Dr. Maria Pane practices at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center.

She spoke with WJZ about what it was like to go to school with Houston.

They both went to an all-girls Catholic high school in New Jersey.

Dr. Pane remembers Houston fondly. She said Houston was one of the most popular girls in school and she was friends with everyone.

They graduated together in 1981.

And at Sunday night’s Grammy awards, Jennifer Hudson performed “I Will Always Love You” in a special tribute to Whitney Houston.

Bigad Shaban reports for WJZ on how Houston’s shocking death impacted music’s biggest night.

(Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Winners Announced During Broadcast:

Album Of The Year: 21 – Adele

Record Of The Year: “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele

Best New Artist: Bon Iver

Best Country Album: Own The Night – Lady Antebellum

Song Of The Year: “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele

Best R&B Album: F.A.M.E. – Chris Brown

Best Rock Performance: “Walk” – Foo Fighters

Best Rap Performance: “Otis” – Jay-Z/Kanye West

Best Pop Solo Performance: “Someone Like You” – Adele

Winners Announced Before Broadcast:

Best Pop Performance By Duo/Group: “Body and Soul” – Tony Bennett/Amy Winehouse

Best Pop Instrumental Album: The Road From Memphis – Booker T. Jones

Best Pop Vocal Album: 21 – Adele

Best Dance Recording: Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites – Skrillex

Best Dance/Electronic Album: Scary Monsters And Nice Sprites – Skrillex

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Duets II – Tony Bennett

Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance: “White Limo” – Foo Fighters

Best Rock Song: “Walk” – Foo Fighters

Best Rock Album: Wasting Light – Foo Fighters

Best Alternative Music Album: Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Best R&B Performance: “Is This Love” – Corinne Bailey Rae

Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance: “Fool For You” – Melanie Fiona/Cee-Lo

Best R&B Song: “Fool For You” – Melanie Fiona/Cee-Lo

Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: “All Of The Lights” – Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie

Best Rap Song: “All Of The Lights” – Kanye West, Rihanna, Kid Cudi & Fergie

Best Rap Album: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West

Best Country Solo Performance: “Mean” – Taylor Swift

Best Country Duo/Group Performance: “Barton Hollow” – The Civil Wars

Best Country Song: “Mean” – Taylor Swift

Best New Age Album: What’s It All About – Pat Metheny

Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “500 Miles High” – Chick Corea

Best Jazz Vocal Album: The Mosaic Project – Terri Lyne Carrington

Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Forever – Corea, Clarke & White

Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: The Good Feeling – Christian McBride Big Band

Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Performance: “Jesus” – L’Andria Johnson

Best Gospel Song: “Hello Fear” – Kirk Franklin

Best Contemporary Christian Music Song: “Blessings” – Laura Story

Best Gospel Album: Hello Fear – Kirk Franklin

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: And If Our God Is For Us… – Chris Tomlin

Best Latin Pop, Rock, Or Urban Album: Drama Y Luz – Maná

Best Regional Mexican Or Tejano Album: Bicentenario – Pepe Aguilar

Best Banda Or Norteño Album: Los Tigres Del Norte And Friends – Los Tigres Del Norte

Best Tropical Latin Album: The Last Mambo – Cachao

Best Americana Album: Ramble at the Ryman – Levon Helm

Best Bluegrass Album: Paper Airplane – Alison Krauss & Union Station

Best Blues Album: Revelator – Tedeschi Trucks Band

Best Folk Album: Barton Hollow – The Civil Wars

Best Regional Roots Music Album: Rebirth Of New Orleans – Rebirth Brass Band

Best Reggae Album: Revelation Pt. 1: The Root of Life – Stephen Marley

Best World Music Album: Tassili – Tinariwen

Best Children’s Album: All About Bullies… Big and Small – Various Artists

Best Spoken Word Album: If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won’t) – Betty White

Best Comedy Album: Hilarious – Louis C.K.

Best Musical Theater Album: The Book Of Mormon

Best Compilation Soundtrack Album For Visual Media: Boardwalk Empire – Various Artists

Best Score Soundtrack Album For Visual Media: The King’s Speech – Alexandre Desplat

Best Song Written For Visual Media: “I See the Light” – Alan Menken & Glenn Slater

Best Instrumental Composition: “Life In Eleven” – Béla Fleck & Howard Levy

Best Instrumental Arrangement: “Rhapsody In Blue” – Gordon Goodwin

Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists: “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)” – Jorge Calandrelli

Best Recording Package: Scenes From The Suburbs – Caroline Robert, art director (Arcade Fire)

Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package: The Promise: The Darkness On The Edge Of Town Story – Dave Bett & Michelle Holme, art directors (Bruce Springsteen)

Best Album Notes: Hear Me Howling!: Blues, Ballads & Beyond As Recorded By The San Francisco Bay By Chris Strachwitz In The 1960s – Adam Machado, album notes writer (Various Artists)

Best Historical Album: Band on the Run (Paul McCartney Archive Collection – Deluxe Edition) – Paul McCartney

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: Paper Airplane – Neal Cappellino & Mike Shipley, engineers; Brad Blackwood, mastering engineer (Alison Krauss & Union Station)

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Paul Epworth

Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: “Cinema (Skrillex remix)” – Sonny Moore

Best Surround Sound Album: Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs (Super Deluxe Edition) – Elliot Scheiner, surround mix engineer; Bob Ludwig, surround mastering engineer; Bill Levenson & Elliot Scheiner, surround producers (Derek & The Dominos)

Best Engineered Album, Classical: Aldridge: Elmer Gantry – Byeong-Joon Hwang & John Newton, engineers; Jesse Lewis, mastering engineer (William Boggs, Keith Phares, Patricia Risley, Vale Rideout, Frank Kelley, Heather Buck, Florentine Opera Chorus & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra)

Producer of the Year, Classical: Judith Sherman

Best Orchestral Performance: “Brahms: Symphony No. 4″ – Gustavo Dudamel

Best Opera Recording: “Adams: Doctor Atomic” – Alan Gilbert, conductor

Best Choral Performance: “Light & Gold” – Eric Whitacre

Best Small Ensemble Performance: Mackey: “Lonely Motel – Music From Slide” – Rinde Eckert & Steven Mackey; Eighth Blackbird

Best Classical Instrumental Solo: Schwantner: Concerto For Percussion & Orchestra – Giancarlo Guerrero, conductor

Best Classical Vocal Solo: “Diva Divo” – Joyce DiDonato

Best Classical Contemporary Composition: “Elmer Gantry” – Robert Aldridge & Herschel Garfein

Best Short Form Music Video: “Rolling In The Deep” – Adele

Best Long Form Music Video: Foo Fighters: Back And Forth – Foo Fighters

Adele (Photo Credit: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Adele, who captured the world’s heart with an album about a broken romance, emerged as the top winner at Sunday’s Grammy Awards, winning six trophies including the prestigious trifecta of record, song and album of the year.

The singer, who also made a triumphant comeback from vocal cord surgery on the Grammy stage, sobbed as she won the night’s final award, album of the year, for 21. It was last year’s top-selling album with more than six million copies sold and remains lodged at the No. 1 spot on this year’s charts.

Her victories tied her with Beyonce as the most wins by a woman in one evening.

“Mom, gold is good!” Adele shouted as she took the album of the year trophy.

The celebration of Adele, a big-voiced, soulful singer, came on a night where the Grammys marked the loss of one of music’s great female voices — and one of its most prized talents overall. Whitney Houston died the night before the Grammys, casting a shadow over music’s biggest night.

But while her death lent a somber overtone to the evening’s show, it did not overwhelm it, perhaps best proved by the show’s closing number, a rollicking jam session featuring Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Dave Grohl among others.

Foo Fighers (Photo Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

The night’s other big winners were Grohl’s Foo Fighters, who won five Grammys. They noted that they made their album Wasting Light in a garage.

“To me this award means a lot because it shows that the human element of making music is what’s most important. Singing into a microphone, learning to play an instrument and learning to do your craft, that’s the most important thing for people to do,” Grohl said as the band accepted their best rock performance trophy for “Walk.” ”It’s not about being perfect. It’s not about sounding absolutely correct. It’s not about what goes on in a computer. It’s about what goes on in here (your heart) and what goes on here (your head). … Long live rock ‘n’ roll!”

Among the evening’s performances was a dance-heavy number by Chris Brown, and performances by McCartney and Springsteen, who kicked off the show by performing his new song “We Take Care of Our Own,” a rousing song that references the troubles of the nation.

But the evening’s most moving moment came as Jennifer Hudson — who has called Houston an inspiration and one of her biggest idols — emerged to sing one of Houston’s signature songs, “I Will Always Love You.” Dressed in black, with only the accompaniment of a piano, Hudson appeared to fight back tears as she sang the song, ending with the line, “Whitney, we will always love you.”

(Photo Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

The show started off on a somber note, as host LL Cool J appeared in black, and told the audience: “There is no way around this. We’ve had a death in our family.”

He then led the audience in prayer to “our fallen sister.”

“Heavenly father, we thank you for sharing our sister Whitney with us,” he said, as celebrities like Lady Gaga and Miranda Lambert bowed their heads in prayer. “Though she is gone too soon, we remain truly blessed to have been touched by her beautiful spirit.”

He then introduced a clip of a glowing Houston singing “I Will Always Love You.” In his performance of “Runaway Baby,” Bruno Mars also mentioned the death: “Tonight we’re celebrating. Tonight we’re celebrating the beautiful Miss Whitney Houston.”

And Stevie Wonder said: “To Whitney up in heaven, we all love you.”

The show, as usual, was heavy on performances more than awards. Among those was Chris Brown, who was performing on the stage for the first time since he dropped out of 2009′s broadcast; his attack on Rihanna the night before led to both of their absences, an assault charge for Brown and a career low.

But 2011 marked an amazing comeback for Brown and he was rewarded with two planned performances during the show, the first time he and Rihanna performed at the same event since the attack (she sang solo and with Coldplay during the ceremony).

Brown also won best R&B album: “First and foremost, I gotta thank God, and thank the Grammys for letting me get on this stage and do my thing,” he said “All my fans, I love you. We got one. Thank you.”

Justin Vernon, whose band Bon Iver beat Nicki Minaj, The Band Perry, J. Cole and Skrillex for best new artist, accepted the award with admittedly mixed emotions.

“It’s really hard to accept this award. Well, there’s so much talent out here, like on this stage. There’s a lot of talent that’s not here tonight. It’s also hard to accept because when I started to make songs I did it for the inherent reward of making songs, so I’m a little bit uncomfortable up here,” he said. “But with that discomfort I do have a sense of gratitude. I want to say thank you to all the nominees, all the non-nominees that have never been here and never will be here.”

The Grammys did their best to keep a tone that balanced the many moods of the night: The Foo Fighters performed in a tent outside the Staples Center, where the awards were being held, amid a throng of bouncing fans; but moments earlier, Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt paid tribute to Etta James, the legend who died last month.

There was also a tribute to the recently reunited Beach Boys that featured Maroon 5, Foster the People and Mike Love, Al Jardine and Brian Wilson, the three remaining members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band, all pitch-perfect as they brought the groups California rock sound and harmonies back to life.

Glen Campbell, who announced his retirement last year after disclosing he had Alzheimer’s disease, also performed with The Band Perry and Blake Shelton, singing his classic hit, “Rhinestone Cowboy.”

The Foos and Brown also returned for another dance-themed performance, a first for the Grammys. It also featured deadmau5, David Guetta and Lil Wayne.

And with Lady Gaga not performing, Minaj stepped in to give the night’s most bizarre/headscratching performance. The rapper-singer’s number included a clip that referenced “The Exorcist” and a stage show that had her levitating on stage amid a church-like background, with hooded choir members and religious imagery.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Mary Bubala shares what happens out of the spotlight.

One year ago, legendary country superstar Glen Campbell announced he’s battling Alzheimer’s disease. Incredibly, at the same time, he put out a new album and launched a farewell tour.

“They said, you have Alzheimer’s, and I said, ‘Well you know, do what you can do,’” Campbell said.

Campbell and his wife of 30 years, Kim, decided to be very open about his diagnosis and not hide from it. Instead, the five-time Grammy Award-winning singer has become a face for the 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s.

“He’s forgetful, gets disoriented, even in our own house,” Kim Campbell said.

For Glen Campbell, the symptoms started a few years ago. Some days he can’t remember how many children he has or his age.

“Ashley, my little girl. She’s the only girl, right?” he asked his wife.

“She’s your youngest,” she responded.

“How old am I now? 45? 65?” he asked.

“Keep going,” his wife said.

He continues, “95? 75? Ah, it’s just a number. 75? Wow.”

But somehow, performing his music—five decades worth— is virtually unaffected.

Despite the Alzheimer’s, Campbell can remember most of the lyrics to his songs like the chart-topping “Rhinestone Cowboy,” which he first performed almost 40 years ago.

On Sunday at the Grammys, Campbell will perform with Blake Shelton and the band Perry.

“It hasn’t affected his music really,” Kim Campbell said. “He plays great guitar and sings great, so I think that’s a protected part of the brain.”

Music is clearly therapeutic, but Campbell’s Alzheimer’s is being treated with medication.

Kim Campbell: “They have made a difference. I have noticed that.”
Glen Campbell: “Have they?”
Kim Campbell: “Yeah.”
Glen Campbell: “What is that, Alzheimer’s? Slowly going mad?”
Kim Campbell: “Losing your memory.”
Glen Campbell: “Losing your memory? God, I’m glad I’ve lost some of that.”

But Campbell’s fans are so thankful that the music remains.

Don’t miss Campbell’s special performance and all the excitement when LL Cool J hosts the 54th Annual Grammy Awards. That’s this Sunday at 8 p.m. only on WJZ-13.

Co-owner of the theater, Jeff Czerbinski, had said last month that the theater was scheduled to close due to the troubled economy and a lack of interest from the public. Czerbinski tells the Herald-Mail of Hagerstown that there has been a recent outpouring of support for the theater and that a new season will run from May to March 2013.

Czerbinski says the theater is now seeking corporate sponsors and offering a VIP pass that gives patrons a season ticket discount price for individual shows. He says he will also be putting up new signs on the side and front of the theater on Potomac Street, near City Hall, to attract patrons.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)

Jessica Kartalija has a sneak peak inside this year’s Motor Trend International car show.

Now rolling into the Baltimore Convention Center, it’s the biggest show in town.

“We’re hoping to get thousands of thousands of people down here this weekend to check out the new models,” said Shelbi Okumura of the Motor Trend International Auto Show.

This year, they have everything– from small and sporty, to classic luxury like the Cadillac to the newest and hottest cars to hit the road.

“We have a little of everything. Forty is the new 30 in terms of miles per gallon,” Okumura said.

While some models are consumer-friendly…

“We have small economy cars consumers can check out, plug-in electric vehicles– the Nissan Leaf has been a big hit,” Okumura said.

…others break the bank, like the Acura featured in the movie “Ironman.”

“We also have your luxury models from Lexus and Jaguar,” Okumura said.

Some of the cars making their motor trend debut include the Chevy Sonic, Hyundai Veloster and Ford Focus.

The car show officially opens to the public Thursday and is in Baltimore until Sunday.

Tickets are $10 for adults and the event is free for children under six years of age.

For more information on the car show, click here.

Gov. Martin O’Malley announced the Sustainable Communities Tax Credit for the theater on Tuesday.

Owners James “Buzz” Cusack and his daughter, Kathleen Lyon, plan a restoration that will preserve the original cinema, which has been a North Baltimore landmark since 1939, and add three screens and a small restaurant.

Cusack tells the Baltimore Sun that his proposal was “significantly different” from an unsuccessful submission to the Maryland Historical Trust a year ago. That delay in the tax credit put restoration plans on hold.

He says the theater will close temporarily to complete renovations in time for the big holiday movies.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Andrea Fujii tells us it’s bound to bring in the crowds.

Besides the thrill of the race at the Preakness Stakes, big name bands at InfieldFest are also attracting crowds. Pop-rock band Maroon 5 and hip-hop star Wiz Khalifa are this year’s headliners.

“When you take into account the Preakness is one of the greatest races in the world today and factor in the other things we’re trying to do specifically with the band, it’s a can’t miss,” said Tom Chuckas, Maryland Jockey Club President.

Ticket sales dropped in 2009 to just 78,000 after race organizers banned alcohol on the infield.

But with big name musical acts, Preakness organizers are now building on a growing audience.

Last year, Bruno Mars and Train were the entertainment. Nearly 110,000 were in attendance.

“If you look at what we’re doing in the infield we’ve made no bones about it, it’s a party,” said Chuckas.

Prices are reduced this weekend. It will cost you $40 for infield tickets and $60 for a MUG Club package, in which fans will receive a souvenir mug for unlimited refills of beer. Monday after 7:30 a.m., prices will return to $50 for infield tickets and $70 for MUG Club packages.

For seating information and ticket reservations, click here. Tickets can be bought by calling the Preakness sales office at 410-542-9400 or 877-206-8042 or at TicketMaster.

This year’s Preakness is May 19.

Gigi Barnett explains why countless others may never have a chance to see it.

“He was the Martin Luther King of Maryland.”

The independently-produced documentary– shown for the first time at the University of Maryland Medical School Thursday– charts the path of one of Baltimore’s prominent civil rights leaders.

During the early ’60s and ’70s, Baltimore was called “Up South,” and Walter Carter set the movement on fire.

Carter headed the Baltimore arm of the Congress for Racial Equality, also called CORE.

The 20-minute movie shows how he organized freedom rides on Route 40, staged sit-ins at restaurants and led non-violent protests to open up city parks to blacks– parks like Gwynn Oak, where dogs were allowed and blacks were banned.

John Anglim is one of the film’s producers. His team spent countless hours scouring old video and pictures and talking with Carter’s colleagues.

“He was a giant. He was very soft-spoken, very intellectual and everything,” Anglim explained. “But he had this energy that he was not going to let anything stop him.”

“I always wanted to go out and protest with him,” Baltimore Delegate Jill Carter said.

Carter is the civil right’s leader’s daughter. Her father died when she was seven.

“I remember when he died, was confused because I didn’t know who’s going to liberate Baltimore now,” she said.

Much of the material in the film is already copyrighted. Without big-dollar sponsors, this may be the first and last showing of the movie.

“I’d love for students to be able to have access to it,” Del. Jill Carter said. “Especially the students in the Walter P. Carter School. So maybe they can do more showings at more forums such as this.”

The filmmakers got the idea to produce a documentary about Walter Carter because his name graces the mental health hospital at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Carter died in 1971. His name is still very prominent in the city. A school, daycare center and college library are all named in his honor.

He talked to Andrea Fujii about how he enjoys performing for a hometown crowd.

“If I were a rich man…” is one of the most recognizable songs from “Fiddler on the Roof,” and the deep voice behind it spent years in the Baltimore area.

“I’ve got a good number of people coming to see the show.  It’s going to be great. It’s going to be good. I’m looking forward to it,” said John Preece, actor.

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Preece most recently lived in Catonsville.

He’s played the musical’s main character Tevye nearly 1,800 times.

“It’s probably one of the best written roles in musical theater.  You get to go through the full range of emotions,” Preece said.

“Fiddler on the Roof” is about a humble milkman and father as he experiences life’s challenges in Russia’s early 1900s. Preece has performed in his hometown four times.

And for anyone who hasn’t yet seen the musical live, “One of the things about this show is this is history.  This is something that everybody can relate to because there’s something in it that affects everybody’s lives,” Preece said.

“Fiddler on the Roof” will be playing at the Lyric Opera House through Saturday.

Preece currently lives in Illinois. He has also produced and directed more than 35 musicals.

Kai Jackson has more on the legacy left behind by TV host Don Cornelius.

He was the charismatic and bespeckled host of “Soul Train” with a trademark baritone voice.

“When we started to believe that we had something is like the day Aretha Franklin walked in the door,” Cornelius said of Soul Train.

Yet fans and entertainers were stunned to learn Soul Train founder Don Cornelius died Wednesday inside his Sherman Oaks, Calif. home, apparently the victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Music producer and friend Quincy Jones says Cornelius was a pioneer, a visionary and a giant.

“He gave them something that put a positive image on young black people,” Hall of Fame singer Smokey Robinson said.

Sky Eye Chopper 13 was in Woodlawn after radio stations asked fans to stop by to pay tribute to Cornelius.

At the Radio One stations in Woodlawn in Baltimore County, DJs reflected on Cornelius’ impact on the music industry. They say finding people with the same passion and vision that he had will be difficult.

“He’s gonna be missed, but you can’t describe him because everything he did was groundbreaking,” Konan, 92Q Radio DJ, said.

The TV show started in 1971 and spanned four decades of American music, bringing now legendary African-American acts to living room TVs with an iconic dance line featuring groundbreaking moves.

“Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, Al Green– all of them. I was right there in front of the television as a little girl,” Dina Oliver from Catonsville said.

“Soul Train brought black music to everywhere and everyone,” E. Kane, a 92Q DJ, explained. “And not just inner cities. It reached the outskirts and middle America.”

Soul Train was one of the longest running shows in television history.

Mary Bubala reports the audience is in for quite a ride down celebrity lane.

When the show starts, she’s in her pajamas.

Fisher sets the stage by talking about her famous parents, Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. He left her mom for Elizabeth Taylor in a huge scandal, which she quickly brings home for the younger audience.

“Think of Eddie as Brad Pitt, Debbie as Jennifer Aniston, and Elizabeth as Angelina Jolie,” Fisher said.

Fisher’s one woman show called “Wishful Drinking” is an honest, funny and sobering look at life as a celebrity.

“You are only as sick as your secrets, so I should be fine now,” she said.

Fisher spoke with WJZ at the Hippodrome, where she’s performing in her show through next week.

“It is fun to connect with people,” Fisher said. “What you want to do is talk to the best part of them, from the best part of yourself.”

Fisher, of course, talks about the mania surrounding her role as Princess Leia and all the by-products of it.

“I was a soap, which read lather up with Leia, and you’ll feel like a princess yourself,” she says in her woman show.

“No one would look anything but bizarre in that hair,” she said. “If that was a flattering hairstyle you would see it.”

Fisher delves into her battle with depression, using humor– of course– and the audience.

“I quiz them to determine whether or not they are mentally ill,” she said. “Because we throw people out if they are, which means I’m thrown out. If my life wasn’t funny, it would just be true and that’s really unacceptable,” Fisher said.

You’ll notice that Fisher looks different from the video of her show. She’s a spokeswoman for Jenny Craig and lost 50 pounds last year.

“Wishful Drinking” runs through Feb. 12. Tickets are still available.

On Wednesday, Eastwood will visit the museum to help dedicate the new Warner Bros. Theater as a new space to present the history of Hollywood. Warner Bros. Entertainment donated $5 million in 2010 to renovate the old Carmichael Auditorium into a modern theater with 3D projection capability.

On Friday, the museum will open a three-day film festival to highlight the work of Humphrey Bogart with free screenings of “Casablanca,” “The Maltese Falcon” and other films.

 Eastwood, 81, will be awarded the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal for his distinguished contributions.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Ron Matz  reports on why customers and employees can’t wait for Monday night when the diner goes prime time.

There’s good eating at the Boulevard Diner, especially the desserts.

The Boulevard and its desserts will be in the national spotlight Monday night with Guy Fieri on the Food Network.

“There was a lot of food preparation. Before Guy got here I was a wreck. I was nervous and excited at the same time, but it was a lot of fun,” said Marc Tsakiris, general manager of the Boulevard Diner. “Guy was funny. He was always cracking jokes and making fun of me a couple of times. He was trying to get laughs from me and the crew to make it more relaxing. After working with him for five or 10 minutes, I was more at ease.”

Waitress Melissa Kline says she too was a bundle of nerves while meeting the big star.

“I was really nervous to meet Guy. I didn’t know how he would be like. He’s actually a down-to-earth fun guy, just like you see on TV,” said Kline.  “I would say it’s the most exciting thing. I’m proud of them and they’re great people to work for.”

It will be a proud night for Dundalk and beyond, as the Boulevard gets ready for its close-up on “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”

“We had some customers that really loved our place and they emailed and called the Food Network.  They were pretty persistent because we got a lot of calls.  The producer called and said they decided to come in,” said Tsakiris.

In the old days, the Boulevard Diner was the House of Neptune, owned by Tsakiris’ grandfather.

“I’m really proud that we’re on. My grandfather would be real proud. He had the old House of Neptune here. I think it’s going to be great for the business and great for the town, too,” said Tsakiris.

The episode was taped over two days back in November.

Gigi Barnett explains the plan to bring businesses back to the area.

Baltimore County said it is called Towson Circle III and it is expected to bring more customers and jobs to the county seat.

Several large stores and entertainment venues shut down in Towson. Vacant and abandoned, the Towson Commons Theaters was once a bright spot in Towson.

A sluggish economy hit it hard and the theater closed last year.

“Every time I went, it was empty or it was never any movies that I wanted to see or anything like that,” Carissa Veath said.

But Friday, county leaders broke out the popcorn to celebrate the unveiling of this: a new multi-million dollar entertainment center– developed by the Cordish Company– in the heart of Towson.

“We deserve the finest in our county seat and I think that’s what we’re going to get in this project,” Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz said.

Kamenetz says the new theaters take up about four acres with 16 state-of-the-art screens and large parking garage attached. It will ultimately create more than 1,500 jobs.

The project had been in the works for years, but stalled. Now, the Cordish Company says it’s time to build it despite a slow economy.

“We think it’s a terrific time. Our country needs more going on right now. We need the jobs. We think that the market’s there,” Blake Cordish, vice president of the Cordish Company, said.

So far, five restaurants have already signed on to the $85 million project. Some Towson business owners say this is just what the area needs.

“I’m hoping that Towson grows and becomes revitalized, goes back to what it used to be 30 years ago,” James Kahn said.

Kahn opened his restaurant– S&J Crab Ranch — three months ago. It’s right across the street from the old Towson Commons. He says the traffic to and from the theater will draw more customers to him.

“We need more businesses in Towson. More other businesses offering different things,” Kahn said.

Kamenetz is calling this a coup for Towson because Cinemark Theaters has signed on to manage the complex. Meanwhile, the Cordish Company said they will break ground in the next few months.

The new theater complex opens in 2014.

The play starring Edward Gero has its formal opening Thursday. Previews of the show sold out early, and Arena Stage has extended the run until March 11.

“Red” was the most honored play at the 2010 Tony Awards, winning the honor for best play and five others. The play set in the 1950s explores Rothko and his dilemma over whether to accept a rich commission to paint murals for a swanky restaurant.

The National Gallery of Art is showing three of Rothko’s paintings for the so-called Seagram Mural Project depicted in the play. The museum is the largest repository of Rothko’s work.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Andrea Fujii shows us a new program that kicked off Wednesday.

Singer Mario is outspoken when it comes to his mother, who was a heroin addict. Now, through his “Mario Do Right Foundation,” the Baltimore native is taking what he’s learned to the classroom.

“This is his way of not only giving back, but it’s therapeutic for him as well,” said Kevin Shird, Mario Do Right Foundation.

The tenth-grader– whose identity WJZ is concealing– is one of 12 middle and high schoolers from the “REACH! School” participating program.

She’s here because of her mother.

“Sometimes it’d be on my mind like, ‘Why is she drinking like that?’ It’d make no sense,” the student said.

Mario hopes the 15-week course will allow students to share their struggles of living with a family member’s addiction while promoting a drug-free lifestyle.

“Preventive measures show kids what that could do to your life personally and how to deal with that so that you don’t fall into the same situation,” principal Michael Frederick said.

Every so often, Mario will talk to the students through Skype and even join the course in person.

For many of these students, more than the singer’s involvement, it’s a way to get through the pain.

“It lets me know that I’m not the only one going through something,” a student explained.

After the 15-week course, the students will be mentored for another two years.

Mary Bubala reports she won a contest and got a surprise send-off.

It’s not every day Ray Rice shows up at your front door. But Tuesday, as captured by our media partner the Baltimore Sun, Rice surprised Joanne McShalley at her Parkville home to congratulate her for winning a national contest that’s sending her to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii this weekend.

“It’s like Publishers Clearing House showing up at my door,” McShalley said.

“She’s always going to be a winner for what she’s done in her community, and it means the world to me because this is the time now that I get to get out into the community,” Rice said.

McShalley was named P&G Super Parent for her commitment to raising active kids and her community involvement.

McShalley’s son is an eighth-grader at Immaculate Heart of Mary in Towson, a school Rice visited in December after it won an NFL Play 60 contest.

McShalley found out she also won that day, but with the help of hundreds of votes she was named the ultimate P&G Super Parent and is now going to the Pro Bowl.

Rice won’t be there but he practiced his skills on Madden with McShalley’s son, who’s also headed to Hawaii.

“You represent us out there, and when you come back to Baltimore, I will be online waiting for you, laughing,” Rice said.

Both Rice and Terrell Suggs announced Tuesday they are not going to the Pro Bowl.

McShalley and her family will assist in NFL Play 60 activities.

Poe House and Museum Curator Jeff Jerome said early Thursday that die-hard fans waited hours past when the tribute bearer normally arrives. But the “Poe Toaster” was a no-show for a third year in a row, leaving another unanswered question in a mystery worthy of the writer’s legacy. Poe fans had said they would hold one last vigil this year before calling an end to the tradition.

“It’s over with,” Jerome said wearily. “It will probably hit me later, but I’m too tired now to feel anything else.”

It is thought that the tributes of an anonymous man wearing black clothes with a white scarf and a wide-brimmed hat, who leaves three roses and a half-empty bottle of cognac at Poe’s original grave on the writer’s birthday, date to at least the 1940s. Late Wednesday, a crowd gathered outside the gates of the burial ground surrounding Westminster Hall to watch for the mysterious visitor, yet only three impersonators appeared, Jerome said.

The gothic master’s tales of the macabre still connect with readers more than 200 years after his birth, including his most famous poem, “The Raven,” and short stories such as “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Pit and the Pendulum.” Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is considered the first modern detective story.

Jerome, who was first exposed to Poe through Vincent Price’s movies, believes people still identify with Poe’s suffering and his lifelong dream to be a poet. He has kept a vigil for the “Poe Toaster” each year since 1978 and built up a team of other dedicated Poe fans who stay awake all night to scan the shadows of the burial ground for the visitor.

“I’ve been part of a ritual that people around the world read about,” he said. “I’ll miss it.”

One Poe tradition may have ended, but Jerome said a reading of tributes by Poe fans at the gravesite planned for Thursday night may develop into a new ritual to mark the writer’s birthday.

Jerome says that wherever he travels, he’s asked whether the “Poe Toaster” is real. He believes the mystery of the “Poe Toaster” tradition will remain in the public consciousness despite the end of the visits.

That mystery is what has kept Jessica Marxen, 33, a programmer from Randallstown coming back to watch for the “Poe Toaster” for years. She and her sister Jeannette, 31, an administrative assistant, got involved after Jerome visited their high school and recruited them as volunteers at the Poe House. Though she has watched for the “Poe Toaster” for years, Jessica Marxen said she wouldn’t want to know who he is.

“There are so few mysteries,” she said. “It’s a throwback to a more romantic time when people could have secrets.”

Poe, who was born in Boston, lived in Baltimore, London, New York, Philadelphia and Richmond, Va. During a visit to Baltimore in 1849, he died under mysterious circumstances at age 40. The cause of his death has been the subject of much speculation over the years, with theories ranging from murder to rabies.

Poe was buried in his grandfather’s lot in Westminster Burial Ground, in what is now downtown Baltimore. In 1875, his body and that of his aunt and mother-in-law Maria Clemm were moved to a prominent spot by the entrance with a memorial marker. The body of his young wife and cousin, Virginia, was exhumed and reburied with him 10 years later.

Baltimore recently cut funding for the museum at the row house where Poe lived with relatives from 1832 to 1835, before he found fame as a writer. It must close if it does not become self-sustaining by June.

The city plans to release a recommended business plan by the end of March.

The annual graveside tribute was first mentioned in print in 1950 as an aside in an article that appeared in The Evening Sun of Baltimore about an effort to restore the cemetery, Jerome said.

When Jerome spoke to older members of the congregation that once worshiped at the church, they recalled hearing about a visitor in the 1930s.

The visitor has occasionally left notes with his tributes, but they haven’t offered much insight into the identity of the “Poe Toaster.” A few indicated the tradition passed to a new generation before the original visitor’s death in the 1990s, and some even mentioned the Iraq War and Baltimore Ravens football team, which was named for Poe’s poem.

The vigil inside the former church is closed to the public, but over the years, a crowd has gathered outside the gates to watch.

After the “Poe Toaster” failed to show in 2010, last year’s vigil attracted impersonators, including a man who arrived in a limo and a few women.

The crowd outside the gates of the burial ground into Thursday morning was more respectful than last year. Even the impersonators were more solemn, perhaps because of the sense that this could be the last vigil, according to Sherri Weaver, 40, of Randallstown, who works in finance. Weaver and a few dozen others — some from as far away as California and Chicago — braved a windy night with temperatures around 30 degrees, hoping to catch a glimpse of the mystery visitor.

“Some people held out some optimism, but this may be the end,” she said as dawn approached and it was becoming clear that the “Poe Toaster” was not showing up for a third time. “People know this is not a fluke, it’s a quiet end.”

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Monique Griego has more on a Baltimore boy who’s taking the eyewear world by storm.

Crazy costumes and over-the-top accessories are part of what’s made Lady Gaga a superstar. But before the purple-studded glasses went on tour with her around the world, they were created right on the floor of a downtown Baltimore loft.

“Well, I design everything here in Baltimore City,” said Stevie Boi.

Boi may not be a household name just yet, but the 22-year-old accessories designer has carved his way to the top of a celebrity trend that’s seen high fashion eyewear take a turn for the extravagant.

“I feel like I can create little, tiny art pieces that people can wear,” he said.

Boi started designing two years ago, using his eye for unique fashion to create studded and spiked sunglasses. It wasn’t long before one pair ended up on the cover of a magazine.

“That was my big moment, and then 20 other people followed– as in celebrities,” Boi said.

Now his lenses can be seen on the biggest names in music, celebrities, reality stars, and on the pages of high fashion magazines.

He even designed the ones seen in Lady Gaga’s video, “Love Game.”

Boi is working on a collection that’s going to be coming to a retail store near you.

But even with everything he has in the works, Boi isn’t blinded by success.

“I’m so focused and motivated for the next project,” he said.

And this Baltimore Boi has no plans to leave Charm City.

“I love it here, I don’t want to leave. No reason to,” he said.

Boi is in the process of making several pairs of glasses for Madonna and says he even recently designed some for Bette Midler.

A pair of glasses can cost anywhere from $50 to thousands of dollars.

For more information on where you can find Boi’s creations, click here.

The rose and cognac tributes of an anonymous man in black — dubbed the “Poe Toaster” — are thought to date to at least the 1940s. Notes left with the tributes indicate the tradition passed to a new generation in the 1990s.

But the visitor hasn’t appeared since 2009 and was a no-show the last two years. Last year’s vigil attracted impostors, including a man who arrived in a limo.

Poe House and Museum Curator Jeff Jerome says he’ll wait one last time overnight Wednesday before calling an end to the tradition.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

The unusual exhibit opens March 16, and will be on view in Washington through Sept. 30. “The Art of Video Games” will focus on the graphics, technology and storytelling of some of the best games for systems ranging from Atari to the PlayStation 3.

It will include 80 video games that were selected with help from the public who voted online last year.

The museum announced Tuesday that the exhibit will also tour to several sites across the country, including Boca Raton, Fla., Seattle, Yonkers, N.Y., Flint, Mich., and Memphis, Tenn.

Chris Melissinos, former chief evangelist and chief gaming officer for Sun Microsystems, is guest curator for the exhibit.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

For decades, a mysterious man left a three roses and cognac on Edgar Allan Poe’s grave to mark the anniversary of the writer’s birth. But after the visitor, dubbed the “Poe Toaster,” failed to appear two years in a row, Poe fans are planning one last vigil this week before calling an end to the annual Jan. 19 tradition.

The gothic master’s tales of the macabre still connect with readers more than 200 years after his birth, including his most famous poem, “The Raven,” and short stories including “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Pit and the Pendulum.” Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is considered the first modern detective story.

Poe House and Museum Curator Jeff Jerome, who has kept watch for the “Poe Toaster” since 1978, believes that it’s Poe’s suffering and his lifelong dream to be a poet that people still relate to.

While the midnight tribute has a touch of the theatrical, it’s also an honest expression, Jerome said. Wherever Jerome travels in the world, he said when people find out what he does, they want to know whether the “Poe Toaster” is real.

“It’s such an innocent, such a touching tribute,” Jerome said. “People are so captivated by the warmth of the message.”

Poe lived for a time in Baltimore, but died in 1849 at age 40 after collapsing in a tavern during a visit to the city years later. He was buried in Westminster Burial Ground, then moved to a more prominent spot in the front of the cemetery in 1875. The rose and cognac tributes of an anonymous man dressed in black with a white scarf and wide-brimmed hat are thought to date back to at least the 1940s.

The vigil inside the former church is closed to the public, but over the years, a crowd has gathered outside the gates to watch. After the “Poe Toaster” failed to show in 2010, last year’s vigil attracted impostors, including a man who arrived in a limo as well as a few women.

The visitor has left notes on occasion. A few indicated that the tradition passed to a new generation after the death of the original “Poe Toaster” in the late 1990s, and some even mentioned politics and sports. Those notes make it even more frustrating for Jerome that there has been no message explaining the absence.

“I would have thought they would leave a note for me saying it was over,” he said. “That does annoy me a little bit, but they are under no obligation to.”

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)