making news in america this morning, crippling storm. rare, severe winter weather shocks the deep south throwing it into chaos. 20-minute commutes turned into 10-hour treks. students stranded at schools overnight, too dangerous for parents to pick them up. the national guard called in, and the storm's not over yet. >> the president's pitch. a push for action and a pledge to the american people. president obama holds his state of the union and this -- >> back to you. why? >> let me tell you if you ever do that to me again -- >> what caused a congressman to threaten a reporter after the speech? stern warning. a lion lets some tourists know they're getting a little too close in a video that is quickly going viral.

and back in time, a new safety video for delta airlines is bringing back memories from the '80s. good morning. i'm ryan smith in for john muller. >> and i'm marci gonzalez in for diana perez. we begin with mother nature's latest blow. >> that's right. a rare winter storm has caught the south off guard. up to two feet of snow in some areas. bitter cold and ice here stranding vehicles in williamsville, alabama. >> it is a storm that would have been business as usual here in the north, but it paralyzed the deep south clogging highways, stranding students at schools overnight, even triggering a national guard rescue. the storm stretches a thousand miles from mobile to maryland, so far triggering thousands of flight cancellations and hundreds of traffic accidents that have killed at least two

people. students in some birmingham area schools were stranded overnight. the roads too dangerous for their parents to take them home. >> if you trust your teacher to take care of your child during the day, they will be taken care of tonight. >> reporter: teachers have been reassuring parents though that they've been keeping the kids well fed and busy with movies, talent shows and playing the wii. outside of asheville, north carolina, a school bus flipped over on an icy road sending one teenager to hospital. >> real scary. i mean, cause the whole bus tipped over and i was sitting in the seat on the other side and just kind of flew to the other side. >> reporter: 2 to 3 inches of snow fell in atlanta causing accidents, gridlock and six-hour-long commutes home. >> i'd advised if you ain't got to be out, stay at home. >> reporter: stranded drivers in birmingham learned that lesson the hard way. >> i had to push a car this morning. we had to push a car over there. >> no way home. yellow cab won't come and get us. >> the thing about driving

around in here is people down south don't know how to drive in it. you know. >> reporter: home depot even kept 14 atlanta area stores open overtight to offer shelter to stranded drivers. and many road crews in the south used to dealing with hurricanes are finding snowplows and salt in short supply. >> and, meantime, more snow is in store in the mid-atlantic area and up into the northeast. parts of new jersey are bracing for several more inches, and we could have another wave of bitter cold. accuweather's jim dickey has the latest. good morning, jim. >> good morning, marci and ryan. high impact winter storm continuing here through the early morning hours and the heaviest of the snow in eastern virginia, southeastern virgia, that is, eastern north carolina into northeastern south carolina. ice, as well. many towns were shut down on tuesday by this, the morning hour is going to be a mess, as well, on those roadways though it does slowly depart through the morning taking the ice and snow with it not before

some spots pick up 6 to 10 inches in eastern north carolina. ryan and marci, back to you. and our major story this morning, the president's state of the union address. mr. obama sets off on a four-state trip today trying to sell the priorities that he put forth in that speech. >> with more on what the president had to say we are joined by abc's mary bruce in washington. mary. >> reporter: good morning. well, after what was a brutal year for the president, he tried to bounce back last night outlining a downsize but perhaps more practical agenda as he tries to sidestep that logjam in congress. with just three years left president obama worked to convince americans he can still get things done in a broken washington. >> let's make this a year of action. >> reporter: after what was arguably the worst year of his presidency, the president tried to turn the tide telling lawmakers seeking to obstruct his agenda that he will act with or without them. >> america does not stand still and neither will i. >> reporter: there were no new grand legislative proposals but a promise to make government work on behalf of all americans.

>> opportunity is who we are, and the defining project of our generation must be to restore that promise. >> reporter: he even gave a shout-out to his political foe, house speaker john boehner, to highlight the american dream. >> that's what drew our forbearers here, how the son of a barkeep is speaker of the house. >> reporter: from immigration reform to raising the minimum wage, the ideas he put forth were familiar. his repeated call for equal pay for women drew massive applause and high-fives, but it was this man that brought the house chamber to its feet for an astounding minute and a half. sergeant first class cory remsburg. >> men and women like cory remind us that america has never come easy. >> reporter: despite his signature optimism, the president's agenda still faces the political realities of washington. >> i appreciate what the president has said tonight, but i'm with those americans who are asking the question, where are the jobs? >> reporter: well, now comes the hard sell. the president is hitting the road first thing this morning sharing his message directly

with the american public during a two-day, four-state whirlwind tour. ryan and marci. >> mary bruce live in washington, thank you. and we have some video that is going viral from after the president's speech. >> that's right. a tv reporter interviewed new york republican congressman michael grimm about his reaction to the speech, and then the reporter pressed grimm about a federal investigation into his fund-raising, and that's when things got ugly. >> i'm not speaking about anything off topic. this is only about the president. thank you. >> well, what about -- thank you. why? >> let me be clear to you. if you ever do that to me again, i'll throw you off the [ bleep ] balcony. >> that is the congressman reportedly threatening to throw the reporter off the balcony and break him in half. overnight, grimm issued an unapologetic statement saying "the reporter knew that i was in a hurrand was only there to comment on the state of the union but insisted on taking a disrespectful and cheap shot at the end of the interview."

the cheating scandal involving the nation's nuclear launch officers is growing. the number of service members implicated by investigators is now roughly double the 34 reported just a week ago. that means about 14% of the air force's nuclear weapons launching force has been suspended from duty. and some angry tourists are expected to be getting off a royal caribbean cruise ship this afternoon when it docks in new jersey. their vacation on board the "explorer of the seas" was ruined when at least 600 people were sickened by a norovirus outbreak. those illnesses forced royal caribbean to cut the trip short. they're offering everyone a 50% refund as well as a 50% credit towards another cruise plus reimbursements but some passengers say that's not enough. and security will be tighter than usual today here in manhattan as what's called super bowl boulevard opens. it's a stretch of broadway that is now closed to traffic and open to fans. at the stadium where the broncos

and seahawks will play, security is just as tight. agents are screening everything that goes inside including the hot dogs, beer and souvenirs. >> looks like a fun time coming up. all right, well, coming up, calling it quits, a legendary rock band is ending their 33-year career together. and sour grapes. the wine industry is feeling the effects of this year's weather, so what does it mean for the price of your next bottle? a teenager goes skydiving for her birthday and it nearly ends in tragedy. this morning her dad is talking about the remarkable survival story.

welcome back. after a string of down days, stocks finally mounted something of a surge yesterday. all three major averages added about half a percent. one tock that was down was apple. it lost $44 per share after disappointing results. today wall street will be watching for an announcement from the federal reserve about the future of its stimulus program. and banks say they spent more than 153 million replacing debt and credit cards following the target security breach. and the price tag is expected to grow. perhaps to a billion dollars. now an industry group says it's time for target to start footing part of the bill. and the price of california's famous wines may soon be going higher. the state's ongoing drought has grape growers saying there is no significant rainfall they will have to reduce their yield and that's bad news when it comes to wine prices. well, some good news if you're visiting new york for the super bowl. hotels are posting vacancies and dropping their prices.

jersey city still has dozens of hotels with available rooms with prices as low as 125 bucks a night. in manhattan, the average is 350 a night, a bit pricier but not entirely out of the end zone. and those major grammy wins are turning into a giant payday for daft punk. >> the masked french duo taking home five awards sunday night along with their rare televised performance helped boost plays of their music on spotify. play has increased more than 200%. people are feeling that song. >> absolutely. when we come back, real-life saver. a 10-year-old boy had a hunch that ended up saving a woman who needed help. >> important news about pain pills. which brand is best for your heart? [ male announcer ] the person who said, "if you love something, set it free" probably wasn't talking about dollars. pretty much everybody wants to keep those. ♪

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welcome back. taking a look at your morning road conditions, another day of

icy gridlock is in store for much of the south and later today, up into the northeast. driving could be slick and even treacherous across the rocky mountains and slippery along the west coast. if you're flying airport delays are possible in miami and salt lake city. updating our top story now which, of course, is the severe weather, hundreds of students in georgia and alabama are waking up this morning already in school. >> that's right. they were stranded overnight. the roads too icy and dangerous for their parents to come and pick them up. alabama's governor has activated the national guard to step in and help with the police rescue. teachers, though, have been assuring parents their kids have been well fed and cared for with movie, games, even talent shows. a full update on "good morning america." all right. we have new details on a terrifying skydiving accident. a texas teenager is recovering from severe injuries after she fell 3500 feet over the weekend in oklahoma. >> her family says the parachute malfunctioned but the skydiving

company denies the claim. makenzie wethington's family is devastated. >> it was her dream, her dream and my dad said, okay, on your 16th birthday, i will take you skydiving. >> she was already so excited and so gung ho and she's super brave, you know, i couldn't yank the road out from under her. >> the teen was transferred out of the intensive care unit yesterday and doctors expect her to make a full recovery in about six to eight weeks. now to a story from michigan. a 10-year-old hero. danny di pi et tree was being driven home from a hockey game. he spotted an open garage door on a nearby house and thought maybe a dog had escaped so danny pestered his mom to go back and check it out. >> it was late at night and super cold out and i just in their garage was open and something just didn't feel right. >> well, it turns out an 80-year-old woman had slipped and couldn't get up off the garage floor.

danny and his mom found her and called 911. the woman is recovering in a hospital and her daughter calls danny her hero. >> quick thinking young man. okay, important medical news now for the millions of americans who take over-the-counter pain relievers. the government says aleve and its generic equivalent may be safer for your heart than other anti-inflammatory drugs. fda regulators are urging aleve and other pills that contain naproxen be relabeled to emphasize their safety. a couple of kids on a recent safari in a south african park got the fright of their lives. you see a pair of lions in the middle of the road getting plenty of attention from tourists and then those two youngsters who had been taking pictures, well, they found out why lions are considered wild animals, my goodness. one of the park's rules is keep all of your body parts inside your vehicle with good reason for that rule. >> well, they learned that lesson right there. all right, jonathan martin

is speaking out for the first time since he left the miami dolphins amid the season's bullying scandal. martin says the vulgar language in his team's locker room made him feel trapped. >> admitted wishing he could have so have solved his situation. he thought it best to just remove himself from it all. an nfl investigation of the case will be released after the super bowl. well, major league baseball has taken a step toward keeping pitchers safer. unfortunately we see them get hit in the had he had with line drives every year. >> yes and yesterday the league approved protective caps for pitchers for the very first time. they provide an extra layer of protection for the forehead and near the temples as well and pitchers can start using them in spring training but they are not mandatory. okay, time now for sports. a rising star in college basketball proves he's too much for st. john's. >> here's neil and stan.

good morning, america. welcome to our "sportscenter" studios in los angeles. along with neil everett, i'm stan verrett. doug mcdermott, he's got a lot of good nicknames and a good name. >> peyton manning not the only one screaming, omaha because that's where creighton is in the big east. you know, go figure. hosting st. john's and mcdermott goes for 39. the turnover there, though, and then another st. john's bucket but now mcdermott with under 10 seconds to go second in the nation in scoring, seth greenberg said he'll be a lottery pick and have a ten-year career in the nba and creighton wins it 63-60. at lsu, that's baton rouge, doesn't really get that icy or cold. student section was full, the arena only about half full. johnny o'bryant gave the people would came to see it a show. the block on alex poythress. he had two of lsu's 11ing whos

in the game and did it offensively as well, season high 29 points and 9 rebounds. big win for the tigers to get them above the .500 in the s.e.c. win it 87-82 over the cats. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> i'm ready for wednesday. got a little oklahoma city, miami. >> yeah. >> come on espn. >> that's all we got. back to you. >> thanks, guys. up next, "the pulse" where die-hard seahawks fans give their baby an unbelievable name. >> okay. delta is going back in time for its newest safety video. you're going to love this. stay with us.

♪ time now to check "the pulse" starting with some memorable moments from the state of the union. >> that's right. the moment that received the longest applause happened when president obama introduced army sergeant cory remsburg who was severely wounded during his tenth deployment in afghanistan. >> and next a 16-year-old scored a selfie with the first lady. joey thought he was one of michelle obama's guests and said his hands were shaking which would explain the blurriness. >> a selfie for the ages. >> one of the most photographed people in the crowd, "duck dynasty" star willy robertson. seemed every politician wanted to get a picture of the man himself. >> that patriotic headband

there. wouldn't you be kicking yourself if you took a selfie with the first lady and came out blurry. >> you still have the picture. >> that's true. moving on to an end of an era in the heart of rock. motley crue got famous in t the '8s for their wild shows and wilder lifestyle and now they're calling it quit. >> they were on jimmy kimmel's show last night hours after announcing plans for their final tour. it starts in july and they're serious about retiring. they all signed an agreement not to use their trademark after the end of next year >> that's serious. when it's legal it's serious. hawk fans are known for being very, very supportive of their team. they are referred to as the 12th man on the field. >> but the mann family may have taken it a little bid too far. this lovely little baby right there. her name is cydnee leigh 12th mann. that's 12th in numbers, not spelled out. she came into the world a

seahawks fan judged by that cap. good luck explaining that name for the rest of her life. if she plays basketball i'm not sure that's the best thing for her. >> man, oh, man. delta air lines have done it again with another attempt to get more people watching its in-flight safety video. >> in fact, more people are watching it without even getting on one of their planes. it is an homage to the '80s complete with big air, break dancing, bad fashion hair. >> look at the electronic football. i love that. >> references to what used to be high-tech, atari, cassette tapes, a game boy and there are even some celebrity cameo appearances. >> on behalf of everyone at delta air line, we want to thank you for paying attention. >> please relax and enjoy your flight. >> yeah, probably safe to say delta is like totally rad. >> you got to love it. that that's kareem in "airplane" alf. >> or teddy ruxpin.

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live from the kgo-tv broadcast center this is abc7 news. good wednesday morning. it is 4:28. we thank you for joining us. >> i am kristen sze. shuffle this morning to start on wednesday. >> we will see how the paper airplane flies as the moisture builds up. >> there is moisture out there. you probably had to use your windshield wipers. the fog is in hayward 2.5 miles. 1.25 miles visibility at half moon bay. three miles visibility in santa rosa. it will get thicker through the rush. but no rain yet. from our camera on the roof, scattered showers are possible in the north bay. the rest of us have scattered

sprinkles and the coast will hang around 60 degrees. now the commute. leyla gulen? >> we starting off with an accident if daly city before you get to san francisco. it is going to be in the southbound direction along 280 at 19th. it is on the on-ramp. it is not blocking main lines. 580 westbound from tracy to dublin is 23 minutes along highway four antioch to concord is 14 minutes and 101 southbound into san francisco is 16 minutes and from the bay bridge toll plaza it is hazy. >> law enforcement officers around the state will come to the east bay for the funeral of the bart police sergeant shot to death on duty last week. amy hollyfield is at the castro valley church where the service

will take place. >> kristen, they are saying this could be up to 3,000 people at the three crosses church for the funeral. sergeant tom smith was killed last week. the bart police officer was accidentally shot by another bart police officer during the certain of a robbery suspect's apartment. hundreds paid their respects last night at a viewing which was open to the public but there was a private memorial service before the viewing. the officer would shot sergeant smith, sergeantent michael maes is expected to be at the funeral. his brother spoke to abc7 news what their family is going through and he says they are devastated. >> it is something unimaginable. it is tough for him and our family. on behalf of our family we are all