gigi barnett has more in tonight's pump watch report. >> reporter: towson university student chris row has a scooter and a car. but he uses the scooter most of the time. that switch slashed his gas bill down to just a few dollars a week. >> well, over the scooter, i'd -- every other day, i'd probably have to go get gas. >> reporter: this week, the national average for a gallon of gas is $3.77. add in the state proposed gas tax hike and some drivers are fuming. >> i'm jut trying to -- just trying to deal with as best as i can. >> find a way to raise money somewhere else. >> reporter: they say prices are going to increase at a steady pails. drivers could see more at the pump by the spring and summer months. >> that is really whether we see motorists cut back. really sort of combine their errands if you will. and may be play a part in what they decide to be their summer

i'm gigi barnett. >> and i'm tim williams. temperatures in the 40s and 50s. we will seize the bearing today. a little bit nicer in the late afternoon than it was yesterday. all day yesterday was just kind of a drab day. today we will see the clearing. it will take a little while for scattered showers to move out, but no washout of any plans. looking at spaghetti junction and a great look across the clouds and fog. temperatures are going to reflect a bit of a northeast wind which is a cool wind that brings moisture off the ocean and that's going to be what we are dealing with early on. we stay in the 60s today. can't complain. the normal high is 55. 51 degrees. there you have it. 68. warm with a couple showers. the computers have a mind of their own. your complete forecast coming up in a few moments. >> now split people talking -- here's what people are talking about. -- pope benedict the 16th will give a homily to his largest crowd yet. we have a story for wjz. >> reported that pope benedict will celeb

i'm gigi barnett. that story is next. >>> and we cooled down today.nd of warm air is on the way. we'll have that forecast coming up. stay with us. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, >>> it's a cool 34 and clear in central maryland right now. bernadette will have the complete first warning forecast coming up. >>> students tear down a bus station in bogota, colombia, all part of a massive protest to improve public transportation and lower prices. police had to use tear gas on the crowd. the city says protests here may be politically charged. >>> explosions at another bus station take the lives of 43 people in kenya. 43 others are hurt in this blast. and some are hurt tonight. witnesses say they saw people in of a moving car hurl three grenades. there have been similar attacks in recent months. officials believe that al qaeda may be behind the bloodshed. >>> a flight attendant scares a plane full of passengers, when she goes on a crazy, demonic rant over the intercom. [ screaming ] >> you could hear there, she's saying "get out of the plane." she goes on to talk about a

it's the mission of one former nasa astronaut. >> i'm gigi barnett in south baltimore.hat story is straight ahead. >>> teens and tobacco use. why the surgeon general's office now calls it an epidemic. >>> terror in pittsburgh. a shootout inside a ,,,,,,,,,,,, storeit is just before 6:30. good evening, everybody. thanks for staying with wjz. updating the breaking news. a shooting inside a psychiatric facility at the university of pittsburgh. right now, the entire facility is locked down. bigad shaban has the latest on the violence. >>> fbi and s.w.a.t. teams rushed to the university of pittsburgh this afternoon. after a gunman opened fire in the lobby of the western psychiatric institute and clinic. >> this has never happened in our school and this area. i'm just like so worried. >> reporter: police say the shooter is one of the two people dead. at least seven were injured. one person shot in the chest. and the bullet grazed a police officer in the leg. police evacuate the some buildings and put others, including two nearby high schools under lockdown. >> it's a little t

i'm gigi barnett, and that story is next. >>> i'm meteorologist bernadette woods.t was a warm start to the weekend but we have changes coming our way. we have your complete morning forecast coming up after this break. complete coverage continues with adam may and meteorologist bernadette woods and sports with stan saunders. it's wjz, ,, okay, that looks great. were you profitable last month? how much money is in your checking account? have the browns paid you for their addition yet? your finances are scattered all over the place. mm-hmm. what are your monthly expenses? you keep your receipts in plastic baggies? seriously? [ announcer ] get it done and get it off your mind with quickbooks. organize your small business finances all in one place, even online banking. and now your business can be at your fingertips, anywhere. quickbooks, guaranteed easy or your money back. learn more at quickbooks.com. >>> 49 degrees in cloudy. bernadette will have the forecast in a moment. >>> a helicopter slammed to the ground and both pilots survived. they were protected by the rigi

i'm gigi barnett, "wjz." >>> cardinal o'brien doesn't know when his new appointment in rome will beginbut he hopes his new position will promote christianity in jerusalem. >> >> orioles looking for ball girls and ball boys for the 2012 season. men and women got a chance to show off their baseball skills. they were tested on being able to handle -- the chosen ball boys and girls will work with the team for the entire 2012 season. but you have to be 18 >> still to come, ammunition depot exploded. we'll take you inside of the blast that shook an entire community. >> not respectful to the victims or to the survivors. >> >> shocking serial killer tours, milwaukee unveils a jeffrey dahmer tour. >> >> flowing la virginia burning down hawaiian homes. residents return and survey the damage. >> >> major u.s. cities losing their trees at alarming rates, baltimore is among them. i'm tim williams with more on what is affecting our area coming up. >> >> chilly air has returned to maryland and it will be here for a couple of days. the complete first warning forecast coming up with "eyewitness news" r

gigi barnett has the reaction from the girl's family. >> reporter: her family says that they tried toort her missing but police turned them away. that's when they took matters in to their own hands. a grief stricken mother, speechless, in shock, not able to understand the murder of her 13-year-old daughter. she left home to go roller stating and never returned. the family feared the worst, calling police at 1:00 in the morning to report her missing. >> she didn't come home and never did anything like this before. we knew that. for her not to have come home was out of the ordinary. we called the police last night and told them that we think she is missing. >> reporter: the family says it was told to wait 24 hours before filing a missing person's report. the victim's brother and friends went out searching, just before 6:00, sunday night, they found her body in an alley behind the 1600 block of cliff view, covered with trash. >> she has signs of trauma, we aren't sure what she was killed from. >> reporter: detectives are going door to door questioning neighbors for clues and interviewing

gigi barnett is jogging. >> everyone has spring fever. there is good tools to exercise you and your pet. we like gentle leaders. and it looks like a muzzle, but it is just something to secure so they don't pull. >> okay. >> so it really helps keep the dog close to you. it is easier to walk or jog. what i use on my dog is what gigi has right now. the easy walker. it is a harnesses, but it connects that front. that keeps your dog from pulling as well. i love it with my dog. >> is one better for bigger or smaller dogs? >> i like the easy walk for the bigger dogs. they come in all different sizes. >> okay. what else is over here. a regular old -- >> this is a super long leash. if you want to throw a ball. our train your dog, a really long leagues is a -- leash is a great way to do that. because you can pull them back. >> i have no idea. this is what here comes up with. >> over here. >> a backpack you can put on your dog. it adds weight. you can put his water bottles on there. >> it's like weight. it is like training with weights. you want to

i'm gigi barnett. >> i'm tim williams. temperatures are in the 30s across the region. a calm start to the day. >> i had to bundle up. >> it is chilly, it feels like winner is around. it wants to make sure that no one has forgotten. i'm still here, but a cool, chilly start and a pretty calm day as we take a look. we were just comments in the studio how calm it looks out there. the sun is coming up. a nice, still day, but chilly, the temperatures a little below the average. a seasonbry cold day with temperatures in the 40s. the average is around 50 degrees. and a little bit below that, not a lot of wind. the sun will be up. breezy and chilly today. sunshine, 28 tonight and clear. then tomorrow, remember we will be springing ahead tonight into tomorrow. so, set your block a-- clock ahead one hour. your complete first warning weather is coming up. >> thank you, tim. >>> now, here is what people will talk about today. cops are get louder for anne arundel executive, john leopold to step down. eyewitness news is investigating the

gigi barnett reports, it isn't the first time students teamed up with athletes to win. at the bear school in west baltimore, it's easy to root for the runners and forget about the wheelchairs along the wall. it's about crossing the finish line here, bear students plan to run in another race this weekend, the shamrock 5k. >> it's fun to be out there to be a part of it. >> reporter: through the help of athletes serving athletes, david started the group 6 years ago, since then, he is partnered with several schools for special needs students to get them racing. >> it takes a lot of work to get an athlete like james across the finish line. >> reporter: one of the students is 13-year-old james banks, they began racing five years ago. so far they have are up fife marathons and a half dozen trio dozen triathlons together. amanda is james' teacher. she races with students, too. >> you can see how it helps them become confident and independent and more excited to be around people. >> five students will compete in this weekend's shamrock race. the training began weeks ago and it's

i'm gigi barnett. >> and i am tim williams. also the sunday before spring officially arrives. a very foggy start to the day. it looks like we should be somewhere in scotland. it's a very foggy start. we've had a persistent wind from the east. been bringing in a lot of moisture off with a and overrunning the area. we also have a little disturbance to our south and west. 54 in oakland, 50 the temperature pretty much average around central maryland. those go up to about 66 degrees. we will see some sun through the afternoon but it takes a while to break through the fog and cloud cover we have. your complete updated forecast coming up in just a moment. >> first, here's what people will talk about. the american soldier accused of killing 16 civilians in afghanistan is in the u.s. awaiting formal charges are yet many people in afghanistan are set that he won't stand trial there. >> reporter: crowds marched through the streets demanding the u.s. soldier accused of killing women and children stand trial in afghanistan. the u.s. perpetrator must be put on trial, according to our laws,

gigi barnett has more on this landmark signing. good morning, gigi. >> reporter: good morning, jessica, good morning, everyone. well maryland's same sex marriage bill is now a law. it won't take effect until january though and opponents say that is just enough time to get it in front of voters. >> the bill is signed. [ cheers ] >> at the state house in annapolis the bill to legalize same sex marriage becomes law. moments after the governor spoke only with wjz. >> for all of us here and all of the division at the end of the day, human dignity wins out. >> for some lawmakers the bill is personal. >> this is you know like the best day of my political career, it is one of the best days of my life. >> supporters gathered to mark the day. >> i just want to be recognized. my wife wants to be recognized and now we feel like full citizens in maryland. >> we are looking to have a mass wedding at 12:01 a.m. on january the first in our sanctuary. >> but same sex marriage is far from a dope deal. opponents have already started the process to ove

i am gigi barnett.oming up i will tell you which historic landmarks may fall into the hands of private investors. >> i am sharon gibala here with wjz traffic control. we are not looking at delays yet but we do have a handful of accidents. we will go down the list in a few. right now over to marty. >> the show is called frozen planet, the ultimate portrait of the earth's polar region. we are going to take you ,,,,,,, >>> this is wjz tv, wjz hd, and wjz.com, baltimore. >> good morning, maryland. now don scott, marty bass, and the latest breaking news from wjz's news team, your first warning weather, and wjz traffic control with sharon gibala. it's wjz, maryland's news station. >> it is exactly 6:30 as the sky begins to brighten in the east, another mild monday morning, tomorrow morning is going to be pretty cold. sharon has traffic right after marty's first warning weather. >> tomorrow morning is only 5 off normal but it ain't 51, it is 32 and that is going to get your attention, this morning's 31 is the

. >> i'm gigi barnett at morgan >> i'm gigi barnett at morgan state university,,,,,,,, [ male announcer ] for the dreamers... and those well grounded. for what's around this corner... and the next. there's cash flow options from pnc. solutions to help businesses like yours accelerate receivables, manage payments, and help ensure access to credit. because we know how important cash flow is to reaching your goals. pnc bank. for the achiever in you. >>> good evening, thank you for staying with wjz eyewitness news. here are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. a sad farewell for a maryland man who helped change cancer treatment worldwide. wjz first brought you the story of christopher lyles, who received a revolutionary transplant in his fight against a rare cancer. gigi barnett explains how lyle's legacy will live on. >> hi, kai. well, a trachea transplant was designed to save christopher lyle's life. he died earlier this month. but today, family, friends, and his classmates here at morgan state university got a chance to say goodbye. ♪ [ music ] >> reporter: it's a song o

. >>> i'm gigi barnett at the bear school in west baltimore. that story, straight ahead. >> turning girls into sex slaves and the boys into child soldiers. >>> kony campaign. how this video about a war lord became the biggest viral hit in the history of the internet, and the controversy surrounding it. >>> a cooldown coming, but it won't last long. stick around for the updated first warning weather forecast. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, . >>> have you seen the kony 2012 video? you may soon be in the minority. mary joins us now with more on the story that's amazing in more ways than one. >> reporter: vic, it is the most viral video ever. and it is all in the name of stopping an african war lord. n]♪ >> reporter: filmmaker jason russell posted the video kony 2012 on youtube four days ago. it has now been viewed more than 56 million times. >> it's only purpose is to stop the rebel group. >> reporter: african war lord kony is accused of kidnapping up to 30,000 children mainly in uganda. russell and his charity are on a mission because of a promise he made to

i am gigi barnett in frederick county. details are just ahead. >> sharon gibala here with wjz traffic control. if you are about to head out it is slowing down on the west side of the beltway. a look at our speed sponsors and cameras in a few. over to marty. >> we have a flat out cute coffee with coming up. the twin chefs join us. they are twins, little girls, they got their own cooking show. the greater hugs of baltimore, just cute, nothing more, nothing less, at 6. 45 an easy way to get into a monday as the at bank of america, we're lending and investing in the people and communities who call baltimore home. from funding to help a local business expand their operations... to financing for an organization which provides affordable housing for artists... and partnering with a local hospital to help expand patient care. because the more we do in baltimore, the more we help make opportunity possible. [ male announcer ] everyone at southwest airlines works together for one goal -- to get you where you're going. and with flight

i'm gigi barnett. details are coming up. ,,,,,,,,,,,, we want to protect the house. ,,,,,,,,,,,, right. but... home security systems can be really expensive. so to save money, we actually just adopted a rescue panther. i think i'm goin-... shhh! we find that we don't need to sleep that much. there's an easier way to save. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more. >>> we have a sad update for you now. wjz first brought you on a revolutionary procedure to save a man's life. >> 34-year-old christopher lyles was only the secondperson in the world to have a transplant, using his own stem cells. today, his family told me christopher passed away. >> reporter: i first met christopher lyles in november last year. a day before he left for sweden, for revolutionary surgery. he became only the second person in the world, the first from the u.s., to have a sin thict trachea, or windpipe. his own trachea was cancerous. chris spoke with us in january, as living, breathing proof of a new era in re

wjz and gigi barnett are live to explain the new plan will likely mean more cuts at school headquarters. >> that's right, denise. the school leaders say they are funneling more money to the classroom, because that is exactly where it's needed the most. >> reporter: this is where city school leaders want to spend the bulk of their cash. in the classroom on every student. the district unveiled its plan this week. it's shifting more money to schools, even though the school system's bottom line is staying the same. >> we're going to get more of that slice of the pie to our schools to make sure they can maintain the staffing and programs. that's our first priority. it's always been our first priority. >> reporter: michael frist is the school district's chief financial officer and in charge of all of the cash. last year, the district spent about $5,000 per student. next year, fritz says it will add about $550 more. that's an 11% boost. some parents are telling principals to spend it wisely. >> i don't know that that boost is going to let her do everything she wants to do. you know? i think th

. >> i'm gigi barnett in south baltimore. that story is straight ahead. ,, [ male announcer ] at green giant we know nature gives us the most nutritious of gifts. but only when they are ready to be given. that's why green giant picks vegetables at their peak. ...and freezes them fast, locking in nutrients ...for you to unwrap. ♪ ho, ho, ho. green giant the progresso chicken noodle you made is so good. it's got tender white meat chicken. the way i always made it for you. one more thing.... those pj's you like, i bought you five new pairs. love you. did you see the hockey game last night? [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. >>> it is 5:29. 71 degrees and partly cloudy. as we look at the aquarium there. good evening, everybody. and thank you for staying with eyewitness news. here are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. no more jails. that is the message from dozens of people protesting the state's plan to build a new youth detention facility in downtown baltimore. wjz is live. andrea fujii

i'm gigi barnett in ,,,,,,,,,,,, >>> coming up on wjz eyewitness news.millions jackpot history. and who has the winning ticket. >> controversial arrest. i'm mike hellgren. why four elementary students were handcuffed at school. >>> more protests in the death of a florida teenager. who is coming to the defense of the man who kimed him? check in for more on these stories and all the day's breaking news. eyewitness news at 5:00 starts now. >>> mega millions mania. marylanders are in a frepsy over the large-- frenzy over the largest jackpot of all time. >> the chance for a win. >> i'm kai jackson. >> and i'm denise koch. here's what people are talking about. >> it's the mega millions prize of $640 million. the record jackpot has the entire country rushing to buy tickets before the drawing. wjz is live in catonsville. gigi barnett has more on the excitement and people hoping to win. >> i'm one of those people. look. these could be the lucky winning numbers. if not, i'll be playing again, like everybody else. but somebody is going to win, probably.

i'm gigi barnett. coming up, the new campaign that inspires students to open up an adventure. that story is next. >>> friday night rain. will our weekend be a washout? tim will have more in our updated forecast. >>> an out-of-control suv smashes through three homes in northern california. police say the driver was going 70 miles an hour when he hit a curve and went airborne. the vehicle then crashed through a garage and hit two other houses. no one was hurt in those homes. and the driver walked away uninjured. possible charges are pending. >>> a wild animal clears the hallway of a school in north carolina. somehow a deer got into the high school building. kids scrambled for safety as the deer ran wild and skidded on the wax floors. i feel bad for him. a few students were cut and bruised. it's not clear how the deer got in. >> wow. >>> well, if there is an adventure inside every book, dr. seuss is one of the best tour guides. the author is at the center of a campaign to collect more books and inspire students to read. gigi barnett has more in tonight's school watch report. >> h

i'm gigi barnett. the details are coming up. >>> the updated first warning weather forecast, with bernadette. mine was earned over the south pacific in 1943. vietnam, 1967. i got mine in iraq, 2003. usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection, and because usaa's commitment to serve the military, veterans and their families is without equal. begin your legacy, get an auto insurance quote. >>> the national average for a gallon of gas continues to climb to the $4 mark. this comes as state lawmakers are considering a boost to maryland's gas tax. and the combination has some drivers seeing red. gigi barnett has more on tonight's pump watch report. >> reporter: towson university student, chris row, has a student and a car. but he uses the scooter most of the time. that switch slashed his gas bill down to just a few dollars a week. >> if it weren't for the scooter, i would probably every other day have to get gas. >> reporter: this w

i'm gigi barnett. >> i'm tim williams. the temperatures are in the 50s across the region. it is a very mild morning. but there is rain on the doorstep. if you go outside, around tv hill, you have seen lightning. we have seen lightning already. not the foggy mornings like over the last few, but rain is close by and looking at a cloudy inner harbor. things are dry right now, but showers throughout the day. look at first warning weather doppler radar. temperatures about 59 degrees. the rain is extending from pennsylvania down to the line, down towards the eastern shore. you can see the bright courts in there. those are thunderstorms that are embedded in the system. so, our forecasted to goes up to 68 degrees. 81 yesterday. mostly cloudy skies, a couple of thunderstorms, not as warm. tonight, 55 degrees. rage and drizzle. we will talk about how the rest of the weekend plays out. when we can expect to see improvement. >> okay. thanks, tim. >>> now, here is what people are talking about this morning. >> community leaders, nba le

i'm gigi barnett. >> i'm tim williams. temperatures are in the 40s area wide. a mild start to the day. >> mild, but wet. >> wet, visibility is limited right now. a lot of moisture and fog out there. the clouds are with you through the morning and then improvement. as you look at the cameras, there is rain on the lens, that's what you look at through your windshield this morning. wind advisory is in effect through western maryland. the rest of us will see showers. first warning radar is showing us what is moving through. the last of the rain is pushing through the area. moving out the beltway and down towards 70. the 270 corridor, that will move out of here by late morning and then continue on with a bit of a clear up for today. so, today's forecast is going up to a daytime high of 60 degrees. partly cloudy skies and breezy and warmer. lows 36. breezy with partly cloudy skies. your first warning weather forecast is coming up. >> thanks, tim. >>> first here is what people are talking about today. the sex scandalroxing the off of john leopold. he is facing several

>> good. >> reporter: in baltimore, i'm gigi barnett, wjz 13, eye witness news. >> what great idea.thletes serving athletes has several races coming up. if you would like to run, there is a list on our website at wjz.com. >>> great concept, great idea. >>> we have chilly weather tomorrow. warm up on the way. northwest winds down to 18. humidity is low. barometer on the way back up. look at the weekend right after this. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, >>> still above average, we had so few days, normal this march or this winter, when you get a cool afternoon it feels cool. it was above average again. look at temperatures, 53 now with a lot of sunshine around the region. thank you. there you go. 47 ocean city. a chilly 37 out of oakland. down in the mid to low 20s. upper 20s to low 30s by morning. if you are heading out late, take the winter coat. it's dry air, 23, dew point is dry, low humidity right now, locally, upper 40s to the north, mid-50s by the bay. annapoliss kent island, dc, by the river, at 56 degrees. rock hall, bay at 51. now the winds are beginning to slow down a little bit to the sou

we are in sprint mode now. >> reporter: i'm gigi barnett, wjz, eye witness news. >> because this is a new business, casino managers are looking to fill every position from servers to security. >>> another business is looking for employees at the inner harbor. the buba gump shrimp company will take applications today and open at the harbor place. the new 20,000 square foot restaurant is slated to open before memorial day. >>> the second seed maryland terpins women's team advances to second round. in round one, they faced off with navy and college park on saturday. thomas got 17 points and 10 rebounds. maryland won it, 59 to 44 and face louisville tonight. go lady terps go. >> they hustle more than half the mba teams out there. >> she juggles twins and does that. >> we know the struggle, marty mentioned it last week, the struggle she had with her young son, leukemia drugs in short supply. >> right. >>> well, 6:00 already? >> must be the middle of a dream. >> or ron matz, how is your bract doing? >> reporter: put it this way, i had missouri winning the national championship. you know how

i'm gigi barnett. that story is next. >>> another incredible march evening. are changes coming?has the answer. wjz eyewitness news at 6:00 starts now. >>> dirty politics. outrage over what some call illegal spying. >> tonight, those targeted and what they're saying. >> hello, everyone. i'm vic carter. >> and i'm mary bubala. denise is on assignment. >>> the state prosecutor says mr. leopold used private

. >> history at the state house as the governor signs the same sex marriage bill into law, gigi barnettve with the story. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. while that bill may be the law now the future of it could still rest in the hands of voters. at the state house the bill to legalize same sex marriage becomes law. moments after governor o'malley spoke only with wjz. supporters gathered to mark the day and celebrate but opponents are still working dweans against it. a petition will put it on the ballot. they need 56,000 signatures. opponents say they will have to have all those signatures in by the end of june. back to you. >> a man is in critical condition after a hit-and-run accident in laurel. take a look at the right side of your screen. a white truck runs over the curb then hits a man walking along route 198. then that driver just takes off. a camera from a metro bus captured the accident. police have not identified the victim. laurel police are hoping the video will help them catch that driver. >>> some more bad news for state senator ulysses curry. according to our part

. >> good morning, i'm gigi barnett. >> temperatures in the 20s and 30s across the area. it's a chilly start compared to what we had yesterday. you mentioned yesterday being a pretty damp start and it turned out to be a pretty nice day. temperatures got up to 60 degrees. today it is much cooler. what we are watching now is really just kind of the tail end of a system that moved through yesterday, never quite clear the area. south of the 80 we should see a chance for showers. there is even because of this cold air a chance of snow in place before the next day is out. it's not going to impact us too much, but don't be surprised if you see it. today, 52 degrees. breezy and afternoon, overnight lows to about 28 degrees. your complete updated forecast in a few moments. >> thank you. here's what people will talk about today. the death toll climbs after a string of tornadoes ripped through five states getting the nation's midsection pretty hard. rescue teams continued to search for survivors. we report from henrico, indiana. >> reporter: new video shows that this tornado plowing

gigi barnett has the story. >> reporter: police have few leads in this case.net turnage feared the worst saturday night when the teen went roller skating and never returned. the family called police to report her missing but were told to wait 24 hours before filing a missing persons report. the victim's brother and friends went out searching for her and just before 6:00 on sunday night, they found her body in the alley behind the 1600 block of cliff view avenue. police say the next step is determining exactly how she died. back to you. >>> a stabbing in harford leaves five men in the hospital. the men say they were stabbed by a unknown group of man as they were walking to a friends house in edgewood saturday night. the men are in stable condition and are expected to recover. stay,, i have what science calls the "nightly stuffy nose thing": i can't breathe... so i can't sleep... and the next day i pay for it. i tried decongestants... i tossed & turned... i even vaporized! and then i fought back: with drug-free breathe right advanced. these nasal strips instantl

. >>> i'm gigi barnett. that story is next. ,,,,,,,,,,,, >>> it's 5:30. 78 degrees and sunny. good evening. thanks for staying with wjz eyewitness news. here are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. money is getting moved around in baltimore city schools. and it's heading right to the students. wjz and gigi barnett are live to explain the new plan will likely mean more cuts at school headquarters. hi, gigi. >> hi, kai. well, the school district says its number one priority has always been the students. and now it's just time to put the money where its mouth is. >> reporter: this is where city school leaders want to spend the bulk of their cash, in the classroom, on every student. the district unveiled its plan this week. it is shifting more money to schools, even though the school system's bottom line is staying the same. >> we're going to get more of that slice of the pie to schools to make sure they can maintain the staffing and programs. that's our first priority. it's always been our first priority. >> reporter: michael frist is the school's chief financia

gigi barnett has more on the study. gigi? >> reporter: well, doctors say they now know what to look for when it comes to autism. and they are finding many more children with the disorder. >> reporter: researchers say better diagnosis and more screenings may be behind the rise of autism in children. according to a new study released this week by the centers for disease control, doctors found a 23% hike in the number of reported cases nationwide. >> we have a lot of children that we need to be taking seriously in terms of giving the best possible education, the best possible health care. >> reporter: autism is a social developmental disorder. back in 2006, doctors reported that one in every 110 children had autism. now, new numbers show it's one in 88 kids. and that number is even higher in maryland, where doctors diagnosed one in 80 children here. >> i just knew it was something. my instinct. i knew. >> reporter: marlo's son matthew has autism. he was diagnosed at 14 months old. he's just starting to communicate with the famil

gigi barnett explains after the inaugural year is a success. school teams are signing on to play. >>> more than a dozen city high school baseball teams want this trophy on their mantle. it's the president's cup. the prize for winning the city wide baseball tournament that matches up private and public school players. today, the city unveiled plans to bring it back for a second year. >> reporter: last year, council president jack young brought the tournament to baltimore to unite public and private school players on the diamond. it worked. this year, some big names like o's hall-of-famer, chris foils and jackie robinson's daughter, sharon robinson, are teaming up to help. >> they have to develop this strength of character and make some really positive leaders in their community. >> they have no idea right now what is in store for them. i think it's going to -- just going to help the competition to try to get to that game. >> reporter: that's because the championship game will be played at orioles park next month. >> it's going to be the experien

gigi barnett is on campus as students leave for the game.ut first, sports director mark viviano has more on the matchup. >>> it is a rare opportunity for loyola. they're getting ready for tipoff in pittsburgh. their first ncaa tournament in nearly two decades. and they really want to make it last beyond tonight. >> even offensive rebound. >> reporter: easier said than done for little loyola, when they face powerful ohio state tonight. big and powerful. from the big 10 conference. a national championship contender. yes, they're that good. >> people talk about the ohio state and the concerns you have. >> i have major concerns about ohio state. i just ran into sullinger in the hallway. the guy is a monster, you know. >> reporter: everybody knows about jared sullinger, ohio state sophomore center who will be playing in the nba next season. the job of guarding him goes to a baltimore guy. >> i played against him at aau. we came out of the same class. real big body, real physical. just gotta be as physical as him, gotta defend. >> and what does th

check in with gigi barnett and tim williams tomorrow on eyewitness news. that starts at 6:00 a.m.the updated weekend forecast. >>> a player is hospitalized up next i,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, >>> i don't know if i can watch it again. mark viviano is here with the sports report. >> baseball can be scary. first week of warm-up games in florida has produced a number of positive signs for the orioles, especially in pitching. it came to a halt of a frightening injury. batting against tampa bay with a 90-mile-per-hour fast ball right in the face. it was thrown accidentally by rays pitcher alex kolb. eventually taken to a hospital for observation and a ct scan. good news, no broken bones, a contusionings and a loose tooth. the game went on and the orioles and rays played to a tie in ten innings. some rough basketball in the acc tournament. the end of the road for maryland brought down by north carolina. they cruised with 89-69 victory. ninth straight time they've beaten maryland in the conference tournament. for maryland, terrell led the way. maryland's record is 17-15. no ncaa bid coming th

i'm gigi barnett. that story is next. >> the countdown is on. i'm in for bernadette woods.ave your forecast coming up in just a few moments. complete coverage continues with adam may and meteorologist bernadette woods and sports with stan saunders, it's ,,,,,,, okay, that looks great. were you profitable last month? how much money is in your checking account? have the browns paid you for their addition yet? your finances are scattered all over the place. mm-hmm. what are your monthly expenses? you keep your receipts in plastic baggies? seriously? [ announcer ] get it done and get it off your mind with quickbooks. organize your small business finances all in one place, even online banking. and now your business can be at your fingertips, anywhere. quickbooks, guaranteed easy or your money back. learn more at quickbooks.com.

we're live and gigi barnett talks about why it sparked such a reaction. >> good morning. the group say that they celebrate white pride, the messages are plastered across the campus and sparked controversy. >> i don't know how to feel but tears. >> a person of color and being a minority on campus, it is frightening. and the president says that it doesn't promote hate. >> and the foundation and they have a place to do that. >> some of the messages they have been sharing on campus have been controversial. the group calls the union a angry gay group. and the association a terrorist fund organization. >> for them to call the students association a terrorist front without approaching us for a decent conversation is ridiculous. >> the university leaders hope the meeting open as dialogue back together. >> members of the group responsible for the say they have received numerous threats since the start of the semester. >> back to you. >> it is looking into whether the messages violate policy. >>> state lawmakers increasing taxes on smokeless tobacco. the committee approved the rais

gigi barnett has more on mega millions fever. hey, gigi. >> just staying at $640 million. we have been here at the soda pop shop all day here in catonville. this has not stopped. people having come be-- have been coming in throughout the day. clerks here say they sold more than $6,000 worth of tickets in this one day alone. >> reporter: it's the biggest jackpot on earth ever. $640 million. for some mega millions players, their dreams are now as big as the prize. >> first thing you do is what? >> i would donate some money to the cancer society. because i need a tax writeoff. >> help my family out. >> a huge house for my family, so i can move away. >> but you would not be in maryland anymore? >> i would be in maryland, but i will be hiding? >> if she wins the record- breaking jackpot, she could by 1,000 houses, worth half a million each. >> i think anyone remotely inclined to play the lottery was out there buying a ticket. >> reporter: lottery players are calling on every strategy to cash in. >> have these be number -- numbers in my mind. i was like, i'm not going to play it

gigi barnett with more on the details of the troubling new research. gigi? >> reporter: doctors now say they know what to look for when it comes to autism. and they're diagnosing more children with it. >> reporter: researchers say better diagnosis and more screenings may be behind the rise of autism in children. according to a new study released this week by the centers for disease control, doctors found a 23% hike in the number of reported cases nationwide. >> it's sad that we have a lot of children that we need to be taking seriously, in terms of giving the best possible education, best possible healthcare. >> reporter: autism is a social developmental disorder. back in 2006, doctors reported that one in every 110 children had autism. now, new numbers show it's one in 88 kids. and that number is even higher in maryland, where doctors diagnosed one in 80 children here. >> i just knew it was something. my other instinct. >> reporter: marlo williams' son matthew has autism. he was diagnosed at 14 months old. he's just starting to communicate with the family.

i'm gigi barnett.e's what people are talking about. >>> a high-speed police chase comes to a deadly end in montgomery county. the car exploded into flames as police chased two teens down connecticut avenue and firefighters worked to pull the teens to safety. now two teens are dead and two more are injured. so far, no charges have been filed. >>> there is a growing trend in the workplace, it involves social media. more employers are asking job. lucages to pass over their facebook passwords. that is right. there is nothing stopping them, but lawmakers in annapolis are trying to change that. to block employers from asking for your log on information. it has passed in the senate and waiting a vote from the house of delegates. >>> it a traffic spot in montgomery county. police pulled over batman himself, because his lamborghini doesn't have a proper maryland license plate. last year he got a federal fire -- flat tire. >>> it is a wet day >>> beautiful saturday morning. welcome to "cbs this morning saturday,

i'm gigi barnett in catonsville. catonsville.story is ,,,,,, >>> coming up on wjz eyewitness news at 6:00. mega mania. the lines soar to a record. wjz is live with all of the big dreamers. >>> controversial arrest. i'm mike hellgren in morrow park. why four elementary students were handcuffed at school. >>> gut-wrenching testimony continues in the retrial of twin brothers accused of setting a pit bull on fire. i'm weijia jiang with the latest from inside the courthouse next. >>> a cooler friday evening. what about the weekend? don't miss the updated first warning forecast. check in for these stories and all the day's breaking news. wjz eyewitness news at 6:00 starts now. >>> arrest controversy. elementary school students, taken away in handcuffs. >> tonight, what the children are accused of doing. and why some are so upset. >> hello, everybody. i'm denise koch. >> and i'm jessica kartalija, in for vic carter.

i'm gigi barnett.e's what people are talking about. >>> a baltimore police officer pleads guilty to dealing drugs on-the-job. daniel redd admitted his involvement in a major heroin ring. the drugs were flown in from africa. redd got the drugs and handed them off to dealers on the streets. he confessed to selling drugs in a police station parking lot. redler will spend 20 years behind bars. >>> a columbia woman is in trouble this morning. months after 40 dead animals are discovered inside of her apartment animal control workers found cats, rabbits, birds and guinea pigs. several other animals were any probably a-- barely alive. police arrested her. >>> maryland snowstorm marks another milestone in her cue rear. the department will be -- the democrats will beat the longest female servicing in congress. the congresswoman was first alected in the house back in 1976. >>> today is first warning weather forecast, st. patrick's day, 70 degrees after a nice ,,,,,,,,,,,, >>> all right, we're looking for the gree

gigi barnett is in the newsroom with the decision. >> reporter: the jury just ruled that university officials were negligent for not alerting students quickly enough. back in 2007, a gunman killed two people in a residence hall, then later went on to kill 30 more people in a lecture hall. the patients of two victim -- parents of two victims sued, saying more should have been done to alert students after the first two murders. university leaders say they thought the first two killings were isolated incidents and did not want to cause unnecessary alarm on campus. back to you. >> gigi, thank you. the parents say their children might have survived if given an earlier warning. they are each seeking $100,000 in damages. >>> right now in annapolis, governor martin o'malley is trying to sell fellow lawmakers on his plan to add sales tax to gasoline. the governor testified before the state budget and taxation committee. his plan would apply the sales tax to gasoline in 2% increments for three years. it would raise hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. but lawmakers say -- say he is not finding m

as gigi barnett reports, the church has found a way to replace what it lost. >> we're going to put more buss on the road. >> reporter: hours before daybreak, phillip hall referred an important phone call. he arrived and saw this. >> two fire engines. four or five police cars. and just a whole lot of smoke. >> reporter: one of the church's five buses was on fire. the blaze was so hot, it scorched a second bus next to it. investigators believe someone set the overnight blaze. but the reason why is still a mystery. >> i couldn't believe that someone would do that. especially to church property. >> i don't know if it was for kicks. all we can do is pray for the person that did this. because there is obviously something wrong with them. >> reporter: the heat char windows and shattered seats. >> the biggest thing that upsets me is the fact that you're denying children the chance to come here and be part of the church family. and the families. that's what breaks my heart. >> reporter: in a surprising twist of fate, members of the church went on online. and in the last 48 hours, they raised nea

saturday, march 3rd, i'm gigi barnett. here's what people are talking about. age anne roundal county executive, john leopold is facing several charges for allegedly misusing the power of his office. yesterday, a grand jury indicted him. prosectors are saying that leopold used his security detail for personal business. the county executive will fight the charges and plans on staying in official. >>> friends and family come together to remember a baltimore soldier assassinated in afghanistan. dozens of people held a vigil last night. military officials are saying that he was murdered in afghanistan last week. >>> if you would rather here for the ravens on the sidelines from a lazy boy. today is your chance to audition for the ravens cheerleading squad. the registration begin in just a few hours and cost $45, cash. >>> so, after a wet night, could it be a wet day for us here? here is a look at the exclusive first warning weather forecast. 65 degrees and partly sunny. then tonight, 36 degrees, breezy with patchy clouds. tonight -- tomorrow, 64 degrees. some clouds

gigi barnett is live with the story. >> reporter: many questions and few answers for the family of 13 monae turnage. detectives say the teen was shot by two boys playing with a rifle. her body was dragged into a backyard and hidden under a trash bag. that officer was dating a relative of one of the alleged suspects. meanwhile the 12 and 13-year- old boys accused of the crime now face involuntary manslaughter charges. back to you. >> this morning four anne arundel county firefighters are covering. three other people were injured. one man was rescued and he was in critical condition. the cause of the fire and that crash is under investigation. >>> health officials say three members of a family died of a respiratory illness. a 81-year-old woman became sick. preliminary test show two of the fatal cases had the flu, a 4th relative remains hospitalized. >>> montgomery county lawmakers are cracking down on drivers who illegally pass stopped school buss. the county is now installing crams to catch drivers who don't obey the law. police have issued more than 200 of the citations every year. st