tim tooten, wbal-tv 11 news. -- click on educational alert. >> now you're 11 insta-weather + forecasth tom tasselmyer. >> this front is approaching our area and this is what the radar looked like as the rain was starting to break out in areas west of the bay. pretty heavy ellis some locations and heavy rain coming down around parked in. at 6:00 this morning until about 7:00, 8:00, a cop. some pretty good downpours. the system move through pretty quickly now and the skies have begun to clear around most essential and eastern maryland of the front works its way off the coast. now it will come in with some cool, dry air behind it. we picked up almost half an inch of rain today at bwi marshall. a monthly total right now is exactly 0.5 inch for in the year. the temperatures have been getting cool and early this morning before was approaching, temperatures will in the 60's but now we're seeing the numbers fall and we may well go below. the lows of card has been 42. i'm pretty sure it will drop if you were degrees before the night is over. 28 degrees right now in garrett county. we will see

tim tooten, wbal-tv 11 news. >> they all seem so excited about it. here is a look at what is coming at new at 6:00. >> in the race for the white house on this final day, they did not rest. at obama election headquarters in chicago, the story is coming up next. >> nervous energy behind the scenes of the question 7 watch party at a national harbor. what is at stake, coming up. >> i am kai reed live at the vote yes to same-sex marriage headquarters. >> you are watching wbal-tv 11. this is 11 news at 6:00 p.m. >> after months of campaigning, election day is finally here. over 60% of marylanders have come out to stand in line to place their votes. that is our big story tonight at 6:00. one of the closest, hardest fought, and one of the most expensive presidential races in history is coming to a conclusion. >> the candidates have spent a billion dollars to make their cases, and now the voters will decide. steve handelsman begins our team coverage. >> the end of a grueling campaign, with high hopes for a key state. he headed off to cleveland for one last ef

tim tooten has more on the story. >> it is the 26 largest school system and with the growing number oftudents, comes the need for more buildings. that takes plenty of planning. at first glance, this elementary school looks normal. but a closer look at the campus reveals a half a dozen portable buildings. the student body has outgrown its original building and parents are concerned. >> it is not a comfortable environment for them. it should be a place where they can interact with other students. >> it seems like they were -- they are segregated. >> you have seen them, over the summer they added two more trailers. you can imagine where that is going to go. >> the future may not be much brighter. the school population over five years is going to grow by more than 2500 students. over the next 10 years, it expects a 6.8% increase. the numbers will rise even more for elementary schools. officials said they have a good idea of what is driving the numbers. >> there was a trend around 2002, there was an increase in birth rates in baltimore county. they came to us as kindergarten students. our c

tim tooten, wbal-tv 11 news. >> the philanthropic arm of the psa they will never give money to the boycouts of america pointing to the discrimination of gays. what that means coming up. >> this is mine. they built this wall here. this is where i sleep. there is no window. if a fire breaks out, i'm trapped. >> a boardinghouse with deplorable conditions. we track down who is running it and what rights hey, look! a shooting star! make a wish! i wish we could lie here forever. i wish this test drive was over, so we could head back to the dealership. [ male announcer ] it's practically yours. test drive! but we still need your signature. volkswagen sign then drive is back. and it's never been easier to get a jetta. that's the power of german engineering. get $0 down, $0 due at signing, $0 deposit, and $0 first month's payment on any new volkswagen. visit vwdealer.com today. >> live cover local, late breaking. you are watching wbal-tv 11 news at 5 with stab stovall, donna hamilton, tom tasselmyer, in a sky-team 11 -- stan stovall. >> right now, an 11 news item investigation. the boarding hou

tim tooten has the story. >> it was billed as an ordinary veterans guest reader's day at overlook schooludents headed to the cafeteria to wait for their guest. little did they know that staff sergeant tim ott would read to them from 6,000 miles away from afghanistan. his two children had front-row seating. >> that was kinda cool. >> pretty cool? was it great to see him again? >> yeap. >> did you know he was going to read to you? >> yeap. >> the questions moved quickly from the flag to topics like food. >> the boys and girls here at overlook would like to know what you eat while you are there. >> my meals are pretty good. >> i think it's really cool because i know he likes to come up here and be with the kids, try to have lunch with them. veterans day is so important to us so this was huge for tim. i think he was more excited than the kids. >> especially his daughter who wanted to stay on schedule. >> they want to talk with him. >> tim ott is serving his second tour in afghanistan, due back home after football season. >> mrs. ott wants to know if you get to see the ravens games while you'

tim tooten, wbal-tv 11 news. >> city officials tell us they are expecting heavy snow and whether emergencies. they planned accordingly. in the wake of severe weather in recent months, the city has set aside $two. 5 million for snow removal. that includes essential personnel, equipment, and salt. city officials also suggest you prepare your family for the unpredictable season. >> the insta-weather plus forecast with chief meteorologist tom tasselmyer. >> cooler than normal temperatures continuing. that will be with us through the weekend. the afternoon highs below normal. the morning lows chilly. 52 for the high today. it is in the neighborhood of normal this time of year. i think it will be colder in the warning. 90 degrees on this day in 1996. 53 downtown. mainly clear skies. with the clear skies and light breeze, the temperatures will fall quickly as the sun has gone down. temperatures will be in the 40's in the suburbs. already down to 37 in oakland. the eastern shore will get cold. by morning, it may be close to freezing. downtown baltimore, 37. the wind will be light of of the north. it

tim tooten joins us with details. >> i am told that a pack of cigarettes in maryland will cost about $7, the group trying to get the increase in price to reduce teenage smoking. the goal is to help young smokers kick the habit. >> this will really deterred teenagers and students from buying cigarettes. they are working hard just to buy clothing, and they will not spend another dollar on cigarettes when they already know other people do not want them smoking anyway. >> but for those smoking, the extra money will help pay for health programs. if it becomes law, this will be the fourth such tax on cigarettes since 1999. >> we are here to build on that progress. we have a coalition from across the state. we are going to make this happen. >> the number of maryland adult smokers has gone down since the first tobacco tax was put on the books. there has been a decrease for teenagers, as well, but the numbers are starting to rise among those using smokeless tobacco. for now, they say their main focus is cigarettes. >> this is fair, equitable, something we can do, and i would urge the general