former mayor tony d' alessandro won't wave to you this year. if you love a parade you won't love this story. >> have you take an look at your cell phone bill? some of you need a translate tore to explain it. we'll give you the straight talk. and sierra mist, mountain

dew, even stewart's root beer, it's all going to feel it. there's word this morning there could be a tax on your soda. we're going to explain that. if you're one of those people that likes diet coke as opposed to coffee first thing in the morning. >> a lot of people out there talking about it. let's look at the weather with justin berk. >> good morning. 6:31. on this thursday morning. as we like to call it here, friday eve, we've got ourselves a little bit of a wet start. we try to focus on it a little bit because we've had heavy rapes recently. right now -- rains recently. right now just drizzle around the area, 58 bel air and monkton. 58 in brooklyn park. 61 in brooklyn park. in howard county, it's just beginning to enter our area, on maryland's most powerful doppler radar coming from the 270 stretch on montgomery county, mount airy is getting it, just light rain moving to columbia and ellicott city. west side of the beltway gets it first. we expect to have showers and then light rain throughout the

day with a cool east wind, our two-degree guarantee only 67 degrees. 6:31 on the clock. let's check the roads with kim. >> we have a pretty smooth traffic around the area, this is southbound 95 through howard county as you make your way to the capitol beltway. that is smooth. so is southbound 29 as well. two fires in the city, intersections closed, first is north smallwood street between clifton and walbrook. use north palace key street. pulaski street. southbound 95 approaching the baltimore beltway a crash blocks the left lane. in hunt valley southbound york road at thornton mill road closed due to an injury stent. police on the scene and they are directing traffic. it gets by alternating in the northbound lanes. as we look at the jfx at cold spring lane you see traffic is beginning to build but no delays at this time. we know times are tough.

and now two longstanding baltimore traditions are affected. the columbus day parade and thanksgiving day parade cancelled. the columbus day parade has been around for more than 100 years. the city funds the thanksgiving parade but the mayor says money is tight. and in recent years attendance has been down. >> the thanksgiving one was pretty light so i mean, most people tend to come out in the spring and for certain events. we want to build on those as well and maybe do something in the inner harbor to celebrate thanksgiving, get people out into the community. >> we're disappointed they are cancelling the parades because of the economy. they have money for everything else but the parades are something that families get together and watch together. >> the mayor says the city will reconsider bringing the parade back in the future if the funds are better. if the economy improves. there is some good news. the christmas parade that runs through hamden will not be cancelled because it does attract a lot of people, thousands a year. what do you think about this?

about the city cancelling the parades? a good way to save money? or are you upset? we would love your comments. log on to abc2news.com and leave us your two cents. if you're a senior and struggling to pay your telephone bill the state wants to help. this week marks national telephone lifeline awareness week. the maryland public service commission and verizon are encouraging seniors and low income families to take advantage of the program. you can get your phone service for as little as 66 cents a month. to learn more about this lifeline discount plan, call verizon at 1-800-525-0145. right now the president is offering first-time homeowners $8,000 but if you move to kansas city you can more than double that amount. it's called the kansas city dream home program. first-time buyers are being given $20,000 toward their home. the home must cost less than

$150,000, but if you stay there for 10 years you never have to pay the loan back. >> wow. >> reaction? >> i was like, this is awesome. >> they can't believe it. >> i feel like we live in a great country. the opportunity there is for me to do it. i just got to live up to my part. >> i would like to see him do the gold rush dance. this is the fourth year for the dream home program. in that time 300 people bought a home. it's made available through hud funding and the program generally launches in september. goes until the money runs out. the key to a long life, could be all about how active you are. >> we'll tell but a remarkable woman who is making the most of her 100 plus years. and if you drink soda you'll want to listen up. i'm linda so. why your favorite sugary drink could cost you more. the weather is still free. 6:35. rain on the west side and even though it's not wet in your

backyard it will get a little wet today. 6:35. here's kim brown with a peek at traffic. >> thank you. traffic looks good here on southbound 95 through howard county but we have an accident that we're working approaching the beltway, i'll give you all the details up next. now let's check the buses and trains with mark jones. >> good morning. out there now you'll find the number 15 bus working with a diversion at saratoga and greene. light rail running about 10 to 15 minutes late on the southbound direction. metro subway on time. no delays on the marc. looking good for travel there. for the mta transit team, i'm mark jones.

6:39. good morning. here's a story about a woman who could teach us all a thing or two about living life to the fullest no matter how old you are. arty freeman is 105 years old, a regular at her national bowling alley. you see that? she said she looks forward to

going with her niece, she picks her up every week and they play their weekly game. >> i hope i can hold this ball. i use both my hands, but it's fun to bowl. it's fun. oh, i did made a miss. having a good day today. ? she's having a good day today. >> i'll tries trie -- i'll try to get my miss and i'll be all right. >> is she the cutest thing you've ever seen? she says she has no idea what the secret is to old age but her most recent game? she bold 121. way to go, artie freeman. teach us all a lesson. 105. >> only a couple more pins older than she is. isn't that great? 105. still bowling. >> got to stay active. good for her. coming up next here on "good morning maryland" - >> president tries to get support of college students this morning. >> the president heads to college park today to talk about his health care reform

plan. i'm sherrie johnson, i'll have that story coming up. 6:40. temperature in the lower 60s for most of us. we've had a little spotty drizzle and some rain showing up. back from the west, it's howard county, montgomery county, near dc getting it but it will be spreading across our beltway. so as we head out this morning, get the kids ready for the bus stop plan for the wet weather. we've had to do this for a couple of days but shower and drizzle continue to build in. more coming up in a moment. right now our live look outside. yes, it's a cool and damp day. we'll be right back.

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it's going to be packed at college park. the president is the big man on campus today. we're live with a preview. the man who had us running zigzag when we gassed our cars and took recess from our kids now has an execution date. where are the young and rich hanging out? if you're looking for a 27-year-old making $100,000 a year they are living in - ah, that's the tease. >> 27 and making $100,000? >> what did they do right?

>> live on another planet. >> yeah. another universe here. good morning, thank you for joining us. it's thursday, friday is almost here. i'm megan pringle. >> i'm jamie costello. here's meteorologist justin berk with your weather. >> we did something wrong? >> evidently. >> 6:45. we're showing 63 degrees on the thermometer. i was just checking the storm center weathernet. just about everybody north and west of the beltway, that includes harford, baltimore, carroll county, even parts of howard county, in the upper 50s. about 58 or 59 degrees. still academic, only a few-degree spread but it definitely feels chilly. that easterly wind we have responsible for dragging in this atlantic moisture. you can see how it banks up against the mountains, dries up on the other side. that is our weekend weather. we have to wait until the weekend gets here. we have this rain coming in, though the surface winds coming off the atlantic we've actually got to thank this storm system in the deep south just off the edge of the screen for spreading some of this southern moisture back our way. we get the squeeze play in the

mid-atlantic. most of the heavy rain south of that boundary but we get at least light steady rain moving in. we're easing some of that this morning and becoming a little more prominent through midday and afternoon. 67 or two-degree guarantee. we're down with fog and 61 overnight. tomorrow an improvement, by the afternoon the sun comes out, high of 76. let's check the roads with kim. >> thank you. traffic is beginning to build around the beltway and as you look at southbound 95, that's a pretty significant backup. that is because of an accident on southbound 95 as you approach the beltway in the rossville area, that takes away the left lane. traffic starting to build considerably. you might want to try either routes 1, 7 or pulaski highway as alternates. we still have incidents we're dealing with in baltimore city, a fire at north smallwood between clifton and wall westbrook has the -- walbrook has the intersection closed. north pulaski is your best alternate. and southbound york road and thornton mill road, southbound lanes closed, police directing traffic in the northbound

lanes. looking at cold spring lane at the jfx, traffic beginning to build but moving smoothly at this time. back to you. "good morning maryland" time now 6:46. president barack obama is in full campaign mode. >> he's going to go to college park, after the core group of people that put him in the white house last fall. sherrie johnson has more. >> reporter: the campus at college park is all abuzz about president barack obama's visit today. we've seen many students walking by here already headed to the comcast center this morning. the president is coming here basically to try to push for his health care reform. he wants to basically target voters younger than 30 years old to help sell his reform plan. that rally starts at 11:00 this morning. it's open to the public. there will be no tickets. seating will be on a first come/first serve basis. this morning we caught up with students as they that made their way to the comcast center and they are very interested in what the president has to say. >> i want to hear the president

give hope to a lot of americans who are worried about their health care and their health -- and i want to know he's looking out for all americans, not just those who can after health insurance. >> i'm hoping to hear just the various reasons that health care reform needs to be passed now and just the urgency of the situation. because i think the people don't realize that -- because so many uninsured americans need to be covered. >> i got to hear this summer, how different people within the democratic people feel about health care as well as lots of different people from the republican party, too. i hope to hear the answers that he has and how to answer the needs of everyone. >> reporter: once again, the president will speak at 11:00 this morning at the comcast center. as you just heard many students are very anxious to hear more of what he has to say. sherrie johnson, abc2 news. >> we'll be interested in what

this man has to say. even before the president speaks the republicans are going to offer a pre-buttal on health care. guess who has been picked? former governor robert ehrlich. no secret he's thinking of a rematch with governor o'malley. is this a sign? he's going to speak to reporters by conference call at 9:30 this morning. governor o'malley will be with the president at college park. time 6:49. the head of the naacp is praising former president jimmy carter for speaking out on the mounting criticism of president obama. mr. carter weighed in after republican congressman joe wilson shouted you lie during a nationally televised address to the joint session of congress. the former president said that the criticism was rooted in racism. and naacp executive director ben jealous said it also sent a message to the entire world. >> i think he didn't realize every country on earth was watching that speech. and to see our commander in chief denigrated and

disrespected in that way did the office great damage. >> jealous was one of the featured speakers at a series on race at the pratt library. the civil rights leader also called on president obama to address the issue head on. in world news -- indonesia's most wanted man is dead. killed in an overnight raid. he's the leader of al-qaeda in southeast asia. he's been blamed for a series of deadly tourist attacks and terrorist attacks that have been going on in indonesia since 2003 including of course the hotel boomings in the capital of jakarta in july. he's been on the run now for nine years. after claiming it was being smeared the community group acorn orders an independent internal investigation following those undercover videos showing employees giving advice. that amounts to tax fraud. acorn employees in several different cities including ours are seen on tape advising a couple posing as a pimp and prostitute to lie about the woman's profession.

acorn's chief executive said the group will name an independent auditor and investigator to examine all systems and processes. dc serial sniper john allen muhammad is scheduled to be put to death in november. a virginia judge set muhammad's date with death for november 10th. he was convicted as you probably know of killing dean meyers, one of 10 people shot and killed during the rampage that terrorized this area in 2002. six others were wounded in the sniper attacks. his accomplice, lee boyd malvo, is serving life in prison. and this morning we have new information on the samurai sword-wielding college student who killed an intruder. a police report says there were no signs of forced entry at the student's home near campus. that student, by the way, is 20 years old, a johns hopkins university student. john pontolillo. he called police monday night to report that the video game console was stolen from his room. when residents of the house heard a commotion later that night he grabbed a samurai

sword, confronted the intruder in the garage behind the home. the third-year student claims the man lunged at him and he swung in self-defense. 49-year-old donald rice died of his injuries. rice had 29 prior convictions for breaking and entering. 6:52 baltimore city trying to save the animals. you are looking at pictures we're going to show you at just two of the an bhals who suffered -- animals who suffered abuse at the hands of troubled youth and now the mayor formed a task force to try to address this problem. members met with the public last night to hear their concerns and many just are complaining of constant cogfighting and police who turn a blind eye. >> when i called a police officer i want the police officer to respond and not say it's their property, they can do what they want. >> normally crimes against animals, eventually end up being crimes against humans. >> members of the panel say a young person involved in animal abuse is five times more likely to commit a crime against a person later in life. the task force will make its

recommendations and report back to the mayor. some of you start your morning with a big gulp. perhaps a nice diet coke at 10:00, a stewart's root beer for lunch. >> but if you're watching your pennies and waistline you want to listen to this. linda so reports on a possible soda tax. >> reporter: that tax would make soda more expensive and some people say that will get people to drink less. an idea that is being floated around to help you lose weight. the plan being released by the new england journal of medicine. the group wants to increase the soda tax by 1 cent for every ounce. that, experts say, will get people to drink less of the sugary beverage, cut down on obesity, diabetes and heart disease. it can also help you lose two pounds a year on average they say. the plan to raise the soda tax is similar to what happened with cigarettes in that it helps curb smoking while raising money for the government. the plan would be the same for the soda tax. all the extra money generated by the tax could be used in health programs. more than 30 states already

charge sales tax on soft drinks but generally these taxes are fairly small. in the studio, linda so, abc2 news. you've heard of an eye for a eye but a tooth for an eye? doctors in miami said they restored a woman's eyesight using her tooth. a lens implanted in her eye tooth, the woman who saw nothing but shadows for nine years now has 20/60 vision. it's a fairly radical operation, used often but shannon thornton said being able to see again, well, was like christmas to her. watch british actress kate winslet. she leads the pack of "people" magazine's best dressed women. if you're curious, also making the list, first lady michelle obama for her accessible glamour, beyonce and taylor swift. he made "dirty dancing" popular and will be honored now on "dancing with the stars."

patrick swayze who died of p.f. -- pancreatic cancer monday will be remembered on the show next wednesday but the pros will who dance to some of his music from his films. swayze was a guest on the show first season teaching people dancing in the rehearsal. catch that episode of "dancing with the stars" on abc2 wednesday night. hey, tevia, if you were a rich man you would be hanging out in georgetown. >> washington, dc is now the favorite area for the young and the rich. a new report is out, says 25 to 34-year-olds are making $100,000, hanging out around dc, arlington county and virginia. which is number two followed by san francisco, manhattan and douglas county which is outside of denver. those are the places you will find the rich and young people. we'll let you know it's raining on top of them in dc.

we're going to get some of that rain. plan for that at the bus stop. drizzle and showers on the west side now coming from howard county, montgomery county and the dc area. heads our way. on and off light rain today, 67. tomorrow we clear in the afternoon, 76. 72 with sun on saturday. looks like we'll stay dry and cool sunday. volume building all around the beltway at this time but we have a major backup on southbound 95 approaching the whitemarsh boulevard area. that is because a crash approaching the beltway takes away the left lane. you see traffic is backed up there, pretty considerably. you might want to try route 1, 7 or 40 as your alternates. you can follow all the incidents at twitter.com/marylandtraffic for a complete rundown. >> did you get the one twitter person you're looking for? >> i did. up to 250 followers. >> all right! >> i think woodholme elementary school, we can get a couple out of them. >> excellent. >> see you at 9:00.

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