"casey stegall, fox in los angeles, casey stegall, fox news. " that brings us to our question of theouuspend more on gifts this holiday season than you did last year??e'll be takiig your cclls in our 7 o'clock hour. you can also go to fox-baltimore dot com and tell off througg facebook.. send us a tweet.. at foxbaltimore. coming up... hackers.. stealing but what they're doing with the money.. that makes some of their victims.. happy. ((joel live tease)) ou're watching fox 45 morning news.. all local.. all morning. ((break 4)) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 &p 3 3 3 ((break 4)) all morning. news.. all local.. all morning. ((break 4)) & dunkin' k-cup packs are here. get america's favorite coffee for america's favorite single-cup brewer. try all five delicious varieties, only at dunkin' donuts restaurants. america runs on dunkin'. maryland's millionaire mystery. what's new with the search for the big powerball winner. tonight on fox 45 news at 5:30. 3 3 3 3 mappfiber map we are following breaking news this morning... a person is taken to the hospital after a two alarm pire breaks out in charles villag

in escondido, california, casey stegall, fox news. >>> did they or didn't they? iran makes a claim it took down something belonging to the u.s. >>> and a real life incredible journey. a dog turns up in northern california about 3,000-miles from home. how officials tracked down its owner. >>> the bay area is locked in a dry weather pattern, coming up the neighborhoods it'll drop into the lower 30s overnight. i'll also let you know if there are any rain clouds in the five day forecast. wrap í >>> iran tonight says it brought down a u.s. drone that had violated its air space. nato officials though say iran might be referring to an unarmed reconnaissance plane that went missing during a mission in western afghanistan late last week. in july an iranian lawmakers says iran's revolutionary guard shot down a u.s. spy plane that was on a mission to gather information on an enrichment site. >>> in other news of the world tonight, peru's president has declared a state of emergency in an area that has people protesting. the state of emergency will last 60 days. >>> russians

casey stegall live in l.a. humanitarian a needy child's holiday what is the -- brighten a needy child's holiday. how is the weather? >> reporter: it is get. again we hate to brag, beautiful sunny skies, although it is going to get colder as maria was saying. we are headed into christmas, can you believe it is already here. santa is extremely busy this time of year. he and his elves are getting help if the u.s. post office as part of the -- from the u.s. post office, more than 70 post offices around the country allow volunteers, member of the pub to intercept some of the envelope ofs on their way to the north pole from children in need. people like karen walker, then pick those letters and do a little shopping on santa's behave. >> they don't want to ask the parents because they know their parents are working so hard to try and survive. those are the ones that really touch you that you want to give them something special at christmas. >> reporter: this is the last week you can participate in the program. once th

in escondido, california, casey stegall, fox news. >>> did they or didn't they?n makes a claim it took down something belonging to the u.s. >>> and a real life incredible journey. a dog turns up in northern california about 3,000-miles from home. how officials tracked down its owner. at bank of america, we're lending and investing in the people and communities who call the bay area home. from funding that helped a local entrepreneur start a business... to providing grants to a nonprofit which offers job training and placement... and supporting an organization working to help the environment. because the more we do in the bay area, the more we help make opportunity possible. >>> iran tonight says it brought down a u.s. drone that had violated its air space. nato officials though say iran might be referring to an unarmed reconnaissance plane that went missing during a mission in western afghanistan late last week. in july an iranian lawmakers says iran's revolutionary guard shot down a u.s. spy plane that was on a mission to gather information on an enrichment site

i'm casey stegall.ow back to "on the record." >> shannon: personal baggage, can weigh on any presidential campaign, just how much did the personal backgrounds to college age voters? tonight part two of the series, road to 2012, george washington and it will be. here what they are saying for 2012. >> speaker gingrich has a history of personal history. does a personal history make a difference in your vote at all or your thinking? >> integrity associated with having a president that represents you around the world and globe, whose personal history may not be conducive to someone you want may not to be that standard. it's questionable, that is something to consider. >> i have to agree. it definitely brings the person's integrity to the forefront. while candidate gingrich does have some very good ideas and policy, i do agree with, i think that voters more conservative voters will go with a mitt romney who has been keeping low key. i think that is the kind of person that real voters will more go for. so unfo

i'm casey stegall.e'll see you back here in an hour. >>> and to get people interested and people are interested in this election. >> greta: some people would say that the media was very much behind president obama and even hillary clinton. in terms of trying to analyze the media bias or lack thereof in the campaign? >> it's the nature of the media to make the campaigns into a sort of a horse race. who is ahead and who is behind. as far as their coverage of president obama, no, i don't think they were biased about it. >> four against, against president obama in the race? >> i think throughout the race, i think there were some examples of some media bias. i think the media is put in an interesting position because they want to get as close to the candidate and get to the story while trying to be as unbiased as possible. i think with the current race the media has been put in an interesting position because people like herman cain, people like donald trump. >> greta: do you put the two in the same category

harris. >> harris: casey stegall, thank you very much.onight right after the fox report, a special two our presentation of huckabee. the governor hosts a forum with six of the top seven republican candidates for president right after fox report, don't miss it and danger on the roads after a big rig overturns spilling its hazardous load across the highway. it's our top story on top stories. oklahoma shutting down parts of the kilpatrick highway for ours. >> it happened at oklahoma city and the substance that leaked is highly flammable and urged drivers to avoid the area during cloneup. we're told no one was hurt. florida, in jacksonville, a pilot forced to make an emergency lander in the middle of a highway at night. and officials say the small private plane with two people accord touched down after experiencing engine troubles, sate troopers, now investigating. indiana, pa survivor of that state fair stage collapse coming face-to-face with the people who saved her life. and she thanked them for taking care of her in the weeks following th

casey stegall reporting live from los angeles. thank you. >> gregg: fox news alert, nato officials are confirming the possibility that an american drone aircraft was shot down by iranian forces. nato says in a new the statement that operators lost control of an armed uav last week over western afghanistan and the military is determining it's status. iranian state television that iran's military shot down an unmanned american spy plane like this one along its border with afghanistan. so far nato is not connecting iran's statement to its own. stay tuned. >> heather: right now u.s. military personnel are leaving a pakistani air base. u.s. cargo planes arriving at the base to assist in the evacuation orders following a severe backlash last month air strike that accidentally killed 24 pakistani scattered showers. pakistani government has been demanding that the u.s. leave the base prompting many pakistanis to hit the streets in protest. it's viewed as part of the c.i.a. predator drone program. >> gregg: senator john mccain with a big w

casey stegall looking festive at the grove shopping mall in los angeles. hi, casey. >> hey, gregg.as. i know you are not one of those people. you had your shopping done months ago, right? consumer confidence is rising, gregg, especially when you look at the numbers. some of the analysts we talked to say that holiday spending is projected to be up about 7% this year over last. e commerce has risen 15% this year. that is all of the internet sales. a lot of folks don't even step foot this a store anymore. economists tell us there are several reasons we're seeing promising numbers this year. many retailers are offering a big deals to lure people to their stores. but as we also know, unemployment numbers have dropped this year. and fewer folks are in debt because of the economic down turn. not overextended as much, leaving more cash for things like christmas. >> consumers have reduced their debt servicing burdens immensely over the past three years. we now see the consumer debt servicing burden or installment credit payments relative to income the lowest it's been in 27 years. >> stores

casey stegall with the news live for us in los angeles. casey, any leads so far in this case? >> harris, no leads, and no motive. and that is why so many people are on edge here. calls to 911 started coming in just after midnight. and, boy, they kept coming in as up to 19 different fires were started within a four hour period. look at that video. what's more, they all happened within a two mile radius of each other in hollywood and west hollywood. all of them started with vehicles being set on fire and then three spreading to neighboring homes and apartment buildings. very scary, harris. >> harris: how are authorities responding? how about anybody injured in any of this? >> fortunately no serious injuries here. one firefighter was hurt after he fell off a ladder while trying to put the flames out at singer jim morrison's former home. that multi-million-dollar house in the hollywood hills was not considered to be a total loss. considering flames were seen shooting 30 feet into the air. the firefighter was treated and released and to make sure this does not happen again, a tacti

>> casey stegal have a very merry christmas.d chaos and a massive lock down and happened in fort meyers, florida. shots rang out at 9:00 p.m. . the suspect fired 50 rounds. the victim was unresponsive and they heard people screaming and running and hiding wherever they could. >> i was shopping and then all of the sudden they are running around. it starts to shot. and suspect is still on the loose. and some is the department. >> seven people reported dead three of them americans from a string of shootings. it is part of a robber spree and three american victims were a mother and two teenage daughters who were visiting veracruz not far from the scene of bloody battles between drug games. and the arizona sheriff releasing video that shows the violent confrontation of a violent inmate. they tased him in the jail on december 15th. they say the from military veteran was combative. he released the video because his department had nothing to hide. there were accusations that the deputies used excessive force. there is an investigation i

casey stegall live for us. casey, thanks. >>> we know santa has a lot of talent.t is how he manages to deliver toys all around the world in one single night but one of his gifts is truly a blessing to children in the denver area. dan da rue with our affiliate kdvr has the story. >> for many hearing impaired kids the simple joy of listening to the sounds of christmas will never be. >> what do you want for christmas? >> but that is not stopping these tiny tots suffering from mild to profound hearing loss. >> thank you. >> they can talk to and hear santa just fine here at the cherry cheek shopping center. >> i believe we are the only ones in town that do it. >> 23 hearing impaired kids from dalton elementary school with lists in hand couldn't wait to talk to the jolly old elf. just ask rafael who is well prepared. >> i want x box 360. that is my favorite. >> this is the one time they have somebody very special, it is santa that santa can communicate with them. >> have you been good this year? >> and, of course, santa is more than up to speed on sign language. >> one

>> shannon: casey stegall live in california. thank you, casey.peration fast and fuhrous who told lawmakers they monitored the activities of gun smugglers but were told not to intervene now say their careers have take and turn for the worse for their testimony while those in charge of the operation have been promoted. william la jeunesse explains. >> any attempt to retaliate against them for their testimony today would be unfair, unwise and unlawful. >> and yet atf agents claim that is what happened to the fast and furious whistle blowers. >> they risk everything knowing that everything they he worked for, their careers, their renditions, their finances are all going to be ruin. >> 8 agents took their stories up to capitol hill. for most it has been all downhill since. >> this is what we were ordered to do and every time we question that order there was punitive action. >> the atf forced agent john dodson out of phoenix leaving h him with a house he can't sell. he thousand lives in a south carolina apartment with his two children. larry says he ha

they are hoping that they will be given a gift and casey stegal is live in los angeles with more, casey? did get about thren million americans have not even started doing their christmas shopping. that is not making the businesses and the shops nervous. they expect that there will be procrastinators and they are relying on them to shell out mad cash in the final push before the holidays. overall numbers are looking good. it is up 7 percent. and internet sales rose 15 percent . many are finally buying more big ticket item to stick under the tree. >> they have pushed on purchasing cars and electronics and ipads are coming off of the shelves again. and so when consumers have had the urge to spend and didn't have the evidence to spend you get pend up demand. it is the total profits for the year. and legal these seasonal numbers look promising. it is not an indicator that consumers will fully open the spending gates in 20-12. we have an election year and definite problem and until there is certainitiy where the country is going there will be a hold back by the consumer. if you are watching.

casey stegall, fox news. >>> the news tonight is far from over. >> the news edge at 11:00 starts right> dozens of arrests and a bulldozer on the scene as the occupy d.c. protests heat up. i'm maureen umeh. >> i'm will thomas. hundreds of demonstrators have come to d.c. after their camps in other cities were dismantled and that's ramped up

casey stegall looks at one special program this holiday season. ng santa for basic necessities this year toys and electronics. we will tell how you can make a child's christmas a little child's christmas a little merrier in a live report when no mat america's news headquarters returns, next. to... get in the way. not anymore. ink, the small business card from chase introduces jot an on-the-go expense app made exclusively for ink customers. custom categorize your expenses anywhere. save time and get back to what you love. the latest innovation. only for ink customers. learn more at chase.com/ink >> shannon: the holidays can be a tough time for those in need and luckily a pro sec project d operation letters to santa gives americans the opportunity to lend a helping hand injuries casey stegall with more. >> can you believe it is christmas already? we know that santa is extremely busy this time of year and even with all of his elves he still needs a little bit of help reading all of those letters from the good girls and boys which is why he turns to th

casey stegall has been falling this. he a live at the grove. i see things have not changed.eople out there. >> a lot of people out there trying to get the perfect something as we go before the holiday. about 37 million americans had not started a single bit of their christmas shopping as of just two weeks ago. can you believe that? and that is the stores rely on the procrastinators to selling putting out some cash in the final push. numbers are looking good. holiday spending is expected to be up about 7% compared to last year according to some analysts. internet sales have risen roughly 15%, many are finally buying more big ticket items this year to stick under the tree. >> purchasing cars, electronics, ipads, you start to see them coming off the shelves again. when consumers have the urge to spend that didn't have the confidence or capacity to spend you get pent up demand that we are finally seeing. >> typically holiday spending accounts for 40% of retailer's total profits for the entire year. economists are quick to point out although the seasonal numbers look promising it

casey stegall is live with the latest on this. and happy new year. >> hey, happy new year to you. gregg jarrett hinted if it's a story about alcohol, i'm on it. the champagne industry has more than just a new year to toast. shipments are up for 2011 after hitting a low in 2008 and 2009. if you don't know, champagne is a type of sparkling wine that can only come from the french region of champagne. now, there is a group called the champagne bureau, which represents the french growers and it tells us that the region shipped 30% more bottles to the united states this year compared to last. while americans have historically favored beer and spirits, their taste buds are apparently changing. >> wine consumption is increasing dramatically and we believe the growth in champagne shipment, the growth in americans buying champagne in the united states is also a progression on that side. they're working wine into their meals, their celebrations more and more and champagne has a distinct place in the american psyche. >> and a bargain price bu

casey stegall live in los angeles with the latest, casey? >> reporter: yeah, jamie, merry christmas to you. the unthinkable, really, when you consider eyewitnesses are telling police that this whole thing started with an argument over football. we are told that 30 to 40 people gathered at the home, about 40 miles east of los angeles, for what was intended to be that celebrity tri homecoming and police say the victim's brother then got into a fight with a guest at that party. over a football game. and when 22-year-old christopher stepped in to break it up, the suspect pulling out a gun and fired three shots two of which hitting the decorated soldier and then the gunman then took off. sullivan's family says he's in critical condition and his spine has been shattered. he was stationed with the 101st airborne out of fort campbell kentucky and the army specialist was home on leave from afghanistan. >> and he defended our country and he didn't deserve to come home to this. >> and he was just so happy, for the party. but it happened now and it's ti

casey stegal live in los angeles.t long or is this another green sweater and red tie? love it. >> this is actually opposite. i was wearing a red sweater and a green tie yesterday so i tried to switch it up. if only i was there on the set with you and eric because we all chose green today. >> fabulous. tell us what's going on with retailers. >> you know we were out there yesterday at a very busy shopping complex in los angeles. and a couple of people came up to me and said, what economic downturn? there were so many people out there shopping trying to snatch up some last minute deals and this, of course, is extremely good news when it comes to the economy. and we'll take it. won't we? most stores were, everybody, closed for christmas but the worldwide web certainly is not and some retailers like target offering special on-line deals just for today. a lot of folks turning to the internet to find that special something this year. e commerce is up 15% from 2010. a lot of shoppers not even stepping foot in a store these da

>> kimberly: students talked 2012 in just 60 seconds but casey stegall is standing by with the otherr: it is official, north korea says that kim jong-il's son is nation's supreme leader. he leads his people in a massive two-day memorial honoring the late dictator. he is now hid of the military and ruling party. officials in pongpyangyang has inhairtd the cause. >> disappointing news in ovarian cancer. the drug uvastin does not improve survival. the drug is temporary remedy at best. findings are latest set back for the later of the pharmaceutical. it was denied approval for treating breast cancer. on the record continues now. >> kimberly: illegal legal immigration biggest issue facing the nation is the top concerns of many college students. we're bringing part three of our series, road to 2012, road to america's future. greta talked to students at georgetown tuvt and howard university to what students are looking for. >> greta: so what in terms of educating american people. how we doing? >> that is an interesting question. i think the media plays a big part among the republican field.

. >> shannon: college students talk with greta in 60 seconds but casey stegall is standing by with headlinesou. funeral services are underway for north korea for kim jong-il. it's expected to attracted hundreds of thousands of mourners. few details are known but a hearst will be driven through the capital city. his funeral will set the stage for the succession of that new leader kim jong il. >> k-martsd are closing following disappointing sales. stock dropped 27%. biggest decline in about ten careers. series saying it doesn't want to keep margely stores open but the company is blaming on k-mart's lagging sales. as they those are the look at the latest headlines, now back to the record. >> shannon: personal baggage, can weigh on any presidential campaign, just how much did the personal backgrounds to college age voters? tonight part two of the series, road to 2012, george washington and it will be. here what they are saying for 2012. >> speaker gingrich has a history of personal history. does a personal history make a difference in your vote at all or your thinking? >> integrity associated wi

casey stegal is live in la with more on this. >> happy almost new year to you.mpagne industry has more than just a new year to tote. get this, shipments are up fo 2011 after hitting a low in 2008 and 9. to get technical. champagne is a sparkling wine that can only come from the french region of champagne and the champagne bureau that represents the french growers said the region shipped 30 percent more bottles to the u.s. compared to the last and americans have historically favored beers and spirits, their taste buds are apartnerly changing. >> wine consumption is increase the growth in champagne and americans buying champagne in the united states is a progression on that side. they are working wine into their meals and celebration and more and more. and champagne has a distinct place in the american psyche. >> and bargain price bubbles are cashing in and everything produced outside of champagne is called sparkling wine and includes bottlings made here in the american vineyard and one south california store saw an increase for people shying away from the big tic

our casey stegall is here with the story. >> santa is awfully busy this time of year, so he has to enlisteers from all over the country to try and make christmas a little merrier for kids in need. >> just thumb through some of the letters to santa at the local post office and quickly realize not all children are looking for the latest toys and gadgets. >> near santa, my older brother's shoes have holes in them and i don't need anything myself for christmas, i'm eight years old, but he needs shoes real bad. dear santa my mom cries a lot. our furniture is old our stove koent work good. please, i need blankets. >> and helping to maybe the wishes come true, volunteers from the public are stepping up. >> and children writing on behalf of their parents, who have lost their jobs or lost their homes and having health issues. >> more than 70 postal branches allow you to intercept letters and shop for whatever the good little girls or boys are asking for. >> then you drop the gifts back at the post office there's plenty of time to get them to the north pole and loaded on to santa's sleigh. >> if yo

casey stegall live in los angeles and you're at one of my favorite spots in l.a.l me about it. >> yeah, kelly. absolutely beautiful live picture of the hollywood seen behind us. a little bit of a history lesson. it was built in 1923 as a billboard to advertise a brand new housing development that was going in right here in the hollywood hills. it was only intended to be up for about 18 months or so, the famed 50 foot tall white letters spelled out hollywood land at the time. 1949 is when the word land was dropped from the sign and it eventually became synonymous with the entertainment industry. well, now, hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world stop by to catch a glimpse and to snap pictures. officialsy the allure of tinseltown and iconic sign generates tourism dollars for the city. >> you get off the plane in paris what do you want to do. walk right up to the eiffel tower. in on done big ben and the historic buildings. berlin right to the gate which you can. in los angeles you've got to look at the hollywood signs. >> an increasing number of peopl

casey stegall live in l.a. with telling us why. hey, casey. >> hey. good to see you. new year. i know i have my bottle chilling in the refrigerator at home. the increased demand for champagne, by the way, is on par with what we're seeing in the luxury market where sales are up double digits for high end brands. and this boost is not just because of holiday sales. it's actually year round. bottles produced in the champagne region of france are the only ones allowed to call themselves champagne. and early figures predict the region shipped close to as many bottles this year as it did during its peak before the recession, around 330 million bottles world wide. they see a trend of people spending more per bottle than they did one year ago. >> through august we were up over 30% and we believe this is a combination of both of a great interest in wine for americans, but also a greater understanding of champagne and seeking to make little moments, celebrate little moments with wine that is uniquely associated with celebration. >> and americans not the only ones splurging on t

let's find out, casey stegall live in los angeles. did you get anything you're taking back, casey? >> no, jamie, i'm happy with all my purchases. that must be worst, standing in line, don't you think to make the returns and the exchanges so, you know, consumers are spending a lot of money this year. $470 billion is how much americans were expected to shell out for the holiday shopping season. that is up about 7% from this time last year according to some analysts. those same analysts say it's because of lower unemployment numbers, deep discounts and consumer confidence being on the rise. but while the overall numbers look promising now, some of the economists warn it is not necessarily a benchmark for the new year and retailers cannot get too excited just yet. >> i think the consumer is still very nervous. we have an election year coming up. we have a major deficit problem to deal with. and i think until there's some certainty of where the country is going economically, i think there's going to be a holdback by the consumer. >> now, where businesses saw a big boost this year, on-li