shaky economy. we have a look at that part of the story, but we begin tonight outside the solar plant in owings mills. >> the solo cup company -- outside the solo cup cup plant in owings mills. >> the solo cup company announced today it would be closing at three of its plants. the plant behind me did not make the cut. many say they knew this day was coming, they just did not know when. many more are fearful about finding a job and this tough economy. >> there is nothing we can do about it. we have to accept it for what it is. >> joe biden worked at the print shop of this facility for 20 years. he tries to take things in stride. so does this woman, who work in the art department for five years. >> it is not like things were not happening before that. there with things that made you think something was going on. it is not a big surprise. >> this 10-year employee says he felt the writing was on the wall. >> everybody saw things dropping down. >> tuesday, the company announced it will be closing three of its 13 manufacturing facilities around the country, one in massachusetts, one in missouri, and this one in owings mills. the main reason is the economy and so low's dire need to consolidate its operations -- consolidateneed to its operations. the plan is to begin phasing out operations in the next 12-24 months, with the plant closing in march of 2012. employees will be given 60 day'' notice before being laid off, and will have priority to pursue open positions at the other facilities. 120 jobs will remain at the facility until it is sold, which could be several years down the road. >> this impacts people and their families. it was extremely important to us to give people as much notice as we could. >> still, for the owings mills facility's 500 part-time and full-time manager for touring employees, -- manufacturing employees, it is the end of an era. >> i hate to see it, but what can we do about it? >> this does not affect the manufacturing facility in maryland or the distribution center. it will certainly have an effect on the economy here in owings mills. it raises help -- raises questions about the health of the economy in that state appealed -- in that part of maryland. >> it has been a baltimore -- it has been a roller-coaster ride for the baltimore region. things have been on the downside lately if you're keeping score, and that has economists worry. >> what a difference a day makes. >> the gb middle river is announcing 200 new jobs right here in middle river. this is phenomenal. >> that was the senator monday announcing an aircraft system hiring workers to make parts for an new jet. hours later, at solo cup announces it is slashing jobs. the bad news goes back weeks. in mid-may the rig job cuts at home depot, 130 two people out of a job. -- in mid-may, there were job cuts at home depot, 132 people out of a job. >> bit rocks people's confidence. it causes you to be worried very much about not having strength here in the baltimore area. what will the future bring in terms of layoffs going forward? the economic recovery is very fragile. in central maryland it remains fragile. it is very tough to win these jobs back. >> the lone bright spot so far is the tens of thousands of new workers moving to the region as part of a military base realignment. that may put maryland and a good position in the years ahead, but the short term is a different story. >> if the people of maryland do not get together to solve this at this time, given what we are observing, they will never do it. >> economists are worried about proposals by local governments to raise taxes on businesses. they believe it will make the economic recovery much slower. >> in other news tonight, after on mayor's proposed tax bottles stalled in the city council, there was no new proposal for how to raise money. an energy tax was proposed. it could raise as much as $9 million. homeowners say it will drive the business as a way. >> we are dependent upon energy greatly. if it is something we get popped on us, we will not recoup it. it is totally out of the blue. >> the mayor is proposing smaller increases to the existing energy tax. >> a disturbing attack in baltimore left an 83-year-old woman dead and her husband behind bars. police say they witnessed this man and choking his wife monday night. his daughter reportedly called police when she heard screaming coming from the home. the wife was pronounced dead at the scene. neighbors are shocked by the accusations. >> he was saying he was going to kill her. i did not think he was serious. i just thought they were an old couple that was bickering a little bit. >> this is the 12th homicide in baltimore since memorial day weekend. meanwhile, a woman is recovering after being bound and gagged by her husband inside her home. police arrived on the scene to find the husband sitting on a chair with a shotgun in his lap. police had recently been called to the same scene because of a violation of a protective order. >> police are searching for a gunman who opened fire earlier today. a 20-year-old man was shot in the face on parks height ave. shortly before 4:30 p.m. he was taken to the hospital. no word on his condition. in the meantime, chaos outside the courthouse on the east side of the city today as the trial of a police officer accused of killing an unarmed man got under way. the defense says that any crop would have noticed the warning signs of a suspect fleeing, resisting arrest, and reaching for something, then opened fire in self-defense. the jury deliberation will most likely begin next week. >> joran van der sloot, the longtime prime suspect in the killing of natalee holloway has confessed to killing the peruvian woman in his hotel room. >> he told authorities he killed her in a rage after he found but she looked up information about his past on his laptop. >> a peruvian government official is confirming that he did confess to the killing of stephanie flores. why did he do it? he told authorities that it all had to do with a laptop. he found stephanie on his laptop, in his computer, in his hotel room, and she had discovered his involvement in the infamous natalee holloway case. she confronted him about it and he apparently told police that he flew into a rage and killed her, that she had no right to be looking into his private life. authorities continue this investigation. they have been waiting all day to take him to the homicide scene for a walk-thru. that is fairly customary here in peru. authorities did not show up. neither did he. the investigation continues. >> joran van der sloot's mother is expected to join her son in peru. >> now, to the crisis on the coast. oil continues to spew at a much slower pace, but some are wondering why it british petroleum did not try capping the leak sooner. the government says it has firm evidence of underwater oil miles from the site of the leak. this comes despite bp expressing doubt that that oil could exist. in the meantime, bp says it will donate money recovered from the oil to wildlife rescue effort in at the region. the cleanup could take years. one day after lashing out, president obama has announced plans to return to the gulf this monday. he will tour mississippi, alabama and florida, three of the states whose shores and economy are being decimated by this worst environmental disaster in u.s. history. do you think the language the president used during his "today" interview was out of line? you can tax your response to us. we have heard already from 500 of you. the vast majority say they support the president's comments. 23% said the comments were out of line. >> johnson and johnson for gets one important deadline, an investigation over recalled drugs. >> apparently, you cannot teach an old plane new tricks. the landing at reagan national is next. >> millions of general motors vehicles are being recalled tonight after an old problem appears to return. >> we have to clean the earth every day. >> the lessons we can all learn from a very green baltimore youngster. >> wet weather coming to you from the west. hd doppler shows rain on wednesday. we will have your complete seven-day forecast straight ahead. it is 70 degrees downtown. th >> a scary sight on the d.c. runway today. a vintage plane flipped over while landing at the airport. amazingly, no one was injured. the 1943 biplane was there promoting a new movie. the accident closed the runway for about an hour. >> in 29's consumer alert, a massive recall from general motors. alert,onight's consumer a massive recall from general motors. nearly 1.4 million vehicles are affected. apparently, the windshield wiper fluid could catch fire. some of the affected models include buick lucerne's, 82,llac bp's and hummer chevy avalanches, silverado is, acadia's, cirrus, you can and many more. owners are urged to contact their local dealers. the automaker was the president -- the auto maker's former president says he expects to seek more dealers at this fall. >> the maker of tylenol is already in hot water after a 2009 recall involving motrin. now johnson and johnson is under fire for failing to provide investigators with documents pertaining to the recall. the company had a 4:00 p.m. monday deadline, yesterday, and forgot to submit the papers. the company could be slapped with a subpoena to comply with the investigation. congratulations tonight to the bryn mawr middle school. their efforts to protect the earth have won them a prize. >> students brought home the prize. we have more from roland park. >> there are 130 students here. they range in age from 6 weeks old to six years old. today, they received quite an award. >> representatives from solar energy world came to the school today with a check for $2,500, because at this school one of the 40 day earth day video contest. >> we have got to take care of the earth. we always have to clean the earth every, every, every, every, day. >> they really can help us learn as adults. whether it is renewable energy, buying local or planting a garden, all of that amount to something. it was them and their effort showing us. it was a great opportunity for us as a company and the community. >> the star of the video were 24 of the students. they explain why they love the earth. >> it is a beautiful thing. >> one of their teachers came up with the idea and produced the video. >> i saw the contest about earth day and what it means to children. i saw that you could win $2,500 for year science program and i thought it was a wonderful opportunity. we had the children and tell us what earth day meant to them and what they loved about the earth. then they illustrated it. >> yes, it was a big day for this school. >> we are proud of the children, and also our teachers to have taught the children to respect the earth and how we can care for it. the children are the beginning of all of this, so we're very happy. >> do these students know a lot about protecting our earth? >> do not put oil or trash in the water or street. >> i like everything. >> now, you're a 11 instaweather + forecast. >> nothing in the rain gauge in baltimore today, likely to change it tomorrow. the afternoon rush-hour maybe a different story. 83 degrees today. there was a low humidity. the pollen count is still running a little bit on the high side. the mold count is in the moderate range. temperatures are still a moderate tonight. there is a little bit of cloud cover, so it is still 70 degrees in downtown baltimore at this hour. it is 57 in western maryland, and in the 60's by the panhandle. we will see clouds increasing and thickening overnight. it looks like the rain will hold off until tomorrow. those showers are approaching western pennsylvania. parts of maryland may pick up a sprinkle here in the next few hours. sunrise looks like cloudy skies. clouds are thickening above baltimore and point just west of the city. this warm front is approaching, but it may not get through here tomorrow. it will get close. we will stay on the cooler, north side of it, as a temperatures will be held down tomorrow. just along the south of that front there may be a little bit of thunder passing by to ourself tomorrow evening. there will be lesser of activity to the southeast of baltimore. most of the morning rush-hour looks to be ok, but the changes will increase as we head into the afternoon, and there may be thunder rolling through here tomorrow night as the western part of the system gets past the spirit by thursday morning, the storm, the wet weather are all off the coast. the skies will start to clear again. thursday and friday, look for some sunshine to come back. is going to heat up exponentially as we head into the weekend. tomorrow will be cooler than normal and showers will be likely during the afternoon and evening. winds will increase in the bay, so a small craft divisor is in effect. there could be a thunderstorm in the mountains and scattered showers are around the bay in the afternoon. no. 7 day forecast, after the showers move out, we will be back in the 80's by thursday and friday. there is a slight chance of storms on saturday, with a better chance sunday night. >> the most anticipated pitching debut a rise tonight. we will show you why next in sports. ♪ my subaru saved my life. i won't ever forget that. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru. >> the orioles continue to search for their next manager. unfortunately, for the interim manager, visiting teams also continue to fly around the yard. he still does not have a win as an oriole. second inning, straightaway center field, trying to track it, cannot get there in time. the yankees loaded the bases. he unloads them with a grand slam. 6-0 for the yankees. are you still hating this guy for signing with the yankees instead of the orioles? probably the best decision he ever made. adams jones triggered that run to the scoreboard. the birds come up part shy, and losing 12-7. believe me, this is going to get a lot longer. washington national's pitcher stephen strasburg was the no. 1 pick in last year's's draft. he has an amazing pitch. tonight was his first night. 14 strikeouts for the rookie. the only conspicuous mistake he made was right here. there is set to to run home run in the fourth inning. those were the only runs he gave up. four hits, two runs, and his first big league win. another pitcher went to the mets in the 11th round. in the 18th round of pitcher went to the yankees. in the 26th round, oakland suggest -- excepted jacob brown. for a team that had to give up its final week of off-season practice, the ravens do not seem to show any signs of irritation between players and coaches. there were perfect conditions for practice today. after practice, and six players complained to the union about meetings and that went longer than the nfl allows in the off season. to complain about practice going too long. ravens players say it the cut cleared the air earlier this week by taking people -- say the coach cleared the air earlier this week by taking full responsibility. the real work still lies ahead. >> he is going to get plenty of work out a bus during camp, trust me. -- work out of us during camp, trust me. >> july 27th, the rookies arrived in westminster. >> that would be the perfect time. >> just what they're looking forward to. >> we have your 70 forecast next. next. -- your 7 day fore gecko: yeah... fastest growing for the past 5 years! obviously people love saving money. woman: welcome to the conference. here's your nametag, sir... annnd for you. gecko: uh... no i'll be ok, thanks. woman: but how will people know who you are? gecko: uh... you mean "the gecko"? woman: here lemme help you. gecko: really it's... really it's fine, (laughs) yeeaahhhh. geico. fifteen minutes could save you fifteen percent or more on car insurance. >> the little bit of rain tomorrow but it should be gone by thursday and friday. it is a one day thing. if you have not been unlucky enough to be out in one of the local thunderstorms, it is getting kind of dry. it will be kind of human over the weekend. >> that is the news. thank you for joining us. we will rebroadcast this at midnight on at wba l plus. >> we will see you back here tomorrow. >> good night, everybody. and i'm kind of the healthy one. i like to eat as healthy as i can, and i like to know that i'm serving good food. when it comes to shopping, it is an art of balancing. we know good food is important. at giant, enjoy quality meats and the freshest produce, at prices you can handle, like sweet cherries, $2.44 a pound, and perdue boneless chicken breasts, buy one, get one free, this week only. feeling good about what i'm making. that works for me.