[an error occurred while processing this directive]

• FOX 45 TOP STORIES VIDEO

Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon now faces only five charges after a judge dismissed two of the seven charges against her Tuesday.

The judge agreed with the defense that the evidence was insufficient to proceed with charges related to gift cards provided by Dixon's former boyfriend, developer Ronald Lipscomb.

Prosecutors rested their case without calling Lipscomb to the stand even though he was expected to be a key witness.

Without Lipscomb's testimony, defense attorney's convinced the judge to toss the charges relating to gift cards from him.

Dixon's attorneys mounted their defense Tuesday afternoon, calling two witnesses to the stand.

Wanda Watts, a member of the mayor's staff, and Karen Daniels, who works at Bethel AME Church, testified on behalf of Dixon.

The trial continues Wednesday on the remaining charges that are related to gift cards provided by another developer, Patrick Turner.
Two Charges Dropped Against Dixon - Joy Lepola

• FOX 45 LOCAL NEWS

ICE takes 29 into custody in central Md.
March 12, 2010 10:50 EST

BALTIMORE (AP) -- Federal immigration authorities say they took 29 people into custody during several simultaneous raids in central Maryland.

The raids took place Thursday morning at two restaurants, several homes and an office in Anne Arundel and Baltimore counties.

William Winter is special agent in charge at the Baltimore office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He says the raids were carried out "to ensure that employers are held accountable for maintaining a legal work force."

Anne Arundel County Executive John Leopold says one of the raids focused on the Timbuktu Restaurant in Hanover and several nearby homes where restaurant workers lived.

------

Information from: The Baltimore Sun, http://www.baltimoresun.com

• VIDEO LIST

BALTIMORE WEATHER

48°

Forecast

TODAY: Cloudy with periods of rain (1/2 inch), breezy and cooler. High: 55. Winds: ENE 10-15 mph, gusting to 25 mph.

BUSINESS NEWS

WORLD MARKETS

HONG KONG (AP) -- Asian stock markets were mixed Friday as investors held out for additional clues to the strength of economic recovery.

CONSUMER INFO

La. senator: Are deaths linked to Chinese drywall?

 NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- U.S. Sen. David Vitter is calling on federal officials to do a thorough probe into the deaths of several people who lived in homes built with suspect Chinese drywall. ...

SCIENCE/TECH NEWS

IN THE NEWS: PINK FLOYD PREVAILS IN DOWNLOAD CASE

LONDON (AP) -- Score one for Pink Floyd.

GET THIS

MEDICAL MARIJUANA-CENSUS

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (AP) -- Census workers in Colorado could be getting a contact high.

IE6 Float Fix