WEATHER
rain with a high temperature near 52 degrees. It is expected to be cloudy tonight with a low temperature around 36 degrees.
TRAFFIC
for this morning's issues as you plan your commute.
FROM LAST NIGHT...
: Gov. Martin O'Malley gave his most detailed explanation to date for the evolution of his stance on gay marriage, at the inaugural Baltimore Sun Newsmaker Forum Wednesday evening.
: A man was in serious condition late Wednesday following a kitchen fire on the 16th floor of a high-rise apartment building in the 500 block of N. Charles St. Four other occupants inhaled smoke and were treated for non-life threatening injuries, officials said.
: A parade of Baltimore police officers, from rookies to a 30-year veteran, told City Council members Wednesday night that training programs developed by the department have sharpened their skills and helped build camaraderie among the ranks.
: Despite local opposition, Sheppard Pratt's application for a high-end group home in a residential Towson neighborhood has received state approval.
TODAY'S FRONT PAGE
: The state is poised to approve a 35-year deal with the U.S. unit of a Spanish hospitality company to rebuild and manage two travel plazas on Interstate 95 even as questions emerge about its track record and experience.
: Circuit Court Judge Edward Hogshire refused a defense request Wednesday to strike charges against George Huguely V, finding that there was "ample evidence to support a jury finding in favor of all of the indictments" against him, including premeditated murder.
: The Comfort, a former oil tanker converted to its current use in 1987, was originally meant to provide emergency medical and surgical care for U.S. troops in combat, but it eventually proved more useful for humanitarian relief missions.
: Indianapolis-based contractor Dale Dillon faces the daunting task of crafting a new image for the racing festival -- which drove the previous organizers to financial collapse -- and pulling together the massive event in little more than six months.
[Compiled by Dean Jones Jr.]