now. winter blast. snow closes schools and ties up traffic. when will it end? hi. i'm kai jackson. mary is off today. here's what people are talking about. baltimore region's first significant snowfall of the season. it's triggering accidents around the state. students in many school districts also went home early, with snow emergency plans in effect early. outside now, the snow continues to fall. and the evening commute is messy. wjz is live with extensive coverage. bob and meteorologist tim williams are tracking coverage. bob? >> take a look at radar. we've seen some changes come up

in the last hour or two. this has thinned. you can see it's thinning out tremendously. in fact, from baltimore down to southern maryland, there's really nothing. and from the city on north, it's pretty much ended. we're not done with this storm yet. but the snow amounts have been rather light. around the city, very light snow from the beltway north, almost finished. around the city from the city over toward the canton area. a little heavier it goes. but really, it's much, much lighter than we saw earlier this afternoon. and most of it continues to move quickly off to the east and to the northeast. let's take a look at the watches and advisories, still in effect. although they may drop early tonight. across southern virginia. that's where it has been the heaviest. some places down 2, 2 1/2 inches. we still have a winter weather advisory. that's in effect, officially until 10:00 tonight. for slippery conditions, especially in those secondary and tertiary roads. be careful out there.

you may find slick spots. tim is there with us now. look at the temperatures now. the snow continued to fall. and it never warmed up at all. tim? >> it never warmed up at all, bob. everything that came down, came down in the form of snow. temperatures came in early in the afternoon, 11:00 or so, 12:00, 1:00, everything came down in the form of snow. it did that because the temperatures never really rebounded. we've seen temperatures not get out of the mid-20s all day long. 18 in oakland. we have 25 at bwi marshall. and 28 down toward ocean city. again, these temperatures are only going to support everything on the ground, staying in frozen precipitation mode. it's not going to melt down overnight. so we're going to see the slick roads come through tomorrow. kai, we'll continue to keep you posted for now. back over to you. first warning weather continues. mike hellgren has a closer look at this winter blast in southeast baltimore. >> reporter: the snow is still coming down here. and it came down fast and hard

earlier today, since just after 11:00. you can see a number of the side streets here are just covered. we are on sleet street. and look down at the street. you can see it is packed with snow. a lot of people slipping and sliding out there. however, there is a marked difference on the interstate. look down here on interstate 895. traffic, at least at this point, is flowing smoothly, although the roads are wet. >> reporter: roads coated with snow and ice made travel tough across maryland. but dozens of accidents piling up statewide, snarling traffic. and testing patience. >> it's slippery. my abs is working a lot. >> you would think had is -- this is probably like the blizzard. >> reporter: the state highway administration did not pretreat roads in baltimore in advance of the storm but got plows out as soon as the first flakes started to fall. >> we will keep forces until it is completely clear. we have everything treated and

everything is in good shape. >> reporter: side streets in the city it were snow-packed. just walking was a chore. >> i was not doing very well. >> so it's a little slippery out there. >> yeah. very slippery. . >> i don't have snow boots. so i'm just wearing regular boots and yeah, it's really slippery. >> we have 130 pieces of equipment out there now. we do have some contractors that will be working on those smaller areas. but right now, we're concentrating on our primary roadways. >> reporter: interstates faired better, but the interstates will be slower than normal. drivers advised to take extra time to get where they're going. >> well, i drive stick. and any time i try to accelerate, it was low traction, and everything was sliding around and people were stopped. and i saw people -- i saw some accidents, and some hazards. and that was like over an hour ago. >> reporter: and the snow continues to fall. you're looking live at interstate 895 again. you see, the traffic is flowing smoothly again.

the side streets, still a mess in much of the city. they're working to clear them. they've got, as you heard, adrian barnes there, with dozens of pieces of equipment. and because it's so cold, all of this will probably stick around for a while. mike hellgren, wjz eyewitness news. >> not fun but it looks pretty, mike. thank you. the snow is causing chaos in the evening commute. sharon gibala is causing the traffic and delays in wjz traffic control. hi, sharon. >> hi, kai. and we have plenty to talk about today. many, main problems. speeds and way too many accidents to mention all of them. we will mention a bad one we had earlier that has it jammed. i'm sorry, on 95 at harford county, that has it jammed from maryland house to tidings memorial bridge. the accident itself is clear. but you're still looking at delays. meanwhile, huge dwhrais on the -- too delays on the beltway.

we're looking at 139-minute delay at this point with an average speed of 14 miles per hour. we're also looking at the 95 jam, running from the capital beltway, all the way up to the baltimore beltway. and dozens of accidents, as i mentioned. most of them are fender benders. this is actually the worst one working that is blocking all lanes. your alternate is there. we can take a live look at the beltway, while i talk about some other delays. 29 northbound. we have big delays there, from 32 to 70. 100 westbound from 97 to 29. that's a live look at that inner loop jam, running from 295 to eastern boulevard. 139-minute delay. that's over 2 1/2 hours there. and 32, east and westbound. backed up from 97 to 29. 70 eastbound to 29, beltway is backed up there. you can see, the outer loop, not looking much better. and the snow is still coming

down. so it's definitely not helping things. exits are jammed as well. you can see, that's 83, just north of the beltway. this is brought to you by coldstone creamery. fun, innovative flavors, introduced each month in every creamery. cold stone creamery. the ultimate experience. remember, wjz is always on. for instant updates on the forecast, live doppler radar, and information on closings and delays, log onto wjz.com. a boy attacked by a stranger inside a school bathroom. and today, police say cold weather may be to blame. baltimore county police say no one noticed when the suspect walked in to halliburton middle school this morning. he is accused of trying to sexually assault a boy in a school bathroom. that was around 8:30 this morning. detectives say the boy's screams alerted a teacher who went into the bathroom and stopped the attack. county police arrived a short time later.

they arrested the man. officials say they normally keep the school's doors locked all day. but because of today's cold temperatures, they allowed students to come in early and stand in the lobby. the man arrest side not much taller than an 8th grader and a school spokesperson believes that's how he slipped by unnotice. >> visitors to halliburton normally have to ring a buzzer and sign in to a visitor's log. today, new information about the troubled gunman and the hero security guard who stopped him. mark strausman reports for wjz from panama city. >> can we talk for a minute? >> clay dukes' attack startled everyone else. but he planned this. police found the date circled on his home calendar. and once he held members of the bay district school board hostage, he ignored their pleas. >> i've got a lot, with my wife and family. i don't need to die.

>> reporter: ginger littleton, the only woman on the board, snuck back inside, and tried to disarm duke with her purse. duke let her live. but no one could talk him down. >> please don't. please don't. please. [ gunshot ] >> i'm not a pansy. but i will tell you, i was very afraid. i was scared to death. >> this is going to happen. he was going to do this. there was nothing we could have done to stop him. >> reporter: on wednesday, an emotional rebecca duke told reporters she was hoping to give her husband some good news. >> trying to fill out applications and trying to get some interviews so that i could actually say, honey, guess what, i got a job, you know, everything is going to be okay. but evidently i didn't get that chance. i love my husband. he's really a gentle giant. >> reporter: by the time he opened fire, missing even at point-blank range, duke was a

troubled and broke ex-con, angry the school system had fired his wife, a special needs teacher. his lawyer said duke was also bipolar, which kept him jobless, so he couldn't afford his medications. and by the time somebody called 911. >> oh, my gosh. he's firing. he's firing. [ [ gunshots ] >> mike jones couldn't afford to wait. in the board room, the school district security chief opened fire ask dropped duke. >> i'm telling you, mike saved our lives. it doesn't get any more real than that. and you don't have to believe that or whatever. but i'm telling you, we were in there, and that gentleman was not going to stop shooting. >> that was mark strausman reporting. witnesses say duke fired 11 shots, all missing their target. police found 25 rounds of ammunition in has pocket. police are searching for suspects. officers first responded to the 3900 block of yo lando road

just after 6:00 wednesday night, when they found a man shot in the chest. he's recovering in serious condition. a second, unrelated home invasion happened hours later in the 1400 block. the man was assaulted but is expected to be fine. we may know the cause of the fire in downtown baltimore. the flames started inside a video peepshow booth at the gayity world book store. federal authorities have confirmed someone started the fire. but they still are trying to determine if it is, indeed, arson. still ahead on eyewitness news at 4:00. the largest challenge so far to president obama's healthcare law. 24 states are in court today. can they win? a house filled with home made bombs. what the fbi has determined. and a college student suspected of murder. who police say he tried to kill on campus. snow falling in maryland. when will it stop? the answer in updated forecast.

police in connecticut say what happened to be a home maid bomb in a new york haven home, were actually fireworks. firefighters were called to the home. after executing a search warrant, it was discovered that the materials were actually illegal fireworks. authorities say the homeowner turned himself in and is being questioned. no charges were filed. a manhunt is on for a clem student who -- college student who police say he tried to murder his wife on campus. >> as i was walking home, there were several police cars. i went to get gas a couple of blocks away. and i saw ambulance, fire trucks pulling in. >> reporter: that was just after 2:30 this afternoon. by 6:30, he and others received an off-campus alert. >> i was at first nervous because i was at the gym, walking towards my house.

and i was alone. >> reporter: uc irvine campus police are now telling faculty, they believe 33-year-old undergrad, gregory turner, beat, strangled and attempted to kill his wife, leaving her unconscious. police believe it all happened in campus housing and in front of the couple's two young girls. he said the oldest, a 7-year- old, dialed 911, to get her mother help. >> the victim was taken to a local hospital, where she is recovering. and the children are being cared for by child protective services. >> reporter: now, campus and irvine investigators are asking not just college students but also those in surrounding communities to be on the lookout for turner, who is 6'tall, 225 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. they believe he has fled the campus. >> police believe turner could be suicidal. one california man was willing to break down walls to get some cash. and it was caught on tape. the culprit had to break through two walls to get to

this liquor store. he even went as far as punching and kicking in the sheetrock. once inside, surveillance video showed him picking up a hammer. police say he made out with about $100. dow was up 42. s&p up 48. and nasdaq up 20. let's go to alexis christoforous. >> the fbi has arrested four people on insider trading charges. the individual worked or consulted for leading technology companies. they were accused of leaking highly confidential information. one of the men reportedly leaked confidential information about apple's iphone before it was released. the arrests were part of an ongoing insider trader investigation. stocks finished higher. fewer people applied for unemployment benefits last week. it is the third drop in four

weeks and signals the layoffs is weakening. and home construction rose slightly in november after two months of decline. the building of single family homes climbed 7%. but apartment construction fell 9%. calling for privacy bill of rights for internet users. it would set ground rules for companies that collect consumer data online and use that information to target. just last week, they created a do-not-track tool. it would stop them from tracking their activity, including which websites they visit. and that's your money watch. in new york, i'm alexis christoforous. coming up on eyewitness news at 4:00. hundreds of passengers stranded in the heat. who is taking blame for the summer marc train disaster? and... the snow keeps coming down. how much will we get? the first warning weather team is tracking it. wjz is always on. for the top stories on wjz.com,

instant updates and first warning weather all the time, click wjz.com. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,,,,

so we're watching first warning live doppler radar. and the progression of this storm. it's moved through pretty quickly. the bulk of it to our south. and as you can see, the thinning of the bands of snow are starting to be apparent. a lot of area that is dry now from annapolis toward d.c., north of the beltway. but the damage for all intents and purposes, the damage is done. the balance of the snow now has pretty much fallen. we still have a winter weather advisory in effect until 9:00. and even after the snow stops, temperatures are still so cold, everything came down as the frozen precipitation. and we're not expecting to see any changeover here in the next 24 days. 77% relative humidity. with a northeast wind at 5 miles per hour. the winds have never really been a problem with this storm.

not a lot of blowing snow. winds have been pretty moderate. but the temperatures have been the problem. 18 now in oakland. 23 in cumberland. 23 in elkton. 28 on the shore. and everyone in the mid-20s. that's where we have been locked in all day long. these winds have been variable, coming in from several different directions. but it has been a light wind. that's the good thing. we didn't need the blowing snow coming down on top of it. this low generated icy conditions down across the south, kentucky and tennessee, moving across carolina. rain down to the south, toward atlanta, where the temperatures were milder. but the snow now has started to thin out here. the colder air mixing in with snow. and the northern tier -- top tier of this snow. that's what we have been dealing with. but you see a lot of pockets there, where the snow has started to move out. it will move out of here by the evening. and we suspect that the winter weather advisory has dropped. colder air will stay with us. we will clear out here for the next few days. our next chance of a system

coming through here, bringing us potentially some snow, come saturday night into sunday. before then, we'll clear out. and we'll keep you posted. sunset at 4:45. no advisories on the bay. again, an indication that the winds have not been a problem. northwest winds on the bay, 5 to 10 knots. going down to 18 degrees. snow, tomorrow, a good bit of sunshine. brisk and chilly. 34 degrees. that is still about 10 to 12 degrees below our average high for this time of year. bob turk will be here shortly. and we'll start talking snow totals. >> all right, tim. thank you. by the way, we want to see your pictures from the snowfirst real snowfall of the season. you can send your pictures to cbs web alert. and look for them on alert. make sure to tune in to the mentalist tonight on wjz, followed by eyewitness news at

11:00. next at 4:00. the work of a craigslist serial killer. four women found murdered. new information investigators are uncovering. accidents across the country. the winter blast deadly impact to our south. and something new for ravens fans. the stadium staple you can now take home. eyewitness news at 4:00 continues with denise and vic after this. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

it is just before 4:30. 24 degrees. >> here's what people are talking about. >> the weather causing headaches in maryland tonight. wjz is live with extensive first warning weather coverage. we begin with bob in the weather center. here we go again. after last winter, you'd think we'd be pretty easy.

but there were some amounts to the south and southwest. here it is around the baltimore region very quiet now. and to the baltimore region, just a few stray flakes around right now. as we go around the rest of the region, down to the south, you can see heavier stuff, salisbury area. and down across southern maryland as well. heavier echoes. that's where they saw the heaviest amounts of snow. there's a little batch. we'll probably see light snow over the next several hours. but the heavy accumulating stuff is pretty much over. looks like, even though it's cold out, anything out there, that's been treated is going to be slick. watch out for that. and that's why they still have a winter weather advisory in effect. we'll keep tracking it for you. that's for the entire region. tim is with me now, to look at the cold temps that have been with us all day long.

>> and tim -- really, the temps have been a big factor. everything that came down stuck to the ground almost immediately. temperatures have not gotten out of the 20s. we are at 23 in cumberland, and everyone else in the mid- to upper 20s. we have 28 in pax river and ocean city. but those are also going to contribute to everything staying frozen. nothing is expected to melt down overnight or into tomorrow. temperatures stay well below the average. and although we've watched, the snow is starting to break up here, what is coming down now, still continues to come down by way of snow. no mixture of rain. no mixture of sleet. everything is all snow as we are looking at this event, moving out of here through this evening. we'll have a complete update for you here coming up soon. denise, for now, back over to you. >> thank you, tim. and first warning weather coverage continues for mike mike hellgren who has more on the impact of this system. >> reporter: denise, if you needed proof of what tim said, you can see it is still snowing here in southeast baltimore.

this is a little taste of what the roads looked like. the side streets look pretty bad. you can see fleet is covered in snow. and there is ice below that. however, there is a marked difference. this is interstate 895. not a lot of cars as we head into the rush hour here. however, the roads are still wet. they are clear, however, but there have been a number of accidents reported across maryland. at least 20 accidents state police have had to handle. a number of counties had snow emergencies. you need to leave extra time before you head out today. also, check on your flights at the airport. there have been a number of delays in the d.c. airports. bwi thurgood marshall has had not quite as many. but it's always a good idea to check before you go. and we'll continue to monitor the conditions out here. but i'm reporting live from what is a cold and snowy, thankfully not as windy day today, southeast baltimore. back to you. >> the snow is causing heavy delays and accidents.

let's check on the roads now with sharon gibala at wjz traffic control. hi, sharon. >> reporter: hi, vic. all you have to do is look at the speed sensors on this map to know how bad it is. the average speed, about 14 piles per hour on the beltway. also huge delays on 95 northbound. jammed from 495 to 695. you're also looking at big delays on 95 southbound from maryland house all the way down to mountain roads. each one earlier accident. now we'll take a look at drive times on the beltway. we're looking at very heavy spots on the inner and outer loops. on the inner loop from 295 to eastern boulevard. that is about a 2 1/2-hour delay. if you're waiting for someone to come home, and they have to travel on the inner loop, don't expect them any time soon. the outer loop, not looking much better. we have dozens of accidents out there. most are fender benders. we have charles at bosley. same goes for fork at upland road. westbound coldspring lane at

falls road. accident blocking all lanes there. take 41st street. we can take a live look outside. live look outside at greenspring avenue. everything is jammed. that is a look at that 2 1/2- hour delay. 29 northbound to 70. you'll find a backup. same goes from 97 to 29. 32, east and westbound. 97 to 29. and 70 eastbound from 29 to the beltway, all backed up. you can see the inner and outer loop, completely jammed. snow continues to come down. this traffic report is brought to you by nissan innovation. for all great deals, reliable sedans, crossovers, trucks, suvs, visit choose nissan.com. back to you. >> thank you, sharon. the deep freeze that has been blanketing the east has created travel to the south. first warning weather coverage continues with don teague who reports forever wjz on the deadly weather from raleigh,

north carolina. >> reporter: frigid, wintry mess across the atlantic. snow, sleet and freezing rain threatens states. already, the system has proven deadly in mississippi and alabama, at least five people died wednesday in crashes on icy roads. in memphis, tennessee. this school bus ended up in a ditch, after the driver hit a patch of ice. thankfully, none of the children on board were hurt. >> she called me from the cell phone. and she was like, where are you at? and she said, i don't know. >> reporter: the evening commute was chaos. over 1,000 weather-related accident presidency were reported in just a matter of hours. in raleigh, north carolina, officials tried to get a jump on the storm. they have been pouring salt, sand, and 100,000 gallons of deicing solutionso the -- solutions on the road for two days. >> obviously sleet and ice are a big concern for us. especially with the stuff projected to in in -- come in

during the winter commute. >> reporter: this has already forced airlines to cancel flights across the southeast. florida's cold weather has the manatee population looking for warmer weather to survive. this group gathered in warmer waters at the power plant in the everglades. in north carolina. volunteers had to rescue these sea turtles because of a sudden drop in temperature. and even in minneapolis, where snow and ice are common, there are more problems. the metro dome, which deflated and is being repaired, has now sprung another leak. florida farmers reported losses from colder weather earlier this week. but they are still assessing how badly crops were. for updated forecasts, live radar, and the latest closings and delays, go to wjz.com. we'd like to see your pictures from the first real sneefl -- snowfall of the season. you can send them to

wjzwebalert@cbs.com. then send a slide show. six months ago, it was extreme heat that was being blamed for a breakdown on a marc train. now, the details are being revealed. >> reporter: the federal railroad administration says it reflects a series of organizational failures at multiple levels. they were left stranded in the heat for two hours. now, the government report criticized marc management for failing to recognize the seriousness of the incident, and respond aggressively to it. in addition, problems were identified with the amtrak crew for focusing its problems on the amtrak. the report proposes a move toward shorter trains that would put less strain on locomotives during hot weather. >> to make up for the lost capacity on the shorter train, they are developing a plan to add four trains each day. it is the largest and most high-profiled legal challenge

to president obama's healthcare plan so far. 20 states are in court today, arguing that the government overstepped its bounds. by requiring americans to buy insurance. manuel gallegus, has the latest for wjz. >> the attorneys general from 20 states have a message for the president. >> obama care should be stricken down as violating the constitution. >> reporter: attorneys general from florida, texas and alabama, argued in a federal court that congress does not have the constitutional authority to force all americans to buy health insurance, or penalize them if they don't. >> what the judge said is if congress can force you to go out and buy a product like healthcare insurance, congress can force you to go out and eat broccoli because it would be better for your health. >> reporter: they also told the judge, if theys are forced to expand the new medicare law, they'll go broke. >> where are you going to get the money? >> reporter: earlier this week, a judge ruled that citizens cannot be forced to buy health

insurance. and supporters here want the florida judge to go even further. to stop the federal government from enacting follow federal healthcare reform. >> reporter: but two federal judges have upheld the law. and dozens of groups are weighing in on the sidelines. >> there's a lot at stake. because there are tens of millions of people who are going to gain coverage as a result of this legislation. >> reporter: outside the courthouse, some showed their distrust of more government intervention. but others who have fought their own healthcare battle want to see healthcare reform stick. >> i would have suffered less, not only financially, but medically, had i been eligible for medicaid. >> reporter: authorities say the states don't have the money to interfere. legal experts say this will likely end up before the supreme court. >> now, maryland is not among the other states involved in the lawsuit. federal health authorities taking action today against the

world's best-selling cancer drugs. the fda recommended that the drug avastin no longer be used to treat breast cancer. it is shown to not have effect. some doctors defend the drug and say it should remain available. the tax cut compromise president obama struck with republicans faces its highest stakes vote yet. it passes in the sant. lawmakers have a report with it. >> reporter: it was a last- minute scramble to get the tax cut deal passed in the house. >> i'm not talking to any of those people until we pass this thing. >> reporter: just getting the bill to the floor for a vote was a struggle, as the liberal democrats say this favors the rich. >> tragically, these 155 million americans were held hostage to a ransom that the republicans would only help these families if we gave tax

cuts to the wealthiest people in this country. >> reporter: liberals want to toughen up the bill by hiking tax rates on wealthy inher tanszs. but -- inheritances. >> if this relief fails, when the ball drops at times square on new year's eve, americans will have just been walloped by a tax tsunami. >> reporter: the plan sailed through the senate wednesday. over 80 senators voted for it. an overwhelming vote that only put more pressure on the house to pass the plan without changes. >> reporter: one of the loudest critics, anthony wiener, signaled thursday, this was a fight he couldn't win. >> it seems pretty clear the handwriting is on the wall, this is going to pass. >> reporter: but until it goes through, the compromise is still unfinished business. with millions of americans set for a new year's day tax hike if the plan fails. >> reporter: in washington, joel brown, wjz eyewitness news.

>> if the house is able to pass the senate version with no changes, the bill's next stop is president obama's desk, where he'll sign it into law. racing fans, start your engines. if you missed out on presale tickets for baltimore's grand prix, you have another chance. general admission tickets go on sale today. the three-day festival will include two headline races. ticket prices range from $20 for general admission to $160 for three days of reserve seating. 6,000 presale tickets have already been sold. been delivering mail for 50 years and was just honored by the postal service for all of his work. but andrea fujii explains, the oldest mailman in baltimore has no intention of retiring. >> reporter: 72-year-old joe roberts first started when stamps were 3 cents. >> i started off at $2 an hour. and i make quite a bit more than that now.

>> reporter: he's sorted mail and delivered it for 50 years. most recently in lock raven, -- lock raven and -- lock raven and says there is nothing else reid rather do. >> there's less mail to deliver. but some things have stayed the same. >> be in shape. it can be hard if you're not. >> reporter: and the old cliche about dogs and postmen? joe has been bitten 22 times on the job. >> i guess it's just a hazard of the job. >> i feel sorry for joe because i'm gone all the time. so he has to hold my mail. and he's the best. the best. >> reporter: though at his age, most want to retire. >> never want to. it hasn't happened to me. >> and as people wait for christmas gifts to arrive, if joe is on your route, you'll be sure to get them on time. andrea fujii, wjz eyewitness news. >> roberts was recently awarded with a letter of recognition

from retired post master general john potter for his years of service. ravens fans have a new way to degreeerate their -- decorate their home. 200 custom-made, battery- operated versions are now for sale. getting your own will cost you $199. >> what fun is it if you don't have the biggions. >> join. put him in a mirror. maybe he double in size. straight ahead. real-life christmas grinches. what they were caught on tape stealing. how the weather is affecting this kidnapping case. how long will the snow impact maryland. the updated forecast still ahead. [ male announcer ] earlier today, your living room was game day central.

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no new survivors. the boat was carrying about 100 iraqi refugees, when it snapped into sharp rocks. rescuers managed to pull 22 from the water. no new signs of life have been reported. the man accused of abducting a 12-year-old is back in virginia tonight. kai is live in the newsroom with the latest. kai? >> turns out that the weather is having an impact on the case against jeffrey easley. the 32-year-old arrived in virginia last night. he is being held in a roanoke jail without bail. the tworp found last week at a san francisco supermarket. -- two were found last week at a san francisco supermarket. his arraignment is scheduled for today. and is now postponed until

tomorrow afternoon. brittany disappeared with him the day after her mother was found in her home. it is still unclear if brittany left willingly. investigators discovered four bodies strewn along a new york beach this past week. one of the bodies is believed to be that of a 24-year-old megan waterman, a young mother, who was using craigslist to solicilate sex. they say the killer is probably in his early 20s to late 30s and is a white male who is a social loner. police are on the lookout for grinches. they stole these decorations from a vfw post in houston. surveillance shows them loading onto a pickup truck. and just a few minutes, they're gone with about $250 worth of

decorations. he was convicted of funding a dog fighting ring. but now, michael vick says he hopes to own another dog someday. the eagles' quarterback says he genuinely cares for animals and would like to one day have his own pet. he says it would serve as a big step in his rehabilitation. a wreatha franklin -- aretha franklin is home for the holidays. she's been home from the hospital for three days and her family is taking good care of her. she says she also has a private nurse who checks on her daily. she was forced to cancel recent concerts because of illness. one aquarium in utah is posting its electric holiday heel. it is lighting up a christmas tree. electrodes in the water pick up the eel's voltage, powering up the tree's multi-colored strand of lights.

that is for real. >> i wonder if i could get one to power up my microwave. or my oven. >> well, for not very long. >> what do you know about that? bob turk has the updated first warning forecast coming up next. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

let's take a look at radar. this shows the picture. had is moving in quickly. and moved out quickly as well. early this morning, moderate snow. but in the last hour or two, it's really thinned out. north of baltimore, it is pretty much done. south of us, it's still snowing down there. and it could see another inch or so, across extreme southern maryland. lower eastern shore. but in the northern sections of our region, nothing going on except for a few straight flurries. north of the mason dixon line, absolutely nothing at all. for the next several hours, no light neuries. just a trace in a few spots. take a look at

temperatures. certainly cold enough for snow. 24. east winds at 3. barometer on the way back up. 29.78 inches. 21 ocean city. it snowed everywhere in the state. this is one of those statewide deals. where nobody got freezing rain. all form of snow. 18, 19. yes, it's cold. the dew point came up last night. got a lot more rain. 26 in washington. very light winds. out of the east. bringing moisture from the atlantic ocean. frederick. 29.93. d.c. with the most. st. mary's, almost 2. here on tv hill, that much more than a half inch of snow. that's about all we've got here. this system that we see, really strung out. but the system evolves so quickly. it moved off the coast here.

so quickly. in fact some of these echoes move through. the jet stream pulling it out. rain hire. warmer. snow continues to southeast virginia. but it's thinning out. a little batch out here. we still make it a little more snow. and then things quiet down. so here comes the storm. it moves out to sea. remains on the cold and breezy side. a little warmer for the weekend. the next system we talked about for sunday, looks like it's going to stay to our south and move out to sea. and only about a 20% chance of a little snow. looks like it will be cold and breezy. northwest winds, 5 to 10 knots. tonight, it will clear out after 8:00 or 9:00. anything untreated will be slick. be careful. then tomorrow, partly to mostly sunny. tomorrow's high, mostly breezy. watch your step. watch your walkways. >> wash them. still to come tonight on

eyewitness news. the snow is here. i'm mike hellgren, at the salt dome with all of the preparations. what you can expect for the evening rush hour. evening rush hour. complete ,, the moment you feel run down or achy nip flu-like symptoms in the bud, with oscillococcinum. get oscillo and feel like yourself again. oscillococcinum, nip it in the bud.

coming up next at 5:00. wjz is live with first warning weather coverage. i'm suzanne collins in dundalk. it's a frightening moment for a middle schooler here when he's in the boy's bathroom and is assaulted by a perfect stranger and adult. i'll have more on that crime coming up next. traumatizing train ride. tonight, new details on what

caused the breakdown that stranded marc passengers. check in for details on this and all of the breaking news. eyewitness news at 5:00 starts now. a snowy mess. flakes fall across maryland. traffic snarled. commuters frustrated. tonight, when will the storm end? >> i'm kai jackson. and i'm denise koch. mary has the evening off. here's what people are talking about. >> snow is blanketing highways in streets across maryland. even large trucks are having a tough time getting around in these snowy conditions. a live look around outside. the snow is coming down. much earlier than today. mike heen