good afternoon. i'm pat lawson muse. >> and i'm jim handly. but we begin on this election eve with the weather. we are watching another storm. >> it could bring wind, rain and even snow. storm team 4 meteorologist veronica johnson is keeping track. veronica? >> thanks a lot, guys. i want to emphasize, this is really a storm system that still is evolving, it still hasn't made its way to the coast yet. so a lot could change with its track. but for right now, for right now here's what we're seeing with the impact. by the time we get to 11:00 p.m. on wednesday evening. we'll have some rain around here and the possibility of a little bit of snow. a chance right now as we get into early thursday morning. the areas shaded in red where the highest impact would be, the delaware coast, new jersey coast and right up into areas of new york city and long island once again with a high impact there of coastal flooding being a problem. remember, those are the areas just hit by sandy. a lot of the dunes and protection gone from the coast,

so it allows the water to flow more freely inland. areas shaded in yellow, medium impact. areas in green there, lower impact. as you get toward western maryland, west central maryland and even areas of central virginia. so for right now, possibility of some isolated inland snow. some inland snow, isolated slick spots, perhaps even for thursday morning. coastal problems indeed. that is what we're looking at right now. if this storm system tracks more to the east, though, we could get nothing more than just some rain around here. as far as election day weather, we'll have more on that. right now, it doesn't look as though we'll have any worries coming up. we'll talk about how cold it will be tomorrow and how much wind will be around the area. and of course, we'll have much more on the impact of the midweek storm coming up in a couple of minutes. it's the final day of campaigning before election day. both presidential candidates are focused on the all-important state of ohio. president obama spent the morning in wisconsin and will hit iowa late tonight.

he plans to speak in columbus in just a few minutes. mitt romney will campaign in columbus later today, he started the day in florida and will end the day in new hampshire. at midday, he made two stops in virginia, including one that just wrapped up at george mason university. steve handelsman is in ohio with the latest. >> reporter: governor mitt romney began his last state push in florida. >> we can begin a better tomorrow, tomorrow, and with the help of the people in florida, that's exactly what's going to happen. >> reporter: a few hours later he was in virginia. >> if you're tired of being tired, then i ask you to vote for change. help us win this. >> reporter: with bruce springsteen, president obama started today in wisconsin. >> you know that i'll fight for you and your families every single day, as hard as i know how. >> reporter: last night colorado, a huge rally. after a shimmy with stevie wonder in cincinnati, ohio. the president urged his backers to vote today.

the lines to early voting in ohio have been long. but republicans won a fight to shorten voting hours. mary jenkins was out to get obama backers to the polls. she figured she could make the difference nationally. >> i wouldn't be able to sleep at night if i didn't put in every shift that i'm putting in over these four days. thank you so much for your enthusiasm. >> reporter: across town is a mitt romney phone bank. >> we're just calling to remind you that your vote is very important. >> reporter: ohio republicans, like democrats, figure their work could decide the presidency. >> if this county ends up red for mitt romney, it will go a very, very long way to winning this state. >> reporter: governoromney left a second virginia stop for ohio, columbus, planning to end up in new hampshire. president obama would head out of ohio for iowa, for his final event on this frantic day. here in ohio, tomorrow republican poll watchers are threatening to challenge

thousands of votes, which could mean if the race here is close, no ohio results in the presidential election for ten days. i'm steve handelsman, news4, cincinnati. both campaigns made a last-minute push in virginia today, and the commonwealth used it as a chance to make the final rounds. democratic hopeful tim kaine was on the road with vice president joe biden. he spoke at a rally in sterling earlier today. republican candidate george allen was campaigning with mitt romney, who made stops in lynchburg, and in fairfax. like the presidential race, the senate race is extremely close heading into election day. you've heard of question 6 and 7, but what about the other number? some of maryland's ballot questions have gotten a lot of attention of late. you've seen them in the commercials like same-sex marriage and expanded gambling. megan mcgrath breaks down what else is at stake. >> reporter: a flurry of activity at the prince george's

county board of elections as voters turn in their ab sen teen ballots looking to avoid the crowds tomorrow. when marylanders head to the polls on tuesday, they will not only cast their votes for the presidential race, they will also have their say on a number of ballot questions. there's a lot of information, and voters are asked to be familiar with those questions before they arrive. >> the sample ballots were mailed to each household in prince george's county. i encourage voters to take a look at those sample ballots and maybe mark them up so when they get to the polls they're prepared to know how they're going to vote. >> reporter: question 7 deals with gambling. it has been the subject of many political ads. it would allow the building of a sixth casino in prince george's county and allow table games at all casino also. and question 6, the civil marriage protection act. which would allow gay and lesbian couples to get married in the state of maryland. question 3 was borne out of the scandal involving prince george's council woman leslie

johnson. johnson pleaded guilty to charges in connection to a corruption probe that netted her husband, former county executive jack johnson. bau loophole in the law did not force her to step down after the guilty plea, and she continued to collect a salary. a vote for a constitutional amendment on question 3 would change that. meaning a politician would be removed at the time of a guilty plea, or in the case of a trial, would be suspended upon conviction and then removed after sentencing. question 4 allows immigrants who are in this country illegally to qualify for in-state tuition rates at maryland colleges. students, though, must meet certain requirements, including graduation from a state high school, proof that income taxes have been paid and show intent to apply for permanent residency. also on the ballot, question 5, which changes the boundaries of maryland's eighth congressional district which is currently held by chris van holen and is mainly in montgomery county. and questions 1 and 2, which would require judges of the

orphans court for prince george's county and baltimore county be licensed to practice law in maryland and be members in good standing of the maryland bar. here in maryland, the polls open at 7:00 a.m., and they will stay open until 8:00 at night. in prince george's county, megan mcgrath, news4. if you're a local voter and not sure about the questions on your ballot, make sure to check out our handy voting guide on nbcwashington.com. and the news4 iteam is on voter patrol. if you see a problem when you head to the polls tomorrow, we want to hear about that. call the iteam voter patrol tipline at 202-885-4444, or e-mail them at tips@news4iteam.com. give your name, number and location of your problem. at 4:30, we'll tell you more about problems the iteam has already uncovered. the new york area tries to return to normal in the wake of

hurricane sandy. it's a tough proposition. a week after the storm, 1.4 million homes and businesses are still without power. tens of thousands of people are unable to go back home. gas supplies are still limited. as nbc's jay gray reports, the area now faces the threat of now freezing temperatures and a storm that has the potential to bring in further damage. >> reporter: it has been a full week now, and while there are some signs of progress, today the staten island ferry was packed with people going back to work and school for the first time. still, the devastation, the difficulties stretched for miles in the wake of sandy. communities ripped apart, struggling to survive. >> it's not the same everywhere. so when i leave here, i'm going to go to some of the areas that are still without power, heat, transportation and the like. >> reporter: at least 11,000 people are in 178 shelters

across seven states right now. more than 200,000 families are homeless after the storm. >> we don't know where we're going. buwe have each other. >> reporter: families, friends and volunteers continue the hard work along the front lines of this recovery. >> a bigas ter. we need all the help we can get. >> reporter: help is also focused on polling places across the strike zone, hoping to generate the opportunity for everyone to vote. power will be moved in where it's needed but in some areas that just won't be enough. in new york city alone, more than 60 polling places have been moved or closed because of the storm. officials are scrambling now for other options. while cleanup crews continue to scramble, to get as much done as possible before the next storm, a harsh nor'easter moves in. >> the forecast is for continued cold weather for much of the week. and potentially a serious storm with wind gusts of 40 to 50 miles an hour, beginning wednesday afternoon and into

thursday. >> reporter: way too soon for millions still reeling from sandy. jay gray, nbc news. breaking news right now. fire and rescue crews in prince george's county are on the scene of a deadly crash here in upper marlboro. officials tell us two tractor-trailers and a car are involved in this crash here on central avenue. these chopper 4 pictures just coming in. two people in that car died when it became trapped underneath the trailer there. maryland state police are investigating. central avenue is closed right now from route 193 to six flags. we're learning new details now about two violent attacks in d.c., including a rape in a howard university dorm room. court records show the suspect, 19-year-old demarco miles wrote his name and cell phone number down and gave it to one of his victims after allegedly assaulting her in her dormitory. the phone number led police to his house where they arrested

him. they found several pieces of evidence linking him to the attacks. the other attack happened on rhode island road. that victim remains in the hospital with multiple stab wounds. coming up tonight on news4 at 5:00, darcy spencer will have more on what else we've learned about the suspect's background. starting today, the cost of most speed camera tickets in the district is going down. a ticket for going 10 miles over the speed limit is falling from 75 to $50. going 11 to 15 miles over the limit is down to $100. the tickets for doing more than 25 miles over the speed limit are going up. coming up at 5:00, trmgs repo transportation reporter adam tuss will tell us more. mental illness for the digital age. how to tell if your dependence on your cell phone has turned into a serious addiction. sharon osbourn tells why she chose to have a double

mastecto mastectomy. democracy plaza, we'll explain how it will transform the election night experience.

bieber fever invades the district tonight. justin bieber brings his "believe" world tour to the soldout crowd at verizon center. he tweeted he was warming up by, quote, balling with the wizard. his opening act will be carly rae jepson, concert starts at 7:00 tonight. sharon osbourne has just revealed she underwent a double mastectomy, after learning she carries a gene of carrying the risk of developing breast cancer. she tells britain's hello magazine she had already battled colon cancer and opted for surgery because she didn't want to live in fear of developing more cancer, and doesn't want pity because she's happy now she can start enjoying life as a grandmother. there's no question social

media is playing a big role in politics these days. >> angie goff reports, both sides are using a site very popular with women. it's helping women get their message across in pictures. >> reporter: pinterest, the site known for all things beautiful, goes political. especially here in d.c. >> for a lot of people, it's about their hobbies and crafts. but for many people, especially in the washington area, politics is their hobby. >> reporter: erica anderson is the social media director for the heritage foundation. their post popular pin, political quotes. a board featuring parks titled where romney could drill is a hit. there's also the golf courses of the obama administration, romney's private jet, and even pages run by those close to the candidates. no question, pinterest is popular. not the biggest driver of

traffic, anderson says that's okay. >> we're able to take a little bit of our research and papers, pull out statistics and facts and put them in a visual way, and get them up on pinterest. we're able to reach people we may not have reached any other way. >> crafts, food and drinks, home dec decor, kids, photography, there are 33 categories on pinterest, none of them related to politics. and as far as politics being added to the mix? we got an e-mail from pinterest saying we don't comment on future plans. that bothered anderson. her team has posted more than 900 pins. >> politics is part of it. there's a lot of politically minded people on pinterest. >> reporter: and a lot of people looking online to be inspired. a recent pew study reported 36% of social networking site users found those sites important in keeping up with political news. angie goff, news4. fascinate. >> it is indeed. we've got weather on the way. but first, we've got the big

election weather tomorrow. >> tomorrow we're just fine. but anyone heading to the polls, today was cold, tomorrow starting out, very cold, in the 20s. standing in line early tomorrow, make sure you've got the big thick coat on to keep warm. even the gloves, too. outside right now we've got a clear sky. it's been a brisk day for us with winds gusting at times 15 to 20 miles per hour. right now we're at 12 miles per hour. 49 the temperature, with drier over us, and sunshine throughout, from 49 degrees right in d.c. to 45 in olney and gaithersburg. a pocket of low 50s to our south. culpepper, to fredericksburg, again, under a sunny sky. but as temperatures drop tonight, we've got freeze warnings that are up. these go until 9:00 a.m. tomorrow. they start at midnight. that means freezing temperatures are likely. as we drop down again to the mid-20s, fredericksburg, even

toward annapolis, to include the northern neck in cambridge. take a look at our sunset. 5:03. yeah. sunrise at 6:4 1r1. the big storm we're looking at off to the west. that will be digging down to the south, organizing and making its way up the coast. still could change its track. but for right now, here's the thinking. we've got a quiet day for tomorrow. we watched that storm organizing down south. bringing some rain and wind up the coast by early wednesday. so it's around midday wednesday to early afternoon wednesday. we'll start out with some rain. then we could see a little bit of snow mixing in. based on the road temperatures. and the surface temperatures, we think a lot of it, most of it in fact is going to be melting on its journey down. i think right now a conversational event for us. as the snow probably starts wrapping up.

that rain/snow mix, sometime midday thursday. it could change if the track is far enough off the coast. expect periods of rain and a little bit of snow. some accumulation is possible on grassy surfaces. i think our biggest concern right now is those isolated spots north and west, around 72. there could be a few slick spots on area roads early thursday morning. areas north, this is a bigger storm. again, for maine, all the way down toward coastal new jersey with more winds for them, what they don't want to see. 40 to 46 degrees, cool, but nice for the evening under a mostly clear sky. cold start tomorrow, 24 to 35. at least the winds will be lighter. out of the north at 5 to 10. then sunshine, with afternoon clouds coming in. continued chilly. 45 to 50 degrees. that northeast wind at 5 to 10. okay for getting out to vote tomorrow. you've got no excuse. here's our probability for wednesday and thursday.

likely rain. again, perhaps mixing in with a little bit of light snow. same thing for early thursday morning. ending about midday. temperatures, look at them, 45, 49 degrees. we'll be hard pressed to see any accumulating snow around here. right now, mostly a conversational event for us. jim, pat? >> thanks, veronica. a construction crane hanging precariously from the side of a high-rise. an update on the story that left a lot of people holding their breath during hurricane sandy. what it took to secure the crane. the allegations of racial insensitivity that forced no doubt to pull its new music video from the internet. president obama: there's just no quit in america...

and you're seeing that right now. over five million new jobs. exports up forty one percent. home values... rising. our auto industry... back. and our heroes are coming home. we're not there yet, but we've made real progress and the... last thing we should do is turn back now. here's my plan for the next four years: making education and training a national priority;

building on our manufacturing boom; boosting american-made energy; reducing the deficits responsibly by cutting where... we can, and asking the wealthy to pay a little more. and ending the war in afghanistan, so we can... do some nation-building here at home. that's the right path. so read my plan, compare it to governor romney's... and decide which is better for you. it's an honor to be your president... and i'm asking for your vote... so together, we can keep moving america forward. i'm barack obama and i approve this message. apple exceeded expectations with the launch of its new ipad mini and fourth generation ipad. the company said it sold 3 million of the new tablets in just three days. the gadgets debuted in stores on friday. the new full sized ipad has a

faster processor and better camera. and the mini is about a third smaller with a lower start price at $329. apple's last big ipad launch was back in march. then the company sold 1.5 million devices in the first three days. the group no doubt is apologizing for a music video that some people called racially insensitive. the band yanked the video for its new single "looking hot" from youtube. they had a cowboy and indian theme. in a statement on their website, no doubt said it's a multi-racial band built on diversity and consideration for other cultures. the band apologized to native americans and anyone who found their video offensive. a toddler mauled to death at the zoo. when we come right back, the child's mother, what she did to put the boy in danger. and we're going to head to nbc's democracy plaza.

welcome back at 4:30. i'm jim handly. >> i'm pat lawson muse. both presidential candidates are going down to the wire. this is the last full day to campaign before voters go to the polls. mitt romney is making two stops in virginia. and also hitting ohio, florida and new hampshire. president obama is campaigning with bruce springsteen in wisconsin, and iowa. police tell us miles raped a howard university student in her dorm room friday. officers say they tracked him down because he left the victim his phone number. he's also accused of an attack that happened days earlier on rhode island row in northeast washington. people in the northeast part of the country are bracing for

what could be another devastating storm. more than 1 million residents are still without power in the wake of hurricane sandy. and tens of thousands more can't go back home. another storm is expected to hit on wednesday and could complicate the recovery efforts in new york and new jersey. and we have some stormy weather approaching midweek. >> meteorologist veronica johnson has the latest on that. veronica? >> yeah, that's right. for us, the time period is wednesday, i think, during the afternoon, through thursday morning, where we could see winds up to about 30, maybe 40, perhaps 45 miles per hour. so there may be a few spotty outages. i think mostly across the eastern shore. hey, did you see the fog this morning? fog and some low clouds. we're left with a beautiful sky right now. this is from our camera high atop the gaylord national resort where we've got sunshine across the area. but getting close to sunset. it's at 5:05 today. your temperature 45 montgomery county, to 50 prince william and fauquier county. and in the low 50s in anne

arundel county, and annapolis coming in at 50 degrees. overnight temperatures, and for starting out tomorrow morning, under a clear sky. look at this, leesburg in loudoun county, 26. warrenton, 25. 35 inside the beltway. most areas will be starting out plenty cold, in the mid-20s to upper 20s across the area. chilly for tomorrow with a high just 49 degrees. we'll talk more about this rain. and that storm with rain and wind. more details coming up in my next weather hit at 45 after. >> veronica, taung. well, in just a matter of hours, the nation's voters will determine the shape of our country's future. >> nbc has transformed rockefeller plaza into democracy plaza. thousands of people will watch live election results as they come in on election night right there on the plaza. nbc's rehema ellis will tell us

what makes it so special. >> reporter: it's that it's right here in rockefeller center. iconic skating rink. right beside it, you'll see -- i think you can see permetheus. tom brokaw will be giving the election results as they come in. if you can see behind me, there is the skating rink with a big map of the united states. as the results come in, we will fill in that map with red or blue, depending on how the returns come in. as you point out, thousands of people are going to be able to come here and watch this. an opportunity to celebrate democracy and citizenship. and it's also going to be fun. there are interactive stations set up where people can get their picture taken at a replica of the oval office, and the white house briefing room. and thanks to the magic of technology, they can digitally

send those pictures to their friends and family within a matter of minutes. so it's all opportunities to see democracy in action. we'll get you the returns as we've got reporters spanned out across the united states. people can watch it, and participate in it as well. >> that is just beyond cool, rehema. before we let you go, we want to make sure, no skating allowed on that map, right? >> reporter: absolutely not. no skating. not in the next 24 hours or so. we're just going to be putting up the red and blue, as i say, of the returns, as the election results come in tomorrow night. everybody's looking forward to it. a lot of excitement here. >> you have an election night special tomorrow night. >> reporter: absolutely. we will. starting, i believe, at 8:00. we'll be giving you the returns as they come up, only once the polls close, because we don't want to discourage anyone from voting. but yes, there will be a special. everybody is looking forward to what will be the outcome of this

election, that the candidates have been campaigning for for months and months. and now is the moment of truth. we're just the eve before. people really get to make that decision. despite the fact that there have been a lot of voters going to the polls in terms of early voting, and even in terms of those absentee ballots. millions of americans have already expressed their opinion about who they want to be president of the united states. >> all right. stay tuned. the moment of truth is at hand. rehema ellis, good luck tomorrow night. we'll be watching. have you had problems at the polls? or issues with your ballot? the news4 iteam is on patrol and wants to hear from you. investigative reporter tisha thompson shows how to make sure your voice is is heard. >> reporter: the news4 iteam is checking on any voting problems you encounter today or tomorrow. we're still hearing from maryland residents concerned about getting a second absentee ballot in the mail. we first reported how the state board of elections sent out

extra ballots after a postal code problem. if you already sent in your absentee ballot and then you get a second one, do not worry, your first ballot will be counted, simply shred your extra ballot. here's how you can get in touch with us, if you run into other voting problems. call the tipline at 202-885-4444, or e-mail us at tips@news4iteam.com so we can check it out. in the newsroom, tisha thompson, news4 iteam. a new illness for a high-tech society. coming up next, the signs you could be suffering from a serious cell phone addiction. incredible video of a train smashing into a utility truck. what the driver says didn't happen before the crash.

cell phones are supposed to keep us connected.

but for a growing number of people, they're having the opposite effect and can actually lead to less personal contact. a recent study also found more people saying they fear losing their phones and get anxious or panicky without them. in today's "news4 your health," dr. bruce hansel reports. >> cell phone society, we're connected to cell phones like they're extensions of ourselves. what happens when your attachment to your phone becomes a problem. >> i remember i was crying. i was angry. >> reporter: for christiana ike, not having her phone created extreme anxiety. she has three phones and carries two phone chargers with her all the time. she even takes her phone with her in the shower. >> i have it sitting there on the counter. because i'm thinking, what if, you know, president obama calls, or the pope, you know. i don't know. i don't know why i do that. >> reporter: these are the

symptoms of nomophobia. >> it means no mobile phone phobia. >> reporter: it includes, panic and anxiety when separated from your phone. having multiple phones. compulsive checking for messages. battery life. using phones in inappropriate places. phone activity becoming an issue in relationships, work or school. >> for some people who use their phone excessively, we know that the brain is actually responding to the phone as if it's a drug. >> reporter: right. it's affecting everyday interactions. >> interfortunately i've become so attached to communicating with everybody, that i become less attached to people who are physically in front of me. >> reporter: she's part of a nomophobia recovery. here she learns how to break her habit. >> make a commitment to not respond for 20 minutes. >> we teach them in treatment to

self-monitor their behaviors, how to identify when the behaviors have become excessive. how to use coping skills to manage their urges to use the internet or their phone. >> as opposed to thinking of myself being trapped without my phone, i'm trying to focus on how it can actually be kind of freeing not to have my phone. >> doctors say if you're concerned that you may have nomophobia, you should commit to turning the cell phone off for a certain amount of time every week. as you know, my battery's been dead for an hour and a half. no serious symptoms. just a little cold sweat, withdrawal. >> that's cold turkey. when we come back, a day at the zoo ends tragically. still ahead, what a mother did just before her toddler fell into an exhibit. and veronica is tracking another storm moving in. details on when it will hit and what type of winter weather it could bring.

time to check out the day's daily deals. >> first up on group-on-you'll find a discount on hair removal treatments. the deal includes three options, starting at $175 for six treatments. normally valued at $900. this deal is good at parma spa in vienna, virginia. >> pay $9 and get a pair of touch screen gloves. with them you'll be able to keep your hands warm while still using your android or iphone. more than 18,000 people have picked up on this deal so far. it comes in black and pink. your choice. >> those could come in handy. >> oh, yeah. >> veronica says you just got a pair? >> but mine wasn't a deal like that. >> can you point with them on the map? >> not on this one. at least i can on my little

phone. mine was about twice, maybe three times as much as that. got to get that deal. we're taking a look outside. you can see we've got a mostly clear sky. but take a look at this beautiful shot. this was taken by meteorologist tom curon, took this last evening as the sun was setting. you can see the trees stripped of most of their leaves. time to get out and start raking, right? we're talking about the early sunsets today at 5:03. but starting saturday, november 10th, rolling through january 4th of next year, the sun will set before 5:00 p.m. everybody just went like this, oh, so depressing. i know. outside right now, 49 degrees. we've got dry air over us now. and we've got tranquil conditions. it's cold. average high usually this time of year at least around 60 degrees. so we're talking about another pretty cold day coming our way for tomorrow. 49 the high.

47 leesburg. areas around falls church, 48 for a high temperature. green belt, 48 for a high temperature. so about 48, 50 degrees or so, most locations tomorrow. still a little bit of wind left. you can shave about four, five degrees off the high temperatures. that's really what it's going to feel like during the afternoon. i wanted to show this one more time of the storm coming up the coast for tomorrow. we pick up some clouds throughout the afternoon tomorrow. not a big deal. the other thing, the deal for the coastal areas, delaware, new jersey, there will be more wind moving in. that's, again, that high impact area. coastal new jersey, long island, right up to areas of southern new england. this will be a big storm. right now it looks as though it will be a big storm with wind. what we could see around here is rain with a little bit of snow at times, possibly mixing in. really just a conversational event for us. but if there was any chance even an isolated chance, i want to let you know if there was any concern on area roads. there is that slight chance. i think in a few pockets early

thursday morning. things could change based on the track of the storm, but for right now, it's one of those events when you want to stay aware of the weather wednesday night and thursday. tomorrow, 49 degrees, with some wind around the area. 45 on wednesday. that's why i'm thinking the road surfaces for the most part during the afternoon in the daytime hours will be fine. 56 degrees on friday. a look into your weekend. right now, dry conditions, and a nice warm-up starting this weekend. low 60s coming back to near average. that's the way it's looking right now. jim, pat, back to you. >> we'll need that break. >> yes, indeed. coming up, a crane dangling off the side of a high-rise apartment building in manhattan. what it took to finally make it safe enough to let residents back in. incredible video of a train smashing into a utility truck. what the driver said led to the crash. coming up on news4 at 5:00, virginia, virginia, virginia. we have live team coverage to

see what kind of a key role the old dominion is playing in the presidential election. the district lowered the price of its speed camera tickets. but not everyone is happy about it. a pilot's scary landing takes the chunk off an suv. we'll hear from the couple inside that vehicle. and then, tonight, at 6:00, we're going to find out why metro is apologizing to the customers left out in the cold. i'll see you in just a

a construction worker out in utah captured this wild crash on his cell phone. you can see a freight train slammed through that semi truck. the man said he had been recording a video of the passing train for his son but inadvertently recorded the crash. incredibly, two men inside the truck at the time walked away without serious injuries.

the driver told police he didn't see the train. >> wow. some new yorkers forced out of their homes by a dangling crane in the wake of superstorm sandy are going back home. the tower crane on west 57 h street has been fastened to the side of the building so it's now safe to walk underneath. those living in nearby buildings had to evacuate last week when sandy's winds knocked the crane loose. it included a hotel with 900 guests evacuated. a couple of traffic lanes below are still closed. >> you want a calm day for that climb. when we come back, a day at the zoo ends with a toddler's death. what his mother did just before he fell into that enclosure filled with wild dogs. and for all your news, be sure to follow news4 online, just search nbc washington on facebook and twitter. charlie rose: will you endorse president obama?

colin powell: yes. when he took over we were in one of the... worst recessions we had seen in recent times... close to a depression. and i saw, over the next several years, stabilization... come back in the financial community. housing is starting to pick up. the president saved the auto industry. and the actions he's taken with respect to... protecting us from terrorism have been very, very solid.

and so, i think we ought to keep on the track that we are on. president obama: i'm barack obama and... i approve this message.

we just learned new details about a horrific incident at the pittsburgh zoo. a 2-year-old boy after he fell into a pit with wild dogs. the boy first fell onto some protective netting, but was so light, he bounced right off the netting and into the pit. as jody costanza reports, onlookers watched helplessly as

the tragedy unfolded. >> it was very horrific. >> reporter: the 2-year-old boy from pleasant hills was with his mother, aunt and cousin when the unthinkable happened. just before noon they were visiting the african painted dogs exhibit and the boy's 34-year-old mother stood him on the railing. >> he lost his balance, fell down off the railing, into the actual pit, and he was immediately attacked by 11 dogs. >> reporter: in a devastating instant, the child was mauled to death as his mother watched helplessly above. desperate attempts to get the dogs off of him were futile. >> they tried everything they could. they responded immediately. >> reporter: zookeepers eventually secured ten of the dogs, the other was shot by pittsburgh police, after even dart guns wouldn't stop its rage. >> very aggressive towards the victim and towards everyone. >> reporter: a visibly choked up zoo president barbara baker said there is a catch basin around

the exhibit but the boy somehow flipped over it, falling 11 feet into the pit. police tell us several people witnessed the awful accident but no one jumped in to rescue the boy. >> no one made an active attempt to enter the pit, no. >> reporter: the obvious question tonight, how could this happen. a family trip to the zoo, a family destroyed. >> the boy's parents are now being treated for emotional trauma. now at 5:00, the last chance to fight for battleground virginia. >> right now at 5:00, president obama and mitt romney crisscrossing the country drumming up support before millions head to the polls tomorrow. >> speed camera fines dropping in the district. but are the new penalties low enough? we'll tell you how police arrested a man on two sexual assaults on young women in the district. good evening. welcome to news4 at 5:00. >> first up tonight, bitter cold temperatures out there, folks. we're looking at possible snow

later in the week. >> storm team 4 meteorologist doug kammerer joins us right now. >> we've been talking about it last week, actually the graphic that i showed you last week, how the pattern is set for a coastal storm. we'll see a coastal storm and it will be a strong one for parts of the mid-atlantic and parts of the northeast. especially those areas that were affected by sandy, unfortunately. it will get colder during the day on wednesday. we'll see an impact from it even here. i think our impact along the i-95 corridor should be on the low side right through wednesday, maybe wednesday night into the moderate side, medium impact for us. notice the high impact area in red. the jersey shore, delaware beaches, ocean city, long island, and parts of that area that was really affected by sandy will get hit again, very hard from this coastal storm. a nor'easter up to the north and east. as far as our weather is concerned on thursday morning,