WEATHER

Today's forecast calls for partly sunny skies and a high temperature around 53 degrees. The low temperature is expected to be around 33 degrees with partly cloudy skies tonight.

TRAFFIC

Here are today's morning traffic issues.

FROM LAST NIGHT...

State House dome dazzles after restoration work: The last of the scaffolding that enclosed the dome of the State House since summer will come down Friday -- leaving Annapolis with an uncluttered view of its most famous landmark just in time for Christmas.

Chief counsel McDonald appointed to Md. high court: Gov. Martin O'Malley filled 10 of the open judicial seats in Maryland Thursday, selecting Robert N. McDonald, the chief counsel for opinions and advice in the attorney general's office, for the state's highest court.

Brawl breaks out at high school basketball game in city: Officials from Baltimore City Public Schools are investigating a brawl that took place at a high school basketball game Wednesday night in west Baltimore.

Boldin will miss rest of regular season with knee injury: The veteran wide receiver had surgery Thursday to repair a "slight" meniscus tear in his knee and he'll miss at least the final two games of the regular season.

TODAY'S FRONT PAGE

Donating thousands, 'layaway angels' land in Maryland: Across the country, anonymous kindhearted strangers have been paying off layaway accounts this season -- doing it with such frequency that folks have given them a name, "layaway angels."

Black lawmakers criticize O'Malley redistricting plan: Black lawmakers sharply criticized the governor's proposed General Assembly redistricting plan Thursday, saying his committee has drawn a map that will likely produce a legislature that looks whiter than the actual population of Maryland.

Congress poised to pass payroll tax cut deal: The legislation would continue for two months a 4.2 percent payroll tax rate that otherwise would expire on December 31 and ratchet up to 6.2 percent for 160 million American workers.

[Compiled by Dean Jones Jr.]