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sherrie johnson continues team coverage outside a school in northeast baltimore. sherrie. >> reporter: yes, we are here at leaf walk elementary school. this is just one of several schools in baltimore city that does not have air conditioning. and on a day like today it could make it fop for teachers and students. they are on a half day because of the heat and keith joins me live here, chief operating officer for baltimore city public schools. thanks for talking to us this morning. can you tell us what goes into deciding into what goes into deciding when to close schools. >> there are a couple factors. first and foremost it's the safety of the students. we want to make sure they are safe given the conditions in the city. secondly, we want to make the children and students receive the education they deserve and that's extremely important. maintaining the integrity of the school year. >> ex-- >> reporter: an exbeing a-- exactly. what information do parents need to know on a day like today when they are getting the kid prepared for school. what do they need to know? >>

sherrie johnson is live this morning with more on what you need to know about the traffic. sherrie. >> reporter: yes, maybe bang your head against the steering while whee. we are here on -- wheel. we are here on conway street n just a few hours crews will soon shut it down as part of a construction project for the baltimore grand prix. you can see the equipment is in place and they have barrels up and traffic delays are expect to intensify because of this construction project related to the grand prix. today conway street will be closed in both directions between light and charles streets. crews are breaking down the intersection in preparation for the grand prix to smooth the driving surfaces along the route. it will cause all kind of delays and frustration for drivers on their commutes. the baltimore grand prix is set for labor day weekend september 2nd through the 4th and expected to bring in big bucks and lots of exposure for baltimore. now you can head to the website at abc2news.com and if you would like more information on the construction project and more information

sherrie johnson is live with what you need to know. sherrie. >> reporter: well, all is quiet. not too bad. look behind me here. you can see some construction equipment is set up. the barrels are lining the street on conway street and today your commute to and from work could be a nightmare if you have to come near the downtown baltimore area. traffic delays are expected to intensify because of construction related to the grand prix. today conway street which isgoing to be closed in both direction between light and charles street. crews are breaking down the intersection in preparation for the baltimore grand prix. it's causing all sorts of delays and frustrations for drivers on the commute. and the baltimore grand prix is set for labor day weekend, september 2nd through the fourth. so if you usually head downtown for the morning commute, you might want to think about an alternate. you can head to our web -- you can head to abc2news.com and cling on the slide show and there's more information on construction and alternate routes there. reporting live in downtown baltimore, sher

sherrie johnson tells us it's all part of the reach out and read program. >> reporter: 2-year-old ryan and 1-year-old cameron are at the harriett lane clinic at the johns hopkins children's center for a checkup. but they are not only here receiving medical services, it's also a chance for these little ones to receive a new book. it's part of the reach out and read program. >> we actually intentionally start this very early. we don't want kids not to be introduced to a book until they are old enough to read. the idea, with starting so early is, that it's an opportunity to share an experience with the parents. >> reporter: the program is offered at 65 sites in maryland. children come in for a medical visit and doctors offer age-appropriate books for kids 6 months to 5 years old. each year more than 84,000 books are passed out to children in maryland. rachel jones is grateful for the educational help for her kids. >> it benefits the kids. it's a wonderful program. every time they come they get a nice book. they go with one of their age and usually have a good selection to choose from. and

abc2 news sherrie johnson is live with what you need to know. herrie. >> reporter: megan being we are here in downtown baltimore on conway street. look behind me here. you can see that crews have started to shut down a portion of the road here as part of construction for the baltimore grand pre. traffic delays are expected to intensify because of construction for the grand prix. conway street between both directions between light and charles streets will be closed and as you can see, cars have stopped traveling along this street here. crews are breaking down the intersection in preparation for the grand prix to try to smooth the driving surfaces along the route. it is causing all sorts of delays and some frustration for drivers. the baltimore grand prix is set for labor day weekend september 2nd through the 4th. it's expected to bring in big bucks and lots of exposure for baltimore. so, again, if you head downtown for your morning commute, you might want to think of an alternate route. and you can head to our website, at abc2news.com and click on

this morning, abc2's sherrie johnson is live in downtown baltimore where they are getting ready for construction where it's going object. sherrie. >> reporter: construction crews are arriving here on the scene. we are on conway street right now in downtown baltimore. yes, the crews are arriving. we talked to a couple of them and they said they will be shutting it down closer to 9 this morning. but today, your commute to and from work could be a bit of a nightmare if you are in this area. traffic delays are expected to intensify because of that construction related to the grand prix. now today, once again closer towards 9 a.m. conway street will be closed in both directions between light and charles streets. crews are breaking down the intersection in preparation for the grand prix. and, of course, it's going to cause all sorts of delays and frustration for drivers on their commutes. now the baltimore grand prix is set for labor day weekend september 2nd through the 4th. so again if you head downtown for the morning commute, you might want to think of an alternate route this morning. and, of cour

we have team coverage for you this morning and we begin with abc2 news sherrie johnson live in northeast baltimore war school is going to have a shorter day. sherrie. >> reporter: yes, we are here at leaf walk elementary middle school in northeast baltimore. one of several schools in the city that don't have air conditioning which is a major concern because it's going to be a hot day today. now baltimore city schools have a half day because of the heat. and right now, i have keith scrogins the chief operating officer here. thanks for joining us and being out here this morning. can you tell us or give us a breakdown how many your schools have air conditioning or don't have air conditioning. >> we have 82 schools out of our 180 buildings that have air conditioning. and we are slowly building on that number each year as we are able to gain funding to perform major renovations in the schools. >> reporter: can you tell us, you have a half day today that means students will leave early. we are coming up on the end of year, june 17th. how had it affect student? we have snow days and they have t

as abc2 news sherrie johnson is here to tell us the family of the woman will speak out today right? >> reporter: megan today there will be a news conference with more information on the victim # 8-year-old athena n-eofitou. authorities must decide the fate of the dog which mauled the woman in front of her home on ponca street. he was sit on the porch without a lower and attacked. the elderly woman has been in ic -- wrought a leash and attacked -- without a leash and attacked. the elderly woman has been in icu. the dog is in quarantine at barcs for ten days and vets will uzi day exercises like petting, walking and restraining on a leash to see if he deserves to go home or be euthanized. >> usually the first thing they will look for is does the dog node attention or crave human contact. >> reporter: three citations for not keeping the dog on a leash and not having records of the vaccination and not having a pet license adding up to about 550 dollars. once again, we will learn more at a news conference that's coming later today. sherrie johnson, abc2 newthanks. >>> a key witness will s

sherrie johnson has been tracking what will happen. >> reporter: yes, there will be a news conference today with an update on the victim's condition. pit bull is quarantine for ten days while vets decide whether to let him return home or euthanize him. on friday, the 78-year-old woman was attacked by the pit bull outside her home. she is in the icu at bayview medical center. doctors did major reconstructive surgery after the dog ripped her lip and a huge part of her face. now an animal behaviorist says no mat earth breed, pets need to re-- matter the breed, pets need to release their energy. a pit bull will do exercises like petting walk and retraining on a leash to determine if he returns home or is too dangerous and has to be euthanized. >> i think there's a lot more humane ways to teach a dog not to run out the door. you can do that in a couple minutes with obedience training. >> reporter: the owner received three citations for not keeping the dog on a leash and not having records of the vaccination and not having a pet license adding up to 550 dollars and we will learn more a litt

sherrie johnson, abc2 news. >>> all right. so far no charges have been filed against a father who police say admitted to shooting and killing a pit bull in his neighborhood. this happened sunday morning on oriole court in severn. detectives say that the man's dog was unleashed when it got into a fight with another pit bull that was on a leash. the father came out and ended up shooting the other dog to stop him from fighting that dog and that dog later died. animal control has the other pit bull. >>> today, defense continues in the case of the baltimore city police office are accused of cigkilling a marine. the officer is accused of shooting tyrone brown outside a mount vernon bar last summer. the defense insist tshamba shot in self-definances but the state says brown was shot multiple times he's was retreating. no jury in the case. final judgment is going to be hand down by a judge. >>> take a look at this picture because baltimore county police need your help tracking down this guy. 23-year-old ronald preston climbed through

sherrie johnson joins with us what's going to happen to the dog that attacked her. >> reporter: there will be a news conference with more information on the victim 78- year-old athena neofitou. the veterinarians must decide the fate of the pit bull named blue. the dog mauled the woman in front of her home e was on the front porsche without a -- porch without a leash and atacked. she is breathing on her own but it's long road to recoverych the dog is in quarantine for ten days and vets will use every day exercises like petting and walk and restraining on a leash to see if the dog will go back home or youth sized. -- or be euthanized. >> they will see if it crave human contact. >> reporter: the owner received three citations for not keeping the dog on a leash and not having records of his vaccination and not having a pet license. it add up to about $550. we are going to learn more in a news conference later this morning. sherrie johnson, amount bc2 news. >> -- abc2 news>> click on the website for the story on this where you will find more information about pit bulls and tips on what to

. >> this morning abc2 sherrie johnson look at how inner harbor east academy and sore johner douglas college are making it work. take a look. >> reporter: inner harbor east academy for young scholars is a charter school for elementary and middle school students housed on the campus of so johner douglas college the partnership between the school and col towing get them on the right path to higher learning at early age. >> and some of them are going there for the first time in the family and so it is an important issue in giving them hope for the future. so that's where i think is very unique about the school that they really in youture some of the hope and the idea of the future being bright. >> reporter: autumn jones is in the 5th grade and is a bright student and plays to -- plans to become a scientist thanks to the partnership it's a goal not out of her reach. >> you have the college upstairs and you know you are going to college and you might be coming to this one. >> reporter: the students are unique. life is challenging with some coming from single parent homes and poverty. 78%

sherrie johnson, abc2 news. >> the reach out and read program is in need of volunteers and donationskeep that in mind. they need to buy more books and have to keep the program alive so talk more about the program is dr. george dover the head of johns hopkins children's center. thanks for coming. >> >> a delight especially with the very special program. it's wonderful program to -- whoa take it for granted that reading is something you do for children. but we have learned now actually through this program how very important it is that children actually start off better in school when they are read to and they recognize things much quicker. and their adjustments as far as socially are concerned are much better if parents simply just read to them. >> i imagine too confidence it gives them? >> well, the interesting thing is books are a way for them to imagine and the first books of course are story books that parents will read and it's not for them to learn how to read but for hem to begin to use their -- them to begin to use their imagination and associate things with pictures they see.

sherrie johnson shows us a partnership between inner harbor east academy and sojourner douglass college>> a charter school for elementary school and middle school students. housed on the campus of sojuorner college in east baltimore. a partnership between school and college to get students to higher learning at an early age. >> some are doing it for the first time in their family. so it's an important issue in giving them hope for the future. that's why i think it's very unique, the school nurtures on the hope and idea of a future being bright. >> reporter: 10-year-old autumn jones is in the fifth grade. a bright student and plans to become a scientist. thanks to this education partnership it's a goal that is not out of her reach. >> for going to college. >> reporter: the students here are unique. life has been challenging, with some coming from single-parent homes and poverty. 78% of the students receive reduced or free lunch. some might think college is not in their future but that's where you're wrong. administrators here want to change the culture and make sure she's students have a

i am sherrie johnson. coming up, we will talk to a withoutmore -- baltimore silty ad-- city administrator about keeping your kids safe. >> and keeping -- working to keep your kids safe. tips you need to know before sending them outside to play or camp. >> >>> some of you will head out of town this summer. we spoke to a local police department who is giving simple advice so you don't become a victim of crime. >>> first a heat alert to tell you about. the temperatures will be oppressive this morning. >> it's causing some schools to let out early today in baltimore city schools, they are operating on a half day schedule due to the heat. afternoon, half day prekindergarten is canceled and after school activities are cut off today as well. teachers they are going to be work on a half day today. >> and baltimore county, all the the public schools are letting out two hours early with no afternoon prekindergarten. graduation ceremonies for high schools will be held as scheduleed. >>> meteorologist lynette charles