i have a lot of faith and sheila dixon. i think she will go on to do great things, but all the great work she did as mayor becomes a footnote. >> the same thing that anthony said. this is the really sad day. for me it was more profound because i served with sheila dixon in the city council. we served in the same district in west baltimore. my children knew her and went to her office. she was known as someone who would give them candi and was gracious towards my children, so this was a sad day and an historic moment. >> some say she was flawed personally, so what are the things she put in place that should remain? >> i think one thing is the police commissioner. i think he is doing an excellent job. the crime rate seems to be going down. he is very passionate about policing. he has come up the ranks. he knows police anti-crime strategy. that is the one thing that needs to stay in place. >> i agree, sheila dixon personally chose these people. she actually talked to a lot of people, but he presented a plan she thought would wo

it comes after sheila dixon announced her resignation. >> reporter: future mayor, stephanie rawlings-blake. she and the city commissioner were honored at a breakfast at martin's west. >> we know that this is a tough time in our city and a time of transition. as a member of the delegation and senior member of the delegation, we pledge absolute support to the mayor in the next several weeks and years. >> reporter: this as the council president prepares for her new position. beating with the fire chief. >> what is your biggest challenge? >> right now, it is the budget. that is the focus that i have right now. >> reporter: in addition to the budget, she cites public safety as a priority. >> we have to protect our core private. public safety and other -- priority. public safety and other public issues. >> reporter: stephanie rawlings- blake will assume the mayor position after sheila dixon resigned on january 4th. >> i pledge to make it a smooth transition. we will get through it. >> reporter: in addition to the vote of confidence, stephanie rawlings-blake took home an award for excellence. jes

budget under control. >> reporter: rawlings-blake will assume the job as mayor after current mayor sheila dixon resigns february 4th. >> i pledge as mayor dixon pledges to make it a smooth transition. i met with many agency heads, and we'll get through this. >> reporter: in addition to the vote of confidence from senator mikulski, stephanie rawlings- blake took home an award for excellence. i'm jessica kartalija, wjz news. >> it's combrun clear whether she will fill the staff openings with current members of dixon's staff. stay with us for complete coverage and a complete background on the story. just log on to wjz.com. >>> turning to weather, another frigid night out there in maryland. you can't see it, but trust me when i say it, it is very cold out there. not a lot of people driving down the interstate with the windows down. maybe a little bit of good news for us tonight, bern? >> that's right. the end is in sight. we have a couple of days of cold weather to deal with. we have a warm-up coming our way later in the week. the doppler radar is not happening. we're down to 25 degrees. it's in th

get the budget under control. >> rawlings blake will assume the job as mayor after current mayor sheila dixon resigns february 4th. >>> i pledge -- mayor dixon pledges to make it a smooth transition. i've met with many agency heads. we're going to get through this. >> it is unclear whether rawlings blake will fill her staff openings with current members of dixon's staff. stay with wjz for complete coverage of the transition at city hall. for instant updates and complete background on the story, log on to wjz.com. >>> howard county police need your help finding a 2-year-old boy who's been abducted. this is a picture of kingston nolan last seen wearing an orange coat, white hat and spongebob squarepants pajamas. 26-year-old jennifer nolan is the boy's mother and does not have custody of the child. police believe she took the boy last night in a 2007 black toyota convertible. they believe the two may be in the baltimore area this morning. if you have any information, please call 911. >>> in the second weekend of january, we're just about halfway through the traditional flu season. in this mornin

despite the judge's orders, five jurors who convicted mayor sheila dixon on a misdemeanor embezzlement charge continue to talk to each other on facebook. last week the judge ordered the five jurors to appear at this week's hearing for a new trial. the jurors were asked not to speak to anyone until after the hearing. however, wbal radio discovered three of the jurors communicating on facebook, joking about their relationships. dixon's defense team argues the post denied the mayor a fair trial. >> the city of baltimore says it will shut down the homeless encampment under the j.f.x. this wednesday, moving those people to permanent shelter. baltimore city's naacp president -- chapter president said his organization will make sure the city follows through as promised. >> we're sending one of our representatives there to make certain all the belongings of the homeless are basically taken care of, that the-- just to really not make the homeless feel as though they're criminals or something that they're break the law. they're in very unfortunate situation that have them not having a place to s

. >> i want to talk first about sheila dixon and the outcome of her trial. they had questions about leadership, we know that she was convicted of embezzlement. there was a new hearing about to come up and a possible new trial. what is the concern that you all have? of >>> we are praying for the mr and her family, we hope that justice will be served. we do not take issue with agreeing or disagreeing with the court trial. we simply hope that the city begins to challenge the issues that we have. homeless issues, we have to let the people know that we are still very watchable. but if you have concerns about leadership. -- >> you have concerns about leadership. >> we are comfortable with it. there is a process an agreement on the procedure. we have concerns as to how it might be implemented. we are not afraid to come up with hard questions. someone has to ask them and here it is our responsibility at the naacp. >> you talk about the homeless. some of those folks had located themselves under 83. what will the naacp doing to assist the city and the homeless? >> we

public appearance since wednesday's announcement that she would take over as mayor next month, when sheila dixon steps down as part of a plea deal and her corruption case. the senator, who received the lifetime achievement award, proudly pledged full support to raulings blake and the people of baltimore on behalf of the entire congressional delegation. >> we will not miss a meet. we will not miss a deadline or an opportunity to bring federal resources to the city of baltimore and to work with the new mayor. >>reporter: also standing beside her, was the city police commissioner who was another one of the honorees. >> it's not like she's learning some new language or i'm learning new things about her. i look forward to, you know, a very open and frank working relationship. i don't anticipate any change from, you know, where we've been, where we're going. >>reporter: while public safety is among her top priorities as mayor, raulings blake says number one is closing the $120 million gap in next year's budget. she's confident with help she will meet the challenge. >> there's nothing that difficult th

her name is sheila dixon. watch this. >> you have people that are homeless, looking for a place to live. an unoccupied house is a house that gets broken into. they take over the house and they start renting rooms. they start their own business on a house that somebody else has left. >> baltimore was primed for investors. investors come in and they see an opportunity and they grab a property and start doing some rehab and try to sell it to somebody. investors are in business to make money. they want a return on their investment. do they care if the person can hold onto the home for the long haul? probably not. once the property is sold, they are gone. the record reflects that this is part of a foreclosure as well. >> when you have to put additional revenue in a neighborhood by boarding up homes, it takes away revenue that you could use to reach stabilize an area. it is costing us with additional police, fire, resources coming out of housing and community development. >> had she been indicted when you interview

despite a judge's orders, five jurors who convicted mayor sheila dixon on a misdemeanor embezzlementarge continue to talk to each other on facebook. last week the judge order the five jurors to appear at this week's hearing for a new trial. the jurors were asked not to speak to anyone until after the hearing. however, wbal radio discovered three of the jurors communicating on facebook joking about their relationships as recently as new year's eve. dixon's defense team argues the post denied a fair trial. the city marked its first homicide for 2010. but believe it or not, this could be a sign the city police department's plan is working. police say an unidentified man was shot shortly after 3:00 yesterday afternoon in the 2300 block. he was pronounced dead at the scene. this time police have no suspect or motive. and the murder comes on the third day of the new year. that's compared to this time last year. >> despite ending the year with 237 homicides that number is still relatively low compared to previous years. city officials working to reduce that even further. joining us is polic

despite the judge's orders, five jurors who convicted baltimore mayor sheila dixon on a misdemeanor embezzlement to talk to each other on facebook. last weekend, judge dennis sweeney ordered the jurors to appear at a hearing for a new trial and were asked not to speak to anyone until after the hearing. wbal radio discovered that three of the jurors were communicating on facebook, joking about their relationship as recently as new year's eve. defense team argued that the post denied the mayor a fair trial. >>> the fact state commissions close -- state commission compensation commission could seek attend as a dollar perret's for the governor and an increase in the salaries -- $10,000 pay raise of inkatha and an increase and the salaries of government workers. >>> the first homicide of 20 can believe it or not could be a sign that the plan is working. a man was shot and pronounced dead at the scene. the murder comes on the third day of the new year, compared to this time last year, when more homicides had been recorded. >> things are really cold today, colder than normal. we're only going to make u

sheila dixon was convicted lt month mis-using $500 in gift cards, when she was ci council president.cards had been iended for needy families. xon's resignation is effecti as of february. those are somef the day's main ories. i'lle back at the end of the program with a preview owhat you'll find night on the newsur's website. but fonow, back to gwen. >> ifill: and still to ce on the newshourwo takes on yemen an on-the-ground report from sanaa and what to about yemeni detnees at guantanamo bay. plus, a broadway producer athe helm of the nea. >> lehrer: that folls, the president in a time ofrisis. >> lehrer: it's been a by 13 days for predent obama, since a failed christmas day attacon a u.s. airlineapproaching detrt. the incident occred just hours afr the first family departed for hawaii, to celrate the holidays with family instead,ost of mr. obama's time was spent in briefings,nd secure conference lls. and ch day, details emerged on the nigerian spect and the u.s.overnment's failure to prevent the attack in two statementto the americanublic, the president labeled it a "a system failure

sheila dixon was convicted last month of mis-using $500 in gift cards, when she was city council president cards had been intended for needy families. dixon's resignation is effective as of february 4. those are some of the day's main stories. i'll be back at the end of the program with a preview of what you'll find tonight on the newshour's website. but for now, back to gwen. >> ifill: and still to come on the newshour two takes on yemen an on-the-ground report from sanaa and what to do about yemeni detainees at guantanamo bay. plus, a broadway producer at the helm of the nea. >> lehrer: that follows, the president in a time of crisis. >> lehrer: it's been a busy 13 days for president obama, since a failed christmas day attack on a u.s. airliner approaching detroit. the incident occurred just hours after the first family departed for hawaii, to celebrate the holidays with family. instead, most of mr. obama's time was spent in briefings, and secure conference calls. and each day, details emerged on the nigerian suspect and the u.s. government's failure to prevent the attack. in two stateme

and her name is dixon, sheila dixon. >> let's watch this and i'll ask you about that and the other people we're seeing. >> you have people that are homeless looking for a place to live. so an unoccupied house becomes a house that gets broken into. they know other homeless people that need a place to stay. they take over the house and they start renting rooms. so they start their own business on a house that somebody's left. >> want to check the reddis property? >> baltimore was real prime for investors. investors come in. they see an opportunity. they grab a property. they'll start doing some rehab and try to sell it to somebody -- first time homebuyer -- that can take advantage of some of the programs out there for first time homebuyers. but let's just be clear. investors are in business to make money. they want a return on their investment. do they really care whether or not the person can hold onto the home for the long haul? probably not. because once the property's sold, they're gone. i think the record reflects that this is a part of a foreclosure as well, a part of the pain, a part

. >> with the resignation of mayor sheila dixon, here to talk about that is university of maryland schoolfessor larry dickson. thank you for coming in. how does this transition go? >> because the difficulties did not arise out of the management of city government or any false doing, she's not required to make any substantial changes. of course, every major is able to have their own cabinet and put it in place. she doesn't have to do any house cleaning. >> what does it seem between the close relationship? when does that do with baltimore. >> more to do with the strength of the delegation there. baltimore didn't suffer as far as i can determine one dime as a result of that. i think what baltimore gets is mainly form law driven and to the extent, a lot is the delegations to analysis. you taught govern owe mali. and the new mayor coming in. the way to become a political power t.o. is to become a law student. >> that's true. we have had a lot of lawyers. smoke, shaffer all mayors. stephanie raul inns blake is already a lawyer. she comes from a strong family. she is the daughter of a doctor. sh