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good morning, maryland. i'm jamie costello. >> i'm megan pringle. thank you for joining us. it's tuesday, july 21st. a sunny day hopefully ahead of us in charm city. some pastries just arrived. we're ready to go. before we get to your weather and traffic. let's get a check on the top stories. we've talked about this over and over again but the president says he wants less talk, more action on his proposal to overhaul the health care system. new accusations against michael jackson's doctor. joe jackson says foul play led to the unexpected death of his son. police in baltimore city still looking for a man they say walked up to a teen and shot him to death. that is what we're working on, and more. but first, justin, will you do the weather while we eat? >> mcdonald's is also giving away free mocha on mondays until august 3rd. >> who is benefiting? huh? >> not me right now. for the bride-to-be

everyday is sunny from here on in. >> aw. >> in your heart. not going to be sunny today though, at the beach, on maryland's most powerful doppler radar -- you keep working on that bag over there. >> mm. >> there's static in the microphone. we have hefty rain. even lightning strikes in ocean city this morning. we're going to pull it back and up the coast, delaware, hefty rains, a look at cape may all the way through new jersey, it's new jersey, though. but they are getting hefty rains up and down the turnpike, in through new york city. look at the thunderstorms even back in through western sections of pennsylvania. around here it's not happening. we got a relatively dry start despite a stray shower that rolled in to through harford and cecil county early this morning. showers mainly to the east. this afternoon we'll have more widespread showers and storms with a high temperature of our two-degree guarantee 77. 6:312. let's see what's happening on the roads with kim brown. not a lot on the roads as we check around the beltway. you can see we have a pretty

smooth commute, we had a construction project at frederick road but it's since been picked up. to the left, essex right outside of the beltway, that washer and dryer still remain in the road, that is south maryland avenue at eastern boulevard. keep that in mind there. 83 southbound, we have a crash past the mount carmel road exit. that has the shoulder blocked at this time. no problems to report on 95 southbound as you make your way through to the whitemarsh area, down to the 695/895 split. quick peek now at the east side -- excuse me, west side of outer loop, liberty road, you can see traffic is moving lightly and smoothly at this hour. this traffic report brought to you by baltimore's country station 93.1 wpoc for the work day. listen to music from stars like taylor swift, kenny chesney and keith urban. back to you. >> should be on the spin psyche until essex now. >> it's been on the road for a while. how about don't get sick? >> will the president's health care reform heal america or will it make the system more

sick? abc2 news sherrie johnson has more on the big debate. >> reporter: president barack obama says health care reform has been talked to deadged it's time for action. he says out-of-pocket costs for americans are spiraling while health insurance companies have reaped record profits. he also says families are spending more for less care. the president issued his first health care related veto threat and warned he will not sign a bill that taxes health care benefits. the push for health care may have caused his approval rating to slip but it's not dlipped below republicans. according to the latest abc news/"washington post" survey, approval on how he's handling key issues has dropped. >> the more people learn about it, everybody knows an awful lot about health care and they codo want change but are worried about the costs and worried whether they will have to give up what they have. >> reporter: president obama will hold a primetime news conference wednesday night hoping to sell his program to the nation. you can watch it here on abc2

news starting at 8:00. preparations are still being made for the 2010 census but beware of scam artists posing as census takers. it's happening now in southern kentucky. the regional better business bureau is warning people about bogus census takers who go door to door, taking information and asking for money. something a real census worker would never do. >> that's the tipoff. they never going to ask for conations. these are con artists that think they can use the census worker profile. >> real workers will display an id badge, will carry a bag marked with census information. how would you like to make a little money all with your old electronics? costco is offering trade-ins on-line, just type in your information about your old gadget and they will give you store credit. the company is accepting a variety of electronics, we're talking everything including laptops, digital cameras, mp3 players. the program is only being

offered on-line. to start recycling your old electronics and start cashing in head to abc2news.com. we've posted the web site under the web site "links mentioned on air." 6:35. michael jackson's father is pointing fingers in the death of his son. joe jackson spoke about it last night on cnn's "larry king live." he says he believes the doctor that took care of his son may to be blame. joe jackson says the doctor gave jackson something to rest and the singer didn't wake up. larry king also asked jackson about saying goodbye to michael after his son's death. >> i want to remember michael alive because i didn't want to see him laying up in a casket. you know? >> the family still waiting for the coroner's toxicology report. those results aren't expected until sometime next week. this wouldn't happen to chris berman but it did to erin andrews. somebody managed to shoot video through a hotel room peephole of her undressing.

this video of her stark naked popped up on the web and then peeping toms and harries went to look and caught a computer virus. andrews of course is a very popular espn sportscaster. furious and called in an army of attorneys to investigate how this happened. peopleholes from the -- how did they do that? >> i don't know but i'm glad she's hiring an attorney and looking into it. it's terrible. a marriage made in facebook heaven. >> how boredom brought this one couple together. it's very unusual the story straight ahead. he could have been a contender. he wants to run for mayor. the mayor with the cowboy hat. you know him up there in new york. 6:37. 71 degrees. we've got cloudy skies and a chance of rain. the most accurate forecast next. we've got a smooth ride all around the beltway this morning. no problems or delays to let you know about at this time. let's check the buses and

trains with mark jones. >> good morning. the number 13 imus working with a -- bus working with a delay, 15 minutes late. the 13 and 36 buses are taking a diversion at north and greenmount due to a water main break repair. erdman and mannasota, a watermain situation there. and 22 bus diverted at university and 40th and university and st. paul due to construction.

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you are marrying trash. no i'm not, mom. an oregon couple is trying to be not so trashy. they are experimenting to see if they can stop sending trash to a land phil for an entire year. they got their inspiration from the movie "walle." they are recycling and paying more attention to what they buy at the store. three weeks and the couple's trash can is still empty. you going to try that

>> i don't want to know how they are doing it. impressive but - >> the naked cowboy. you've seen him before. so take a look at your screen, everyone. there he is. he wants to be mayor. robert burke says he's strumming his guitar dressed in nothing but tidy whities in times square. you've seen him before. now he says he wants to be the mayor. he wants to bring transprancey to a whole new level. if you know what i mean. he will formally announce tomorrow saying that no one knows how to do less with more. than yours truly. >> ok. you know he's going to advertise i'll tell that you much. coming up next on "good morning maryland" - >> a compliment to your morning coffee that won't cost you a dime. >> we're at a local starbuck's where if you like one of these you can get one totally free today. i'm brittney gordon and we'll tell you how to get your free breakfast, next.

6:45. "good morning america" coming up at the top of the hour.

i'm jamie costello. >> i'm megan pringle. here are the top stories we're following for you today. the new health care plan is more important than his ratings. the president is going to take his proposal to the public. we'll have a live report. also ahead -- a fiery suv crash that has a happy ending after all thanks to some quick-thinking strangers. get out the door now and head over to your starbuck's because they are giving you something free today. we'll tell you all about it. free breakfast. >> we love free. before that and more let's check the weather. >> weather's always free, weather and traffic together at 6:46. here's what's interesting, it's one of the warmest mornings we've had all month but not going to be the warmest day. low 70s from baltimore stretching to the eastern shore and out towards ocean city. our number 71. their number ocean city at 75. they are coming with heavy rain now, even had thunder and lightning along the shoreline. heavy rain extends all the way up through cape may, across most of new jersey into new york and new england. we're on the edge of this

system and pull it back wider and you can see we're actually in to between two, we've got that conveyer belt of tropical moisture across the coast. we've had moisture and some storms pushing on in through western pennsylvania and just a few spotty showers along the chesapeake. we'll continue with the moist flow coming up just around the shoreline, though we're right on the edge of it now we're probably evening out this afternoon and develop showers and thunderstorms. our two-degree guarantee gets us to 77 but plan for the chance of storms in the afternoon and some patchy fog, upper 60s overnight. we'll have the extended forecast in a bit. let's see what's happening on the roads with kim. ask we have volume building on southbound 795 as you make your way out of owings mills headed to the beltway, outer loop on the west side of the outer loop between liberty road and route 70 is going to have volume building there as well. quick look at the tunnels. no problems to let you know about at the fort mchenry tunnel or harbor tunnel. keep in mind that new traffic pattern on southbound 95, the exit to 895 is going to be on the right as oppose toed on the left.

mount carmel road, 83 southbound, that crash moved over to the left shoulder. should have minimal impact on the commute now. and east side of the beltway, between whitemarsh boulevard and providence road, no problems to report there either. this is liberty road on the outer loop, some volume is building but no problems to report at this time. 6:48. the president is going to come at us hard and heavy. >> he's calling on internet bloggers and his message to america tomorrow night to get the health care reform bill voted on in three weeks. sherrie johnson joins us with more. >> reporter: president barack obama says it's time for action and in a strong rebuttal to critics about his overall proposal obama says out-of-pocket costs for americans are out of control while health insurance companies have made record profits. he believes families are spending more for less care. the push for health care may have caused the president's approval rating to slip but it's not dipped below republicans. according to the latest abc

news washington post survey approval on how he's handling key issues has dropped. he's down eight points on the economy, nine points on the economy, but the president hit back hard. >> there's a certain portion of the republican party that -- 93 about, 94. it was a pure political play, a show of strength by republicans that helped them regain the house. >> reporter: the president issued his first health care related veto threat and warned he won't sign a bill that taxes health care benefits. president obama will hold a primetime news conference on wednesday night hoping to sell his health care plan to the nation. catch it live on abc2 news starting at 8:00. sherrie johnson, abc2 news. a mother mourns the loss of her teenaged daughter who was struck and killed by a drunk driver. 15-year-old kate -- caitlin bossler was killed as she stood outside her home monday night

talking to her friends in a parked car. police say a car driven by this man, 42-year-old kevin smith of fredrick county hit her and the car. four teens in the car were badly hurt. caitlin died at the hospital. >> have to stop people from going out ( indiscernible ) --- >> last night when i went to work i was texting her, back-to-school shopping. today i'm picking out a casket. >> kevin smith faces manslaughter and charges for driving under the influence. he's still behind bars on $20,000 bond. this morning baltimore city police continue to search for the person that walked up to two teens in east baltimore and opened fire killing one of them. a makeshift memorial now marks the scene at the corner of north kenwood avenue and east monument street. 16-year-old jarod reed died at the scene. rescuers took the other teen to johns hopkins. people who live in the area say they've seen more than their fair share of violence.

>> at one time they used to say this is one of the nicer parts of kenwood avenue. but over the years since i've been here it's changed a lot. >> city police say right now they have no suspects in this investigation. there's a baby in here! >> get him out! >> heroes at work. you're watching some quick-thinking citizens saving the life and a mother and two children. this happened in milwaukee. the suv flipped over and the mother and her 2-year-old an 4-year-old were trapped inside. neighbors and firefighters jumped into action smashing out the windows, cutting out the mother and daughter. the firefighters pulled out the 4-year-old little boy. >> everyone came together to perform a miracle. it was truly and it speaks volumes for the city of milwaukee, the milwaukee fire department, the milwaukee police department. everyone involved.

>> and because of his heroic deed and the others, strangers, the whole family is alive. the mother and daughter suffered minor burns. the boy suffered burns from 30% of his body but is still expected to be ok. time now is 6:52. crash tests are giving some 2009 cars good grades for safety. the insurance institute for highway safety gives ford focus and the volvo c30 top scores in front and side and rear crash tests. also getting top scores, the front-end tests are two-door versions of chevy cobalt and honda civic. overall an insurance executive calls test results on the smaller models good news. the watergate made famous by presidential scandal is heading to the auction block in baltimore's own -- and baltimore's own alex cooper will be in charge of the sale. expected to start at 10:15 this morning. according to the web site the $1 million deposit will be required at the time of sale. it was made famous by the 1972

burglary that led to president richard nixon's resignation. results of standardized test scores for maryland will be released today. this will determine whether schools are meeting federal standards, students in grades three through eight have consistently improved their performance on the maryland school assessments since thetate began administering these tests in 2003. however, students in baltimore city and prince george's county lagged behind the rest of the state. the maryland transportation administration says that it has withdrawn a request to the attorney general about installing audio surveillance equipment on the buses and trains. this would record conversations of passengers and employees. the letter was withdrawn because the matter should be reviewed at the department level before the mta seeks legal advice. the mta said this would be part of its ongoing effort to deter criminal activity aboard public transportation. 6:53. it's getting to be that time of morning. ready for a little something

extra. i got lots of goodies. >> this came free. and everything tastes better when it's free, right? >> yeah. >> brittney gordon, save us. tell us what is going on at starbuck's. >> reporter: we are right next door to our station at the starbuck's on york road. where it's very simple. if you come in here and you buy one of these, u'll get one of these for free. it's an absolutely free pastry. here's the deal -- this is a promotion going on at starbuck's stores across the country. if you bring in a coupon and buy a beverage they will give you a free pastry. the company is trying to advertise that they are so much more than just coffee. that means you'll get a free pastry up until 10:30 this morning. if you want the coupon, abc2 news is trying to help you out. go to our web site, www.abc2news.com, go to the bottom righthand corner and click on "links mentioned on air." you'll see free pastry.

we'll send you straight to the starbuck's web site where you'll get this coupon. i don't know about you but this is worth a little web surfing this morning. doesn't it look just delicious? >> yes. yes! >> reporter: the show is almost over so you can run here and get your own. for now, live, i'm brittney gordon for abc2 news. a marriage made on facebook with a twist. >> it's quite something. kelly hilderbrant is marrying kelly hilderbrant. all because the female kelly from florida was bored on facebook. >> i was curious one night and i just typed in my own name, just wondering if there was any others, he was the only one that popped up. i sent him a message. and - >> and the rest as they say, history. the male kelly is from texas. they are getting married in october and to avoid confusion they've decided on wedding invitations, they are going to use their middle initials.

>> saved by a middle initial. let's look at the weather with justin berk. >> 6:55. we're still waiting to see if rob changes his name. that's the run be bet around here. outside we're looking at a wet day today. temperatures only in the upper 70s. 77 degrees with showers and storms. heading if through tomorrow, we'll push 86. 85 thursday will knock it back into the low 80s once again by friday. the chance of rain just about each and everyday. let's see what's happening on the roads with kim. the beltway still running smoothly at this time. a couple of incidents, 83 southbound, still working that crash southbound past the middletown road exit. that accident has been cleared to both the left and right shoulder but we're also dealing with a crash on the jfx southbound at cold spring lane. that accident has been moved over to the right shoulder as well. quick peek, the beltway is looking good at this time, too. we're out of time. thank you for joining us. >> don't think this is your wedding gift.