>> reporter: and mommies like lena will be able to save 20% here, thanks to a program that gives you a discount on car seats, strollers, and cribs, just for ditching your old stuff that could be outdated and potentially unsafe. >> i love that idea. i absolutely love it. >> reporter: and stores love it too. thanks to cash for clunkers, they know big incentives mean big crowds. that's why many companies are taking your trade imperial beaches. radio shack and hewlett-packard will look at your old electronics, give you a quote and the cash to buy new stuff. amazon.com lets you trade in old dvds for a gift card. and with makeup company mac, just bring in six old containers, and you'll get a free lipstick. >> it helps our economy. >> reporter: and it helps out shoppers like lena. this baby will be her first. so she doesn't have any of the beat-up stuff babies r us is hoping to get out of circulation. but that doesn't mean she won't find some. >> i have a brother and sister- in-law who have five kids. i'm going to call them right away. >> reporter: work is already being done to finalize another

government program. some call it dollars for dishwashers. with that you can get rebates for as much as $200 when you buy a new energy-efficient appliance. and if you don't know, you can already get federal tax credits for some upgrades for things like windows and water heaters. if you want, you'll find details on that and all the details we just mentioned on our website, abc2news.com. joce sterman, abc 2 news. and now for a look at tonight's top stories. a corrections officer was shot to death in east baltimore. police say erica carr was found inside a car in the 1400 block of kenhill avenue early this morning. that's right next to fort worthing on the elementary school. carr was shot in the head and chest. police have no suspects, more a motive. carr was a correctional officer since 2004. she oversaw the city's central booking and intake center, the area where inmates are awaiting trial. delegate jon cardin reimbursed baltimore city police $300 for his marriage

proposal stunt that involved marine police and the city police helicopter. it happened back on august 7th at the inner harbor. during the 15-minute incident, police officers boarded a boat cardin and his fiancee were on with friends and pretended to search for contraband until cardin popped the question. a police spokesman says cardin's reimbursement was based on the hourly rate paid to the officers and the cost of helicopter fuel. the motorcade carrying the body of senator edward kennedy has arrived at the john f. kennedy presidential library. the procession carried the flag- draped casket along a 70-mile route from the family compound in cape cod into boston. thousands of people along the route applauded as the motorcade passed by. kennedy will lie in repose at the library until tomorrow. he will be buried at arlington national cemetery. the death of edward kennedy has left vacant the senate seat he held for 47 years. many will say no one can

replace him, but someone must succeed him. so even as massachusetts mourns, the bay state looks towards the future. here is abc's lindsey davis. >> reporter: with the passing of the last son of camelot, there are big shoes to fill. >> there is absolutely no, no, no judicial review whatsoever. >> he was one heck of a legislator and one heck of a friend. >> reporter: under current massachusetts law, the seat that ted kennedy occupied for merely half a century would remain unoccupied until around mid-january. but weeks before his death, kennedy wrote a letter requesting the state legislature would pass an amendment that would change that. >> i think the senator has made a very reasonable request. it is to permanent the governor to make an interim appointment. i support the idea of the special election, which is provided for in our current law. >> reporter: a hearing on changing the law would likely take place next month. but already less than 48 hours

after his passing, there is great speculation about his replacement. one name being tossed around, the son of the late robert f. kennedy, joseph kennedy. he served as a u.s. congressman between 1987 and 1999. >> i know there is a lot of interest in this seat. but again, almost everybody who is interested in the seat and beyond is focused mainly on grieving the loss of a giant. >> reporter: there hasn't been an open seat in massachusetts in 25 years. kennedy's wife vicki says she is not interested in the seat, but his nephew joe hasn't ruled it out. lindsey davis, abc news, new york. >> to leave your condolences for the kennedy family, or to share your memories of senator ted kennedy, you can go to our website, abc2news.com. outside right now, kind of sticky and a little on the humid side. it's going stay that way for the next couple of hours. your forecast for the next couple of hours in the baltimore area, partly cloudy,

humid. our temperatures will hang right about in the low 80s for the next couple hours. things are going to be changing dramatically over the next 24 hours. we'll tell you all about it in the forecast in the next couple of minutes. >> thanks, norm. the baltimore county fire department wants you to fill the boot to fight muscular dystrophy. today county executive jim smith kicked off the 12th annual fundraiser at the essex fire station number 7. it raises money for the muscular dystrophy association of maryland. firefighters from local 1311 are collecting money in their boots. rick scholl, who suffers lou gehrig's disease thanked the firefighters today. >> my father-in-law was a baltimore city fireman for over 30 years. so through him, i appreciate the commitment you bring to your job every day. and some of his joys he told me were unbelievable as far as

what you guys do every day. >> reporter: last year the department raised more than $80,000 for muscular dystrophy research. the latest now from cape canaveral, florida. nasa is hoping the space shuttle discovery can lift off late tomorrow night that will be the third attempt to send discovery on its way to the international space station. a fuel valve problem and thunderstorms ruined the first two attempts. well, four wheel drive, leather interior, a side of smoked salmon, and a glass of chardonnay. buying a car just got a little tastier. how much would a meal cost while you wait for your shiny new benz. and a crime-fighting mayor is back to work tonight, and find out who had his back when he came to the rescue of a woman in distress. but first we're going to head over to brooklyn park, get a check on the weather conditions there. made it up to 85 degrees today. the current temperature is 82.

interesting day on wall street. at the closing bell most of the indices were right where they began the day. the nasdaq was off about a half a point. dinner and a deal? for those who get hungry while car shopping, a mercedes-benz

dealership may be your best bet. this is bistro 33 at the benz dealership in california. you're probably thinking who can afford all that. well, it's not overpriced. meals run from 8 to $18. and it's not stuffy either. >> you don't have to come, be all dressed up three piece suit, gown like you're going out to the ball. but it's more like dress casual. >> oh, i think it's a great idea. fabulous. who wouldn't want to sit in a beautiful place like this. >> bistro 33 serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and if you like, you could always buy a benz too. well nine months and 24,000 miles. see the homecoming for the 17- year-old who sailed around the world all on his own. and a california family is elated after learning their daughter who was kidnapped almost 20 years ago is now home safe and sound.

they have alzheimer's and heart disease, diabetes and cancer. and they've heard that biomedical research offers hope, that it could control, maybe even cure, their disease. senator barbara mikulski understands the importance of innovative biomedical research, for patients, their families, and our economy here in maryland. call senator mikulski today. tell her, thanks for protecting the promise of biomedical research and the maryland jobs it provides. it's not just the future, it's life.

the mayor of milwaukee was back at work today, after being attacked for trying to help a woman in distress. they were walking from the state fair to their car when they saw a man hitting a woman. mayor barrett jumped in to help, and that's when anthony peters started swinging. little did the mayor know his niece had his back. >> i'm going to open my big mouth and start yelling. so i was yelling at him and i said i'm going to call 911. i've got a cell phone. i'm going to call. >> she literally had my back. i didn't know she was behind me. and she literally had my back and was distracting him so that he would leave. and that's why i'm able to talk today. >> give her a hug. >> reporter: the mayor says that was his first fistfight since the sixth grade. he calls it a fight that brought him and his family closer together. safety concerns on the campus with the university of

virginia tonight. >> i heard a girl screaming pretty loud, and she was like can somebody help me, help me. >> reporter: the student was jogging when the fox approached her. she says she threw her sweatshirt at the animal, but it just snarled at her and kept getting closer. nobody has been hurt so far and animal control has set two traps. now a strange story reminiscent of the film changeling. in 1999 an 11-year-old girl was kidnapped. the girl was never found, but yesterday a woman came forward claiming she is the missing person from 18 years ago. abc's diana avellar tells us how police made two arrests. >> reporter: these were the last images of jaycee lee dugard, smiling, blond, just 11 years old. she disappeared in 1991 walking to a bus stop in northern california. >> my daughter was just kidnapped top of the hill with a gray ford, a man and a woman in the car. >> time that she comes home to

her family. >> reporter: nearly two decades later, that reunion may finally happen. wednesday, her stepfather, who witnessed the kidnapping, got a call from jaycee's mother. >> she says they found jaycee, and she paused for ten seconds. she is alive. and we both cried for about ten minutes. >> reporter: authorities say a woman walked into a local police station, claiming to be jaycee. dna tests are underway to make a positive identification. but her family believes it's jaycee. >> she remembers everything. >> investigators are searching the home where a couple was arrested in connection with the crime. philip and nancy garrido were booked on charges of kidnapping to commit rape, and conspiracy to commit a crime. philip garrido, a registered sex offender, faces additional charges including rape and lewd acts with a minor. >> to get her back alive, it's like winning the lotto. >> reporter: after 18 years of agony, waiting for word on

jaycee's whereabouts, her family says it's still a shock to hear she may be coming home. abc news has learned jaycee has two children of her own. but the questions remain, where has she been for the last 18 years, and why didn't she come forward sooner. diana avellar, abc news, los angeles. now the forecast certified baltimore's most accurate. here is chief meteorologist norm lewis and maryland's most powerful doppler radar. >> at some point here, we're going to get wet. >> exactly. and the majority of the rainfall is going to be coming in during the late afternoon tomorrow, tomorrow night into early saturday morning. that's when we're going to be getting the wetness. some of it is going to be from an area of low pressure that is not necessarily danny. but danny is going to be a player in our weather. it's really kind of a complicated situation. we'll explain it to you. we'll try to break it down. take a look at bwi. 84 degrees. wind currently from the east at

10. the pressure steady, 30.03. there are the tide. low tide 9:22 in the morning. high tide 1:22 in the afternoon. the winds from the east 8 to 14 miles per hour. the sun comes up at 6:31. we'll set at 7:43. down in the tropics, that's where danny is right now. danny has lost some power. the winds were originally this afternoon 60 miles an hour. they're now down to 50 miles an hour. national hurricane center is still showing danny moving off the coast. i should say staying away from the coast out into the atlantic. but it's still going to cause some very heavy surf along the eastern seaboard and rip currents, things of that nature. but the majority of the storm will not directly impact the united states as far as going over the land. what we are watching is an area of low pressure down here in the northern gulf of mexico. that's the system right there. combined with danny as it moves up the eastern seaboard. but that's a system right there that is primarily going to be bringing us the heavier rainfall. now over the past 12 to 18

hours, you can see rainfall spreading up to eastern portions of tennessee, and around our area. a few little light scattered showers across the region. you can see it on our little bit closer satellite picture throughout the day. lots of sunshine, a few clouds. a few light showers right now. one right now in northern baltimore county, stretching down across the appalachians right there. nothing of any real big significance. but as we go through the overnight period, the showers will become more numerous, and then during the day tomorrow, that area of low pressure arrives from the south that area of low pressure is already spreading shower activity into portions of georgia, tennessee, south and north carolina. and as it moves up along with danny, so that they're both kind of moving at the same time. but danny is going to be staying out in the atlantic, causing the heavy waves and the rip currents across the east coast of the united states. this is the system right here that is bringing the heavier rainfall to the maryland area. sheer how the forecast is going to work tonight. increasing clouds. chance for a scattered shower. but during the day tomorrow, things really get organized.

the shower activity makes its way up over the top of the region with the heaviest rainfall over the eastern shore, making its way towards new england. and then what we're going to be finding is saturday things get a little bit better as danny and that little area of low pressure make their way out of the region. here is your forecast with the overnight period. increasing clouds. showers late tonight. 73 degrees for the overnight low. during the day tomorrow, mostly cloudy. some afternoon showers and storms with a high tomorrow of 77 degrees. and the extended outlook for the next seven days, the scattered showers and thunderstorms on saturday. a few scattered showers on sunday. monday, tuesday, wednesday, and thursday, lots of sunshine, cooler temperatures. look at the overnight low temperatures. absolutely gorgeous. we'll continue to check on the track of danny and see if will is anything different from the national weather service. we'll have that coming up in just a little bit. >> all right, thanks, norm. well, there is some reason tonight to hope that the recession could be receding. the commerce department reports the u.s. economy contracted in the spring. it's the fourth consecutive quarterly decline. but that was better than

economists had predicted. and as abc's viviana hurtado hells us, some analysts believe the economy is actually growing in the current quarter. >> reporter: some important indicators suggest the ailing economy is on the mend. in the second quarter, the economy shrank by 1%. slightly less than the 1 1/2% analysts predicted. a labor department report shows the number of workers filing new jobless benefits claims fell by 10,000 to 570,000. >> i don't think by any stretch we're out of the woods. i think the data are consistently saying that the worst is behind us. but the worst was really, really bad. >> reporter: but the prospects of a strong economic recovery are being tempered by continuing troubled signs. unemployment is expected to inch up, reaching double-digits by the end of the year. >> and economists are telling us it's going to take quite some time before we see an improvement. companies are not in a position

where they're going to be hiring for the next couple of months. >> reporter: consumer confidence has shown slight improvement. but people who have the spending power to fuel a strong economic rebound continue to hold on to their cash. then there are the banks which were at the heart of the economic meltdown. the fdic announced 416 banks are on the brink of failure, the highest number in 15 years. >> we still have a lot of damage to the system that is going to take a while to heal. you can think of it as the difference between spraining your ankle and breaking your ankle. it's going to take a while to heal this. >> reporter: analysts say some of the biggest losers are people trying to secure a loan. banks aren't lending unless potential borrowers have sterling credit. viviana hurtado, abc news, washington. now with a look ahead to abc 2 news at 6 tonight, i'm kelly swoope. you know, we keep getting glimmers of good economic news. but here is another example of continuing tough times. people who are relying upon to help others now need some help of their own.

what you can do. and meet a local doctor who is still making house calls. now a preview of what is ahead on world news at 6:30. >> tonight, as he begins his journey to his final resting place, and the public begins to pay its final respects, we will look at the life of ted kennedy, his family, his career, and the so many lives he touched that no one ever knew about on world news with charles gibson. (announcer) if you think all batteries are the same, consider this:

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just weeks after an american team became the youngest sailor to circum navigate, today a british teenager completed a nine-month voyage around the world. lama hasan on the momentous homecoming. >> reporter: sailing straight into the guinness book of world records. >> i'm losing my voice! >> reporter: 17-year-old mike perham has become the youngest person to sail solo around the world, snatching it from zac sunderland, who completed the same feat in july. sunderland was just two months older than perham. perham set off in november last year from the u.k. on his 50-foot yacht.

it wasn't easy. battling 50-foot leg, endless technical problems and fighting off hurricane wind. >> down here in the southern ocean, 42 degrees. it getting colder. >> reporter: spending more than 150 days at sea in solitude. >> it's definitely the hardest part of the trip being on your own, because there is no to help you. and you do miss the physical contact. >> reporter: and physical contact is exactly what he got today. >> i love you, mate! >> reporter: his father couldn't wait to greet him. he was taken out by boat before he hit dry land. but per ham may have competition on his hand. 13-year-old dutch girl laura decker is hoping to break it. decker's parents support her, but social workers think she is too young. a dutch court will make a decision on friday. as for this sailor, he'll be on the mainland this saturday. what's the first thing he'll do? >> have a very good meal and a very good night sleep. >> reporter: little pleasures

that go along way. lama hasan, london. >> amazing story. annoyed by the prerecorded telemarketing calls? why you'll soon be getting relief, on abc 2 news at 6, which starts now. >> now abc 2 news at 6. >> it is one of the most affluent counties in maryland, and folks there have also fallen on tough times. good evening. i'm kelly swoope. the economic downturn has increased the number of people seeking assistance in all types of howard county. nowhere is that more in evidence than at the county food bank. their once overstocked shelves are looking bare. roosevelt leftwich has the details. >> reporter: in a county where there are some really wealthy people, there are some folks that are really struggling. that's to t story in just about every county these days. but here in howard, for some folks it's a brand-new experience. jacqueline's parents work every day. but every penny counts, and paere is not enough pennies to