senate but stalled in the house. looking at the harbor cam, spring like evening, spring like day. it's hard to remember it's january. let's check in with wyatt everhart. january for about six more hours and we're going to end it on a mild note, so good-bye january. february comes in on a similar day temperature wise. in the meantime, enjoying a fantastic finish to the day. our high temperatures, 68 in baltimore, 56 in d.c. winds out of the south helping to push up the temperatures. we had not only the southerly winds but abun daunts sunshine. after a chilly start it warmed up very quickly and clear skies across the state. looking for nothing more than a few passing clouds. mild an clear-- and clear. we'll talk about how things will change and the change in temperatures. stick around for that. we're not the only ones

enjoying this unseasonably warm weather. two thirds of the country are about 10 degrees warmer and in chicago normally covered in snow this time of the year, they're having their warmest wertd in 78 years -- winter in 78 years. in texas the people are dealing with heavy rains and one of the worst droughts in the state's history. jamie costello has more. >> reporter: the drought has done more than destroy crops. in many communities it's drained drinking water. in some areas local officials were forced to bring the water in. >> then we're come letly out of water and we will not be able top function at all in this community at all. >> reporter: some rain is expected to fall sometime this week but meteorologists in texas said a few inches will not make up for the drought.

abc2 news, jamie costello. would you pay more for gas to have better roads to drive on? that's what governor o'malley is asking as he floats out a proposal. he says the money would go for roads but roosevelt leftwich joins us with more. >> reporter: it usually has some of the cheapest gas in the area. but with the price going up about 30-cents since christmas, the talk of the state raising the tax is, well, unwelcome. >> this is not a good time. >> reporter: if you want to know something about trying to make ends meet, just ask a spij mom who already spends $60 to $70 a week to fill up her car. it's a balancing act, but she

said her governor should noted a more to her burdens. >> there are people out here struggling already and paying for high gas i don't think it's fare. >> reporter: the governor said it's needed for this. he said funding highway construction and improvements is necessary to maintain the state's roads to help cut down on congestion. the state would add about 2% sales tax each year for the next three years until the current sales tax was reached under current prices that would add about 90 cents per tank. by 2014, that whodd about $1.95. that's already on top of the $23.05 that's already on gas. >> if they want to fix the roads -- >> reporter: overall, gas prices

continue to go up with gas prices creeping since creeping. food costs are up. medical costs are up and tuition has gone up. >> it's a main. sometimes i have to make choices. should i go get gas or cut out on how many groceries because i need to get to a place and i also can't afford to eat out. gas is a big part of my wallet. >> reporter: now the governor says he's recommending in this proposal the tax could be put on hold if the price of gas goes up or spikes in one year. he's expected to outline more in the state of the state address. education is so important but more and more students are coming out of college with huge amounts of debt. in an effort to encourage both students who pursue careers in

public service, the undersecretary of the department of education sat on a panel to talk about loan forgiveness programs. >> a lot of people they go work for a public interest law firm. they want to become a teach are or firefighter, government service and they want to stay in that job. sometimes they can't afford to do it because they've got this loan burden president the loan forgiveness gives them the ability to do that. >> hundreds of students showed up. the panel is hoping that many are going into the area after completing their education. it's that time of the year to file your taxes. filing will be ease sir for some. mayor stephanie rawlings-blake announced free tax help from the tax program. there are 20 sites in baltimore city and baltimore county. >> it really is more than just a tax return, making sure that

people take advantage at this moment in time. they're also getting connected to other important services. >> this is the 11th year the cash campaign has helped families in need. a drive-by shooting, multiple crashes and one man dead. what police said happened on a new jersey freeway. and what a california couple was caught doing on surveillance in a pet store and why police are looking for them.

one person is dead after a drive-by shooting that caused several crashes on a new jersey freeway yesterday. they say someone fired shots at a driver on route 29 in trenton. cars around the car swerved and caused an accident but the driver of the ford was killed by the gunfire. a connecticut man had a rude awakening when an suv crashed into his bedroom and landed on top of him. it took firefighters an hour to get the man free and he was

badly burned. they tried to pull the driver over, he took off and plowed into the home. the driver took off and has not back located. a woman was caught stealing a puppy from a pet store in california. apparently the man distracted the clerk while the woman snatched the puppy and left. when the story hit the news,w3 a woman offered $20 to someone tod takeñrñrko#n>?ñi an apology a3 stoarsw3 the ownercñi saidt(i] . the owner said he will not pres3 charges. struggling. the republican presidential nomination is likely months away, so politicians are feeling the pressure. we'll listen to some of the crazy stuff they say when they're strelsd out. what is pink i'm and why is mcdonald going to stop using this thanks to a new documentary. the car on the left was filled up with

low detergent gasoline. while the car on the right was filled up with bp gasoline with invigorate. which helps clean and protect its engine so it can get a few more miles per tank than the car on the left. go a little farther with bp gasoline with invigorate.

it's a big day in politickings with the florida primary and it's time for politicianings say what? it's a look at government officials and those wanting to be saying the darnest things. kick back and enjoy some whacky and weird statements from some real powerful people. >> for those that don't speak span nirks i apoll jie.z i was basically describing how i saved a bunch of money on my car insurance. >> are you prepared to release your medical records so voters know what your health is. >> i will challenge them to a 25-mile bike ride. >> the bruins, the conches the celtics, now the patriots.

enough already, boston. >> wants your hometown barks chicago. i may be able to change washington. i'm not going to promise you i can change chicago. there are limits to my ability to wave a magic wand. >> a little odd to be out have an election season since as secretary of state i cannot participate, but, you know i anyñrxdw3çóñit( ofe debates. >> i don't think people wouldxcf xd ci]xdçó that word out. >> could you show us your knee? >> i have nothing to hide. it may not be pretty, but there's nothing there.

all right. a gorgeous finish to the month of january. what can we say. nice weather. temperatures comfortable. today we're up in the upper 60s, not record breaking but close to the old record. 63 at bwi. winds southwest at 10. through the day it was just nothing but sunshine. we did have a little early morning cloud cover. as we went past the midday hour definitely seeing bright skies, a rapid warmup. that south breeze changing the game on us. same deal in annapolis, just a light breeze out of the south but enough to really push those numbers up. bel air once the morning clouds move in you're left with a crystal clear finish to the day. maryland's most powerful radar we're dry. that will hold up probably through midday tomorrow. that will be the chance for a shower tomorrow. a better chance will hold off until later in the week. temperature wise now still way

above average. our average high this time of the year statistically would be 42. we're 63 in ball. 63 at the patuxent river. southerly wind pushing up that much warmer air out of the southland. that, combined with widespread sunshine is fluff to threaten the old heat records. we have 70 as close last cull pep are, d.c. 68 downtown at the maryland science center. 63 today at the naval academy and 61fá in cambridge.q we're back in theçóñiñizvñrt(ño 3 r z"nñr today. satellite radar views show nosmght as we come out broader, you can see some disturbed weather brewing over the kentucky area, southern indiana getting some rain now.

that's ahead of a new front. this front, once this blows through after tomorrow will bring our temperatures down some at least into the 50s for later this week. warm air surging out of the south and then very dry air at surface. that heats up and cools off more rapidly. we always talk about that. the trend showing basically not much until late tomorrow as we go through the day. we could see a hit or mills shower. this is 7:00 wednesday. then later into the day clear. thursday morning chance for a few showers, mainly south of baltimore but this is going to be widely scattered rain. i think a better chance of scattered showers thursday morning. on the whole additional clouds but still mild. overnight tonight down to 44, increasing clouds, not really too chilly, not for the start of february, which we have tomorrow. 64, mild and a few showers possible. better chance for a few showers overnight tomorrow night into

thursday morning. seven-day forecast looking ahead, finding a gradual cooldown as we go into thursday. then into friday and saturday a little cooler still. ráxd z that firstñiçóñrñr week ofxd february. htxdçó nowçó it appearsçó that d next $5ze1xd will moderate agai. and so far, this has held. >> we're getting spoil@byxd >> reality will set in soon. >> at some point. >> thanks a lot, wyatt. it is voting day in florida and mitt romney is the favorite to come away with a victory. we go live to tam amount of tell us why is tonight so critical in this gop primary race. >> reporter: it has been a roller coaster over the past 10 days. remember, newt gingrich was coming off a huge upset in south carolina. it was a dead heat in the polls between romney and gingrich.

rm ni recently took back the lead. if he can win, he will regain that front-runner status. for mitt romney the sunshine state is starting to feel a lot like the granite state. >> thank you, number. >> reporter: the former massachusetts governor is poised to capture his second primary win. >> i would like to spend more of our time focusing on president obama. >> reporter: standing in his way is newt gingrich. >> ads that are dishonest, it's a challenge. >> reporter: the latest polls have him trailing by double digits. you unify the conservatives and you have the nomination. >> reporter: rounding it out is rick santorum and ron paw. neither will win and neither are in the state. >> in a week's time, we'll send a message. >> reporter: for gingrich and romney, a win means 50 much

needed del gas. a loss mean has hit to your momentum,e1xd wary campaign dons and for gingrich,ñi a disappointing follow-up to hisr >> they leavexd floridaxdçó and there'sçóx@xd açó message theyye to compete inñ1/w3 a stateñiñi 0 major media markets. i think obama can win the presidency without florida. i don't think the republicans can win the presidency without florida. >> reporter: the last polls here close at 8:00 eastern. >> so that has a major impact on the race. can you tell us a little bit about that? >> reporter: a major impact. we're talking about 632,000 early votes and absentee ballots. that's or than the numb where of -- number of votes coming out of

is being -- out of south carolina. this might work to mitt romney's favor. 51% are going for romy. 29% going for gingrich. there's that huge advantage. you also have to remember that mitt romney has been outspending the other candidates in terms of television and advertising. >> thanks for that live report from tampa. we'll have the ratest -- latest tonight at 11:00. newt gingrich's campaign has been gang support, but frank sullivan from the band survivor has file lad lawsuit saying gingrich has been using his song without permission at events for the past three years. sullivan is seeking an injunction plus damages.

although see it -- stephen colbert's super pac -- filed a document with the federal election commission saying it raised more than a million dollars. the document also included language from coal ber better -- p5uz now. i'mt(qedxdt(ñi rollíyc sevenw3. dieselle --ñiñrñrçóñr diesçó afg ejected from a truck. what a lawn mower has to do with his death. imagine having major surgery but doctors are using no blood surgeries. i'm jamie costello. we'll have those stories and more coming up at 6:00. here's a preview of what's

ahead at 6:30. coming up on world news meet a single mom who put on a hard hat and tool belt and went from minimum wage to almost $30 an hour. see how she did it. i remember the days before copd.

my son and i never missed opening day. but with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. so my doctor prescribed symbicort. it helps significantly improve my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better, and that means... game on! symbicort is for copd, including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. [ whistle ] with copd, i thought i might miss out on my favorite tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes.

and that makes a difference in my breathing. today i'm back with my favorite team. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. ♪ ...there are no sick days. ♪ vicks dayquil. defeats 5 cold & flu symptoms. [ snoring ] [ indistinct talking on tv ] [ snoring ] [ male announcer ] vicks nyquil cold and flu. the nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever, best sleep you ever got with a cold...medicine. ♪

you may want to put down your foancht mcdonald -- fork. mcdonald's may no longer use a food additive called pink i'm. it's used by spare beef trimmings treated with ammonia

oxide. celebrity chef jamie oliver campaigned against it. mcdonald's said the decision was not based on any particular event. the environmental protection agency is getting more tech savvy with the launch of a new free app. the app is called hair now and it allows people with apple and android phones to my a zip code and see how healthy the air is. it's helpful for people with heart or lung conditions who need to avoid going outside when pollution levels are high. the smell of fried food, moss and beer means you're probably in the big easy. new orleans has been named the smelliest. others include san francisco,

new york and dallas. for the worst head across the fond paris. coming up, an investigation into the mishandling of remains at dover. we have that story on abc2 news at 6:00 which starts right now. the same-sex marriage bill started in the legislature. the governor testified at the hearing. i'm don harrison. i'll tell you what he had to say. >> i'm jeff hager in the northeast where the attempted theft of this lawn tractor ended up causing a fatal accident. i'll have the details coming up.