behind a marijuana-growing operation. howard county police seized 341 plants in the basement of his laurel townhouse, part of a sophisticated irrigation system. >> he had high-intensity lights,air filters, a water pumping system, a ventilation system. so this is what we consider to be a sophisticated grow operation for sometime. >> reporter: wjz has uncovered another part of his past. from 2003 to 2006, he worked as a technician for the crime labs. a spokesperson confirms he was responsible for collecting evidence at the scene. court records show he works more than 100 cases, including homicides. >> he dresses up. and from what i can tell, he had a nice car. and he has a nice place. so i thought he had like a pretty normal life. obviously not. >> reporter: police say they started their investigation, when someone reported suspicious activity. but all of the neighbors we spoke with say they had no idea what was going on.

>> it just blows my mind. that it was right there in that house and no one knew it. it had to have obviously been going on for years, if that much to be in there. and that's just how much they caught. how much did they get out of there? >> reporter: lis say the -- police say the marijuana they found is worth more than half a million dollars. >> our investigation will continue into what is happening with those drugs after they leave the residence. >> reporter: and police are also investigating whether this is an each bigger operation, with more players. as for uni, here's been released on a $25,000 bond. live in ellicott city, weijia jiang, wjz eyewitness news. >> uni left the baltimore police department in 2006 for an undisclosed reason. a man learns his sentence for murdering a state police trooper. vic is in the newsroom with more on the convicted killer's punishment. >> reporter: williams will spend the rest of his life in prison. it's his sentence for murdering trooper wesley brown.

who was working part time as a security guard at an appleby's. williams will not have the chance for parole. kai, back to you. >> williams is also convicted of multiple weapons crimes. difficult deliberations. a jury still considering the robocall case against political consultant julius henson. wjz is live at the mitchell courthouse. derek valcourt has an update on efforts to reach a verdict. derek? >> reporter: well, they just sent out a note, a little while ago, from the jury. they said they were tired. they wanted to go home after nearly eight hours of deliberations. still no verdict. >> reporter: as democrat martin o'malley and republican bob ehrlich squared off in a 2010 rematch. ehrlich's campaign consultant, julius henson, wrote and sent a robocall to thousands of democrats before polls closed on election night, suggesting there was no need to go vote because o'malley was already winning. >> relax, everything is fine.

the only thing left is to watch it on tv tonight. >> reporter: prosecutors argue that robocall was an illegal attempt to supress african american turnout through deceit. and they say the call was misleading because it did not require the legally-- did not have the legally required tag line saying it was the ehrlich campaign. >> we think it was fraud lent. it wasn't just political speech. it was fraudulent speech. >> reporter: but henson says it was reverse psychology, meant to get people to vote for ehrlich. and he blamed his convicted coconspirator schurick for leaving off the required tag line. >> it comes down to mr. schurick, in the early campaign, had to -- it was their responsibility to put a authority line on that call. i recommended they do so. i went around him to get them to do so. they refused. that is not my responsibility.

>> reporter: back in december, bob ehrlich's campaign manager, paul schurick, was convicted by a jury, after his jury deliberated for a little more than four hours. this jury will now return to deliberate julius henson's fate tomorrow morning. live at the courthouse, derek valcourt, wjz eyewitness news. >> derek, thank you. those charges are punishable by thousands of dollars in fines ask up to 12 years of possible prison time. an anne arundel county man is accused of attacking police officers in shady side. police say they responded to a 911 call on nick road and found 41-year-old rico smith, armed with a knife. that's when smith allegedly tried to grab an officer's weapon and bit a second officer in the leg. police used a taser to subdue him. he faces multiple charges, include reckless endangerment. it's an issue, dividing the country. president obama's support of same-sex marriage is drawing reaction from both sides of the debate.

randall pinkston is at the white house, with the latest political fallout. >> reporter: the president is off, raising money on the west coast, after declaring his support for same-sex marriage. he's swinging through seattle, before hitting hollywood, where other high-profile backers are expected to help him raise nearly $15 million. the obama campaign is already out with a new internet ad, calling his republican opponent, backwards on equality. >> it had to do about with who he is, what high stands for, what he believe, what he thinks is right for america. our families, our values, and our faith in the future. anything about the politics is incidental. >> reporter: the same-sex marriage issue took republican presidential hopeful mitt romney off message thursday. he's on the defense about a washington post article, suggesting that he bullied a gay classmate in high school. >> reporter: in a radio interview, romney apologized if he offended anyone with what he

called hijinx and pranks. he insisted he had no idea the classmate might be gay. he stated wednesday that marriage should be between a man and a woman. conservatives say this issue could fire up the republican base. >> i think it will energize all of those evangelical christians who have misgivings about voting for a mormon. >> reporter: and some democrats, including catholicses who help president obama get elected, say it could change their vote. at the white house, randall pinkston, wjz eyewitness news. >> stay with wjz for complete coverage of campaign 2012. we'll continue to bring you the latest on this issue and the candidates. yet another group of organizers could be taking over the city's troubled grand pree. mayor stephanie rawlings-blake is proposing a new agreement with a team led by racing champion michael andretti. the deal needs approval by the city board of estimates. if the contract passes, this will be the third leadership change for the grand prix, after the two previous suffered

financial and marketing problems. the event is set for labor day weekend. well, no problems with today's weather. it is breezy with plenty of sunshine. as we take a live look outside. gorgeous view from sky eye chopper 13. wjz is live with first warning weather. meteorologist tim williams and bob turk are updating our conditions. bob? >> i just saw a beautiful round around here. couple of sprinkles in carroll county. take a look. clouds to the northwest are producing a couple of sprinkles. they were diminished within the next hour or two. speaking of rain, let's take a look at the numbers that came in. these are over the last two days accumulation of rain. burly. and not far from ocean city. 1.59 inches. up in the galinda and reisterstown area. bel air, a little more than 1. you see sparks just under 1. columbia, almost three- quarters. hagerstown as well. however, our official reporting station, only .36.

36/100ths of an inch rat r at -- at bwi marshall. tim williams in the outback. >> well, it's been a breezy afternoon. not uncomfortable. but it is because of the low pressure moving out that brought those rains that bob talked about and the high pressure moving in. it's the pressure between those two, creating those winds. look at that. 23-mile-per-hour winds from the west/northwest. at hagerstown regional airport. 18-mile-per-hour winds at bwi marshall. the gusts have been substantially higher. 30-mile-per-hour wind gusts in hagerstown. and 25 at the airport. 28 in elkton, near the 25 corridor there. winds will continue to come in from this same direction into the evening tomorrow. it will be pleasantly cool. but tomorrow, it starts to warm up. as the high pressure becomes more dominant. and the warm air moves into the mid-atlantic. look like we have a very, very nice weekend shaping up just in time for mother's day. bob has those details coming up. >> kim, thank you -- tim, thank

you. a popular one is back after being stroyed by fire. today, the baltimore leaders are on hand for the reopening of the charles village pub. it was rebuilt after it was destroyed by a kitchen fire in 2011. it now features per space and amenities, including a rooftop desk. empty stores in baltimore's inner harbor are filling up fast. jessica kartalija has the latest on the people to make charm city its home. jessica? >> reporter: if you think harbor mace is -- place is a has been, you need to think again. there is a new push to draw locals and tourists back to this area. >> reporter: it's the official opening of bubba gump shrimp company, in harbor place. >> it's a forest-gump themed restaurant. very high energy. a lot of fun. >> reporter: joined by giant shrimp and a forest gump lookalike. the mayor says this is a big

boost to baltimore's economy. >> it represents jobs for baltimore. and enhancement in our tourism industry. >> reporter: bubba gump shrimp takes over the former site of phillips seafood, now at the power plant. >> really warm reception from everyone who has come in. we've seen a lot of happy people. we have been made to feel very much at home. >> reporter: harbor place is making national attention this week, with nik wallenda, a 7th generation member of the flying wallenda family. walking a tight rope. >> this is our destination. we found a place here in the harbor to do it. so we're here. >> ripley's auditorium will officially open june 1st. and just a few blocks away, here at power plant live, there are several new restaurants that aren't popular just among tourists, but locals as well. >> reporter: next, a ripley's, retail chains; like h&m are paving the way for new crew and anthropology.

coming across the harbor. >> this is all part of the trend i hope will continue. >> reporter: with more in store, people are once again excited to visit the inner harbor. >> it's kind of constructiony right now. but once that is all done, i think it's going to be fantastic. >> reporter: mccormick's world of flavors is also set to open here at light street pavilion, as well as three brand-new restaurants in harbor east. going to get exciting this summer, guys. back to you on tv hill. >> thank you. bubba gump is the first restaurant group based on a movie. and the mayor had some company today. >> she did. >> she handled that quite well, i thought. >> dignified. >> yes. still ahead at 5:00 on eyewitness news. neighborhood panic. an elderly woman finds a bomb in her kitchen. the surprising person in custody. a true story of forgiveness. i'm mike hellgren in ellicott city. remembering the two women who died in a church shooting. the extraordinary offer of

forgiveness from the congregation. a new study is projecting alarming numbers when it comes to obesity in america. i'm monique griego. coming up, how companies are trying to cut medical costs, associated with out-of-shape employees. sunny skies. will they last through the weekend? don't miss the updated first warning weather forecast with bob. ,,,,,,,,

so, ah, your seat good? got the mirrors all adjusted? you can see everything ok? just stay off the freeways, all right? i don't want you going out on those yet. mmm-hmm. and just leave your phone in your purse. i don't want you texting, all right? daddy...ok! ok, here you go. be careful. thanks dad.

call me -- but not while you're driving. ♪ [ dad ] we knew this day was coming. that's why we bought a subaru. ♪ whoa. this is it. the avengers.

is that? ♪ hey what's this do? [ alarm blaring ] [ male announcer ] new baron's best from red baron. with a hand-tossed style crust, delicious just got legendary. this is awesome. [ male announcer ] new baron's best from red baron. taste the legend. who wants seconds? [ male announcer ] see marvel's the avengers. in theatres may 4th. it's mostly sunny and sketch -- 67 degrees in maryland now. we have breaking news to report to you in baltimore. let's go to captain mike perry. >> we're in northwest baltimore, just above the state office building. apparently a child has been struck by an automobile. paramedics on the scene,

working on the scene now. he is going to be transported to a hospital. police are on the scene, conducting an investigation. they do have traffic. they are allowing traffic on the scene by utah. it's right here by the monument. the child is going to be taken to a local area hospital. no word on his condition. but as you can see, police are going to be conducting the investigation for sometime. >> thank you, captain mike perry. amazing story of forgiveness. several members of a congregation offered to provide a funeral for the person accused of killing two people. >> they came to mourn the mother of two. one of two women gunned down moments ago. >> she died in the process of helping someone less fortunate than herself. someone in great need. and i think it's important that we remember that spirit in her.

>> both of the ladies are kind -- auto kindest -- the kindest ladies you would ever meet. our facebook has been busy. >> offering comfort from around the world. may god bring you peace and healing. you are all in my prayers. may god especially give peace to brenda and support forler her loved -- for her loved ones. police say the suspect shot mary marguerite cone and another. he was homeless, getting food from the pantry at st. peters and was getting angry when he was told his visits were too frequent. >> jones lived behind the church. police say the gun he used in the killings was registered in his name. >> reporter: in their grief, several members in the congregation have come together to forgive, offering to provide

funeral services for jones and offer counseling for his loved ones. >> in the end, we are a christian church. and that's what christians do. >> they called cone a woman of profound faith. she was 59. >> the diocese has not heard from the family on whether or not they will take them up on offering to provide funeral services. let's check in on our roads now. here's kristy breslin at traffic control. i imagine a lot of frustration, if you're on the outer loop right now. you're looking at 55 minutes there from dulaney valley road to 70. average speed, only about 20 miles an hour. as far as the inner loop, slow there from park heights avenue. west side inner loop, 25 minutes still from the bw parkway around to security boulevard. northbound 95. stop and go there from pulaski highway, past whitemarsh boulevard. and several accidents. walther boulevard at putty

avenue. cedar lane at harpers farm. north forest park at windsor mills. and also, chelsea at gwens falls parkway. you can see a lot of congestion on the beltway. that's west of york road. and we'll take another live look. things still slow on the jones falls expressway. heading out of the city, past 28th street. this traffic report is brought to you by pizza bolis. stop in and get two medium pizzas for $6.99 each. one player remains engaged with fans, all in the name of fitness. >> reporter: old mill middle school in millersville showed off school spirit as one of the ravens' biggest stars, ray rice, congratulated them on efforts to eat healthier and play harder as part of the nfl's play 60 initiative. >> what you put in your body is what you're going to get out of your body. you eat junk, you're body is going to perform like junk.

>> rice was there. and players were able to ask him questions and ask advice on football. >> i've seen some guys with the same dream as me. same dream as i'm making to the nfl. but they made one or two bad decisions in their life and that dream became a total nightmare. >> reporter: rice is encouraging students to get active. the main theme behind the nfl's play active campaign. showing students training camp basics. students followed in the running back's footsteps. >> let's go. >> reporter: and ray rice attends play 60 events throughout the year. i've covered many of his appearances. he does it even during the regular season. and you know, today, he told the kid the, i'm going to work out right after this. but i think after he did all of that exercise, he was done. he was really moving today. those little feet movement. whoo. breaking a sweat. great day to be outside, perhaps, doing something. nicer than today, i think.

67 now. breeze. humidity is way down. dew point is way down to 38. barometer on the way back up. we'll look at the friday weekend for you after this. ,,,, 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. so i wasn't playing much of a role in my own life, but with advair, i'm breathing better so now i can take the lead on a science adventure.

advair is clinically proven to help significantly improve lung function. unlike most copd medications, advair contains both an anti-inflammatory and a long-acting bronchodilator, working together to help improve your lung function all day. advair won't replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms and should not be used more than twice a day. people with copd taking advair may have a higher chance of pneumonia. advair may increase your risk of osteoporosis and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking advair. if you're still having difficulty breathing, take the lead. ask your doctor if including advair could help improve your lung function. get your first full prescription free and save on refills at advaircopd.com.

hey. there's your boat, mary. >> i was going to say, my boat is fatter than your boat, kai. try to catch up with me. >> probably a little chilly, actually on the water, with the breeze blowing. but i guess wouldn't be too horrible a place to be. small craft advisories still out. and they'll continue tomorrow as well. so you have a little, small craft. be advised. take a look at temps and conditions around the region now. 67 here. 69 in washington. and hagerstown, with some clouds at 61. the cool spot, oakland. 54. now, from oakland west, and some of those mountain areas, we'll get down into the 30s tonight. scattered frost is likely in some of those areas. if you've already put plants out, cover them up tonight. locally, i'm not too concerned about that. although some areas north of the city may get down to 38, 39 degrees in the morning. not great for tomatoes, but won't kill them.

think about that. 69 here. and 66 in ocean city now. locally, 66, rock hall. bel air down to 63. and westminster, 64. some of these areas, north. town, southern pa, will get down to 38, 39 degrees. downtown, probably staying in the mid- to upper 40s today. the rain, as we mentioned. some areas get over an inch of rain in the last couple of days. although at the airport, the official reporting station for this region, picked up only 36/100ths of an inch. somehow they missed the rin ra. but there is the rain moving through this morning. clouds offshore. for the most part, sunny skies. for this afternoon, chilly air coming in aloft. clouds created. sort of like lake-effect clouds. there you see scattered sprinkles across pennsylvania. one or two have just made it into baltimore county and carroll county. winds will begin to die down. tomorrow, looks like a beautiful, pleasant day. a lot of sunshine. and then as that high moves off, milder air moving in for

sunday into monday. maybe a slight chance of a sprinkle or a shower late sunday with that front approaching. looks like for the most part, a nice warmup with a lot of sunshine this weekend. sunday, mother's day, may get up close to 80 degrees, believe it or not. northwest winds at 10 to 15. with a gust to 20 knots. and a small craft advisory until 9:00. and again during the day tomorrow. sunrise, 5:57. bay temp now around 72. tonight, for the most part, clear down to mid-40s. as i mentioned, some upper 30s possible. some of the coldest spots. if the winds completely quit. tomorrow, sunshine. pretty much all day long. still breezy, though, but a high of 73. that's just about average. so tomorrow will be just near perfect day. >> okay. >> we'll take it, bob. thank you. still ahead at 5:00. most wanted. the fishhunts-- fbi hunts for a suspect in the kidnapping. new developments in the search. a former presidential candidate on trial.

will john edwards' mistress take the stand? >> reporter: after millions of dollars and several years, baltimore's first montessori school opens its doors for more students. >> i'm gigi barnett. that story is next. ,,,,,,,,,,,,

it is 5:29. 67 degrees and mostly sunny. good evening, everybody. and thank you for staying with wjz, eyewitness news.

here are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. the impact of president obama's bold new stand in favor of same- sex marriage. people on both sides are speculating on how the president's announcement could affect maryland if the issue goes to voters in november. wjz is live. political reporter pat warren looks at the possible outcomes. pat? >> reporter: of course, mary, this is a victory for same-sex marriage advocates. but the president's position, will it influence maryland voters? remains to be seen. >> reporter: president obama's support of same-sex marriage puts smiles on the faces of advocates. but does it have any teeth on the polls? >> i think it's like giving the stamp of approval. it's like, i'm president. he added some validity to it. >> they are each in a committed same-sex relationship. and believe the president's influence will influence the marriage referendum.

>> you said it from the president. how can you say that you're against marriage equality? >> i think in maryland, it may be a wash. >> reporter: they believe it may energize people to vote on both sides. and if it does translate into votes, it's more likely to motivate opponents. >> i would say it's a net gain for those in maryland who are more likely to come out on this issue. >> reporter: while there is disagreement on the effect, there is little doubt about the president's sincerity. >> i think people are going to look at the way barack obama came around on the issue of marriage equality. they're going to say, i sit around the table with my family. i know gay and lesbian people. and i know their families are the same as my families. >> i think he's doing what he thinks is right. >> reporter: and same-sex marriage supporters are working on their own information drive, while those who are petitioning for referendum have until the end of next month to turn in

their signatures. reporting live, i'm pat warren. back to you. >> thank you. election day is november 6th. aberdeen police are searching for a man who robbed a panerra bread restaurant at gunpoint. police say the man displayed a gun and demanded cash. the suspect ran from the scene. no one was hurt. police are asking anyone with information to call them. >> reporter: panic in a pennsylvania neighborhood after an elderly woman finds bombs in her kitchen. des he is in the newsroom with- - denise is in the newsroom with more on why her own son is to blame. >> reporter: police in warring ton say the woman called police after she found a pipe bomb. and then they found two more in the home. two dozen nearby homes were evacuated. which authorities say were capable of harming people. police later pulled over the woman's 50-year-old son and took him into custody. he now faces a slew of charges, including manufacturing weapons of mass destruction and risking a catastrophe. mary? >> all right, geniece --

denise. thank you. the atf is now analyzing the bomb-making materials. >> authorities continue the massive manhunt for murder and massive manhunt for adam mayes. he is believed to be on the run with 12- and 8-year-old sisters. the bodies of their mother and older sister were found. mayes was staying with the family the day they disappeared. prosecution wrapping up corruption charges against john edwards. he is accused of violating campaign finance laws to cover up his affair. today, jurors heard about his political ambitions. >> reporter: john edwards' former adviser took the stand and testified how he angled if are a job, after he lost his bid for the white house. leo henry said, even as the affair was leaking to the public in early 2008, the candidate asked him to approach the obama campaign.

edwards told henry, that a hillary clinton nomination would be a disaster. henry said edwards' goal was to one day be a supreme court justice. >> he had raw ambition and was constantly in the game, so to speak, to find some role for himself in politics upon. >> reporter: edwards is charged with scheming to illegally use campaign contributions to hide his affair with rielle hunter. $300,000 went to her. >> now, the defense gets to present its case. and the big question. should john edwards take the stand in his own defense? >> if he comes to the jury box with a lot of strikes against him and to ask them to resurrect their own credibility, under these circumstances, will be quite a challenge. >> reporter: for a dramatic closing flourish, prosecutors turn to the words of john edwards himself.

they played a tape of a tv interview, where edwards was seen telling lies. the defense will begin its case on monday. in greensboro, north carolina, dick brennan, wjz eyewitness news. >> john edwards pleaded not guilty to six counts of campaign finance violations, related to about $1 million in secret payments. we have breaking news out of boston. a plane makes a crash-landing after a passenger tries to open a cockpit door, midflight. you're looking live at the airport. the man was restrained on the plane. and state police have taken him into custody. the u.s. airways flight is operated by air wisconsin. it originally took off from maine and was headed to philadelphia. the food and drug administration is debating whether to approve the first drug to prevent hiv. an fda panel is leading today in maryland to discuss truvat a. studies show the pill is safe and effective for preventing the spread of hiv. but not everyone thinks it should be used for prevention.

a.i.d.s. advocates worry the pill could create a false sense of security. nearly half of americans could become obese within the next 20 years. that's the ax larming prediction -- alarming prediction from a new study. monique grioago -- griego has more on the new study. and how to fight it. >> staying fit and active is not easy. proof of that can be seen in america's growing waistline. >> it's bigger than people know. it is not uncommon for people to be overweight and think that's normal, and they move from there to obesity. >> i think we've got to make a change. >> reporter: in a new study, the institute of medicine predicts by the year 2030, the number of obese adults will jump from 34% to 42%, with the severely obese reaching 11%. and with that comes increased health costs, especially for companies. >> we could be saving so much money by helping people lose weight, be more productive and stay on the job. >> they are offering ways to

fight medical cost the by getting their employees in shape. >> reporter: the max corporate fit program allows them to sign up for a six-to-eight-week training program. >> several of the employees said this is what i needed. i really needed to just get up. this is the motivation. >> reporter: this is part of this group from mccormick. the company hopes investing in employees now will decrease problems later. >> any time we can reduce those risks or those, it is a benefit to the employer. >> reporter: so far, the program is a huge success. >> and overall, employees say, i feel so much better. i feel good. >> reporter: monique griego, wjz eyewitness news. >> and companies can come up with various ways to pay for the wellness program. on average, it costs around $150 per person for six weeks. time for a quick look for some of the stories that we'll see in tomorrow morning's baltimore sun. a guide to this weekend's

baltimore tattoo arts convention. a breakdown of top teams in this year's ncaa lacrosse men's tournament. athlete 106 is olympic hero, michael phelps. for these stories and more, remember to look for the forecast from wjz first warning weather team. baltimore's montessori charter schools opens its doors today for a tour of the new building. gigi barnett explains in tonight's school watch report. >> reporter: it took $4 million and four years to get to this ribbon cutting at the baltimore month sorey chart-- montessori charter school today. the school moved into the building in 2008, becoming the city's first montessori school. now, the charter school can expand on more middle school grades. >> one place i really enjoy is the community space, where we can sometimes relax and hang out where we finish our work. it took a long time to get

here. but since january, we have been able to adjust and now feel right at home. >> reporter: in recent years, the city has worked to revitalize this area, by bringing in more homeowners and businesses. and this school is at the center of it all. >> this was once a vacant site here for over 10 years. this building was vacant. so we brought it back to life. >> reporter: montessori is a teaching method to teaches us how a student learns. the student has 300 students so far. and a waiting list of more than 1,000. while it is baltimore's only montessori, city leaders say they want more. >> i have been fishing montessori to come to me on the west side. i want to put a little pressure on the organization. >> reporter: in baltimore, i'm gigi barnett, wjz eyewitness news. >> and as gigi said, the montessori school has more than 1,000 students on the waiting list to get in. it also uses a lottery to select students. school is almost out for

the summer. but that doesn't mean the work is done. today, dozens of volunteers spruced up bernard harris elementary as part of volunteer day. people spent the afternoon painting and picking up trash. after their work was complete. the volunteers celebrated with some sun at patterson park. >> some fun in the sun. that's for sure. still to come tonight on wjz's eyewitness news. family attack. the bizarre reason police say this man ran over has sister. a new jersey mom, with an extreme tan. why she's back in the news. i'm bob turk. first warning weather center. a perfect end to the week. i'll have the exclusive first warning five-day forecast. and here's today's report from wall street. we'll be right back. when it comes to gardening, we're, well, inexperienced. is this right? right here, like this? ♪ turn that off! plants can smell our fear then miracle-gro expand'n gro made things a lot easier for us.

it expands when you water it. and improves your soil. for big beautiful plants that grow up to three times the flowers and vegetables. guaranteed. we were so bad at this before. particularly you. [ laughs ] everyone grows with miracle-gro.

it's one of baltimore's most-anticipated spring-time events. and it happens saturday. ron malts reports, flowers and a whole lot more will be on sale at the annual 44th sylvan annual market day. >> in the greenhouse, at the sill burn arboretum. they're getting ready for their

busiest day of the year. saturday is sill bern market day. >> it's very important because it supports our operations for the year. >> al, how long have you been doing this? >> i have been master gardener for 20 years. >> ray lot of work goes into making market day memorable. >> so we sart in march, planning what we're going to do. and then we start planning our vegetables and so forth. engaging them in they're prime time to be sold. >> get here early. so you can buy what you want. >> they start lining up probably around 7:00. yeah. and the doors don't open until 8:00. >> folks in baltimore love their tomato plants. and on sill bern market day, you'll have a variety to choose from. >> we have the aromas. the big beef stakes. celebrities, which is my favorite. all kinds of tomatoes. >> reporter: also a chance to see the sillbern mansion, built in 1883.

also spectacular beauty. >> it's the 44th annual market day. and we'll be happy to see you here. >> reporter: ron matz, wjz eyewitness news. >> market day runs from 8:00 to 3:00 saturday. and there is a preview party and sale tomorrow. for more information, log onto our website, wjz.com. >> i think the weather is going to be perfect for both of those events. we are hoping it's going to be beautiful weather. playing a little ball down there tonight. not at camden yards. that may be his little high school action, right? meteorologist tim williams and bob turk have a look at what we can expect over the next few days. we'll start with bob. take a look at tomorrow's forecast. it will be chilly in the morning. some areas can be down around 40. yes. honestly. here we go. come on back. yes. are you there? here we go. thank you very much. all right. now we got it up. take a look at it. tomorrow morning, around the 50 degree mark. upper 60s to low 70s by the

afternoon. tim has a look at the weekend, including mother's day forecast. tim? >> reporter: well, it's going to be a really nice mother's day. right now, we talk about rain or shine. how about rain and shine. you can see me. and the sun is on me. but right over top of me, it's raining. we have a little of everything here in the outback. but we're looking at 73 degrees here with sunshine. 78 and 80. look for a chance of increased clouds and a shower overnight monday. then showers on tuesday. temperatures still up around 80 degrees. now, for your energy saver tip of the day. with the weather now changing, you might consider installing a ceiling fan. that wind chill effect makes you feel cooler. in fact, by simply adding a ceiling fan, you can turn up your thermostat by 4 degrees and still be comfortable. and for every degree that you turb it -- turn it up, you save about 1%. for more information, go to wjz.com, scroll down the right- hand side of the page and click on our special section. back inside. >> thank you, tim. incredible video from

louisiana, as a tornado causes destruction. take a look from the scene from grand isle. roofs were ripped from homes. one person had a camper thrown into his house. officials say at least six buildings suffered major damage. 45 people are feared dead after a russian plane crashed. it took search-and-keys rescue- - search-and-rescue teams. it was on a demonstration flight in hopes of boosting sales in asia. air traffic controllers lost contact with it, 20 minutes after takeoff. we're learning more about the saudi double agent, who infiltrated al qaeda. and john hill -- miller has details on how they helped break up an airliner bomb plot. >> reporter: the source was debriefed for days. information he gave was used to launch a drone strike in yemen that took out faad alcoso.

but when the story of the unraveling of the airline plot leaked to the press, it also likely reached a any a -- aqap's master bomb maker, ibrahim alasiry. >> the question is, was this operation leaked too early for us to find the bomb maker? and if here's still around, that's going to be a critical question everybody is going to ask about. >> asiry is believed to be training others to build bombs using his designs. >> you've got another wave of bomb makers we need to be worrying about. so from my perspective, he's at the top of the list of our kill- capture priority the. >> reporter: now, director of intelligence, james clapper and members of congress are calling for an across-the-board review of how this got out. >> i don't think those leaks should have happened. there was an operation in progress. i think the leak is regarded as very serious. >> reporter: the question also

remains, what happens to the source, who is credited with foiling this operation, the 2010 plot to take down carco planes -- cargo planes bound for chicago with printer bombs. >> how do we get not only but his family out into a situation, where they're first guarded from any scrutiny? that is, for example, new documents, new life, new names. but second in a geography, whether it's united states, europe or elsewhere, where they're not under constant threat? >> the double agent gave the bomb device to the cia, well before the plot was put into motion. an australian man is accused of intentionally running over his sister with a car. police say the 20-year-old man struck his 19-year-old sister with his car, after her cat urinated on his computer. she suffered a fractured spine and leg, as well as a collapsed lung. the brother is charged with common assault and negligent driving. the cat was not injured. the new jersey woman with an extreme tan is banned from

several tanning salons. planet sun tanning salon says patricia censle is no longer allowed in their facilities. that is apparently her tanning salon of choice. she was arrested last month for allegedly taking her daughter into a tanning booth with her. she was released on $25,000 bond. check in with eyewitness news at 6:00, for these stories and more coming up, denise is standing by with a preview. >> hi, kai. controversial ruling. a maryland court declares pit bulls a dangerous breed of dogs. new at 6:00, why this is making some people choose between their dogs and their homes. waiting and worrying. i'm vic carter. a maryland family wait while their father and husband sits behind bars in a cuban jail. that story coming up. check in for these stories and all the day's breaking news. still to come tonight on wjz's eyewitness news. last night's rain creates a double-header for the o's today.

play under way at camden yards. play under way at camden yards. >> mark has the latest on the 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.

on my journey across america, i found new ways to tell people about saving money. this is bobby. say hello bobby. hello bobby. (laughter) hello bobby.

do you know you could save hundreds on car insurance over the phone, online or at your local geico office? tell us bobby, what would you do with all those savings? hire a better ventriloquist. your lips are moving. (huge laughter erupts) hire a better ventriloquist. your lips are moving. geico®. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. bonus baseball for o's fans. thanks to the rainout last night.

sports director mark viviano joins us with the latest on the double header. >> two on one is a nice deal for the fans. but not a nice deal for the orioles. after they have been hit with injuries. plus, they're facing a powerful opponent, the texas rangers. sunshine after last night's rain. and the fans who arrived on time got to witness more home run history in the same place where josh hamilton hit homers yesterday. facing texas pitcher colby louis. flaherty leads off with the orioles for the home run. that's the first of his major league career. a quick 1-0, orioles lead. second batter, jj hardy. he hammers a deep fly to left. another home run. back-to-back home runs. the third batter. nick markakis. why not? he slams a home run to right. the first three hit home runs to start the game. that's the first time that's

happened in american league history. adam jones and wilson bedamment have also hit home runs. it is 6-1 in the 7th inning. there's football news. the ravens getting their newly- drafted rookie to sign. courtney upshaw signed a deal today. from alabama, considered now more important to have on board, now that terrell sugs is going to miss half of the upcoming season. ravens mini camp have more coming up. i'll have more coming up next hour, including a threat by the league to find replacement referees for the season. plus that orioles double header. all ahead in sportsa the 6:00. back to you for now. >> all right. thank you. still ahead on eyewitness news. the jury is still out. the political consultant, tied to the 2010 election night robocall scandal is waiting to learn his fate. i'm derek valcourt at the courthouse with a live report ,,

[ man ] did we get anything good? sweetie i think you need a little extra fiber in your diet. fiber makes me sad. oh common. i dare you to taste one hint of fiber in fiber one. oh, i'd be able to tell. why don't i just eat this bag? and how can you talk to me about fiber when you are eating a candybar. you enjoy that. i am. [ male announcer ] fiber beyond recognition. fiber one.

coming up right now on wjz's eyewitness news at 6:00. intense deliberations. a jury die the fay fate of a man accused of an -- election night robocall scandal. major bust in howard countery. and you won't believe what police found inside one of these town homes. i'm weijia jiang. i'll so you next. a harbor business making business. i'm jessica kartalija.

that story coming up on wjz. sunny but breezy spring evening. >> check in for these stories and all the day's breaking news. >> wjz eyewitness news at 6:00 starts now. major marijuana operation. one of the largest busts in history. >> tonight, the suspect in custody and his ties to a local police force. >> hello, everyone. i'm vic carter. >> and i'm denise koch. here's what people are talking about tonight. a half million dollars in marijuana. that's what police find in a howard county home, along with a gring sophistication. not only that, the suspect used to work for the baltimore police departm