martin o'malley is holding a press conference outlining how the state plans to handle the massive storm. let's listen in. david collins is life. >> the governor is expected to announce a declaration of emergency. >> let me give you an update on this snow emergency. it is going to be a big snow. we are prepared, as the storm that bears down on maryland, to deal with it whenever mother nature throws at us. we have had some experience already this year, and this looks like it is going to be an even bigger event, i guess, than the last one, if the predictions come through. right now, as you probably know, the latest forecast we have seen indicate that maryland could get anywhere from 20 to 30 inches of snow. it appears from the track of this that is bearing down right on the 95 corridor, and that is where we anticipate the snowfall will be heaviest. we are also on guard for a couple of the facts on the eastern shore -- couple of the facts on the eastern shore. because this is a nor'easter, we are on guard and highly sensitive to the potential of coastal flooding, because this is a nor'easte

o'malley has declared a state of emergency. david collins is at the highway operations center in hanover. he has the latest there. >> we are waiting for the governor just like everyone else, but we ventured out to the airport today. it is good to say that there is no drama today at b.w.i. thurgood marshall airport, in part because one of the biggest carriers canceled all its flights earlier this afternoon. here is a sight you rarely see. this is usually crunch time for southwest airlines at dwi thurgood marshall. starting at 2:00 p.m., they canceled all flights, more than 100. she was catching the last flight out. the snow in the forecast does not bother her at all brigance i am used to that. -- i am used to that. >> the airline hopes to resume flights sunday. lucky for andrew and kendall, they just arrived on southwest airlines'last light in. timing is everything. >> it is my second time seeing snow, so we are excited. >> as we were leaving monday afternoon, hopefully it will be open by then. if not, we will be staying here a

power and metro is only offering underground rail service and we are waiting to hear from governor o'malley. he will talk about the state's plan to weather the storm. we are certainly weathered by this series of storms. >> it has been an unbelievable week and a half. >> we just need to make it to friday. >> you pass tomorrow, you are right we will be better. windy conditions tomorrow and today we have the snow and the wind. winds will be a problem, blizzard conditions, blizzard warnings until 7:00 but the snow is getting lighter. in fact, let's get to the forecast first. we will tell you about it. this afternoon, snow is tapering off southwest to east. one to as much as four inches additional accumulations and we are thinking that four inches is in places like howard county, across the bay and maybe annapolis more snow. the farther the east you are the higher the likelihood of more snows. northwest winds unbelievable. 20 to 40 with gusts higher than that. could be early snow east and then mostly cloudy, windy and cold. keep the temperatures where they are. so the blowing and drifting will c

for more now on the impact of the storm, we're joined by maryland governor martin o'malley. spoke with him a short time ago from maryland's emergency operations center in baltimore. governor o'malley, thank you for joining us. >> sure, my pleasure. >> ifill: maryland had a statewide emergency declared today. what is the status of things tonight? >> sure, well, the status tonight is very, very dangerous, especially on our highways. i mean, what we've seen today are whiteout conditions, blizzard conditions which for the first time in modern memory affected all 24 jurisdictioning in the state of maryland. travel on our highways has been very treacherous. we've had a number of building collapses, and we've seen more snowfall in the last 72-hour period than we've ever seen in the 130-year recorded history of these sorts of sdmo weather events in our state. so very challenging circumstance. we're doing all that we can right now, just to keep emergency services and putting public safety first. we have national guard deployed, supporting the paramedics and other folks doing the impo

governor o'malley said crews are watching closely the eastern shore.they are concerned not just because of the snow. >> we are on guard, and highly sensitive to the potential of coastal flooding. because this is a nor'easter and also because of the winds on the eastern shore. far more likely to encounter blizzard conditions. >> needless to say, this storm is going to cost the state of maryland tens of millions of dollars. and while the state set-aside 60 million in its snow budget for the fiscal year. it has already spent $50 million. >> and we will have to adjust, move things around within the budget, and accordingly in order to keep it balanced and most importantly keep the roads cleared. >> for this weekend, that's the biggest priority. in hanover, john rydell, fox 45 news at 10:00. >> clean up from december snow storm cost the state of maryland $27 million. >> and stay with fox 45 news, of course for the latest on baltimore's blizzard. have continued coverage through the newscast. more live reports. and tag team weather coverage on the "late editio

. >> we're monitoring a live news conference, governor martin o'malley. let's listen in now. >> there are three vehicles piled up near the icc construction. route 13 bypass, we have one truck and eight vehicles. round 140 and westminster, a tractor-trailer and several cars. state police have been doing a lot of work out there, as have our state highys. i want to thank the people of maryland for heeding the warnings and staying off the roads. with regard to power outages, w stand now at approximately 17,000. if you've been watching the map with us here at the emergency operations center, you notice that in montgomery county, the number of power outages have come greatly down while the number has spiked in northeast maryland where we've seen in cecil county and the upper shore some of the heaviest snowfall and therefore no doubt greatest numbers of fallen trees, fallen branches and the other things affecting the power lines. so in cecil county, we've seen 7,400 power outages with regard to customers that are out of power. we're working to help them as quick

governor o'malley is in baghdad visiting some of the maryland troops. he spoke to us earlier from iraq and showed us one of the comforts of home he brought to our serving men and women. >> it's not crab cakes but they travel better than crab cake. so these are governor's challenge coins with the state seal on one side and star spangled banner on the other. i've been getting a few coins in return so there's been a lot of photos taken with our distinctive flag, the black and white and red and gold. >> reporter: governor o'malley is in iraq at the invi tangsd at the cost of the u.s. defense department. he's expected to return to maryland on sunday. >>> still ahead, following the money. a look another one local project getting the report of the federal stimulus. >>> a scam targeting local kids on a popular website. what your kids should know before accepting the next facebook friend request. all coming up. >>> back now with an update on that inmate mistakenly released from a baltimore prison. raymond taylor was arrested this morning in martinsburg, west vir

. >>> governor martin o'malley wants to get marylanders back to work this year. jobs were the major focus of the governor state of the state address yesterday. he said maryland will get a big boost with 60,000 new millitary jobs soon. he is also offering incentives to employers who hire laid off workers. they would be eligible for a 3,000 tax break. another bill that is being considered would strengthen laws for families from losing their home through foreclosure. >>> as we move maryland forward out of the recession and into better times, we're going to have to continue to make the sometime tough but critically important choices necessary to expand opportunity and to strengthen families. >> the governor's job initiative could cost the state $20 million. republicans say o'malley's budget still depends too heavy on federal stimulus money that mayor may not come. you can see the whole state of the state address on our website. just go to foxbaltimore.com and click on raw news. >>> police commissioner fred bealefeld and incoming mayor stephanie rawl rawlings-blake te

these are pictures with o'malley with maryland's army reserve. in an interview from baghdad the governor talked about how hmm bling his conversations with maryland troops have been. >> the one of the thing that strikes me is the common thread that runs throughout the conversations. and that is just how much the men and women here miss their family and their kids and their loved ones back home. the most common requests i get is repetedly, can you call my mom? can you call my dad when you get home? can you call my kids, my husband, my wife, let them know i'm okay? i miss them. >> he'll have a lot of calls to make when he comes home. he'll be back here in maryland on sunday. >>> jet blew air has cancelled several flights today because of a computer malfunction. the airline says all customers whose flights were cancelled can receive a refund or they'll accommodate them on the next jet blue flight at no additional charge. >>> the pepper spray incident that sent two students to the hospital and the latest on an apartment fire that badly injured one adu

. >>> in his fourth state of the state address, governor martin o'malley suggested that we're actually better off than most states in these tough economic times. >> reporter: at the time they need to balance its budget, governor martin o'malley told lawmakers he's doing his part. >> for the first time in more than 40 years, the budget i propose to you this year calls for lower general fund spending than four years ago. and it will bring total spending cuts and reductions this term to $5.6 billion. >> a primary focus of his speech today was about jobs, echoing the president's pledge, offering tax incentives for small businesses to create jobs. >> it's jobs jobs beings, and more jobs. in michigan there's 20% unemployment. we're at between 7 and 8%. it's twice as high as we've ever been here before but it's on everybody's mind. >> but republican members of the general assembly says this concern over jobs is a recent development. >> day late and a dollar short as far as job creation. where was he the last three years when we went from 24th to 45th in the country? it's being antibusiness. >

. >> in annapolis, governor o'malley delivers the state of the state address. governor wants lawmakers to pass tougher laws, to prevent families from home he foreclosures. the governor also wants support for his bill giving tax credits to employers who hire laid off workers. >>as we move maryland forward. out of the recession into better times. we are going to need to continue to make the sometimes tough, but critically important choices necessary, to expand opportunity, and to strengthen families. >> still republicans say o'malley's budget depends much too heavily on federal stimulus money. you can see the full state of the state address on our website, foxbaltimore.com/raw news. >> fox 45 news has learned 60 citations were issued for texting while driving in the first three months of the new law. now some lawmakers want to ban reading texts while driving as well. texting is causing several accidents, including 12 years ago, which killed harford county heather hurd. many young drivers add amit to writing and reading texts even behind the wheel. >> especially w

fox a's john henrehan talked to governor martin o'malley about why it is good to abdisaster area. >> reporter: although there is still plenty of snow on the ground from the two punch of winter storms earlier this month, at least the residential streets are now clean and passible. the gigantic effort to clean up the snow has exhausted virtually all city, county and state budgets set aside and if we get more snow this winter, local resints want those plows back out. >> they need to be plowed right away. >> reporter: get the plows out quickly? >> yes, sir. they need to. >> reporter: you don't want to be snowed in? >> i don't want to be bogged in. need to go to work. >> reporter: maryland democrat martin o'malley siz he's gotten -- says he's gotten some good news about a federal disaster declaration. >> just yesterday president obama approved the declaration we requested for the first december snowfall which was of a lesser agree than the double whammy mother nature gave us over the last ten days. i'm pretty optimistic we're going to receive some federal help and federal support for the

we will be their 24-7 until the storm is over. >>> this is not martin o'malley. he apparently just spoke before the gentleman. everybody is updating the situation as we go as the snow starts to fall. maryland is doing their part and we want to turn to virginia. we have the virginia department of emergency man -- management on the phone. tellus the preparations you are doing in virginia. >> we coordinate the state response to emergencies such as this. we know that the part of transportation has got lots of truck drivers out and we are coordinating with virginia state police and the national guard and the department of social services, all state agencies are ready for whatever we might get this weekend. >> the national guard has soldiers at the ready? what might they do? >> we have up to 500 national guardsmen that the governor has authorized to be ready. they can assist with helping t clear roads, help to remove debris, help to transport people if need be. the most important thing that people need to understand is that this is a significant, heavy snow. you really

they would block in cars, damage cars on both sides of the street. >> if possible, governor o'malley is asking people to keep their cars off the roads so the snowplows can do what they need to do. >>> from the roads to the rails, it's getting touch out there this morning. >> coming up, we'll have the latest on how much more snow is expected to fall across our area. we'll be right back. >>> 4:54 is your time right now. 30 degrees. you can see the heavy snow falling again in the district. this is the columbia heights area. you can see a little pavement. with more accumulation coming, who knows what it's going to look like. >> i can guess. snow-covered. >>> here is the latest at this hour. l local schools are closed again today. the federal government is closed for a third straight day t.d.c. government is closed as well. there are more than 4,000 homes in the area still without power, although that number could go up as the storm gets worse. if you plan on taking metro today it is only running underground. there will be no metro buses or no metro access vehicles returning today. >> fro

gracias lorna y a nivel estatal, el gobernador martin o'malley mantenimiento y limpieza... senalo que los vehiculos publicos tienen prioridad en estas circunstancias......y ahora veamos lo que esta pasando en el transporte..jose angel aguirre se nos une en esta cobertura especial... adel jose.. que tal compaÑero me encuentro aqui en el aeropuerto nacional reagan donde muchos pasajeros a tratado de salir a tempranas horas, el movimiento de pasajeros para abordar es un poco lento algunos han contado con la suerte de que pudieron salir desde temprana hora otros han sido su vuelos cancelados las autoridades han platicados con nosotros y estan tratado de regresar pues los servcios a la normalidad si alguiene sta planenando volar hoy o maÑana tiene que asegurarse con su agencia o aerolinea que su vuelo no ha sido cancelado ... el aeropuerto estara funcionando 24 horas pero recomendamos que si no viaja mejor quedese en casa el servicio de entrega de maletas tambien tiene que ser revisado con las aerolineas las salas de abordaje l

we talked to governor o'malley and to county executive johnson here.y say those streets have been touched. the problem is many of the snow plows can't fit through them. people are very frustrated. here's what they had to say. >> i see plows driving past. you know, they don't do nothing. it's like elderly peoe have to get out. we have to get out. they just need to do more and take more consideration of their job and what's going on out here. >> depending on the street, sometimes the only way to make that street passable is for the truck to go down and pat the snow down and create grooves with those big tires. if they put their plow down, they'd make the stress impas impassab impassable. they'd block in cars. they'd damage cars on both sides of the street. >> now, you can see the snow has started falling. we'll see a steady kind of light snowfall right now. obviously that is a storm that everyone is going to have to deal with. we'll hear from governor o'malley and hear what he has to say about what the state is doing to prepare for this latest snowfall.

if you have a question for him, e-mail fenty@nbcwashington.com. >>> mayor governor martin o'malley is focusing on job creation and protection as he sets his agenda for this legislative year. governor o'malley says jobs are an important part of making sure maryland's economic recovery does not stall. in his state of the state address, the governor proposed a $3,000 tax credit to businesses that hire someone who is unemployed. he's also proposed major investments in the capital budget, hoping to create more than 20,000 construction jobs. >> progress requires that we focus the energies of this session on three primary actions, creating jobs, saving jobs, and protecting jobs. >> unfortunately, over the last three years, he's done everything he could to hurt job growth in maryland. >> now it's an election year conversion and he says he's going to create jobs with a little tax credit? very incredible. >> the governor is also pushing for a bill that would make it harder for mortgage companies to foreclose on maryland homeowners. >>> a new arrest in the disappearance of an 8-month-old boy. ga

martin o'malley is calling on legislators to enact his plan for job creation in maryland. federal dollars intended for small businesses are encouraged. republicans are not buying his plans. >> in times of great adversity, we do not make excuses but progress. we set aside partisanship. we embrace the power of citizenship guided by the values that unite us. this recession will end. our journey is not over. our best days -- of us if we make it so. [applause] republicans will present their ideas by the end of the month. that brings us to our watercooler question of the day. what did you think of the governor's vision for maryland, as laid out in the state of the state address? email us your response to watercooler@wbaltv.com. she says the gifts that she received from developers did not amount to much. one person calls her attitude arrogant and shameful. she appears to be unable or unwilling to deal go to our web site for more information. takes over the role of mayor, hersey's will become vacant. he holds a job with the state. our reporter asked the council man about that in t

martin o'malley is calling on legislators to enact his plan for job creation in maryland. federal dollars intended for small businesses are encouraged. republicans are not buying his plans. >> this recession will end. our journey is not over. our best days are still in front of us if we make it so. >> he was realistic, but at the same time he was very helpful. >> he and has never been business friendly. it is an election year. >> that brings us to our watercooler question of the day. what did you think of the governor's vision for maryland, as laid out in the state of the state address? email us your response to watercooler@wbaltv.com. when life it gives you lemons, make lemonade. when the sky issues now, they create ways to have fun. >> turning inches of snow into beautiful masterpieces. and one idea you will not want to try at home. >> here is a live look at traffic. that looks really great out there. another look at traffic and weather >> things are quiet now. some fog is out there. we have about 3 inches of snow in most areas. in little more to the north. things are co

. >> governor martin o'malley is in iraq tonight on a trip to visit merrill lynch troops.he governor left yesterday morning and spoke with 11 news this afternoon -- to visit maryland troops. >> this is part of a pentagon program to connect governors with troops from their respective states. he says it is an extension of his duties as the state's commander in chief. >> this is really a goodwill mission, and i correct? >> i think it means a lot to them. i saw so many maryland service men who came up to me and asked me if i would call their kids or call their spouses when i get home. we are very glad to see that they are appreciated. we have lost approximately 114 men and women in either afghanistan are iraq from the state of maryland, but they are doing a really important work, and they are doing it well. >> o'malley is visiting iraq as the american presence there winds down. there is an august deadline for troop withdrawal. >> the troops here take pride in the fact that iraq is no longer on the front page in the region in everyday fashion. they are making sure things are do

governor o'malley has this message for drivers. >> go home and stay home and stay off the roads. there are going to be likely blizzard conditions. it will be treacherous. there is no way even with all of the equipment that we will keep the roads absolutely passable and space -- passable and save at the height of the storm. >> they monitor 300 cameras, with 60 sensors embedded in the roadways to track temperature, the wind, and salinity. if the snow dilutes the salt to much, more crews are dispatched. >> one of the most dangerous things people can do is to try to pass the snowplow. it is absolutely critical that drivers keep their distance, and under no circumstances ever tried to pass the snowplow. >> please stay home. is very important for people to be safe, and we do a better job. >> the governor knows there are a lot of reasons people feel the need to drive. he is asking employers to be considered and let employees stay home. he says like everyone else, he may have to change his plans. >> we might watch the super bowl here, depending on how bad this notice. i am looking forwar

the dangerous loopholes some >> annapolis, governor o'malley outlines the priorities for state lawmakers in the state of the state address today. the governor's focus is jobs. john rydell has more from the statehouse. >> in his fourth state of the state address, governor o'malley acknowledged the gloomy economy. message to lawmakers is still upbeat. >> this recession is will end. our journey is not over. and our best days are still in front of us. if we make it so. >> but the help accelerate the economy, the governor is urging lawmakers to enact initiatives with one goal in mind. >> creating jobs, saving jobs, and protecting jobs. >> one bill would offer employers who hire laid off workers, a $3000 tax break. another would strengthen he did laws to prevent families from losing their homes through foreclosure. >> we are going to need to continue to make the sometimes tough, but critically important, choices necessary to expand opportunity, and to strengthen families. >> but the governor's address is drawing mixed reaction from republicans. who fear that next year's budget is too heavily d

. >>> and because supplies to treat the roads are dwindling in maryland, governor martin o'malley andto stay home if they can. >> i'm not sure how much firmer we can be except to say if you do not have to drive, do not drive. do not go out on the roads. do your civic duty by keeping your car off the roads so that emergency vehicles and the plows can do what they need to do. >> governor o'malley also says closing state roads is not an option since it would use up too many state resources to turn drivers away. >>> one thing we all have in common it seems is finding ways to clear away all of that snow that's out there from roofs, driveways, the sidewalks, porches, vehicles. snow is everywhere. this is a bird's eye view of the roof being cleared at maryland intermediate school in manassas. don't you wish you had equipment like that? when it comes to clearing away snow, there are several schools of thought. jane watrel joins us live from alexandria with some of those schools of thought for us. hi, jane. >> hey, barbara. well, you saw a bird's eye view, but we're right on the ground. i want

o'malley delivered his state of the state address to the state legislature today.e an important part of making sure that maryland's economic recovery does not stall. the governor is fproposing a $3,000 tax credit to businesses that fire someone who is unemployed. he also is proposing major investments in the capital budget. he's hoping to create more than 20,000 construction jobs. >> progress requires that we focus the energies of this session on three primary actions, creating jobs, saving jobs, and protecting jobs. >> unfortunately, over the last three years he's done everything he could to hurt job growth in maryland. >> now it's an election year conversion and he wants to say he's going to create jobs with a little tax credit? here incredible. >> the governor also is pushing for a bill that would make it harder for mortgage companies to foreclose on homeowners in maryland. >>> a version of anne frank's diary will still be available for students to read in cuppler county, virginia. it was first reported that culpepper system pulled the book after a parent compla

governor o'malley is asking lawmakers to approve legislation that will encourage business owners to hire more people and asking for legislation aimed at helping struggling families avoid home foreclosures. >>> our time is 5:21. the capitals keep the winning streak alive. >>> we will show you the antics in miami at the super bowl media day. that's coming up in i was active, eating healthy. i thought i was in great shape. so i was surprised when my doctor told me i still had high cholesterol. that really hit me, and got me thinking about my health. i knew i had to get my cholesterol under control. but exercise and eating healthy weren't enough for me. now i trust my heart to lipitor. (announcer) when diet and exercise are not enough, adding lipitor has been shown to lower bad cholesterol 39 to 60%. lipitor is backed by over 17 years of research. lipitor is not for everyone, including people with liver problems and women who are nursing, pregnant or may become pregnant. you need simple blood tests to check for liver problems. tell your doctor if you are taking other medications or if you ha

we talked to governor o'malley. he said he is seeing counties running low on salt. he said until they have another shipment come from the port of baltimore, they have to -- counties just have to use salt more sparingly. despite that, the county executive johnson here in prince georges county says he is doing very well for his crew. he said his crew is doing very well right now. he's proud of the work they is done, but because he said that we won't see bear roads for quite some time after this latest tomorrow, he's asking for everyone's patience. >> as i speak now, 90%-plus of all the neighborhoods are open. i have been told that by midnight tonight, we will have made a single pass through each neighborhood. >> what we're worried about most with the forecast of this storm is that we will see the wind and we will also see a band of rain and ice. the danger now as we look at this storm is the potential for a couple of thing much greater power outages in its aftermath because of felled trees from the ice and the wind and the second thing is the potential for roof collap

. >>> this afternoon governor o'malley updated us on how the state is getting ready for this latest storm. >> the latest on the cleanup from last weekend's big storm. christian schafer is live from the maryland emergency agency with the big plan >> reporter: there was news conference for the governor to be there. he is in route. that should give you an idea of how bad the roads are. the governor misses our news conference. instead we head from general watkins of the maryland national guard. and commander of the maryland state police. the advice they are giving is just to stay off the roads in this situation. they don't believe even that if you have all weather radios on your car that'll get through the snow we are expecting. they are looking for tomorrow to be the biggest impact. high winds possibly blizzard-like conditions. state government already closed tomorrow. they have extended the state of emergency, which was put in place for the last storm. it continues now and will continue until thursday. what that does is allows the state to continue using those national guard units which hav

christian schafer is live mema with the battle plans >> reporter: we have been waiting for governor o'malley but he was not able to get here. a car spun out in front of the cars that the governor is traveling in so he may not be here for another ten minutes. here at mema we are looking at the progress of the storm as it moves in knew our area. they are monitoring the road conditions across the state. national guards have allowing to work in baltimore and allows the governor to sign a declaration that allows plow drivers to stay on the job longer than are layings normally allow. that should help get the snow cleared. right now advice is to stay off the roads if you can. this storm is coming. looks like it will pack a wallop. >> thank you. >>> most of us are sick of the snow we can think of one person who doesn't mind being out. he can have it. >> meteorologist justin burke is outside. he is now checking out the conditions for us. justin where is your hat? >> i don't need a hat. my mother-in-law is probably watching. you know what i got? i'm having trouble hearing you. i had a group come visit

earlier governor o'malley said he asked for a federal declaration to get money from fema. it will take 28 inches of snow. we'll wait and see if we get that much snow so uncle sam can chip in. the governor said he'll find it somewhere else in the budget in a bleak year. >> thank you. >>> when a storm of this magnitude hits there are a number of ways you need to protect yourself. here are some of the things you should have on hand to keep you and your family safe. >>> we want to see your pictures. thanks to the snow on the ground and what's falling it could be a big fort by the end of the weekend. happy birthday. >> happy birthday. they've been discovered to be life enhancing. proven to have nourishing powers. and now you can get important nutrients found in these special fruits in your water. fruit2o essentials water. vitamins, minerals... to two servings of fruit. and even a gram of fiber in crystal clear water. six delicious flavors, each enriched with nutrients like its fruits. fruit2o essentials water. >>> with yet another major winter storm baring down on us i know i'm

. >>> governor o'malley delivered his state of the state address among topics he focused on jobs, and economy. balancing a budget short fall with the recession. he offered a message of hope in his state of the state, pledging to move the state forward, slashing the budget to handle a $2 billion deficit. >> the recession will end our journey is not over and our best days are still in front of us. >> the governor called on lawmakers to pass his package of tax incentives for small businesses to create jobs, holding up the states aaa bond rating to show as a sign that maryland roughed these tough economic times. >>> velvet ear, jim beam, patron, be car di, all on the rocks. industry shows that your love of top shelf booze slowed way down people drank more but cheaper brands or rail liquor. they also drank more at home than hitting their favorite pub or restaurant. industry growth slowed in 2009 in fact they saw the smallest increase in 8 years. >>> now, forecast certified most accurate by weather rate and maryland's most powerful doppler radar. >> 30 degrees in baltimore, cold enough to a

. >> a live interview with governor martin o'malley is next. >> how are the roads here in howard county and other places? we will ♪ [ male announcer ] ready to make this year a great year for your small business? ♪ verizon is here to help with everything you need to make the most of every dollar -- and every opportunity. you'll get high speed internet with a dedicated line to your business for consistently fast speeds; free wi-fi access from thousands of hot spots nationwide; plus unlimited calling to customers and suppliers across the country. call right now and we'll include two free extras for an entire year: our advanced internet security suite, plus 25 gigs of online storage, enough to safeguard all your important business files. it's a total business solution backed by the reliability of the verizon network, all for just $84.99 a month for 12 months. and you can't get it from cable. let's get to work. verizon wants to help your business succeed, starting with everything you need for just $84.99 a month. call 1-866-my-tools. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities a

. >> governor o'malley is highlights his job creation proposal but warning the storm is not over.used his 4th state of the state to ask legislator to approve a $3,000 tax credit to businesses who hire someone unemployed he also want as 3 year, $50 million tax credit for revitalizing historic downtownmain streets. >> 5 minutes from 6:00 a.m. out going mayor sheila dixon is unrepenitent and lost touch with reality in wake of her charges. the judge is not asking her to get stiffer sentence but takes her to task in what he calls her defiant arrogance. she will be sentenced tomorrow. >> all right giant squid are taking over in the sea. >> squid, some weighing up to 60 pounds, as long as 4 feet first spotted off the california coast last week. hundreds have been caught since saturday night. the squid invasion has prompted fishing boat operators to add more. >> orange county? >> yeah. >> you just got another option about escaping warmer weather. >> how is a 2 hour flight from bwi to experience summer in the dead of winter. we will tell you about it. >> she is an adult he is 14 the sexual

governor martin o'malley taking time out for us at the operations center. now, let's switch gears and go to jane miller, standing by live with an update on the situation. >> just to follow up on two things the governor said. first of all, he talked about the fiscal impact. this has been a tough season. in the city of baltimore, we were told today that the city is down to about its last 300 in its snow removal budget, and probably by around 8:00, they are through that. they have already been laying salt. this is obviously going to be a very expensive storm. secondly, you talked about the national guard. the mayor has told us that the national guard is providing 12 humvees, mostly deployed around the fire stations, for assisting medics, and also to assist the police. the most significant are these. number one, no parking in a snow emergency routes. look for those signs that are posted -- no parking in snow emergency route. suddenly, the mayor has suspended the closing of fire houses, which was a budgetary move -- secondly. third, they have also suspended the

. >> reporter: governor o'malley is asking the general assembly to pass the law forcing arbitration for people in foreclosure. and a we can do for the senate president. >> i mean, this is not to save somebody who willingly is not paying their bills. some deadbeat. we're not taking care of just them. but for the harpest hard work of the homeowners who pay by the rules. and they put that on hard times. >> never saved attitude. >> this recession will end our journey that is not over. our best days are still in front of us if we make it so. >> the bus critics argue saying that it does not make it so, especially in an election year. >> i would say campaign wise, we just saw the beginning of the 2010 governor's race today. a lot of rhetoric, no substance. >> if worried. i'm glad he's worried. >> the people in maryland need to have a lock out for them and not for their own local future. >>> well still to come, for toys on christmas is always good. ground hog day, that's just confusing. we'll be back to explain that in a minute. >>> plus, our own favorite forecast with topper shutt will be back

. >> the governor o'malley is pushing for more jobs. he used the state address to push his agenda to create, save, and protect jobs. he got a standing ovation declaring his optimism. republicans were not buying it. >> this recession will end our journey. it is not over. our best days are still in front of us if we make it so. >> he was realistic but at the same time he was very hopeful. >> he has never been business family. it is an election year. >> what do you think about the state of the state speech? you can give the governor a grade by taking part in our online survey. 8% of the voters give the speech and "a" 4% say "b" an overwhelming number of voters, 61% gave it an "f." it is on the homepage of our wbaltv.com. >> doctors are back from the disaster zone in haiti. one doctor describes how survivors are coping. >> celebrities are using the power of a song to help those affected by the earthquake. >> several people in baltimore are displaced by house fires. what firefighters and helped them get out safely. >> snow continues to fall.

. >> both virginia governor, and martin o'malley are urging people to stay inside and off the roads because of extremely dangerous conditions. and dc police are using four- wheel drive vehicles, humvees from the dc national guard and other means to maneuver around the snow covered city. >> let's take a live look of conditions around the beltway in prince georges county. this is beau ximmer, who is in forestville, maryland, keeping an eye on the roads in prince georges county from the county operation center. so us the view. >> well, hey there. these winds out here seem relentless. the winds haven't died down at all. the snow is not quite as heavy as it was, but with this wind, it keeps hitting you in the face and it just doesn't feel all that great. we were showing you some of the pictures earlier, some of the trucks at the department of public works here in maryland. they have these covered up. they've had some problems, some of the equipment has broken down here in maryland, but what trucks they do have operational are out on the roads, doing their best, trying to clear those major thorou

breathing easier >> governor o'malley delivered his 4th state of the state among topics he focused on jobs and economy balancing a budget short fall with the recession. he offered a message of hope in the state of the state speech pledging to move the state forward slashing the state budget to handle a 2 billion dollars deficit. >> this recession will end our journey is not over and our best days are still in front of us. >> the governor called on lawmakers to pass his package of a tax incentive for small businesses to create jobs holding up the states aaa bond rating as a sign maryland weathered through these tough times better than most other states. >> 6:06 a.m. when jackie robinson put on that brooklyn dodgers uniform april 15th, 47 he broke major league baseballs color barrier. one of the most memorable moments in black history. his number 42 is the only number retired by every single major league baseball team. every year he is honored by having select mayiers wear that number -- players wear that number on jackie robinson day. >> a broadway show called in the heights is coming

. >>> governor o'malley already declared a state of emergency here in maryland. maryland national guard has been activated to help paramedic and fire department also. guard has more than 100 humvee ready to respond if necessary. emergency workers are also watching conditions along the eastern shore where snow is not the only problem there. >> we are on guard and highly looking at potential of coastal flooding because this ace nor'easter and winds on the eastern shore far more likely to encounter blizzard conditions. >> governor says the state budget is 60 million dollars for snow clean up this year. 50 million dollars already have been spent. that does not include what is happening out there right now. and things are going from bad to worse as the night guess on. >> let's check in now with vytas to find out when the storm will be at its worst. >> it is going to get really bad as we get into the overnight. snow will really start coming down at heavier pace and we have to worry about the winds that are going to be picking up out of the east with blizzard like condi

the storm is obviously causing co >> governor o'malley already declared a state of emergency. maryland's national guard has been activated to help paramedics and fire departments. the guard has more than 100 humvees ready to respond if needed. emergency workers are also watching conditions, on the eastern shore, where snow is not the only problem. >> we're on guard and highly sensitive, to the potential of coastal flooding, because this is a nor'easter and also because of the winds on the eastern shore. far more likely to encounter blizzard conditions. >> the governor said they budgeted $60 million for snow clean up this year. 50 million has already been spent. that does not include this storm. >> meantime, bge predicting several power outages from the winter blast. the company's warehouse in woodlawn today, crews were stocking trucks with transformers and materials to be ready to restore power. bge officials say the storm will be very similar to the monster storm four years ago, when 100,000 bge customers lost power. >> you have heavy wet snow, combined with high winds. whene

governor o'malley said that major highways are still the main focus for crews. by 4:00, emergency crews and the national guard had responded to more than 700 accidents. some roads have yet to see a plow. and the governor said even when they do. residents need to stay patient and cautious. >> so stop already with the pave my street -- or scrape my street down to the pavement. that cannot happen for the next 72 hours. and we ask that you be the great citizens, great marylanders and great americans that you are, and bear with us through the emergency. >> well, the governor thanks marylanders for heeding the warnings to stay off the roads. and said we need to continue to do so. some major highways may be closed at some point to allow fopling. >> you can watch all the governor's 4:00 update on the website. go to foxbaltimore.com/raw news. >> well fire breaks out at a baltimore county fire station. destroying five trucks, and a national guard humvee. it happened at dundalk station number six. along dunmanway and meritt boulevard at 2:30 this morning. investigators thi

. >> governor h o'malley was up he to get an update and we hope to talk to him today. >>> thank you with the update of what is going to be going on weather wise. >>> we were taking taking a a t what is coming down. we will continue to follow it right there. that is i-north of i-95. that looks it could make for tricky driving. >> you snow is kicking up. it makes driving hazardous. if you have to go out, do it and be with fios you have instant access to news, traffic and weather without changing the channel. i will be ready for whatever the day throws at me. uh, looks like torrential rain, bumper to bumper traffic and some kind of weird smell downtown. i will be working from home today. my sister's coming. i can make it. i'm sure she's lovely. [ male announcer ] instant weather and traffic without changing the channel and 3 times more very satisfied customers than comcast. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v. >>welcome back to the special edition of fox 45 morning news. we are taking a look at the conditions all across our region and we want to sho

. >> that was maryland governor martin o'malley urging everybody to be patient and realistic as crews work to clear the roads. federal government offices will be closed. schools in loudoun, anne arundel, frederick, howard, montgomery and prince george's will be closed for the rest of the week. for a full list of these closings, go to wusa9.com or check the bottom of your screen throughout the newscast. >>> slick, snow covered roads are to blame for a 50-car pileup. state police say seven people had to go to the hospital with minor injuries. the crews say they're closing i64 for several hours just to clear the scene and detour traffic. firefighters say it's one of the worst accidents thief ever seen. >>> and -- they've ever seen. >>> and the severe weather is blamed for a deadly pile up. one person was killed. several other people were taken to area hospitals. about 50 vehicles, including tractor trailers, were involved in the crash. >>> i'm in the 9news now web center where we've been watching the number of power outages drop throughout the evening with all of the crews working. at la

. >> governor o'malley issued an emergency declaration. that allows him to activate the national guard if need be, and it paves the way for federal help with show removal once this is all over. >> yeah, but it's not going to be all over for awhile, right, topper? i guess we gotta hunk down. >> we're still in the infancy. >> people nay be looking outside going, not such a big deal. >> not crazy. >> until they get stuck. >> right. but we are looking at by far and away the worse conditions will be overnight, and we'll slowly taper off tomorrow. even tomorrow we're going to see in the early morning hours probably near blizzard conditions. this just in, added to the blizzard warning, district, prince george's county and charles county, goes into effect from 1:00 p.m. until 10:00 a.m. so southern maryland, the district, prison gormtion county and charms county in a blizzard warning. let's go to the maps. how much is going to fall? this is one reason it's a blizzard warning. although quite frankly you don't actually need falling snow to after bli

. >>> martin o'malley said crews are ready to deal with the latest storm. they have replenished only salt supplies. officials are monitoring the storm with about 300 care for -- traffic cameras. 2600 people are now available to respond to e storm. in virginia, vdot said made sure the roads are ready for the morning commute. pamela brown has an update on those conditions. >> the rain has subsided. more trucks can get out there and treat their rose. look at the mixing bowl in springfield. traffic is moving along at a steady pace. we have seen crews out on the roads this morning. vdots ramping up with 600 to 1 0000 trucks now that the rain has subsided. we are expecting one to three inches of snow. there could be problems on bridges, overpasses, and reims. tree crews will be on hand to handle fallen limbs. the wind is the big concern. a lot of these trees are already in saturated ground. concern is the wind will knock over the trees. pamela brown, abc 7 news. >> thank you. >>> abc 7 will be on storm watch all day today and we want to hear from you. make sure y

martin o'malley is in iraq this morning on a pentagon sponsored trip to visit troops from maryland.or said it was a goodwill mission to the troops know they're not forgotten as the american presence in iraq wind down. >> i had an occasion to meet some of those the ones to keep together the communications for command and control and the war fighter and you'll be glad to know that they had a big task force raven's banner on the front of their part of the compound here. it has been a good experience and it makes you appreciate just how much other people are doing for us. >> the governor will return to maryland tomorrow. city police are still investigating a shooting and carjacking -- carjacking in north east baltimore. it happens in the 1300's -- 1300 block of stone what road. he was rushed to johns hopkins hospital where he was listed in critical condition. a second passenger suffered cuts to the face. family and friends gathered friday to say a final goodbye to the security guard police called a hero. funeral services were held yesterday for 37 year-old james ball. he was on duty at

>> now we want to check in with governor martin o'malley. been monitoring the first storm and now the second storm keeping track of what is happening across the state. we are talking with him on the phone. >> this is groundhog day. >> it's a terrible groundhog day. >> we didn't talk about last week. >> you were instrumental last saturday in making a lot of announcements and keeping people abreast of what is going on. what is the difference between this storm, governor, and saturday's? >> there's a couple of differences. one is this is falling on a weekday rather than the weekend which makes for more disruption. we have had to close state government which is something we never want to do. the other difference is the nature of the snow. you heard us say again, and again how heavy and wet that last snow fall was. this one is even heavier ask even wetter even if the amount of accumulation doesn't appear to be as significant. so we forge ahead. fortunately, the storm gave us a break last night. we were able to keep j o many oe major highways open

. >>> today martin o'malley thanked people for staying off the roads. crews continue their work on the main highways. it could take a while to clear neighborhood roads. >> so stop already with the pave my street -- or rather scrape my street down to the pavement. that cannot happen there the next 72 hours and we ask that you be the great citizens, great americans that you are and bear with us through this emergency. >> the national guard has deployed throughout the state to help emergency workers get to those who need help. >>> from maryland to virginia now. let's check in with jane watrel. she is in alexandria. how is it looking over there now, jane? >> it's looking good, doreen. it's nightfall now. there's just a light breeze with snow flurries going. nothing like the winds that we experienced earlier. we've got the great signs of life. we've got snow plows. this is obviously a private contractor behind me. the city of alexandria's snow plows have been going up and down the streets, clearing things out, getting things ready. we talked to the mayor. th

. >>> governor martin o'malley has declared a state of emergency as the snow continues to fall in maryland governor is urging everyone to avoid driving unless it's absolutely necessary. transportation officials in maryland say the state has 2,400 snow removal units and that all of them will be out in force this weekend. they're asking anyone who must be on the roads to use extreme caution and be aware of the snow removal operations around them. >> keep your distance behind snow plows. never try to pass a snow plow. never try to pass a snow plow train, a group of snow plows themselves. it is extremely dangerous to do so. >> the governor says cleaning up after the storm is gng to be very costly. the december blizzard cost the state $27 million. he says he expects to spend at least that much on this one. >>> our team coverage of the snowstorm continues tonight with pat çócollins. he's in gaithersburg, maryland. how is it looking now, pat? >> doreen, it's getting colder, windier, snowier here. we've had to layer up a bit. as the temperatures drop. if you look down, 3:55, you can see the visibi

. >>> delivering his fourth state of the state address, maryland governor martin o'malley focused on unemployment. he mentioned the word jobs 45 times in his speech. he is pushing for approval of tax credits to businesses who hire someone who is unemployed. >> there is no government program that is as important or as empowering as a job. with important long-term investments like the purple line and the red line which also will create jobs. >> it is clear to everyone that you can not have a true stimulus in the entire economy until you get people working. >> republicans responded saying the governor's own policies are the causes of much of the job losses in maryland. >>> coming you next, the ten americans accused of trying to take children out of haiti illegally now face a judge. >> as we go to the break, just a reminder to take a little bit of extra time on your ride into work. we have snow and ice making the roads a bit tricky to navigate. we'll keep you updated on everything you need to know when we come back. they've been discovered to be life enhancing. proven to have nourishing