the towson catholic high community.e teachers were apparently supposed to be told today but a lot of parents an students found out through an e-mail yesterday and finding out that way has been quite a shock. this school was founded in 1922. towson catholic is the oldest co-ed catholic school in the archdiocese of baltimore also one of the most diverse with nearly half of the students from baltimore city with a student body 40% minority. sean kane says the recession undermined the bottom line and this is something this school has never faced before butting it they just can't pull out of. that is why catholic high school here is closing. the archdiocese will work with the students to try to refund the parents' money and get them that other schools around the area but a lot of catholic schools face similar challenges. a rally at the school is planned for this morning. 11 news education reporter tim tooten will bring you the latest tonight. back to you. >> later today on open remarks she takes you behind the ropes to places

. >> locally now, the fight this morning for parents and students of towson catholic high school, the oldest co-ed catholic school in baltimore will not re-open this fall. but supporters are not going away without a fight. 11 news reporter kim dacey join us live from towson with more on the story. good morning. >> good morning. towson catholic high school has been educating students for nearly nine decades, but it seems history is no match for this economy. with the decision to close it doesn't sit well with some school supporters. >> this has been my home for the past two years and now it's all gone. i've worked so hard to be here and it's all gone. everything's done. >> students at towson catholic high school still visibly upset by the news their school will not re-open in the fall. and they're taking action. sunday morning students and school supporters stood outside the immaculate conception church and peacefully protested the closure. a spokesperson says the school is financially in the red, that in the last decade the school loin lost 26 students. but in the last few weeks 81 st

left them with no other choice but to close. >> i thought it was a joke and i was shocked. >> towson catholic fourth catholic school under the archdioceses to close because of low enrollment. pattern seen across the country. >> truly is a matter of families having to decide between paying the mortgage and electric and sending their kids to a private school. >> some criticize the school for making the call to close so late in the summer. affecting both students and teachers. >> it will be tough for them to find jobs right now. come september. so here is more people going to wind up on the unemployment roles and what have you. and it is so sad. >> school officials plan to meet with students and their families next week. to try to help them make the transition to another school. but for many like carla, there will never be another towson catholic. >> regardless of what happens, i will always have my school ring and everything. i will never forget my experiences here at towson catholic. >> and students, alumni and even some teachers are all planning to hold a rally here at the school tomorrow mor

towson catholic is the oldest and one of the few parish coed high schools in the area. offered tuition at a reduced cost, and in some cases 2/3 lower than most other schools. we're told this afternoon that 20 staff members and teachers will be meeting tomorrow with human resource and hopes to find them other types of employment solely in the summer. students will have a meeting we're told next week to discuss their option of heading to another school within the parish. we're told that the towson catholic students will be able to attend another parish school, and for that first year that they attend that new parish school, parents will be paying the same tuition, $9,500

forever. >> reporter: and that attorney representing the students and the alumni and the staff at towson catholic say they're going to take a few days, they're going to regroup. and then they will try to figure out where to go from here. live in towson, at circuit court, i'm jessica cartal ca, wjz eyewitness news-- kartalija, wjz eyewitness news. >> towson catholic has been open for nearly 90 years. >>> health officials announced that a fourth person from maryland has died from the h1n1 virus. denise is live in the newsroom with the latest. >> health officials are saying the eastern shore residents did not have apparent ilnesses or risk factors, which is unlike the first three deaths tied to h1n1. they announced it is developing a vaccine for the virus. and it will begin testing with healthy adults. then the elderly. and finally children. u.s. health officials do not think the h1n1 virus is going away any time soon. and they estimate that 20 to 40% of americans may become ill from the virus over the next two years. sally? >> thanks, denise. >>> over 260 have died. four from maryland. >>> looking

and others found out about the closure. >> i received an e-mail from some of my friends saying towson catholic is closed, then i turned on the news and saw the story that it is closing and i was in tears. >> kane says the archdiocese will help students enroll in new schools but many catholic schools face the same challenges that closed towson catholic. a rally at the school is planned this morning. tim tooten will be there and we will bring you the latest at 5:00. >> in 24 hours baltimore could lose another historic site to auction. the ambassador theatre on liberty heights avenue is expected to be auctioned off. it last operated in 1968 as a theatre. it has housed self businesses. it is now empty. it is sort of a sister theatre to senator which is set to be auctioned off july 22. one we can after fire destroyed a steeple. the leaders of bethel a.m.e. church will have a press conference. they plan to discuss details regarding future plans on how to better the baltimore region. it will begin at 10:00. >> some 20,000 people gathered to honor the king of pop michael jackson. a collection of holly

this news is really coming as a shock to the towson catholic community.eachers apparently were supposed to be told today and now many parents and students say they are shocked and they found out through an e-mail. this broke yesterday and founded in 1922, towson catholic is the oldest co-ed catholic school in the archdiocese of baltimore and one of the most diverse with a student body that is 40% minority. the recession undermaintained the bottom line of the school. >> when you lose 81 students and your sole source of income is tuition and you have $160,000 that he didn't collect from last year, those things conspired into a perfect storm and feel like this is an unprecedented situation for them. they have never experienced this kind of decline. >> kane says the archdiocese will help students enroll in new schools but a lot of catholic schools face the same challenges as towson catholic. coming up at 5:30 we will have reaction from students about this very serious and shocking news for them. jennifer franciotti, wbal tv 11 news. >> january's miracle on th

. >> i'm cheryl conner live at towson catholic high.ou'll hear from the archdiocese of baltimore, coming up. thursdayfinall dinner with the girls tonight. mmm... mexican, or italian?ñ?ñ?ñ?ñ?xg i better skip breakfast. yep, this is all i need. ( stomach growls ) óçox so ski you catll this... abd i@l h . victory is... sweet. ♪ the art of getting dirty. the art of getting clean. new powerfully formulated wisk®... is better on tough mud stains than tide total care. wisk®. powerfully clean. perfectly priced. >>> many parents hope there will be some sort of divine intervention but the baltimore archdiocese says this morning don't count on it. word spread quickly that towson catholic is closing because of money problems. cheryl conner has reaction this morning. cheryl? >> reporter: towson catholic high has a rich history. it was founded in 1922. nba player carmelo anthony and olympic gold medalist anita nahl are among the notables that graduated here. now the school is forced to shut down. a spokesman for the archdiocese says the economy is to

. >>> towson catholic high school is nearly 90 years old. tonight, parents, students and alumni are fighting to save the institution, after learning it will not reopen in the fall. eyewitness news is live outside the school, where gigi barnett joins us with more. >> reporter: this isn't the first school the archdiocese has clo of closed this year. -- has closed this year. but it is the first high school. the archdiocese si -- says it simply does not have the money to keep it open. >> no money and low enrollment, a direct result of a sluggish economy that is forcing towson catholic high school to close its doors for good. the word came to parents in an e-mail late last night. >> it came out of the blue. we had no inkling that it was going to be closing, whatsoever. >> reporter: all morning, parents and students rallied about the quick closing and the rush to find a replacement. and that's -- i have to find a new school, meet new people. this is like my home. i love it here. i was so happy here. >> reporter: the archdiocese of baltimore has al

towson catholic the oldest and one of the few coed parish high schools, saw a drop of enrollment of 81fing a total of just 163 students. they will now have a meeting for parents and students next week, we're told, to discuss other schools where they say for the first year, parents and students will be able to pay the same reduced tuition of $9,500 a year they paid at towson catholic. we're told teachers and staff members, 20 of them, will meet with hr tomorrow in an effort to find other jobs. the archdiocese intended to break the news in a face-to- face meeting tomorrow, but because word leaked out early, they were forced to make phone calls today. >> extremely distressed and disappointed over the way it has become public. because we really take great measures to make sure that our faculty and staff and students and families are respected enough to get the information directly from the parish and from the church. and so we're, you know, greatly distressed that they had

towson catholic is the oldest co-ed catholic in baltimore. a spokesperson says enrollment has dropped dramatically. over the last decade they've lost only 26 pounds but in the last few weeks 81 students have left. fewer students mean a big financial burden. the ash diocese says -- arch die says says it is working to place the students and staffer in another schools this fall. reporting live in towson, kim dacey, wbal-tv 11 news. >> thank you. later today on "oprah," for the first time since at fair, elizabeth edwards are ready to open up and no question is off limits. for a look now at what's coming up on "the today show," here's matt lauer. >> good morning. coming up on a monday here on "today," three arrests are made in the shocking murders of a florida couple who dedicated their lives to adopting kids with special needs. we'll get the latest and speak exclusive with one of the couple's 16 children. then startling new allegations tying to the death of michael jackson. they're coming from his his sis. also, levi johnson thinks sarah palin is

towson catholic has always been a great school. it was like the little engine that could. >> i think it's ridiculous. >> in there, it was just like i didn't understand until like the end, when she was just like, we deny it. and i was just like, how can you not have sympathy for all of these people who don't have a school? >> reporter: staff are now unemployed. students forced to attend new schools in the fall. >> i just like had such a bond with, like the people there, and the teachers and the assistant principals and the principal like i mean, it's been tough. but i just wish we could have come out and saved this school. >> our kids are going to be great friends. and tc and blue and gold forever. >> reporter: that attorney representing the students, staff and alumni says he's going to take a couple of days, meet with everyone and regroup and of course, determine where they're going to go from here. we're live in circuit court. i'm jessica kartalija, wjz eyewitness news. >> okay, jessica. thank you very much. towson catholic has be

don, back over to you. >> thank you very much. >>> in the headlines, parents are outraged after towson catholicschool announces it is closing its doors and will not even reopen in the fall. meaning all its current students have just six weeks to find a new high school. the baltimore catholic archdiocese sent out e-mails and letters tuesday earlier than planned because outraged school supporters leaked the closing to the media. parents plan to hold a rally at 10:00 this morning. >>> mta police now know what killed two teens found along the light rail tracks in lutherville. surveillance video showing a train hitting connor peterson and kyle wonnkmiller from behind as they walked on the tracks. the two were rushed to local hospitals where they died sunday and monday. >>> a scary moment for people aboard a flight leaving thurgood marshall. one bird truck one of the jet's engines during takeoff, the plane was heading to rhode island. the pilot was able to make a quick turn around and emergency landing on the runway and no injuries were reported. all passengers were transferred to a different plane t

towson catholic high school is shutting its doors. mcpherson explains parents are scrambling to find a new school for students weeks before the semester starts. kelly. >> reporter: denise, the diocese says it expected an uptick in enrollment this summer is but did it not happen so they are shutting down this school, leaving 160 families with nowhere to send their student in the fall. six weeks before the school year, towson catholic high school is closing. >> we're supposed to be looking at colleges right now, not high schools. this is what you do in 8th grade, not your senior year of high school. >> what are these students going to do? what are the faculty going to do in the's totally uprooting everyone. >> reporter: diocese sent out letters after outraged school supporters leaked to the media that the parrish, immaculate conception, was shutting down the school. >> i'm angry and saddened, not only for the kids. i've had so many parents call me today, their kid is sitting in a corner crying, what am i going to do, where am i going to

hundreds of alumni, parents, and students of towson catholic say they can save their school from beingsmith is live in towson with more on how they plan to do that. good morning, joel. >>> good morning, patrice, the number we're look the at 6 by thousand dollar$650,000 that ise archdiocese says it's needed for this place. money is not there, that is why the place will be shutdown. and then alumni's lie collet started to get the word out. >> i was the alumni president and i sent all of my friends to tell them to contact everybody they knew to raise money for the school. >> reporter: the problem is that people paying for enrollment last year is down. but you got a different theory on this. >> my son three years ago applied and he was wait listed. i was an alumni, class president and he was wait listed so he ended up going to parkville high instead of coming here. i still love tc. i had a great experience. >> reporter: i know they try to keep the numbers down. that is part of what is pealing, small classes but you get a lot out of it. maybe the numbers aren't as strong as they used to be.

. >>> protesting the closing of towson catholic. what parents are trying to do to make sure classes stay in session. >>> a beautiful day today. plenty of sunshine. more ahead for the work week. >>> recognizing maryland soldiers. the picnic thrown in their honor. >>> live in high-definition from wbff tv in baltimore, this is fox 45 news at 10:00. >>> hello. >>> a call for a fire at a prince george's county apartment complex turns into a murder investigation. what's more? police think the suspect jumped to his date after killing people and setting them on fire. someone spotted smoke in this apartment building hallway saturday. units responding to the second floor found a pot left boiling on the stove and dead bodies. >> they found the body of a female laying in the doorway of the apartment. they conducted a search of the apartment and found a second body inside the living room area. >>reporter: investigators say what they saw was so disturbing, crime scene technicians had a tough time figuring out how the couple in their 20s died. >>

some from towson catholic go to court hoping to keep the school open. a live report coming up. >> coming up: jelly fish are suddenly making themselves felt along the mid-atlantic coast. that story as eyewitness news continues. >>> still looking good on area roadways. we'll let you know if anything pops up. >> you may not want to go out in the sun for obvious reasons. you might want that nice tanned look. we use some of our contacts. jim vogel, noted dermatologist coming on to join us. the dermatology's point of view. >> morning edition continues. news you can use, right after this. >>> it's 6:30. another delightful day starts. look at the sun. sharon will have traffic after marty's first morning weather. >> notice a few high clouds in the area. there's a warm front to our west. there's moisture, clouds streaming along put leading edge. it's made for beautiful sunrise. and later on this day with a ton of sun, we'll just talk about how there's passing shade clouds. 85 on its way to a high temperature around, let's just say the mid- to upper 80s. notice a

school in the parish we understand they will pay the reduced rate of $9,500 they pay here at towson catholic high. cheryl conner, abc2 news. >> this is just the latest string of catholic schools to shut its doors. here is a list of the other five schools. as you can see st. michael's in frostburg also going to close. to learn more about the closing or this story, we've provided a link to abc2news.com. >>> federal prosecutors say a baltimore man pled guilty to embezzling $34,000 from a labor union. the man pled guilty on tuesday to taking the money between 2003 and 2004 from the waterfront guard association local. >>> and also this morning you might want to stay out of the chesapeake bay after hearing about this story. a new study by the chesapeake bay foundation reveals more people are getting sick from dangerous bacteria. researchers claim it's because of global warming and nutrient pollution. cases of bacterial infection in maryland are on the rise. >> to force the government agencies to enforce the law and that's still not being done to the level it needs to be done. chesapeake bay founda

and students and parents say towson catholic was more than just a school to them but a family and they want the archdiocese to reconsider closing it. a spokesman says that other catholic high schools will be encouraged to take towson catholic students at the same tuition rate for at least one year. >>> time now 5:35. let's see what's happening today. july 9th. governor martin o'malley will be at a swine flu preparedness meeting. a panel will be with federal officials today in bethesda. >>> the ambassador theet err and art deco-style building in west baltimore will be offered today by brokers in baltimore. >>> a common mistake made by drivers everyday. checking tire pressure in your car. but don't worry, abc2 news is working for you to tell you what you need to know to stay safe and save some money at the same time. >>> and, our report with the mta is free so let's check in with mark jones. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. the commute start is a good one out there on metro subway and light rail but on the marc, penn train 503, 10 minutes late. camden 841, 30 minutes behind. and

. >> and could leaders from towson catholic be heading to court over the decision to close? >>> and harry potter sweeps right into baltimore. we check out the midnight premiere. are you one of those people? a muggle who shows up with glasses and waits in line? >> no, i'll wait for it in the book. it's the other way around. >> can you see him reading a harry potter book? >>> weather and traffic every ten minutes. here's mr. justin berk. >> you you didn't let him finish -- it's book on tape. there gotcha. >> in spanish. >> with pictures. >> yes. >> lots of pictures. waiting for that, too. >>> outside, we have stevenson university hooked up, 56 degrees, an indication that once you're just outside the beltway, especially in the valley locations it's chilled back. so we're down to 56 degrees. that is an important mark, that would put us at record territory at least at the airport, just a few miles away. check out the beach, it's 67 now in ocean city. want to compare that with harford county, 52, compared to 58 fallston and 62 havre de grace. widespread this morning. we'll get to

she has the latest for us. >> the towson catholic community is stunned that this school is closing.en more upset that in most cases they found out over e-mail. officials tell us that the plan was to inform teachers tomorrow and then tell patients, but somehow the news leaked, and it is response is overwhelming. >> alumni gather to process the niece. >> there has to be more to it. there is too sudden. >> we have had hard times before. >> founded in 1922. it is the oldest co-ed catholic school in the a diocese of baltimore. it draws nearly half its students from baltimore city, with 40% minority. >> i was accepted here. i won awards here for the first time in my life. >> he says the recession undermined the school's bottom line. >> when your sole source of income is tuition, and you have $180,000 worth of tuition that you didn't collect from last year, you have a perfects step. >> i feel so lost and stressed. >> carla would have been president of her senior class. now she is stressed about finding a new school. >> i am depressed that the a diocese has taken my parents money. >> i rece

melissa carlson is live outside the school with details. >> well, towson catholic high school is the oldest school for the archdiocese of baltimore and history seems to not be an opponent for the economy and students today say they are going to fight on to keep their school open. >> it was tuesday of last week when students of towson catholic high school got news, their school would not re-open in the fall. >> this place has been my home for the past three years and it's all gone. i've worked so hard to be here and it's all gone. everything is done. >> and while the shock has worn off the fight has only just begun. >> sunday morning sturents and school supporters stood outside the immaculate conception church and peacefully protested the closure. >> we're a very energetic group, and we're going to do it. we're going to do what we can. >> a spokesperson says the school is financially in the red and in the last decade the school has only lost 26 students but in the last few weeks 81 students have left around with tuition being their only source of income this left them and questioned t

towson catholic is the oldest co-ed catholic school in baltimore. the school has taken its toll on enrollment. a spokesperson says enrollment has dropped dramatically. over the last decade they lost only 26 students. but just in the last few weeks 81 students have left. with tuition as the only source of income, the students are left with a bigger financial burden. >> this place has been my home for the past two years and now it's all gone. i've work sod hard to be here and it's all gone. everything's done. >> the archdiocese says it's working to place the students and staff in other catholic schools for the fall. the protesters say they will reconvene tomorrow to try to figure out their next course of action. live in to us son, kim dacey, wbal-tv 11 news. >> thank you. police in anne arundel county want to know how an 82-year-old woman's body ended up in the freezer at her home. the remains of doris lea cooke were discovered at her home in glen burnie. family members say she had been bed ridden for several years and was under the care of her two da

sean cane in the next hour will talk about what led to the closure of towson catholic high.yl conner, abc2 news. >> here are the five schools the rochester archdiocese is closing -- the archdiocese is closing -- >> to learn more we have a link on our web site, economic it out at abc2news.com. >>> he took a pose on his toes for all of us. part of poat maya angelou's tribute to michael jackson read by queen latifah and berry gordy said jackson was the greatest performer that ever lived. >> reporter: michael jackson's goodbye was both personal. >> ever since i was born -- daddy has been the best father you can ever imagine. >> reporter: and it was professional. motown's berry gordy. >> i think he was simply the greatest entertainer that ever lived. >> reporter: a pastor urged the audience to let the music help them heal. ♪ i'll be there♪ >> reporter: songs from into -- mama right -- mariah carey, stevie wonder and usher. emotional tributes from brooke shields and al sharpton, who spoke about how jackson outsang his cynics. >> every time he got knocked down he got back up. every

. >> their fight to save towson catholic high school. we'll tell you about it. >>> and people in the midwest have their lives turned upside down after powerful storms ripped through their area. >>> take a live look outside now and see what we're dealing with here, 64 degrees, not bad, we'll find out what the rest of the week looks like when we check in with justin. >>> here's mark jones with the mta report >> good morning. the number 22 bus diverting eastbound at university and st. paul, and the number 22 diverted at university and 40th due to construction. number 17 bus diverted at nursery and winterson. and light rail and metro subway looking pretty good. marc, no delays reported on the camden, penn, brunswick lines. my muscles ached all over. i felt this deep lingering pain that was a complete mystery to me. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia muscle pain and then he recommended lyrica. fibromyalgia is thought to be the result of over-active nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is fda-approved to help relieve the uniq

parish school next year, they are able to pay the reduced $9,500 tuition that they paid here at towson catholic. we're live in towson, delia goncalves, abc 2 news. >> thanks, delia. some of towson catholic's notable alums include carmelo anthony and anita nall. it is also the latest in a number of schools that the archdiocese of baltimore is closing. in may we told you about the closing of st. mary of assumption school in gauvins. after 135 years of providing a catholic education, the school simply could not afford to go on. it had been operating under a massive amount of debt. >>> and in april, the catholic community school in federal hill announced its plans to close. it was also operating under debt, and reportedly out of money. here are all five of the schools the archdiocese is closing thus far, including towson, st. mary's and the catholic community school. as you see, st. michaels in frostburg will also be closing its doors. if you would like to learn more, we've provided a link to the archdiocese website at abc2news.com. and these closures are a telltale sign of the tough economic times

students and parents say towson catholic was more than just a school, but a family. and they want the archdiocese to reconsider. >> it opened doors for me. i grades improved. i met people. i found friends i'll keep the rest of my life, friends and teachers. and to find out it's closing in my last year, it's like a part of me died. >> the archdiocese says they will meet with parents next tuesday to discuss options for their students. a spokesman says other catholic high schools will be encouraged to take towson catholic students at the same tuition rate for at least one year. >>> several break-ins at the park and ride in white marsh have one baltimore county couple pretty fired up. after returning from a new york city bus trip this weekend, the couple's car was broken into. they blame it on a parking pass they had to leave on their dashboard. the pass is for all mega bus customers and requires them to fill in the departure and the return date. a mega bus spokesman says the mta requires the pass and the couple says it made them an easy target. >> we just stood there fo

. >>> and if their prayers are not answered, these towson catholic alums and students are going to another power, the court. >> now abc 2 news, the latest at 11. >> we have new information about the fight to save towson catholic high school. good evening. i'm marybeth marsden. the school's alumni association announced a lawsuit has been filed in baltimore county circuit court. last week the archdiocese announced the school would be closed as of this fall. christian schaffer has been following the story. he is live outside of the school tonight. chris? >> reporter: pretty big announcement tonight, marybeth. essentially two legal actions being taken by the association. number 1, they filed an injunction, trying to make a stand manage the baltimore county circuit court to keep the school open for this year. and number 2, they filed lawsuits against the church leaders that they feel are responsible for shutting the school down. >> as protesters chanted outside towson catholic high school. >> it's such a tight community. i love it here. and i really don't want to leave it. >> reporter: inside,

. >>> school's out for ever at towson catholic high school. the junction would have forced the school to stay open and it has emotions running high, jessica kartalija has more. >> reporter: pep rallies and fundraisers and now, this. >> two sets of familys are pleading their cases. >> reporter: we can prove to the tow tow catholic -- the towson catholic community we can reopen. >> reporter: a last effort to save the towson catholic is unsuccessful. >> it's been a great little school. it's like the little engine that could. >> i think it's ridiculous. in there, it was just like, i didn't understand until like the end, when it was like, we deny it and i was like, how could you like not have sympathy for us without a school. >> reporter: they're going to attend new schools until the fall. >> i had a bond with the like people there and the principal and assistant principal. like, i mean, it's before tough, but i wish they could have saved the school. >> our kids will be great friends for ever. >> thank you, jessica. it's been opened for 90 years. >

. >> reality is starting to set in for students and parents at towson catholic high school in baltimore county. this is following the stunning news that the archdiocese is shutting down the school because of financial problems. tim tooten has the story. >> it all came down to the numbers. the school was losing too many students, too fast. students came back to protest. it began as a sort of a vigil on the grounds of the school but later turned into a rally in support of keeping the school opened. >> i can't believe it is happening. this is a family. >> a family shattered by the news that its beloved school was now on the chopping block. >> this place has been my home for the past three years and now it is all gone. i have worked so hard to be here and now is all gone. everything is done. >> the archdiocese said there were no easy answers. then came word that more than 80 students cannot afford to come back. >> this is the first time that we have heard that we are $650,000 in debt. we could have raised money. >> i was not expecting it. i thought it was a joke or something. >> in may not

towson catholic says it is closing its doors. eyewitness news and gigi barnett are live outside the high school. gigi. >> reporter: good afternoon, don. it is not the first school the archdiocese had to close but it is the first high school. they say they just don't have have the money and parents are scrambling to find a solution. >> reporter: three catholic schools are already set to close, the fourth, towson catholic. parents and students received the word in an e-mail last night. all morning long, they rallied in front of the school upset about its closing. >> we are very saddened by the way the school was closed. we certainly understand economic conditions and the way economy is and enrollment is low, but i believe there were other ways to proceed. >> reporter: archdiocese of baltimore says the problem is deep debt and low enrollment. last year 81 students didn't enroll and tuition is the school's only source of income. >> when you multiply those students by $9500, you realize what a financial burden on the parish and the sc

towson catholic high school will not reopen in the fall. parents and students are upset.reporter: a protest rally is scheduled for this morning. parents and students are going to gather here to protest the decision to close this school. the archdiocese announced the closing at towson catholic just six weeks away from the start of the new school year. enrollment at the school is way down, and the school has an operating deficit of 650,000 with some of that in unpaid tuition from last year. school administrators say they are working with families to place the students in other catholic schools with tuition. again, the protest starts at 10 a.m. don, back to you. >> thank you, mary. >>> a maryland woman is waiting to learn her fate after she admits to stealing money from her job. the woman pleaded guilty of forging and counterfeiting documents as bookkeeper for an unnamed company. they say she paid some of the money back. >>> money troubles take a toll on another restaurant chain, the owners of ocean air have filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. and while four of its l

a new website called save towson catholic is leading a fundraising push. it credits one alumni with raising $15,000. immediately after the news broke, a spokesperson says even if they raised $1 million tonight it wouldn't be enough to keep the school open because it does not address the ongoing challenge of slumping enrollment. the meeting getting started at 7:00 tonight. we'll be inside to bring you all the latest tonight at 11:00. >> a pennsylvania family whose daughter suffers from an immune disease is reaching out to other children in need. 9-year-old katherine chenille was diagnosed with a disease. today she came back to the ronald mcdonald house where she lived for many months. that's where she gave out dozens of air purifiers to children who may need them. she wants to give more but she needs your help. if you want to help katherine help other children, go to wbaltv.com. it's under news links. click on katherine's gift. >> stay with us. there's much more news ahead on 11 news at 6:00. >> adam jones gets set to play in his first major league all-star

the archdiocese of baltimore plans to close towson catholic high school but students, parents, alumni held a rally in towson. this is it here. the archdiocese says it needs to close because the school has massive debt and falling enrollments but opponents say closing it isn't the answer and they are trying to raise money to pay for the school's debt. >> we believe $650,000 is absolutely achievable. quite frankly all we've had to do is ask and we've received pledge promises out of the wood whrork to the tune of thousands of dollars. >> when the archdiocese decided to close the school it only had 163 students registered for next semester. those families are being told they can choose in our high school in the archdiocese and pay the same tuition they were paying at towson catholic. >>> professors say maryland is not doing a good enough job teaching students basic math. nearly half of the kids need to take remedial classes before they can take classes for credit. a university professor says students are given calculators too early. >>> sonia sotomayor takes the spotlight today. for her c

. >>> the latest now on towson catholic high school and the decision by the baltimore archdiocese to. a hearing is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on a restraining order to block the school's closing. the high school announced that it would close earlier this month because of financial issues and low enrollment. alumni, students, and parents have been fighting to keep towson catholic open. >>> before we go, "baltimore" magazine is out with its best of. and we want to thank you for putting us on the list. >> that was hundred bling and sweet. but this mommy to be, baltimore's best reporter, our very own delia goncalves. the magazine credits her with the ability to break down tough stories so that everyone can understand them. the magazine also said jamie and i are the friendliest news team in town. voted the best morning team. very nice. so a big thank to you all of you who voted for us. very sweet. >>> at 6:55, we all concur it it's true. for the makeup it's a different story. >> not so friendly then. >> no you guys are great and we're honored to be working with you because you truly are a go

. >> one last effort to save towson catholic high school falls short. two parents argued before a judge that the parish had broken the contract with students that had paid tuition. the hope they might get a temporary restraining order to keep the school from closing. crime and justice reporter joy lepola has the story. >> supporters cheer them on. two towson catholic students, mothers, and attorneys, walk in to baltimore county support house. they are hoping to to get a temporary restraining order to keep the school open. >> first thought is what will i do. nowhere to go. >> outside the courthouse, students, parents and alumni anxiously await. >> it is just sad. i feel sorry for the kids. >> just this month, the archdioceses of baltimore announced the closure of towson catholic because of financess and low enrollment and parents battling the move since. >> i think it was mismanagement. no one does that in business. you know ahead of time if the business is drowning and you ask for help. >> news was shock. many did not believe it. >> it has to be a rumor

now, the fourth, towson catholic. parents and students received the words in an e-mail last night. all morning long, they rallied in front of the school, upset with its closing. >> we are upset with the way the school was closed. we certainly understand economic conditions but i believe there were other ways to proceed. >> reporter: the archdiocese says the problem is deep debt and low enrollment. last year, 81 students didn't enroll. and tuition is the school's only source of income. >> you realize what a financial burden it places on the schools. >> reporter: although the school has contacted notable alumni. the school says the debt is too deep. >> reporter: the school says its closing is a direct result of the economy. right now, it is in debt to the tune. $160,000 in unpaid tuition. and about $650,000 in a budget deficit. >>> the school was founded in 1922. >>> a second marylander has tied -- died from complications linked to the h1n1 virus. the second is a baltimore area adult who had serious underlying conditions. the centers for disease control and prevention, says as of jul

towson catholic is shutting its doors for good. gigi barnett explains, a number of factsdors forced -- factors forced the school to close. but parents and students are upset. >>> the biggest factor is the economy. this is the first high school the archdiocese has had to close. now, students are trying to find a new school. especially the graduating seniors before this summer ends. >> reporter: a slumping economy forced the archdiocese to have three of the four schools close this fall. now it has a fourth list. towson academy high. >> meet new people. this is like my home. i love it here. i was so happy here. >>> students and parents who receive the word by e-mail last night, protested at the school this morning. they say the warning to close didn't come fast enough. but now they're scrambling to find a replacement. >> this is a hardship. the children have had no opportunity to shadow it at another school. we're just kind of left hanging. >> reporter: towson catholic has no money. because tuition is the only source of income. and it

an attempt to get a judge to keep towson catholic high school open failed today. with school colors on display from head to toe and beyond, students, parents, and alumni argued against an injunction that would have forced the school to open but a judge ruled against them. >> i had such a bond with, like, the people there and the assistant principal and the principal. like, i mean, it's been tough, but i just wish they could have come out and saved the school. >> towson catholic high school has been teaching students for 86 years. the archdiocese says it hat no choice but to close the school because of falling enrollment, you know paid tuition, and bad economy. >>> baltimore is thrust into the international sports spotlight tonight as two of the biggest soccer teams in the world square o. tens of thousands of people are in town for the ac milan chelsea matchup. that means big revenue for baltimore. eyewitness news is live at m&t bank stadium. >> reporter: it is hard to believe this rain stayed away until the game was over, but those fans would have stayed out here

. >>> a last-ditch effort to save towson catholic high school. now, what a court injunction means for students and alumni. >> in towson, i'm gigi barnett. that story coming up. >>> our string of incredible july days continues. stick around for the updated forecast. >>> parents and alumni are armed with a court injunction. gigi barnett explains, the move may not work. but alumni say it's worth a try. >> reporter: one week after towson catholic high school quickly closes, parents say a court injunction to block the closure may be their last hope. >> reporter: for days, they rallied, hoping the archdiocese of baltimore will hear their plea and reverse the decision to shut the school down. >> reporter: the biggest gathering yet came last night, when school supporters heard about the next step. >> we're excited when we heard the news about the injunction. >> reporter: sue davidson gerhart, who is a 1967 graduate, says she is still upset that the archdiocese didn't tell the alumni that the school is in deep debt sooner. the school is in debt by $600,000

towson catholic high school will not reopen this fall. eyewitness news is live.cpherson joins us live with more on the reasons why. >> sally, 160 families are learning right now that they're going to have to scramble to find a school for their student coming this fall. because the school is not reopening. and basically, the diocese says, it comes down to numbers and money. there were 244 students enrolled this past may. it's now down to 163. they're blaming the economy and the trend of lower enrollment in catholic schools. and it was the parish's decision, at emaculate conception not to reopen because they could not come up with more than $3 gift -- $350,000. >> your soul source of income if is tuition. and you have more than $150,000 that you didn't even collect last year. those things conspired to the perfect storm. and they feel like this is an unprecedented thing for them. they've never experienced this kind of decline in enrollment. >> reporter: this means 20 staff members will lose their job. they'll be meeting tomorrow with school officials. and as for the

we'll have reaction to the shutdown of towson catholic tonight at 11. live in mount vernon, delia goncalves, abc 2 news. >>> new developments in a deadly light rail accident. the maryland transit administration now says at least one train, maybe two, struck the two baltimore county teens, killing them. abc 2 news brian kuebler as the details and reaction from the boys' family. >> reporter: gary peterson lost more than a son and a soon to be step-son. he lost his best friend. >> what goes through your mind? i lost two boys. i have nothing to say. nothing. >> reporter: peterson still has so many questions. connor peterson and kyle wankmiller were found lying on the light rail tracks sunday afternoon, both critically wounded. both boys would later die. >> it's not fair. not fair. take two of my boys. in 24 hours, i hope they find the problem. >> reporter: mta says it is starting to get an idea. based on video surveillance, officials now say both teens were struck while walking the center of the trucks, but that the conductor didn't see them and kept going.

towson catholic is shutting the doors because of a decline in enrollment.osing 80 students this year alone. largest drop in the school history. >> that low enrollment figure, coupled with the fact that they had $160,000 in unpaid tuition from last year. meant that the parish, and the school would have to absorb $650,000 hit. and they cannot do it. >> the arch diocese said it plans to meet with students and families to help them make the transition to other schools. towson catholic is the fourth catholic school in the afternoon dioceses, so far to announce it will close in the fall. >> and unusual donation by maryland's prison agency. donating 125 tons of building stone to the battle field near sharpsburg. stones left over from building the hagerstown prison. they will help to restore the foundations of some of the nine barnes, on the battle field. . >> first in tonight's news you need to know. worrying can make you pack on pounds. new survey out of harvard university links weight gain to stress. stress affects women's waist lines more than men's. people alr

families have been told to find another school but towson catholic supporters are fighting to keep the school open. the archdiocese says it needs to close because of massive debt and falling enrollment the meeting is tonight at 7:00. >>> this is the first time trash collection crews work under their new schedule. a plan called one-plus-one. it's supposed to save money, increase recycling. crews will collect regular trash once a week, recyclables once a week. the new schedule will also result in stepped up enforcement of violations like putting trash out on the street and not into trash cans. so if you put your trash out on the wrong day for the next three months you'll get a warning and after that you're going to get a fine. >>> baltimore city council has rushed through legislation designating more than half of the city a recovery zone. the legislation voted monday was needed before the city could hand out about $50 million in bonds for development projects. >>> a lawyer for the pennsylvania day camp for kids says that the club's board must resign before the camp accepts an offer to re

. >>> here's the latest on towson catholic high school and the baltimore archdiocese decision to shutwn for good coming up this fall. tonight the alumni association is going to hold a fundraiser and rally for the school at the padonia station. there will be a silent auction, starts 5:00, continues until 9:00 tonight. tomorrow a hearing is scheduled at 2:00 in the afternoon to get a restraining order to block the school's closing. the high school announced it would shut down earlier this month because of financial issues and low enrollment. students, alumni and parents have been fighting ever since to keep the doors of towson catholic open. >>> baltimore city will remain control of the historic senator theatre. it was a brief auction but the emotions ran high. >> sit down and let everyone chill out a little bit and let the auctioneers do what they've agreed to do. >> clearly this is rigged! this is bull! >> no bids came close to the theater's $950,000 mortgage but one person did offer $800,000 bid. the city ended up repurchasing the mortgage which prevented a foreclosure auction. >>> t

but many in the towson catholic family are fighting back. days, expect to raise tens of thousands of dollars that they hope will buy them some time. >> we can, say, look, this is what we are doing. because now that we are informed of it, this is what we are doing. and this is what we can continue to do. so reopen the school and give us time to continue raising money. >> the 87-year-old high school is in debt to the tune of $650,000. >> some homeowners in southeast baltimore are outraged over the homeless problem and plans for one shelter to expand. crime and justice reporter joy lepola has the story tonight. >> here in southeast baltimore, summer youth workers come to this park on a daily basis. >> every day people here. every day, they come back every day. making a mess. >> homeowners blame the mayor. and homeless shelters for the mess. arguing the mayor has done nothing to address the problem. >> we are laughing now at this whole issue of cleaner in baltimore, it is a joke. >> scott is the director for citizens of washington hills. >> we b

. >>> the archdiocese of baltimore plans to shut down towson catholic high school but current and former students refused to give up without a fight. students, parents, alumni held a rally yesterday outside of the church of the immaculate conception. the archdiocese says it needs to close the school because of massive debt and falling enrollments but many say that's not answer and they are trying to raise money. >> we believe that $650,000 is absolutely achievable and frankly all we've had to do is ask and we've received pledge promises out of the woodwork to the tune of thousands of dollars. >> when the archdiocese decided to close the school only 163 students were registered for next semester. those families are being told to choose another high school in the archdiocese with the promise they will pay the same amount of tuition as they did for towson catholic. >>> 6:03. it now appears there will be an all out partisan fistfight on capitol hill over cia interrogation techniques and dick cheney's alleged role from withholding information from congress. >> we were kept in the dark. that i

abc 2 news at 6 starts right now. >> now abc 2 news at 6. >> the doors of towson catholic high school slated to close forever. but it seems nobody going quietly. good evening. i'm marybeth marsden. students, parents, and alums are gathering right now to save their school. abc 2 news christian schaffer is live in towson with our top story tonight. chris? >> reporter: yeah, marybeth. what is actually going on tonight is a school fair. the archdiocese is hosting the fair to try to show the students and parents some of the options they might have for different schools this fall if they want to stay within the archdiocese. but there is a protest timed to coincide. a lot of parents say they don't want to go to a different school. they want to go back here. the enrollment down and the school is $650,000 in debt. officials feel that closing the high school is the only option. we did speak to some of the people who attended earlier this week. they've been very vocal since the announcement came out last week. they say they're just trying to raise enough money to keep the school open. >> we beli

. >>> students at towson catholic high school and their parents are going to meet with the archdiocese tonight to discuss the school's closing. families have been told to find another school but towson catholic supporters are still fighting to keep their school open. they are even trying to raise money to help. >> i couldn't believe that inn -- i believe that $650,000 is achievable. frankly all we've had to do is ask and we've received pledges from the woodwork. >> the archdiocese says it needs to close the school because of massive debt and falling enrollment. opponents say closing isn't the answer. the meeting is tonight at 7:00. >>> this morning will be the first time baltimore city trash collection crews work under their new schedule. it's called one-plus-one, supposed to save money and also increase recycling. crews will collect regular trash once a week and recyclables once a week. city officials say if residents do their part the transition will be a smooth one. the new schedule will also result in stepped up enforcement of violations like putting your trash out on the street an

sean cane says the decision to close towson catholic high is directly related to the economy. coming up, you'll hear from him. live in tows, cheryl conner -- live in tows, cheryl conner, abc2 news. >>> the latest schools closing -- there are five others. they are on the screen. to learn more we've provided a link to the archdiocese web site at abc2news.com. go to the web page. you can see it there. >>> also this morning, celebrating the life of the king of pop. carla wohl is in los angeles. she wraps it up. >> reporter: michael jackson's goodbye was both personal - >> ever since i was born, daddy has been the best father you can ever imagine. >> reporter: and it was professional. motown's berry gordy remembering the man he said was more than the king of pop. >> i think he was simply the greatest entertain they're ever lived. >> reporter: a pastor urged the audience to let the music help them heal. ♪ in love i'll be there♪ >> reporter: there were songs from mariah carey, lionel richie, stevie wonder. and usher. ♪ gone too soon ♪ >> reporter: emotional tributes from brooke shiel