om. with cinnabon cinnamon have such a sweet and delicious aroma that my family can't wait to get their hands on them. enjoy cinnabon cinnamon... now in all pillsbury cinnamon rolls. . good morning. terrifying scene. a man pulls out a gun in the middle of a florida school board meeting and opens fire before taking his own life. this morning three board members who heroically tried to stop the gunman speak out. as the tax cut deal moves closer to passage, there's a new fight brewing in congress, a bill loaded with $18 million worth of pet projects. and a man caught on tape

stealing $1.5 million worth of chips at the bellagio casino. "today," wednesday, december 15, chips at the bellagio casino. "today," wednesday, december 15, 2010. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning. welcome to "today" on a wednesday morning. >> chilling, disturbing, surreal. just some of the words used to describe that scene during the school board meeting in florida. >> what is so remarkable in this case, you actually see what happens inside that room. some even saw it happen live. clay duke walked to the podium, moments later, he spray painted a symbol on the wall of that room, pulled out a handgun and eventually opened fire. and we should warn you, some of the video you're going to see this morning is disturbing.

>> before the shooting started, a female school board member used a purse to try and knock the gun out of duck's hand. but first let's get right to nbc's mark potter, he's in panama city, florida with the latest. mark what can you tell us? >> reporter: the gunman was killed in the incident and it was caught on tape and we will not show that. the rest of that moment leading up to that shooting is very intense. just as the bay county school board opened the floor for public comment, a man later identified as 56-year-old clay duke began spray painting the wall with a circle and a big v. after drawing a handgun, he ordered most people out of the room. >> leave. you may leave, you may leave. you can leave. these men stay. everyone else leaves. >> reporter: one board member who left the room, ginger littleton tried to intervene,

hitting the gunman with her purse. littleton was unhurt and left the room again, while duke gun still in hand while he complained to the superintendent, four board members and an attorney that his wife had been fired. board members pushed him for details. >> please talk to us. if i can get your wife a job somewhere else, i'll be glad to do that. i'll be very honest with you, i don't know who your wife is or what she did. i don't want to die like anybody else doesn't. >> hey, i will go with you, i will stand up with you to get your wife a job. whatever it takes. >> reporter: off camera, the superintendent tried to get duke to let the others go. >> i'm the one that signed the paper, right? okay, i don't remember, and i don't know who she is. but let them go, i'm the one that did it. they don't sign the papers, i'm the only one that signs them.

will you let them go? >> reporter: but as the board kept talking, duke seemed unmoved until events spiraled out of control. >> i've got a feeling is that you want the cops to come in and kill you because you're mad. because you said you're going to die today. but why? this isn't worth it. please don't. please don't. please. >> i'm going to kill you. [ gunshots ] >> reporter: after duke fired at the board members, witnesses say, school board security chief mike jones rushed in and exchanged shots with him. panama city police say duke who was wounded then ended up killing himself with his own weapon. >> you could see in his eyes that he was intent on dying. you could just tell and i don't have a lot of experience with this, but you could tell that he was going to kill himself at least, if not other people and

we thought he was going to try to shoot us as well. >> reporter: the entire incident was also captured on a school board camera and screamed live as horrified workers and viewers watched the scene unfold. >> the only thing i could think is that he wants somebody to rush in here. it was a tragedy all the way around, but it could have been a lot worse. >> reporter: on facebook, duke said some people, the government sponsored media will say i was evil, a monster, no i was just born poor, in a country where the wealthy manipulate. his facebook picture was similar to the picture he painted on the school board wall. police say they cannot confirm any link between duckke's actio and the movie. and the superintendent says the school system has no record of anyone who could be the gunman's

wife being fired or that she actually worked there. it's lucky no one else was hurt in that incident. meredith? >> we are joined now by three of the people who were inside that school board meeting, all of them stepped in to try to stop the gunman. beg good morning to all of you. >> good morning, meredith. >> i look at that video now several times and i find it frightening and surreal. you people lived it. how are you feeling today, besides just very grateful to be alive? >> that's number one. meredith, we are so happy to be alive. life means a lot more than it did yesterday probably and i'm so proud of mike jones, he was the truly the hero and mike jones describes a lot of credit. >> mike jones is the security guard who shot this man. >> he's not just a security guard, though, he's a retired detective from the police department.

he literally saved our lives. if he hadn't have come in when he did, we wouldn't be here this morning. >> suddenly this man comes in which nobody knew, he draws that circle with the v in it, and then turns the gun towards you, what is going on in your mind, bill? >> first i was concerned that he was upset because we were talking about head lice and technology. but then he turned around with a gun in his hand and he started rambling and telling people to get out. i haven't timed it, but it seemed like a lot longer than it actually was, i'm sure, but it was the most surreal thing i have ever been a part of. >> meredith, the gun, excuse me, the gun made a difference. when he turned around from that

wall, the whole situation changed. you know, i had dealt with parents in the past as administrator, but never before with a gun. it changed everything. >> he told all the women to get out, and ginger, you left and then you made a decision to come back into the room. why? why did you change your mind? >> well, i turned back around to check on what was happening and at that point he had moved up on to where the board members were sitting. and so i could either walk away and try to live with myself because i knew something bad was going to happen, or i could try to defend, delay, somehow or other divert, hoping that the cavalry would come soon. my guys had three-ring binderses a and pencils to protect

themselves. i thought i would hit him with the purse and see if he would drop the gun. i didn't have a gun. he said you stupid blank. and i thought at that point, i was pretty stupid. >> but he pointed a gun at you at that point. did you just assume, this is it? >> yes, i did. >> i think i did as well. but at that point, there's nothing you can do, i mean i was already committed and probably should have been committed, but there was nothing to be done. so it wasn't terror or anything like that, it was like oh, well, here we are. >> she did it because she cares about us. we have got a really good board, we work well together. and she was trying to help us like we were trying to help ourselves. >> fortunately he didn't shoot ginger. >> yes, that was a very good thing. i appreciated that. it will be nice to see the sun come up this morning. >> when ginger was laying on the floor, she attempted something,

and the gun, she was laying by me behind the board desk and the gun was right over her and that's when it became very scary. >> but after ginger left, what struck me, jerry, about you and bill, is how calm you remained. you basically tried to talk this man off the ledge. you said if your wife lost her job, i'll help her get one. and you said i'll take full responsibility as superintendent, even though you knew this was not going to end well, bill. >> yes. he had that look in his eyes and i have seen anger before and he almost had like a grimace, a smile. he had planned to do this and we knew it wasn't going to end well. and i don't say this facetiously, i mean this, if i was going to die, i knew where i was going to go, i was very comfortable knowing that. not wanting that to happen, but i knew i would go to heaven and

so i just didn't want to see all the -- i mean that guy had a mission. he had already told us he was going to die. he told us he was going to kill himself basically and he was going to try to do the same to us. and i feel so sorry for his family and what they're going through right now. it's just a terrible tragedy. >> meredith, i was talking for my life. i never have been as afraid for my life as i was yesterday. and when i asked him, what are you doing? what's the problem? and he began to tell about his wife. i said look here, man, i'm a pretty good guy. i've been married to my wife 40 years, i was real sincere. i said i've got two great kids, i really don't want to die at this time. and bill and i, we continued to talk with him and just for time's sake, for time's sake. but as time drew closer, we knew that he knew the authorities were coming. and that's when he came closer

to the desk and that was when he was beginning to bring the gun up and that's when the dove to the side and all the other board members including bill went down and it's just a miracle this morning that this man sitting to my left, a great friend of mine is here. because he was almost pointblank in the shooting of the gun. >> you've got to wonder whether the gunman was just a lousy shot, or maybe he didn't intend to kill you, but his plan was that he was going to be killed by whoever came in? >> he continued to say i'm going to die and you are too. he said that several different times. >> i will go to my grave believing that those bullets were blocked by a greater power. it's just on to obvious you to . >> our families and friends are

so elated. we had e-mails, we had phone calls last night. what a day. >> what a day. that's the understatement of the interview. thank you, jerry, bill and ginger, so much, we're so glad that you're with us this morning. >> thank you. >> thank you so much. >> thank you, meredith, you have a great day. >> you too. and now here's matt. >> an incredible story. another big story in florida and across the east is the bitter cold. nbc's kerry sanders is in frosty orlando where they are having record low temperatures. >> reporter: a record here in orlando, 32 degrees, i'm at the wizarding world of harry potter at. a record 47 degrees, tourists who are coming here are wondering what is going on, this is so rare, those who are going

to area stores to buy gloves, hats and scarves, they don't really exist in florida stores because this is so unusual. yesterday and again this morning, some planes at florida airports are having to be grounded for a short period of time because of ice on the wing. florida airports don't have deicing equipment so the pilots are having the planes pushed back into the sun to melt it off before they can take off and have a safe flight. the real damage here is in the agricultural industry, the beans, the corn, it's completely wiped out and the tomatoes, severely damaged. it's estimated this time of year nine out of every tomato slices on a hamburger in the united states came from florida. matt, a smile on my face, frozen in place. >> go get warm, kerry, thank you very much. it's 14 minutes after the hour. how much colder can it get?

>> al's upstairs with that side of the story. >> we have got 48 hours of this cold air. new york city 22, but charlotte right now 15, 26 atlanta, 32 in orlando. and here's the departures from the average highs. 18 degrees below normal in tampa and miami. also in columbia. macon 15 below normal. pittsburgh, 15 degrees below normal. here's what we're expecting as far as highs are concerned today. only 52 miami. orlando 28. green bay 12, we don't see a change in this until about friday when the pattern of the jet stream now moves a little bit to the north. miami 74, orlando 70. still chilly in the northeast, what and back into the plains. look, chicago, they'll be down right balmy, a temperature of 27. >> all right, al, thank you very much. president obama's tax cut

deal appears headed for the final approval in the senate today. this is another spending bill creates a brand-new controversy in congress. capitol hill correspondent kelly o'donnell has the latest on this. >> reporter: and the big issue today is your tax money, how much of it you get to keep and how much lawmakers want to spend on those pet projects they like so much. the senate is expected to pass today that package of tax cuts and unemployment benefit extensions and the house democrats, they're the ones who still don't like this. frustrated and fed up. did the leaders give you any idea what the way forward is? >> no, not yet. >> reporter: house democrats met for hours late tuesday night to demand again the tax breaks for the wealthy be scaled back in the president's compromise with republicans. >> in spite of what we're doing here which is $858 billion borrowed, adding $2 billion to

the deficit, yeah, it's only $20 billion, but we got to start somewhere. >> reporter: it's time to do the deal on taxes before everyone's taxes go up on january 1. >> christmas is a week from saturday, i understand that, but i hope the republicans understand it also because we are going to complete our work. >> reporter: and there's a new political drama over a separate spending bill that would pile on more debt. >> are we tone deaf? are we stricken with amnesia? what is going on here? >> reporter: during the election, many promised to stop using taxpayer money for earmarked pet tprojects but thee are 6,400 of them worth $8 billion tucked in the giant spending bill that republican john mccain says should be read out loud. >> people who are watching this think i'm making this up. i'm not making it up. $300,000 for the polynesian voyaging society in hawaii. >> reporter: both democrats and republicans requested the

earmarks, including gop leader mitch mcconnell who now says he'll oppose the bill and a number of people like mitch mcconnell actually put in for those earmarks over the course of the year and then after the elections after the tea party elections, say they'll come out against earmarks. they may have to strip some of those out before it get s passe. >> kelly o'donnell on capitol hill this morning. now let's get a check of the rest of the top stories from ann curry at the news desk. >> good morning, everybody. in the news also this morning, overnight a boat packed with what rescuers believe are asylum seekers from iraq and iran slammed aboard christmas island and killed dozens of people. rescuers are unsure how many people were crowded on to that

boat. the victims believed to be kurds were likely freeing to australia. wikileaks founder julian assange has been granted bail but is still being held in britain pending a hearing with swedish authorities. there will be no funeral for bernie madoff's son mark who hanged himself this weekend in new york city. mark madoff will be cremated at his family's request. a year in review of the afghan war strategy will show that the u.s. can and should begin pulling troops from afghanistan in july of 2011 according to the white house. the full review is scheduled to be released on thursday. now let's head over to wall street to see what's happening on wall street. we have trish reagan on wall street. >> reporter: there's a lot of concerns about spain right now, you've seen in recent weeks

concern flaring up in general. we have concerns about our own debt, the fed indicates that it's going to stick with the status quo and continue to pump money into the economy. the benchmark ten-year yield note to move higher. which means that it's getting more expensive to borrow money, so that's going to affect all of us. >> ten-year-year-old not-- this one man bandit made off with at least $1.5 million worth of chips from the bellagio. he demanded the money at gun point and made a swift get away on his motorcycle. but as you point out, matt, those chips need to be redeemed at some point it so there you go. >> hasn't he done this before

too? >> there is a report, and it's still kind of sketchy, that he may have had a practice run earlier, and made off with $20,000 worth. but that's still being investigated. >> mr. roker, where's your motorcycle helmet? >> it's still frozen back in dunkirk, new york. let's see what's going on, we have got some snow to talk about, back through the plains, we have got a double barrel low pressure system bringing snow to minneapolis, also snow back through the rockies. snowfall amounts, basically we're looking at anywhere from three to six inches of snow south and west of denver, also from minneapolis down to chicago, just west of chicago. could see about three to six inches of snow, wet weather in the pacific northwest. we have got a record low reading through florida and we're looking at more lake-effect sno >> we are off to a windy and cold start this wednesday. wind chills in the single digits.

as we head into the afternoon, a mixture of sunshine and clouds. >> and that's your latest weather. and just ahead, new details in the death of a new york city fashion designer inside a posh hotel. her boyfriend is now charged in the case. we'll hear from his attorney, but first this is "today" on nbc.

coming up w we will reveal "time" magazine's person of the year live.

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didn't quite catch that last bit. i said i really love my bank. right... is there a problem ? it's not really raging, man. uh, we were hoping for more raging ? well, you said write from the heart. yeah... don't do that. at ally, you'll love our online savings account. named the best of 2010 by money magazine. ally. do you lovyour bank ? >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am lisa robinson. let's check the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> still dealing with accidents this morning. a volume-related delays and westminster, northbound 97. blog at no. hanover road.

closures northbound and subsequent delays with the accident. 18 miles per hour approaching 795 down to edmondson. if you travel on westbound 100 to 295, up one is now cleared. still of delays out onto 95 towards 32. 17 minutes on the outer loop west side. nine minutes on inner loop from 795 to 83's. we'll give you a live look at a couple of spots, starting with the upside. the delays approaching harford on outer loop. once you get past providence, you are in good shape. stop and go traffic heading towards edmondson. tony has a check on the forecast >> today is a breezy called start for us. wind chills in the single

digits. 19 at the airport, 20 in parkton. this is what it feels like when you factor in the wind. seven is the wind chill and it westminster. arctic start for us this morning. breezy and cold through the afternoon. high temperatures on either side of 30. possibility of light snow tomorrow afternoon. i emphasize the like part of it, but minor a commission on thursday. dry weather expected on friday. >> check the bottom of your screen for updated news and traffic information. we want another live update at 7:55.

7:30 now on this wednesday morning, december 15, 2010. these fine folks are smiling through a deep freeze here in midtown manhattan. a good day to be inside, perhaps wrapping up your last bit of christmas shopping. i'm meredith viera alongside matt lauer. and one of hollywood's strongest couples end their marriage. we'll have more on that coming up. also ahead, we reveal the finalists on monday, so who

will be named "time" magazine's person of the year? the folks from "time" will announce the winner live on our air in just a couple of minutes. the controversy over a new multimillion dollar exhibit at the los angeles zoo. let's begin this half hour with the details on the murder of a trendy fashion designer. now police have charged her boyfriend, the son of a oscar award winner with attempted murder. jeff rossen has the latest on this. >> reporter: it's called the soho house here in new york, it's basically a hotel for the rich and famous in this area. what happened inside here is a real mystery, police found fashion designeder's body inside her hotel room in the bathtub and there were some pills in the room. and she also had marks around

her neck like she was strangled. they think her well connected boyfriend did it. sylvie cachay was living the dream, designing for tommy hill figger and victoria secret. she had a member to manhattan's exclusive soho house. sylvie would spend her final night mere. >> sylvie was an incredibly happy person, loved life and always tried to see the good in everything. her loss has absolutely destroyed us. >> reporter: police say they found sylvie's body inside her hotel room, she was half naked in an overflowing bathtub. the guests downstairs had complained of water coming from the cell. she was bruised with marks on her neck, bleeding in her eyes and a bite mark on her hand. >> there's a pool a block from my apartment and i can't get in. >> what pool? >> at the soho house?

>> for something like this to happen in a place like that has everyone on edge. >> reporter: investigators have arrested sylvie's boyfriend, jeffrey brooks. his lawyer claims that brooks and cachay checked in together. when he came back, brooks says sylvie was dead. >> he's pleading not guilty and we're going to move forward based on that. >> she had bite marks, she had marks around her nebck. how would your client explain that? >> all sorts of things can happen between loving, caring people who have an intimate relationship. >> reporter: jeff brooks is no stranger to the spotlight. his father is an oscar winner who wrote this hit. ♪ you light up my life >> reporter: the older brooks was accused of sex charges.

now it's his son facing the judge in the death of a young woman. >> some of sylvie's friends have said they had a turbulent relationship, nicholas and sylvie and she was trying to break up with him and he was angry with that. >> i don't know too many relationships that don't have tush lechbs in them. >> her loss has just taken away a huge part of our family. we have all lost a little of ourselves. >> reporter: right now nicholas brooks -- we're told the grand jury has the right right now, they could up the charge to murder as early as tomorrow. meanwhile outside the soho house there's a memorial to sylvie

cachay. >> jeff rossen for us here in manhattan. let's get a check of the weather now from al. >> thank you very much, matt. it's chilly here. and this is a nice story. 34th anniversary, 40th anniversary, and you guys were each best men at each other's wedding? >> yes. >> where are you from? >> san antonio, texas. >> let's check your weather and see what's going on. we'll show you we have got a storm system working its way into the mid plains, that's going to garner some snow from the rockies all the way back all the way into the ohio river valley. we have also got snow showers in the eastern great lakes, record lows through florida and record highs through texas and more wet weather working its way into the pacific northwest. man, i tell you, you think it's cold, that's cold.

>> it is windy, it is cold, temperatures in the single digits. otherwise, a mixture of sunshine and a few clouds. >> and that's your latest weather. now to heart break in hollywood as a number of celebrity couples announce they're calling it quits. natalie new orleans has the details for us. >> reporter: the golden globe nominations were not the big announcements in hollywood tuesday. several high profile couples

made headlines by announcing their marriages have ended. people's sexiest man alive and "gq's" babe of the year are now officially single. ryan reynolds and scarlet johansen called it quilt it qu two years of marriage. when johansen won her tony awards s awards. >> they were trying to make this work for months. >> us weekly broke the story. >> this was a relationship that basically fell apart due to their a-list status and the demands on them and their careers. >> reporter: model and actress elizabeth hurley was forced to address the swirling rumors about her marriage. over the weekend a london tabloid reported that hurley was having an affair.

the british hurley married indian text tile tycoon three years ago, the wedding elaborate with two ceremonies, one in a castle in england, the other a palace in india. >> ironically, there are differences that sort of forged the end of this marriage. they just came from two different worlds. >> best performance by an actor in a television series drama. >> reporter: and with happy news -- >> michael c. hall, dexter --. >> on the same day he was nominated for a golden globe, dexter actor announced that he and wife jennifer carpenter -- who plays his sister on the show filed for divorce. they weathered good times and bad. carpenter was by hall's side as he battled cancer earlier this year. hall and carpenter were married just two years.

>> in hollywood that itch comes a little early and most couples can't make it past two or three years. >> reporter: and another celebrity split to mention, z. k and up next, who will it be? "time" magazine reveals it's person of the year right here on "today" and right after this.

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"today's" time person of the year is brought to you by state farm. find an agent or get a quote at statefarm.com. >> and we're back now at 7:42 to reveal "time" magazine's person of the year. the criteria, someone who for better or worse has done the most to influence events of the year. first one more look at the finalists. these are the faces that defined a year, a giant in the world of technology. a leader in a country ravaged by war. a movement that upended our political landscape. a courageous view that captured our hearts. an innovator changing the way we communicate, one friend at a time. and an online outlaw exposing the secrets of the world. but only one can be time's person of the year.

rick stengel, good morning, welcome back. we went over on monday how you folks choose the finalists. take me through the process of choosing the winner? is it one person, one vote? or do you have the final say. >> i have the final say. i talked to past persons of the year, i talked to time 100 ho r honorees and we talk to all of our editors and we get in a room and we hash it out. >> "time" magazine's person of the year for 2010 is mark zuckerberg, the founder of facebook, the ceo of facebook, something that is transforming the way we live our lives every day. >> why this year? facebook's been around for a while. >> this year they passed 500 million users. i mean it's an extraordinary number. the scale of facebook now is something that's transforming our lives. >> one in ten people on the

planet. >> one in ten people on the planet and that's excluding china where one in five people live. it's not just social technology, it's social engineering. it's changing the way we relate to people. i think it's affecting human nature in a way we have never seen before. >> there's a lot of controversy surrounding mark, in the movie "the social network" is depicted as this genius who turned on his friends. >> you know, he's very aft ee's fastball. he has this thing where when he goes on camera, he pulls back and he gets shy. >> what was his reaction to being named person of the year. >> he felt humbled by it. he felt honored by it. he's only the second youngest

person of the year. i think he was deeply affected by it. but he's not a guy who jumped up and down and said look at me. >> your readers actually didn't think this should go to him. didn't they feel that as sang -- >> assange won our pole by a great margin. but of course lady gaga was number two. but we talk all of that into account. and obviously assange is someone who was influencing the world a great deal this year. >> mark zuckerberg gave $100 million and has just pledged to give away the bulk of his wealth over his life. >> he's just at the beginning of his career, in a way, matt. >> behind zuckerburg, the tea party. number four president of afghanistan, hamid karzai. number five the chilean miners. >> you have to pick up the

magazine, because we have photographs of every chilean miner. it's over like 20 pages, it's fantastic. >> richard stengel, congrats. "time" magazine person of year is issued h issue hits newsstan friday. come on... isn't it time an auto insurer gave it to you straight? that's why you should talk to state farm. but not yet. first, talk to any one of the 40 million drivers who already have state farm. 40 million. yeah, that's more than geico and progressive combined. by a lot. 40 million drivers. more savings. and discounts up to 40%. where else you gonna get discounts like that? call an agent at 1-800-state-farm or go online. i feel like i have to wind myself up to deal with the sadness, the loss of interest, the lack of energy. [ male announcer ] ask your doctor about pristiq®,

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the los angeles zoo is set to unveil it's newest exhibit. a compound for three asian elephants. while zoo officials are celebrating, not everyone is happy about it. >> reporter: well, meet tina and jewel. they are the newest additions to the elephant compound here at the l.a. zoo. take a look at their sparkling new home, but it has taken years and millions of dollars to get here. >> they're so beautiful.

the size is massive. >> reporter: for most of his 25 years, billy an asian bull elephant has lived alone and only known one home. now billy's getting new roommates and an upgrade, a $42 million expansion that gives him 3.6 acres to roam, more than double what he had before. the new digs feature a swimming pool and a water fall. >> we're going to present ah-haing at tah-ha i -- >> tina and jewel just arrived from the san diego zoo. the plan officials say is for them to live together once the new girls settle in. >> i think what the zoo is really possessing a very misleading picture to the public. >> reporter: animal rights activists helped lead an emotional opposition to the exhibit. hollywood stars sought to stop

it calling the project animal abuse and a waste of taxpayer money. a judge ruled in favor of the zoo. kaplan is still fighting. >> these elephants in a natural habitat walk 100 miles a day and they can't walk 100 miles a day in this exhibit or any other exhibit. >> reporter: do you think this is enough space? >> it's plenty of space for the elephants. billy does wind sprints and exercises. >> reporter: every morning the zoo staff makes sure these animals are well fed and then evaluate their condition. including daily cleaning. but the cost of caring for the animals is fueling more criticism. some say it's just too expensive for a city that's already struggling. >> dollars that could go to police and libraries and school children are actually going to maintain elephants at tens of thousands of dollars a month. >> reporter: an elephant sized debate about how to care for the

largest land animal in the world. now zoo officials say nearly half of their funding comes from private donations and not just through taxpayer dollars. this exhibit will open up on thursday to a lot of fanfare and celebration as the public gets its first look at hollywood's newest heavyweights. meredith? >> kristen welker, thank you very much. beautiful animals. can't fight that one. still ahead, we're going to catch up with robert deniro. ♪ daisy, do a dollop

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♪ but you'll never find my christmas ♪ >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am lisa robinson. let's get out of the check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> keybridge to plaza, two lanes closed at inner loop. that is due to an accident. liberty road at forestal, we have an accident still clearing. heavy delays, 30 miles per hour on the outer loop.

in the lip, slowing from greenspring to jet th -- slowing from greenspring to j.f.x. normal volume-related stuff happening from carper towards providence. southbound 95, 32 miles per hour on the white marsh area. once you get beyond this point, that is where things slow a little bit more. that is the latest on traffic pulse 11. >> good morning, everyone. not quite as windy as yesterday. enough to knock the wind chills down to single digits. actual temperatures are in the upper teens and low 20s. 20 in parkton. this what you want to dress for. wind chill in hagerstown at 6. 11 degrees at the airport. breezy and cold, a mixture of

sunshine and clouds. only in the upper 20's and low 30's. light snow tomorrow. chance for light snow in the afternoon. minor accumulation possible. >> check the bottom of your screen for updated news and traffic information. back here at 8:25 with another update.

8:00 now on a wednesday morning, it's the 15th of december, 2010. and across the street, we have some happy folks spending time with us out on the plaza. some of us actually. inside our "today" show kitchen. i'm matt lauer. i'm going to explain why i'm here in a moment. meanwhile, meredith and al are outside. >> how did this work? >> i don't get this at all.

i wanted to be in the kitchen. you're great in the kitchen. >> fantastic. >> sorry, guys. >> we're out here, we're going to be talking about winter survival. how to keep yourself warm, how to keep your car running properly. it's the newest installment of "the meet the parents" movies. this time it's about the little fockers. robert deniro and ben stiller are here to talk about that. >> and this morning a handful of chefs will duke it out in a cooking competition. we have got dede and max and alex and sarah. meanwhile we'll check out the morning's top stories with ann curry. in the news, state records

show the gunman who terrorized a florida school board meeting on tuesday once -- he spray painted a symbol on the wall and waved his gun at board members while complaining about his wife getting fire. duke fired several shots without hitting anyone. he then killed himself after he was wound bid a security guard. forecasters say the record cold that brought record temperatures to florida over the weekend. one michigan couple had to pull over on the way to the hospital and delivered the baby in the car. the senate is voting today on a package of extended tax cuts and unemployment benefits and if it passes, the measure will move to the house. income taxes will go up for most

americans next year if a new tax law is not approved. the senate is also to begin debate this week on the nuclear arms treaty that president obama signed with russia. democrats would need at least nine republican votes for ratification. one day before president obama releases his report on the war in afghanistan, several reports say that -- u.s. military commanders say that those negative reports are outdated. aaa says 92 million americans will travel more than 50 miles from home over christmas and new year's. that's up 3% over last year. nine out of ten will drive to their holiday destination. and beauty sleep may be more than a myth. swedish researchers took pictures of healthy adults who

enjoyed eight hours of sleep each night and then they cut the volunteers back to just five hours of shut eye and photographed them again and said the difference was obvious. let's go back outside for a check of the weather with al. "today's" weather is brought to you by holiday gift cards at massage envy. find one near you at massage envy.com. we have got some nice folks here, two guys from the connecticut state police. you've got a $1,000 check for your toy drive? >> yes, on behalf of the men and women of the connecticut state police union, we wanted to make a difference in the lives of children. >> awfully nice. let's check it out and see what's happening, pick city today, phoenix, arizona. nbc 12 news is going to be heading out there, they're going to be opening a brand-new street side studio. sunny, mild, 73 degrees.

we have got wet weather along the southeastern atlantic coast. a mess out west along the west coast. into the rockies, they're going to be looking at snow. cold here in the east. plenty of sunshine from the plains all the way down into the gulf coast. sunny and mild through texas. but it is going to be a mess along the west coast on sunday, with heavy rain all the way down to los angeles, look for snow through the rockies, >> it is breezy and cold and temperatures in the single digits this morning. a mixture of sunshine and a few >> and that's your latest weather. coming up next, we have got a

special winter weather whip. that's nice, what you need to do to your wardrobe, to your car, to everything to cope with the cold right after these messages.

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and increase your risk of infections. some serious infections require hospitalization. before starting stelara®, your doctor should test for tuberculosis. stelara® may increase your risk of cancer. always tell your doctor if you have any sign of infection, or have had cancer. alert your doctor of new or worsening problems including headaches, seizures, confusion and vision problems. these may be signs of a rare, potentially fatal brain condition. serious allergic reactions can occur. tell your doctor if you or anyone in your house needs or has recently received a vaccine. with 4 doses a year, after 2 starter doses, it's stelara®. "today's" whip is brought to you by mcdonald's. >> back on "today's" winter weather whip. surviving the severe cold. much of the nation is dealing

with an arctic blast. >> you know the drill, we have gathered our experts this morning to give you great advice on how to keep your family safe and warm during the holiday season. george is a "today" contributor and the host of l.x. tv. you want to keep the warm in and the cold out. >> in the average house, all the cracks, all seems. all the places where warmth is leaking out, there would be a three-foot diameter hole. >> you look at that as money because you're wasting money. >> we want to kp it warm, we want to keep money down. so first things first, you want to get some sort of seal er for your door. this is the kind that actually slides on the door. so there's no cold air coming

in, no hot air going out. >> these things are popular, they're inexpensive and pretty easy to put on. >> all you need is scissors, measuring tape and a hair dryer. it takes no time at all. >> weather seal, there's two kinds, there's the foam kind, there's the rubber kind. which do you refer? >> i actually refer the foam kind because it has a little give. if you have newer windows, it gets rid of the cracks. but definitely, caution use this great stuff, to fill all the cracks, it's a spray foam and gets into all the nooks and crabbies. >> if you don't have your wipes wrapped. this is a great thing, it's just a heating coil. it will take you down to negative 40. hopefully you won't have a negative 40 basement. >> deicer for the driveway. you got to be careful with plants and trees and stuff.

>> the less you use, the better it is for your yard, you just sprinkle it on. >> and a double handled shovel. why is that better than the one i have? >> this one has so many options. you have double handles. so you get in there and it's not like you're throwing your back out. and you have some nice steps. >> let's go to meredith. >> what should you put on before stepping outside. elizabeth is the editor and chief of women's day magazine. just like the house, insulation is the key to staying warm? >> absolutely, you want to keep the warm air in and the cold air out. you want to do that with the right gear. now there's so so many wonderful things available. we have definitely stepped it up in terms of material. >> let's start at the head. >> head very important. i love this hat from columbia. even better, it's lined with the same material that you wear after the marathon.

>> right. >> so that really insulates. it's wicking, so that means it keeps the moisture out. the number one thing to prevent cold is water. this is a three in one hat. it can be a neck warmer or you can do the whole thing. it's made of a high performance flees so that will dry. >> be careful not the block your mouth and your nose because that will trap humidity. >> exactly, and that's where you get frostbite. >> these have a gloved lined thing inside it as well. mittens keep your hands warmer because you can move them around, you can put a hand warmer inside of them. this is from a snowboarding company, so you know they're going to be good. very important to have some air around because that's what lets the heat circulate. >> and finally, our footsies.

>> that good old wool is the best thing. it has cushions which also allows the air to move. it's quick drying and also absorbs the moisture. these are by smart wool, so they're not itchy so you don't have to worry about it. they will keep your feet dry. >> meredith, thanks amount. icy conditions, snowy roads can make for treacherous driving. jay fisher is with consumer magazine. you first want to make sure you check your tire pressure? >> when the temperature drops, so does your pressure in your tire. if you haven't checked them for a while, they're low. it's really easy to check them. get a tire pressure gauge. >> right. >> go over, see where they're at. preferably, use a digital gauge which is a little better and set them to the right pressure. if you look at the tire, it's going to be the right pressure. >> what about the tread?

>> you got to make sure you have tread. you could be driving around in the summer, and they'll be fine. but in split conditions, they're not going to work. a good set of winter tires can completely transform your tire. right here we have all wheel drive, but that's not going to help you stop. >> what about the trunk. >> jumper cables? >> have a set of jumper cables. right now when it gets cold, it's really hard for these batteries to turn over that engine. >> you come out and the frost has hit, or snow that you weren't expecting, you should have one of these. >> absolutely, you should been out there with a credit card trying to scrape your window. >> and if you get stuck, a cell phone is your best plan? >> program in your road side assistance right now.

>> and put in some extra food in case you get stuck. what's the best way to keep our pets warm and dry during this cold? wendy diamond is a pet expert. hey, wendy, good morning. you say don't give them a hair cut? >> absolutely, in the winter time it's really important to let their hair grow. not all dogs are huskies so it's really important that you keep them warm. if you're going outside, make sure you have a sweater, a jacket. and if you're cold, your dog is cold. >> and there's new ways to keep them warm. not only little booties. >> if the shoe doesn't fit. it's really important there's ice, there's salt, there's chemicals. when you bring your dog inside, get a warm rag and clean their paws off. and there's a paw plunger. >> how cool is that? >> you put your dog's paw in and it cleans them up.

>> also some of our pets are getting older and they also have joint pain in the cold. >> that's very important. make sure you don't take them out for a long time. let them go to the bathroom, let them sniff around. also bring them back. they also love a really comfy place to sleep. the bed, you can get it at petco for less than $20. >> and also the water bowl outside, it can freeze? >> absolutely. so make sure you keep going in, put lukewarm water. very important. >> and also pets in the cold weather will gravitate to things we don't necessarily want them to gravitate to. >> actually they love being warm. >> you want to start your car? make sure you check under by the engine. make sure you check for the coils, the heat. they get really warm so make sure you protect them from your pet. >> wendy diamond, thanks for mentioning that. coming up, we have got two

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go to capitalone.com. i wonder what it could be?! what's in your wallet? back now at 8:21. first there was "meet the parents." then came "meet the fockers" and now comes "the little fockers." >> i've done some research on twins. there's a theory that in certain

cases, one twin gets an extra chro chrome sewn from the mother, while the other gets an extra chrome sewn from the father. >> pull my finger. >> oh. >> double dose. >> robert deniro, ben stiller, good morning to you. >> i cannot believe it has been ten years since "meet the parents" and now "little fockers." >> how come every i say that, i see my career -- >> the first time around, they had the idea for the movie and the director said what do you think of robert deniro playing your father-in-law, i said, great, good luck with that. i hope that happens for you. and then that happened.

and then i thought, okay, this is a great experience, i'm having my robert deniro experience. >> i read in the production notes that you finally feel comfortable calling him bob? >> finally. after about ten years. especially because i think bob likes to be called bob. >> it's your name, so absolutely. >> yes, it's wonderful. >> a man of few words. >> enough, bob. >> calm down. be quiet. if he had said to me back when you were making "mean streets" and "taxi driver" i would have said you were crazy, but you are, you're hysterical. >> i think i have a funny gene, my mother always thought i did.

them or ironies. >> you have a different relationship with greg focker, but you decided you're going to become the god focker of the family. but it didn't work out that way? >> in the beginning. he's concerned about his legacy. he has a little heart attack. >> men over 65, they say you have to have a heart attack. >> so he's concerned who's going to carry on the family legacy and he's stuck with greg. so it sort of reignites the tension between the two of us. >> in the scene, you make some extra money, greg focker takes on a role working with an erectile dysfunction medication. and then you take that medication so you can have an evening with your wife. how would you describe what happens to you? >> you want me to describe it? >> sure, absolutely.

morning television. >> he takes too much. you would think he would know better, but he took too much. should i go into details? >> do you have a character in toy story? >> woody? >> and you have to give him a shot to help calm everything down. >> exactly, right. >> how do you even prepare for a scene like that? >> i research it. you know, i'm playing a nurse practition practitioner, so that's part of what i would do and bob's a method actor so he came prepared. >> it was all real. everything we did was all real. >> you bring that up. you're going to be in the lifetime achievement awards at the golden globe awards. will you be bringing up that scene as an example of some of your greater work? >> possibly. >> possibly? what are you most proud of? >> i'm happy that i am able to

work and have a good life and there's always problems in life and as long as you're alive, but that's okay. and then so i can't really complain. >> and you're heading back to broadway, i know that. >> yes. >> congratulations. ben stiller, robert deniro, >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am lisa robinson. let's get a final check on the morning commute with sarah caldwell. >> we made see delays southbound on the j.f.x. brush fire been reported in the southbound direction. watch for delays from the beltway to northern parkway. normal delays on the inner loop reports the j.f.x., outer loop heading from harford towards the

harrisburg expressway bridge west baltimore street, watch for an accident. another wanted edgewood and 24, of philadelphia road. pretty heavy spot on the west side outer loop. let's give you a live view in trouble spots. -- and a couple of spots. here, no problems to report. this is now clear d. tony has attack on the forecast. >> breezy and cold start. not as windy as yesterday, but enough to drop the wind chills into the single digits. this is what it feels like out there. 6 is the wind chill in westminster. seven and a bargain. forecast for today is sunshine and a few clouds. high temperatures in the upper 20's and low 30's.

system to our south gives us a chance for light snow flurries in the afternoon on thursday. mind a commission possible dry weather comes back friday and saturday as we start the weekend. >> we will see you back here at 8:55.

8:340 now on this wednesday morning, december 15, 2010. ten days until christmas and just a week left until our annual holiday toy drive.

we're going to catch up with him in a moment. and remember, you do not have to be in new york to participate in the toy drive. just head to our website for all the details. up ahead adding spark to our holiday season. >> martha stewart is here to get your holidays all aglitter from a home made tinsel wreath. look at her. >> and you haven't seen her shoes yet. >> need to see the shoes. oh, whoa! >> like she's going to walk through plutonium. and a guy who won by losing. we're talking about losing 181 pounds. patrick, a 28-year-old father of two dropped that weight, won last night's edition of the biggest loser. he flew across the country. he's going to be here with us live. how fantastic does he look? >> he's ripped.

>> also, you know, we have long been able to get down to compliment the people on our staff. but who knew they could cook it up in the kitchen? in fact they can cook it up so well, they're in a competition this morning. >> meredith has been drinking all morning. >> the good news is they can't hear us right now. but i'm telling you, tough competition. >> the producer of this hour of the "today" show which reeks of conflict of interest. >> some will say it's rigged. >> she says it's not rigged. >> we'll find out. >> can we please say hello to one of the dozens on the one of a kind singing sensation. good morning to you. hi, welcome. we love the show. it's just terrific. >> thank you. >> you're down to five finalists. america makes the final decision.

>> i think it's good to express what's going on and if there's something that can be improved, if you're not, then there's some reasons. i've got a couple of reasons to figure out who that is. >> there's an enormous amount of joy up on the stage. there's an atmosphere that these performers create that it's almost contagious. >> it is. and that's why there's what, 2,000 officials in the university now. it's the experience of people singing together, and singing together well that's just powerful and that's why people do it. >> and this acapella, it's just you and a voice and another group. there's no instruments. this is just about as pure a singing as you can get. certainly it started there. i mean maybe people banging with the rock. but the voice is the original muse system instrument. >> i understand that you're touring and that you have an album called lonely avenue, but

one of the songs on your album is called levi johnston? >> our british novelist wrote the lyrics for this album and i wrote the music to it. he's english and he was watching the republican national convention on television, and he wasn't so interested in the politics as this boy who's stuffed in the suit and now he's getting married and he's in the middle of american politics. he was really quick to grow up. we didn't know he was going to be so famous. >> worked out well. >> ed folds, thank you so much. we remind the audience, catch "the sing off" tonight at 8:00, 7:00 central. >> it's so cold. >> it's so

>> it is windy, it is cold, temperatures in the single digits. otherwise, a mixture of sunshine and a few clouds. and a few clouds. >> and don't forget, with this crazy weather, you want to check the weather channel or online at weather.com. coming up, martha adds a little sparkle to your holiday celebration. but first this is "today" on nbc. ay

martha on "today" is brought to you by macy's.

the martha stewart collection is available at macy's and at ma macys.com. >> stones can transform you and your home for a dazzling holiday festivity. martha stewart is here with ideas from the december edition of "living" magazine. you are blinding me with your elegance. this edition of the "holiday" magazine, the 20th anniversary? >> i can't believe it's been 20 years since we started. we made all sorts of glimmery, sparkly things. you can buy these little cyber board reforms at any craft store. >> did you then spray that gold?

>> i spray painted it gold. and you can use your hot glue gun and put a dollop of glue. and if you get any on your finger, put it right in ice water. and these little gift bows, they're just gift bows that you buy at the craft store? >> everything here comes out of the craft store? >> yesterday i called one of my editors and i said where are you? she said i'm at michael's buying crafts for my kids. once you finish your whole wreath. you can embellish with these little balls. these look beautiful on a table, they look beautiful on a wall. look how gorgeous that is. >> that's nice. >> that's a big one. >> so you hang it fairly high up? >> you want to be able to look into it or at it, above a

little. and next the napkin rings. these are just two see quinnseq balled. these are a little tedious if you're sitting at home watching your favorite tv, like the "today" show or the martha show. you use this sticky glue. you see how i have it on this skewer? you just draw a bead around like that. >> just twisting it around? >> just keep twisting it around and you get better and better at it as you do it. >> how does this turn into that? >> a ribbon through the norknotd draw it through the whole. and then i have this on a big upholstery needle. and then take that off the needle. and another knot here. and then you have your napkin ring. you can use pine cones, and you

can use other things too. >> and we move on from that? >> and two candles. if you want to have some pretty candles down your table, you can do as many as you want. you can use a flog like that. andthat goes right down your table. sparkle plenty. right? >> very, very nice. >> these are christmas trees. we have them over here, look how pretty. >> how did you make that? >> two 8 by 11 pieces of paper. get hard pressed paper. and cut it into a pyramid like that. >> right. >> actually what kind of pyramid do you call that? a triangle? and then you piaette them.

this works so much easier just to squeeze a little glue on. and then draw a bead of crafts glue right down. >> you glue them together? >> you glue them together. just like this. and this goes right on the -- and it holds, believe me, it holds. it's very strong. >> that's very nice. as always, merry christmas. >> same to you. >> thanks for all the ideas. and up next, the newly crowned winner of the biggest loser. but first this is "today" on nbc.

back now at 8:44 with the man who has to be proud to be

called the biggest loser. patrick was crowned the winner of nbc's hit reality show after dropping an amazing 181 pounds. unbelievable. look at this. look at hose arms. made the cross country flight to be with us this morning. congratulations. >> thank you. >> has it hit yet? i'm sure you haven't gotten much sleep. >> i haven't had much time to sleep. fortunately i had any wife bradley on the plane with me last night. and we are so excited. in fact bradley is over there. >> you must be so proud of patrick. >> i'm so proud. he looks amazing. >> and you and fredo were neck and neck all the way. did you think you had this thing wrappeded up? >> i never really knew for sure if i had it wrapped up or not. fredo and i had been close the entire season. good friends. i talked to fredo off and on

after we were home. and last night finally seeing the numbers and seeing that confetti come down, unbelievable. >> let's take a look at your before picture. your weight, really an uphill battle. especially after your football career ended in college. it must have been difficult to look at a picture like this. >> it was. i mean that guy is a completely different man than i am now. it really is. and i like to feel like i have made the changes mentally now, that it's a lifestyle change and not a diet anymore. i'm going to make different options in my life and it's going to be a healthy lifestyle for me. >> and you obviously have an extra extra incentive for this prize. you were laid off work. and now you've got this new body, a new life really. >> getting laid off in january. early in 2010, seemed pretty bleak for my family. but now being the biggest loser, i have got a great opportunity

at mine stream academy in south carolina. it's for teenagers that are are overweightthey can come in and get help. to be on the forefront of battling childhood obesity in america. >> the first thing, it's going to go back to paying my parents and my in-laws who i have borrowed money from this whole year to get through. >> literally paying it forward. >> i know they're excited to see me win too. >> your children, they're 2 and 4 years old. they're going to never really know the old dad. they probably won't remember this. that's got to be very special for you. >> it is. you know, having colton and kate, there's a lot in my life and bradley and knowing now that i have changed my life who i'm going to be and live so much longer, it's just a surreal experience. >> for all of us who have struggled with our weight and lost the weight. it's hard enough to lose the weight.

keeping it off is the real battle. how do you fight that? >> when i was at home, one of the things that really, really helped me with the weight loss was using the biggest loser meal plan. it takes that time out of weighing the chicken, weighing the vegetable. so you get your biggest loser meal plan, pop it in the microwave. it's great food and portion control, so important to weight loss. especially right now around the holidays. and people can check my website. it was launched last night. it's www.biggestloser.com. >> patrick, good to see you. up next, who's going to be our biggest loser of our staff cook-off challenge. this is a battle royal, one for the ages. that's next on nbc.

we're back now at 8:50 and we're ready to crown "today's" staff top cook. they'll be competing with their best holiday recipes. we have got bravo's top chefs. so let's bring in the contestants. what are you looking for in a dish? is it presentation, creativity?

>> taste, presentation and creativity. >> all right, perfect. get ready. i know you have already tasted these things. let's bring in our first contestant. this is angela, she handles a lot of the more humorous segments here on the show. but there's nothing humorous about her mother marry's fruit toast. >> do you serve these at parties? >> yes. >> very nice. >> do you make these ahead? if they sit around, do they get greasy? >> you can make them ahead, but you always want to keep them warm, not in the motorcycicrowa obviously, but in the oven. >> the shrimp. >> chop the shrimp. >> and then you saute? >> you spread it on day old bread. you put it down flat and then you do it 30 seconds, maybe in oil. have peanut, half vegetable. >> you're patting your heart.

thank you very much. next up we have from the west coast edition of the "today" show. we have matt who usually rubs elbows with celebrities. these are horse radish ribs with garlic mashed potatoes. judges. >> i love ribs. so already the choice is great. it looks beautiful. how long have you been making this recipe? >> about a year, year and a half. >> it's yummy. >> eat wit a spoon. >> yeah, you can. how long does this cook for? >> at about six hours in a slow cooker with wine, pork. >> and what kind of red wine did you use today? >> burgundy. >> burgundy. it's kind of early to have a glass of wine, isn't it? >> it's kind of early for that shrimp toast.

>> you see what we deal with every day here? >> let's bring in sarah, for those of us who love her, we call her clagett. this is the green bean casserole. go ahead, sarah. >> and how long have you been making this recipe? >> my father has been making this green bean stir fry which is a great alternative for green bean casserole. i kicked it up with almonds and peppers to mix it up for christmas. >> this is a modern take on the traditional casserole dish. >> it's a bit smoky. >> and it's subtle which is great. i like that the green beans have a bite in them.

well done. >> and you didn't get nasty, which is in your favor. this is one of our senior producers at the "today" show, who i understand has been trying to cozy up to the judges for a couple of weeks now. but you see through her. and this is german chocolate cake? >> how are you doing today? >> i think you made staff gifts for everyone here. so thank you. >> yes, of course. >> it's a very nice cake. >> it's my mom's recipe. she's spent the past 15 years perfecting it, making it a little bit lighter, a little bit creamier. >> pecans? >> pecans from texas. >> what do you like about this chocolate cake? >> everything. i like how it's fluffy and high, it's like an old fagged diner cake.

. >> you two huddled together. you've got 30 seconds to make your decision, who's winning, meredith, al, come on in. i want to tell everybody, first prize, dinner for two at la bernadette's. do you have anything to say very quickly? >> this took three weeks to make. these are fast, fun. >> if you want a holiday recipe, this is christmas. >> we get the picture. >> all of these dishes are ones when you put these together, they make the perfect meal. it's beautiful from start to finish, if we have to pick one winner, i think we agree that it's the short ribs. >> l.a. bureau of the "today" show. >> this is the perfect holiday

meal. >> congratulations, you get dinner for two at la bernadettes. the first prize goes to? >> second prize i think goes to the german cake. >> fantastic, you get a one day >> live, local, latebreaking. this is wbal-tv 11 news today in baltimore. >> good morning. i am lisa robinson. dangerously cold temperatures have cost the city to issue its first code blue alert. >> as part of the code blue program, we are opening emergency shelters, and we are extending the number of individuals that can be accommodated in our main shelter at guilford ave. >> health officials say that in the extreme cold people should be aware of the warning signs of hypothermia.

back in a minute with a check on

>> it is 8 windy and cold start for us this wednesday. the wind chills in the single digits right now. mixture of sunshine and clouds as we head into the afternoon. high temperatures between 27 and 32 degrees. it will feel colder because of the wind. tomorrow, a system passes by to the south. high near 31. >> we will have another update at 9:25.