from the first local station with news if in high definition, this is 9 news now. good evening. tonight in your only local news at 7:00, gift cards, jewelry, spa treatments, a wish list for some teachers in fredericks county raises eyebrows. 36 hours and counting, a house fire burns for more than a day

leaving a family homeless just before the holidays. and hands off. tonight the aclu weighs in on metro's plans for random bag checks. i'm bruce johnson at the dupont central metro stop where a day after metro announced it will be launching random screening of passengers' bags, many passengers are complaining and the aclu is suggesting the possibility of legal action. >> a customer has been randomly selected to have his items inspected. >> reporter: metro has a video on its website showing how the process works, a swab, an ionization machine and only if the scanner and an explosive detection dog alert on your bag will officers go through your belongings. but the plan is already close to provoking a passenger revolt. >> i think it's ridiculous. it doesn't actually stop terrorist attacks or crime. >> searches are not good. they are not good in terms of

results and they are not good in terms of the constitution. 36 hours later a home is still burning. flames broke out around 6:00 yesterday morning on camby road near leesburg. the home nearly completed and sam was hoping to move in by christmas. >> i worked on every inch of that house, you know, so when i see something like that, i'm totally devastated. i just -- there are no words that de-- excuse me -- describe my feelings. >> reporter: you can still feel the enormous heat coming off of the house. firefighters had a tough time in the snow and freezing temperatures trucking in tens of thousands of gallons of water and also dealing with a pancake collapse when each floor ended up falling into the basement. >> all the water that we were shoveling, spilling and moving was freezing, hose lines were freezing. we had icy conditions because of the amount of water we were

moving. our calls to vdot to bring sand trucks. i'm scott broom in frederick county where a pta has sparked a big debate about what gifts are appropriate for teachers. at the school, the pta wants teachers to know how much they care so they asked teachers what do you want for christmas? the resulting list included restaurant gift cards, silver jewelry and spa treatments. all preferences sent home in a note to families. >> we don't solicit gifts for any reason if we are going to be proper. >> reporter: from her office in a video call, cynthia let is an etiquette expert and author of "that's so annoying" who says asking for specific gifts is, well, rude. >> policy is not a concern here. >> reporter: school spokesperson says soliciting gifts is against the rules but that's not what happened here since it was the pta not the teachers doing the suggesting. >> this is a story that has

snowballed way out of proportion. it has bah humbug and grinch and scrooge written all over it. and tonight's other big story, the redskins sunday lineup. we are learning that starting quarterback donovan mcnabb will be sitting on the bench against a rival dallas cowboys this weekend. our dave owens hears from mike shanahan about his controversial decision. >> reporter: mike shanahan press conference is very vague but not today. the head coach was very frank, donovan mcnabb's future as a redskin is in doubt. just 13 games into it, the donovan mcnabb era. >> pass is intercepted. >> reporter: seems to have already come to an end. >> i also told him that i cannot guarantee him that he would be back next year. i said i can't guarantee you that but what i can guarantee you that i'll be honest with you, i will evaluate the situation. i said i'm not sure what we are going to do in the college draft. >> reporter: shocking when the consider the fanfare that

surrounded his arrival. mcnabb was to be the savior, eventually making the redskins a contender. instead he's suffering through his worst season since he was a rookie, ranking 25th in the league. >> i've had a chance to watch somebody for 13 weeks. next three weeks is not going to change my mind. >> reporter: mcnabb who two days ago says he wasn't aware of any quarterback changes was upbeat at practice today but didn't speak with reporters. his agent fired this salveo towards the front office, quote disrespectful is probably not a strong enough word. to treat him this way is beyond disrespectful. >> you can say you're surprised but in the day you don't have time to be surprised. >> probably a lot of things going through his head, probably a lot of things going through the coach's head. he made this decision, they felt like it's something they had to do. >> reporter: and the redskins will go with 30-year-old rex grossman who led chicago to a super bowl but has never been taken seriously as a starter. >> i'm human, how could you not

be motivated to show everybody who is mocking this? >> reporter: shanahan certainly not mocking this. he says he's liked grossman from day one. when the team heads to dallas, mcnabb will serve as backup quarterback, but the following week he'll be the third quarterback. john beck will be the backup. at redskins park, dave owens, nines sports now. this story has been getting a lot of feedback on our facebook page, anthony lawrence posted quote i really don't know what to think. that was a kick to my gut. it mcnabb -- if mcnabb is not here next year then it was a mistake to trade for him in the first place. this says if it was the coach's mandate to field the best players why wasn't grossman on the field from day one. and this one writes this has to be a clear message they will part with him in the off- season. i think it's a bad move. today's warmer temperatures were welcomed but they could mean bad news for drivers overnight and then tomorrow morning. meteorologist tom is in for topper to explain why that is.

>> there are so many miles and miles of roadways in our region, many believe it or not have not been treated at all so the sunshine did help today and a bonus too, expecting 36, we may get up to 39 so look at the clearing, though. this is -- of course we had the sunshine earlier. the sun is well set but the temperatures falling very, very quickly. in fact, we are now down to the 32-degree mark. we were at 38 just before 5:00 so it's really falling. at least the winds are light and that's very good news. but we are going to remain in this cold air for it looks like another seven days. you got to go back to the first day of the month that we were actually above average, average high of 46 degrees. here is the next big story. we have been talking about it since the beginning of the week. a coastal storm, we knew it was going to develop we knew it was coming in from the southeastern states. and it's still going to develop. it has yet to form. this is a graphic from yesterday but i think it depicts everything perfectly. track a, this is the one we want. yes, it develops, it moves out, it stays far enough to the east into the ocean that even

anything that wraps around this in moisture on truckloads of it will be there will stay far enough away not to affect us. the other track, which the models have -- that we use to forecast have been going back and forth every other day, it's going to hug the coast, it's not, it's going to hug the coast, it's going to stay away. last night it looked like a good 50/50 chance that it was going to hug the coast and bring significant snowfall. good news, at least for today's run in the models, now it's the favor track a, keeping it just offshore. keep in mind, it has yet to form and that means everything, so going to run through the scenarios and what more the models may be saying to us for this weekend's forecast in just ah a -- a few minutes. since the snowfall we have been flood requested great winter -- with great winter weather pictures. look at this one. another beautiful picture from the mountain state, ben shackleford from charles town shares his scene with us, the corner of the jefferson county courthouse. it looks like a winter wonder land. if you'd like to shake your

photos log -- share your photos log onto wusa9.com and click on slide show. you could call it miracle on i270. a couple expecting their first chile was -- child was driving to the hospital but the baby couldn't wait. the mom gave birth to a healthy little girl in the back seat of the car during this morning's rush-hour on 270. now, the proud parents declined to speak with us on camera. a 911 operator walked the dad through the delivery over the phone and says the parents handled it like pros. >> it was a great feeling to know that came out healthy, crying and breathing and mom was happy and, you know, mom stayed calm the whole time too. >> rescue crews arrived on the scene soon after and took both mom and baby to the hospital. still to come, local rescue teams who traveled to haiti get to see one of the victims they pulled from the rubble. their happy reunion after the break. but first he was a soon to be father, a husband, a son, friends and family remember a fallen soldier tonight. stay with us on 9 news now.

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this holiday season will not be full of joy for one family in manassas. their son was killed in battle this week. 22-year-old army specialist shawn can you kudsworth was on a small patrol in afghanistan when he was killed. the young soldier had been deployed to afghanistan since february of this year. those close to him say he was always willing to help others and he felt it was his duty to fight for our nation. >> he was doing what he wanted to do, he wanted to serve his country and he was proud to do it. >> he was a standout athlete and graduated from presentsville district -- brevesville district high. he leaves behind a young wife expecting their first child, a baby boy. this man spent three days trapped under rubble from haiti but don woolly is alive today thanks to a rescue team from

burk, virginia. on january 12th, 2010 he was caught in haiti's horrific earthquake, buried under 50 feet of rubble that had been a six story hotel. his new book unshaken rising from the ruins of haiti's hotel montana details his three days in the darkness. writing goodbyes to his family trying to figure out ways to stay alive and then his rescue. >> to know that they put their lives on the line and they risked their own lives to get me out, you know. >> because we had to lift him up out of the hole and then run horizontally another hundred feet. >> woolly plans to go back to haiti next month to finish the child development center he started. he also hopes his book brings more awareness about the extreme needs that exist in haiti still today. looks like an extra cold weekend ahead. is there more snow coming too? tom will be up with your full forecast. plus. >> passing out gifts to students in need. coming up next on 9 news now we will take you to a school that's making christmas a bit

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sadly for many children in our area, there will be few gifts under the christmas tree this year. >> but as delia goncalves shows us, one school principal is trying to change that. >> 'twas the night before christmas. >> reporter: it starts with a story. >> not a creature was stirring. >> reporter: and ends with a surprise visit. >> hello, everybody. >> reporter: but this christmas celebration is really about the spirit of glassmanor elementary

school in oxon hill, giving hope to hundreds of families struggling to put food on the table and gifts under the tree. >> giving away the gifts to the kids. something the kids don't have too much. >> i've never heard of a school doing that so it shocked me last year when they did it. >> it's about the kids and about maintaining our attendance. >> reporter: in fact, that's how the gift giveaway started in 2005, the school was facing record poor attendance so they came up with an incentive program and it worked. >> our attendance is 9494 points -- is now 94 points. >> all students who attend school here will get a gift but because of the snow there was a slight delay in some donations. the rest of the gifts will be distributed to each and every student next week. >> it's a lot of work to put this on. >> yeah, but santa have a lot of helpers and he is so proud of his helpers.

>> amazing. >> reporter: the school now has 25 donors and a giving tree where folks can pick up a tag and return with a present for a child in need. making this christmas story about the gift of a giving community. in oxon hill, delia goncalves, 9 news now. >> now more than 50% of the students at glassmanor come from underprivileged families. the principal tells us next week the kids will be writing thank you notes to all the donors who provided those gifts. students in sterling are doing their part to help the less fortunate. the chester brook academy clouded one -- collected 1000 toys. the marines came by to pick up the toys today and will bring them to the loudoun county drop- off center but there's still a lot of kids who need our help. wusa9 has teamed up with the marine corp. you can donate a donated unwrapped toy to any fire station through december 22nd.

the christmas tree inside the white house is all aglow tonight but what does it take to decorate the tree for the first family? take a look. a time lapse video of the holiday transformation in progress, the tree is nestled into the blue room of the white house. the douglas fir is more than 10 feet high, 13 feet wide at its base. it took workers about 4 1/2 days to create this christmas spectacle. >> do you use scaffolding when you decorate? >> no. think we have got like an old ladder. an old ladder to get that angel up on top of the tree. that's about it at our house. >> that's great. >> yeah. >> good stuff. now the weekend, we are a little nervous here. >> me too. things are looking much better than they did yesterday. yesterday at this hour looked like a good 50/50 chance. >> of a big storm. >> yes and the storm still going to brew, still coming out here but at least we can get rid of the 50% chance right now, almost slim to none but it's hard to believe that. all week long computer models

we have used to forecast, hug the snow, no, it's not. the notice they did not put out a winter storm watch today. they run through these models too with a fine-tooth comb. we will explain what still could happen. more model runs will come out this evening and because the pattern has been so crazy this week here or there it's going to move this way, stay east, moving west, you never know but so far, so good. 39 degrees that was a bonus today, expecting 36 so a nice 3- degree bonus and that helps with the melting process. here's our average, 46, it is not in the seven day outlook. go back to the first day of the month when we hit 65. clearing skies with the sunshine nice but really now it allows the temperature to fall. we are already down to 32 degrees so refreezing, it's going to happen, walkways, storefront property, you name it, untreated surfaces even worse so again it's going to be treacherous in some spots. offshore storm is going to develop, it will be offshore, it will be a monster, it will produce heavy snows but how close will it get to us to produce heavy snows for us?

i think a for sure thing is going to be new england, they are going to get hammered too, maybe late sunday into monday. so arlington at 30 in the beltway 24 at andrews air force base, reston 25, temperatures falling get into the teens in some areas, most likely towards the west and maybe stay in the 20s off the eastern shore. larger scale already in the teens in indianapolis, chicago got snow cover at 14. the big story i think this week you're going to hear weatherwise are going to be the mudslides. california, this is a surge of moisture. they will be measuring the rainfall in l.a. in double digit inches. heavy amounts of snow, like three, 4 feet in the sierras. moisture down to the deep south, it's gathering. the engine starting to get its -- revved up here as a coastal storm has yet to develop. we are looking at the moisture and the energy stream offshore. the question is, yeah, we know it's going to be developing, we know it's going to track northward. will it stay a little bit further to the east or hug the coast because as it wraps around in a counterclockwise fashion it could drop truckloads of moisture on the

eastern show and yesterday a 50/50 chance from d.c. eastward six to 12 inches. here's the futurecast and i want to talk about this because i still think with it yet to develop, we have been playing cards here with mother nature and we will see if she wants to stay off of santa's naughty list and play nice but looks like we could still see a little bit of light snow in southeastern parts of virginia. look at the back edge. a computer model guides us in the forecast. of course everything really depends on what nature decides to do and so we are watching it, later on tonight we will have more information. it does get a little bit better as you get closer to the event, the models seem to converge and agree. 25 degrees for nighttime low and that's the downtown metro area and the teens out on the outskirts of town and only about 36 tomorrow. we will enjoy some sunshine. the clouds rolling in ahead of that system off the coast and then the next seven days we stay unseasonably cold. so let's continue to hope mother nature wants to play along. >> and not be on the naughty list; is that right?

>> exactly. a local school is using a cool teaching technique giving kids hands-on experience. we will show you what it's all about after the break. this is commander linda spangler and i'd like to wish the most wonderful husband in the world greg spangler and our daughter merry christmas in chesapeake, virginia. i miss you guys. 9 news now is brought to you in part by hyundai holiday. ñúñú

getting students ready for the real world takes a lot more than just the latest teaching strategies. this week's cool school is getting kids out of the classroom and into the professional arena. mike mike visited this school. >> i want to discuss debate like other people are proven wrong. >> reporter: the err of confidence you hear in his voice wasn't there when he was a freshman at don bassco crystal ray high school. he admits he was intimidated initially. the small catholic school in washington, d.c. finds teens who are inspired to succeed despite the challenges they face, many of them from single parent or even no parent homes. the school's main focus, give them the support they need to

get to college. >> i know some teachers here stay until 6:00 at night, 7:00 at night helping us with our work. >> reporter: and all the hard work in the classroom is really just the beginning. what better way to change your perspective on life than to change your location? a place like this law firm where the possibilities are overflowing. the howry law firm is just one of a long list of international companies that employs the students and helps to pay up to 60% of their tuition. >> my freshman year i worked in accounting. my sophomore year i worked in hr. my junior year i worked in ic and this year i'm working in conference services. >> reporter: and the teens not just answering phones when they are on the job. >> i think blackberries are like connect and activate them and then i work on reimaging computers. >> usually i work on

spreadsheets, excel files. >> reporter: having the trust and respect of people in the real world really makes a difference. >> and that gives them confidence and motivation to carry back into the classroom and they say, oh, now i can be a ceo, i can be a manager. you know, i want to do well in class. now i know i have to study math. >> reporter: and when it's time to graduate, that once timid freshman. >> thank you. >> reporter: thinks nothing of uttering phrases like this. >> my number 1 choice is akron university. >> reporter: how cool is that? >> beyond cool. if there's something unique or attention worthy going on at your school --

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