the hope rises again. and the dream lives on. >> he was the last of a generation of kennedy brothers. tonight tributes from around the world are pouring in for the late senator ted kennedy. president obama said of kennedy's passing, an important chapter in the country's history has ended. abc's lindsey davis has more on the outpouring of grief. >> reporter: history books also account for his political prowess. the condolence books are for the people he touched. >> i really can't even put into words what he -- what he has done for us. >> reporter: during his 46-year career in the senate, landmark legislation from civil rights to health care to education had his fingerprints all over it. >> ideas, and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives. >> reporter: republicans orrin hatch and john mccain were among the first to extend their notes of sympathy to his family. >> so many of his foes embrace

him. because they know he made them bigger. he made them more graceful. by the way in which he conducted himself. >> reporter: but his life was not without controversy. >> he has had his problems, but he also did a lot more good i guess than bad. >> reporter: in 1969, he drove his car off a bridge in chappaquiddick, killing campaign worker mary jo kopechne. analysts suggest it ruined any chance of becoming president. but on this day he is remembered for his commitment and long-term commitment to health care reform. >> as long as i have a vote and a voice in the united states senate, it's going to be for that democratic platform plank that provides health care, east and west for all americans as [ inaudible ] >> reporter: as the third

longest serving senator, kennedy authored more than 2500 bills. more than 300 became law. lindsey davis, abc 2 news, new york. >> and coming up tonight at 10, abc news will air a special called remembering ted kennedy, with diane sawyer and charles gibson. that's right here on abc 2 tonight at 10, followed by abc 2 news at 11. and if you would like to leave your condolences, or share your memories of senator kennedy, you may post them on our website at abc2news.com. in other news now, an accused serial robber is in custody after one of his victims fought back. detectives say since the beginning of the month, the robbers struck 17 times throughout downtown baltimore, hitting some businesses more than once. action 2 news brian kuebler tells us how police finally nabbed their suspect. >> reporter: police say 39-year- old mark lomax was picked up after committing 17 commercial robberies in and around downtown baltimore. he is currently in the hospital recovering from a broken arm,

simply because he hit this clothing shop on broadway in fells point one too many times. >> that put him in the hospital? >> yeah, that makes me really happy. it really does. >> reporter: michael says the robber came back to the killer trash clothing store twice, each time implying he had a gun. on the third time, he was in the store watching his girlfriend close up. >> right when he turned his back, i saw a baseball bat behind the counter, and i started hitting him with it, and he is blocking himself with his hands. i guess that's how he broke his arm. >> reporter: he had enough. but that didn't stop lomax. he went on to rob after that, but it was his predictable pattern that led to his arrest. >> he was a repeat offender. went to one business, robbed them, waited a couple days and weeks and went back. that's how police were able to catch up with him. >> reporter: police say lomax was relieved when he was finally arrested. a good thing too, because some other business owners were starting to prepare for his repeat pattern. >> very happy. i was very relieved.

>> reporter: business owners like rob thompson of tuxedo zone. he says the robber came in saturday night, tried on a tux, and then tried to rob thompson. an ecstasy officer, thompson fought back, and lomax made off with nothing. but if he did come back, which was his m.o., thompson made no bones about being prepared. >> if he want the money, boom, okay. and that's going to be it for him. if i couldn't get to it, i was going to hit him -- i was -- >> reporter: it didn't have to come to that. lomax was stopped and arrested with only a broken limb rather than missing ones. in baltimore, brian kuebler, abc 2 news. >> and brian tells us lomax is still recovering from that broken arm when he is released from the hospital, he will be charged with 17 counts of robbery. and now for a look at tonight's top stories. the state board of public works has aroved $454 million in budget cuts.

they include 205 layoffs, cuts to state agencies, and 210 million in reduction to local governments there is also a furlough plan that is expected to save an estimated $75 million. crews are still working on the downtown baltimore gas line that triggered a small explosion. it happened last night in the area of fayette and utah streets. the blasts actually knocked four manhole covers out of place. nobody was hurt, and the streets involved will be closed through tomorrow morning. and nobody matched all the winning numbers in last night's mega millions drawing. that mean's friday's winning ticket could be worth $325 million. the cash option is $204 million. temperature-wise across the region right now, live data from our storm center weather net at ellicott city, 86 degrees. and look at the humidity, 52%. 84 in mount airy. anne arundel county community college at 86.

and umbc catonsville 86 with 50% humidity, making it feel a whole lot warmer than what it actually is. the forecast for the next couple hours, our skies will remain partly cloudy. and we'll see temperatures hang right around the mid to starting to the mid-80s. very much on the humid side as far as our forecast for the next couple of hours. but things are going to be changing by the end of the week. we'll have the complete forecast coming up in a couple of minutes. >> all right, thanks, norm. congressman elijah cummings is continuing his effort to help marylanders stay in their homes. today he hosted a news conference on mortgage relief scams. the congressman says some distressed homeowners are paying for foreclosure prevention help that is actually free. some scam artists are even asking homeowners to sign over their property. >> do not have to hire someone and spend thousands of dollars that you do not have to waste just you keep your home. >> congressman cummings says watch out for companies that go door to door or who try to

collect a fee before providing service. if you would like free mortgage relief help, you can call the maryland hope hotline at 877- 462-7555. abc's "the view" is getting a new fill-in co-host, and she comes with plenty of controversy. kate gosselin has been added to the list of co-hosts who will be subbing for regular co-host elisabeth hasselbeck on september 14th and 15th. hasselbeck is on maternity leave after giving birth to her third child earlier this month. gosselin, the mother of twins and sextuplets costars with her now estranged husband on tlc's reality series jon & kate plus 8 ." one time strangers now life- long friends. >> truly was set, and i knew i would do anything to help him. >> medical decision two couples made, and the bond they will

share forever. plus clutter in your mailbox? yeah, kit be annoying. why you're getting less junk mail and new ways businesses are now targeting you. a dull metal clanking sound. bear groans.

♪ ominous music ferocious growling. roaaaaaarrrrrrr!!!! ♪ whistling bluegrass tune

on wall street today, small gains with the dow leading the way, just up over 4 points. well, the u.s. postal

service is offering $15,000 buyouts in an effort to save money. the move comes as traditional mail delivery is being hurt by the popularity of e-mail and electronic bill payment. 30,000 employees could take the offer, which would save the postal service as much as a half billion dollars over the next two years. and mail carriers are delivering less junk mail. economists blame rising shipping costs, which means fewer items like catalogs and coupon pacts. businesses are still sending out junk mail are sending less of it, shrinking their catalogs, and using thinner paper to save money. well, when you crack open a cold one this fall, there is a chance you're going the pay a little more. the nation's top brewers plan to raise their beer prices, even as some of the top brands are seeing a drop in sales. anheuser-busch and miller coors will both rise price on a local basis depending on the market, they say, but neither will say how big the increases will be.

well, the final numbers are in. we'll check the bottom line of the cash for clunkers program, including the most popular cars purchased. >> somebody out there was watching out for us. >> and hear about the latest kidney swap that not only saved two lives, but also two marriages. explain.

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the final numbers are in for the cash for clunkers program. the transportation department says the program generated nearly 700,000 new car sales and came in under the $3 billion budget for the month- long program. japanese automakers, toyota, honda, and nissan accounted for 41% of the new vehicle sales, outpacing detroit automakers general motors, ford, and chrysler, which had nearly 39%. the toyota corolla was the most popular new vehicle purchased under the program followed by the honda civic, toyota camry

and ford focus. the car incentive program offered consumers rebates of $3,500, or 4500 to trade in a gas guzzler in exchange for buying a new car. well are, you one of those people who don't use your cell phone all day long? if so, you may be overpaying for your monthly payment plan. and prepaid may be for you. but consumer reporter john matarese has some downside so you don't waste your money. >> reporter: if you want a cell phone for emergencies, but you don't want to spend $30 a a month for a plan, you do have a cheaper option. it's a prepaid phone. but a new report finds many of those plans come with a lot of gotchas. the day of the $10 a month cell phone package is gone. as a result, lots of light users have turned instead to prepaid phones like t rac phone or virgin, or prepaid plans from the major carriers. you pay for only the minutes

you use. but consumer reports warns many come with gotchas. some carriers find it hard to find your true price per minute. result, your per minute fee can range from 5 cents up to a dollar. and warns about some plans advertising 5 cents a minute that add on a daily access charge making it much more expensive. consider a basic monthly plan if you make more than a few calls per month. and from the doesn't that stink file, expiration dates on prepaid minutes. some carriers offer a thousand dollars for 50 bucks, that's just 5 cents a minute. but consumer report says you better like to talk, because they expire in just one month. doesn't that stink? the magazine says many prepaid cards expire in just 30 days. better look for minutes with a 90-day or longer expiration date. prepaid phones can be a good idea if you use your phone mostly for emergencies. but read the fine print. 5-cent minutes are really no good if you lose them all at the end of the month. so don't waste your money.

i'm john matarese. now the forecast certified baltimore's most accurate. here is chief meteorologist norm lewis and maryland's most powerful doppler radar. >> it's amazing what a little rain can do for your lawn, man. i tell you. my grass has never looked so good. >> mine is just growing like crazy. the crab grass is really doing very well. >> it's all growing. >> and we've got more rain on tap, but not until the weekend. kind of a sticky feel out there today. let's show you our picture from harbor cam high atop the candler building. folks getting sailing in at the inner harbor. our temperature at bwi remains at 8 degrees, wind from the west at 8 and the pressure steady 29.97. temperature-wise across the region right now, perry hall at 86. 86 up in aberdeen. 85 in mount airy. westminster currently at 86 degrees. fallston reports 85. 85 in northeast, and in annapolis right now at 87. but look at millersville. they're at 91 degrees.

tropical storm danny right now. as you can see, winds of 45 miles per hour, moving towards the west northwest at 10 miles per hour. the national hurricane center says this is the path that danny is going to be taking. now earlier today, they thought danny was going to be a little bit closer to the united states. but right now they're pulling in a little bit more out into the atlantic. that doesn't mean we're going to get by scot-free. we are going to see the effects of danny as it passes by the north carolina, virginia, maryland, and delaware region. we'll see some clouds out of it. we'll see some rain out of it. a little bit of a breeze out of danny. but it doesn't look like it's going to be a major situation. there will be heavy surf along the eastern seaboard, and we'll see some rainfall out of it. but we'll keep an eye on danny, just to make sure. and we'll keep you advised as of course the storm continues to move. throughout the day today, lots of sunshine, a few little afternoon clouds. and as we go through the evening, those clouds right there are going to be dissipating. it's going to be a very nice evening. and another nice day tomorrow. but then things are going to start to increase cloud wise by

tomorrow evening as another system starts making its way in our direction, and also as danny starts moving up the eastern seaboard. but it's going to be far enough out in the atlantic, it doesn't look like it's going to be a major situation. that remains to be seen. danny could always change his mind. right now maryland's most powerful radar, not indicating any precipitation around the region. nice clear scan across the area. and as we said we are expecting some precipitation to move in. very late tomorrow night, probably during the after midnight period. the temperatures right now, they don't tell the whole story because when you figure in the humidity, it feels very sticky out there. many places feeling like 90 plus with the high humidity. downtown baltimore right now at 86 degrees. now your forecast for tonight. a few little light clouds around right now. but as we go through the overnight period, those clouds are basically going to be falling apart. and what we're going to be finding is during the day tomorrow, another nice day. but tomorrow evening, the clouds increase once again. and tomorrow night after midnight, a chance for showers in western maryland. look what happens on friday as

danny starts moving along the eastern seaboard. it's going to start pumping in a lot of moisture. that's going to cause some rainfall, all the way from pennsylvania back through ohio, kentucky, sections of virginia and virginia and north carolina as well as maryland and delaware we'll see the rainshowers out of danny. tonight mostly clear, humid. you'll see an overnight low of 71 degrees. during the day tomorrow, it's going to be a nice day. partly cloudy, but some showers arriving late tomorrow night after midnight. like 3:00, 4:00 in the morning. over the daytime high 87 degrees. the 87 will be followed by cooler temperatures on friday, because we'll be seeing the shower activity moving past the region. same situation on saturday. but saturday from ten income the morning on, things should start to clear up with a high of 78 degrees. saturday some lingering showers on sunday and again on monday. but tuesday and wednesday, sunshine returns with some clearer skies, or clearing skies, cooler temperatures, and lower humidity. we'll be back at 6 with more on the weather, and more on danny.

>> all right, thanks, norm. it's a first ever medical procedure in san diego county, california. the operation not only saved two lives, but also two marriages. lauren reynolds explains. >> reporter: it's an emotional turning point for patty ford. she has a new kidney and new friends. >> it's huge to me and it's not all about me. robin gave me a better quality of life. >> reporter: she and paul brian have lived with kidney disease for years. their spouses wanted to help. >> he truly was set. and i knew immediately that i would do anything to help him. >> reporter: they were not a match to their own spouses. but the couples did match to swap kidneys. robin matched patty. paul matched patrick. last week they became the first ever recipients of a paired donation at ucsd medical center, the first of its kind in san diego county. >> i feel so much better than i

felt at any time in the last year. >> reporter: it was patty ford who first thought of the idea after reading about paired donations in toledo. ucsd jumped right on board, even though there was only a 5% chance of the swap being doable. >> it was a match that was meant to be. >> reporter: the couples believe it was fate. >> somebody out there was watching out for us. >> reporter: they met just before the surgery, and realized they're all about the same age, have the same interest, especially golf. >> there was a connection. sure enough, it was meant to be. >> reporter: they only live 25 miles from each other, and look forward to the new quality of life they're truly sharing. lauren reynolds. >> according to the congressional kidney caucus, nearly 80,000 u.s. patients are currently waiting for an organ transplant. and now with a look ahead to abc 2 news at 6, a man accused of flashing unsuspecting women. where it's been arrange and what neighbors are saying. plus, we'll meet a local

man who is battling the same type of cancer ted kennedy had. and now a preview of what is ahead on "world news" at 6:30. >> coming up on world news, remembering ted kennedy. we're in hyannis port, as reaction comes in from massachusetts and around the world for the death of the senate's democratic torch bearer who was the inheriter of america's most famous political dynasty. explain.

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fios tv, internet and phone for just $79.99 a month. oh, alright, see... you're just moving your fingers, aren't you? i gotta cut my nails. (announcer) now get three amazing fios services for the price of two. tv, internet, and phone for only $79.99 a month for 6 months. plus a free multi-room dvr for three months. record shows in one room--watch in another. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v and get fios tv - ranked highest in overall customer satisfaction by j.d. power and associates. america's top rated internet--now even faster, and crystal clear phone service. all for just $79.99 a month for 6 months. plus, for a limited time, a free multi-room dvr for 3 months. that's an overall savings of $240 dollars over six months. don't miss this unbeatable value 3 great services, for the price of 2. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800.974.6006 tty/v today.

college students are getting ready to hit the books, but those books and other supplies can really ad up. abc 2 is working for you with some tips to save money this semester, and beyond.

it it's that time of year again. students are headed back to school. you don't have to break the bank. first, take advantage of student discounts. for example, apple stores are offering discounts on electronic gear just for students. all you have to do is give them your name and the school you're attending. dell also has a special setup for students. the company has relationships with colleges to help their students save up to 12% on pcs and printers. with a student advantage card, you can save on everything from transportation to cell phone plans, clothing, and entertainment at places like target, barnes & noble, and urban outfitters. and of course make sure you sign up for e-mail alerts from back to school retailers. textbooks are another huge expense. before you go to your campus bookstore, check out powell's.com, half.com, or ecampus.com. on these sites you can get books for a fraction of what they would cost elsewhere.

and remember, it can take up to two weeks for used books from online buyers to reach you so, shop early. all right. we know that was lot of information to throw at you really quickly. so we posted it on our financial survival guide on abc2news.com, including the website where you can get great deals on textbooks. another airline is hiking checked bag fees. details on abc 2 news at 6, which starts now. >> now abc 2 news at 6. >> a flasher targets unsuspecting women in baltimore county, and police fear his crimes are becoming more bold. good evening. i'm marybeth marsden. so far as abc 2 news jeff hager reports, the suspect has focused on a single neighborhood in catonsville. >> reporter: a flasher appears outside a bedroom window, and exposes himself to a woman inside. now a sketch of the man appears in the building's window at this complex on rambling oaks