>> reporter: we're not talking about sales from liquor. we're talking about sales from things like pharmacies, boating stores, all retail sales are down. that's why the state is having a hard time meeting its commitments. >> we realize now that this is really the worst economic period since the great depression. >> reporter: foster and other state officials say flat sales and other reduced sources of revenue made it difficult to project what is coming into the state. just when they think their refined projections come in, it reveals another hole. this time a $300 million hole on top of the $700 million cut earlier this year and the billions cut since 2007. >> we're a long, long way from being out of the woods. so, yes, we're going to have another significant breakdown and yet that does mean more people, more difficult budget cuts on the horizon. >> reporter: what gets cut remains in the hands of the governor. in a statement governor martin o'malley says he'll be asking state departments to again look at their budgets while trying

to preserve priorities such as education. and says "the 4.3 billion in cuts we've already made have real consequences for families and communities and the unfortunate reality is more cuts will be needed." the governor says many different scenarios will be looked at and plans for another round of cuts will be finalized in the next few days. roosevelt leftwich, abc2 news. >> the governor says that state spending is at its lowest level since 2007. and speaking of budget woes, after more than a century baltimore will not host a columbus day parade or thanksgiving parade. trying to save money. on our web site we asked if this was the right decision. 63% of you said yes. 37% of you said no. president barack obama continues to try to sell his plan for health care reform and today he held a campaign-style rally in maryland. abc2 news terry owens joins us with highlights from the speech. >> reporter: president obama spoke to thousands of college students today at the university of maryland college

park. he pitched his message for health care reform to young adults because they are the ones who would pay for a big chunk of his plan. the president calls health care "a defining struggle of this generation." >> young people, it's about what kind of country you want to be. we are the only nation on earth that has millions of people without health insurance. >> reporter: president obama says he knows the fight will be a difficult one but says the coalition of hospitals, doctors, nurses and drugmakers support the effort. he once again called for a public insurance option which most congressional republicans and some democrats oppose. the president plans to continue his public appeal. he is scheduled to appear on five news talk shows sunday and he'll sit down with david letterman next week. terry owens, abc2 news. >> 15,000 people packed the comcast center for today's speech including high-profile maryland lawmakers. there are a few of them. we caught up with maryland

senator ben cardin. >> our objective is to carry out what president obama has called for, that is a health care plan that will reduce the growth rate of health care costs and provide affordable quality health care and insurance for every american. >> as thousands of people headed inside the comcast center to hear the speech on health care reform some critics stood outside arguing for a better plan. abc2 news sherrie johnson continues our team coverage. >> reporter: it was a line that ran about a mile long outside the comcast center at the university of maryland in college park. people waiting to hear president barack obama discuss health care reform. >> everyone does deserve it but if it's the wrong way it's not effective. if we do the wrong decision and wrong way to do health care reform i don't understand what, you know, why we're here. >> i'm hoping to, like, hear, kind of an explanation of everything. i'm not as informed as i should be. i'm just hoping to hear

something a little more concrete. >> reporter: while many people headed inside to hear president obama's speech many critics outside say that the president needs to come up with a better health care plan. >> obama gives, obama takes away. >> reporter: this group lead by the grim reaper put together a dramatic skit to show their opposition. others came loaded with signs putting down the health care plan. >> there are pieces of the plan that are good. pieces that are bad. i'm not willing to take this good for this bad. just to do it. just to have it. this isn't something we need to rush into. >> the government is proposing to tax your plan so that's going to be even more expensive now and you'll have to go try looking for another plan or get on the government plan. that's basic socialism. >> reporter: but some union members disagree, calling president obama's plan a good idea. >> i think that the president's plan is exactly what we need.

we need everybody to pay their fair share. that's what this sign is, we need big business to pay their fair share. we want affordable coverage. we want a public option, a strong public option, that controls costs. and make sure that everybody's covered. >> reporter: no matter what side you're on many agree you need a good health care plan for all americans. in college park, sherrie johnson, abc2 news. >> republican party chairman and former maryland lieutenant governor michael steele is joining in on the health care debate. he says he doubts republicans will embrace the legislation introdude by the senate finance committee. the $850 billion plan would require everyone to buy health insurance and pay a fine if they do not. steele says he believes the cooperatives envisioned in the bill amount to a back door to a public option. scattered light showers and drizzle throughout the region has now moved out into the atlantic.

for the most part the rainfall ended and things will get progressively better as we get into tomorrow morning. the next couple hours, cloudy, a few sprinkles possible but basically they are just about over. temperatures will hold in the mid to low 60s. some cooler temperatures on the way for the weekend. we'll tell you about it coming up. an elderly man died in an early morning fire and fire investigators and arson detectives are trying to determine what started it. it broke out shortly before 5:00 a.m. in a rowhouse in the 2,000 block of north smallwood street in west baltimore. crews quickly put out the fire but while searching the how they found the -- house they found the body of the elderly man. flue at 6:00 -- prosecutors say a man who posed on-line as a lesbian stricken with cancer has been indicted on child porn charges. authorities say 38-year-old douglas patrick pretended to be a cancer stricken 18-year-old girl on social networking sites

where he lured girls into sending explicit pictures. the mastermind of the serial attacks in dc is scheduled to be put to death in november. our sister station wjla talked with the man who is believed to be the area's first victim. >> reporter: for theaterfying weeks in october of 2002 john allen muhammad and lee boyd malvo went on a shooting spree in the dc region that ended 10 lives. we eventually learned this man was the area's first victim. >> i'm not going to die. i'm not going to die this way. >> reporter: on september 5 of 2002 paul laruffa was shot five times at close range and robbed of his night's profits after closing up his clinton, maryland restaurant. >> he spent my money on ammunition and food and killing people. >> reporter: several weeks later after muhammad and malvo's capture his nightmares ended. >> there's no closure. what happened to me, it's never over. >> reporter: several years

later, with physical wounds healed and emotional demons in check laruffa faced the news of muhammad's scheduled execution date of november 10th. >> does he deserve to die? if anybody does he does. >> reporter: but paul says he doesn't want or need to be there. >> will i go see it? no, i won't see it. i don't want to see him die. i don't have to see him die. >> john allen muhammad is scheduleed to be executed november 10th. the investigation continues into a johns hopkins university student striking down an alleged intrude we are a samurai sword. but police say they found no evidence suggesting he acted as a vigilante. the fate at confrontation happened tuesday behind a house on east university parkway in charles village. initially police reported the student heard a noise, picked up his sword and confronted the man in his detached garage. now they say johns hopkins university police had just searched the property with the student to no avail.

when the student armed himself and decided to conduct a more thorough search. the officers actually heard the student cry out for his roommates to call police from a short distance away. >> this is a case of a homeowner concerned for his safety and the well being of his property. he went down to investigate an incident, with a weapon to defend himself. this is not an incident where someone went down to maliciously attack another person. >> police must complete their investigation before prosecutors can determine whether the student will face charges. earlier this week republican larry hogan announced he may run for governor in 2010. at least he's exploring the idea. that is if former governor robert ehrlich doesn't decide to run himself. when ehrlich was asked about the possibility today here's what he had to say. >> it's something that we're looking at. i do not feel undue pressure from any source, anybody within the party or outside the party to make a decision. by any particular deadline.

>> baltimore county delegate patrick mcdonogh and attorney mike pappas already announced they are seeking the gop nomination in the governor's race. we want your two cents. do you think ehrlich will run for governor again in 2010 in log on to abc2news.com. look at the right side of the home page to vote in our on-line poll. whether it's the coughing or the sneezing or just feeling lousy the flu is miserable. but you can help protect yourself. coming up, everyday items to include in a flu prevention kit. and, a new look for the 2010 preakness. cool day today. yesterday i gave you a two-degree guarantee for today and i thought i was going on a limb, with a high of 67 degrees. that was a guarantee. the actual high at bwi marshall 65. so we did hit that two-degree guarantee. our winner tonight from my hometown, mount airy, judy, dwramps. -- congratulations. you scored an abc2 umbrella. we'll be back with the little

bit better forecast as far as sunshine, coming up. (announcer) nancy decided she can't afford so many bathroom detours

when sixty percent off is at stake, so today, she's talking to her doctor about overactive bladder. teri decided she's tired of always stopping to "go", so today, she's talking to her doctor, too. if you have overactive bladder symptoms, today is the day to talk to your doctor and ask about prescription toviaz. one toviaz pill a day significantly reduces

sudden urges and accidents over 24 hours, all day and all night. plus, toviaz comes with a simple plan with tips on food and drink choices and training your bladder. if you have certain stomach problems or glaucoma, or cannot empty your bladder, you should not take toviaz. toviaz can cause blurred vision and drowsiness so use caution when driving or doing unsafe tasks. the most common side effects are dry mouth and constipation. today, laura decided it was time she learned how to show that bladder who's boss. talk to your doctor and ask if toviaz is right for you.

we have heard so much talk about the flu, both h1n1 and the regular seasonal varieties. that is not likely to change any time soon. but there are things you can do to help guard against becoming sick. union memorial hospital suggests putting together a flu prevention kit with items you can buy just about any store. you probably have a lot of these. lisa grub from infection control says it should include alcohol gel, tissues, masks

and other wipes. >> you want this to be something you can put in your purse, take with you, put tylenol. there are disposable thermometers strips you can place in the kit if you start to feel like you're ill also gloves. >> the kit can help protect against the seasonal flu as well as the h1n1 virus. one of the best pieces of advice and no doubt you've heard this before, if you have to cough cover with your sleeve to keep the germs from spreading. wasn't a bad day today. i'm glad the weekend is looking up >> the weekend looking pretty good. it's one of those days, kind of dreary. normally you would see a nice sunny day and the paddleboats would be out. well, they are still out. >> i like the tourists downtown. >> the big paddleboat.

yeah. our temperature now at bwi marshall 65 degrees. 76% humidity. wind from the northeast at 6. and the pressure 30.16 and steady. as far as our coastal flood advisory, still exists for harford county, southern baltimore county, anne arundel county, and southern maryland as well as all of delaware, new jersey and the maryland beaches. the reason being that northeasterly breeze at times of high tide could cause some very high tides all along the coastal estuaries here. if you live in one of those areas just be advised you could be seeing higher water. high tide a 6:40. low tide 1:18. tomorrow's winds from the southwest, 6 to 12. sun coming up at 6:50. sets 7:09. the low this morning, 62 degrees the high today went up three degrees from the daytime low to a high of 65. temperature right now still 65. 61 york. 64 hagerstown. 55 oakland.

72 on the boardwalk in ocean city. throughout the day some morning and midday light sprinkle and shower activity. now passed on towards the east. this area of high pressure gradually making its way and having a tough time getting in here but as it does overnight the clouds will gradually clear and during the day tomorrow you'll see some sunshine. as a matter of fact, it will be a pretty nice day but we're going to be, you know, eight, 10 degrees cooler than normal. on the larger picture that area of low pressure continues to circulate down there. what is going on? here's the deal, there's a stationery front right through this region there. a little area of low pressure, right down through here, travel along that system and as they get to us, of course that counterclockwise circulation of air, that system will continue to push to the south as this area of high pressure wins out. so all the shower activity will be contained down to the south of our region. right now nothing showing up on maryland's most powerful doppler radar. nice clear scan out there, precipitation-wise. some lights drizzle remains on

the eastern shore but too late to be picked up by -- too light to be picked up by radar. humidity 83%. and many places will see early morning fog. right now winds continue from the east at 3 miles per hour. as far as our forecast for the overnight period, cloudy skies, some late-night and early morning patchy fog during the day tomorrow. sun breaks out, looking pretty good. showers continue back in the ohio valley but our weather for the weekend looking good. your forecast for tonight, mostly cloudy, fog, showers gradually ending if they have not already ended where you are. 61 for the low but cooler temperatures north and west of the beltway. tomorrow morning clouds, but afternoon sunshine high of 78 degrees and the extended outlook, saturday and sunday 72, 74. monday, mostly cloudy, chance for scattered showers, 74. some scattered showers continue through a good portion of the week but not terence -- torrential downpours. see you tonight at 11:00. over my shoulder you're looking at the new logo for the

135th running of the preakness. it's set for saturday may 15th. mark your calendars. pimlico race course. get this, tickets are already going on sale. thursday, rather, october 1st. for seating information and ticket reservation forms log on to abc2news.com and click on links. if you're going to be in san diego sunday but you don't have tickets to the ravens game you might not see it. the game is still not a sellout meaning there could be a tv blackout. ladanian tomlinson was wearing a protective boot last night still not sure if he can play, both lt and darren sproals both scored touchdowns monday night but neither had a big night. the ravens know they have to do their jobs and not let either guy get out in space. >> you need to set the edge. you let those guys get the edge

and you'll have problems. you got to set the edge, turn them back and try to keep them contained. you don't want those guys in space because they get a lot of green grass in front of them, they can be a problem. >> reporter: trel suggestion should be -- terrell suggs should be ready to play sunday though he had some stomach problems today. here's a little taste of life of suggs starting at his big benefit last week. >> what do you think of my event? what do you think? >> there's only one way to do it. do it real big. >> i want to tell you thank you for letting me borrow your maserati so i can look more bond-like. enjoy it. >> suggs will be doing this throughout the season with "rome is burning" i'm sure, this will be very entertaining. maryland better be ready for middle tennessee estate

saturday. remember last year the terps lost to them. see it saturday only on espn.com. first quarter, mark very lez velazquez with the handsoff. the rams did not convert. milford mill 7-0 at the half. we'll update the score tonight at 11:00. after almost a two-hour rain delay last night with the season dragging on only a few hundred orioles fans witnessed a big moment. matt had his first career walkoff home run after the rays tied it at 2 in the top of the ninth, two-run game winning home run. that is two home runs and eight rbi. mark henderson gets to start

tonight. we'll have highlights. that's your sports. i'm rob carlin, with a wrap of news after this. they make little hearts happy... ...and big hearts happy too. because as part of a heart healthy diet,... ...those delicious oats in cheerios can help naturally lower cholesterol. (cheerios spilling) cheerios. how can something so little... ...help you do something so big.

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we're working for you in these tough economic tiles. on our web site today, are you looking for work? what to leave out of your resume. plus, whether you're trying to save a buck or save the planet, 10 ways you can change your behavior. log on to abc2news.com and click on our financial financial. here's what we're working on tonight for abc2 news at 11:00 -- more on obama's visit to college park. continuing his push for health care reform. and even with more than 47,000 choices it can still be hard balancing tasty with healthy when you go to the grocery store. tonight, some helpful tips for your next trip to the supermarket. i know today was an ugly day but tomorrow lsh a little better as we get gradual clearing moving in and setting us up for a very nice but cool weekend. we'll talk again tonight at 11:00. >> that's all for us on abc2 news at 6:00em i'm marybeth marsden, thank you for joining us. see you at 11:00. have a great evening. good night.