making news on this thursday, december 30th. >> waiting and hoping in california. as the threat of more mudslides looms over an already devastated community. some harsh words here in new york about how long it's taking to move all that snow. new promises are now being made. and the sensitive debate about the baby's first photos. how long should parents have to wait before taking them? good morning, everyone. i'm mike marusarz, in for vinita nair. >> and i'm rob nelson. california's torrential rains are now over. at least for now. but today, residents of the golden state will be cleaning up

and shrivering in the cold instead. >> the desert southwest will be in the deep freeze. emily schmidt has a look at our weather woes from coast-to-coast. >> reporter: the week-long whiteout continues. first, the east coast. now, the west. truckers in oregon hoped chaining would get them through a storm that shut down roads much of yesterday. southern arizona, of all places, had a rare blizzard warning. >> as soon as i shovel one area, i have to do it again. in about a half an hour. >> reporter: and repetition in california, too. areas hit by rains last week is bracing for more mudslides. california's acting governor wants president obama to declare a major disaster state. >> it's been hectic. people in the backyard all day. we don't know if the mud's coming down. been pretty bad. >> reporter: new york is still covered with monday's snow. the sanitation commissioner promises every street will be plowed by today. critics say, it's too late. >> this was a royal screwup, to use the current terms.

>> reporter: airlines are still cancelling hundreds of flights. >> we can't get there. >> reporter: this north carolina woman won't make her florida cruise. and boston newlyweds won't get to antigua. >> it's hard. >> we had to cancel our honeymoon. >> reporter: airlines say it could take until after january 1st to clear up the blizzard backup. that with a new western storm threatening to flood in salt lake city to minneapolis. emily schmidt, abc news. the ntsb is investigating an intent on a snowy, airport runway. a jet was landing in jackson hole, when it slid more than 600 feet past the runway. 181 people were onboard that plane. thankfully, though, no injuries. the pilot reportedly told passengers the jet's brakes had failed. officials closed the airport when that plane was pushed out of deep snow there. the investigation isn't complete. but it appears that high winds were a factor in the chairlift accident at a maine ski resort. the lift's cable jumped the

track. when sugarloaf workers could fix it to get the skiers off. but not soon enough. five chairs went to the ground. eight people went to the hospital. three are still there. now, with a check of this morning's weather from around the country. a major blast of winter around the rockies. with blizzard warnings in five states. freezing rain in minnesota. mild elsewhere in the midwest. a band of rain from the gulf, up through the ohio valley. fair along the east coast. >> a balmy 40 in new york. 44 in baltimore. 76 in miami. 71 in dallas. 4 in billings. and 16 in fargo. and 59 in l.a. in other news this morning, two bodies have been pulled from the wreckage of a michigan furniture store after an all-day search. investigators believe it was a natural gas explosion that leveled that store. the owner was rescued. and is now in serious condition. but two employees died in the blast. city officials declared a state of emergency. and nearby businesses will be closed indefinitely. overseas, intelligence

officials in denmark say they foiled an imminent terror attack. they say five men were planning to shoot as many people as possible at the newspaper that published those cartoons of the prophet mohammed. the suspects were described as radical islamists with ties to international terror organizations. dozens of former taliban militants have now been released from detention in pakistan. the men are part of a new rehab program, designed to keep them from returning to terrorism. the bbc's eileen maple reports from the swat valley. >> reporter: these men are being freed. they were all taliban recruits. during the fighting last year, they were captured by pakistani soldiers. then, they've been in an army-run rehabilitation center. they include 21-year-old ramon on the right here. he and 45 others graduate. >> these boys started off

militants who were -- they were picked up. they have been put through a process. and they are now going back to the site as useful and productive members of the society. >> reporter: we meet aziz a few days later. back with his family. he says there's one important thing that will stop men like him joining the taliban. since i've been released, i've been doing nothing, he tells us. jobs are even harder to find. if the government helps us get work, we'll all be busy. god willing, there will be peace here. so many places across swat remain in ruins since the fighting. this building was destroyed by the taliban. people here feel that the developments and the money and the rebuilding promises haven't come. many experts believe, if that doesn't change soon, the frustrations could lead more young people to militancy. back here at home, failed

senate candidate, christine to donnell, is now under investigation for misusing campaign funds. the delaware republican and tea party favorite is accused of using the cash for personal expenses, including meals and rent payments. o'donnell says the investigation is politically motivated and suggests the obama administration is behind it. it is a time-honored tradition in many delivery rooms. dad snapping a shot of the new baby a few seconds after birth. but there's a growing controversy, as hospitals are telling fathers to cut it out. here's john donvan. >> reporter: the shiflers of maryland have put it all on videotape, for all of their kids. snapshots, too. but with another baby coming, january 13, their hospital just told them -- >> that we can't take that picture. we can't have those first, initial seconds. >> reporter: it's true. hagerstown, maryland, meritus medical center, new rule. no photography until five minutes after birth. a change a spokesperson says is intended to protect patient privacy and reduce potential staff distractions.

a turn back of the clock for meritus. not quite to the "i love lucy" waiting room era when fathers were banned from seeing what really goes on. but dads have been participating since the 1980s. limits on photography exist all across the nation. and sure, from the staff's point of view, who wants a lens on what can be a delicate and critical procedure? ? bad weather, does a air traffic controller want passengers' families shooting over his shoulder? no. but some malpractice lawyers think the real issue is liability. if something goes wrong, hospitals don't want -- >> a piece of evidence generated that can be used against them in a court of law. they do it to hide the truth. >> it's a beautiful moment that i want to capture. >> reporter: yes, it can be. as we saw when many viewers today shared their kids' birth photos with us. but in hagerstown, maryland, the rule stands. no cameras in the first minutes, meaning the only way to remember will be to remember. john donvan, abc news, washington. and when we come back, just

how much postholiday shopping was put off by the northeast blizzard? the big, with a "b" number is in. it's part of your business news next. and harsh criticism for eagles quarterback, michael vick, who is saying what? that's coming up next. experts from a leading consumer publication

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overseas stock markets were mixed this morning in light of light trading today for the holiday. tokyo's nikkei average fell more than one point today. hong kong's hang seng was up slightly. in london, the ftse opened

higher. and on wall street, the dow added ten points yesterday. the nasdaq gained four points. the blizzard that slammed the northeast took a toll on postholiday shopping. but it's not expected to be a lasting one. new numbers show the storm delayed $1 billion in spending. but strong sales the rest of this week could still make it the best holiday shopping season ever. the number of foreclosures spiked over the summer, as fewer struggling homeowners were able to get help. new figures show that an 11% increase of foreclosures happened in the third quarter. one was a 17% drop of homeowners getting mortgage modifications from banks and government programs. amazon wants to make sure you never get another ugly sweater from grandma or any other unwanted gift again. it has a system, now, that lets people exchange unwanted gifts, even before they get them. unfortunately, it's just an idea.

it's not known when amazon will introduce the feature. we all have those sweaters. >> i like them. >> no comment. when we come back, brett favre is ready to write a check to the nfl. and the airlines under fire these days. all while still raking in the big bucks. these days, profits seem to be at odds with personal service. we seek some answers, coming up next. what's going on? we ordered a gift online and we really need to do something with it... i'm just not sure what... what is it? oh just return it. returning gifts is easier than ever with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. plus i can pick it up for free. perfect because we have to get that outta this house. c'mon, it's not that... gahh, oh yeah that's gotta go... priority mail flat rate shipping only from the postal service. a simpler way to ship and return. took some foolish risks as a teenager. but i was still taking a foolish risk with my cholesterol.

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for i-40 and i-75. and foggy around minneapolis and des moines. >> and if you are flying today, expect airport delays in l.a., salt lake, las vegas, phoenix and denver. as well as in minneapolis, chicago and new orleans. well, it seems to be most frustrating to stranded airline passengers, still plenty of them, is the lack of customer service. it all comes at a time for giant profits for the airline industry. >> so, where is all that money going? we asked dan harris to find out. >> reporter: jet blue made $148 million in profits in the third quarter of this year, more than twice what it made last year. and yet, when we tried to call the customer service line today, we got this message. >> this call will end now. but we look forward to helping you as soon as we can. >> reporter: they just hung up. continental airlines made $412 million in profits in the third quarter, up nearly ten-fold. and here's what we heard when we called. >> we apologize for the

inconvenience. and thanks for calling continental. good-bye. >> reporter: we were able to get through to the other major airlines. but at least one customer service rep admitted we got lucky. so, me reaching you in ten minutes is good? this travel morass comes at a time when the major carriers are seeing soaring profits because of higher prices. many raised prices by 20 bucks just this week. and new fees on everything from checked luggage, to booking a ticket over the phone, to pillows and blankets. making matters worse, the airlines are offering fewer flights these days. and they've cut their workforce by more than 150,000 people over the last 10 years, leaving fewer actual humans to man the phones. and during a crisis like this, kiosks and websites often do not cut it. >> the temperatures for the blizzard may have been freezing. but customer service at the airlines has melted down. >> reporter: we tried to call the spokespeople for many major airlines. is there anybody we could interview there about customer service issues related to the storm? nobody would talk to us on

camera. off camera, however, airline officials told us, they know they've had a rough couple of days. but they're now employs, quote, unquote, extreme measures to help everybody who needs it. dan harris, abc news, new york. two sisters are being freed from their life prison sentences in mississippi, thanks to an unusual transplant agreement. gladys scott's release is contingent on donating a kidney to jamie, her sister, who requires dialysis on a daily basis. protesters had been pushing for the release for quite a while. the sisters were sentenced to life after an armed robbery that netted them $11. they've already served 16 years behind bars. michael vick and the philadelphia eagles are soaring high right now. but the quarterback is going to the pro bowl. they're celebrating that and that playoff berth. >> but fox news analyst, tucker carlson, michael vick, quote,

should have been executed, not just jailed, for running a dogfighting ring. he's also upset that president obama supports giving vick a second chance. some people are saying the nfl is only slapping brett favre on the wrist. the league is fining favre $50,000, all in connection with a sexual harassment charges. >> that's only because he didn't cooperate with the nfl's investigation. the league said it couldn't decide if favre really did send lewd photos and messages to a former jets hostess. there's not enough evidence, the commissioner said. the fine is about what favre earns in just five minutes of game time. >> interesting breakdown. >> perspective. time for last night's hoops highlights. we get those from ducis rodgers at espn news. >> good morning. what's wrong with the defending champion lakers? three-straight losses, all by at least 15 points. last night, kobe and company, taking on the new orleans hornets. third quarter action.

pau gasol finds bryant open. lakers take a 67-43 lead. later on in the third quarter, kobe, hitting the jumper. 20 for him. lakers up by 24. we go to the fourth quarter. lamar odom or mr. khloe kardashi kardashian. the lakers win 103-88. they snap that ugly, three-game skid. how about the heat in houston to take on the rocket. dwyane wade, coming off the 40-point performance against the knicks. first quarter, wade, three ball. gets the friendly roll on the road. wade with 24 first-half points. fourth quarter action now. wade, deuce and the damage. heat, up by eight. more wade in the fourth quarter. in fact, wade goes absolutely off. 45 points. he now has 30 career 40-point games. and the heat go on to win, 125-119. their tenth-straight win on the

road. to the college game. coach k., going for win number 880. as duke takes on unc greensboro. first-half action. nolan smith, three ball. took it. duke up by 13. second half, kyle singler, he'll hit a three. 27 for him. duke cruising, 65-38. they never trailed in this game. back to noah smith. sticky fingers here. duke wins 108-62. coach k. passes steve smith for second place on the all-time division i coaches list. that will do it for me. i'm ducis rodgers. have yourself a good day. we know some surfers can be a little nuts sometimes. they'll ride the big waves in all kinds of weather. even when a hurricane's coming in. but the pro surfers out in munich, they may take the prize. >> not only has this been one of the harshest winters in germany. but munich is not close to an

ocean. so, they hang ten on one of the rivers. that's challenging. not much space. >> good practice for the real thing. braver than i am. coming up next, the stories we'll be following on this thursday, including a race against time here in new york. and some new rules at the vatican, as the catholic church seeks to become a bit more transparent. stick around. i have asthma. and when my symptoms came back i'd get this tightness in my chest. so i went back to my doctor again. we chose symbicort to help control my asthma symptoms all day and night. [ man ] symbicort improves my lung function, starting within 15 minutes. symbicort will not replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. it is a combination of two medicines and should not be taken more often than prescribed. symbicort contains formoterol. medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems, and children and adolescents may have an increased risk of being hospitalized for asthma problems. symbicort is not for people whose asthma is well controlled with a long-term asthma control medicine like inhaled corticosteroids.

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and now, a look ahead to the stories we'll be watching on this thursday. new york city's mayor is battling the snow and criticism for how he's handled the storm. officials promise that every, last street in the city will be plowed by this morning, four days after the blizzard. the residents of southern california have today and tomorrow to clean up from the mud and rain from the past two major rainstorms. it's all before a third one arrives this weekend. the threat of mudslides could last all winter. the vatican is issuing new rules, designed to make its finances a little more transparent, after an embarrassing probe into money laundering there. and at least one streak will end tonight, when the university of connecticut women's basketball team visits stanford. uconn has won 90-straight games. stanford has won 51-straight at home. here in new york, yankee stadium has been cleared of the snow, ahead of this afternoon's pinstripe bowl. they are playing the first game

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and finally, a heart warming story about a 9-year-old girl who has raised more than $15,000 for sick kids. >> and that's not just this

year. she's not just done just yet. our david muir recently spoke to her. >> reporter: so, katie. you're just 9 years old, right? >> yes. i'm 9 years old. and i raise money for children in the hospital. >> reporter: i know that. this is an incredible story. you started when you were just -- >> 6 years old. >> reporter: what made you start back when you were 6? >> well, i was in a store. and i picked up this toy. and all of a sudden, i had this idea. and so, it's just gone off. and i think i'm doing a real good job with it. >> reporter: i've done a little research. i've been tracking your numbers year-to-year. and it's really quite impressive. can you tell me how much you raised that first year that you had this idea. and then, what you've seen since. >> $162, less than two weeks. and then, this year, i raised

$15,708. >> reporter: why have you been such a success story, do you think? i think when you approach people with your story, they can't help but to join the effort, can they? >> right. well, first of all, i'm really hard to turn down. and second of all, they just see that there's a girl trying to help the community. and they think that that's a really good thing to do. >> reporter: is there a moment that sticks out in your mind, about a visit to the hospital? >> we did get to see a child, this year. his name is kevin. and he loves craft. and he loves a very special movie. so, we got him a best buy gift card. and an amazon gift card to go online and have stuff shipped to his room. >> reporter: you're setting an example for us that are much older than you. >> thank you. >> so cute. >> amazing little girl. she's doing a lot of good. that is what's making news in america on this morning. >> coming up