and we're showing you the sunrise over the eastern sky. >> reporter: a couple of clouds throwing in there. a mostly clear one at 63 degree. a light wind out of the east- northeast. check this out. 58 towson. washington d.c. checking in at 56 degrees. by the bay, though, a bit milder 64 in annapolis. we've got the range upper 50s to mid-60s and throw a few added clouds into the sky this afternoon. the two degree guaranteed temperature gets us up to 80 degrees. now to the roads. >> reporter: thanks, justin. as you make your way southbound on 83 down to the pennsylvania line, experiencing a little bit of increased volume. westbound route 32 in columbia at broken land parkway, there is an injury accident in the

scene. in baltimore city, hanover pike at old hanover road. we're getting reports of a vehicle on fire at woodlawn at security boulevard. if you are headed southbound this morning, traffic is flowing freely on 95. if you are coming northbound 95 you will be experiencing sun glare up over the ridge. kelly, back to you. 6:31 now. in a few hours, general motors transitioned through a smaller more profitable company will be complete. sherrie johnson is monitoring the developments from the breaking news center and joins us now with more. sherrie? >> reporter: a new general motors is expected to emerge from bankruptcy protection this morning. it took only 40 days to reorganize what was once the world's largest company. general motors is expected to cut jobs, factories and brands. fritz henderson is expected to announce gm would cut another 4,000 white collar jobs as

sales aross the industry continue to slide. the problem is, june numbers show consumer spending is down. nearly one in ten americans is without a job, the highest rate in 25 years. some say it may be time for a second government stimulus pack often. nancy pelosi says the first stimulus needs time to work. >> this third quarter is a big quarter for the stimulus. i think people will begin to see more of the results. >> reporter: retailers are looking towards the third quarter worried sales will go down. again, they say the critical back to school season is important. reporting live in the breaking news center, sherrie johnson, abc 2 news. health experts are urging robert gates to ban the use of tobacco including the sale of tobacco on military property. we're talking changes that could dramatically alter it. the study requested by the pentagon calls for a phased-in

ban over a period of several years perhaps even of 20 years. gobl problems, africa and the pope on climate change and the economy is wrapping up. the president and first lady will have an audience with pope benedict today. afterwards, the obamas head to ghana for a day long visit before returning to washington. a magnitude 6.0 quake hit southwest china's united province. more than 10,000 homes have collapsed but so far, only one death is reported. although hundreds are said to be injured. spanish officials say a man was gored to death in the running of the bulls in pamplona, spain. the first such death in more than a decade. the web site says he was gored in the neck and lungs during a run in which one bull ran back the wrong way. nine other people were injured.

two mean involved in the carefully plotted murder of a witness of a murder has received lengthy time in prison. the two were sentenced yesterday. both apparently played key roles in the drive-by shooting death of carl lackl, who was planning to testify against drug dealer patrick byers in a murder case. police in anne arundel county are searching for suspects. the victim, a 19-year-old man told investigators he was outside smoking when he was approached by two men who forced him back into his residence and stole various items before taking off. five corrections officers were fired after two escaped from a maryland juvenile facility. we're talking washington d.c.'s new youth center called new beginnings. d.c.'s mayor also put two other workers on leave and demoted

the superintendent. the facility opened in may. the orioles are back home tonight beginning a three-game series with toronto. it is the final series before the all-star break. the birds were off last night, but nick markakis, his wife and management will be in action today. mount royal elementary school, they will demonstrate a baseball-themed summer learning curriculum. this is actually cool. nick and christina markakis will instruct a third grade class about movement in baseball science, which involved measuring batting distances and then dave will teach a fourth grade class about vibrations and the sweet spot. maybe the best of all, the oriole bird will show up for both classes. 6:35 now. baltimore's michael phelps in record setting form today last night at the u.s. national championships in annapolis. phelps took the world record

fort 100 meter butterfly. >> to be able to come back and be back in the water for about six months and be able to come and still have the best time, you know, shows that really anything can happen if you put your mind to it. >> the butterfly was the second win of the night for phelps who now holds five world records. still ahead on "good morning, maryland," the latest into the investigation of mieskle jackson's death. police say they haven't ruled anything out including homicide. it may not be a plague but it is a major problem. locusts have invaded russia. >> oh, i didn't need to see that. >> not this early. sun, a few clouds, temperatures in the low 60s this morning. a pleasantly cool day today. we'll talk about that. right now, hopefully no bugs on the traffic this morning. there's the punch buggies out there on the road. kim with the latest. >> i do remember the punch buggies, justin. i'm getting word of a crash at the harbor tunnel.

traffic is being hold. you can use the mchenry tunnel as an alternate. let's get the latest on mark jones with the mta. >> reporter: the 17 with a diversion at nursery and winterson construction on the scene and the number 22 bus diverted at university and 40th. out there on the m.a.r.c. train system, no delays on the camden, penn or brunswick line services of marc. for the mta transit team, i'm mark jones. tim,

nobody ever asks me what i want to be when i grow up. maybe it's your name. richard? no, smucker. (laughs) (announcer) when your last name is smucker and you live in orrville, everyone knows what you'll do when you grow up. you're gonna make the world's best jam. i love jam. (announcer) for five generations, with a name like smucker's, it has to be good.

it's 6:40. buyers for the historic theater in baltimore. an auction was held yesterday, but no potential buyers came close to the amount they hoped for. it stopped praght as a movie theater and later became a school of cosmetology and then a church. right now it stands vacant. we're working to help you out in these tough economic times. here's what you'll find on our

web site today. six ways to beat the summer heat on a budget. plus, a $1 laptop. of course there's a catch. a new way to borrow money, no bank needed. all you have to do is go to abc2news.com and click on the financial survival guide. the state of maryland wants to buy back 3600 blue crab licenses. it's meant to improve management of blue crab populations. the department of natural resources is sending letters to anyone with the licenses hoping some of the inactive license holders will sell the license back. 6:41. it's not exactly sex, lies and videotape, but it's close. the latest on high profile scandals proving that sex and politics don't mix, especially if you get caught.

good morning. i'm kelly swoope. here's a look at the top stories we're working on for you. the latest into the investigation of michael jackson's death. police haven't ruled anything out including homicide. a baltimore community fights

back against an unusual neighborhood problem, transgender prostitutes. we'll tell you what police are doing to help the residents. and the rebirth this morning of general motors. we'll have the latest details. those stories and more coming up. let's check in with the weather with meteorologist justin berk. >> as we lead into the end of the week and the middle of july, what do you think about the beach? let's take you out to ocean see. a great shot here, sunrise looking south from the beach plaza hotel, 13th street towards the pier. 66 degrees. a wind out of the northeast at 11 miles per hour. a gusty wind will hold the temperatures down today toward the weekend. 65 degrees is the hd camera shot from the inner harbor. okay, we've got generally clear skies with south and central sections of virginia. that's diving south. the upper level throw we've got to follow the cluster of storms

in the upper midwest. that will miss us. weelg take the top clouds mixing in with the skies. if anything, that's about it at least for the forecast for today. what we are looking for as we may add extra white into the sky, we may add extra showers tomorrow. follow from pittsburgh up through erie, pa and the great lakes. this is a developing cold front and distinct line of heavy storms sliding through pennsylvania. we'll watch it after 6:00 to 8:00 in the western fringe. the beaches stay wet at the end of the weekend. we could have lingering showers on sunday morning. partly cloudy skies, unseasonably cool. we're back to 66 for tonight. our weekend outlook, 85 showers or storms tomorrow evening. the beach forecast is coming up in just a bit. here's kim with a check of the roads. >> reporter: traveling through the harbor tunnel southbound, don't go that way because it's now closed because of a vehicle fire. police are on the scene and are

directing drivers to i-95 via heath avenue. try using the fort mchenry tunnel as an alternate. the harbor tunnel southbound is closed because of a vehicle fire. and 895, the crash has been moved over to the shoulder. some of the activity is causing rubber necking delays. still working that crash in howard county westbound 32 at broken land parkway. and security boulevard, another vehicle is on fire right now. 695 right now traffic is running smoothly. things appear to be looking good at this hour. kelly, back to you. detectives investigating the death of michael jackson are focusing now on his prescription drug history and aren't ruling anything out including home side. sherrie johnson is here now with more. >> reporter: it could be several weeks until the release of the coroner's toxicology report which will reveal the cause of michael jackson's death. the l.a. police chief says he's waiting

for that report before ruling anything out like a homicide or overdose. the chief calls the investigation comprehensive and far reaching. detectives are looking at jackson's prescription drug history. meanwhile, joe jackson, michael's father wants to know why the pop star died so suddenly and suspects foul play. >> i just can't believe what was happening to michael because i just couldn't believe it, you know? and i do believe there's foul play, i do believe that, yes. >> reporter: the drug enforcement administration and california attorney general's office which keeps a database of prescription drugs are assisting investigators in this case. we'll have more coming up on "good morning america." sherrie johnson, abc 2 news. >> thanks, sherrie. illinois senator roland burris will hold a news conference today to say not to run another term. he was taunted by the peddling

scandal that drove blagojevich out of office. the scandal surrounding nevada's senator is growing. a senate republican and christian conservative previously admitted having an affair with his former campaign senator. his parents made payments to the mistress and her family totaling $96,000 raising ethics concerns in washington and the senator's ability to remain in office. newly released e-mails about south carolina governor mark sanford's relationship from argentina. he wanted to keep an evening free during a business trip. he vowed he will not step down as governor. alarming news out of annapolis. chief budget analyst for

maryland's legislature is warning the state short fall could be twice the amount previously estimated. the general asellbly warns the legislative leaders in a letter that the short fall could total $700 million. that is expected to present spending reductions for the year to the public for work soon but it's not cheer how deep the cuds will be. prosecutors issued subpoenas in an apparent bid to bolster the case against baltimore mayor dixon. attorneys for dixon filed a motion challenging the subpoenas arguing the state prosecutor's office was abusing the grand jury process. the subpoenas were for two current and one former city employee. dixon is accused of stealing gift cards for needy families. now the latest on the soccer coach arrested for soliciting sex from a 14-year- old girl. charles fry dwell who goes --

friedel who goes by the name of coach chuck was arrest during an undercover sting operation. the victim was the sister of a girl friedel coaches. the girl's father called police after inappropriate text messages and nude pictures of himself were sent to the girl. friedel is mauryed and is himself a father of two. police say there could be more victims. anyone with information is urged to call 410-853-3650. the man accused of throwing his sister from a moving car in the baltimore beltway is scheduled to be back in court this morning. it happened almost a month ago on 695 and security boulevard exit. witnesses told police 35-year- old rashid hall of woodlawn was arguing with his sister kareena. police say he pushed his sister out of the car without slowing. he faces charges including

attempted murder. his preliminary hearing is set in towson. police in baltimore stepped up efforts to cut down on prostitution in the city's old goucher neighborhood. people who live in that community complained dozens of transgender prostitutes seemed to have found a home there. the most visible sign that police are doing something is a new surveillance camera at the corner of 21st and st. paul street. that was just installed this week. a social worker who helps women and men involved in prostitution says transgender prostitutes face a constant threat of violence, which is why they banded together in old goucher. >> given their sexuality and given the fact that they are not accepted everywhere, that they need to hang together and be a community wherever they find themselves. >> a representative from the community says there are as many as 100 transgender prostitutes who work the streets there.

a pennsylvania-based guitar company is playing to a hard-hit economy. virtually every musician has strummed a martin guitar with the prices starting at $2,000. last fall when the economy slid, sales hit a sour note forcing the company to change its tune in terms of pricing. >> this is going to be a tough economy, but we would have a product that would meet the needs of guitar players without taxing their pocketbook. >> the most popular seller, the one series now would only cost you $30. the company owner says they weathered wars, recessions and downturns and always seem to bounce back. here is a growth factor story. russia is being invaded. certainly not for the first time. this is not a matter of military might. we're talking big bugs. southern russia is under attack

by swarms of locusts. they began arriving at the end of may and by the idle of june, they are taking in almost 50,000 acres. it reminds me of the cicadas, justin. i didn't want to see that again. no one listened. we've got ourselves a good looking setup around the region. we'll call it 82 in ocean city. looks looic upper 70s stuck around the shoreline because of the northeast ler i wind. saturday some showers and storms possibly late in the day. most of the day you will be fine but it will be breezy holding it down to 79. that cold front will get stuck on sunday so sunday will be a cool, wet one at the beach with a high temperature around 78 degrees. so it may be time to man that trip home a little early. get there early, though. today will be good. today we're looking at great temperatures around town, once again around 80 here with partly cloudy skies.

definitely starting to bring things up leading to the weekend. tomorrow more mule id but nothing oppressive. that 86 is still below normal. overnight lows a bit muggy with storms near 70. on sunday, the morning showers and maybe an afternoon thunderstorm with a high temperature of 85. we'll slip to 83 on monday and back into the upper 80s. all we can muster here in the next several days is wednesday and thursday a high of 87 degrees, which by the way, happens to time out with the expected hottest time of the calendar year. how about that? now for a check of the roads and curiosity. what have you got there? >> reporter: i'm getting word wood brook lane at north charles street, there are trees blocking all of the lanes there. the major headache will be the harbor tunnel southbound, which remains closed at this hour because of a vehicle fire. police are detouring drivers to keith avenue. use the fort mchenry tunnel as

an alternate. also northbound at 895, this accident has been moved over to the shoulder. activity is causing minor rubber necking delays. traffic will be slow prochg 195 as well. still dealing with the crash at broken land parkway. woodlawn drive at security boulevard, there is a vehicle on fire at this hour. taking a look right now -- i'm sorry. >> that's okay. "good morning, maryland" at 9:00 is two hour as way. got a lot of interesting stuff. a documentary out is very, very powerful talking about the debilitating effects of lyme disease called "under our skin." also not too late to look stunning at the pool. how to pick the swimsuit for your body type. >> i need that one. >> ladies tune in. thanks for choosing "good morning, maryland." for more news this, watch "good morning, maryland" at 9:00 or go now to abc2news.com. abc 2 works for you. l