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News Wrap: City Officials Vow to Fight Crime Spike; MD Gen Assembly Has Full Week

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City Officials Vow To Halt Surge In Violence 

City officials are promising to get a handle on the recent spike in violence. The mayor, police commissioner and city state's attorney all spoke out over the weekend after one of the victims of a deadly shooting Saturday turned out to be the nephew of City Council President Jack Young.  Commissioner Anthony Batts gave the mayor a detailed plan on how the BCPD is combating the violence, a plan in which she has expressed confidence. City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby is also vowing to throw the book at repeat offenders.  

According to police, Young’s 29-year-old nephew Steven Jackson was killed by a gunshot on Saturday in the Belair-Edison neighborhood. He was one of three people killed in different incidents in the city on Saturday. Across town, 36-year-old Carla Harrison was stabbed to death in a fight around 1:15 a.m. Saturday on Edmondson Ave., near Franklintown Rd. Another woman was stabbed in the leg during the brawl, suffering non-life-threatening injuries. A 22-year-old woman, Michelle Johnson, was arrested and faces murder and other charges in connection to the stabbings. 

The weekend closed with a shooting last night in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood. A 53-year-old man was shot in the stomach on N. Fulton St. around 6:00 p.m. He was found around the corner and rushed to the hospital. There was no word on his condition. 

The latest deaths pushed Baltimore’s homicide count to 54, eight more than this time last year.

General Assembly Has Full Slate For Final Week        

The General Assembly today begins the final week of its 2015 session. Lawmakers have a lot on their plate with the governor's tax relief legislation, a pair of fracking bills, a charter school measure and the state budget still on the agenda. They return to work at the State House tonight at 8:00 p.m. 

Gas Prices Continue To Slide 

The trip to the gas pump is slightly little less painful these days. AAA says the average cost for a gallon of regular is $2.33, down three cents from a week ago. This time a month ago, drivers were shelling out $2.45 a gallon. 

Orioles Win Season Opener

The Orioles hit three home runs to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 this afternoon in their first game of the season. Chris Tillman took the mound for the first of three games in Florida, giving up just one run over 6 2/3 innings.  The Birds return to Camden Yards this Friday for the home opener against the Blue Jays. 

Terps Women Fall To UConn, Season Ends

The dream is over for the Maryland women’s basketball team. The Terps fell 81-58 to UConn last night in the Final Four from Tampa. Brionna Jones had 14 points for Maryland, who lost just three games all year. Two of the three were to the teams that will play each other tomorrow night for the title, UConn and Notre Dame. 

Phelps Suspension Ends Today 

Baltimore's Michael Phelps will be clear to return to the pool today. The record-setting Olympian served a six-month suspension handed down by USA Swimming following his drunken driving arrest in September. Phelps is expected to compete in a few weeks at the Arena Pro Swim Series event in Mesa, Arizona. That's the same event he competed in last year after a 20 month retirement.