wjz, from sanford, florida. >> reporter: a shackled george zimmerman offered a surprise apology to the parents of trayvon martin, who were in the courtroom. >> i wanted to say, i am sorry. for the loss of your son. i did not know how old he was. i thought he was a little bit younger than i am. and i did not know if he was armed or not. >> reporter: the apology happened at zimmerman's bond hearing. defense lawyers called on zimmerman's parents and wife as character witnesses. they testified by phone because they have been threatened. >> i've never known him to be violent at all, unless he was provoked. and then he would turn the other cheek. >> reporter: in the end, circuit judge kenneth lester granted zimmerman a $150,000 bail, far less than the $1 million bond requested by prosecutors. >> do you have any comment? >> martin's parents left court quickly, without speaking to reporters. >> it was devastating that he got to give a self-serving apology to help him get a bond.

they were very outraged at that. >> reporter: zimmerman had asked to meet with martin's parents before the hearing. but the family's lawyer said it was not the time. >> cbs news has learned that zimmerman could be out of jail in the next 24 hours. he and his attorney are working to come up with the bail money and hoping to get permission for zimmerman to live out of state. >> i think he's happy that he's going to be back with his family and be out. >> reporter: the neighborhood watch volunteer is charged with second-degree murder for shooting 17-year-old trayvon martin, during a confrontation in february. zimmerman claims it was self- defense. in sanford, florida, randall pinkston, wjz eyewitness news. >> once law enforcement officials release zimmerman on boundary, he will be required to wear a gps monitor. we're following breaking news in northeast baltimore. sky eye chopper 13 is over the scene of a shooting. captain mike perry with more. mike? >> good afternoon, vic. good afternoon, everyone. this occurred a little after 4:20 this afternoon.

in the 3200 block of cliff mount avenue. it's just east of erdmann avenue in northeast baltimore. we do know that an adult male was shot in the upper torso. he has been transported to johns hopkins hospital in good condition at this time. police, as you can see, remain on the scene, the 3200 block of cliff mount is cleatly locked down by crime scene tape. and police are conducting the investigation. there is no word on the shooter or exactly what occurred her. -- here. >> mike, thank you. developing story in carroll county, where a shooting forces police to place several schools on lockdown. the shooting happened inside a westminster home. the victim told police he was attacked by an intruder. officers locked down four nearby schools as a precaution. but a short time later, detectives learn, the shooting may have been self-inflicted. the investigation is ongoing. >> the man convicted of murdering baltimore county native yeardley love is back in front of ray judge, in a virginia courtroom.

george huguely learns that love's mother plans to file a wrongful death lawsuit against him. attorneys for sharon love asked the judge for access to evidence used at huguely's trial to help build their case. the judge says he'll make a final decision about that evidence next month. new details tonight about the elk ridge man, accused of hiding his wife's death for 21 years. neighbors say he never liked anyone playing near the shed, where her body was discovered. mike schuh has the developments in this case. >> reporter: a deep, disturbing secret was buried under this shed in robert jarrett's backyard. it began when george bush, the first one, was president. christine's wife withdrew $4,000 from the bank, told friends her marriage was in trouble, and disappeared. >> she was a lot of fun. she was very vivacious, full of life. >> reporter: not long after the diss appearance, cindy saw -- disappearance, cindy saw her husband pouring concrete under the shed.

police never had enough evidence to get a warrant and he never would allow them in. this week, opening up to police. >> reporter: these charging documents tell the story of a lone detective, working this case for over a decade. then this year, he and another investigator learned that jarrett and his wife are having player tal problems and have separated. he's moved out. they move in. and they ask her if they can search the shed out back. and she agrees. >> reporter: when they bust through the concrete, a woman's remains are found. today, police confirmed it is christine. >> in the back of my head, i always thought it was a possibility. there was just no evidence that he actually had done it until just recently. >> reporter: jeremy was 5 when christine disappeared. and is friends with both of her sons, now 26 and 32. the kids denied a mother, now confronted with these charges. may have murdered mom. >> they just -- just the total

life schainch. to-- change. to open up the wound again. >> it's a really rough situation. i mean, i don't know how people can deal with that. >> and that was mike schuh reporting for us. family and friends say funeral plans for christine jarrett is pending. police say someone destroyed the recently- installed camera on south rawling road. happened around 1:30 this morning. so far, no suspects. the fire caused $13,000 worth of damage. flames rip through an apartment complex in reisterstown. leaving two people hurt and families without a home. the fire started at preserve, at owings crossing. about 50 firefighters spent three hours putting out the flames. the red cross helped residents. and the cause is under investigation. a firefighter, criticle ale injured on the job, goes home.

monique griego has more on his incredible recovery. 23-year-old kevin o'toole spent time in the hospital. and despite suffering burns to 50% of his body, tonight, he said he still plans to return. >> abandoned but not broken. kevin o'toole walked out of the washington center. to a heroes welcome. >> it's actually the first time i'm outside the hospital. so it's a really good feeling. >> it was just two months ago, when a fire nearly claimed his wife. -- his life. >> 57th avenue. evacuate the building. >> reporter: february 24th, a fire breaks out in the basement of a vacant home in riverdale. when o'toole and six other firefighters open the door, high winds create a blowtorch effect. and the group is engulfed by a fire ball. he still finds the moment hard to talk about. >> i'd rather not comment about that day. >> reporter: 21-year-old ethan

sorrel also suffered injuries but was released after a few days. o'toole has encountered countless surgeries and setbacks. >> there's no time to think, am i going to make it or not? i kept fighting the good fight. >> reporter: the fire that caused his injuries was later found to be arson. >> fire investigators are still looking for the person or persons responsible. >> reporter: today and throughout his ordeal, o'tool says, this crew has been by his side. >> every night, one guy stayed by me. >> and that's why they hope to return to this once again. >> i want to show where everything goes with my hands and arms and see where that takes me. but hopefully i will. >> kevin does have several months in his future. but as you can see, he's very optimistic about his recovery. reporting live, monique griego, wjz eyewitness news. >> and fire investigators are still actively investigating the arson. anybody with information leading to the arrest can receive a $1,000 reward. heavy rain is expected to arrive this weekend.

outside right now, it's dry and sunny. but our conditions are expected to exchange. -- to change. wjz has first warning weather. meteorologist tim williams and bob turk are tracking that much- needed rain. >> as soon as you start talking about a drought, we've got rain coming. and looks like it could really be a drought buster this weekend. take a look at the first amount of rains that of that's going to come in our region is associated with that front. there you see it, right through indiana. but down to the south, low pressure developing over louisiana. that's going to head often to the east. eventually up the east coast. looks like it could bring us a very, very appreciable amount of rain here. saturday night and most of the day on sunday. temperature-wise right now. beautiful afternoon. we're at 72. 77 up in cumber land. ocean city, the cool spot by the ocean at 66 degrees. these temperatures today, running anywhere from 2 to maybe 5, even 10 degrees almost above what we saw yesterday at this time. but as i mentioned, the big changes coming this weekend in the form of rain. at this point has a look at -- tim has a look at the chances.

tim? >> well, as bob mentioned, it's going to take a while to get here. so we'll enjoy these conditions through tomorrow. but after midday, all bets are off. rain is going to drag along that front. then it lingers. cooler air builds in behind it. and that's going to really get your attention, heads into the beginning of the week. really starting sunday. in the meantime, we can expect to see maybe 1 to 3 inches of rain out of this, especially on the lower eastern shore, where they have really been suffering with this shortage. and of course, wjz drought watch continues to track these rain totals and amounts that we'll continue to monitor through the weekend. bob will have your forecast coming up in just a few moments. now, back inside. tim, thank you. just two games shy of 1100 wins, tennessee women's basketball coach, pat summit, turns in her whistle. the reason? ential-onset alzheimer's. summit is just 59 years old. pat warren has more on the likelihood of younger people

developing the disease. >> reporter: well, as awareness grows, so does detection in people younger than 60. >> reporter: tennessee coach, pat summit, age 59. >> three seconds. somebody killed. >> reporter: is retiring. >> you have to find the time that you think is the right time. >> reporter: but to be 59 years active and diagnosed with alzheimer's, sent shock waves through the middle-aged. chief of neurology at mercy medical center says genetics are a factor. >> if your parent has asheimer's disease, then you have an increased risk of having alzheimer's disease. >> the difficulty is distinguishing between normal forgetfulness and serious condition. >> they're worried that they have alzheimer's disease because they're forgetting things. and they want to know if they forgetting things is abnormal or normal for their age. and it causes a great deal of anxiety among many, many parents. >> reporter: summit's concerns proved to be correct. but it's not always the patient

who knows. >> family members who are very concerned bring the patient in to the doctor saying, he's not thinking correctly. his memory is not normal. >> reporter: one way you can help your brain is to work it. >> reading, learning, thinking, is to be encouraged as opposed to just doing something passive. >> reporter: but as in coach summit's case, activity is not a prevention. and this disease, unfortunately, still defies cure. reporting live, i'm pat warren. now back to you, mary. >> all right, pat. thank you. an estimated 5 million people in the united states have alzheimer's disease. maryland students are getting a new leader. william lowry has been chosen the next superintendent of the schools. she was previously the secretary of education in delaware and takes over for dr. nancy grasmick, who retired after two decades in charge. bill cosby takes over for

baltimore. today, st. frances academy, renamed its community center after the comedian and his wife camill. so recognize them for their leadership in education. they have donated $2 million to the academy. the largest gift in the school's 184-year history. >> wow. they continue to donate to so many different causes in education. >> and it's just a nice, small school that they've rallied around and are helping tremendously. >> i'd like to see that happen. still ahead on wjz eyewitness news at 5:00. prostitution scandal. the new punishment, coming for the secret service agents involved. i'm alex demetrick. coming up, an earthquake drill in towson. not so far-fetched after last summer's quake. that story as eyewitness news continues. attention, bge customers. get ready for a break. why you could see a $100 credit on your next bill. and we're enjoying a gorgeous friday evening. a lot of soaking rain is on the way. don't miss the updated weather

forecast with bob. ♪ ♪ hit the road, jack

♪ and don't you come back no more ♪ ♪ no more, no more, no more ♪ hit the road, jack ♪ and don't you come back no more ♪ [ male announcer ] want your weeds to hit the road? hit 'em with roundup extended control. one application kills weeds and puts down a barrier to stop new ones for up to four months. roundup extended control spray once. stop weeds for months. you can always expect more. like more on demand shows and movies than ever. and more ways to discover them too. plus more speed from america's fastest internet provider. so you can run more devices at the same time. ♪ feel a firework [ female announcer ] and best of all, it keeps getting better. no wonder more people choose xfinity over any other provider. ♪ love can be so mystical

it is sunny and 62 degrees. the complete first warning forecast is coming up. more secret service agents could be out of a job for their involvement in a prostitution scandal in columbia. as danielle nottingham reports, we're looking more about the agents. >> the secret service is moving closer to a final decision about the future of eight agents, put on administrative leave in the prostitution scandal. cbs news has learned their polygraph tests could be complete soon. and the results will likely determine if they will have their security clearances permanently revoked and lose their jobs. three other averages are

already -- agents are already out. including supervisor greg stokes who was fired. and supervisor david cheney, who retired. one of cheney's earlier assignments was security detail for former vice presidential candidate sarah palin. he made light of it on his facebook page. posting a photo on facebook and writing, quote, i was really checking her out. in response, palin pointed a finger at the white house. >> really to to start cracking down and see something head roll. >> reporter: the white house fired back, saying the agency took the appropriate actions. and it's too early to make judgment until the investigation is complete. >> it is preprostrous to politicize the secret service. >> reporter: the president insists that his security was never insecure. and that the president has faith in the men and women who protect him. >> reporter: secret service officials continue to brief lawmakers friday on the scandal

that also includes 11 military service members and as many as 20 columbian women. at the white house, danielle nottingham, wjz eyewitness news. >> both the military and the secret service have investigators on the ground and in clumpio, looking into the scandal. columbia, looking into the scandal. if you're looking for someone to get home from work, let's check on the roads now with sharon gibala. >> it's been a tough ride out there this friday afternoon. a bunch of accidents. one of them on dover road. east cold spring at hillen. west lombard at south mlk. in crownsville, there's an accident. another in annapolis. that one on college parkway, at bay dale drive. as far as delays go, 95 northbound. 15 minutes now. that is going to be as you approach the fort mchenry tunnel. and on 895, as you approach 95, you can see speeds in the teens there. there's a look at your average speeds on the beltway, in the

30s on the top and west sides. through the beltway, with 18- and 19-minute drive times. also a delay on the jfx. that is the northbound side. backed up. running slow from approaching north avenue to just beyond 28th street. this traffic report is brought to you by mcdonald's. >> thank you. the walk to cure diabetes is designed to heal the youngest patients. and this weekend, hundreds will participate, here in baltimore. gigi barnett explains why one soldier, thousands of miles away, will be walking, too. >> reporter: debbie fermo has one special wish for her 5-year- old son. >> a cure for jack. >> reporter: jack has diabetes. doctors diagnosed him with type 1 diabetes at 3 years old. a tough adjustment for a small kid. >> we checked his blood sugar, five to seven times a day. and he gets insulin, 5 to seven is times a day. >> reporter: but this weekend, fermo will join thousands in the walk for diabetes. they share the same hope for the youngest patients. the walk is a fundraiser for

the juvenile diabetes research foundation. an organization that focuses on wiping out type 1 diabetes, which usually strikes in childhood or adolescence. >> it's a grueling disease. and it's a very complicated and complex disease. >> reporter: but the walk isn't limited to maryland. thousands of miles away, jack's father, navy commander paul fermo, is serving in afghanistan. he is walking, too. >> he said, if you're walking, we're walking. so he's going to be over there, walking in the desert, in his boots. >> reporter: the walk starts and ends here at m&t bank strayedium. and nearly 3,000 are expected. the goal is a big one. $800,000. >> we have some of the most prestigious medical institutions here. johns hopkins. a lot of that money comes back here. >> to grant a punish and -- wish and find a cure. at m&t bank stadium, i'm gigi barnett. >> if you'd like to participate, the walk starts at

8:30 saturday morning. for more information, log onto wjz.com. the weather is going to hold for them. >> just like the morning would be perfect for them. >> warm. sunshine. the rain probably not until afternoon. after 2:00, 3:00. let's take a look at temps and conditions around the region. really nice. 72. southeast winds at 6. the barometer beginning to fall. come back and take a look at what looks like a very wet weekend after this. ♪

beth! hi! looking good. you've lost some weight. thanks. you noticed. these clothes are too big, so i'm donating them. how'd you do it? eating right -- whole grain. [ female announcer ] people who choose more whole grain tend to weigh less than those who don't. multi-grain cheerios -- 5 whole grains, 110 calories. creamy, dreamy peanut butter taste in a tempting new cereal. mmm! [ female announcer ] new multi-grain cheerios peanut butter. the amazing alternative to raisins and cranberries with more fiber, less sugar, and a way better glycemic index. he's clearly enjoying one of the planet's most amazing superfruits. hey, keep it down mate, you'll wake the kids. plum amazins. new, from sunsweet.

thanksi'll take the usual. got it. if you're open to choosing your own batter, mix-ins and toppings, come in today and build a stack you'll be proud of. only at denny's. all right. nice to be on the water. a little chilly on the actual walk. as the water temperature is so cold. but everywhere else has been comfortable. sunny. not much of a wind to really affect that. let's take a look. probably doing a little crabbing out there. take a look at temps now around the region. sunshine, pretty much everywhere. 56. that's representative of how chilly the water is down to ocean city. water temperature at the ocean around 54. or 53 degrees. 72 here. 70 in oakland. and a warm 76 in cumberland. 74 in washington. locally, with a lot of sunshine. and very pleasant afternoon. temperatures ranging from the 60s, close to the bay, to the low 70s everywhere else.

tomorrow, probably a little warmer than today. but it's going to feel more like a spring or early summer day tomorrow. because the humidity will be up. southeast winds tomorrow. they'll have more of a southerly or southwesterly wind. and that's going to bring in milder temps. but along this frontal boundary developing to the west, showers and thunderstorms will develop tomorrow afternoon. maybear 2 -- maybe after 2:00, 3:00. best chance evening hours. it will pick up this moisture from the gulf of mexico. and we look like we received several areas of showers and thundershower activity. tomorrow afternoon and tomorrow night. then this front is going to stall out along the east coast. as you mentioned earlier. low pressure expected to develop let's say somewhere around the gulf coast. it's going to be moving up that frontal system, toward the mid- atlantic region. and that's going to enhance the rainfall. eventually, it will get quite windy on the coast. could even get coastal flood advisories. and for the rest of the region, particularly from the blue ridge mountains east, a really

good dose of rain with this system. in fact, some areas could see as much as 2 to 3 inches in the eastern shore. i think generally 1 to 1 1/2 inches across the baltimore region, is really going to knock our drought watch, which we have been watching, of course, tracking the rainfall totals, i think by sunday night. we could see at least an inch and a half, maybe more than that, across our region. that's exactly what the doctor ordered. southwest winds, 5 to 10 knots. bay temp, around 57 degrees. so tonight, look for some cloudy skies later on. but a mild night. 52. tomorrow, mid- to upper 70s with some sun. particularly in the morning. then the clouds and scattered shower and thunderstorm activity later in the day. and tomorrow night, it evolves into just a rain event for sunday. just what we needed. >> all right. >> thank you. still ahead on wjz eyewitness news at 5:00. looking for clues to the disappearance of a little boy. he vanished in 1979. tonight, more details on what sparked the renewed search. drama in the skies.

incredible new video, as birds force an emergency landing in new york. i'm andrea fujii. at the inner harbor, where middle schoolers are working to heal the water. how these floating wetlands will help the ecosystem. that's just ahead on wjz that's just ahead on wjz eyewitness news. ,,,,,,,,,,,,

at progressive, you can bundle your home and auto policies and save. don't worry, tiny people. flo is a gentle giant. bundle home and auto at progressive.com.

it is 5:30. stereo degrees and sunny. thank you for staying with wjz. here's are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. preparing for the unimaginable, after last summer's midatlantic earthquake, it is not such a stretch. that quake prompted maryland's first-ever large-scale earthquake drill. >> reporter: those who have trained if are years to save lives in a disaster gave towson university nursing students a quick course on life and death. >> all right. what do we got? what do we got? >> she is bleeding. >> be very careful. she's a little wobbly. >> are you still having a little trouble breathing? >> we're used to only having one patient in our clinical setting. whereas here, we're supposed to get hundreds.

>> the 5.4 earthquake rocked the washington monument and brought down bricks and stones for the drill. the scenario for the towson drill is stronger. >> the area hospitals, overloaded. and there was a need for an alternative fuel treatment site. >> they learn a little about gnarl disaster and emergency preparedness and emergency response in classrooms. but it's nothing like being overwhelmed in a chaotic situation. >> reporter: while no drill can recreate the chaos for the real thing, it does lay the foundation for what to expect. >> the importance of communication. you have to be ready and trust in your nursing judgment. >> to treat real wounds when nursing disaster does happen. alex demetrick, wjz eyewitness news. >> and today's drill was larger than most emergency exercises, involving 500 towson university students who played the part of those injured victims. a home in severn is the scene of a major drug bust. police say they seized

marijuana, cocaine, and oxycodone pills. joshua hanover of severn faces multiple charges, including possession of crack cocaine with intention to distribute. the fbi is searching a manhattan building in an attempt to solve the 1979 disappearance of 6-year-old aton pates. as alison harmelin reports for wjz, the renewed interest comes after cadaver dogs detected the presence of human remains. >> reporter: authorities removed chunks of concrete from a building cellar in lower manhattan. it's just down the block from where aton pates was last seen on his way to school, nearly 33 years ago. >> we're cautiously optimistic, we'll find evidence. >> reporter: dozens of police and fbi agents have converged on the sojo neighborhood, looking for clues about what happened to the 6-year-old boy. investigators say an fbi dog detected remains in the

basement, where miller had a workshop. miller used to pay aton to help him with small chores. shortly after the boy vanished, miller laid down a new concrete floor. miller's family says he is innocent. >> the fishhas been here. -- fbi has been here. he cooperated with them, went to the site. he doesn't have anything to do with this. >> reporter: investigators have looked at a long list of suspects. including charles ramos, who was dating aton's babysitter. aton was the first missing child, pictured on milk cartons nationwide. >> reporter: the excavation is taking place just down the street where where his parents still live. neighbors are hoping there will final finally be some answers. >> it will be a remarkable thing to think that after 33 years, they finally come to an end. >> reporter: authorities set up dumpsters outside the building to collect all the debris. they expect the work to take up

to five days. in new york, ali alison harmelin, wjz eyewitness news. >> aton's parents had their son declared dead in 2001. they have not commented on the renewed investigation. four american servicemen are killed when their helicopter crashes in afghanistan. the u.s. military says they were responding to a suicide attack at a police checkpoint. four afghan police officers and seven people were killed in that attack. afghan officials say bad weather was the cause of the crash. but that has not yet been confirmed by the u.s. government. there is little hope that anyone survived a passenger plane crash in pakistan. the pakistan government believes all 127 people on board are dead. the plane was trying to land at the airport, during a thunderstorm. it went down in a field nearby. it's not known if anyone on the ground was killed. the aircraft was operated by domestic carrier that had just resumed service. drama over new york's kennedy airport. a bird strike knocks out an engine on a delta airlines jet,

forcing an emergency landing. as michelle miller reports for wjz, the trouble started just after the flight took off for los angeles. >> reporter: the plane landed safely back on the ground. after a harrowing few minutes in the air. inspectors examined the right engine, which was damaged, after what passengers described as violent shaking, followed by smoke, seen in the cockpit. minutes after the flight took off, the pilot radioed to air traffic control. >> delta 763 issue -- has had an engine failure, declaring an emergency, due to a bird strike. >> reporter: one passenger shooting video after takeoff, captured striking footage of a flock of birds out the window. a freeze frame shows seven birds, probably at least a few of which were ingested into the right engine. >> request official return. >> reporter: a visual return would save precious seconds for the pilot, as he guided the

crippled aircraft down. >> we're going to square out to the right and head back in. and just to let you know, our stats for delta 1063. we have 179 >> reporter: the flight brought back memories of the miracle on the hudson, back in 2009. when u.s. airways, flight 1549, made an emergency landing, after both engines were damaged by a flock of geese. >> no one was injured in yesterday's landing. but there are concerns over the frequency of bird strikes over new york, as bird populations are growing in the area. two years ago today, an explosion of the deep water horizon rig, triggered the start of the gulf oil disaster. it will be years before the full impact of the spill will be determined. the justice department says the 73 residents and businesses harmed by the spill, will receive more than $64 million in extra payments. the economy on the gulf coast is bouncing back. louisiana's unemployment rate in february was back at the pre- spill level.

cleaning the inner harbor, one plant at a time. dozens of wetlands are now floating in front of baltimore's world trade center. andrea fujii explains, it's all thanks to the work of middle schoolers. >> reporter: 50 floating wetlands, set adrift in the inner harbor, in an effort to clean the water of pollutants, which harm the marine ecosystem. >> i've seen sandwiches and wrappers, water bottles, everything. >> reporter: so 20 middle schoolers from the crossroads school, together with the waterfront partnership of baltimore, are building the biggest floating wetlands in the state. >> plastic pieces harm the fish. the cigarette butts that people flick on the ground. they get washed down the drain and into the harbor. >> reporter: by june, the roots of these plants will grow below the planks, becoming food for fish. >> reporter: sky eye chopper 13 shows the wetlands in front of the world trade center. for thousands of people to see.

>> they'll help clean the water. but we have a large body of water here. so more than anything, they're really an educational opportunity. >> an opportunity that baltimore youths are helping with firsthand. providing a healthy habitat for generations to come. >> like everything needs to live and have its own place to be happy. >> reporter: andrea fujii, wjz eyewitness news. >> the floating wetlands will be in front of the world trade center for the next five years. bge says most customers will get a $100 credit on their bills next month. the credit is part of a takeover. bge's parent company, constellation energy, exelon corp. the two agreed to the credit. the credit will be automatically applied to bills on may 1st. time now for a quick look at some of the stories you'll find in tomorrow morning's edition of the baltimore sun. more on the new state superintendent of schools, william lowry. two will be competing for a

starting job in saturday's towson university football game. and a preview of the 110th running of the grand national steeplechase. for these stories and more, read the baltimore sun. and remember to look for the updated forecast in wjz's first warning weather team. a young fan at yesterday's orioles game got a little too close to the action. take a look. this 6-year-old ran into the field in the 7 inning. he was caught before a pitch was thrown. he was taken to security who then found the two adults who brought him to the game. all three were ejected. hopefully the next time the youngster is on a big league field, maybe he will be playing. >> you wonder how in the world did he get out of the stands and onto the field. >> get down there. still to come tonight on wjz's eyewitness news. new help for arthritis patients. how a new treatment could save you time and money. a school cover-up. students put a new spin on playing hooky. how they're skipping class about anybody notice-- without

anybody noticing. i'm bob turk. first warning weather center. major rain headed this way this could with. you bet. i'll have the exclusive first warning five-day forecast. first, here's today's report from wall street. we'll be right back. ,,,,,, i'm more of an absentee plant parent.

[ cellphone rings ] tuscaloosa? schenectady. des moines. ok. ok. ok. i can't always be there to weed my petunias. so now we use miracle-gro shake 'n feed plus weed preventer. it feeds plants and prevents weeds for up to three months. so my plants grow bigger, more beautiful, without all the weeds. guaranteed. [ cellphone rings ] with miracle-gro shake 'n feed, anyone can have a green thumb. [ cellphone rings ] everyone grows with miracle-gro. i've got a nice long life ahead.

big plans. so when i found out medicare doesn't pay all my medical expenses, i got a medicare supplement insurance plan. [ male announcer ] if you're eligible for medicare, you may know it only covers about 80% of your part b medical expenses. the rest is up to you. call and find out about an aarp medicare supplement insurance plan, insured by unitedhealthcare insurance company. like all medicare supplement insurance plans, it could save you thousands in out-of-pocket costs. call now to request your free decision guide. i've been with my doctor for 12 years. now i know i'll be able to stick with him. you'll be able to visit any doctor or hospital that accepts medicare patients. plus there are no networks, and you never need a referral. see why millions of people have already enrolled in the only medicare supplement insurance plans endorsed by aarp. don't wait. call now.

all righty. nothing severe yet. but changes coming this weekend that will really make a big change weatherwise for the entire east coast, actually. tomorrow, we'll start off with clouds and sunshine. but by about maybe let's say, 3:00, 4:00, scattered showers and thunderstorm activity. could be brief, heavy rains and gusty winds with those late saturday afternoon, or saturday night. but it's sunday into monday. and next week, that big change happened. tim has a look at that five-day forecast. tim? >> definitely. that rain pulls down very cool air. and our temperatures, keep in mind, we were at 90 degrees this past monday. look at these temperatures for the next five days. we go down into the 50s sunday, monday, and tuesday. 53 on monday. and showers could linger that long before it really clears the area.

and back with the return of the sun to 62 wednesday. overnight lows getting back down into the 30s. could even see light snow in our higher elevations come monday, out in garrett and allegheny counties. now for your energy saver tip of the day. you can harvest the sun to illuminate your driveway. easy to install solar lights recharge for free during the day. powered by a built-in photo cell. they require no lighting and no electricity. and they turn on automatically. all have you to do is stick them into the ground. for more information, go to wjz.com. scroll down the right-hand side of the page and click on our special section. back inside. >> tim, thank you. speak of energy savers, earth day is this weekend. and many people take part in tree plantings and other environmentally friendly event events. but for one baltimore county man, every day is a celebration, now that he's gone

solar. >> reporter: tom jonas onlooks much like his neighbors. but what sets his apart is a state of the art solar energy system on his roof. >> it's a great feeling. you know, it's funny. i come down here and look at the meter daily. >> they are finding solar energy more affordable because of major tax credits and incentives. >> for a middle class person, i think it's affordable. and the thing is, now at this moment, there's good tax incentives, especially in baltimore county. >> reporter: tom's system cost $8,000, but he'll only end up paying half. >> average return on investments is 5 to 7 years. >> reporter: he said people can also lease solar panels with no money down. >> we have still good incentive base. and the cost of solar has gone down. and eefficiencies are as high as they have ever been. so again, the numbers make

sense now. >> reporter: and tom says his neighbors are inquiring. >> everybody is interested. so i'm actually having a solar party tomorrow. >> reporter: solar companies often have financing options available to help people pay for the panels. go to wjz.com for more information about solar energy and finding out if it works for you. >> what do you serve at a solar party? just wondering. a hacking scandal shakes a high school. now, dozens of students could be expelled. the students say they broke into the school's system and changed attendance record. this means kids could skip school without anybody finding out. it's not clear how the students broke the pass code. police are now investigating. teachers accused of pointing a gun at his student in virginia. 60-year-old ernest mannadillo allegedly lined up 12 students in his welding class and pulled out a blank-firing handgun.

police say he fired the gun up to 10 times in their direction. no students were hurt. he is facing 12 felony counts. a hearing is scheduled for may 7th. in tonight's wjz healthwatch, doctors find a new way to diagnose and treat arthritis. alison harmelin reports. technology is saving doctors and patients time and money. >> reporter: rita has been living with pain. she has arthritis that gets especially bad in her shoulder. >> if i'm extending it and using it for anything such as reaching to a high shelf. or opening one of the heavy doors. >> reporter: but the new use of an old technology is giverring tikovsky some relief. >> doctors at this hospital are using ultrasound to take a look at the joints and pinpoint inflammation with better

accuracy. >> typically we will use this. >> doctors let the ultrasound guide them. >> the ultrasound is inexpensive and can be done immediately at a patient's bedside. eliminating the need for an x- ray or mri. >> having the patient moving. we can see the joint motion. >> after getting cortison shots, she says she is already feeling better. >> i can do things that may seem small. that are important to me. such as being able to wash my hair without paying. -- pain. >> reporter: and she's thankful there is less guessing when it comes to pain relief. in new york, alison harmelin, wjz eyewitness news. >> there are other benefits to the ultrasound as well. check in with eyewitness news at 6:00 for all new stories coming up. cold case cracked. new information on the man arrested for the disappearance of his wife, two decades ago.

george zimmerman. the latest on this bail hearing and how soon he could be set free. check if more more on these stories and all the day's breaking news. still to come. at 5:00. is it too early to get excited about the orioles winning ways. mark has more on the attitude that has them in first place coming up. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

just two weeks into the orioles season. and they have fans excited. so far, so good. the o's are in first place. sports director mark viviano has more on the team as they continue their road trip. i'm trying to be very measured about this. fans, we should be measured about this. >> or enjoy it while you can, too. >> i guess that's true. >> and it may last. we'll find out, right? final stop tonight. it's a three-city tour. and the orioles are in southern california to start a weekend series with the angels in anaheim. and while the o's are far from home, they say they have the fans here in baltimore on their mind. and that's a big part of their motivation on what has been a good trip so far. manager buck showalter says his guys have come up with a good team chemistry.

remember, more than half the players are new on what was on the roster opening day a year ago. that changes, bringing positive results so far. the manager says that in addition to team togetherness, the fans add fuel to the orioles' fire. >> they want to be successful by association. instead of that individual stuff. because we can all be very successful. not selfishly, but for our fans. and it's been a common theme in our clubhouse about our fans and doing the things that it takes to get us back where we know the city of baltimore can be. >> reporter: now, on the field, the keyes have been good pitching and -- keys have been good pitching and power hitting. adam jones leads. the orioles' team total of 21 home runs, second most in the majors. only texas has more. orioles in anaheim tonight. i'll have more on the o's next hour. and it's less than a week until the nfl draft. we'll hear what the ravens are saying as they prepare to pick from the college crop. back to you for now.

an emotional reunion. tonight, a chicago woman is thanking the news crew who saved her husband's life. dana kozlov reports for wjz. the newspaper called for help, after spotting the man and his friend, clinging to an overturned sailboat in lake michigan. >> you were just so lucky that you were there. >> it's aplaying -- amazing what you did. >> this is truly a meeting from the heart. >> i'm so grateful. >> you're very welcome. >> chopper two pilot jeff fair agreed it was almost like divine intervention that the chopper was in the air wednesday when they spotted this. >> got two men in the water, overturned sailboat off montrose harbor. >> peter and william clinging to the side of the sailboat, trying desperately to stay afloat. police were called. chopper 2 stayed over the men, acknowledging a wave and the men were pulled to safety. >> you guys are experience. do you think it made a difference? would it have taken them longer? >> absolutely. knowing where they were, and

having them hovering and having the guys know and wave to you, absolutely. >> it was the second time in less than a year that covatsz was rescued after his boat overturned. mary didn't want to discuss the particulars, acknowledging it's been a difficult year. >> how is your husband doing physically? >> he's fine. he's undergoing routine tests and he's doing fine. >> reporter: the covacs are both experienced sailors. it was their first date 25 years ago. >> are you guys going to continue to sail? >> yes. we're looking into a bigger boat. [ laughter ] mary covats also expressed her thanks to the chicago police marine unit for their fast response. and still to come tonight on wjz's eyewitness news. a husband charged in the disappearance of his wife, 21 years ago, in elkridge. he's arrested, after police make a key realization. i'm mike schuh. what happened? when we return. what makes the sleep number store different?

the sleep number bed.

the magic of this bed is that you're sleeping on something that conforms to your individual shape. wow! that feels really good. you can adjust it to whatever your needs are. so whatever you feel like, the sleep number bed's going to provide it for you. now, sleep number redefines memory foam, combining coolfit gel foam with sleep number adjustability! during the final days of our white sale, receive $400 in free bedding. only at the sleep number store, where queen mattresses start at just $699.

coming up right now on wjz eyewitness news at 6:00. finally found. police confirm the body found behind a shed is the woman who vanished, decades ago. new details on the suspect who is her own husband. surprise move. what george zimmerman said at a bail hearing. if he'll go free. an arson fire nearly claims his life. i'm monique griego. coming up, we're there as this deserving firefighter receives a heroes welcome. and it's a dry and warm

friday. but could your weekend be wet? find out in your first warning weather forecast. check in for these stories and all the day's breaking news. >> wjz eyewitness news at 6:00 starts now. the body of a missing mother found after two decades. >> tonight, new information about the man in custody. medicalo -- hello, everyone. i'm vic carter. >> denise is off. here's what people are talking about tonight. police say areaet-- jarrett managed to keep his wife's buriam a secret for -- burial a secret for years. >>