Transcripts For WJZ Eyewitness News At 5 20090818

african american is troubling. it's concerning that i have to sit here and talk about this crime. but we're fortunate that we have a suspect in custody. and we're even more fortunate that this is not a common occurrence in baltimore. >> reporter: police believe the three suspects that may have beaten the victim with a bat or some type of heavy stick. right now, he is in serious condition at shock trauma. meanwhile, coming up, police say lockner has a very violent past with the law. and he was arrested in may for allegedly beating up his wife because she talked to black people. back to you on tv hill. >> mayor sheila dixon just released a statement, after visiting the victim in the hospital today, commissioner bealefeld and i promise to do everything in our power to bring the other assailants to justice. any form of violence, when it -- whether it is racially motivated or not has no place in our society. she said yes, but now he could face reprimand even more. investigators want to know if state delegate jon cardin spent your tax dollars on his marriage proposal. the unusual proposal is drumming up controversy. >> reporter: some of cardin's constituents say that this whole event seems like a waste of taxpayer money. but apparently, the delegate doesn't want to talk about it. >> reporter: state delegate jon cardin in hot water over a marriage proposal that used taxpayer resources. on august 7th, on board a friend's boat in the harbor, cardin admits to using a police helicopter to fake a police raid. it was meant to throw his fiance off guard before popping the question. >> my command staff folks have instructed their subordinates to begin an investigation. >> reporter: they are supposed to be used to combat crime. >> i don't know, though, that this is much beyond the scope of a couple of officers who used poor judgment. and i'm going to reserve much more comment until i know more of the facts. >> reporter: an aide for delegate cardin tells eyewitness news that the delegate is unavailable for questions because he is currently out of town. but here at his home, a handyman told us he has been in contact with cardin with a cell phone. once again, we asked that aide to pass along the request for a interview. >> reporter: instead, they released a statement that said, i should have considered that city resources should have been involved and used better resources. i would reimburse the city for whatever costs they deem appropriate. . >> as of right now, there is no formal complaint. but that could change am. >> of course, if he does not reimburse the city, we may decide to take other steps. >> reporter: so as of right now, it is unclear of any ethics or criminal laws were broken. it is no telling how long this investigation will take. live in pikesville, adam may, wjz eyewitness news. >> adam, thank you. complete coverage of the controversial wedding proposal continues now live with vic. >> we have been asking viewers to log onto wjz.com and give us their opinion. do you think delegate john cardin -- jon cardin should have used a police boat to propose to his girlfriend. 60% -- 6% said yes. 76% thought no. and 18% don't care. >> remember, to think about what you think, log onto our website, wjz.com. some areas, it's still nice and sunny. but that might not be the case for long. here's a live look outside. it's raining in some parts of the state right now. bob turk is tracking live doppler radar. and meteorologist bernadetteed woos has an eye -- bernadette woods has an eye on the tropics. first, bob. >> take a look now. severe thunderstorm warning in effect for york county, until 5:15. that's why they highlighted that county up there. because of the storms moving right for your region. you folks could see strong, gusty winds. heavy downpours. right now, to the west of the city. northern a.a. county. just passed through columbia. these all have heavy downpours with them. and gusty winds. a little more down by annapolis and down by rockville. and west of d.c. as well. another batch of showers. down through portions of adams county, to gettysburg, near hanover. to the west of westminster. there's a whole batch of this activity, heading offer to the east. it's pretty much finished now in hagerstown. looks like once we get this batch through the region, things will quiet down until after 6:30, or 7:00 tonight. be careful, over the next two hours, lightning and gusty thunderstorms as well. bernadette woods joins us now with the latest on hurricane bill out in the atlantic. >> that's right. we do have this really interesting shot here. take a look. a shot from space here of hurricane bill, churning out there. you can see the eyes starting to come together. that has formed even more so since this picture was taken. let's switch it over and show you what we've got on our satellite going on. we have this storm right here. notice you see it in motion. also, notice the track of the storm here. the 5:00 update is in. it is still a strong category 2 storm. winds have now gone up slightly. 109 miles per hour. they get to category 11. with the next update at 11:00, it is very possible this could become a category 3. notice with the tracks. west/northwest still. expected to turn more to the northwest over the next day or so. what that's going to do is keep it away from the islands down here. keep it generally toward the region of the bermudas. keep it toward the united states. looks like it passes our general attitude over the weekend. something obviously we will keep you updated on as we head through time here. remember, wjz is always on. to track hurricane bill, get forecast updates and to see our special hurricane section, go to wjz.com. for the first time since gang violence erupted into gunfire at the inner harbor, the city's city's top cop is speaking out about what he thinks needs to change to make the popular tourist destination safer. derek valcourt has more. >> reporter: the commissioner says it's not about how many officers are out patrolling the inner harbor. and there are a few, he says. instead, he says, it's about how they patrol. air a gang feud between the crips and the bloods turned violent when police say one gang member whipped on the a semi automatic weapon and shot two rival gang members. >> somebody knows who this skunk is, and they're going to help us identify him. >> reporter: the shooting is the latest, but not the only violent incident this year. two others were stabbed. this pack stabbed. >> reporter: so far this summer, the city installed more crime cameras, replaced the doubt -- downtown recinct member. >> cops ought to know a gang banger when they see one. iment -- i want them to go up and i want them to say, welcome to the harbor. don't act like a jerk here. we want you to have a good time, but leave all of this gang stuff at home. or if you can't, go back home. and then we'll deal with you there. you don't get to act like a fool here. >> reporter: security, a top concern for the mayor, too. wiej news cameras were there when -- wjz news cameras were there when she made an unannounced visit to tourists. >> this is one of the things people come to when they come to baltimore to see. and we wanted to be able to let folks know that it is still safe. and we're going to get a handle on this. >> reporter: police say both of the victims in the shootings were suspected gang members and so far have refused to cooperate with the police investigation. live at the inner harbor, derek valcourt, eyewitness news. >> the commissioner says he has already discussed some of his concerns with the head of the private security force that controls the inside of the pavilions. there is something fishy. 31 people taken into custody for drugs during a phish concert. there was also an assault on police officers and trespassing at the concert. two ocean city hotels have been fined for failing to install carbon monoxide detectors. one is the americana hotel. it was evacuated on august 11th, when three people became sick after a carbon monoxoid -- monoxide leak was detected. the elcapitan was also fined after a family of six was sickened in june. as it gets closer to the ringing of the bell, hundreds of teachers are a welcome. weijia jiang reports on what they're asking from educators this year. >> reporter: as students gear up for a new school year, 650 new baltimore county schoolteachers attended a new orientation of their own to get ready. it was a scholastic meeting to set goals and a celebration of teaching. >> this is a proud moment. this is the beginning of another opportunity for baltimore county public schools to excel. >> reporter: along with county leaders, the state's top educators laid out the welcome mat. maryland superintendent of schools, dr. nancy grasmick. >> you are, more than anyone, the brain clinicians that will determine the cognitive development of those students. it is an awesome responsibility. >> reporter: dr. grasmick also talked about the federal race to the top, a challenge for every school district in the country to push their students, based on four crucial steps. >> reporter: the president urges more teacher effectiveness and increase in using data systems. more rigorous progress towards college standards and interventions to turn around schools named for corrective action. >> it is a daunting challenge. but don't feel like you're in it alone, because you're not. >> maryland is poised to fulfill all of the insurance -- assurances required by the u.s. department of education and president obama. >> reporter: to offer more encouragement and true spirit words of wisdom, current teachers took the stage. >> think of the thousands of lives you'll touch. feel those relationships with parents. take time out the first couple of weeks to call parents with good news. >> reporter: armed with tips and inspiration, the class of new teachers will start the school year on august 31st. weijia jiang, wjz eyewitness news. >> earlier this year, newsweek magazine recognize recognized one third of baltimore county schools as being the best in the country. still ahead. a florida couple is found murdered in their own home. and their own son witnesses the whole thing. what he says happened. hpv vaccine. each in this-- even in this economy, there are jobs. a job fair targeted for sales people when eyewitness news continues. rain is rolling in to parts of maryland. a severe thunderstorm warning was just issued for anne arundel county. the updated first warning forecast with bob. the hpv vaccine for certain cervical cancers has been a source of controversy since it was approved in 2006. a new study takes a look at the adverse effects after the first 23 million doses. >> 27-year-old barbara archer yellow is at risk for certain cancers. today, she is receiving gardasil. the vaksz -- vaccination that helps. >> the vaccination was recommended for me to prevent some of those soft tissue cancers. >> it can cause genital warts. >> reporter: but the side effects of the hpv vaccine are a source of controversy. now, a new study looks at the adverse effects associated with the first 23 doses -- 23 million doses. >> the study reported more than 12,000 health problems after immunization. 772 were serious, including 32 deaths. >> and while that seems like a lot of deaths in this age group, the adolescents and 20- year-olds, it really isn't increased above what we've seen with other vaccines in that age group. >> reporter: the study also found a higher amount of fainting and blood clots. >> that doesn't say that the vaccine caused the blood clots. >> reporter: but since cervical cancer is one of the most treatable cancers, many parents wonder if the vaccine is worth the risk. dr. daniel says that blood clots are one of the most serious side effects and should be discussed ahead of time. >> you should discuss these risks with your patients and do a risk assessment. but in barbara's case -- >> for me, it was a necessity. >> reporter: the benefit was clear. >> in los angeles, teri okita, wjz eyewitness news. >> as of 2007, about a quarter of teenagers between 13 to 17 were vaccinated. if you're waiting for someone to get home from work, let's check on the roads. sharon, even inside our building, we can hear thunder and rain. >> reporter: despite the rain showers, we're not seeing them everywhere. and we're not seeing traffic too bad. just a few problems. first of all, on 95 and the whitemarsh area. between pulaski highway and the beltway. you're looking at a six-minute ride with an average speed of 34 miles per hour. meantime, if you're traveling on the west side the of the beltway, you can look at sky eye chopper 13 and the inner loop there. 13 minutes there with an average speed of 27 miles an hour. this traffic report is brought to you by subway. play the game millions have won. you can win a $100,000 jackpot. or toyota prius hybrid. play scrabble at subway, where winners eat. it seems like we have been inundated with disturbing stories of animal abuse. so this next story is just what the doctor ordered. a new dog care program just graduated its first class. >> reporter: for the past six weeks, shepherd pratt's residential treatment center has gone to the dogs. or rather, the dogs have come to them. bridget is one of the founders of karma dogs. >> we teach them how to care for the dogs, the cost of feeding them, bedding them. the cost of medical needs they have, their bathing and tooth brush needs. and then we translate it and turn it into what children need to do to take care of themselves. >> it started with three dogs. now there are 50. >> we run programs in local libraries every saturday. programs in local schools upon request. we run for children with autism as well in various locations. >> reporter: it's clear, the kids love the pups who have to have just the right temperament to be carm -- dogs. -- karma dogs. >> the dogs all live with their owners. we have evaluations once a month. so people bring their pets in. we have rigorous training requirements. my own dog didn't pass. [ laughter ] >> it's graduation for karma dogs. >> reporter: they took the oath of kindness. >> i promise -- >> never to hurt an animal. >> reporter: and were awarded diplomas, complete with paw-to- graphs. >> best one yet. >> that is awesome. >> it really is awesome. for a link to karma dogs, go to wjz.com. >> and it teaches kids early the importance of loving and treating dogs well. >> and themselves. we have severe thunderstorm warnings in a.a. county. until about 5:30. all of this moving off to the east. may see heavy downpours, dangerous lightning. gusty winds. maybe even small hail. haven't seen that yet. east of crofton. severe thunderstorm warning for the next 30 to 35 minutes. we'll come back and take a look at the rest of the forecast after this. and we have just that. some severe weather. at least some thunderstorm activity going on around the region. right now, it's over severna park. a.a. county. severna park, north of annapolis. take a look at the graphic. you see beechwood grove. all of that activity heading off to the east. rather quickly now. 25 miles an hour. it's going to be gone in the next few minutes. we have that severe weather down across portions of a.a. county. we have more storm activity to the northwest of columbia, and across northern sections of carroll county, now approaching reisterstown, western baltimore county. york county, severe thunderstorm warnings. we have activity across the region. we just keep watching for it. but right now, across the baltimore area, quite a bit of activity. around the city now, we just have some lightning and thunder here on tv hill. you can see, that's moving off from pikesville through towson, to the middle, eastern section of the city. dundalk, essex. perry hall. be advised. it's going to be gusty winds and very heavy downpours with these cells. but they're moving rather quickly. so it shouldn't last that long. and then it's going to be over west of our region. and later this evening, probably after 7:00, we'll be looking at just a lot of muggy conditions in the overnight. temperature-wise, dropping to 82. with showers, 91 in washington. they'll be dropping, 74 out in oakland. cloud cover, showing sunshine for a while. then clouds and showers moving in as you can see across the region. once this passes, things should quiet down. winds keeping us on the bay, moist and very warm side. storms this afternoon, from new york through maryland, west virginia into kentucky. sort of a front going through the region. it's going to kind of stall out. we'll be stuck with this kind of weather pattern for the next several days. but it's not going to get cool until really the weekend. stays warm and humid. with the risk of scattered shower and thundershower activity. through the week. southwest winds, 5 to 10 knots. drop to 82 degrees. tonight, then, showers and thunderstorms. otherwise, warm and muggy. 72. tomorrow. another hot one. not quite as warm as today. 90. showers and thunderstorms possible again. tomorrow afternoon into tomorrow night. any of them with heavy downpours. and once again, gusty winds with these storms, tonight and again tomorrow. >> pretty typical. still ahead at 5:00. disturbing details. as police arrested eight suspects in the murder of a florida couple. we learned that one of their children witnessed the whole ordeal. a 3-year-old child is injured in this severn house and dies several days later. now, police say it was murder. i'll have that coming up next. sharing techniques. children and brain-injured soldiers will share -- share a common it's 5:28. 82 degrees, and showers in the region. good evening. thank you for staying with eyewitness news. here are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. right now, parts of maryland are under a severe thunderstorm warning. bob is following it all in the first warning weather center, with a look at live doppler radar. >> and it's happening quickly. right now, severna park, north of annapolis, some severe thunderstorm warnings for you folks. one more storm just issued north of the city. we have a severe thunderstorm warning in effect for portions of baltimore county and portions of northeast carroll county. this storm right here from owings mills to sykesville. generally, we're looking at that box right here. this area that we're concerned about for possible strong thunderstorm, moving in your direction. cockeysville, butler, that area right there. that is headed in your direction. we have strong storms around the region. right now, around the city, showers and storms popping up all over the place. you can see from towson to middle river. and downtown, we have activity moving through. over toward back river. that's pretty heavy rain activity. saw pretty heavy rain here. all of northeast baltimore getting that. we'll be dealing with for at least the next hour or two. but before things begin to quiet down. at about 7:00 or so, things should be pretty much gone, at least for baltimore, washington and annapolis metro. warm, humid night. we may see this again happening tomorrow night. >> thank you. stay with eyewitness news for complete first warning weather coverage. remember, wjz is always on. for the updated forecast, and any watches, warnings or anything else, go to wjz.com. a child severely injured about a week ago has died. now police say he was murdered. police say the man watching the toddler at the time will be charged. there are a lot of children playing at still meadows housing complex in severn today. but for one toddler visiting on tomlinson court, there will be no childhood happiness. police say charles michael bradley, 3 years old, was abused on august 7th. then wednesday, he died from his injuries. >> from what was initially reported as a fall down the stairs. medical pirnl evaluated and believed that the injuries were not can the -- not consistent with the fall. >> this woman said the man came for her help. she went in and saw the toddler laying at the bottom of the stairs with spittle and blood coming from his mouth. >> another woman said he brought the boy over to visit. it is unclear who the dead child's parents are. >> they interviewed a 28-year- old caretaker at the time of the incident. and charges are pending now against that suspect in this case. >> reporter: the president of the still meadows condo association says it's very sad. >> that was child abuse. and it's wrong. i don't care what child it is. that child is innocent. and don't make no sense. >> reporter: anne arundel county police say it's a very new murder investigation. and they aren't offering many details. suzanne collins, wjz eyewitness news. >> police were sketchy on details of the murder of the child, saying it's a new investigation. but they are asking for tips from the public. baltimore county police are searching for a robbery suspect today. the burger king in whitemarsh was robbed over the weekend. the bandit forced at least one worker into a freezer and another into the office. just a few minutes later, they struck an arby's across the street. a domestic dispute turns violent. and now, police say they have charged a college park man with a stabbing. roberto cruz allegedly got into a fight with two men in a college home. he was charged in the murder of 28-year-old johnny gomez of gaithersburg. a third man is being treated for life-threatening injuries. a man who opened fire in a pennsylvania gym leaves behind a surprising last will and testament. >> reporter: well, kai, george sodini wrote a will, naming the university of pittsburgh as the sole ben beneficiary of his sizable estate. the 43-year-old man opened fire in a health club. he then pulled the gun on himself. he left behind an estate worth about $225,000. the money will likely be used to settle lawsuits in the fatal shooting. kai? >> he graduated from the school in 1992, with a degree in computer science. the 8th suspect in last month's brutal murder of a florida couple with 17 children is in jail this morning. and as suzanne roberts reports for wjz, grim, new details have come to light. >> reporter: newly released crime scene reports in the home invasion reports of burt ask melanie billings reveals the killers took no chances. they made sure. >> reporter: melanie billings was shot five times, twice in the face. her husband took six shots, two to the back of the head. a sheriff's report says one of the billings' adopted children, who has down syndrome, was sleeping with him when the gunman burst in. the 10-year-old witnessed the crime and said the gunman told his father "you're going to die," then started shooting. >> reporter: a 9-year-old who was in another room said he heard seven booms and a scream. >> come on down. >> reporter: six men and the teenage boy are each charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the case. and this morning, an 8th suspect is behind bars. pamela rigibs was -- riggins was first charged as an accessory in the crime. now, she, too, faces murder charges. and in court yesterday, the judge had her handcuffed and led away. susan roberts, cbs news, washington. investigators have yet to come up with a motive in the case. they not sure if it's a robbery gone awry or whether the murders were premeditated. political columnist robert novak passed away in his home. he was a long-time fixture in the washington political scene. novak died early this morning at the age of 78. six more cases of botched cancer treatment emerge after a veterans affairs hospital. the six patients were given incorrect doses while being treated for prostate cancer. that brings a total higher. in tonight's healthwatch, you may not believe it until you see it, but worn doctor is treat -- one doctor is treating injured soldiers the same as she would her younger patients. >> reporter: this doctor found a technique that works for kids can work for adults, too. >> look at elmo. find him. >> reporter: seeing if a little boy can find elmo. >> ready? sponge bob. >> reporter: or sponge bob with his eyes is just one of the many tricks dr. suzanne wickham uses to check a toddler's sight. she uses those same tricks with soldiers who suffered brain injuries in iraq. soldiers like andy lorena. >> i took a fall. and just a couple of vehicle explosions, i.e.d.s, imvised explosive devices, and just kind of hatled -- rattled the head. >> reporter: just like children, soldiers may find their eyes aren't working or coordinating well. and they share something else. >> in pediatrics, we're used to working with infants and toddlers, who can't speak to us and tell us what's wrong. so the techniques that we use to test those children, transfer over to the adults who have brain injuries who aren't able to communicate efficiently with us as well. >> reporter: dr. wickham found certain tests that worked for kids worked for soldiers, too. >> from pediatrics, we have tests that only require the patient to look, look at some stripes. so when they don't attend to the stripes anymore, we know we have hit their maximum level. >> her techs niques -- techniques helped andy. >> i'm able to focus more. >> one out of 26 brain-injured sords -- soldier his eye problems that went undiagnosed. >> vision therapy, life therapy, and corrective lenses are often used to treat vision- related problems. time now for a quick look at the stories you'll find in the baltimore sun. how bad buzz on twitter has affected movie summer sales. ask catching up with new ravens' defensive coordinator. for all of these stories and a whole lot more, read tomorrow's baltimore sun and look for the updated forecast from wjz's first warning weather team. the unemployment rate in maryland is lower than the national average. but it still has more than doubled in the past two years. mike schuh reports, one company has come to town, letting job seekers know there are still jobs out there to be filled. >> they lined up, ready to make a sale. >> is it selling? >> most definitely. selling myself. the one advantage to this type of a business fair as opposed to a lot of others is you actually get in front of these employers directly. >> you don't care what your salary is? >> no. i'm not trying to be too picky. with this economy, it's hard to be. >> they come, resume in hand, trying to get back into the work force or to move up. >> unlike those cattle call job fairs we've all seen on tv with the long lines, this one is targeted specifically for sales people and it is an invitation- only event. >> it's a more specialized, specific job fair, if you will, for experienced, high-quality sales officials and having the first round of interviews. >> that happened today. and gardner said half of the 100 to 150 people who came today will get a second interview. and half of those will be hired. heidi gordon hopes that is her. because real estate isn't working out anymore. >> being in real estate, i see the people and their fear. they don't want to buy a house, because you know what? i may not have a job next year. >> reporter: that's where enrico ramos is now. >> i'm just trying to stay positive and keep my resume out there. >> unemployment is up. but there are signs of change. >> actually, we're seeing an uptick in the companies that are recruiting. fortunately, sales are on the cusp of hiring. sales are driving companies forward. >> reporter: in lingtd -- linthicum, mike schuh, wjz eyewitness news. >> most benefit from having a professional writer polish their resume. the owner of sears and k- mart is trying to get an edge over the competition this coming holiday season. it's getting shoppers to save now through a card that mimics an old-fashioned christmas club account. still ahead on eyewitness news, courtroom ruckus. a dramatic arraignment. in massachusetts, as one man goes after an accused murderer. taking control. one new york man's cell phone not only makes calls, but can cook your dinner. i'm bob turk, the first warning weather center. showers and storms in the region. i'll have the exclusive first warning five-day forecast. here's today's report on wall ♪ ♪ tell me who's watching. (announcer) it's right here. it's easy. ♪ i always feel like somebody's watching me. ♪ it's the money you could be saving with geico. all right. thunderstorms. a beautiful shot in the region there. some folks getting sunshine. some folks getting lots of rain, lightning, gusty winds, even small hail. a whole line of storms, down from parkton to hereford. down to annapolis. and the severe thunderstorm warnings in for northeast carroll county, baltimore county, harford county. for about the next, i'd say, 30 minutes. aa county just exspired -- expired. we have pretty good activity around the region. right now, in the city, most of it is off to the east of us. but another batch from owings mills. and right here in northwest baltimore, showers and storms, right over our neighborhoods. so we'll be watching this activity over the next hours. looks like more stuff coming in. bernadette has a look at the forecast. clouds still lingering. but scattered showers. and temperatures are still going to be on the rise. we're getting closing to 93 degrees also tomorrow. and it will still be muggy. for the rest of the five-day, here's bob. a couple more hot and humid days coming up with a risk of showers and storms. cooling, however, expected by the second half of it period. -- this period. saturday and sunday. temperatures getting much more pleasant. sunday and monday, maybe even cooler. close to 60 some spots. still a risk of showers and storms. and still on the very humid, summery side. sally? sky eye chopper 13 has a bird's eye view of the storms rolling in. captain mike perry joins us with what me is -- he is seeing. we're joining a pretty good line of storms. almost all the way over to martin state airport. we're in the downtown inner harbor area, looking east. we've seen multiple lightning strikes. we've heard a lot of calls for lightning strikes in baltimore county on residences. and we do hear currently, a rescue working right now, at puty hill and avon dill. apparently a tree has fallen down on power lines. apparently, also a rescue, a car involved there. so we'll stay on top of this. right now, we can't get anywhere near that because it's very heavy thunderstorms, rain and lightning in the area. and once that moves off, we'll go up there to investigate the damage. but no reports of injuries right now. putty hill and avondale will continue to monitor the situation. stay with eyewitness news from first warning weather coverage. remember, wjz is always on. for the updated forecasts, and any watches or warnings, go to wjz.com. the man convicted of bombing pan am flight 103 is being released from prison. abdel is allowed to drop an appeal against his conviction. scottish officials will now decide whether to transfer him to a living prison in his native country or release him on compassionate grounds. the convicted bomber has advanced prostate cancer and has been given just months to live. a man being arraigned on murder charges. a 66-year-old man pled not guilty to killing a woman and her boyfriend during the court proceedings. several of the family members jumped up and had to be restrained and removed from the court. the giant panda bear is suffering from rode construction in china. researchers have put out new predictions, saying the panda could become extinct in just a few decades. seecelia hatton reports for wjz. china's famous mascot, the giant panda, could disappear from the wild in two or three generations. experts warn the animal's natural habitat is threatened by development. heavy traffic has stopped pandas from crossing over highways, explains conservationist sandrew yon. researchers have increased the numbers of baby pandas born in captivity through artificial insemination. the chinese bears are notoriously unsuccessful at reproducing on their own. see where 1600 pandas are roaming the corridors that are now less than a mile wide. modern technology has boosted the number of pandas in zoos. but ongoing construction means the giant panda population could soon shrink to nothing. >> the new report comes from the worldwide fund for nature in beijing. check in with eyewitness news at 6:00, for all of these stories and more. vic is standing by with a preview. we'll update the breaking news in south baltimore, where an elderly south african man is convicted in a hate crime. i'm alex demetrick. coming up, a payday for people willing to give up crabbing. that story as eyewitness news continues. plus, several severe thunderstorm warnings in effect. the first warning weather team is tracking it all. check in for more on these stories. now, back to you. cookie monsters rejoice. nestle's tollhouse cookie dough is back on store shelves. it was previously recalled after an e. coli scare. the new packages of dough have a blue, new batch label. it's easy to identify. and nestle is reminding consumers not to eat the cookie dough raw. a cell phone in new york city appears to have a mind of its own. the phone's owner says the device turns on his oen -- oven broiler every time it rings. whirlpool sent an examiner to check out the situation but he says he is completely confused. eyewitness sports is next. this is mark viviano. with the ranks in westminster. i'll have the late -- ravens in westminster. i'll have the latest from training camp. plus, we'll hear from team president andy macphail. the state of the team and another loss and another trade. this fiber? i'd had my fill. then i found miralax. announcer: miralax is the only brand clinically proven to relieve constipation with no harsh side effects. you'll see. it's clearly different. restore your body's natural rhythm with miralax. mark is here with sports. talk about nfl football. and looks like brett favre may be back, huh? >> he's not going, away. that's for sure. the most prolific nfl. after he said he was staying out of the game, well, he joined them for practice. favre met with his new team in minnesota, after he was flown to their training camp today. he signs a two-year contract, immediately takes over the offense, expecting to be their sarting quarterback in a -- starting quarterback in a preseason game. ravens, by the way, play favre and the vikings, and minnesota, october 18th. the ravens were on the practice field. team owner steve bisciotti. ravens getting ready for a preseason crash. former ravens' assistant rex ryan, coming back to town. >> we kind of know what you're building there. and we respect it. and we recognize it when we see it. we're looking forward to playing them. it's like when you go against someone you really care about. you can't wait to compete. in that sense, it's going to be very special. >> reporter: injured receiver mark clayton. running pass patterns. condition continuing his comeback. clayton gave me the thumbs up sign to signify he's feeling better. but he's expected to miss the next two preseason games. orioles opened up. today, they called up michael aubrey to replace aubrey huff, who was traded to detroit yesterday. ty wigging ton, the start at first base last night. last night, luke start got his start at first base. last place o's have lost 22 of 30 games since the all-star games. the trade is a move for the future. andy macphail has more. let's look and see how he does. we'll get p.a. more involved in the outfield as a result of this. regretfully, we are where we are in the standings. but for six weeks, we find out more about our club. >> here's something the o's don't want to see. p.a. did not run hard to the first base. his lack of full speed cost him when the ball was dropped. p.a. is not in the lineup tonight. come on, guys. at least hustle. >> right. >> when you're in last place, husty. -- hustle. >> thanks, mark. coming up on eyewitness news at 6:00. severe thunderstorm warnings in effect across the region. first warning weather team is tracking it all next. coming up now at 6:00. under fire. a state apologizes after using resources in an unusual way. a man is attacked. and what officers are calling a hate crime. well, who police say is responsible. a 3-year-old child is injured in this severn house and dies several days later. now, police say it was murder. i'll have that coming up next. right now, several severe thunderstorm warnings are in effect. >> check in for these stories and allidate's breaking news. hello, everyone. i'm vic carter. >> and i'm denise koch. here's what people are talking about tonight. >> just moments ago, severe thunderstorms rolled into our area. and now, severe thunderstorm warnings are if effect. -- in effect. here's a look at sky eye chopper 13. looks like it flashed over the legg mason building. and moments ago onto tv hill. rumbles are being heard and felt across charm city and beyond. first warning weather team is tracking it all. meteorologist bernadette woods and bob turk are in the weather center with the latest. we begin now with bob. >> we have been watching this. it's quickly moving into our region, about 25 piles per hour. -- miles per hour. so it won't be in our area long. can you see a whole line of activity. take a look at the activity, moving off from west toea

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