effect through tomorrow afternoon, as you can see, the entire region now. as far as bwi is concerned, we'll add up some of these numbers for you again. but this year, already, we're up to 36, almost 37 inches of rain reported at the airport. now, normal this time of year would be a little under -- or a little more than 28 1/2 inches. that puts us at just about 8 to 8 1/2 inches above normal rainfall this year. the ground is saturated. doesn't take much of a wind to knock over the trees that have been saturated. i do expect to see power outages, unfortunately. first warning weather coverage continues in north baltimore. derek valcourt explains all of this rain is also causing concerns about new power outages, as bob just mentioned. >> reporter: yeah, hi, kai. just like in hurricane irene. the ground now is just really so wet, that it doesn't take much wind to knock over and uproot some pretty large trees. and that's why last night, thousands of bge customers were once again in the dark. >> reporter: irene's heavy rain soaked everything, even flooded homes, like sonya moore's. >> so now the entire basement. >> just as she and many others are getting a handle on cleaning up all the water, mother nature drops more. so much that bge is now warning customers that all of this rain could cause more power outages. that's because at city forestry inspectors claim, the saturated grounds make trees even more vulnerable to gusts of wind. >> this essentially serves as a lubricant. and it loosens up the connection between the roots of the soil. >> reporter: in fact, with all of this rain, the ground is still so wet that when a relatively minor storm rolled through maryland monday night, it toppled several trees and knocked out power to more than 20,000 bge customers. and there's still more rain in the forecast. >> that's what we're really concerned about. we've retained crews that were with us last week for the irene cleanup. but we've already said that we're going to be feeling the effects of irene, not just for days and weeks, but possibly months to come. >> reporter: check out this tree, downed last week by irene. the hole it left in the ground, now filled with water. a warning indicating just how saturated soils are, and how vulnerable trees can be to more storms. and forestry officials say healthier trees may be at risk the most because leaves act as sails, catching the wind. >> the more foliage you have, the -- the more pressure that is going to be exerted on the tree. >> reporter: pressure, ultimately passed on to bge repair crews. >> reporter: and bge says really about the only thing a home runner can do is if you have a tree sort of on your property, leaning over the power lines, leaning towards some of the power lines, they say the best thing you can do is call a private contractor, have that tree taken out. bge can't do it because it's on your own private property. otherwise, we're all at the mercy of mother nature. we're live in baltimore, derek valcourt, wjz eyewitness news. >> derek, thank you. stay with wjz for first warning weather. to find forecast updates and live doppler radar any time, log onto wjz.com. a man opens fire with a rifle inside an ihop restaurant in nevada. now, four people are dead. and six others have been hurt. vic is live in the newsroom with more on this developing story. vic? >> well, kai. police are still piecing together the terrifying rampage that unfolded during the breakfast morning rush. it killed two national guard members and another person before taking his own life. and we just learned five of the nine people shot were national guard members. tonight, detectives believe the gunman acted alone. but they still don't know has motive. police locked down the area, after the shooting. and extra security measures are now in place. kai, back to you. >> okay, vic. thank you. we're working now to find out about the six other people who were hurt. maryland congressman eliia cummings -- elijah cummings is on a mission to find out who killed his nephew. but he is also talking to students who lived near where christopher was killed. >> whoever the person is that did this, believe me, believe me, will do it again. >> reporter: congressman cummings tramped south to the site of his nephew's mother, off-campus housing in norfolk, virginia. friday, police said they were closing in on a suspect, naming a person of interest in christopher's death. >> we knew about this person of interest. and it was our understanding that the police took them a while to find them. we didn't know what had happened to him. that's why we were so pleased that he was found. >> reporter: cummings is concerned about the safety of other students. violent crime, with a student robbed at gunpoint on the first day of class. >> christopher is dead. he's gone. i'm not here for him. i'm here for these other o.d.u. students. >> it's good he came back to send a message to other people, students. >> reporter: congressman cummings said his nephew never felt safe where he lived because of crime near his off- campus house. >> reporter: the person of interest in the case is a 20- year-old man from newport news. police say he was involved in an incident at christopher's house, hours before his death. >> i'm begging you, if you know what happened in this case, or know anything about it, to come before police and tell them what you know. >> reporter: now, police have issued a search warrant for the home of the 20-year-old man named as a person of interest, but no arrests yet in the case. >> one week from today, baltimore voters choose a candidate who was virtually guaranteed to become the city's next mayor. wjz is live. pat warren reports on the candidates' last big push. >> that's right. some had expected that the field of candidates would have narrowed by now. but they're all sticking it out to the bitter end, giving voters a broad choice on election day. >> any second. >> reporter: these five democrats running for mayor have a week left in the campaign and there's no slowing down. the rawlings-blake campaign moves forward. >> every day, more people endorse the mayor as the best choice to keep moving forward. >> reporter: the catherine pew campaignic-- catherine pugh campaign picks up speed. >> i'm returning because i know together we can do better. >> jody lambert hits the air. >> somebody talking to you in the studio ♪ >> reporter: and otis rolley prepares for another round with cosby. >> it's an opportunity to talk with baltimore, with dr. huxitable next to me. >> reporter: the result was a 68% approval rating for mayor stephanie rawlings-blake. the challengers combined won 32%. catherine pugh took 12% of that. otis rolley got 10%. landers got 5% and the same, 5% went to conaway. >> firstly, i didn't believe that poll for a minute. because they certainly didn't pick up what i'm hearing as i'm going around on the campaign trail. you know, there are a lot of people who are dissatisfied with the current status of the city. >> reporter: one week to get tuned-out voters to tune in and turn out. >> i'm just encouraging people, this is an opportunity for them to change the direction the city is going with. >> reporter: the first stop is the polls. >> reporter: and voter turnout is expected to be moderate. back to you, kai. >> all right, pat. thank you. stay with wjz for complete coverage of campaign 2011. for race updates and the latest information, log onto wjz.com. it is just days away. on sunday, the ravens 'opened their seen against the steelers. and wjz has complete coverage of the excitement. sports director mark viviano is with the team as they get ready for the first real game. and jessica kartalija explains how the ravens are helping young fans tonight. first, let's go to mark, who spent time with the players. talking about this intensity of the week. >> yes. after weeks of training camp and weeks that don't count. the importance of this game is palpable. not only does the game count but the opponent is pittsburgh. >> every once in a while, you come across a football game that speaks for itself. baltimore against pittsburgh says it all. >> reporter: they bring out the best and worst against each other. intense ist in a rivalry -- intensity in a rivalry that can make you scream. >> everybody in this country knows, when the steelers and ravens play, you can throw the record out. it will have that in-state rival feeling that you really hate. >> kind of will make you see what it means to see black and gold. >> time to go around. >> reporter: too often, the ravens have seen their battle slip away into defeat. two of the last three years in the play-offs, only adding to the ravens' motivation. >> pittsburgh is a team thaty we strive to beat. and that comes first. i wouldn't say we game play differently, but we deputily know we're playing pittsburgh. -- definitely know we're playing pittsburgh. >> as offense, we respect all, fear none. >> both baltimore natives. so they get the civic angle of this whole rivalry. you heard that, dixon at the end, say the ravens fear none. but there are concerns about the baltimore offensive line, heading into this game. and i'll have more on that story coming up later in sports. >> all right, mark. we'll see you then. complete coverage continues live in baltimore county. jessica kartalija explains how the ravens are getting back to their fans. hi, jess. >> reporter: hello, guys. just days before taking on ravens' rivals, ray lewis spent his day here at chuck e. cheese, of all places, showing his softer side to plenty of kids in need. an after-school special treat, so to speak. he handed out 200 backpacks to students. it's all part of the ray lewis foundation. ray's organization that aims to help underprivileged children. and inside those backpacks, rulers, all kinds of binders, pens and pencils. >> there's nothing like going to see something or being age to come out here and deliver what we're able to deliver. and that's just love and hope and faith and whatever comes along with it. and when you catch on to these kids, then you realize why i do come out and keep doing it. because that's my motivation. >> reporter: and ravens agency -- ravens rookie wide receiver smith. also in the action here at chuck e. cheese. we'll hear from him live at 6:00, coming up in just a little bit. we're live in woodlawn, i'm jessica kartalija. back to you on tv hill. >> all right, jessica, thank you. when the ravens open their season against the steelers, the only place you can see that game is live here on wjz 13. the action starts 1:00 p.m. and now is the time to sign up for the pizza bolis football challenge. go to wjz.com and click on the sports section. there are weekly winners and a grand prize winner. sign up now. still to come on eyewitness news at 5:00. more than 1,000 homes destroyed. historic wildfires causing devastation in texas. wjz following the efforts to control those flames. the fbi meets with state officials just days before the anniversary of 9/11. i'm adam may, with the homeland security message coming up. will the monkey stay or go? a decades-long legal battle may come to an end tonight over an animal sanctuary in howard county. i'm andrea fujii. that story just ahead on eyewitness news. heavy rains and flooding. concerns around maryland. when will the dryer conditions return? bob has the answer coming up. ,,,,,,,,,,,, [ beep ] [ man ] you have one new message. [ mom ] hi scooter. this is mommy. the progresso chicken noodle you made is so good. the vegetables are cut nice and thick... you were always good at cutting your vegetables. and it's got tender white-meat chicken... the way i always made it for you. oh, one more thing honey... those pj's you like, the ones with the feet, i bought you five new pairs. love you. did you see the hockey game last night? [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. the fate of nearly two dozen. andrea fujii tells us about the legal battle that spans nearly a decade. >> reporter: as the founder of friskies wildlife and primate sanctuary, colleen robbins has taken in wild and exotic animals. >> i'm a nurse maid and waitress. and i do love and adore each one of them. >> reporter: but about 100 yards away, these homeowners who share the same driveway say they're concerned for their safety. >> reporter: safety from these 22 monkeys, which homeowner richard wicov, and others say can escape. this picture has proof. >> some of the monkeys that unfortunately, do carry disease disease and are the behaviors. it doesn't give one a strong sense living next to that. that's why the purpose of continuing that. >> reporter: but he claims their animals have never escaped. and their place is secure. complete with surveillance cameras. after years of legal battles all the way up to the maryland court of appeals, the county board will now decide whether friskies is a legal animal sanctuary that can keep wild and exotic animals. if not, the monkeys will have to be relocated. >> for them to go through that change and have health issues, it would be life-threatening. >> reporter: in the meantime, friskies says they won't be taking any in more monkeys. >> reporter: and the county board of appeals says it does take concern into consideration. >> the county is expected to make a decision tonight. that decision could then be appealed. if you're waiting for somebody to get home from work, let's check in on our roads now with kristy breslin. still pretty wet out there, kristy. >> absolutely, mary. and the beltway is just a mess. we're now looking at 50 minutes on the inner loop there. that's from park heights avenue to harford road. traffic just moving at about 40 miles an hour. another 25 minutes on the west side inner loop from security boulevard to wilkens avenue. so no improvement there either. and another 15 minutes on the north side outer loop from bel air road to york road. as far as accidents go, 95 southbound. the ramp to 195 remains blocked off. northbound 95, we have another accident, lingering there, at route 32. 100 eastbound at 97. also trapp road at page drive. old frederick at south augusta. and north green at west franklin. let's now take a live look. as you can see, things just crawling along there on the north side at dulaney valley road. and it seems to be the same situation there on the beltway at greenspring. this traffic report is brought to you by bill's carpet, hardwood and laminate, too. bill's has it all for you. you can call them at 1-877-75- bills. back over to you. baltimore's enoch pratt libraries are perking up their services. monique griego explains why you'll soon be able to grab a cup of off -- coffee with their books. >> reporter: if you go to coffee shop now, that's where people do hang out. and i think people will go if it's a cool place to go. >> reporter: baltimore's enoch pratt free library is keeping up. >> reporter: this is just like another kind of like chapter of how libraries are changing. we're more community centers. >> reporter: crews are working on the final touches of this david and dance cafe, which is set to open up in a couple of weeks. >> i think it's going to be a perfect partnership. everybody likes to drink a cup of coffee while reading a book. >> reporter: but this is part of the overall effort to change as part of the time. >> who ever thought you would come to the bri-- library and check this out. now, come over, grab a cup of offee. eat a salad. >> reporter: they hope the original crowd will draw in more people like hamilton, who like having things all in one place. >> i think that if you bring it there, there will be more people that hang out. maybe more people use the library and actually pick up a book. >> reporter: monique griego, wjz eyewitness news. >> that is so nice. the cafe is scheduled to open on september 21st. >> cup of coffee. >> i want to go there right now. >> right. >> computer, your coffee. get your homework done. >> life is good. >> 62 degrees now. east/northeast winds, 18. picked up a bit. the barometer just dropped a bit. come back and take a look at that rain after this. ,,,, there are over 200 varieties of gourmet coffee that have earned the keurig brewed seal of approval. the keurig brewed seal is our commitment that the coffee inside will deliver a delicious cup of coffee every time. keurig brewed. look for the only mark of genuine keurig quality. take a look at radar. heavy rain. we just got a flood warning issued for portions of the potomac for washington county, and allegheny county there in western maryland. you folks in hancock, could be some minor flooding there tonight. and tomorrow. and also, not far from the hagerstown area, along the potomac, there can be flooding late tonight and tomorrow, even into friday. as all of that rain upstream is coming downstream. and that will continue. no other flood warnings at this time will do it. heavy rain, however. east of the bay. the eastern shore now giving thunderstorm activity. not a whole lot of rain. there's a batch to the west. this stuff is moving up to the west of the city. for the time being, kind of quiet. may see some heavy rain later this evening. and that's why. there's flood watches in effect for the entire region. take a look at temperatures. we're at 62 here. 75. that's why they could see thunder down there. a lot more instability. a lot warmer down there. once again, along the potomac, for the next two days, there could be flooding because of all of the rain and water there. locally, it employs in -- temperatures in the 60s. feels more like october than early september. right now, a bit of a breeze kicked in. and that was not helping the situation. because with so much rain, the ground was saturated. tree can come down as you mentioned. please be careful out there. it's likely we'll see some power outages there. so just be advised. now, this system is really a cold front that came through the area last night. kind of stationary now. into low pressure, which was lee. lee came in through here. moved up through tennessee. it's just an area of low pressure here. but it's still spinning. because of that spin, the moisture continues to feed in from the gulf of mexico. actually, they were in kentucky. moisture coming up the east coast, the heaviest ban, just to the north. you can see, scattered areas to the south. heavier shower activities popping up really well. really dealing with this, tonight, tomorrow into the end of the week. katia has weakened down to a category 2. that's good. and also beginning to make that move to the north and eventually to the northeast. that's what all of the models are showing. it is moving quickly off to the east/northeast. the only real effect you feel will be the high surf, rough surf. yes, very, very bad conditions along the coast here. this thing, developing just a few minutes ago. just got an upgrade to a tropical depression 14. at 5:00, winds at 35. it's moving out to the west and northwest now. picked up speed at 18 miles an hour. this probably will be named maria by late tonight or tomorrow. yes, the tropics continue to be very, very accurate. around the region, low pressure out to the west. that's going to allow some warm air to come in tomorrow. maybe up to 80 degrees. and that that means yes, we could see thunderstorm activity. southeast winds at 10 to 15 in the bay. bay temp, around 76. tonight, yes, showers. maybe a thunderstorm or two south and east of us. 61 by morning. tomorrow, warmer, by 80. maybe some breaks in the cloud cover. and that will just help to create more shower and thunderstorm activity in the afternoon particularly tomorrow. so we're not done with this situation yet. >> we'll keep watching. thank you. still ahead at 5:00, a bloody labor day in new york city. 48 people are shot. who the mayor is blaming for the violence. university of maryla