar. wjz is live. andrea fujii has more on the investigation. andrea? >> reporter: well, kai, the elderly man is still in the hospital tonight. and is expected to make a full recovery. meanwhile, his neighbors have their guards up. sleepy hollow road in severn really is just that. neighbors call it quiet and peaceful. for early wednesday morning, police say someone broke into this house on the 1300 block, waking up the 82-year-old man who has lived here for decades. >> every time i ride down the street, he waves and everything. and i wave back to him.

he seems like a very nice guy. >> reporter: police say the homeowner grabbed his gun and got into a scuffle with the burglar. >> that's when he was shot in the lower extremity. the suspect then fled. >> the victim was taken to the hospital, shot and then fled. neighbors say they are taking notice of anyone out of place. >> most of the time, we do ask them, do you need help? in we see strange char -- cars. >> reporter: neighbors say they saw a strange vehicle in the area. a dark-colored chevy truck with large wheels. police now want to find that truck. >> police report sure if the homeowner was targeted, but say they'll have patrols in the area. still, residents are being extra cautious. >> stayed up all night, left the lights on and everything. >> reporter: and police described the suspect as an 18- to 20-year-old man, about 6 feet tall. reporting live, andrea fujii, wjz eyewitness news. >> andrea, thank you.

anyone with information is asked to call anne arundel county police. >> late today, prosecutors filed charges against an ohio teenager of the school shooting that killed three students. denise is in the newsroom with details for us. >> well, mary, 17-year-old t.j. lane is facing three juvenile counts of aggravated murder for the deaths of three classmates. he is accuse the of -- accused of opening fire monday. the juvenile charges means that he would only get a few years in prison if convicted. but the prosecutor may still try lane as an adult. meanwhile, hundreds of students marched back into the school today, in a show of solidarity for the victims. classes are set to resume there tomorrow. >> if lane is tried as an adult and found guilty, he could face life in prison. >> two more u.s. troops are shot to death today in afghanistan. the military believes afghan soldiers turned their weapons against the american troops. a third u.s. service member was hurt in that attack. six americans, including major

robert marchanti of baltimore, have now been killed in the days since copies of the koran were accidentally burned at a nato base. the u.s. says the korans were burned with trash by mistake. and multiple officials, including president obama, have apologized. the disabled costa alegra is finally pulled ashore, after drifting for three days in the indian ocean. passengers and crews say they are relieved to be back on land. tina kraus reports for wjz with their stories. >> reporter: passengers made their way off the crippled cruise ship on the island nation of safe shell. they spent three days at sea with no running water and no air conditioning. >> the heat is unbearable. so we had to spend most of our nights on the top deck of the ship. >> reporter: the programs began monday when a fire broke out in the costa alegra's engine room. passengers prepare to abandon ship while the crew battled the blaze. >> we all went to our sections. and there was a point where we thought we were going to have to lower the boats.

>> reporter: the crew managed to put out the fire. but the ship was stalled. a french fishing boat worked to restore it for days. food supplies were low. all they had to eat were cold sand witches -- sandwiches. and helicopters dropped in fresh water. >> it's just a matter of inconvenience. not having enough food. not being able to rest well at night. >> reporter: the ship's captain says it is too early to tell what caused the fire. >> gauze there -- because there is always an investigation in progress. >> reporter: this is the second disaster at sea in just over a month for costa cruise lines, which is owned by florida-based carnival. in january, the costa conord co- - concordia hit rocks and sank. 25 people died in the disaster, including seven who are still missing. tina kraus, wjz eyewitness news. >> the costa concordia and costa alegra are both owned by florida-based carnival. the fbi is investigating a

potential crime aboard a different cruise ship. a canadian woman has disappeared. her boyfriend says he last saw her early wednesday morning at the gift shop. the ship's crew says they have not seen a sign of her. the coast guard is also scouring a 900-acre area. being the first to report the anthony weiner scandal last summer. reps for brightbart say he passed away unexpectedly of natural causes just before midnight. he was the original coeditor of the drudge report and helped start the huffington post. president obama and the candidates vying to replace imare on the campaign trail. the president is on the road, touting his record and raising money. >> reporter: president obama checked out the engines at a new hampshire community college auto lab. the president says on his watch, fuel efficiency and oil

are up. >> under my administration, america is producing more oil today than at any time in the last eight years. >> reporter: but the republican presidential candidates are quick to point out that gas prices are on the rise. >> this is a president who does not understand energy. he is the problem. he is not the solution. it is time to get him out of office. >> mitt romney and the other gop candidates are hitting the states that will vote on super tuesday. contests that will help decide who faces president obama in the fall. >> whoever becomes a republican nominee will need money. and a lot of it. after his trip to new hampshires president obama arrives here in new york city, where he's headlining four fundraisers. >> reporter: supporters are paying up to $35,000 to meet the president. overall, his re-election campaign is expected to raise around $1 billion. romney has shown he can raise campaign cash. but the other candidates lagged far behind. rick santorum says trying to outspend president obama will be a losing strategy.

>> good luck doing that in the general election. it's not a winning formula. what's a winning formula is, having better ideas, motivating the base of the republican party. >> reporter: outside groups, called super packs, that can give unlimited cash have been helping the candidates wage their primary battle. president obama has one supporting him, too. in new york, ines ferre, wjz eyewitness news. >> a new gallup poll shows that republicans are more likely than democrats to be enthusiastic about voting this year. they may have dropped the debit card fee. but now, bank of america is considering charging customers for checking accounts. the experimental fees will affect customers in arizona, massachusetts. amounts range. but there are several ways to avoid the charges. for example, customers who maintain a minimum balance would not have to pay. the university of maryland's baltimore and college park campuses will soon

be working together. the university of maryland system approved a plan today that would allow both to share resources and resources and combined program. the collaboration is known as university of maryland, empowering the state. it will also create a collaborative effort. and allows students to easily allow to vote on campuses. time now for a look at the baltimore sun. the annual guide to the spring arts and entertainment event. a preview of the college lacrosse action this week. and a review of new movies, including dr. seuss's the lorax. remember to look for the updated forecast, from wjz's first warning weather team. washington, d.c. is getting ready to celebrate 100 years, with its famous cherry blossom trees. and pink bloom season is right around the corner, thanks to this year a mild weather. >> in 1912, an incredible gift of 3,000 cherry blossom trees was bestowed on washington, d.c. by tokyo, japan.

the trees have we stood the test of time. >> cherry blossom trees symbolize, renewal. >> reporter: now, an unprecedented and once in a lifetime celebration of 100 years of blooming trees. >> they just wonderful. heavenly. heavenly wonderful. >> reporter: they announced the peak bloom days is earlier this year because of the mild winter. at least 70% of the trees are expected to be in full bloom from march 24th through march 31st. >> we go into bloom and it stays cool. we might get the 17 or 18 days. but if it gets hot, maybe seven or 10 days. the annual cherry blossom festival attracts about one million visitors each year. it runs until april 27th. but chances are, there will be no more blossoms by april 27th. >> the trees will still be there. >> but the pretty flowers, maybe not. >> that's right. still ahead on eyewitness

news. up close and personal. what happened after a grizzly bear charges a group of sightseers in a national park. i'm alex demetrick. coming up, fire season starts now in maryland. why it could burn hotter than normal, as eyewitness news continues. i'm bob turk. the first warning weather center. more showers to start the weekend. i'll have the exclusive first warning five-day forecast. and 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 an incredible price: just $89.99 a month for two years with a two-year agreement. it's an amazing deal, but it's for a limited time only. so don't wait. want to save even more? call right now and we'll add a special bonus: $300 back. unlike cable, fios delivers a 100% fiber-optic network to your home. get america's fastest, most consistent, most reliable internet, plus the best tv picture quality, and more hd. why keep paying so much for cable? switch to fios for just $89.99 a month for two years with a two-year agreement. save $600 in your first two years. and don't forget your special bonus: $300 back. hurry, offer ends march 3rd. call 1.877.827.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.877.827.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v.

if you think winter was mild. spring could threaten to heat up with wildfires. the danger is high this year, thanks to hurricane irene last year. >> damage from hurricane irene was hit with homes destroyed. >> all of a sudden, we heard boom! >> and power knocked out to hundreds of thousands. >> there's no water, no light. everything in the freezer and refrigerator, just got knacked out -- whacked out. >> reporter: but all of those trees that were removed was only a fraction of what irene knocked down in the woods. >> there's a lot more fuel available to burn this year than is typical. >> reporter: upping the risk of wildfires and numbers in size. large fires like this one, 10

years ago, in dorchester county, aren't typical. but deadfall will only get dryer in the months ahead. >> reporter: what makes spring fire season is weather in the days ahead. >> the sun is coming through the canopies. there are no leaves out. it warms the forest floor. and it makes it dryer. so the leaves are actually susceptible to spreading on fire. >> reporter: and spreading, creating hot -- hotter, more dangerous fires. sparks from outdoor burning are a real warning. >> that fire gets away from them. and it's out into the woods. and before you know it, you got a wildfire. >> reporter: alex demetrick, wjz eyewitness news. >> permits are required for outdoor burning, which come with betailed instructions on how to do it safely. >> we know conditions are dry and mild tonight, around maryland. it is the end of a sunny and unusually warm first day of march. let's check in with meteorologist tim williams and bob turk for a look at the next five days. we'll start with bob. >> reporter: beautiful start to the month. tomorrow, another warm one.

but it will probably shower by this time tomorrow evening. looks like, as more clouds move in. 36 to start. upper 50s. clouds on the increase. showers by evening. probably back in the low 50s. and looks like we'll see more showers. and maybe a thundershower here on saturday. tim has a look at that five-day forecast. tim? >> bob talked about tomorrow. let's take it out to the weekend. and the showers bob talked about will be earlier. they'll start to see clearing late in the day on saturday. temperatures expected to go up to about 58 degrees. look for 50 sunday. then a cooldown. temperatures finally dipping below the normal high. by then, the normal will be around 50 degrees. now, for your energy saver tip of the day. carbon monoxide is a silent killer. do not delay. carbon monoxide can rapidly lead to full inexacitation and death. if you experience serious symptoms, get medical attention immediately. for more information on how you can become an energy saver, scroll down the right-hand side

of the page and click on our special section. freedom for the american democracy workers in egypt tonight. we have video of them. the group was charged with organizing anti-government protests, using illegal funds. the arrest put billions of dollars in aid to at risk americans. two new orleans police officers are shot, after an early morning traffic stop turns into a gunfight. police say both officers are in stable condition, following surgery -- surgery. they say one of the suspects died at the scene. the other was taken to the hospital with nonlife- threatening jurisdiction. police have not said why the car was stopped. check in for eyewitness news at 6:00. for these stories and more, vic has a look at the preview. wjz will keep you updated on the story in annapolis. governor o'malley makes it official. airport security scrutiny. new at 6:00, what a maryland

lawmake wants to do about the controversial patdowns. check in for more on these stories and all the day's breaking news. it has been a baltimore staple for years. and now, the center club turns 50. monique griego has more on how it's managed to maintain its success. >> good morning. welcome to the senate club. >> reporter: it's known for its prestige and powerful clientele. >> it's very well established and very highly regarded. >> reporter: andre zumamatis has been with the club for 17 years. as maitre d', he makes sure the club lives up to its reputation as the premiere place for the city's players to meet. >> we're home to political leaders, community leaders, the financial services leaders. >> reporter: this year, the club is marking its 50th anniversary. these panoramic views are courtesy of its newest locations on the transamerica building downtown. >> when the center club first opened back in 1962, it broke away from the segregated clubs

of that time. >> reporter: we need to have a business person's club that will admit everybody and be open to everybody and really help transform the city of baltimore. >> reporter: president howard miller has seen the club change throughout the years, not only in decor, but also who it caters to. >> they are entrepreneurs who run their business, exactly what is happening here in the city of baltimore. >> reporter: miller says the club is seeing a spike in younger members. so he has no doubt these rooms will be a place where major decision are made for many years. >> reporter: all of that makes the city of baltimore a vibrant place. >> reporter: monique griego, wjz eyewitness news remember. >> and the club says even in hard economic times, it has managed to add new members. still ahead on eyewitness news. we'll check on the orioles and how they are progressing in spring training. stan has the latest from spring training in sarasota, florida, coming up. ,,,,,,

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the orioles are rounding out second week of spring training camp on florida's gulf coast. and stan saunders is not there. he's here. he is one member of the orioles pitching staff who may be looked upon in more ways than one. stan, i'm glad you're here.

>> hello, mary. let me tell you why. let's talk about the birds. fort wayne, indiana. and the old adage still sticks from way back then. that pitching is 75% of the game. with that said, in our masn on wjz orioles spring training report, pitchers make up over 50% of the birds' roster, down in sarasota, florida. maybe some nuggets will fall out of the bunch? who will respectively pull out the pen. he's now entering his 7th campaign as a birds reliever. he provides veteran leadership in the clubhouse. knowing this, not feeling it when it comes to showing the youngsters the way. >> i think all of us kind of have some sort of leadership quality, whether it's, you know, they have two or five or 10 years. i mean, we all kind of pick each other's brains. we all try to help each other

out. so we're all moving in the right direction. there's not maybe one key guy yet that has really stood out. i mean, there's some guys that definitely maybe have more ears than others. so -- you know, it's a position that, you know, i have no problem helping out at. >> last season, johnson went 6- 5, with nine saves. his e.r.a., 2.67. and he did finish second. in january, jim johnson signed himself a one-year contract. that's it for now. coming up next hour, the ravens' off season move under way. there are changes at the capital. as a member of the secondary is released. that's coming up new at 6:00. kai. >> stan, thank you. a runaway boulder traps a group of hikers on a mountain top. it rolled over one woman, breaking her leg. five others were strangded, including one person who appeared to be nursing his arm. the hikers were air-lifted off

the mountain. the extent of their injuries is unknown. close call for some tourists in alaska. take a look as they get a bit too close to some bears -- hikerless. watch as the bear comes close to them. the group said the bear was so close, they could feel him breathing down their backs. luckily, it only sniffed them and wandered away. no one was hurt. >> they are lucky. still to come tonight on wjz's eyewitness news. >> maryland makes history. i'm pat warren, live in annapolis, where governor o'malley signs a bill that changes the definition of marriage. but will it ever become law? that's ahead. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

coming up right now on wjz eyewitness news at 6:00. making history. governor martin o'malley makes same-sex marriage legal in maryland. but opponents vow to fight on. sudden departure. the history of umuc and its top officer. i'm derek valcourt. that is coming up. the furor over four loko. i'm mike hellgren. it contains as much alcohol as almost five beers. now maryland's attorney general is saying, a government settlement doesn't go far enough to regulate the beverage. >> what a way to start the month of march. look at that sun. stick around for the updated first warning forecast. >> again, our african sunset. lion king. check in for these stories

and all the day's breaking news. >> wjz eyewitness news at 6:00 starts now. history, same-sex marriage. now legal in maryland. >> and the bill is signed. >> whoo! >> tonight, opponents vow to fight on. what happens next? >> hello, everyone. i'm vic carter. >> and i'm denise koch. here's what people are talking about tonight. >> maryland makes history, becoming only the 8th state to legalize same-sex marriage. just a few short hours ago, governor martin o'malley signed the bill into law. pat warren with more. >> reporter: a sweet moment for same-sex marriage supporters. tt