we have always been ready to defend. this is the fight of jerry sandusky's life. >> lawyers are furious. accusing the former football coach of icing the kicker. calling a timeout, even as the alleged victims are just about to testify about some of the most horrible events of their lives. >> putting these kids through this and pulling it at the last minute is just a total disregard for them and is further abuse. >> sandusky stands charged with 50 counts of abusing boys as young as 10 years old. who he met through his charity for disadvantaged children. prosecutors say it was monday night they learned that sandusky would waive the hearing. >> i'm not that surprised. >> when the case goes to trial, look for sandusky's lawyers to launch an attack on the alleged victim's motives. >> what greater motivation

than money? i have seen money break up families. >> many of those alleged victims you already heard have hired lawyers. they are plotting to go after sandusky's assets. the assets of the second mile charity and penn state's deep pockets. those lawyers say that is just the typical kind of character assassination that you see sex abuse victims often having to face. matt, back to you. >> bruce leshan, thanks very much. sandusky and his lawyers made an abrupt decision to go ahead without a hearing. >> the small town with sports and closed streets shut down businesses to accommodate the media crush of the courthouse. scott broom reports the sheriff hasn't yet calculated how much the town might have saved if sandusky announced his decision ahead of time. >> it's a cost of good taxpayer's money. >> tiny belfont, pennsylvania,

just 6,000 residents. invaded and occupied by a media army. the town reacted by closing two main streets. uncounted miles of cable, 200 registered reporters, uncounted crew, and onlookers with cameras. here is the sheriff now. is there any way to calculate how much this day costs? >> i guess we'll be able to do that when we have an after action discussion. >> swarmed with at least 90 state and local officers. many on overtime. all of this so jerry sandusky could get a preliminary day in court, which he abruptly decided he didn't want afterall. penn state student, p.j. is angry all over again. >> if i was the county sheriff, i would be upset. these guys have been working hard all morning long to keep this place secure and ready to go and go in there and waive

it, you know, i just think it's a lack of respect and courtesy for the people that are trying to make this work and make it run efficiently. >> the prospect of jerry sandusky's trial here in center county means this kind of disruption might go on for weeks. for now, it's been a curiosity. a lot of local residents say this could get old very quickly. in pennsylvania, scott broom, 9news now. >> more than 1300 people for the 100 public seats for the hearing that did not happen. how did we get to this point? the story broke on november 5 when a grand jury charged jerry sandusky with 40 counts of molesting eight boys from 2004 to 2009. sandusky was arrested and released on a $1,000 bond. a day later, joe paterno issued a statement acknowledging that he has been told of an alleged 2002 incident involving sandusky and a young boy in a

locker room shower. then november 9, paterno announces he will retire at the end of the 2011 football season. but later that day, the board of pros tees of penn state announced that paterno was being fired immediately sparking a massive protest on the penn state campus. on december 7, sandusky was arrested and charged with 12 more counts of abusing two other boys. a day later, sandusky posted $250,000 bail and was released from jail. and now to today, sandusky waives his right to a preliminary hearing. a decision that moves him closer to trial. sandusky's next hearing is january 11. his attorney says sandusky won't have to appear in court again until the trial begins. for more on the latest developments in the penn state sex abuse scandal, log on to our website, wusa9.com. now for a story you will only see here on 9. tonight, that is, police are on the lookout for a female thief who

hit six churches across northern virginia. church goers say she strikes when they least expect it during the middle of their sunday services. peggy fox joins us live where the latest crime happened this past weekend. peg, this is hard to grasp. >> it certainly is. sterling united methodist church is the latest of six churches that church leaders believe has been hit by the same woman. the description matches and so does the mo. they call her the key thief, because she strikes during church services while everybody is busy in the sanctuary. she goes to the church office, steals keys, opens doors to other offices and steals wallets and purses. then gets away before anyone notices. >> when someone comes into your space or your private space and takes something like that, you feel violated in a way. >> reverend randy duncan was up on the alter this past

sunday, leading the second of three services, while someone was going through his office. >> they were sitting right here on the top of my desk. >> when the service was over, he noticed not only his church keys were missing, but also his own private house keys from inside his desk. later, an officer worker found her wallet stolen from her purse, which was under this desk and another church member talked through an unfamiliar woman. >> she is over there rifling through the desk and there's a person here. >> exactly. >> she still does it? and he speaks to her? >> he speaks to her and asks, can i help you? and she said something like, i'm just here leaving a note. and then left. >> incredibly this church wasn't the thief's first target sunday morning. apparently she had already ripped off a preschool director at a church in ashburn. >> i was like, my wallet is

missing and then i noticed that my checkbook was missing. >> brenda says she saw the woman she thinks stole her money standing by a bulletin board before the service. >> coming in and coming in and just taking my wallet and my checkbook. i mean, i just -- i'm praying for her. >> that was at ashburn presbyterian sunday morning. here's the description of the woman. she is white, 5'5". heavy set with a pear shaped body. she was wearing a gray sweater and black pants and carries a large black purse. now we understand that these thefts have been going on for about a year hitting floris about a year ago and they have some surveillance video of her. so why haven't police been able to catch her? it may be because it has been in several different jurisdictions. police are working together and hoping to catch this woman soon. i'm peggy fox, back to you.

>> between the witnesses and that surveillance video, hopefully it will come together. >> sky 9 was over woodbridge where human remains were found today. police were called to the area of dale boulevard. this is all about 11:30 today. the body was badly decomposed. in the woods 350 yards from the road. police believe the remains are likely that of an adult man. anita, big news today for drivers. federal safety investigators are calling for a complete ban on the use of cell phones by all drivers except in emergencies. that means no talking, texting, or e-mailing. even if you're using a hands free device. the recommendation comes after the national transportation safety board ruled that a deadly chain reaction crash in missouri was caused by texting at the wheel. investigators say a 19-year-old pickup truck driver sent 11 text messages in 11 minutes. just before the crash in august of last year. rear ended by a school bus.

the pickup driver and a student were killed. 38 others were hurt. coming up at 6:00, a closer look at today's ntsb recommendations with arguments for and against the proposal. in other news today, a woman convicted of a deadly hit- and-run accident was sentenced more than three years in prison. jorida davidson was convicted of negligent homicide and leaving the scene of an accident. davidson hit and killed a 24- year-old woman near dupont circle in 2010, then drove to her condo in chevy chase. today's sentencing may not be the end of davidson's legal issues. a judge is permitting prosecutors to retry davidson on a more serious count of voluntary manslaughter. the house is set to vote on a gop bill that would extend a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits. a provision to speed up approval is being given no chance of passing the senate. kara is live on capitol hill tonight with the very latest.

sarah. >> reporter: the vote could come in the house as early as 5:30 tonight and republicans say they have got enough votes to pass it. but chances are slim to none in the senate. the house is debating republican legislation to extend a payroll tax cut and jobless benefits that expire at end of the year. >> this bill is about jobs, jobs, jobs. creating jobs and helping americans find a job. >> republicans are seeking a pass of confrontation instead of collaboration. >> unless congress acts, 160 million workers could see their paychecks shrink. both sides agree on the need to extend the benefits, but senate democrats call the house bill dead on arrival, because fast tracks approval of an oil pipeline project and asks too little of the wealthy. >> are they wasting any time when they should be working with us on a bipartisan package that can pass both houses. >> the white house says

president obama would veto the house bill and that lawmakers need to stay in washington until they find a compromise. >> there is no excuse for congress to leave on vacation until the american people know that they have been taken care of. >> to put pressure on the negotiations, senate democrats are holding up a critical year end spending bill. >> this isn't just irresponsible, it's reck wreckless. >> lawmakers will need another stop gap spending measure or risk a partial government shutdown. >> no action by year end, that tax rate goes back up to 6.2%. about $1,000 per family. bruce. >> thanks a lot for that report. still ahead, what if there was no metro? well tonight, that's the $200,000 question. we're going to explain. topper. >> kind of chilly out here, but not a bad night for star gazing. we'll talk more about the

shower. 48 downtown. 43 in gaithersburg. we'll tell you how cold it's going to get tonight. >> but up next, behind a recent deadly shooting at virginia tech is speaking out. dozens of young drivers are killed each year in accidents involving trucks. but virginia is trying to improve the chances young adults and teens survive. tomorrow, how schools in the commonwealth are teaching students to safely share the road. [ female announcer ] more people are using wireless devices... in more ways than ever. and our networks are getting crowded. but if congress frees up more wireless spectrum... we can empower more people to innovate... putting momentum behind our economy.

and we can reduce the deficit... with more than thirty billion dollars paid by america's wireless companies. it's simple -- more spectrum means more freedom. for everyone.

tonight, we're learning more about the man who shot and killed a virginia tech police officer before killing himself. within the last ten minutes, police told us that ross ashley legally purchased the 40 caliber handgun used. they still have found no link between ashley and the slain

officer, deriek crouse. this all comes as we hear from a woman who was held at gunpoint and had her car stolen by ashley. she says the encounter lasted only a minute. but she knew he meant business. >> he comes up to his desk. >> she didn't think twice beforehanding over the keys to her vehicle. it all started wednesday morning. walked into the gilbert real estate office. ashley asked the receptionist to see bennett, although they never met. ashley walked into her office and tried to shut the door. he was wearing a black hat, a black fleece jacket, and a dark green backpack. >> it was very calm, talking just like how you are right now. he wasn't any different than any other kid that comes in here that wants to talk about something. >> ashley had apparently rented an apartment from gilbert real estate, bennett says they had no problems with ashley until he demanded her keys at gunpoint. >> a car is nothing compared to what could have happened in

this office. i mean, we could have been killed because he didn't have gloves on. he didn't have a mask on. >> bennett's car was found at smart road in blacksburg. on thursday, she got a call from investigators asking her to come to the virginia tech campus to look at a picture. bennett says it was a picture of ashley's dead body. >> no question in your mind that was anymore. >> no question at all. >> they may never know why ashley targeted the real estate office, but never fired any shots. >> we were the fortunate ones. so it's not about us here at all. it's about the families. >> what makes this whole ordeal even more bizarre is the fact that ross actually apparently drove his own car. the real estate office to steal bennett's mercedes suv. >> investigators now say a lone gunman carried out today's deadly grenade attack. five people were killed. dozens of others, including a

toddler seriously hurt. this attack happened in downtown. police say the gunman threw hand grenades into crowds of shoppers. that suspect later died, not clear whether he killed himself or killed in gunfire. the man served time in jail on gun and drug charges. he was due in court today. authorities in full riot gear removed occupy demonstrators in baltimore this morning. the predawn raid at a downtown plaza appeared to be peaceful. nobody arrested. the encampment had been in place for months. recently denied the permit to continue their protest. >> i was liking the weather today. >> it was nice, wasn't it? >> gorgeous. >> give yourself more credit. much better than just nice. >> 50, 51 is ability as good as it's going to get in december. >> now take you out to l.a. county. a little different story. we talked about the snow in the southwest.

check this out. it snowed pretty close. this is up in the mountains. but still, not that far. about 60, 70 miles. they had plowable snow. it is still snowing in much of arizona and new mexico and that will continue through the early morning hours. let's talk about satellite picture for us. generally we're clear right now, but notice the clouds back to the west in the ohio valley and back into west virginia. some of these clouds will get in here tonight. we'll try to view the meteor shower and get away from a light. we'll talk more about that in a minute. 44 bethesda. 46 in arlington. temperatures are not going to fall nearly as fast as they have the past several nights. air is not quite as dry and skies will not be as clear as the high clouds come in later. becoming milder, that's the headline. the meteor showers tonight get away from all the lights and the best way to do it is to get out in the country and put a blanket down and lie down and

look up. otherwise you're going to be like this. so that's the best way to do it. if you're lucky, you can see 30 to 40 to 50 per hour. the problem is, we still have the waning moon and the sky is still pretty bight. better off with a dark sky, for more information, go to our website, wusa9.com. click on our local forecast. not as cold tonight. that's good news. and milder wednesday and milder still on thursday. for tonight, partly cloudy. not quite as cold. in the 20s in the suburbs and mid to upper 30s downtown. you're inside the beltway, you'll remain above freezing. certainly in arlington and officially at national. but still 29 or 30 toward college park and bowie and upper 20s as you go up 270. 28 in sterling and maybe 26 or so out toward manassas. wednesday morning, partly cloudy and chilly. need a coat and sunglasses. 30s and 40s. some areas will be in the 20 #áz early in the morning. primarily 30s and 40s.

by afternoon, partly sunny and mild. you still need a jacket. winds out of the southeast at about 10. pretty good deal. next seven days. clouds come in. more clouds come in thursday with showers possible late. but still milder. mid 50s. a break in the action on friday. clouds come back at us friday. right now, talked about this yesterday. we'll keep all the rain out of the forecast. that system goes to our south and looking at a bright, but brisk weekend. mid 40s, not bad. next week, temperatures start to go back up. that would be 55 by this time next week. we're going to talk about snow. this is snow in the ridge line of the mountains in virginia on the 8th of this month. a very, very nice job. isn't that gorgeous? the green field in the background. go to our website and click on the weather tab and be sure to include your name, description,

and photo. >> d.c. taxi drivers one step closer to raising their fares, we'll have the latest. >> and the latest in the sex scandal, a pro hockey player testifies before congress.

congress wants changes across the nation after what came out in the penn state sexual abuse case. a former nhl player told lawmakers about the shame he experienced after being abused as a boy and those who did nothing to stop it. >> every case of child abuse, certainly in my own, there are people who had a gut feeling that something was wrong, but didn't do anything about it. >> it is adults with whom the greatest responsibility for breaking the silence of abuse rest. >> without mentioning the penn state scandal by name, kennedy offered similarities between the two situations. >> three florida a and m university band members are now under arrest for a hazing

attack that left a fellow band member severely hurt. police say the suspect beat bria so severely that her thigh was broken. two of the suspects are charged with hazing and battery. a third is charged with hazing. this isn't anything new. three weeks ago, one of the drum majors died during a band trip. hazing was involved in that tragedy as well. five people are in custody accused of killing a new york city police officer. that police officer was shot early yesterday while responding to a break in in brooklyn. the expected gunman has not been arrested. bruce, d.c. cabbies received the red light to raise fares by 44%. the initial fee of $3 would stay the same under the recent proposal. but the per mile would jump from $1.50 to $2.16. several additional charges would be eliminated, including luggage and passenger fees. the chairman of the tax taxi

says it would create a first class fleet of cabs in the district. a 30 day comment period before the fare increase goes into effect. still ahead, a police officer finds himself up a pole literally. >> plus, a ride on the bus in a construction barrel combined sent a construction worker into a 16-foot ditch. >> and the driver of this car in the wrong place at the wrong time, winding up between a rock and a hard place. >> but up next, why did metro spend some $200,000 to find out what washington would be like if metro did not exist. back in a minute.

it's been 35 years, but what if there were no metro? the system is asking that study. now it's getting a lot of buzz on twitter. metro spent $200,000 for that study. we spent almost nothing and went to the metro station to talk with riders. >> metro really made a difference. >> it made a difference for me. >> i fill up my car with gas twice a month. i take the metro everywhere. >> quick to conceive the metro system is a major plus to living and working in expander the nation's capital. >> be more air pollution, more cars, more congestion. it would be horrible for the environment and for commuters.

>> but $200,000 for a study imagining d.c. with no metro. >> they did what? >> they spent $200,000 to ask the question, what would the area be like without metro? you think that's too much? >> yeah. >> foggy bottom metro riders have thoughts on their own on how to spend that $200,000. >> fix the escalators. use it to fix the elevators. be more accessible to a han ky handicap. >> i would add another line. >> what color would it be? >> pink. >> who would build metal escalators that are exposed to ice, snow, rain, and heat? one of the reasons why they are breaking down all the time. >> in fact, the transit system is spending $150 million to replace the aging unreliable escalators. this month marks the first time in a year that all three escalators have been working.

>> we talked to metro spokesman a short time ago by phone. he calls $200,000 a bargain. and says the study is meant to quantify metro's impact. economic development, higher property values, more tax revenues, fewer roads to be built. it's the kind of information they can use when lobbying for more dollars. we have new information stemming from a deadly police shooting in northeast washington. here's home video of the con tonnation between officers and an armed suspect on play terrorist in the northeast. 20-year-old was firing his weapon. he was high on pcp when they ordered him to drop the gun. after he refused, police opened fire. some called the officer's actions terrible. >> you only heard four shots in the neighborhood and then you heard 30 or 40 shots. >> possession of cocaine and

carrying an unlicensed weapon. police say it's not clear why he was back on the streets last night. you might think you would have to be on a glacier or grand canner to fall into a trench 20 feet deep. >> that happened to a man this morning in gaithersburg. kristin fisher shows us how firefighters got him out. >> nearly 20 feet beneath the roadway at the bottom of a trench, a man seriously injured waited to be rescued. >> my understanding is that trench was for a construction site nearby and pretty much, more than likely attacking to a sewer system in the roadway. >> a construction worker was standing by the trench when a ride on bus struck one of these barrels knocking the man to the bottom of the hole. >> an adult man, described in his 40s. >> this trench is 16 feet deep. that's a long way down. >> it took two dozen firefighters in urban search and rescue specialist to get him out. >> we got a ladder truck to

come in and a basket and rope system to remove him from the trench area. >> an hour later, he was free. >> after we got him out of the trench, continue to stabilize and keep him warm. his injuries are described as serious, but not life threatening. >> montgomery county police, the occupational safety and health administration are investigating what happened. and if that ride on bus driver was in the wrong. so far, no charges have been filed. in gaithersburg, kristin fisher, 9news now. >> this is the second time in the past week, just the past week that a ride on bus has been involved in a pedestrian accident. last wednesday a 63-year-old woman was killed when she was hit while crossing rockville pike. good news for commuters in sterling, virginia. the final segment of the magnolia road to church road is complete. work on the $24 million project had been going on for a year. the extension features a raised

median and asphalt hiker, biker trail and a concrete sidewalk on the west side. elsewhere, a new charter high school is being built in washington's pentworth neighborhood. mayor gray and other leaders held a ground breaking. it is in addition to the other. it serves 800 schools from preschool to 9th grade. the national guard is celebrating today. marked the occasion by presenting a certificate. mcdonnell is commander in chief for more than 10,000 members of the virginia army national guard. the air national guard and the virginia defense boards. the national guard was founded back in 1636 in the state of massachusetts. hundreds of soldiers got a sweet holiday surprise thanks to virginia's first lady and volunteers. marine mcdonald and the

office's wives club delivered homemade cookies. they are for singles only. the cookie give away is part of the serving our service members families initiative. santa made an early visit to children in fairfax county today, but he had no sleigh or reign deer. santa rode in on a harley. he driverred to children at the fairfax hospitals. child life center and the cancer center. toys going to local charities, including the ronald mcdonald house. >> items once belonging to actress, elizabeth taylor hit the auction block today. pieces from her stunning jewelry collection. including earrings rings worn to the 1960 academy awards. also up for grabs, a gift from her close friend, michael jackson. all estimated to be worth about $30 million.

the auction runs through saturday in new york city. now to something for more rustic. an exhibit is opening on the grounds of the armed forces retirement home. images of the civil war in washington. the exhibit called seat of war, includes prints, some of which have been on display. the cottage provided a summertime retreat for several years. it opened to the public for the first time in 2008. after a $15 million renovation. whoever said the postal service was slow, well the national postal museum is offering an eye popping exhibit. it is called system at work. and it features a high definition film that gives viewers a glimpse of a mail facility that processes 36,000 letters an hour. the museum is located right across from union station. angry birds, hand held helicopters and justin bieber dolls. we'll hear from a toy expert about the hottest toys this

holiday season. up next, a five-year-old girl is rescued by passers by after she was found trapped under the wheels of an suv. we are always on at wusa9.com. stay with us. we'll be right back. [ female announcer ] more people are using wireless devices... in more ways than ever. and our networks are getting crowded. but if congress frees up more wireless spectrum...

we can empower more people to innovate... putting momentum behind our economy. and we can reduce the deficit... with more than thirty billion dollars paid by america's wireless companies. it's simple -- more spectrum means more freedom. for everyone.

caught on tape, a rescue of a five-year-old girl trapped under the wheels of an suv. showed bystanders lifting the honda cr-v. the driver did not see her when she sat down in the middle of the road after getting into an argument with her parents. five-year-old, thank goodness, is expected to make a good recovery. >> everything up in the air for one miami police officer. take a look at that cruiser. got stuck on wires attached to

a pole in liberty city. a part of miami. investigators say the officer was picked up a pen he had dropped when he clearly lost focus and started veering off to the side of the road. the cruiser had to be to towed away, but the officer was not hurt. wow. >> that's what residents are saying about a car eating sink hole. a woman was driving to work when her car plunged into this huge hole created by a massive water main break. >> looks like a miniature old faithful out here. >> we had to act quickly because we weren't sure because of the angle of the war, we were afraid it could have slipped down into the hole. >> firefighters formed a human chain and pulled the woman in the submerged car to safety. she was fine. she caught a cab and went to work. >> crazy. you are right, wow is all i can think of. with the holidays around the

corner, a warning tonight about the dangers of light, candles, and other decorations. topper. >> temperatures across the nation, is there any arctic air lurking? temperatures in the 20s. looking in the 40s for us and atlanta 65 at this hour. we'll come back and show you video of where winter is take hold. we'll talk about the week and the weekend. >> i'm manuel in new york. we'll show you the hottest toys this holiday season.

last minute minute holiday

shoppers. macy's will leave their stores open three days straight. including the one at tyson's corner center in virginia. this starts next wednesday, december 21. as lesli has been showing us, there are thousands of toys on the market this holiday season. >> less than two weeks from christmas, some of the biggest hits are selling out already. manuel headed to the toy story to check out all the options and tells us what is hot. >> balloons, hand-held helicopters and justin bieber with his latest look. >> justin's real hair style. they have to be fast. >> toy expert showed us some of the hot sellers this holiday season. for under $20, kids like angry birds, fire flies, and her met crabs. >> they run around just like

regular hermet crabs. >> on the hire end, there's an entire lego village and the sky lander adventure, a new kind of video game that uses action figures. kids certainly know what they want. >> i like to play with electronic stuff and video games. >> too young for an ipad? how about the leap pad. educational tablets for little kids are also big. >> it has an art studio. it has an organizer. it still teaches them life skills. >> parents are telling us that they are willing to spend more on toys and games, but they want things that will last long after the holidays are over. >> we like to buy big toys that last. >> do you have a budget? >> i should, but i don't. >> grown ups admit they often go over budget buying everything from trick planes to collectible barbies. they just can't resist seeing that look on their child's

face. manuel, cbs news, new york. >> here's an interesting stat. the average american will spent $300 per child on toys this year. 60% will be spent from october to christmas eve. the garland, the tinsel, they all add to the festive spirit, but partners with the laboratories today to demonstrate the dangers decorations can pose during the holiday season. estimates that more than 13,000 people are treated in emergency rooms nationwide due to cuts, falls, and fires in their homes. families should put a safety plan in place to avoid accidents and injuries. in the event of a fire, what you and your family should do to evacuate the home. have a designated water for your christmas tree. third, check smoke alarms to mike sure the batteries are current. >> last, use some plain old

common sense when using lighted candles and other decorations. the chairman says putting the safety practices, one gift you can ensure they'll have a merry and happy holiday season. the government is launching a new nationwide crackdown on drunk driving over the holidays. u.s. transportation secretary, raylahood joined arlington county police for the announcement of the drive sober or get pulled over campaign. new data shows drunk driving deaths decline. they account for 1/3 of the fatalities on america's roads. the drunk driving crackdown is sported by a new $7 million advertising campaign. >> check out this. authorities reopened a southern california freeway tunnel. eight hours after a crash involving more than a dozen tractor trailers. three people got hurt last night when the big rigs piled up in the southbound lanes of the interstate 5 truck tunnel. this is north of los angeles. the roads in the area were

slick from heavy rain, but no word if that was the reason for the crash. here's what i know for certain. no slick roads in the d.c. area today. we're going to show you a little bit east of l.a. in the mountains of flagstaff what happened there. this was a big storm. 13 inches fell at the airport in flagstaff. and some areas had as much as forest lake had 26 inches of snow. so right now some of the best skiing is in the mountains of, well, northern section of arizona and also northern sections of new mexico. let's look at the satellite picture for us. we have a few clouds off to the west and they will move in tonight. skies will become partly cloudy. you want to see the meteor showers are okay. again, you have to get away from light. that is the key. all right, temperatures, they are falling, but nothing like they did the past couple of days. 41 in bethesda. 45 in rockville. and 39 in gaithersburg.

but still 45 out in leesburg. and still 48 officially downtown. all right, so here's the deal. moderating temperatures is going to become milder. meteor showers tonight. if you're lucky, you'll see 30 to 50 an hour. go to our website, wusa9.com. click on the local forecast and we'll tell you more information. the key is to get away from all light. problem is we have the moon in the sky tonight. not perfect for viewing. all right, not as cold tonight, that helps. milder wednesday and milder on thursday. you might need your umbrella by late thursday. not quite as cold. we'll say a two blanket night. now tomorrow morning, partly cloudy and chilly. you still need a coat and sunglasses. 30s and 40s. winds southeast at 10. by afternoon, not a bad day. clouds will be increasing, but partly sunny. you should bring a jacket. highs low 50s and winds southeasterly at 10. we'll break it down. 28 to 38.

47 to 51 by noon. pretty nice. and clouds increasing, 48 to about 53 by evening. the next three days, milder on thursday. temperatures in the mid 50s despite more clouds and showers. a bit cooler on friday. we'll keep clouds coming in late in the day. 50, but i think all that moisture will stay south on friday and saturday. in fact, in the wake of that, as it passes to our south, it will usher in colder air. we'll be back in the 40s for highs on saturday and sunday. temperatures go right back up near 50 on monday with sunshine and temperatures go back into the mid 50s by next tuesday. okay. next tuesday, that's about my cutoff. times start going down. 50 degrees in december, that's good. >> you know i will. >> now, 9sports with kristen burset. the best sports in town. >> in the two weeks took under

as coach of the capitals, we have seen an aggressive style play and a desire to win. i sat down with the former caps captain to find out how his relationship is like with current captain and how the transition is going. >> it was rumored when bruce was fired that his relationship with alex ovechkin has soured. what is your relationship like with the captain? >> he had ten hits one game, seven hits, you know, he's a different player. he plays so physical and -- but he does and that is what makes him a special player. >> you play with great goal scorers. has that experience helped you in dealing with the super star like alex ovechkin? >> oh yeah. it puts pressure on him. everybody scores, you have to score and so it's pressure. but as long as they play the right way, it will come and it

always does. i have seen him go through slumps and don't score for a while, but you keep playing the right way, they come out of it. >> since you took over, how has the students progress. what have you seen from them? >> the coach is hoping they get better and better. so you know, we are pretty good defensively, now we are starting to score more goals. power play seems to be working better. but you know, you are judged by every game. it's always play well. and then we play well that game, have to play well the next game. >> the coach an arena where your number is hanging from the raptores. >> it's a special night for me when that happened, when my number got retired. when you look up and see it, it

is something you are always going to cherish. >> of course, we'll have more from the caps on hosting the philadelphia fliers who sit atop the eastern conference standings. they play tonight and that is coming up later in sports. i'm kristen burset. >> still to come, thought to play a role in more than a million accidents a year, what one government agency wants to do about cell phones. plus, in the face of massive cuts. a reprieve. >> the sun isn't the only consideration when it comes to skin cancer. why men and women face different things.

we normally think about skin cancer and the weather is warmer. those uv rays are still out there in the winter months and it's a real danger. now there's a new study why your sex can play a role in skin cancer risk. >> he may be hampered by issues with his heart and hips, but that's not slowing down thomas. between getting bierties and watching birds in the wild, he spent a lifetime outdoors in the sun and for the last 15 years, he paid for it. >> usually two appointments a year with the dermatologist. he finds something every time i'm in there. >> in all, he has had dozens of moles and tumors taken off from his skin. spending so much time in the sun may not be the only factor.

researchers say part of the problem may simply be that he's a guy. >> male and female skin appear to have different levels of the antioxidant called catilace and this serves to limit damage from the sun that can lead to skin cancer. >> researchers who launched this battle of the sexes over skin cancer and noticed a profound difference. not only did female mice naturally have much more of an antioxidant, but when it was applied to males, theirs improved. while these were noticed in the lab, it is easy to see the potential in humans. >> you can envision treating topically on the skin with an antioxidant to prevent or even treat some of these patients. >> and the city may lead to his and her sunscreen some days that use that kind of antioxidant. >> this is 9news now. >> according to a recent

report, 23% of all vehicle crashes can be traced to people talking or texting on cell phones. still, many drivers continue to use them. tonight, the national transportation safety board wants to do something about all that. anny hong live with the reames that can mean no more talking on cell phones for good. anny, what are we talking about? >> bruce, this is really big news. we know it's easy to get distracted. you have the gps going, maybe the radio on. that is why federal accident investigators want all states to ban the use of these things while driving. that means no talking, texting, e-mailing that includes hands- free devices. >> we know that this recommendation is going to be very unpopular with some people. but we're not hear to win a popularity contest. we're here to do the right thing. >> it's a br