in washington, jennifer davis. fox news. >>> more details if lawmakers don't break the stalemate, it will cost $40 per month or $1,000 a year. >>> on wall street, investors went on a buying spree today stuffing their stockings with socks for the upcoming christmas holiday. >>> encouraging news out of europe provided the catalyst but the economy is growing here in america. >> next year, maybe even better. >> one analyst said, quote, everything was hitting on all cylinders. the dow is now up 4%. >>> countless people are placing big bets tonight. tonight's megalottery is a huge $152 million. the drawing is less than an hour away. >> it's a multistate game played in california and 41 other states. >>> the oakland city counsel is meeting this hour and is dpoptd vote on a resolution aimed at keeping court open as occupy protesters work to close it. they urge the city administrator to enforce all laws if occupiers try to shut down the court again. >> it's time for us to make sure there's an unequivocal direction and messa

in washington, jennifer davis, fox news. >>> an investigation is croon going between a semi-truck and a bus. the crash sent the bus driver to the hospital with minor injuries. no passenger was on the bus and no other injuries were reported. there was extensive damage to the bus and the truck and it's unclear what led to the crash. >>> vta and other transit area agencies have special holiday programs. they will be free. valley transportation agency, or v t.a., caltrain, golden death buses and ferries are on regular saturday schedule. >>> b.a.r.t. is offering special new year's service as well. trains are going to run three hours longer than they usually do overnight. service will continue until 3:00 a.m. on january 1 , new year's day during those extended hours, the trains will run on their normall interval >>> and can you go to ktvu.com for more information on new year's schedule for all bay area transit agencies. the information is in web links which can be found near the top of the page. >>> new york times is gearing up to ring in 2012 with a party of the year. workers are there put

jennifer davis reports. >> reporter: mitt romney has been drawing big crowds in iowa and today gets help from a top gop star known for his blunt talk. >> you people disappoint me on tuesday, you don't do what you are supposed to do on tuesday for mitt romney i will be back jersey style people. >> new jersey governor chris christie, one discussed as a candidate himself has come to the hawkeye state to give him a boost. he fell short another years ago, placing second and once again finds himself neck and neck with another candidate. this time ron paul. >> ron paul is incorrectable, honest. >> iowans have a few more days and many are throwing their support behind rick santorum. the surge has pushed him into the number 3 spot. >> the latest poll shows momentum on his have, that is a good thing to have. >> the news is not as good for newt gingrich, whose popularity is fading but he continues to make an appeal to voters. >> i will ask you to be with me for the next eight years. >> gingrich is getting help in virginia where he failed to get the 10,000 signatures necessary to qualify for the sta

jennifer davis, fox news. before. >>> coming up next this controversial display igniting heated opinions in virginia. turns out this is only the givenning of the debate. let's find out -- beginning of the debate. let's find out why colleges and businesses are buying up property in the red light district. >>> eddie murphy's next role may be marion barry's. hbo has optioned the rights to a book about marion barry's good times and bads, the project still in the early stages. spike lee would direct, no comment from barry tonight. [ male announcer ] citibank's new app for ipad makes it easy for anne to view her finances from anywhere. like gate d12 for the next three hours. citibank for ipad. easier banking. standard at citibank. really? [ male announcer ] kate uses her citibank debit card because kate knows there are some things you shouldn't be charged for. refill? i'm ok. [ male announcer ] so does that guy. the citibank debit card with no monthly fee. >>> anti-christmas activists refuse to stop. earlier this we

i'm jennifer davis in washington. i will have a campaign wrap-up as the candidates head into the final stretch before the iowa caucuses. >>> and it can go a long way toward easing congestion in northern virginia. we'll tell you about the legislation that will force more workers at the marc center to use public transportation. state farm. this is jessica. hey, jessica, jerry neumann with a policy question. jerry, how are you doing? fine, i just got a little fender bender. oh, jerry, i'm so sorry. i would love to help but remember, you dropped us last month. yeah, you know it's funny. it only took 15 minutes to sign up for that new auto insurance company but it's taken a lot longer to hear back. is your car up a pole again? [ crying ] i miss you, jessica! jerry, are you crying? no, i just, i bit my tongue. [ male announcer ] get to a better state. state farm. >> the gop white house hopefuls wrapped up their last debate. they're back on the campaign trail focusing on january's iowa caucuses. jennifer davis has the campai

innwassiigton, bass- jennifer davis, fox news." 3& it's going to be a week.tch orecast. &&p3 is your garbage in order? why agents are oing through some people's ttash and handing out thousands of &pdollars in tickets. &p sommbody buy this town a dictionary.we'll showwyou the ery public mistake one &ptown wishes they had a secondd shot at. 3 3 3 &p3 3 ♪ [ male announcer ] little owen wanted to play, but his nose was raw and sore. achoo! [ male announcer ] and common tissue made it burn even more. ♪ puffs plus lotion is more soothing than common tissue, and it delivers our most soothing lotion for every nose issue. a nose in need deserves puffs plus lotion indeed. to give your cold a comforting scent, try puffs plus lotion with the scent of vicks. so we know that it's ggod to recycle..uu shouldn't there be some common sense involvvd? involved? a d-c womannwaa recyyllng shreddeddnewspaper she puussii her cat's litter alreadd? 3&whiie: "i'm accually trying t do something really good for the environment by using the shredded paper and then i get fined for it." it.

in washington, jennifer davis, fox news. >>> more details now, the white house says not breaking the stalemate will cost the typical american family about $40 per paycheck. that works out to be $85 a month or $1,000 a year. the obama administration characterizes the typical family as earning $50,000 annually. >>> the official white house blog is asking the question what does $40 mean to you? so we decided to pose that same question on our facebook wall. jessica says $40 is groceries for me, my husband and two kids. it's a lot when you need to feed your family. mark elviar says more than i can even describe in words. my family suffers so much, we visit local charities weekly to get food and supplies. i am employed by the cost of living has gone up so much. share what $40 means to you on our facebook page. >>> a woman has been indicted on charging that she killed michelle le. the indictment allows the hearing to take place against esteban. investigators say esteban killed le in may. le's body was found four months later in a remote area between pleasanton. >>> a 7-year-old boy who fell

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fox's jennifer davis has more. reporter: newt gingrich swings by a dubuque golf club. rick santorum is hunting for votes and perches. a number of candidates -- pheasants. a number of candidates have traded in cars for giant campaign buss and iowa's air waves are pack -- buses and iowa's air waves are packed with one political ad after note. the battle for the top spot is between ron paul and mitt romney, but analysts say the stakes are highest for romney as if he does not have a strong showing. the fight between the other candidates is over conservative credentials. >> there's a huge difference between the philosophy of a supply side conservative and the kemp/reagan tradition and the philosophy of the massachusetts monarch. >> why should you settle for anything less than an authentic conservative who will fight for your views and values without an apology? reporter: analysts say there are some who are fighting just to keep their campaign in the game. >> who finishes third and fourth and there you've got a real battle between gingrich, perry, and santorum. reporter: it'

in washington, jennifer davis, fox news. >>> more details now, the white house says not breaking the stalemate will cost the typical american family about $40 per paycheck. that works out to be $85 a month or $1,000 a year. the obama administration characterizes the typical family as earning $50,000 annually. >>> the official white house blog is asking the question what does $40 mean to you? so we decided to pose that same question on our facebook wall. jessica says $40 is groceries for me, my husband and two kids. it's a lot when you need to feed your family. mark elviar says more than i can even describe in words. my family suffers so much, we visit local charities weekly to get food and supplies. i am employed by the cost of living has gone up so much. share what $40 means to you on our facebook page. >>> a woman has been indicted on charging that she killed michelle le. the indictment allows the hearing to take place against esteban. investigators say esteban killed le in may. le's body was found four months later in a remote area between pleasanton. >>> a 7-year-old boy who fell

innwassiigton, bass- jennifer davis, fox news." 3& it's going to be a week.3 is your garbage in order? why agents are oing through some people's ttash and handing out thousands of &pdollars in tickets. &p sommbody buy this town a dictionary.we'll showwyou the ery public mistake one &ptown wishes they had a secondd shot at. 3 3 3 &p3 3 so we know that it's ggod to recycle..uu shouldn't there be some common sense involvvd? involved? a d-c womannwaa recyyllng shreddeddnewspaper she puussii her cat's litter alreadd? 3&whiie: "i'm accually trying t do something really good for the environment by using the shredded paper and then i get fined for it." it." atricia has been fined - more than 2 housand dollars - placing the dirty, nasty,,cat- soiled paper inside her trash when patricia spoke to the trash inspector who wrote hhr the tickets. she says the inspector admitted to diggingg through trash ccns looking for fines....buu hasn't beee g the appeal tt somebody's common pense. trrubbe with the law... but she sayy it's all a big ga misunderssanding. p ttke a look at

jennifer davis is live in times square. hey, jennifer. >> hi there.is is the world, or one of the world's biggest street parties and it surely feels like it when you're standing out here. i've been here a couple of years and this seems like one of the bigger crowds. they've shut down times square to traffic about 3:00 o'clock. when they did, the pens that they set up with barriers filled up almost instantly here in times square. they stretch nearly 20 blocks all the way become to central park. they've handledded out thousands of balloons. we're doing practice count downs on the hour. lady gaga has done her dress rehearsal. there is plenty to keep folks busy here. once they get in, they are not allowed to leave, no alcohol allowed, no backpacks. they're camping out for a while. but people seem happy to do so. >> arthel: once you get in, you can't get out, huh. >> not at all. not even for a bathroom break. they're hearty souls out here. at least the weather is great. you look like you're having a great time. so happy new year to you. >> happy now year -

jennifer davis is in washington to explain why the bill won't pass the house. >> the house will be in order. >> reporter: the u.s. house is back in session this week to consider the senate passed payroll tax compromise bill. and john boehner is making it clear, that version is dead on arrival in the house. the house speaker said both chambers need to meet in conference to work out a better plan. i've been around here for a while. i've seen congress kirk the can down the road and kick the can down the road. it's time to nonthe nonsense. >> reporter: the two-month extension easily passed the senate on saturday with bipartisan support. the president a -- the president applauded the approval dat dat -- the approval idea -- >> this makes a big difference when you are trying to buy groceries or pay the bills. >> reporter: the congress wants a year-extension, as does the house speaker but they disagree on the details. mitch mcconnell says lawmakers can visit a longer sex in february and harry reid said instead of threatening fid -- middle-class families, speaker boehner should step up. he's

fox's jennifer davis with more now. >> reporter: newt gingrich swings by a dubuque golf club. rick santorum is hunting for votes and pheasants. a number. candidates have traded in cars for giant campaign buses and iowa's airwaves are packed with one political ad after another. the battle for the top spot is between ron paul and mitt romney. but analysts say the stakes are highest for romney if he does not have a strong showing. >> he is hoping for victory and if he gets below say second place, people are going to say he didn't do very well and he really did try. >> reporter: the fight between the other candidates is over conservative credentials. >> there is a huge difference between the fill is on five supply side conservative in the camp reagan position and the philosophy of a massachusetts moderate. >> why should you settle for anything less than an authentic conservative. >> reporter: analysts say there are some who are also fighting just to keep their campaign in the game. >> who finishes third and fourth and there you've got a real battle between gingrich, perry and sant

jennifer davis joins us live. what do you think romney is trying to obtain from his video? >> reporter: well, we are seeing a shift in tone from the romney camp in the ads they are putting out. earlier you saw that ad painting romney as a family man, a man of faith, talking about how kifernt he was -- consistent he was, married to the same woman for 30 years. he's been mauryed three times and has changed his religious affiliation three times as well. the ad paints gingrich almost out of touch with miss party for not reporting paul ryan's plan for a budget, it features a lot of television bites from analyst and gingrich himself not really towing the party line. previously he's been more directed towards obama and looking that way in the general direction. i think it's clear the attention is shifting. >> thank you, jennifer davis. >> reporter: thank you. >>> a deadly hospital fire just this morning in india. dozens of people were killed. what the indian government just did. >>> and will there be a change in the weather? up next meteorologist, rosemary oroscoe will tell us if

. >>> as jennifer davis reports house republicans report the potential deal that will save american workers on their taxes every paycheck. >> reporter: in the face of mounting pressure from the democrats and their own party, house republicans announced a change of heart. house republicans say they will now agree to the senate's bipartisan's pressure. >> i think our party waged a good fight. we were able to come to an agreement. >> reporter: they will appoint negotiators. the president has said they'll have to approve this short term measure so they can move on to debate a long term one. >> we shall negotiate the agreement as quickly as possible. >> reporter: analysts say house republicans had to blink first on this debate because a growing gop chorus said they are hurting their own party. >> more and more republicans are coming out saying we need to get this deal off the table. >> reporter: this deal means millions of americans will not see their taxes go up on january 1st and they won't lose their unemployment benefits there either. >> reporter: tonight's compromise renewing the contract t

jennifer davis reports mitt romney brought out the big guns. >> you don't do what are you supposed to do on tuesday for mitt romney i will be back. >> reporter: the governor brings his hum you're humor and power house reputation to iowa. romney targeted ron paul who is nipping at his heels. >> i don't think ron paul represents the main stream. >> reporter: paul has plenty of voter support. that was obvious at a town hall. >> it's time to come home from afghanistan. >> reporter: gingrich has taken a pounding in the polls, he says because of negative adds highlighting his personal life. at an event he teared up when asked a question about his family. >> you know -- >> reporter: he said neither he nor his campaign are giving up. >> if on the other hand you are fed up with the people who have made a mess of it then i think i'm a better candidate. >> reporter: and rick santorum is picking up momentum at the right time. if christians go around him more some say he could see a bigger boost in the final days. >> it would not surprise me if he wins. i always said in this environment iowa will

jennifer davis reports mitt romney brought out the big guns. >> you don't do what are you supposed to do on tuesday for mitt romney i will be back. >> reporter: the governor brings his hum you're humor and power house reputation to iowa. romney targeted ron paul who is nipping at his heels. >> i don't think ron paul represents the main stream. >> reporter: paul has plenty of voter support. that was obvious at a town hall. >> it's time to come home from afghanistan. >> reporter: gingrich has taken a pounding in the polls, he says because of negative adds highlighting his personal life. at an event he teared up when asked a question about his family. >> you know -- >> reporter: he said neither he nor his campaign are giving up. >> if on the other hand you are fed up with the people who have made a mess of it then i think i'm a better candidate. >> reporter: and rick santorum is picking up momentum at the right time. if christians go around him more some say he could see a bigger boost in the final days. >> it would not surprise me if he wins. i always said in this environment iowa will

. >>> as jennifer davis reports house republicans report the potential deal that will save american workers on their taxes every paycheck. >> reporter: in the face of mounting pressure from the democrats and their own party, house republicans announced a change of heart. house republicans say they will now agree to the senate's bipartisan's pressure. >> i think our party waged a good fight. we were able to come to an agreement. >> reporter: they will appoint negotiators. the president has said they'll have to approve this short term measure so they can move on to debate a long term one. >> we shall negotiate the agreement as quickly as possible. >> reporter: analysts say house republicans had to blink first on this debate because a growing gop chorus said they are hurting their own party. >> more and more republicans are coming out saying we need to get this deal off the table. >> reporter: this deal means millions of americans will not see their taxes go up on january 1st and they won't lose their unemployment benefits there either. >> reporter: tonight's compromise renewing the contract t

in imposing her sentence, judge jennifer davis xooet exceeded the minimum 25 years required by law for second degree murder. >> at this time -- >> reporter: ward's lawyers are appealing his conviction. if he serves his full sentence, ward will be 93 years old. for "today" mark potter, nbc news, miami. >>> still to come in this season of giving, some of the many people working hard to make sure every child has a christmas gift, that's coming up. but first, this is "today" on nbc. at bank of america, we're lending and investing in communities across the country, from helping to revitalize a neighborhood in brooklyn to financing industries that are creating jobs in boston or providing funding for the expansion of a local business serving a diverse seattle community and supporting training programs for tomorrow's workforce in los angeles. because the more we can do in local neighborhoods and communities, the more we can help make opportunity possible. >>> it's that time of year when a lot of worthy charities are asking for your support, including toys for tots, a long-running toy drive fou

in imposing her sentence, judge jennifer davis xooet exceeded the minimum 25 years required by law for second degree murder. >> at this time -- >> reporter: ward's lawyers are appealing his conviction. if he serves his full sentence, ward will be 93 years old. for "today" mark potter, nbc news, miami. >>> still to come in this season of giving, some of the many people working hard to make sure every child has a christmas gift, that's coming up. but first, this is "today" on nbc. [ monica ] i'm away on a movie shoot and it hasn't been going exactly as planned. cut. cut! [ monica ] i thought we'd be on location for 3 days -- it's been 3 weeks. so i had to pick up some more things. good thing i've got the citi simplicity card. i don't get hit with a fee if i'm late with a payment... which is good because on this job, no! bigger! [ monica ] i may not be home for a while. [ male announcer ] the new citi simplicity card. no late fees. no penalty rate. no worries. secondhand smoke affects rate. everyone's health. it's not just irritating. it can cause heart disease and even death. speak up ab

in imposing her sentence, judge jennifer davis xooet exceeded the minimum 25 years required by law for second degree murder. >> at this time -- >> reporter: ward's lawyers are appealing his conviction. if he serves his full sentence, ward will be 93 years old. for "today" mark potter, nbc news, miami. >>> still to come in this season of giving, some of the many people working hard to make sure every child has a christmas gift, that's coming up. but first, this is "today" on nbc. >>> it's that time of year when a lot of worthy charities are asking for your support, including toys for tots, a long-running toy drive founded by the u.s. marine corps. with just one week before christmas, marines and scores of volunteers across the country are scrambling to fill a spike in requests for toys for children in need. ron mott is in boston to tell us more. >> reporter: last christmas, marine sergeant was surrounded on the battlefield in afghanistan. this year, he's surrounded by dolls and footballs. as coordinator for boston's toys for tots drive. >> this year's christmas and last year's christmas

jennifer? >> i read "butterflies child" by anna davis gardner and about to come out in paperback and follows thetury by his white father and it's a really fascinating book novel and fantastic for book groups. >> so happy all three of you could come in. thank you so much for sharing your inspirational stories. happy holidays and new year to all of you. >> thank you. you too. >> here is rebecca. >> very interesting inspiration. we have all heard that dogs are man's best friend but who would be a homeless dog's best friend? we think it could be the woman that steve hartman went to meet. >> looky here. >> reporter: takeresa berg is a professional pet photographer. her issue is bad dog adoption photos. that is not the ideal pose, i take it? >> i would think not. >> reporter: shelters and rescue post these pictures to entice people to adopt. but teresa says the effect is often just the opposite. that thousands of dogs are euthanized every year for no other reason than bad marketing. >> i can't stand the thought of, you know, for want of a good picture a dog goes homeless. >> reporter: that's why a few