you're watching 9news now at 11:00. stay connected 24/7 wherever you are. the show starts now. this is 9news now. >> good evening, everyone. bruce jon season is off tonight. we're less than one hour away from the start of 2012. ken has been checking out some of the celebrations around d.c. and joins us live from adams morgan. ken. >> reporter: you know, adam's morgan is a place that knows how to party all year round.

look at this place, it's packed everywhere along the sidewalks here. all private parties going on. this is mcnastys. tell you something, this isn't the only place that had a party tonight. >> a lot of people out. music is great. lots of families and kids. >> the music, dancing, fun, and funny glasses were plentiful in alexandria's first night celebration. ♪ [ music ] tonight marks the 17th year the historic king street played host to what is widely known as the biggest family friendly alcohol-free new year's eve party in the region. people came from all over to participate in cames, arts and crafts, food, and music for the entire family. >> we came from pa and we thought it would be a good time. >> it is cool so far. there's music and magicians and

stuff. >> i like it. it's a lot of fun. >> all right, back out live here, another shot of the area here in adams morgan. you can tell the vibe out here. the partying is starting to pick up. one thing we haven't seen a lot of is police activity. this is an area that had a lot of problems with crime, specifically as it relates to rebellers. hopefully everything will, of course, stay in order and there won't be any need for any police. happy new year to you, matt. >> thanks very much. stay safe out there. close to a million people are passing through new york city's times square at this hour. rebellers are cheering their way into next year wearing hats and blinking 2012 glasses and waving balloons. at 10 seconds until midnight. the famous 12,000 pound ball will begin dropping. a tradition that dates back to

1907. back here at home, metro will be running until 3:00 tomorrow morning so people can get to and from their new year's festivities. the system will reopen at 7:00 a.m. tomorrow. and if you drink too much, the regional alcohol program is offering party goers a free ride home. just call 1-800-200-taxi. it covers the cost of a cab ride up to $30. and if you are just starting it realize you had too much to drink, it may be time to switch to water and gulp down a lot of it. in order to reduce the pain of ringing in 2012 with a hangover. a doctor explains more why water can counter some of the sick, hung over feeling. >> drinking causes you to dehydrate you. nausea, fatigue. it also irritates your stomach lining, making nausea worse and finally, it lowers your blood sugar, which gives you that shakiness and sense of being

out of it. >> there are several new remedies, blow fish, a mix of caffeine, and antacid. but government health officials have not weighed in on whether it works, and doctors advise moderation as the best way to avoid a hangover in the first place. there will be no new year's eve celebrations at one club. d.c. police chief, kathy lanier closed down the mood lounge on 9th street northwest after two stabbings early friday morning. both victims are expect ed to be okay. the district's alcohol beverage control board will decide whether the club can reopen. a new year will usher in a new law for hundreds and thousands of shoppers. it will cost you an extra nickel for each disposable shopping bag. 9news reporter got mixed

reviews from shoppers and merchants about the 5-cent bag tax. >> some people call ruth the bird lady. she's owned the animal exchange pet store for 32 years. she's not a big fan of the new 5-cent tax on paper and plastic bags she'll have to charge her customers. >> i think it will offend my customers. i think they'll do it. they are all good for it, with the exception that the economy what it is now, people who are buying birdseed, used to buy that much and now they are buying this much. >> you see signs posted, keep the change, bring your own bag. county leaders voted for the tax to cut on littering. that's all the more reason dr. marion davis supports the bag tax. >> i think it's a great idea because i'm very much in favor of protecting the environment. >> other shoppers aren't buying it. >> i think it's a pain in the butt. >> you don't want to pay it? >> i don't want to pay it. >> some merchants feel they

will reap the benefits and they are located in prince georges county. right near the montgomery county line. >> mike manages the h and m store in prince georges county. many of his customers comes from the district. customers shop in his store to avoid paying it. >> i asked the customer, is that a lot for you? yeah. >> the idea is not blown away. if people want a cleaner environment, the 5 cents is worth it. in montgomery county, 9news now. >> the county says the 5-cent tax should generate more than $1 million per year. you'll also be paying more to drive some area roads in the new year. the charge at the main plaza on the dulles toll road is going up a quarter to $1.50. totals will stay at 75 cents. the increase is supposed to be going toward the construction of the dulles metro rail project. and in maryland, time for larger vehicles to pay more on major state bridges.

starting tomorrow, tractor trailers will pay $24, and $36 on i-95. rates for cars went up in november. there will be another toll hike for all vehicles coming in july 2013. the redskins will end their season on the first day of the new year. we'll preview the game against the eagles ahead in sports. and coming up, last minute campaigning as the republican presidential hopefuls work for votes before tuesday's iowa caucuses. >> it is a clear, cool night for the rebellers out there. temperatures are in the 40s in and around the beltway. your wakeup weather will feature lots of sunshine as we head into tomorrow. another mild day is in store. and that means that we will see a return to that cold air before long. i'll have all the details on my forecast when 9news continues. the washington, d.c. veteran's affairs medical center and wusa9 salute all who serve at home and abroad this holiday season.

>> i'm jim wood. i'm serving in afghanistan. i would like to say happy holidays to my wife, sue, my daughters sarah and lauren in springfield, virginia, and all my friends. hope to see you soon.

in los angeles, fire destroyed at least eight cars overnight. cops say it was the work of an arsonist. the fires may be connected to two dozen arsons in the los angeles area friday. some of the vehicles were parked on residential streets. others in carports and garages. police say they have no suspects or possible motives at this time. in political news, most of the republican presidential hopefuls are spending new year's weekend in iowa. ahead of tuesday's caucus in the hawkeye state. new hampshire will hold the first republican primary of 2012 and the fight for the gop nomination will be fully engaged. danielle nottingham reports. >> reporter: tfsz the final stretch before tuesday's caucuses in iowa. and rick santorum says his campaign strategy delivered a last minute surge. >> we gave a big strong message and bold plan to get this country turned around. people of iowa would respond.

>> this holiday weekend, time is running out for the gop hopefuls to win over undecided voters. >> ask for your vote. >> that means working the phone and criss crossing iowa. >> we actually need a positive solution in the campaign. >> mitt romney is focusing on the first two states that kick off the primary season. >> thank you for being here this morning. >> he started saturday in new hampshire. before ending his day back in iowa. a strong finish in iowa could give new life to a candidate's campaign. recent polls show mitt romney and ron paul are leading the pack, but the win is still up for grabs. sherry drove an hour to indianola to help make up their mind. >> i'm looking for someone who can express republican ideas and convince independents to come over. >> the poll are leading toward san tore rum. >> santorum.

>> see what confidence we have in them. >> they haven't made their final decision either and they probably won't until they caucus tuesday night. danielle nottingham, cbs news, des moines, iowa. >> well after a mild start to 2012, you'll need to pull out the cold weather. more on that coming up in the seven-day forecast. plus, the new year will also bring a change in what kinds of lightbulbs. yes, lightbulbs you can buy.

melwood and wusa9 salute all who serve at home and abroad this holiday season. >> this is sergeant first class andrew, currently stationed in korea. i would like to wish my wife, christina, my daughters caitlin and megan and my two sons nicholas and zachary a merry christmas and a happy new year. after this weekend, it might be tough to find a 100 watt lightbulb. the 100 watt bulb is being phased out under a federal law that requires lightbulbs to be 25% more efficient.

newer fluorescent bulbs use less energy to emit the same amount of light. stores won't start carrying them, but starting tomorrow, they can no longer be manufactured or imported. in other news, three lucky people in virginia will soon be able to afford a whole lot of lightbulbs. all 330 tickets for the virginia lottery's millionaire raffle have now sold out. three of those tickets will bring their owners $1 million each. six tickets with worth $25,000 and 300 people will win $500. the winners will be announced on the lottery's website at 2:00 p.m. new year's day. that would be a nice way to start the new year. >> it would. forget the lightbulbs, i'm thinking about the shoes. >> i'm thinking about the weather. >> actually, we have a good night tonight. it's on the cool side, but we expected that. we had a few clouds passing through, but now we are starting to clear out. temperatures are dropping and right now, we are already in

the 40s in and around the beltway. we will see some 30s later on tonight with mainly clear skies by sunrise. satellite and radar doesn't show a whole lot. it has been a quiet afternoon and evening. as we head in toward the overnight, we are tracking a cold front that should be sliding through tomorrow and that's going to change things dramatically as we move the forecast into monday and into tuesday. right now, 49 at reagan national airport. we're sitting at 48 degrees across leesburg and 45 for winchester. even 37 down in fredericksburg. so yes, a very chilly night indeed. the forecast for the short-term is looking pretty good. dry overnight. we're going to have another mild day tomorrow. that is good. we're kicking off 2012 with a forecast that is close to the 60-degree mark. but then we're going to ramp up our winds on monday as the front passes through. the arctic air comes barreling in and you will feel the comeback of went winter.

becoming clear with cold temperatures, getting down into the 30s by sunrise. 39 degrees, our expected low for reagan national. 35 for manassas. about 33 for frederick and even 35 out toward culpeper for this evening. in all, tomorrow is going to be a pretty good start to the new year. we're talking about temperatures in the 50s for most. upper 50s. the closer you get toward the city center, we will be flirting with that 60-degree mark at washington national airport. we could see 60s well down to our south and off toward the east. it does look like the cloud cover will eventually start to make a comeback. the future cast model does keep us clear for most of the day tomorrow, but half way through, as that cold front comes through, there is an opportunity for a slight shower or sprinkle to develop. mainly north of town. most of the district will remain dry and then we will have very cold air in its wake. so the forecast overall is not a bad one for the short-term. we're looking at the next three

days. mild for tomorrow, a little bit on the breezy side as we get into monday because of those winds at 15 to 25 miles per hour. we're definitely looking at a breezy day. by the time we get into tuesday, you will feel the difference as the temperatures will move down into the 30s and 40s. so those overnight lows getting down into the 20s. it's definitely going to be frigid. one snow flake on the forecast map there. forecast panel there and that's because our overnight lows are going down into the 20s. windchills in the teens. >> all in all, 2012 looks like it's starting out well weather wise. and 2011 ending for the caps. >> it's about time. caps fans have been waiting for this to happen. now it's here. alex ovechkin giving more evidence that he is starting to round in the form to the nhl. here comes the caps. virginia's first bowl since 2007, a nightmare on special

teams doing in the calves and georgetown a lifeline to a state providence. i'll explain next.

and now, 9sports with dave owens. the best sports in town. >> cap coach dale hunter isn't allowing himself to get overly excited about the resurgence of his stars. ovechkin, particularly hot. he is coming off his first two goal game since october 29. let's get to it. last night, i think i do well. that's what he said. i think i do well. here he is doing work in front

of the net. makes it 2-1. columbus was up 2- 0 in this game. it's new year's eve, dennis says here are the fireworks. 3-2 caps. nine minutes to go. how about a little icing on the russian cake? alex ovechkin again. caps win 4-2. >> we had nothing to lose. we are down 2-0, and put a lot of pressure on them and deep pinch and they did a good job and keeping the puck in, created a lot of havoc for them. >> caps above 500. 8-6-1. it's also three wins in a row, which is the longest winning streak. the win also volts washington into 9th place, just outside of the playoffs. caps have a few days off, january 3. last year at this time, auburn had a guy named cam newton. virginia had long since packed up and gone home. they were 4-8. the gap closed

between them. auburn is 8-4. i should say virginia is 8-4. good matchup for the bowl. you know the slogan, eat more chicken. no, i like that right there. first quarter, chris byrd telling those auburn secondary guys, you are all too slow for me. cavs taking a 14-7 lead. getting it going. the old, statue of liberty. wait until you see that. a big night, 150 yards total offense, power football later on. trey mason says move, get out the way. the tigers rush for almost 300 yards and their special teams are special. falling behind early. liberty bowl, that's a former maryland offensive coordinator. james franklin taking frand van deer built into a bowl. that is his name. and he's apparently a doctor because he makes house calls.

90-yard kickoff return. get their 10th win of the year, 31-24. good game right here on our air today. utah, georgia tech. we are going straight to overtime. another guy with one of those long names. 14 point comeback. they win 30-27. no one saw it coming. georgetown losing austin freeman and a roster featuring ten freshman and sophomores. most figured this was a rebuild. hoyas, winners of nine straight. providence in town today. this was a rough, tough, big east basketball game. hit me to the 10. one point game, 30 seconds to go. that's georgetown defense doing what they do. that's sharks in the water defense. and jason carp said 2 is not enough. hoyas win their tenth straight. maryland taking on stanford. mark, you know what i call them, the surgeon general.

coming off the bench to drop 14. and terrell is the man. in fact, when man meets nylon, great things happen. 24 points. maryland goes 9-3. 75-63. put positive spins on things. take the redskins, for example, they are about to finish another long losing year, but there's a lot of talk about an improving offense. about 25 points per game the last couple of weeks. a lot of reasons for the success. troy is one. rex grossman seems to be getting more comfortable with the system. offensive coordinator has taken a lot of criticism this season, but think his system is coming around. >> i know our record is not showing it now, but i strongly believe we are a better team than we were last year. it shows number wise on defense and we have had a lot of injuries, but i think we are a much better group than we were

last year. >> tomorrow, a big day of nfl football right here. dolphins at 1:00. ravens playing for that first round bye at 11:45. redskins, eagles recap. highlights from the was sadr wizards. >> should be a fantastic day for the nfl. >> thanks very much. as we count down the final minutes until 2012, we leave you with a look at some of the most memorable images of the past year. from all of us here at 9 news. have a great night and a very happy new year. >> a fiery crash in utah between a car and a motorcycle turned a group of bystanders into heros. they managed to lift the car and pull the biker to safety. he escaped with broken bones and road rash. this teen should star in a psa against drinking. he had a few too many and tumbled off an escalator.

believe it or not, he only suffered a fractured elbow, but he learned a valuable lesson. >> don't do it. don't drink, it's not worth it. >> a trio of beer thieves as they left the store. even jumping on the hood of their car. she slid off, but tried the door handle before she fell to the ground. police later caught the suspects. and in another death defying stunt, this tight rope walker in china lost his footing in high winds at more than 320 feet in the air. it's a bird, it's a plane, it's a jet man soaring over the grand canyon. he got going as fast as 190 miles an hour. later in the year, he spent time soaring alongside a pair of swiss fighter jets. extreme surfer off the coast of portugul when he caught a wave. some unique animals went viral. like zola, the break dancing gorilla. millions on youtube caught his

moves. and this lion is in colorado, to find a zoo visitor pretty appetizing. there was a bird, or is that a bat on a delta flight? and a cat stuck atop a 30-foot cactus. it spent three days up there before it figured out how to get down on its own. or maybe the news chopper did the trick. somehow found its way into the seal tank at connecticut's aquarium. all the animals got through the ordeal unharmed if a bit shaken. this biker was more than shaken when a massive antelope knocked him off his wheels. he was left with a concussion, whiplash, and more than 10 million hits on youtube. >> reporters became the story in 2011. the sports reporter was nearly backed over, but still finished his report. >> oh, back live here in tucson and just barely.

>> and this anchor terrified his news team with a tarantula. >> i will punch you if you get close to me. >> i'm jim reporting.