making news this morning, down to the wire. >> the year-long courtship of iowa voters ends tonight. but it's anyone's race. who is certain he's going to win? and which possible winner doesn't actually see himself in the white house? and quiet night, which is a sigh of relief for los angeles, after police lock up the man suspected of torching cars across the city. and winter's here. and today, you will feel it for sure. lake-effect snow, bitter cold, freezing conditions, even all the way down into florida. and good tuesday, morning, everyone. i'm paula faris. >> and i'm rob nelson. it's a big day for democracy. we're hours away from the first voting in the race for the white

house. >> the outcome in iowa is anything but certain. there's three candidates with a realistic shot of winning the caucuses tonight. ron paul, mittromney, and romne santorum, who has seen a recent surge of support. >> abc's t.j. winick is live in des moines, where a year of campaigning comes down to today. good morning, t.j. >> reporter: rob and paula, good morning to you. the race out here has really been like a game of musical chairs. well, the music will stop for good tonight. and as you said, right now, it appears one of three men has a chance at grabbing that final chair. and all of the momentum, as they leave iowa. what's old is new again in iowa, ith mitt romney on top of the polls. the former massachusetts governor continues to tote his chops as a private sector businessman, the cure to america's economic ills. >> i want america to become the economic engine it has been in the past. >> reporter: but the real comeback kid in the heartland may be senator rick santorum,

who didn't register on polls but has seen a last-minute surge. his last day was clearly aimed on romney. >> money doesn't buy iowa. >> rick santorum has a strong message that can reach out to evangelicals. he's one of the few candidates in this race that can speak their language. >> reporter: there's a serious challenge from libertarian darling, ron paul. he draws huge, passionate crowds here. >> are we sick and tire of the expansion of government? doing the things they weren't supposed to do? and forgetting about doing the things they should be doing. >> reporter: despite his popularity in iowa, many believe paul has little chance at the nomi admission a stunning admission the candidate himself made last night on abc's "nightline." >> so, when you lay your head down on the pillow at night, do you see yourself in the oval office? >> not really. >> reporter: along with santorum, vying for iowa's large block of christian conservatives, michele bachmann, rick perry, and newt gingrich. >> we may pull off one of the

great upsets in the history of the iowa caucuses. >> reporter: so, the caucus meetings begin tonight at 7:00 central time. it's then, on to new hampshire for next tuesday's primary, where the remaining candidates will be joined by jon huntsman, who decided not to campaign here. rob and paula? >> the race is still wide-open. why is that? >> reporter: well, it's hard to say right now. as you said, it is wide-open. i think one figure i saw was above 40% of iowa voters still undecided as of yesterday. that's why we've seen about $13 million in campaign ads here on the local air waves. that's why we saw, really, a whirlwind rush around the state here by all of the candidates yesterday, at a time when you would think one of them would have this thing locked up. >> t.j. winick, live in iowa. thanks so very much. >> genuine suspense going into tonight.

could tonight bring a rick santorum surprise? we'll talk to the candidate later on "good morning america." and tonight, during primetime, abc news will have the latest caucus returns, from our team stationed in iowa. all this means we're one week away from the new hampshire primary. and just four days until the abc news debate from manchester, which you can see live, this saturday night, right here on abc, at 9:00 eastern, 6:00 pacific. and winter is finally kicking in from the great lakes to the east coast. >> it is cold out there. after a relatively warm start to the season, a blast of frigid air is streaming through. it has team shivering down in the sunshine state of florida. tahman bradley has the latest from a chilly washington, d.c. >> reporter: this is what winter is supposed to look like. after an unusually warm december, a winter chill is sweeping across the eastern half of the u.s., causing heavy snow in some places. from maine, to florida, to the middle of the country, millions of americans are waking up to frigid temperatures. it's the first, big cold blast

of the season. >> definitely happy to see the snow. >> we have been very spoiled. it's been nice. hopefully it will be short-lived. >> reporter: the weather is causing a mess for drivers returning from vacation or heading back to work. the highways around chicago look like an ice rink. in kentucky, a 30-car pileup on i-75. in indiana, an 18-vehicle crash. in coconut creek, florida, there's a scramble to save butterflies. workers at butterfly world brought thousands of butterflies indoors. >> when it gets below freezing, they freeze like little ice cubes. >> reporter: for many, like vacationsers at this ski resort in tennessee, the cold is welcome. >> we got the word there's going to be snow. we can't wait. >> reporter: workers that count on snow are relieved to see the white stuff and hope it stays on the ground. >> taking a hit this year. unless it keeps snowing until april or something. >> reporter: while a big portion of the country freezes,

california residents are enjoying unusually warm temps, with some finding the sun on the beach. >> a perfect day to go for a bike ride. >> reporter: tahman bradley, abc news, washington. >> some very lucky folks in southern california. here's the forecast where you are today. another six inches of snow around the great lakes, from grand rapids to cleveland. up to two feet of lake-effect snow with whiteout conditions near buffalo and syracuse, new york. some mountain snowshowers from tennessee, down to north carolina. some chilly air spreads from the midwest to the northeast. and all the way down to florida. also, rain from seattle to portland. and heavy snow in the cascades. >> 46 in boise. and 61 in sacramento. 20s from minneapolis to detroit. 30s from boston all the way to atlanta. just 57 in miami. and 48 in new orleans. and coming up after the break, a makeover for cheerios. then, l.a. police arrest the man they call the most dangerous arsonist in the city's history. also, a mystery at a royal retreat.

how did a body end up on the queen's estate?

welcome back, everyone. the outlook for consumer spending this year is mediocre. although, holiday shopping was up this year, that doesn't mean consumer spending is going to stay strong. economists say shoppers and retailers went out on a limb for christmas. and consumers will remain cautious now that the sales are over. the auto industry, however, is on track for a second-straight year of growth. it's the result of easier

credit, low interest rates, and demand and the aging of the cars and trucks on the road. the sales were below 14 million vehicles, close to what experts consider a healthy market. as the economy recovers, men are claiming more than two-thirds of the jobs created in the private sector. more than 1.2 million in 12 months. that's compared to 600,000 for women. and many of the new jobs taken by men are in retailing. that's a field traditionally dominated by women. overseas markets are up on good manufacturing news from europe and china. tokyo's nikkei average was closed today. hong kong's hang seng jumped 443 points. in london, the ftse opened higher. and on wall street, the dow opens the new year above 12,000, too. american airlines didn't have enough trouble. scammers are sending out phony e-mail messages as if they came from the airline. one says a recipient came from a

flight. another offers $50 for taking a survey. both are fishing for personal information. and a breakfast staple is rolling out new varieties this month. cheerios will introduce a multigrain peanut butter flavor. also, dulce deleche or caramel cheerios will make their debut, as well. coming up next after the break, in his own words. a utah father thanks the heroes who saved him and his kids from almost certain death. and a big day of bowls. an exciting overtime duel in the desert. highlights coming up from espn. ♪ i think i'll grab me a bowl and spoon now ♪ ♪ crispy flakes calling my name ♪ ♪ i'm hungry now. ♪ ♪ who can resist those honey kissed bunches. ♪ ♪ gotta get a bowl, get me some of that yaaaaay! ♪

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a powerful storm has dumped more than 15 inches of snow in parts of michigan, as temperatures continue to plunge, chunks of ice are clinging to everything. drivers are sliding off slick roads. and even snowplow drivers need a helping hand. >> you're a michigan girl. do you miss all that? >> i kind of do. >> really? >> i love doing snow angels. now, for a look at your morning road conditions, everybody. snow on i-90, from gary, indiana, to albany, new york. icy on parts of i-40, from knoxville to asheville. also, rain drenches i-5, from seattle to portland. snow, on i-84 and 90 in the cascades. >> if you're flying, airport delays are possible in the northeast, in boston, new york and philadelphia. there's been no suspicious car fires overnight in los angeles now that a suspect is finally in custody. >> police arrested a 24-year-old man from germany in connection with a series of arson attacks, which had kept residents on-edge. abc's david wright has more from los angeles.

>> reporter: the prime suspect now charged with arson was arrested on sunset boulevard. sources directly involved with the case tell abc news, one of the first things he said was, i hate america. >> he's got this big smile on his face. like he's the joker or something. >> reporter: a rookie sheriff's deputy was the first to spot the suspect, driving a minivan with canadian license plates. matching the description of a vehicle seen at some of the fires. investigators tell abc news, a search of the van turned up flammable materials matching what sparked the fires. police also noticed that pony tail. grainy images from security cameras showed a man with a pony tail, too, leaving a parking garage, where a car was set on fire. >> the driver was detained. and investigators with arson task force were notified. subsequent to interviewing this individual, he was placed under arrest. >> reporter: a total of 55 fires since last week. set in a five-mile swath up the

middle of town. so many blazes, authorities weren't sure if they were dealing with one firebug or a series of copycats. most parted in carports or garages. some spread to nearby buildings before fire crews could get them under control. the big unanswered question is why? sources tell abc news, the suspect's mother is about to be deported. sources say he's a german national and his mother's deportation hearing took place a week and a half ago. david wright, abc news, sherman oaks, california. an iraq war veteran suspected in the killing of a mt. rainier park ranger has been found dead inside that park. police say he likely froze to death after being on the run in waist-high snow. his body was found clad only in a t-shirt, jeans and one sneaker. police said he shot the ranger on sunday and then ran off into the woods. what started out as a winter getaway for queen

elizabeth and her family at her estate, has turned into a full-blown murder mystery. a dog walker discovered human remains in a wooded area, less than a mile from the royal residence. investigators have sealed off that area, which is a popular tourist attraction. a utah dad said one second, he was driving to a ski resort with his kids. the next, they were upside down, submerged in an icy river. roger anderson, his son, daughter and another child were trapped in that car. he thought it was all over. but then, some good samaritans showed up and scrambled to save the unconscious children. >> they jumped in and responded. and they made all the difference for our family. easis very easin a funeral for four of us here this week, instead of a happy time. and a time of great and and gratitude. >> anderson says he's amazed that these complete strangers never hesitated at all to jump in there and help out.

the children were hospitalized and treated for hyperthermia. this morning, they're all back at home. >> can't get enough of stories like that. in sports, the bowl bonanza continue tonight. michigan, go blue, and the sugar bowl. there were six games yesterday. we get some of the highlights from espn news. >> good morning. and welcome to your espn news update. i'm zubin mehenti. an instant class nick the desert. the tostitos fiesta bowl. andrew luck, taking on oklahoma state. whedon, third touchdown of the game. we're tied at 31-31. later in the fourth, cowboys down seven. joseph randall. not anymore. 26th touchdown of the year, ties it. three seconds to go. jordan williamson, a chance to be a hero. 35-yard field goal for the win. it's wide left. we head to overtime. after he missed again, in that first extra session, this is quinn sharp. 23 yards to put himself into

cowboy lore. oklahoma state got it. they win the tostitos fiesta bowl. at the rose bowl in pasadena, oregon and wisconsin, oregon down seven. not anymore. de'anthony thomas takes it up the middle. he's gone for the touchdown. 155 yards on the day. longest touchdown run in rose bowl history. we're tied at 14-14. fourth quarter, oregon down three. darron thomas rolls right. finds the back of the end zone. oregon back on top. nine seconds to go. wisconsin down seven. no time-outs. russell millson, 34 yards before he's upended at the 25. the clock stops with two seconds to go. wisconsin looking to spike the ball. but the umpire starts the clock before russell wilson can get off the snap. just like that, oregon wins its first bowl game for chip kelly.

that is your espn news update. i'm zubin mehenti. have a great day. >> bowl season, in full effect. love it. >> that's right. big ten. coming up next, "the pulse" this morning. which pro athlete admits she doesn't like sports? and divorce drama for deion sanders and his wife. both refusing to leave their mansion. is it big enough for the both of them? i had enough of feeling embarrassed about my skin. [ designer ] enough of just covering up my moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. i decided enough is enough.

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welcome back, everybody. time to check out "the pulse," the stories you'll be talking about on this tuesday morning. >> the coast guard in england, raced to the water's edge after getting a call about a body. it was the body. the body of an e.t. replica. >> the replica had been stolen during a robbery last year. the 76-year-old woman who lost e.t. said she knew he would come home. e.t.'s a man of his word. she's won 13 grand slam tennis titles. but serena williams says she doesn't particularly love the game. >> williams, who was known for the colorful outfits on the court, admits she is excellent at sitting down or shopping. but when it comes to the gruntwork, not so much? >> i never liked sports. i never understood how i became an athlete. i don't like working out. i don't like anything that has to do with working physically. >> we've got to wonder.

how much better would her game be if serena really loved tennis? hello. >> bet she loves her bank account, though. divorce is tough enough. when it involves a colorful and sometimes controversial celebrity couple you know it's going to be a really rocky road. >> deion sanders and his wife have been taking public pot shots at each other. but the twosome are still living in the same house, each one refusing to leave. >> keep in mind, that house is 29,000 square feet. ten bedrooms and two swimming pools. sitting on 109 acres. they can go aetime and never run into each other. it's a real-life "war of the roses" there, i guess. >> 29,000 square feet. for some of you, your local news is next. >> for everyone else, after 30 years, a woman finally gets her voice ba her a very inspiring story. when afteight back, after this.people with a ma

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not a cloud, but a street covered by water. what it could mean for drivers and businesses. >> what you need to know if you are hoping to get 49ers' playoff tickets today. >> meteorologist mike nicco has the foggy forecast. >> flight arrival delays likely, no rain in the forecast. >> traffic for back to work updating the day's top stories now. mitt romney hangs on to a slim lead in iowa, ahead of today's critical caucuses. ron paul and rick santorum, though, are gaining some ground.

the first family returns from hawaii today. later tonight, president obama speaks via video conference to voters in iowa. there's been no suspicious car fires in l.a. after police arrested an arson suspect. police tell abc news that larry burkhart was angry over his mother's deportation. looking at weather, up to two feet of weather in new york. forecast and freeze warnings as far south as florida. and finally from us today, loud and clear. a woman finds her voice after three decades of virtual silence. >> years after losing hope, that woman is speaking again, thanks to an innovative medical procedure, that she saw first here on abc news. more from linsey davis. >> reporter: betty lou trufant said i do, in 1981.

she came back with a cold and lost her voice. but three decades later, she only had this raspy whisper. doctors said the virus had paralyzed her vocal cords. her daughter went from adolescent to adult, without hearing her mother's real voice. >> i don't remember what her voice sounded like. >> reporter: she resigned that she would live the rest of her life gesturing and whispering. until one night in may, when she saw a story on abc news "world news," about erin martin, who also lost her voice and received a special kind of throat therapy at the cleveland clinic. >> try to relax her throat. >> reporter: this massage brought her voice back. that night, betty lou also got something back she hadn't had in years, hope. she called the cleveland clinic right away and set up an appointment. >> i'm going to have a voice again. i'm going to be able to yell at

you. >> reporter: when we breathe, the vocal cords are relaxed. we tighten them to speak. betty lou's right vocal cord was paralyzed until doctors did the surgery to correct it. after 30 years, betty lou was able to say this. >> i'm good. i'm really good. i'm going to cry. >> reporter: the crying soon turned to laughter. >> i'm going to sing. it was just a blessing. just a blessing to get my voice back. >> reporter: she's not only talking. >> ball number 7. >> reporter: she's calling the shots. >> nice. >> reporter: linsey davis, abc news, new york. >> a wonderful story there. that's what's making news in >> a wonderful story there. that's what's making news in america this morning. closed captioning by closed captioning services,inc >> reporter: good morning i'm amy