making news in america this morning, triple threat. millions of people in the path of snow, ice and rain. the storm already leaving its mark. whiteout conditions and even stopping a plane in its tracks. is russia ready? the olympics haven't begun yet, but they're already off to a rough start. this morning, problems with the course, the roads and the unflattering pictures making the rounds online. the pontiff's secrets. a controversy brewing as the personal notes of john paul are set to be released today against the late pope's wishes. and giant guest. a long-legged friend makes quite the entrance into a restaurant.

good wednesday morning. i'm marci gonzalez in for diana perez. >> and i'm john muller. we begin with another massive winter storm barreling across the country. take a look at the radar. dozens of states are feeling those effects. >> but this storm is a bit different than previous systems this winter. ice is the biggest concern. >> we get more now from abc's tahman bradley. >> reporter: it just won't end. another winter storm, the second one this week, is blasting more than two dozen states. it's dumping a mix of heavy snow and freezing rain on more than 160 million americans. >> i'm ready for it to end a little bit, so it seems like it's been a lot. >> reporter: across the midwest an army of plows are out in full force. snow removal crews are working around the clock. >> we just take the snow from the left side and we push it all the way over to the right. >> reporter: kansas city braced for up to 12 inches of snow, the biggest storm in 20 years. a number of cities have declared a snow emergency and canceled school.

the storm was so bad in the midwest, that a southwest jet got stuck in the snow after landing in kansas city. at least one engine was half buried in the snowbank. passengers had to be bused to the terminal. icy, slick roads are making driving dangerous and deadly. >> we've had situations where people thought that because they were in a four-wheel drive vehicle, that they were invincible. >> reporter: in texas one person was killed when a truck went careening into a sheriff's deputy and bystanders. this brutal winter is also having a huge economic impact. in the midwest there is a salt shortage. >> it's very difficult getting salt right now, whether it's bagged salt or bulk salt. >> reporter: if you can get salt, you're paying a lot more. >> just yesterday the price doubled actually, so if it cost $300 to fill a truck up, now it's $600. >> reporter: in the northeast local communities are running out of snow removal money. >> we're already $66,000 over budget because of the storms this year. we do have surplus available within our budget. >> reporter: and, marci and john, new yorkers are waking up to this. more snow and ice, up to 8

inches expected, and if that wasn't enough, another monster winter storm is headed here this weekend. john and marci? >> tahman bradley live in new york city. hang in there, buddy. thank you. >> oh, goodness. more than 2,000 flights have already been delayed or canceled today. >> accu meteorologist jim dickey tells us who is facing the worst of the storm today. >> good morning, john and marci. after dumping nearly a foot of snow in many locations across the nation's midsection, a storm system now moving into the northeast here today bringing widespread heavy snowfall, a mixed bag of precipitation here too, ice and sleet. these areas marked in pink, boston, new york city, back into philadelphia. some soaking rain by the coast and as far as accumulations are concerned, we are looking for an area of more than a foot of snow just to the north of boston into northeastern p.a. with a wide area of 6 to 12 inches expected. john and marci, back to you. >> all right, jim, thank you. new this morning, police have arrested four people as they hunt for the dealer who supplied drugs to philip seymour hoffman. those four are likely to be charged with selling heroin. the bust took place not far from

the apartment where hoffman was found dead of an overdose, apparently anyway. police say last night -- the last night of the actor's life, he withdrew $1200 from local atms. none of the cash was found in his apartment. well, a private funeral service will be held on friday for hoffman here in new york city. a public memorial is planned at a later date. breaking news overnight from iraq, a wave of bombings has rocked central baghdad striking mainly near the heavily fortified green zone where key government offices are located. at least 16 people have been killed. the deadliest blast took place outside of the foreign ministry building where two parked car bombs went off at the same time. the white house is pushing back over a government report which finds obamacare will eliminate millions of full time jobs. republicans say the report is more proof that the health plan is not working, but it's not that cut and dried. the report actually says about 2 million fewer people will

choose to work full time. their choice, though, not because of a lack of jobs. the white house says that reflects that people will have more freedom to make choices. a second major cheating scandal has hit the nation's military. the navy investigating 30 senior sailors that are now linked to alleged cheating on exams that qualified them to train others on nuclear-powered reactors. unlike the air force cheating scandal, the sailors have no responsibility for nuclear weapons. virginia state police now say they suspect foul play in the disappearance of a reserve police captain. kevin quick was supposed to host a surprise birthday party for his brother on saturday, but he never showed up. surveillance cameras spotted quick's car in two locations where family and friends say he wouldn't have gone. local business owners are offering a $10,000 reward leading to quick's whereabouts. a top target official back on capitol hill today defending the company's handling of a major security breach. john mulligan appeared before a senate committee yesterday alongside executives from other top retailers.

mulligan says target is planning to spend $100 million to upgrade its system and win back the trust of shoppers. >> we know this breach has shaken their confidence in target, and we are determined to work very hard to earn it back. to prevent this from happening again, none of us can go it alone. we need to work together. >> senator. >> senators are pushing for retailers to use a much more advanced and expensive technology to prevent fraud. a roman catholic cardinal is ignoring the explicit wishes of the late pope john paul ii by publishing a book of his notes. the book comes out today in the pope's home country of poland and catholics there are being urged not to buy it. john paul ii had left instructions in his will that his notes be burned. but the cardinal said he didn't have the courage to follow the pope's wishes. all right, well, they say that weather will be sunny if a bit cold today for seattle's big super bowl celebration. spots along the seahawks victory parade route were already being claimed yesterday. >> they're expecting up to

500,000 hawks fans to cheer on their heroes. public schools are open, but plenty of excused absences are expected so kids can attend. >> you know, that's a once-in-a-lifetime event. i'd say so. >> oh, yeah. well, the weather is doing damage to the country's food supply, and it could start hitting you in the wallet. and welcome to sochi. people are sharing their pictures of the olympic host city, and they're not all that flattering. plus, circus shot. a pacers player takes a scary spill but makes it count.

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welcome back. severe winter weather is about to impact all of us at the grocery store, first beef. california's drought has forced ranchers to liquidate herds shrinking the cattle population to a 61-year low. prices are already being driven higher. and the drought coupled with the deep freeze that gripped california in december wiped out nearly a quarter of the state's citrus industry. that's a loss of more than $400 million. growers have also had to scale back on hiring, and food prices are expected to go up in the coming months. after a two-year battle, lawmakers on capitol hill have finally passed a farm bill. that bill costing $100 billion a year provides a financial cushion for farmers who face unpredictable weather and market conditions. it also cuts about 1% from the food stamp program. that's much less than republicans had wanted.

president obama signs the bill friday in michigan. and just days after airing a popular super bowl commercial, reality has come crashing down on radio shack. the ad poked fun at the electronic's chain's been there done that reputation, but yesterday was no fun as the company announced it will close around 500 stores due to restructuring. no word yet on which stores or when. microsoft's new ceo, satya nadella, has laid out his vision for the future of the tech giant. nadella told staffers he envisions a software-powered world that puts mobile and cloud solutions first. analysts say nadella must push microsoft to reclaim the imagination and innovation that has fueled its rivals. apple has yet to even announce a so-called iwatch or even in these drawings are just speculation by the tech site cnet, but all of that has not stopped morgan stanley from predicting the new product will generate massive profits. the bank tells investors the watch will earn a whopping $17.5 billion just in first year

sales. >> i don't know. i'm not convinced about a watch yet. we'll see. >> we'll see. >> cut to the next scene and i'll be like this spinning it around. >> you'll be glued to it. the wrong person to mess with. two burglars come face to face with an 84-year-old guy who is ready to fight. plus, looking for some company. a tall dinner guest prances into a restaurant and gives a pretty big surprise to the diners there. ♪ [ woman ] i will embrace change... everything life throws my way. except for frown lines. those i'm throwing back. [ female announcer ] olay total effects. nourishing vitamins, and seven beautiful benefits in one. for younger-looking skin. so while your life may be ever-changing... ♪ ...your beautiful skin will stay beautiful. total effects from olay. your best beautiful.

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well...your boss loves the beach. really? she's been to london, paris and her son plays baseball. you psychic? no. i speak pandora. ♪ he went to jared. [ female announcer ] celebrate life's unforgettable moments with a fabulous selection of pandora charms and bracelets -- including this charm and bracelet, exclusively at jared, the galleria of jewelry. telling her life's story with just a turn of the wrist. you're good. i know. [ female announcer ] that's why he went to jared. you're looking at the snowy streets of new york smack in the middle of another storm system slamming the northeast today. this one is expected to cripple the entire area with a wintry mix of snow, freezing rain and ice. >> and those conditions will make this morning's commute a real mess. expect slow going across a huge area stretching from michigan and indiana all the way into

maine, and roads are very wet around the rockies. >> and if you're flying, plan on plenty of delays in washington, d.c., philadelphia, new york city, boston, atlanta and charlotte. well, the most expensive olympics ever held are set to open on friday in sochi, russia. >> thousands of athletes and journalists are pouring in. among them is abc's matt gutman who's found the place isn't quite 100% ready. >> reporter: a confident vladimir putin touring sochi even petting a snow leopard which later growled. but did his tour include this? seven years after winning the games, sochi is scrambling, stores, hotels, even the key road still needs to be finished. crews saying they've been ordered to work around the clock. when they started this road, all of this was just dirt. now they have almost a mile of road finished. my friend over here says that in

two hours, this whole thing will be done, and it's not just roads and hotels. snowboarders are demanding work be done on their new slopestyle course to make it safer. american olympic icon shaun white jammed his wrist on a jump calling the course intimidating. another boarder broke his collarbone, and a female snowboarder suffered a concussion. officials say the course is fixable, but it's clear the sprint is on to get these games to the starting line. matt gutman, abc news, sochi. all right, some other problems being reported from sochi, notice the sign here coming up asking users not to flush toilet paper, instead they're supposed to throw it in the trash can. and that is not some athlete's post-workout drink. it is the tap water in one journalist's hotel room. she was told not to use it on her face because, quote, it contains something very dangerous. >> that's a vague word, something very dangerous. >> gross. >> no thank you. all right. new this morning a woman who

escaped from a michigan prison nearly 37 years ago has been found living in san diego. now 60 years old, judy lynn hayman is in jail awaiting extradition back to michigan. when police initially questioned her, she showed documents identifying herself as jamie lewis. she later admitted to escaping from prison back in 1977 while serving time for attempted larceny. police say her grown son was there when she was arrested, and he seemed, quote, quite surprised to learn that his mother was a fugitive. an 84-year-old new mexico man managed to fend off two violent home invaders with a single punch leveled in just the right place. tom, who doesn't want to give his last name, says he woke up staring into the barrel of a gun after the intruders kicked in his back door and piled up his valuables. tom said they forced him to his knees and tried choking him. >> he tried to tie it around my neck, the cord, the black cord. i just took my fists and -- because he's right at high height. if i'm kneel be on the floor and

he's standing, i'm the right height for the groin. >> oh, tom credits his marine training for that single blow to the groin which sent the robbers running out the door. unfortunately, they did get away with his tv, his laptop and his car. police have arrested one suspect and they expect to pick up the other very soon. single shot to the groin. >> yeah, just the right place and that suspect is speaking a little higher this morning. >> yes. a gang of bears has been dropping in on a neighborhood in naples, florida, and taking a liking to one home in particular. >> brent smith and his family captured this video of a bear just hanging out and just casually strolling around the furniture. he said one bear even came face to face with his son. the son is all right, though. wildlife officials say the family should probably look into getting an electric fence. >> immediately. all right, big day for college football fans. plenty of talented high school recruits will go on with signing today with all major programs. >> and as for college basketball, we get some highlights now from our very

enthusiastic friends at espn. good morning, america. that's better than your caffeine right there. he's stan. i'm neil. this is the "sportscenter" set in los angeles. >> we're talking college basketball. missouri taking on florida. the gators have won 27 straight on their home floor. they got a talented freshman, chris walker. had some ncaa problems first semester, but he's eligible now and able to throw that one down. casey hill with the alley-oop for walker. we go second half, gators up 3. michael frazier ii. he's got three. he had 14 points. gators up 6. and they really clamp down on missouri defensively. got a friendly roll for patrick young, and florida, another 20-win season, they're perfect in the s.e.c. at 9-0. well, lance stephenson is not happy he didn't make the all-star game. he's not going to be happy about the way he landed on this particular shot, although he is going to be happy about the -- what happened with this shot. ♪ the circus came to town >> and then lance stephenson

left the game. it says here he'd be okay. i don't know if that's someone speaking on behalf of his lower back or not. paul george, you know this company would -- or this country would be better if we just harnessed paul george's wind power. the pacers won by 4 to beat the hawks. >> yep. >> i'm thinking about getting a neck tattoo. >> don't do it. don't do it. if you do, make sure it's below the collar line because i enjoy working with you. >> see ya. >> back to you. all right, visitors to african animal sanctuaries are used to seeing wild animals roaming free except maybe in a cafe. this is a little different. it's our "play of the day." diner's employees watching as this exceptionally nonchalant female giraffe named perdy just wandered off her normal route and sauntered through the animal park cafeteria near johannesburg. perdy clearly didn't find anything too appealing on the menu and she just casually walks her way back out. >> that is pretty incredible. >> isn't that awesome?

man, oh, man, and its neck is really low in there peeking out for some food. >> yes, what are my options here? >> i'll go for the ice cream. sorry. up next, "the pulse" where there is a big brouhaha about the super bowl halftime show. what some eagle-eye fans noticed about the performance. and a model gets so hungry, she decides to eat her purse sort of. we'll explain. abreva can heal a cold sore in as few as 2 1/2 days when used at the first sign. without it, the virus spreads from cell to cell. unlike other treatments, abreva penetrates deep to block the virus, to protect healthy cells so cold sores heal fast. as fast as 2 1/2 days when used at the first sign. ♪ learn more at abreva.com. don't tough it out. knock it out! fast. [ female announcer ] only with abreva. one, for making my perfect cup of coffee. one for being the perfect neighbor. and one for no reason at all.

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♪ you make me feel like i've been locked out of heaven ♪ >> all right, time for "the pulse" and we start with the red hot chili peppers coming clean about their part in the super bowl halftime show. >> all right. in a letter to fans the band's bassist flea admits his playing was preordered. only the vocals live. >> the band didn't plug into amps because they thought it better to pretend not to playing live. still he writes i'm grateful to the nfl for having us. i would do it all the same way again. they weren't plugged in. but so what. it was still a great performance. >> right. if you live in new york long enough you see just about everything on the city subway. a model so hungry she starts eating her purse. >> you could see the shocked reaction even from hardened strap hangers but it is a hand baglini made out of chocolate so on second hand it looks tasty.

no the a terrible idea to dig into your purse if it's made out of chocolate. sometimes it takes the innocence of a child to enjoy the simplest of things life has to offer. >> look at little cayden. not a care in the world basks in the joy of the raindrops falling all over her. ♪ >> oh, my. >> too cute. >> my gosh. >> she didn't care about getting wet, messing up her air, she is just thrilled to feel the raindrops plugging from the sky. >> that is just pure happiness right there. >> i think there's a lesson to be learned from that like you can look at it like, oh, my god, this is rain, run or you can go, okay. >> just go out there and enjoy -- on her way to a job interview. step outside and enjoy the snow this morning for all you folks getting snowed on. >> i don't know if i'll smile

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live from the kgo-tv broadcast center this is abc7 news. >> good morning on wednesday. it is 4:28. i am kristen sze. >> i am eric thomas. the rain is on way. mike, where is it? >> it is away from us. it will stay that way for better part of daylight. it is clear. clouds are lurking. low clouds along the coast and mid-to-upper level clouds upstream northwest of us coming in throughout the day. we will start off with nice sunshine and a colorful sunrise we have clouds and a stray shower today. that is across the north bay. temperatures are like yesterday low-to-mid 50's at the coast and mid-to-upper 50's an our bay and inland neighborhoods. the timetable is ahead in the day planner. leyla gulen? >> we have areas of construction

and clear traffic. as we take you to the east bay antioch bridge is going to be closed until 5:00 this morning and it look like southbound lanes are starting to re-open. drive time traffic shows the amount pass from tracy to dublin is 23 minutes from antioch to conquer is 24 minutes and from san rafael to san francisco from. ry april camera you can see the construction in the westbound direction with flashing lights and c.h.p. is construction crews are wrapping things up with all lanes open at 5:00. eric and kristen? >> a man is in the hospital with live-threatening injuries after being hit by a driver near city hall this morning. abc7 news reporter cornell bernard is on the scene. >> van ness is closed at grove as police investigate the hit and run. the man in his 50's is fighting for his life after being hit by

a car. we have video. san francisco police sergeant told me the man was crossing van ness in the crosswalk toward city hall and he was struck by a vehicle headed south on van ness. the vehicle described only as "dark colored sedan," or "s.u.v.," left scene and has not been found by police. the victim was pulling a recycling bin across the street and there are lots of recycleables and shattered glass in the intersection. the man is listed in critical condition. he is fighting for his life. >> thank you, cornell. the accident is on the he will of a fatal pedestrian collision in the sunset district yesterday and a meeting to push for major improve to street safety. we have that part of the story next. >> whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. this is what it can be like tr