you're watching nbc 4 washington's news leader. now live in h.d. this the news 4 today. thanks for starting your weekend with us, everyone. i'm angie goff. >> welcome to news 4 today on this saturday, december 24th. all right procrastinators you are coming down to the wire now. >> just a few more hours until the stores will close for christmas. shoppers are finding there might not be a lot left on the shelves. news 4's jackie benson has the story. >> reporter: a lot of shoppers we spoke to say because the christmas holiday occurs on a weekend this year, they found themselves doing more at the

last minute. do you usually wait until this close to christmas to shop? >> it's his fault. >> we try to get done early than this. >> reporter: bowie town center was busy. >> it's really been an experience out here. the crowds -- but it's been nice. >> reporter: there was not an empty parking space to be found even in the more remote lots. customers say there were empty spaces on store shelves. experts say retailers nationwide may have expected people to do less bierk instead the opposite occurred. >> everything is gone. yes, erg is gone. >> reporter: this macy's store in tyson's corner open 24 hours until christmas eve. one of the hottest holiday items is not a toy or an electronic item it's a pair of shoes. this was the scene yesterday at malls across the country.

it was all over the re-release of a pair of nike air jordan sneakers which were originally released back in 1995. in san francisco someone fired a gun in the air. and at a store in seattle, police had to pepper spray some unruly shoppers. the craziest part some people won't even wear these shoes. they plan on selling the $180 sneerks online for a much higher price. if you still need to get out of town, well, expect to see a lot of people on the roads and in the skies with you. aaa says nearly 30% of all americans and half of all washingtonians will be traveling this holiday season. that's the second highest number in a decade and a 1.5% jump from last year. more than 90% of the 92 million people traveling will be driving. and you can expect that traffic will continue right through the

new year. >> if you are driving this morn, don't be surprised, there's a little bit of drizzle and rain out there. just a little his per of some light rain first thing this morning. it's not going to last, what little bit we have out there today should be completely out of the area by 8:00 or 9:00 this morning. don't expect too much foul treatment from mother nature on your christmas eve. outside right now still a mostly cloudy sky overhead. i did use the windshield wipers most of my drive into work this morning. i don't think most of you are going to need to use them. temperatures are in the upperer 30s and low 40z. it's most if not all in the way of rain drops. you have to go way out into the mountains of west virginia to find sub freezing temperatures. on live doppler a couple of sprinkles now southeast  washington down into southern and central prince george's county. huntingtown, be on the lookout for a couple of light rain drops. some snowflakes are way out

across western maryland and mostly in southern pennsylvania. today we'll call it this way, morning clouds, maybe a couple little drops for the next couple of hours. clearing out later this afternoon turning breezy. hike generally in the 40s. the redskins and vikings kick it off at 1:00 at fedex field. 45 degrees there. on the chilly side as you're sitting on the cold metal seats you might want a layer of insulation. for tomorrow, christmas day, we will start out with sunshine. clouds come back the second half of the day. temperatures in the upper 40s and low 50s. the majority of your christmas weekend will be dry and by december standards relatively mild. >> we'll take it. >> thanks, chuck. right now president obama is in hawaii. the president arrived a few hours ago in honolulu for a delayed christmas vacation with his family. he stayed in washington to help the house and senate hammer out a deal to extend the payroll tax cut. . the president greeted supporters at the airport then left to meet up with his family.

michelle, maliyah and sasha have been in hawaii since last week. the first family will return to the white house after new year's. after weeks of back and forth haggling, congress finally came to an agreement on the payroll tax cut extension. house republicans originally agreed to a two-month extension, then changed their minds at the last second demanding a yearlong extension. the president, senate democrats even fellow republicans criticized the move with some accusing them of playing politics instead of doing the right thing. but house gop members finally relented agreeing to the two-month extension. >> this continues to be a make or break moment for the middle class in this country. and we're going to have to roll up our sleeves together, democrats and republicans to make sure that the economy is growing and to make sure that more jobs are created. >> once congress returns from its holiday break, it will try to come to an agreement on a full yearlong extension of the

payroll tax cut. but democrats and republicans have very different ways of wanting to pay for it. despite coming through with a deal, congress has landed on the naughty list. the greater washington board of trade sent 535 lumps of coal to the capitol. one for each member of the house and senate. the business group says lawmakers' inability to do anything has affected the greater washington area. they say businesses can't make sound decisions because congress has been so unpredictable in its actions. now to decision 2012 where virginia's republican party says two gop presidential hopefuls have failed the make the state's primary ballot. during certification both texas governor rick perry and newt gingrich fell short of the minimum 10,000 signatures required from registered voters. that number must also include 400 signatures from reach of the state's 11 districts. perry's campaign says it will

review the facts to see if an appeal is warranted. gingrich has not yet commented. meanwhile mitt romney and ron paul will be on the ballot. virginia's primary falls on march 6th, super tuesday. donald trump is no longer republican. the real estate mogul formally changed his voter registration unaffiliated yesterday. he tells nbc news the switch of party affiliation allows him to keep his options open for a possible presidential run in 2012 as an independent candidate. trump has said that if he doesn't approve of the republican candidate chosen to oppose president barack obama he would consider entering the race. cuba is releasing 2900 prisoners, but a man from potomac, maryland is not among them. alan gross is not on the list of inmates pardoned. that despite most of the inmates are over the age of 60 and in

poor health as in gross. he was arrested in 2009 while working as a government contractor. he was convicted of spy, but says he was just there to help the jewish community. leader kas tro announced the release yesterday citing an upcoming visit by pope benedict. for the first time north korea state media has bestowed the title of supreme military commander on kim jong il's son. it's in an effort to show that kim jong-un is in control of the military and has officially taken over for his father. one of his first orders was to give an extra ration of fish to residents of the country's capital. today he will help celebrate the 20th anniversary of his father's leadership over the country's armed forces. state media reported that king jong the second died a week ago from a heart attack. around 200 families received an early christmas gift yesterday at andrew's air force base. members of the d.c. national guard returned home to hugs and

tears from their families. the members to have 113th wing were in afghanistan for the past two months. all they wanted for christmas was to spend time with their families. >> it is one of the best gifts. i'm very grateful because my children wanted their dad to be home for christmas. that's one thing they've asked for. >> some families are planning on a quiet christmas with each other, while others are having big parties to help celebrate their return. >> that is a wonderful gift. i couldn't think of anything better. >> great sight to see. it is 6:09 right now. the frervelg government is about to pay for plastic surgery for thousands of women. we'll tell you why when we return. also

you're watching news 4 today. the obama administration is loosening its grip on online gambling. a legal opinion posted by the justice department said online betting falls outside the reach of federal law. washington has long considered online gambling illegal when it

crosses state lines. but it is incredibly difficult for the federal government to enforce. many states are considering specific sites that would allow gambling online, but within the state. the french government is going to pay for the removal of 30,000 breast implants. the country's safety agency determined that quote, p.i. pichlt implants using industrial grade silicone are more prone to rupture. french officials did not find any link between the implants and nine cases of cancer. the ceo of the company is on the interpol's most wanted list. he is wanted in costa rica for crimes involving life and health. three more national store chains are pulling a possibly tainted batch of baby formula. wal greens, safeway and supervalue pulled the formula as a precaution until federal

health officials finish their probe. the batch was in a light blue container. the formula was made by michigan based mead johnson. earlier this week a 10 day old baby in missouri died from a rare bacterial infection known to be found in dried milk and formula. american airlines is warning customers of a potential email scam. the emails look like the real thing asking customers for person account information. american has posted a warning on its website telling customers to be suspicious of any email. officials say the best move is to not click on the link and call customer service with any questions. >> you know things like liquids or pocket knives are not allowed through airport security, but what about cupcakes. a massachusetts woman said she had a treat taken from her as she tried to board a flight this week. it happened during her trip home from las vegas.

the cupcake was a gift from abfriend. it was packaged in this jar. the woman says a tsa agent told her it was the frosting that made it look suspicious because it was kind of a gel like substance that conformed to a container's shape. >> he thought there was no doubt in his mind that this was a cupcake, but he was being very technical. he knew it wasn't a terrorist threat. >> the tsa says it's reviewing the case. rules generally allow for cupcakes, pies and cupcakes to go through security check points. i'd be more considered with the damage to the hips. >> no kidding. i'm afraid i'm going to have to confiscate this cupcake and take it back to the break room and see if it's allowable. >> as long as they don't touch my snickers. >> as long as it's not wrapped in a jar. >> i can kind of see where they're coming from with gel and

liquids and anything like that. >> no worries let me eat this now before -- >> or put it in a zip lock bag. >> all in the name of airline safety. now are you two ready for the holiday? >> we sure are. those waiting for a white christmas might be disappointed. >> a wet christmas instead? >> you may have to go to syracuse if you want a white christmas. we'll talk about how much our snow chances continue to dwindle for the holiday. don't go away, your weekend nor cast is next. >> my name is major kevin smith i'm serving in kabul, afghanistan. i'd like to say happy holidays to my wife, chris, in fairfax, virginia.

you're watching news 4 today. three u.s. citizens are among those killed in a shooting spree in northern mexico.

authorities say five gunmen attacked three buses in mexico's gulf coast state of vera cruz on thursday. seven passengers were killed in those shootings. mexican soldiers eventually shot and killed the gunman responsible for the deadly rampage. investigators are working to determine if those gunmen were part of a drug cartel. prince philip, the husband to queen elizabeth is recovering this morning after undergoing surgery for a blocked coronary artery. phillip who's 90 years old was experiencing chest pains yesterday and was take on the the hospital. doctors put in a stent in a minimally invasive surgery to help improve blood flow. doctors say the prince must remain in the hospital for at least 24 hours of observation. the utility worker who discovered the remains of 2-year-old caylee anthony is suing her mother casey for defamation. roy cronk says he was falsely por trade as a child snatcher and killer. he said anthony's defense team

made multiple false statements accusing him of killing the girl. anthony is being searched by a texas search team and a woman whose game anthony gave to authorities as a possible abductor. she was acquitted of murder back in july. >> santa isn't the only man spreading holiday cheer this december. meet scott. he's that guy walking through the state island ferry terminal dressed, you guessed it as a christmas tree. scott's a little angry that new york city banned all holiday decorations at transportation terminals. so he took matters into his own hands. >> just another example of political correctionness gone crazy where christmas decorations are offensive or unsafe or whatever you want to call it. it's this whole agenda that is trying to destroy everything that is traditional about america. >> new york mayor michael bloomberg said the ban was

implemented after people sued the city over previous decorations. >> there are worse things he could be. i kid you not, during a walk someone was walking a horse's head on their head. it was like a full blown horse's head. >> really? >> flannel shirt and -- >> like paper i hope? >> it had fur on it. i don't know. it was kind of jarring. >> i've never seen that as a christmas decoration before. >> holidays make people a little crazy, i guess. >> you can't get a cupcake through the tsa and this guy walks around the terminal in a christmas tree outfit. >> stranger things have happened. >> that's the guy i have to sit to on a coach flight to india is the guy in the christmas tree outfit. good news for us is we've got some quiet weather coming our way just in time for your christmas weekend. that is welcome news. outside we go on your saturday morning. still a mostly cloudy sky in place, these are fast moving and

outbound clouds. further north a little bit more in the way of some extra cloud cover. nonetheless, doesn't look like much of a precipitation threat on your christmas eve or your christmas day. a couple of lonesome sprinkles early this morning. right now the washington monument standing tall in downtown d.c. under the cloudy sky. 43 degrees. certainly not all that cold. our average high temperature this time of year is 44. that's a mild start to be already in the low to mid 40s in downtown. 39 rockville, reston. 41 out at dell louse airport. w to southern maryland temperatures also in the upper 30s to low and mid 40s. 34 in charlottesville, 34 in dumb berland, maryland. as you make your plans for your christmas eve, no big weather problems. the cloudy skies and spripgles will be gone by 8:00 or 9:00 this morning. by 10:00 a.m. mostly cloudy. temperatures won't have moved much by then. a little sunshine late this morning.

should ease temperatures upper 40s. most of us will hold in the 40s. you can see on live doppler a couple of lonesome rain drops near andrews air force base. coming into northern calvert county right now. a few snowflakes across far western maryland. not anything in the way of accumulating snows. where are hay having a white christmas? west texas and southern parts of new mexico snowing down there this morning and a cold rain down towards houston, texas. no major travel problems anywhere in the country. if you're flying out or waiting on people flying back in, not a whole lot of airline delays, at least not related to weather. the clearing skies moving in for later on this afternoon will allow for partly becoming a mostly sunny day today. clearing skies as we go through the afternoon hours. clear night tonight. that is important news for all the good kids out there for whom santa will be making a visit. then tomorrow after a clear start a beautiful christmas day.

a little weak weather front grazing by here means a few extra clouds not much of a precip threat. today morning clouds, afternoon clearing, a bit breezy. temperatures holding in the 40s today. then for tomorrow your christmas day we'll start out with sunshine and maybe pick up a few clouds in the second half of the day. but again, not all that terribly cold with highs near 50 degrees. mostly sunny to get the shortened workweek for a lot of people underway. tuesday looks like our next best chance for rain. but no industrial strength cold stuff anywhere to be found. keep in mind our average high temperature 44 degrees every single high temperature on that seven-day forecast is above average. >> that is beautiful. >> as it stands now, the little factoid for the month of december we have not seen a single day in the month of december with the high temperature below 40 degrees. if this holds true for the rest of the month this will be the first time in recorded history. we've never had a december without at least one days with

highs 39 or colder. this will be the first. >> a few more days to go. let's see if we can make that record. >> i think that one is in the bag. >> we're 24 days into it. >> that's right. >> thank you, chuck. if you have an iphone then you have news 4 wherever you go. >> news 4 as launched a new and improved iphone app. this is a free app that has an easy to navigate top stories list. and it also allows you to see your videos right on your phones. the best part according to chuck is you can get rainshower realtime weather right here. it's prepared for you on a daily basis. it is very personalized. you're always going going to be able to receive breaking news alerts. don't forget to check us out. we have a link to this on our website nbcwashington.com. it only takes about five seconds

to push the button and it's right there. let's move on over to sports. the caps look to make it two wins in a row and the terms welcome back a key player. >> here's your sports minute. good morning everyone. your sports minute starts with hockey. capitals on the road against new jersey. down 3-0 in the third period. the caps rally. first its brooks laich. then jason chi her ra scoring two goals. the game would go to a shoot out. new jersey's patrik elias fires one. the devils down the caps 4-3. new jersey's two wins this season against the caps have both been dded by a shootout. up next the caps play on the road against buffalo on monday. college hoops, maryland hosting radford. howard made his season debut last night. howard had been out since breaking his left foot in october. last night he was back earlier than expected and scored seven points off the bench.

red shirt freshman led the way for the terps scoring a career high 17 points. maryland wins 65-60. in fairfax last night george mason defeats manhattan 81-61. pierson went for a game high 25 points and ten rebounds. later today the redskins host the minnesota vikings. kick off is set for 1:00. that's your sports minute. have a merry christmas. >> hmerry christmas. a new meaning to the term season of giving. how you can help give the gift of life this holiday season. >> also ahead, the search for

you're watching nbc 4. washington's news leader. now live in hd, this is news 4 today. >> good morning, sunshine and welcome to news 4 today.

>> it's saturday, december 24th. shoppers this is your very last chance to get your presents for those loved ones. some stores have been open all night and are offering big discounts for that last minute buy. many shoppers are reporting that the shelves are empty, which is good news for retailers. if you're hitting the road this morning, expect some company. aaa says more than 92 million people are traveling between now and new year's. most of them are driving. about half of all washingtonians are headed out of town for the holiday. the payroll tax cut extension is official. president obama signed it into law yesterday after a contentious battle between democrats and republicans. the extension is only for two months, and both sides are discussing a yearlong extension. the national institutes of health has performed a record number of bone marrow transplants this month. now there's an urgent need for blood and platelets something those patients need in order to

heal. the search is on- donors willing to help this holiday season. we go inside the blood bank. >> reporter: huge success at the national institutes of health bone marrow matching program means more patients are getting transplants they usually perform two transplants a week here in. the past few weeks they've had ten. with those procedures comes the need for blood and platelets small cells that help blood clot. >> we are in urgent need. >> atrium is filled with christmas trees, me norahs and a ginger bread house competition. their blood bank could use a little extra love this holiday season. >> part of the giving part seems to be missing. >> all blood and platelet donation made here, stay here. the blood bank typically collects 30 pints of whole blood every day for those undergoing treatment or recovering from transplants. because of the additional transplants right now they need 40. >> patients and illnesses don't

respect the holidays. the patients needed the transplants performed urgently and they couldn't wait. without transfusions they will not make it through this period. >> terry hill has been donating blood and platelets for 37 years. right here for the past six when his now healthy son eric was diagnosed with aplastic anemia. >> i'm typed to patients. a lot of times my blood can go up to patients. it's a match. i know it's going to somebody who needs it right away. >> donating here is relatively easy. you come into the clinical center and check in. they'll take you over there into one of these cubicles. they'll take a quick health history. down the hall for a blood or platelet donation. >> it's a very comfortable, warm and happy experience. >> reporter: they even have a plethora of parking spots. special badges for doe norris, movies and snacks to make the process as easy and enjoyable as

possible. >> while you're in the spirit of giving, remember one of the most precious gifts is the gift of life. >> the need isn't only urgent, it's ongoing, the campus uses 7,000 units of blood each year. for more information on how you can donate blood, platelets or get your name on the bone marrow registry log on to our website at nbcwashington.com. a daring escape from a burning apartment building as a person jumped out of the second floor window. it happened around 9:00 last night in southeast d.c. firefighters say the sfier started in a trash can and quickly spread down a hallway. the person who jumped out of the building suffered a few broken bones, but was otherwise okay. five others were treated for smoke inhalluation. a scary scene in sterling, virginia. police evacuated a neighborhood last night after a suspected pipe bomb was found. someone found a pipe about a foot long with caps on each end

on manning square in a townhouse community. a bomb squad took the device to a safer place to be destroyed and are investigating the incident. this morning police are still searching a capital heights neighborhood after an elderly woman was brutally beaten thursday night. police tell us the 70-year-old was attacked in her home in the 500 block of drum avenue. someone broke in through a window and beat the victim so severely that he broke her nose and her eye socket. she lost consciousness and woke up yesterday morning with just enough strength left to crawl to the phone and call 9-1-1. a neighbor watched as paramedics brought her out of the house. >> i saw the lady with the blood. i was scared. i was scared. i don't know. >> police say the woman is in critical condition. a maryland man wants one thing for christmas, his beloved

dog back at home. ed riley brought his 3-year-old dog with him at maury's electrical supply. he left the dog in his truck with windows open. when he came out around lunchtime, the truck and cody were gone. the truck was found a few blocks away, but no sign of cody. police believe the truck was used in a rash of purse snatchings. riley said cody is micro chipped, but it's going to be a tough christmas without him. d.c. school chancellor says she's in shock after this brawl earlier this week involving a high school basketball team. the team was playing a city charter school in baltimore when a witness says a fan shoved a coach after multiple bad calls by the referee. players and fans then ran on to the court exchanging punches. hend eerson wants to know why parents didn't try to step in and stop the fight. >> it is disappointing when --

to watch children engaging in that level of violence. >> children are going to fight. sometimes things jump off that's the reality of it. but our inability to stop that quickly was very disturbing. >> d.c. and baltimore school officials are investigating the fight. severe punishments against both teams are expected. it is 6:38 right now. 'tis the season to be competitive. how christmas li

[ screaming ] [ zapping ] there goes dwayne's car. oh, man. there goes dwayne's house. whoa! whoa! and there goes dwayne. man, that thing does not like dwayne. [ male announcer ] state farm's got you covered. nice landing. it was. [ male announcer ] get to a better state.

you're watching news 4 today. >> so you think of that movie "christmas vacation." every neighborhood has that one house that just goes over the top around christmas time. thousands of lights and decorations and christmas cheer. >> but one fairfax county neighborhood is twice as nice.

we see the duelling displays. >> reporter: tim smith and randy dupuis face off. their christmas decorated homes in alexandria brighten the holiday spirit for thousands of families. >> they did a great job. >> tim's house has a santa theme. >> it's more of a fun house. >> reporter: with eight santa claus s, 30,000 lights ark nativity san and did i mention a flamingo. >> we found it in the tree. the neighborhood doesn't really like that. >> reporter: randy synchronized 50,000 lights to a radio station that plays carols. he has 30 colorful christmas trees, a nutcracker, 13 wreaths along with presents that open and close. >> i sit out here sometimes in the truck and turn the radio on. it's a lot of fun to watch. >> reporter: you can see people lining up to take a look. we asked them which house do they prefer? >> that one.

>> reporter: the one with all the santas? >> yes. >> reporter: with one with the santas? >> yes. >> i like the one with the sin kronized lights. >> reporter: i took a random sample of 30 people, most adults preferred your house two to one. most kids preferred your house, tim. we'll call it even. how does that make you feel? >> great. >> fantastic. mine's fun and actually his is more for the adult. >> what is the electric bill on a house like that. >> i don't want to know. they probably save up all yearlong for that. what a show. >> it's beautiful. the "today" show is next on nbc 4. let's find out what they're working on. >> amy robach joins us from new york. >> merry christmas to you both. coming up this morning, mad dash. with just 24 hours to go before christmas, shoppers are heading to the malls. but one item in particular is

causing quite a fuss and it has michael jordan's name written all over it. then we'll head to maine where authorities are frantically searching for a missing 21-month-old girl. do police have a suspect? plus prince philip, husband of queen elizabeth is rushed to the hospital and undergoes emergency surgery overnight. will he spend christmas with the royal people? we are live at buckingham palace with the latest. we will introduce you to a special group of girls who are trying to spread an important message through song. it is an incredible story of hope. we'll have all of that be and much more on "today." >> thanks so much. have a great one. >> thanks, you, too. turning our eyes to the weather. it's brisk and cold this christmas eve. >> it sure is. we need a little chill out there. everybody's got their christmas scarves and holiday sweaters. and everybody wants a chance to get outside and wear it and take advantage of it. >> maybe go see the light

displays out in fairfax. >> fairfax they take them seriously. the place goes crazy with lights is richmond, virginia. >> it's the christmas light capital of the universe down there. if you're really looking for something fun to do. turns to winter

and brings in the cold. because of our economy, millions more will feel that chill than ever before. they're the forgotten ones. the big boys have abused the system to enrich only

themselves, while workers are still hurting. it could be a layoff after 22 years of working for the same company. or choosing between food and heat for a sick child. or after working your whole life, you don't have what you need to stay warm. you played by the rules, but who changed them? even though oil prices are soaring to record levels, in washington, fuel aid for the poor was cut in half. citizens energy asked big oil companies and oil producing nations to help. they all said 'no,' expect for citgo and the people of venezuela. for the last 7 years, citgo has helped struggling families in the united states in good times and in bad. so if you need help staying warm this winter, give me a call. because no one should be left out in the cold.

you're watching news 4 today. >> maricopa county sheriff's controversial immigration policy was dealt another blow. a judge ruled his deputies cannot detain people just because they think they're in the u.s. illegally. the u.s. justice department issued a report last week allegeding he violated multiple civil rights laws by arresting what he believes were illegal immigrants. there is also a lawsuit pending against the controversial sheriff alleging he is guilty of racial profiling. the d.c. city council could soon vote on a bill allowing same sex couples not living in the district to file for divorce. it's called the civil marriage

disillusion equality agreement. it would allow couples who mare rid in d.c. but live in places that don't recognize gay marriage to get divorced. under the current law at least one person must live in washington to get a divorce through d.c. courts. most of america will be gathered around a tree opening gifts, others are heading to their computers. with more cameras and microphones, an increasing number of families are sharing the holidays over the internet. tomorrow more than 30 million people in the u.s. are expected to skype during christmas morning. skype says about 300 million minutes and video calls are made daily around the world. with apple's face time and google chat that number is growing. >> i'll have to dry that this christmas. >> we did that last christmas  with our family in south carolina. it is hilarious. you care are you your laptop around. you show them all the different presents. everybody reacts. some people have done it during their christmas dinner so they

have -- >> that's nice. >> they have their computer set up at dinner time. >> i need to get my mom off of dial up first. she needs to -- >> you're kidding. >> no. she hates the computer. she just hates it. if you want to talk to somebody just call them on the phone. i know. i know. if i tried sending her a texas message that's trouble. all she wants for christmas is a little sunshine. we can deliver that for her. that is welcome news. early on your saturday morning get your weekend started we're off to a cloudy start and had a few little rain drops early this morning. it was raining on my way into work at about 4:30 this morning. the last of the rain drops are entering theson counties. around washington mostly to partly cloudy skies. i think we'll have sunshine before 10:00 a.m. in nearly every neighborhood.

43 right now with the clouds outside and a northwesterly breeze. temperatures around the rest of the area reston at 39. near 40 in huntingtown, maryland. even out towards the blue ridge no real super cold air. 39 in west virginia, 37 in win chest, west virginia. as you make plans for your christmas eve, pack your patience. you're going to be a lot of people getting around town today. 43 by 10:00 a.m. highs in the upper 40s to near 50 degrees today. if you're headed tout to the redskins and vikings game at fedex field, kick off is at 1:00. it will be dry for the game. on doppler lonesome rain drops along the bay bridge head ed on to the eastern shore. a few sprinkles far north parts of calvert county. those are racing southbound. one or two lonely snowflakes across far western maryland and southwestern pennsylvania. most of us will be rain and snow free. white christmas to be found across parts of west texas and southern new mexico and some

rainshowers if you're flying down towards miami, florida, for your christmas holiday. around here, the clear skies are just down to our south and west. those clearing skies will be moving in here for this afternoon. we'll end up with a decent looking day. highs today up into the upper 40s and low 50s. the skies will be clearing out here early this morning. overnight a clear night for santa over the atlantic. a beautiful christmas day on the way. so your christmas eve forecast, clouds this morning. clearing out a little breezy today. highs in the 40s a northwest wind 10 to 20 miles per hour. tomorrow we'll start out with sunshine. clouds later on tomorrow afternoon. it doesn't look like anything in the way of rain chances. it looks like your christmas weekend will be dry. good weather for boxing day on monday as well the 26th. 48 degrees. next chance for rain rolls in on tuesday. that looks like a pretty good bet for some showers there. no real cold air and not a single snowflake on the seven-day forecast as we get

into the last week of 2011. a snow challenged year to say the very least. and now that we're about 25% of the way through winter still not even an inch here in washington. >> you are so disappointed. >> santa told me i was getting a snowstorm for christmas. >> maybe somebody wasn't as good as he thought. >> i needed to go to el paso to see it. >> he didn't say where. we're just seven minutes away from the start of the 7:00 hour. still waiting for that holiday card from a friend or family member? it might have wound up here. a look at some of the world ears worst handwriting.

you're watching news 4 today. the sluggish economy is hurting retailers' bottom line this holiday season. it's not just from people reigning in their spending. shoplifting is up this year according to a new report. in the four weeks leading up to christmas about 1.84 billion in merchandise will be shoplifted this year. that's up 6% from last year. the report found that the increase is the result of higher

joblessness and falling wages. so remember when your teachers warned you that you're going to pay one day for having bad penmanship? this may be that punishment. this facility in salt lake city is where mail mysteries go. thousands of workers there spend days trying to decode that chicken scratch some people claim is their handwriting. come computer software definitely helps and some employees successfully get this solved more than 8,000 mail mysteries every day. >> without us, all these letters and other types of mail will have to be hand sorted which is more time consuming and more costly. >> the facility is open 24 hours a day. and employs more than 1100 people. >> i'm sure there's a few bills in there that people wish were not decoded. >> perhaps. it started off as a simple act of kindness, but has grown into a nationwide phenomenon that shows the true spirit of

christmas. >> lay away angels as they are called are paying off the accounts of people in need to the tune of $450,000. and the cheer it's still spreading. nbc's george lewis has more. >> reporter: in costa mesa, california, this hospital worker was overcome with emotion. >> thank you so much. >> reporter: when she found out that a total stranger had paid off her $85 lay away bill. a simple act of kindness that made a world of difference. >> it does feel like an angel. i just told my daughter that it was an angel that paid off your gifts. >> thank you. >> reporter: now she says she'll be able to afford a ham for the family's christmas dinner. the employees at the k mart store here say there's no shortage of so-called lay away angels who have been paying off customers' accounts. >> at least 30, 40 people. >> reporter: one man david wilson who owns 16 autodlips

said he wanted to pay off every lay away account of $100 or less. >> so i had to do some figuring and it came out to be $15,919:61. >> reporter: then the story employees started calling the 260 customers who benefitted from this. >> the raw emotion, the tears just flow. it's too much to describe in words all the emotions that we've seen. >> reporter: kristen a stay-at-home mom says she couldn't believe that her $151 lay away balance has been paid down to just one penny. >> i'm just happy. it's been a hard six months. it's just so nice to know that people out there care. >> reporter: those lay away angels. >> thank you. >> reporter: generosity embodies the real meaning of christmas. george lewis, nbc news, los angeles. >> absolutely incredible. >> we had -- we were touched by angels in this area as well. >> in prince frederick, one man $20,000.