visit uso.org to learn how you can make a ifference in their lives. . now abc 2news at 11. >> pink slips two days before christmas. news from the steel workers. >> for him to walk in here, that's a great story. >> hours after being taken off life support a college student wakes up. hear from the man in the middle of this amazing story. . >> no snow but a chilly christmas on the way and will we have clear skies for santa's big night? >> we start trying to sort out some of the talk from argi he steel. we know this much, in the past 24 hours we have heard from employees who said they were laid off.

>> reporter: tonight our calls to the company haven't been returned union representing more than 2,000 employees won't comment. we spent the night talking to people who were handed their pink slip today. producing steel put them on the map. for decades they were owned by bethlehem steel until it was sold. since then it's changed hands several times the current owner delivers some unsettling news two days before christmas. >> the boss came in and posted onto board to call in today -- friday at noon to find if they were laid off. >> reporter: her husband spent 37 years in the mill, as far as he can tell today was his last. that is the message coming to us from dozens of employees from text messages to phone calls and pink slips in person, many workers aren't sure about their future and if the mill will remain in operation. they were told to stay home and

file for unemployment. >> i'm out of work. i have a daughter that just now filled out all her financial aid papers for college. this could change everything. >> reporter: we obtained an e- mail sent to one employee from a union representative. it said your union and the company is hard at work to resolve this i promise you that. please don't do anything to destroy our chances to save our plant, mills, our livelihoods. when we called the union rep he said he had no comment and our cals to the company have not been returned. some were told the company is partly bankrupt but no official word during what is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year. >> this is really shocking. i'm blown away. i don't know what to think. . >> reporter: we don't want to go to deep in so speculation but some workers say they are hearing the layoffs may be temporary. we will keep trying to get

answers. cheryl connor. >> the release of a new sneaker caused scuffles. crowds in annapolis and columbia got rowdy waiting fort new shoe to go on sale. it's a remake of one of the most popular styles ever. at one mall the presale was canceled and a girl was arrested for trespassing at another mall. it wasn't just here, the mayhem stretch from washington state to georgia. at a mall outside seattle police had to use pepper spray on customers who were fighting. >> i don't know. they -- just shoes. >> it was crazy. just all the people and the noise and all the police showing up and pepper spray and all that. >> in california gun shots rang out while people waited in line. nobody was hurt. more charges against a fake driveway contractor that we first told you about in an

investigation. baltimore county is now bringing charges against him. he has been charged in three other county was running an illegal driveway paving business here. he was charged yesterday for acting as a contractor without a license. the complaint isn't is an investigation with the home improvement commission that has been looking in to his operation since last spring. they heard from a dozen people saying they were low bald balled and then asked to pay thousands more. the end of this year will see an end of a fixture in financial circles, ed hale senior, retired from the top job at the bank he foeffective the 65-year-old said he planned it in conjunction request the execution of a stock purchase agreement. in a release he said is he proud of the community banking and the hundreds of jobs they

have helped create. michael watson is interim chairman. use of the new 911 system is being put on hold right now. the county announced it today days after the police union said it would file a complaint about the system. they said it's not working correctly and would often give out incorrect information. the county said it'll go back to the old system until the bugs are worked out. >> the staff says it'll take about a month to get the bugs out. in the meantime we will go back to the representing system to make sure the maximum safety for our officers, firefighters, paramedics isn't compromised. >> the new system cost more than six million dollars. the company that created it has been working to fix the problems >> gusty wind around 30 miles an hour making hard on some of the last minute shoppers.

hey, wind's have died off nicely tonight and just a cold night out there. temperatures dropping quickly. through the 30s. we have 40 baltimore, 37 in easton. it's a chilly; 30 with light breezes the rest of the night and tomorrow looking for sun and a slow climb in to the low 40s it'll be chilly for christmas eve. we talk more about christmas day and look ahead to next week coming up. >> the christmas spirit on -- act 200carrollers. about 41 years ago. angels exist in many different forms. now there are lay away ones and they are making christmas special for a lot of people. they have paid a visit to the k- mart store on north point.

it started three anonymous donors who paid off three information acts. accounts. >> we called them, leave a message. they come in and -- everything that we have -- they are crying, they can't believe it. they think it's a joke. it's like tears and just incredible. i had a lady in yesterday picking up something for her grandchildren and it was just -- it was all i could do to hold it together. >> all kinds of choked up. >> reporter: the representatives say the company didn't have anything to do with this trend. they say it started one angel and others followed suit paying it forward. >> the countdown has started. there are hours left to finish christmas shopping. 24million aren't done. retailers are make the final push to reel in the last minute

shoppers. the crews were questioned, will the frenzied spending be a gift to the economy? >> it's an aassault on your wallet. parting consumers with eye candy sales. >> i think the sales this year were better. >> reporter: the biggest par gain. warm clothes. >> want to end with not a lot of sweater, jackets. >> reporter: toys r us 25%. are among the dozens of stores with 25% off online target offering 10% off. internet retailers with more than an e-mail a weekday to the inbox, about 5.6. they are trying to get the last dime from the 24 million americans. >> that's how i always do it.

smart -- the last minute shop. >> reporter: at macy stores an 83 hour marathon of shopping. > >> i thought 2:00 a.m. what day way to shop. >> reporter: open all night up to christmas. >> nobody to battle against that i-phone. >> reporter: new york times reporter stayed up to see who shopped at three. the answer, not so many. >> in the daylight hours the stores seem null and retail sales are expected to jump 4%, 3.8 this year. numbers released today show how a small hike in income could go a long way. >> they have morin come. they are willing to penned it and we are seeing it in stores and online. >> reporter: online. amazon, new egg, no crowd. if you have things to cross off the list many stores are opening early tomorrow, earlier

than you would expect. kohl's stores -- are open until 6:00 a.m. mac y's at 7:00 and target very late at 8:00 a.m. toys are u is open right now. get out of the house, go there and they will be open until 10:00 tomorrow. before you head out to the stores check your road conditions on the website. that is in the traffic tab and don't forget our special holiday section loaded with everything you need, gift wrapping tips, tips for cook the perfect meal. everybody thought he was dead but he got better. coming up a man who was in a coma and woke up just before they were going to pull the plug. and they say everything is bigger in texas. not much knowledge of driving

there. texas sized snow caused texas sized headaches and the night before christmas. a holiday favorite, it returns.

. around the nation tonight, paychecks won't go down in january because the house finally passed the tax break extension. the gavel came down and the bill moved to the president's desk. >> this is good news, just in the nick of time for the holidays. >> the president left for his hawaii vacation shortly. they will

it'll be a white christmas in texas and snow fell in el paso today. folks there are obviously not used to driving in this stuff. especially not in the rear wheel mustang. a few inches of snow and cold temperatures made for lots of slipping sliding in the western part of texas. it's expected to fall through tomorrow. and a woman flying -- says the tsa thought her cup cakes were a terror threat. a security agent took two of them, that's suspicious, packed in jars, saying the frosting was to similar to the kind of gels they ban from planes. rebecca said they aren't being logical. >> it's not about safety. it's about making people follow rule that really to the average traveler seem arbitrary. >> lunch break may have been involved. people are usually allowed to take cup cakes. a spokesperson said its reviewing the situation.

a terrible accident leaves a young man in a coma close to death. the outlook so bad they talk to his family about organ donation hours from being taken off life support. he wakes up. alex stone with more. >> reporter: sam was a typical college student, a junior at university of arizona. on october 19th, sam was involved in a five car accident resulting in such severe brain damage the hospital couldn't treat him. he was taken to another hospital where specialists did surgery for a aneurysm. the 21-year-old was on life support doctors didn't have much hope he would recover and started talking to his family about organ donation. hours before he was going to be taken off life support something happened. same started to respond. >> i spoke with him a few times. makes me feel good. >> reporter: his doctors and

family are amazed at his recovery. >> for him to walk in here just a couple months later, from such a deep coma where we really gave hip very, very minimal chance for survival. that's a great christmas story. >> it was a miracle. it was a miracle that -- and a feeling i don't think any mother or parent will -- i don't know how to explayt. >> reporter: he has bounced back strong. he can even tease his brother. >> who is better looking? >> me. >> anything i'm better than you at? >> no. >> reporter: expecting to make a full recovery they receive the best gift they could hope for this holiday, a true christmas miracle. alex stone. >> now, maryland's most powerful radar, and the forecast certified most accurate by weather rate. >> it's a quiet night now after a very windy day and

temperatures certainly feeling a lot more like the season after the last several day was record warmth, broke records on wednesday. came close thursday, today temperatures dropped and 40 or so was it for the top of the hour. many spots already down in the 30s. take a look through the day today. we briefly got up above 50 degrees but clouds mixed with sun. that was the story. that's the view across the inner harbor. frederick, a lot of people on the roads headed out to i-70, finding just a mix of sun and clouds, pretty day but it was windy and plenty of holiday shopping traffic. pretty good day for that but clear and cold tonight. maryland's most powerful radar showing nothing and we i had that will continue to be the case throughout the weekend and into the middle part of next week before we have another chance for rain. 30s to the west. york below freezing. dover in the 30s as well as in easton. again baltimore holding onto 40

but not by much. by daybreak in the upper 20s. winds let up. all the gusty winds are -- a done deal but it's impressive to look at the peak wind gusts we had earlier today. gusted to 35 at silver springs, over 30 in baltimore, yeah, mighty gusty time early on in the morning and through the middle part of the day. wind chills not a big deal because the winds died off. tomorrow, struggling to get out of the mid40s. just pick two cities there. bottom line. mid40s. day that will feel more seasonable. this time of year for us, for christmas, 44 degrees, that's average and that's where we will be all weekend. few clouds still blowing in out of the north and west. no precipitation, have you to get out into the southwest west virginia to find precipitation. white christmas, not across most of the east coast. northern new england, parts of

michigan, upstate new york, some lake effect snow providing that white coasting. this is the year of the west coast for christmas and a cold, dryer air will keep funneling in. air temperatures will keep dropping. you see the 20s over spreading the northeast, we see very little active weather tonight, tomorrow, or tomorrow night. good news for santa and rudolph. they have no trouble tomorrow nightn. to monday more sun, temperatures going to moderate back to near 50. overnight 30 with light breezes, we get colder, ravens game day saturday. kind of unusual to say that, 44 degrees with sun and clouds and cool out there. tomorrow night clear for santa, 28 degrees, clear, calm, and quite cold. let's look ahead to next week. first an idea of what santa will deal with. as we look ahead, temperatures back to near 50 and you know the chance for anything is

going to be rain tuesday into wednesday it would appear. i mentioned that about ravens game day saturday. given that the playoffs coming we want to say that more. >> ravens game day saturday. >> several of those after the super bowl. >> after a by. that's even better. >> that would be the ideal. thank you. >> coming up some of baltimore's best known sports icons recite a classic holiday tale but first a look at night line. >> on night line in a holiday interview barbara walters asks the president the question sent to him by the youngest americans. and we show you new takes on the nutcracker from weirdest to wildest. that's on night line.

. ♪ [ music ] >> it's a holiday tradition here at wmar. we have broadcast the choral's holiday concert for 16 years and are doing it again this year. catch it here tomorrow at 11. we will reair it christmas morning at 11:00 a.m. another holiday tradition here, some of baltimore's best known faces the present and past tell the night before christmas. lue see familiar people and some no longer with us and while tomorrow is christmas eve tonight is close enough for us.

>> the night before christmas by clemen t c more. the night before christmas all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse. the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hope that saint nicholas soon would be there. the children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar plumbs danced in their heads. >> and -- just settled down for a long winter nap. >> when out on the lawn thera rose such a latter i spring to my bed -- sprang to see what was the matter. i tore open the shutters and threw open the sash. >> the moon gave a luster to objects below and what did my eyes should appear but a miniature sleigh -- with a little driver i knew in a

moment it must be saint nick. >> his courses they came, he whistled and shouted and called them by name. now dasher now dancer, now prancer and vixen. on comet, on cupid, on donor and blitzen. to the top of the porch, to the top of the wall, dash away, dash away, dash away a. >> the hurricane fly -- now to the sky. up to the house top they flew, with the sleigh of toys and saint nicholas too. i heard the prancing pawing of each little hoof. >> as i drew in my head and was turn around down the chimney saint nicholas came with a bound. hehe was dressed in fur from his head to his foot. a bag full of toys swung on his back. >> his eyes held a twinkle --

his cheek was like roses and his nose like a cherry. his mouth was drawn up like a bow and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow. the stump of his pipe he held tight in his chief. he had a broad face and a little round belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly. [inaudible] and i laughed when i saw him in spite of myself. >> a wink of his weigh and a twist of his head soon gave me to know i had nothing to dread. >> and filled all the stockings -- laying his finger aside of his nose and giving a nod up the chimney he rose. he sprang to his sleigh, gave a his example away they all flew. when i heard him exchain as he drove out of sight happy christmas to all and to all a

good night. merry christmas. is not the egg nog cool? >> how do you follow that? >> wait for it all year. >> every year. every year. >> i think by -- i don't know -- the that --. >> that is classic. >> and -- it's kind of old that kyle still has hair. like seeing me with hair. >> the cheese. either one. >> take a look tomorrow. your christmas eve. the night before christmas, going to be cold, 34 degrees, christmas day. mildler there and the outlook for next week -- the ravens game tomorrow be ready for a kickoff around 40 degrees and put another layer on. >> all right. we will be back.