>> live, local, latebreaking. you are watching wbal tv 11 news. 11 news at 5:00 in hd continues. >> today, i am proud to safely return to our callers to the rightful place, the united

states of america. >> at 5:30, welcoming the last troops back from iraq, after a long journey home. >> they marked the occasion with a salute and the welcome of the return of u.s. forces from overseas. >> and it is the official return of the u.s. callers that have been flown over baghdad for nine years -- the return of the u.s. colors that have been flown over baghdad. >> please note that your sacrifices were instrumental. >> the general was the last commander of u.s. forces in iraq and said that military operations there had come to what he called a succession of conclusion -- called a successful conclusion. >> the touched down at bwi thurgood marshall airport --

they touch down. -- touched down. it included several groups. 11 news kim dacey was there for the emotional event. >> more than 200 u.s. troops were given a hero's welcome at bwi airport tuesday morning. >> i was shot. i thought my daughters had finals today. all of them, crying. it made me break down a little bit, too. >> i was able to keep it together. >> this homecoming is a little extra special because these troops are among the last to leave iraq for good. >> there were a lot of people who went there before us. having closure. >> it was really historic.

it is amazing to be the last. at our location. those last out, it was historic and something i will never be able to forget. >> operation welcome home organized the event. today, and they are finally able to welcome the soldiers back home for good. >> something that was a long time coming. this is the close of a chapter, you know, in the history books. >> the troops say it feels great to be back on american soil, and they are looking forward to getting back to life as normal. >> i should get married.

>> they say it is also a good feeling knowing no other american troops will have to leave their families to take their place in iraq. at wbal i, -- at bwi, kim dacey, wbal tv news. >> go to the website, and click on u local. >> police say the deadly shooting last night at towson town center was not an act of random violence. they have identified the victim as 19-year-old rodney pridget, who was shot dead on the sidewalk outside the mall. they believe that pridget was targeted somehow, and they are trying to develop leads and find out a motive. and the case against an army intelligence analysts --

analyst. today, a former hacker was called to testify. they say that the confession of bradley manning compelled him to alert authorities. he is accused of giving a massive treasure trove of classified information to the wikileaks web site. they are trying to determine whether he should be court- martialed. they are saying that a private should never have had access to classified materials and that security was in explicitly -- in explicitly -- inexplicably lax. and ron smith has died of

pancreatic cancer, and we will have more on the news at 6:00. thousands of fans left in the dark. the details just ahead when we cover the nation. >> coming up at 6:00, we will have the latest in a trial. [ child ] it's so cool!

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>> a lawyer for nine plaintiffs concerning the district map has argued a case. in federal court today, plaintiffs argued that the democrat-controlled assembly failed to make steny hoyer's district 8 minority one. the defense of that map is back -- that steny has always done well. >> covering the nation tonight,

a crowd was left in the dark during a game of the steelers and the 49ers as the lights went out and just before kickoff at candlestick park. they were to restore power, and then near the end of the first half, they went out again -- they worked to restore the power. joe paterno was released from an undisclosed hospital on sunday. he was hospitalized last sunday after falling at his home and fracturing his pelvis. he is continuing to receive radiation and chemo for lung cancer. five people are dead after their plane crashed on a busy new jersey interstate this morning. police say the plane spiralled

out of control and hit a median strip. two investment bankers are among the five deceased. one man's wife and two children or also on board the plane. the airplane allegedly disappeared from the radar after leaving the teterboro airport. >> kim jung un was among first to pay respects today. there is an indication that a smooth transition of leadership may be under way. north korea is learned just yesterday that their leader had died over the weekend. there will be a funeral and then a national memorial service the following day. experts say it may be easier this year to do your holiday

traveling. we will tell you why, coming up. >> accounting. up next, a look at the snowstorm. >> lots of emails now. we are going to go in the opposite direction. it is going to be mild. we will show you the seven-day in just a few minutes. mostly cloudy and dry.

>> coming up tonight on the news at 6:00, a shooting at towson town center. more on the victim and how people are responding to the new is. and comments continue to come in after the death of ron smith. those stories and more when you

>> it may be a white christmas for many in kansas, but it is also a hazard this one on the interstate. people have been spending the day trying to get out of snow. some 10 inches have fallen. this is in parts of kansas and missouri. i am dreaming ♪ around here, the odds are once every 10 years we get some snow on the ground. 2002, we actually had snow on the ground. that was the last time we have like a real snow. to go 10 years, maybe we are in

the neighborhood. it does not look great if you are really rooting for snow, but i am going to keep it in their -- there, until it completely disappears. it is the exact opposite. it has been in the 50's, making it up to 53 today. even with the clouds, we made it up to 53. this has been up near the pennsylvania line for the day, but now, it is south of baltimore, and the winds are shifting at the airport. it was much warmer earlier in the day, but now the front has dipped down to the south, and there is a bit of a change in the atmosphere. once you get into central pennsylvania, the temperature in the 30's. there was even some snow ere earlier.

there have been a couple of light rain showers trying to develop along the front. looking at the radar, this looks more impressive than it is. just a chance for some sprinkles out there this evening. that front has stalled, at least for now. we will stay in the warm air, so the temperatures will actually climb a few degrees in some areas later on tonight. steady or slowly falling, then rising again in the morning. it should climb a couple of degrees as the front starts to drift back to the north and the wind shifts to the south. i will keep a chance for a shower in their tonight. tomorrow, that chance we were talking about, we will be on the warm side of that storm system, so rain showers are likely off and on during the day wednesday.

it will be off and on. the high temperature, upper 50's. ms. sunrise tomorrow morning at 7:22. as we go to the end of the week, this computer model is still showing a chance for some rain it around baltimore. -- some rain around baltimore. thursday night, there will be another storm coming in from the same direction. thursday night and friday morning, there will be another chance for some rain, but the temperatures drop off a little bit on friday as that storm passes. the wind will shift. colder air out of pittsburgh. -- outside of pittsburgh. it will be mild. winter begins on thursday.

a high temperature of 57, but that is our first day of winter. friday morning, christmas eve, dry, 45, and then christmas day, another storm, and baltimore will be right on the fence with the temperatures, so we will say possibly rain ending as snow on christmas day, a high of 39. keep your fingers crossed. >> in tonight's consumer alert, ready or not, the holidays are here, and that means it is time to pack, whether it is the car or luggage for the plane. travel is expected to be up this year as people put aside their worries to celebrate the season with family and friends. we have details. >> the great getaway for the holidays is on, as more than 90 million americans gear up. >> this is up compared to one year ago.

over 20% of the u.s. population. >> holiday travel, deadly and dangerous storms. the first major storm of the season had snow from new mexico and the texas panhandle to parts of the midwest. >> -- temperatures are below average for this time of year, but all of that could change. a storm headed this way could be bringing snow. >> this weather is nice. this is doable. >> slightly higher ticket prices. at the same time, airlines have cut back to fill seats. they say that leaves little room for error. >> if something happens, a delayed due to the weather or some type of cancellation -- a delay due to the weather or some

type of cancellation, it will be hard. >> i like to be here before the holiday and then home during the holiday. >> for those looking to give or receive a gift of surprise, there are still last-minute deals if you're willing to be flexible. wbal tv 11 news. >> as for holiday shopping, a new report says it is fizzling out, but there is a trend taking off largely because of the internet, last-minute shopping. it is getting even easier to find last-minute deals online, with them lowering prices. one analyst says a reason you will find even more deals is that this shopping season is not meeting expectations. >> the inventory is there, and they want to move it, so they will be offering deals right up

until christmas. >> some good websites for shopping around for deals, price comparison search engines online, and that includes ones like price grabber and bizline. >> an anonymous donor has made it possible for some to have a mery -- merry christmas by paying off their bills for them. >> she showed up to make a payment on her lay awake, only to find that the $300 bill had been paid in full -- to make a payment on her lay-away. she is one of the recipients of some generosity, being called an angel. he provided $20,000 to cover lay-aways, including those for

kids and closing. >> for everyone to be happy. >> she has broken the great news to several customers. >> what are some of the reactions you have got? >> praise the lord. merry christmas. tears and joy. visibly shaken. >> one-woman also received the pay off, and she owed more than $100. >> i wish i knew who did it, because i have to say thank you. >> the store manager has contacted all of the lucky customers that they have had their items paid off and that they could come in and collect their items. remembering the legacy of radio host ron smith.

just two months after announcing his cancer diagnosis, and he has passed away. we will have more at 6:00. >> i am a rob roblin. >> i am a rob roblin.

hundreds more in your wallet year after year. feed me! saving you money -- now, that's progressive. call or click today. >> is painful to imagine a kid on christmas morning without any gifts under the tree -- it is painful to imagine. the salvation army needs more gifts. >> you see all of these toys?

this is the end result, and now it is time for parents to pick these up for their kids. it is toy pickup day at the salvation army warehouse, for those in need and who qualify, it is time to pick up the gifts for their children and grandchildren for christmas. >> one thing we deal with every year, children without this resource would wake up to an empty christmas tree, on christmas morning, and we do not want that to happen. >> thanks to the angel tree program. all of those filling orders are volunteers. >> we want to give back to the community. we feel fortunate to have jobs with mdot, with many not as fortunate to have jobs.

>> right now, as we speak, we are still in need of toys for ages 10 to 12, one of the age groups that is difficult to fill. if someone wants to come and drop of summit toys for 10 to beyear-old's, that would great -- to, and drop off some -- to come and drop off some toys. >> i thank god for programs like this. i am just grateful. >> rob roblin, wbal tv 11 news. >> and as you heard, you are certainly welcome to drop off toys at the locations on our website, wbaltv.com, and remember, the last day for donations is tomorrow. here is what is coming to new at 6:00. >> i am jayne miller.

police identified a victim at a fatal shooting at the towson town mall and say it is not a random crime. >> the young man at the center of a landmark bullying case said he was lying. >> a free high-school diploma and job training. i am tim tooten live in the newsroom. this story just ahead. [captioning made possible by constellation energy group] captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> this man knows what he is talking about, and ron and i have been together mostly in this studio for the better part of 20 some plus years. >> we are honoring the man we all called the voice of reason, with fond memories of ron smith. good evening. this is certainly not what we wanted to hear last night, that wanted to hear last night, that ron