it were to -- if it held it's prespeciation. you could see a few more now showers, other than that nothing more than a flurry. through the 30s and as we look through tomorrow finding temperatures back through tomorrow to the mild temperatures. . roosevelt has more on how drivers may have gotten the message about the consequences of getting behind the wheel. >> reporter: a significant drop in the numbers of people who have died on maryland roadways. its been a bad few days statewide. in our area especially the ramp to interstate 69 #r was closed as the police tried to

investigate the death of a 5- year-old, the passenger in a car rear ended by another car. if when you look at the totals the numbers down almost 10%. nation hide they are at the lowest level in more than 60 years. >> we are seeing safer cars, less impaired driving and certainly better enforcement and better safety equipment and vehicles. all of that contributes to the reduction we are seeing. >> the changes may help lower the numbers because more may have to use interlock devices on their carses. the if hes say there are two disturbing trends out of the date a. the number of motorcyclists and pedestrians that have died on the road has increased. starting january 1st eight more

state also follow our lead by outlawing texting while driving. north dakota won't allow anyone under 18 to use cell phones. in oregon only emergency responders and people who drive for a living will be able to talk on the phone while they drive. the ntsb is still trying to get the use of cell phones while driving banned nationwide. the police officer hurt in a crash on the beltway has been released from shock trauma. the cause the crash is still under investigation. police believe the car was merging on to the belt ware when it hit a jeep. both cars ended up in the next lane where they struck a tractor trailer. the drivers of the other vehicles were taken to the hospital. there are still crews on the scene of a natural gas main break near pen station but the situation is not dangerous. a spokesman said they started getting call this is afternoon

and -- for about a possible natural gas main break. they were sent to the 1600 block of north charles and found a 24-inch main ha been broken. officials say a private contractor was doing utility repair work just before one when they accidentally hit the main. traffic heading in to pen station was delayed because of the break and the heat is shut off while the repair is done. one taken is in critical but stable condition and two were hurt when facials say a grill exploded. firefighters were called to the home in the 6,000 block of shady spring avenue. they say a small group of teens were standing around some burning branches in a container when one of them put gasoline on to the fire causing it to explode and that burned several of the teens. they went to the hospital. one of them has been treated released. the body of a 31-year-old was found inside a home in

northwest baltimore. police say they were called out to the 2800 block of garrison just before ten and that's where they found the plan with a gun shot wound to the face. his identity hasn't been released and police say they have no motive or a suspect just yet. school officials in western maryland say a 9 -year-old who was killed and dismembered in indiana was liver in hagerstown earlier this year. they say she tended winter street from january to june. they are now offering counseling for students who knew her. a neighbor who was babysitting her in the mobile home park where she lived has confessed to killing her. the man accused of killing his estranged wife and stepson has been indicted. prosecutors announced the indictment charging the 45-year- old today. they plan to argue he stabbed jane mclain and beat her son to death. a woman was shopping last

night when she saw a plan following her down each aisle. he then came up on her when he was exposing himself. the man is described as an african american male, maybe in his 30s, 5'9'', 200 pounds, slight beard, wear agriculture i black knit cap, tan jacket with a little fur trimmed hood and jeans. after getting pressured by the republican party, the governor said he plans to address the donations he got from the man who plead guilty to failing to pay four million dollars in taxes. he said he is not sure how he will return the money because its been spent. the contributions total about $7,500. and the governor also took time this morning to talk about 2011 and what the yearment. he talked about the budget, the gas tax, marriage equality and the economy. though he mentioned the state

has added more than 26,000 jobs this year he made it clear that job creation will be his priority. >> my resolution is for faster, and more job creation throughout the state. no family can protect their home without a job. i'm resolved to do everything in my power and with my trust to be a part of the solution that lieutenants us start creating jobs. >> and some of the positive aspects included having the best public schools in the country for the third year in a row and he said the state has the lowest crime levels since 1975. and if you are look for more information about any of the big stories just head to the best of 2011 page. you can find it in featured stories section of the home page. we have everything from the most powerful pictures of the year to the local stories you have been talking about all year long. it's nearly every parent's faith hire and for one family

it's a terrible reality. just two days before christmas, a 16-month-old was choked on an ornament and died. we have more on the tragedy >> just -- i won't be able to see my baby anymore. i just want my son to come back home. >> reporter: her son a happy child with a great smile got his hands on a christmas ornament last week. >> it was stock in his throat. >> reporter: a call to 911 had him on his way to the hospital. he was taken here to the children's hospital but by the time they got the ornament out it was to late. >> they said -- we did everything and we couldn't save him. >> reporter: her sonna live at one moment and not the next. >> it's hard for a person to see their child a minute ago

and then come back and he is gone. >> reporter: with ornaments still hanging on many trees, she has a warning. >> anything small that a child can get and put in their mouth you need to -- don't put that onto tree. >> reporter: it only takes a second for something to go wrong. >> i lost my son to a christmas ornament. >> reporter: the now mother of two said her pain isn't describable. >> i never get to see him again. i never get to see him smile with me or playing with me. >> reporter: the tree that held the ornament is boxed up now and she said she will never take it out again. to make sure this doesn't happen to you or anybody else the united states consumer product safety commission has a list for safe holiday decorations. pick nonmetal materials for decorations like tinsel or artificial ice. don't use sharp or breakable

ornaments, keep trimming out of the reap of children. don't use decoration that look like candy, they will try to eat them. and keep any bubbling lights away, the bright color can tempt them and the liquid inside can be toxic. when you make resolutions it'll probably include things like eating right and getting active but some want to you add some chores to your list. and why what you feed your baby could influence their taste buds for the rest of their lives. . >> and 40 out at the airport. that was it. we really expected that we would get more mild air and be in the mid40s. virginia keeping the 40-degree temperatures, they just infer quite made it up. that changes tomorrow. the new temperatures on the way and if we will see more of the show showers.

. living healthy in the new year. that's what all of us want. it's no secret eating right, exercising can impact our risk of cancer. what about where we live? abc2 -- things you can do around your house that will alter your risk. >> reporter: charles knows about wild building homes. he is a contractor but has never -- this say house designed to help prevent cancer. >> one of two men and three

women will face cancer. that's a staggering number. i think it's important that we all give back and do all we can with in our resources to fight. >> reporter: he partnered a doctor of ohio state's cancer center to build a house designed to fight cancer. it includes a specialized air filtration system used in intensive care units to remove nearly all germs, allergens and bacteria. >> going through cancer or -- a immune problem that's a great system. . >> reporter: also a water filtration system, carpet and insulation are chemicals free and all the paint has low levelsful voc's. the materials they used are only part of it. >> diet and nutrition, a garden, the kitchen and a great place to prepare and compose healthy meals, pilary with fresh fruits and vegetables.

>> reporter: a convection oven steams vegetables grown just outside and a home gym keeps exercise top of mind. >> when you look at that one thing at a time it may not be seem like to much but when you put them all together there is that -- composing a healthy lifestyle. >> reporter: through this that's the message they both hope to drive home. >> that's a great idea. experts say you can put similar air and water filtration systems in your house. if you house. we all know that to much salt is a problem for adults adults want it a new study shows? . babies were given different bottles of formula. none wanted the salty formula but months later those who had

been introduced to crackers and cereal seemed to like the salty formula while those still only eating foods out added salt didn't. the research was published in the journal of clinical nutrition. the state is getting more than $26 million to help with kids without insurance. this according to an announcement from the united states health department. improving access to medicaid and children's health insurance program. maryland got a similar bonus last year. the website is your place for all the health news you need. just log on and click on the news tab and the health and there you will find health headlines to help you find the information you and your family fled. >> now the forecast certified

most accurate by weather rate. >> pretty quiet weather wise but you step outside and feel the chill in the air and it feels like december and winter. 36 now, windy and calm at the moment. we aren't dealing the gusty winds but air temperatures are running colder and of course if you are out and about especially baltimore, hartford, cecil, carroll you saw brief snow showers and let's show you first that cluster that came through here. you can see it making its way out. just a little, very small batch of snow up toward trenton new jersey and as we go further south here you can see we are clear through central maryland, the eastern shore, as we go further north and west we are seeing a few snow showers just north of the maryland line. out here some snow in the blowing through. if it cluster should hold together at -- kind of weakening now we could got a few more snow showers later

tonight. something we will watch. ellicotttt a few of those snow showers on the hdabc2 weatherbug camera. you can see them. manchester a little better shot of snow here. briefly whitening some of the grass out there. the grassy surfaces and belaire little tougher to see the flakes when they came down earlier today year. the mid to upper 30s, except for southern maryland where the warmer air has nuclear nudged in. winds all southerly so set for a mildler situation into the day tomorrow as the winds help push up some of the mileller temperatures but none of that tonight. dropping the wind chills in to the mid-30s, even the 20s. neighborhood by neighborhood, 50 or so in westminister. 50 essex. a 12 to 15-degree warm up as that mildler air moves over the

statet. will be behind this weak disturbance that's passed over the great lakes down into pennsylvania and one or two of them reaching in to maryland. you can see it's more widespread, pennsylvania north up into new york and actually into canada, and mild air will continue to slowly creep northward over night. it'll just keep us from falling in to the 20s like we did last night and tomorrow we will look at temperatures more like these. you can see just south and west of us 50s and 40s. even now and so we are right on the edge here, baltimore kind of representing the southern edge of that chilly air right now. in terms of timing again a brief snow shower, maybe tonight not much, dry tomorrow through the day. we have one more little boundary sneaking through tomorrow night that could potentially trigger a few rain showers, tomorrow night we will be mildler and above freezing. maybe a few rain showers over

overnight into early saturday. good news for everybody headed out. 32 partly cloudy, few flurries, tomorrow will be 52. we are going 52 tomorrow. sun and clouds mildler and tomorrow night down to 42 with increasing clouds and some patchy rain showers will be possible out there tomorrow night into early saturday. then saturday through the day looking great. 53, partly cloudy, new year's day looks even better as temperatures climb in to the mid50s. as we look into next week chilly, don't get to used to this mild stretch into new wear's day. next week we are back to reality. jamie. >> listen did you get a new smart phone for the holidays in if you did text wmar to 46988 right now and you can don load one of our apps and get the latest news and information you need. please pay attention to this screen. the app features live cameras

for you. this is -- look at all this stuff we post on here. you wake up in the morning and it'll say it'll rain this afternoon. you wouldn't know there would be snow flurries. we have all the video. everything you need here at the petroleum of your -- the palm of your hand. get your weather app and the news app. you would have known about this story about this gas leak reported over at pen station before anybody else. be on the look out here for the abc2 weather app. here is a look, baltimore county wants you to know they will be on the look out for drivers trying to pass school buss. it's against state law but drivers to it any way. officers plan to ticket drivers caught breaking the law, fining them $570 and issuing a 3 point penalty. here say look at tonight.

dozens of dead birds, lying in the middle of the street. you won't believe what police say caused this strange scene. and have you seen the videos on facebook or the e- mail? tonight you will hear from a family of a texas teen who made it big on youtube and why even in death they say he is having a positive impact. those and more coming up along with the forecast joining us tonight on the news at 11.

. western maryland getting it. snow showers. good couple days skiing out toward w isp and round top. take a look. the broad picture here. the snow showers we had out of here in trenton new jersey n. cumberland, sneaking through. holds up through hagerstown. that would be it for us and take a look tomorrow. 52 degrees so, bouncing back. the temperatures like a roller coaster this month. >> how about that. >> it lasts through nua new year's day. >> imagine that. 2012. >> sounds like a --. >> news tonight -- we will see you tonight at 11:00.

have a safe night.