>> next, women's health is the talk of the nation tonight. a controversial new recommendation involving mammograms. >> it's really changed her life. >> and has the city done enough to calm the storm surrounding a troubled hot spot? >> first at 11, the prosecution's case against sheila dixon. i'm terry owens. the star witness has yet to take the stand, but jurors have now heard from one major player. developer patrick turner told the court he was solicited by the mayor and that the gift cards he purchased were supposed to go to needy children. >> reporter: with mayor dixon looking on developer patrick turner told jurors he purchased $1000 worth of gift cards in 2005, from best buy and target. stores she suggested. turner told the court he believed the cards solicited by the mayor would go to the children of baltimore. but turner could not recall delivering the cards to city hall. the defense argued they were delivered in an unmarked nfl. and that there was -- unmarked envelope. city council woman ricky specter was in the courtroom. >> patrick turner delivered them and didn't know how they got there. he knew they were in an unmarked envelope. no note, no merry christmas. hope the poor kids are happy. nothing like that. >> reporter: a former city housing employee convicted of stealing gift cards was also on the witness stand today. the carpenter called the holly trolley gift card tram highly disorganized and said there was no accounting system. >> reporter: mary pat zanan another city worker who received a gift card from dixon told the court her household earned more than a half million dollars a year. the prosecution claims dixon knowingly used gift cards intended for the needy to purchase an x box, a video camera, and other personal items. but court observers say the testimony so far appears to favor the mayor. >> if this is the best they can come up with after three, four, five years of an investigation, then you know, that might be evidence of her running a really tight ship. >> patrick turner left the courthouse today without comment, as did most of the witnesses, limb berg carpenter literally ran from the building to avoid cameras. remember to stay with abc2 on the air and online as we continue to follow all of the developments from the mayor's trial. no one tomorrow at 5 p.m. to hear all the details from inside the courtroom. a new development tonight in one of the most bizarre cases we've reported on in recent memory. in august, we told you about 16- year-old dennis hickman of elk on the. he is accused of beating his mother with a baseball bat because she wouldn't share her french fridays with him. today a judge granted a defense request to move that trial to juvenile court. >> and a former baltimore city police officer has been convicted of possessing child pornography. police found it on a computer pawned by officer brian ever hard's girlfriend. they searched his home and seized a personal computer which had even more pornographic images. he is expected to be sentenced in january and faces up to six years in prison. tonight we know the identity of the man found in the water off mayo beach in edgewater earlier today. officials say the body is that of 49-year-old gregory luckett of pasadena. he was reported missing on november 5 from a barge in this t. chesapeake bay. now the late it on a controversial baltimore nightclub. tonight the fate of the ultra sweet -- or ultra lounge in a local hotel rests with an independent arbitrator and eventually baltimore's police commissioner. abc2 news roosevelt leftwich has more on the efforts to padlock in long troubled night spot. >> reporter: this home video shows just one incident allegedly linked to sweet ultra lounge also known as club crush which is located in the basement of the belvedere hotel in mount vernon. >> we have lost our sense of safety in the neighborhood. people don't want to go out on the street at night and weekends. people are very cautious about letting anyone walk alone. >> reporter: local resident barbara gilbert was among those testifying at monday's public hearing to padlock the club. >> the council of owners hired off-duty police officers to help protect the residents and n. the surrounding area around the belvedere from the violent incidents that have occurred. >> reporter: jason curtis said those incidents included a shooting, a stabbing if numerous fights. even police say the night spot is a dangerous distraction from regular duties. >> it drains our resources and puts my officers at risk of injury, the excessive use of manpower to disperse these crowds safely so that other citizens don't get injured. >> reporter: the club's owners say they have been working with police and the community and they say they are being unfairly targeted. but after hearing all of the testimony, the hearing examiner sided with neighbors. >> i find that there is a public nuisance on at least two occasions and i will render an opinion consistent with that finding. >> reporter: today's decision goes to an independent arbitrator who will draft a final report for the police commissioner. the commission her then decide whether or not to close them down. in baltimore, roosevelt leftwich, abc two news. >> and he says that process could take weeks or even we'll keep you posted. tonight and into the early morning hours all eyes will be on the light show high in the sky. norm is outside tonight to tell us what that's all about and to give us a quick look at your first forecast. norm. >> hey, jerry. we're outside right now under nice clear skies in the baltimore area and the reason for that is that every 33 years, the earth passes through the trail of comet temple tuttl expesm that's what will be happening tonight as we pass through the trail of the comet, we have a chance to see some meteors tonight. not only tonight but also tomorrow night. the best time to look for them is between 1 and 4:00 in the morning. and you don't need a telescope, you don't need anything. all you need is a lawn chair. lie down on the lawn chair and look straight up and you can see maybe 30, 40 meteors an hour if you are in a nice dark spot. and the sky should remain clear with no moon so things are looking pretty good if you want to go meteor hunting tonight. we will have the complete forecast in a couple minutes. >> thanks, norm. should teenagers be allowed to use tanning beds? it's an issue that has been cropping up around the state and the country over the past several months. tonight, the baltimore county council was set to vote on a bill that would have made tanning salons off limits to kids under 18. christian schaffer is live at the county government building tonight. chris, how did things turn out? >> reporter: terry, the councilman that proposed the bill said it's a safety issue pointing to research that shows that tanning can cause skin cancer, especially in young people. but in the end, the majority of the council members found the benefits of the proposed ban pale in comparison to the proposed problems. >> can a 16-year-old convince a parent to let her go to a tanning van? towson university student tianna did just a few years ago. >> my mom wouldn't let me go tanning and i forced her, i begged her, i cried please mom it's prom. and she let me. >> reporter: that is exactly what councilman vincent gardina hoped his bill would guard against. >> as elected officials, we have a responsibility to do whatever we can to ensure that these children ensure that the public that we represent, are protected. >> reporter: the bill did have the support of the baltimore county health officer, along with the american cancer society, and other prominent health organizations. >> it's been medically proven that exposure to uv radiation causes melanoma. >> reporter: it did not have the support of the tanning industry. >> anything in moderation is good. it's when you abuse and it go excess sieve when you have problem. >> reporter: at monday's council meeting, several council men spoke against the bill. >> i know the problems that it causes, but i just can't usurp a parents' right to make a decision on this. >> to pass this bill makes us nothing more than a tingling symbol. we do not have the manpower, or the means to enforce it. >> reporter: and in the end, they voted to reject councilman gardina's proposal, 5-2. now last week, the board of health in howard county passed a similar ban. it's already in effect. representatives from the tanning industry say they might mount legal challenges against that ban but again, here in baltimore county, the county council has voted to reject a proposed ban of tanning vans for children under 18. live in baltimore county, christian schaffer. abc2 news. >> thank you, chris. in 2 your health now a major change proposed in the way women screen for breast cancer. a new government task force says most women don't need a mammogram in their 40s, and should get one every two years, starting at age 50. that's 10 years later than the current recommendation of the american cancer society. the task force says the screenings don't detect enough cancer to balance out the risk of radiation exposure, while the american cancer society says mammograms in women under 50 are saving lives. regardless, it's a good reason to have a discussion with your doctor. malls are already beginning to fill up as the holiday shopping season approaches. and with the crowds come both the nice and the naughty. >> i wouldn't come here at nighttime by myself. >> still ahead, abc2 has the new numbers from around the area that may calm some seasonal fears. plus, just how bad can it get for the u.s. postal service? the latest bough, next. >> and the two degree guarantee from today, 56 degrees the high today officially at bwi, 68. we did hit that two degree guarantee. what about tomorrow, and how long is this warm stuff going to last? you may be surprised at the answer coming up. ode to the new subway chicken cordon bleu melt. where exactly are your from, cordon bleu, you oohh-la-la-licious mystery? your name says french, but your fresh-toasted taste is out of this world. with your tender juicy chicken, succulent black forest ham... and bubbly melted cheese on freshly baked bread, you've got one word for hunger. au revoir. well that's two words but it's french for goodbye, so there... melted goodness made irresistible. new subway melts. >> these tough times keep the u.s. postal service in a choke hold. they posted a nearly $4 billion loss through 2009 and it won't get better. post office officials expect a nearly $8 billion loss in 2010. general motors knows a thing or two about financial trouble but the american auto maker points toits' 1.2 billion loss since september as a positive sign. the loss was actually less than anticipated, and could signal a rebound. gm also says it will begin repaying government loans next month, hoping to pay everything off by 2011, four years ahead of schedule. the gm news helped stocks soar. the dow gained more than 136 points. the nasdaq jumped nearly 30. the s & p closed up nearly 16. lots of gains locally. under arm gained 6% on the day. greg mason closed out up over two% and black & decker closed up 24 and a half percent. the pending purchase of black & decker is expected to leave hundreds unemployed, a common theme over the past year and a half. ben bernanke spoke today at the economic club of new york addressing the nation's mounting unemployment with cautious optimistic. >> jobs are likely to remain scarce for some time. keeping households cautious about their spending. as the recovery becomes established, however, payrolls should begin to grow again at a pace that increases over time. >> well, unemployment nationally topped double digits earlier this month. it remains well below that in our area. well, we may be climbing out of a recession but listen to this. a retail consulting firm said today 50% of presence plan on cutting back on gifts for their kids this year. that's up from 44% last year. the firm also expects spouse-to- spouse spending to drop. but some good news now before you head to the mall this holiday season. abc2's brian kubler breaks down mall crime and the new information that should make you feel safer than last year. [ sirens ] . >> reporter: crime does not need to hamper what may already be a down year for holiday shopping. while most wallets are already taking a hit this year, the last thing you need is for your security to do the same. crime is on shopper gene slaughter's mind as she starts to prepare her holiday lists, and hit area malls. >> not in broad daylight i'm not, but i wouldn't come here at nighttime by myself. >> reporter: abc2 news chose one shopping center in each of the four surrounding counties, breaking down each center's crime stats leading up to the holiday season. take the mall in columbia in howard county from january of this year through august. in those eight months, the mall had 12 robberies, about 500 thefts from $50 to more than $200, one automobile theft, and 29 assaults. over in baltimore county, at towson town center, there were 19 assaults, four thefts from fares, two robberies and no motor vehicle thefts during the same eight-month period. up in hartford county at the festival at bel air there were 49 incidents of theft and two assaults from january through august. the intent is not to compare and contrast different malls in the area. rather, to inform you of the crime numbers you need to know as you begin your holiday shopping. keeping in mind that places like this festival at bel air serve a lot less people than aaron del mills ball. >> that comfortable safe shopping environment is a top priority. we work very hard. use a lot of tactics to make sure we provide it. >> reporter: windy ellis at arundel mills mall says that hard work is paying off. last year's crime numbers were arguably some of the high northwest the area. this year there have only been 14 assaults, down nearly 50% from last year. 20 auto thefts, down nearly 40%, and then there was general theft. arundel millions had 864 thefts in the first eight months of 2008. the same time this year, only 385. a drop of 55%. >> yes. absolutely we are thrilled that the stats have gone down, but that doesn't make it less of a priority at any other time of the year. we a number one, 100% of the time, 24/7, 365, this is what we do. >> reporter: ellis said the mall added these machines to help patrols in addition to regular foot patrols and segues. there is also an elaborate security camera system and more vigilant vendors. those measures plus a good relationship with the anne arundel county police department have helped bring the crime numbers down here. but shoppers like slaughter more at ease. >> sure it does. sure. you would hope all the malls would do that. have more guards, more people policing the shopping -- the parking lots. >> reporter: security, vigilance and now knowledge, arming shoppers against those annual crimes of opportunity. brian kubler, abc2 news. >> and brian says the biggest piece of advice, just be smart, and know your surroundings. and as of this season of shopping approaches, be sure to check in with abc2news.com's holiday guide. you will find everything you will need to know before this season hits high gear. now, the forecast certified baltimore's most accurate. here chief meteorologist norm lewis and maryland's most powerful doppler radar >> when you were outside looking for meteors what is the temperature like? >> a little cool. you need a jacket. outlying areas north and west of the beltway, it's getting cool by tomorrow morning. still for this time of year, this is absolutely gorgeous. we should be in the 30s for the overnight loss and we aren't going catch that. we will stay a little above that. daytime highs not as warm as today but still nice weather. the shot from harford cam. the temperature at bwi thurgood marshall, 49 degrees, 61% humidity. wind from the north at 3 and the pressure is 30.12. fort mchenry, the high tide 6:10 low tide right after noon at 8 past noon. the winds tomorrow from the northeast at 6 to 12 miles an hour. sun comes up at 6:52, sets at 4:50. low this morning was 49 degrees. the high today got to 68. the temperaturings right now have cooled off substantially but not as cool as what you would normally think at this time of year. hagers town right now at 49, 45 in oakland. winchester, virginia, at 47 degrees, 46 in easton, 45 in dover. same in ocean city down on the board walk right now, 45 degrees. satellite pictures throughout the day lots of sunshine, huge dome of high pressure protecting us, giving us some nice weather. a little afternoon clouds, but that weather system that you see back in the ohio valley, that's being held at bay. as a big dome of high pressure sitting over the top of the region will continue to protect us, but that dome of high pressure has got that clockwise circulation of air and that will give us the northeasterly breeze tomorrow which will cool us down just a little bit more than what we had during the day today. still some very normal temperatures. nothing showing up on maryland's most powerful radar. nice clear scan out there and that will stay that way until nurse when we see a few showers into the region. glenwood 45, 45 in frederick. 49 in arnold, down in annapolis, a little warmer, down near the water, 52 degrees. rock hall 49. 49 in middle town and right now 48 degrees. the light clouds during the evening have dissipated out. during the day tomorrow lots of sunshine. not quite as warm because of the northeasterly breeze and that system again back in the ohio and mississippi valley being kept there. because that area of high pressure will stay with us. on thursday, that thing starts moving in our direction. here is your forecast, as far as what we will be finding over the next couple of days. overnight, clear skies, cooler temperatures, we will see an overnight low of 43 degrees. cooler in the north and western suburbs. tomorrow mostly sunny, 57 is a normal temperature for this time of year and the extended outlook for the next seven days, the 57 continues onto wednesday with a few more clouds around, thursday, mostly cloudy, a chance for some scattered showers with a high of 61. 60 on friday with sunshine coming back into the region. then partly cloudy saturday. sunday a chance for some scattered showers 57. monday mostly cloudy and 58 degrees. hope you have a nice evening, and hope you get a chance to see some meteors early tomorrow morning. >> thanks, norm. ravens fans enjoyed a special tailgate party all in an effort to end homelessness. fans packed frank and nick's west end grill to watch the ravens take on the browns. former arrival michael mcrory was there and all of the proceeds benefit the mayor's 10 year plan to end homelessness in baltimore city. a major drug bust with a football player. investigators say pro jersey numbers were used as a code for drug orders. when it comes to constipation relief... miralax is the one. it's the one. the one recommended by more doctors. only miralax is clinically proven to relieve constipation with no harsh side effects. miralax is the only one. restore your body's natural rhythm with miralax. hosting her first thanksgiving. so she turned to target to get it all for a lowrice. she expects her in-laws will be thankful it feels like home. she expects, with practice, her flair for fall will be flawless. and thanks to target's great prices, she'll get everything she needs to make her first thanksgiving memorable for all. target. expect more. pay less. >> the search for a little girl missing in north carolina ends with not one, but 2003 tragic developments -- but two tragic developments. that story tops our look of news around the nation. servers have found what's believed to be the body of five- year-old shania davis. and just hours later her mother was charged with human trafficking and felony child abuse. investigators accused the woman of offering her young daughter for prostitution. a man has also been arrested. he now faces kidnapping charges. boats and a car belonging to bernie madoff will be up for auction tomorrow in florida. more than two dozen people have already put up $100,000 deposits, just for the chance to bid. madoff is serving a 150 year federal prison sentence in north carolina. a big pittsburgh area drug bust and apparently all of them are big football fans. investigators say the accused drug dealers had their customers use code words to place orders. for example, customers who wanted seven grams of cocaine asked for a ben roethlisberger or michael vick jersey. because they both wear the number 7. >> reporter: the investigation into the alleged $2 million cocaine ring began in january. lift off of the space shuttle atlantis. >> the shoe of the space shuttle atlantis will spend their thanks giving in orbit. the shuttle lifted off today headed to the international space station with a full load of spare parts. astronauts will reach the station wednesday with space walks scheduled to start thursday. and a look at your final forecast is next. 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