manuel gallegus reports. >> reporter: mark madoff could never shake so many people's suspicion he must have been involved or at least known about his father's elaborate ponzi scheme. the medical examiner confirmed the 46-year-old did take his own life. madoff's father-in-law discovered him hanging from a dog leash in his posh apartment as his 2-year-old son slept in another room and his wife was away at disney world with their daughter. a lawyer for his mother, ruth, said simply, ruth is heartbroken. there's been no public reaction from bernie madoff, currently serving a 150-year sentence in a federal prison in north carolina. >> i have no comment. i'm sorry, i can't help you. >> reporter: since the scandal broke, the pressure has not let up on mark or his brother, andrew who ran the firm's

manuel gallegus has morement. >> mark madoff could never shake so many people's suspicion that he must have been involved or at least known about his father's elaborate ponzi scheme. >> i think mark was probably trying to say to his father, look what you've done to me and my life. and my family's life. >> george lost his life savings to bernie madoff believes mark is just another victim. >> i think it's extremely tragic. >> reporter: the medical examiner confirmed today the 46-year-old did take his own life. madoff's father-in-law discovered him hang from a dog leash in his posh manhattan apartment as his two-year-old son slept in another room and his wife was away at disney world with their daughter. a lawyer for his mother ruth madoff said simply ruth is heartbroken. there's been no public reaction from bernie madoff, who is currently serving a 150-year sentence in a federal prison in north carolina. >> i have no comment. i'm sorry. >> reporter: since the scandal broke, the pressure has not let up on mark or his brother andrew who ran the firm's trading division, which was separate f

manuel gallegus, cbs news. >>> the future is uncertain for some schools in the east bay. last night, parents protested at a meeting at the mount diablo unified school board. that district is considering closing a middle school and two elementary schools to save $1.5 million. >> that our school is even on that list is upsetting to us because i was on the waiting list for three years for my daughter to get into this school. and it was a choice that i really wanted. i really wanted her in this school. >> some of the factors that will go into deciding which, if any, of those schools will close, test scores, operational costs and expansion opportunities. >>> in walnut creek, the contra costa county supervisors decided to remove one fire company from station 1 in downtown walnut creek. there are two companies there now. a recent study concluded the move would have almost no effect on response times. >>> checking other bay area headlines, starting today, the ez-rider card is out, the clipper card is n transit riders must use the new system or pay cash. the ez-rider card is being

manuel gallegus, cbs news, new york >>> just ahead on the morning news who said what. a look at the most memorable quotes of the past year. plus, the first family gets in the christmas spirit with a special celebrity-filled concert. we'll have it coming up. you're watching the "cbs morning news." up. you're watching the "cbs morning news." ♪ express yourself ♪ [ female announcer ] because coffee is like the holidays. it's better when you add your flavor. coffee-mate. from nestle. [ male announcer ] confused what to get? click on the robitussin relief finder. click on your symptoms. get the right relief. makes the cold aisle easy. the robitussin relief finder. it's that simple. the robitussin relief finder. [scraping] [piano keys banging] [scraping] [horns honking] with deposits in your engine, it can feel like something's holding your car back. let me guess, 16. [laughing] yeeah. that's why there's castrol gtx... with our most powerful deposit fighting ingredient ever. castrol gtx exceeds the toughest new industry standard. don't let deposits hold your car back. get ca

but as manuel gallegus reports, some say the results are too good to be true. >> reporter: an fda panel is going to vote today on whether two drugs should be approved to prevent prostate cancer. avadart and procart are on the market to treat enlarged prostate. tkphrafplo smith line and merck say their drugs reduce the risk of prostate canesser by more than 20% and the critics argue they only studied a small number of african-american men who are at high risk for the disease. >>> belly fat can put women at risk for osteoporosis. for years, doctors believed excess fat protected women against bone loss but a new study shows that abdominal fat can lead to an increase in bone density. fat in other parts of the body was not a contributing factor. abdominal fat which is deep under the muscle tissue is also associated with heart disease. >>> the risk of getting cancer from ct scans may have been overestimated. scientists looked at more than 10 million patients who underwent ct scans, and found that less than half a percent developed cancer. that's 10 times lower than previously thought. the stu

manuel gallegus, cbs news. >>> for the weather and that slow-moving chilly air that won't go away. more snow fell in areas from ohio to new york but the frigid air extended up and down the east coast, even in florida, freeze warnings remain for much of the state. mark strassmann reports. >> reporter: in wintry central florida, citrus farmers with frozen by fear. his crop faced ruin. >> we haven't slept in a day and a half. >> reporter: that's scary. >> yeah. >> reporter: overnight, freezing temperatures menaced the state's billion dollar citrus crop, two-thirds unharvested. across much of the southeast temperatures plunged up to 30 degrees below normal with record lows in atlanta, 14 degrees, vero beach, florida, 26, and daytona beach, 24. >> i'm wearing my florida winter clothes, which are ridiculous. >> reporter: and there was snow, lots of snow. two feet fell outside cleveland. with nine more inches expected by morning. more snow is on the way in pennsylvania, ohio, and new york. where the layered look is back in. >> one. two. three. more. >> reporter: not a fashion statement, a

as manuel gallegus reports for wjz, almost two feet of snow fell in some areas. >> reporter: it feels like minus 24 degrees for people digging out in minneapolis. the arctic blast comes on the heels of a monster storm that dumped almost two feet of snow in parts of wisconsin and minnesota. >>> all of this snow, driven by 50-mile-per-hour winds, made driving treacherous, forcing hundreds of vehicles off the road. in northwest indiana, police are searching for motorists trapped in their cars. airports across the midwest are trying to get back on track after a week of misery. minneapolis closed its airport for the first time in 19 years. and in chicago o'hare, more than 1,000 flights were canceled. >> i might not get out of here until tuesday. >> reporter: in the pacific northwest, mudslides from record rainfalls sent this house sliding down the hill. three people had to be rescued, including a 94-year-old woman. >> she was hysterical. she didn't know what was going on. >> more rain is expected in michigan, indiana and points east. but football fans won't care. they'll be watching tonigh

manuel gallegus, cbs news. >> aren't you glad you're here? >>> today is considered the first big test for a compromise aimed at avoiding higher income taxes in the new year. the u.s. senate plans a procedural vote on that deal. and reached between the obama administration and top republican lawmakers. the package would continue the bush era tax cuts for all americans. and that includes even the wealthiest, and something republicans insisted on, but is opposed by the president's fellow democrats. the deal would also extend jobless benefits for the long term unemployed and put in place a one year cut in social security taxes. >>> changing the way you light your life. the phase-out affects how most people brighten their homes. >>> and we do have some sunshine today's forecast, i know you're wondering when. i will let you know in a few moments and we have something else, people volunteering at the san francisco food bank and this is the coast guard air station in san francisco and they're getting to work here, and putting together all of those bo

manuel gallegus, cbs news, new york. >>> turning to politics. potential hot water for christine o'donnell. federal authorities are reportedly looking into whether she violated campaign laws during her failed bid for the u.s. senate. the delaware tea party favorite has been dogged by allegations of using political contributions to pay personal expenses like her rent but o'donnell denies any wrongdoing and called the charges politically motivated. in a statement, she said, quote, given that the king of the delaware political establishment just so happens to be the vice president of the most liberal presidential administration in u.s. history, it is no surprise that misuse and abuse of the fbi would not be off the table. >>> an american aid worker in haiti is out of jail. paul wagoner spent 18 days behind bars accused of kidnapping a baby. he was cleared of charges after his lawyer says he gave a judge the death certificate from the hospital where the infant died. wagoner is receiving medical treatment at an undisclosed location and says he hopes t

manuel gallegus, cbs 5 news. >> the security guard who shot duke is the hero of the day. mike johnson is a retired police officer. the superintendent says johnson never panicked and knew exactly what to do. and more on johnson's life coming up on the cbs evening news tonight. >>> a police crackdown on robbery suspects has landed nine people in jail in berkeley. the arrests came over a period of several days. however, the crimes date back to november. at least five were armed robberies involving pedestrians north of university avenue. police say they have not been able to identify the suspects. >>> we have told you about them before. predatory lenders who promise payday loans to low income people only to charge some massive fees. there's been a huge influx of those businesses in san jose recently. now len ramirez shows us the city plans a crackdown. len? >> reporter: well, allen, no one is saying that the payday loan businesses are doing anything illegal and the city is not trying to shut the existing ones down but they do want to stop new businesses from coming into san j

manuel gallegus reports. the entire ordeal was caught on tape in florida. >> reporter: the superintendent of schools in panama city, florida, pleaded with the man who pulled out a gun during the school board meeting, but the man, clay duke, refused to back down. what happened next is disturbing to watch. >> please don't, please don't, please. >> reporter: despite pointing at gun point, he missed his target. >> he was going to do this. >> reporter: the 56-year-old kept shooting until a security guard wounded him. the suspect then turned the gun on hem se. before he opened fire he let people leave. a board member snuck back in and tried to use her purse to knock the gun out of his hand. >> these guys were sitting ducks. i couldn't leave them without trying to at least diverse or somehow or another give fuse the situation -- diffuse the situation. >> reporter: by the time s.w.a.t. team entered, no one else was hurt. >> we are blessed to be alive. >> reporter: the superintendent called out that duke had a cap gun

manuel gallegus has the story for wjz. >> just listen to me for a minute. >> i don't want anybody to get hurt. >> bill huzfeld pleaded with the man who pulled out a gun during a school board meeting. but the man, clay duke, refused to back down. what happens next is disturbing to watch. >> please dont. please don't. please. [ gunshots ] >> he missed his target completely, despite firing at point-blank range. >> he was going to do this. there was nothing we could do to stop him. >> reporter: he kept shooting until a security guard came in. then he opened fire on himself. ginger little snuck back in and used her purse to try to knock the gun from duke's hand. it didn't work. >> these guys were lined up like pingeons on a wire, and i couldn't leave them without at least trying to divert or somehow or other diffuse the situation. >> reporter: duke pointed the gun at littleton but didn't fire. by the time s.w.a.t. team officers entered the room, it was over. no one else was hurt. >> it was a tragedy. we're very thankful and bless the to be alive. >> reporter: immediately after the shootin

manuel gallegus shows us which ones are topping sales and catching on with kids. >> reporter: bop it bounce. tea cup piggy. >> i'm full now. >> scwirchgies. they are among the hottest toys this christmas. >> reporter: the average family in the u.s. spends about $300 per child, per year on toys. >> reporter: this is tiana from the princess and the frog. >> reporter: oversized dolls are big this year, from disney to dora the explorer. >> basketball. >> reporter: if your child is past the princess phase, there are the kis of monster -- kids of monster high. >> these are the sons and daughters of the classic monsters. >> and then they text. on the tiny side, there are squinkies. >> they're very collectible. little girls love miniature things. >> here's another popular toy. it's called the vecktron wave. about $21. it has a sensor. and keeps lev stating, as long as you stick your hand underneath it like that. >> reporter: the classics are still possible. there's a new take on simon, called loops. and the v-reader, like a kindle for kids. >> what i love about this especially is a toy. but

manuel gallegus reports for wjz. people are looking to dig out, now facing new challenges. >>> feels like minus 24 degrees for people digging out in minneapolis. the arctic blast comes on the heels of a monster storm that dumped almost two feet of snow in -- snow in parts of minnesota and wisconsin. all of this snow driven by 50- mile-per-hour winds, made driving treacherous, forcing hundreds of vehicles off the road. in northwest indiana, police are searching for motorists trapped in their cars. at least six weather-related deaths are reported across the country. >> airports are trying to get back on track after a weekend of misery. minneapolis closed its airport for the first time in 20 years. and in chicago's o'hair, more flights were canceled. >> i might not get here until tuesday. >> record rainfall sent this house sliding down a hill. three people had to be rescued, including a 94-year-old woman. >> she was hysterical. not quite sure what was going on football fans won't care. they'll be watching tonight's game

>> manuel gallegus shows us which are topping sales. >> reporter: bop it bounce.up piggies. >> i'm full now. >> scwirchgies. they're among the most popular. >> the average family in the u.s. spends about $300 per year, per child on toys. >> reporter: chris bin byrne show -- chris byrne showed us around. oversized dolls are big this year. from disney to dora the explorer. if your child is past the christmas phase, there are the kids of monster high. and they text on a little eye coffin, which is a high seller too. on the tiny side, there are scwirchgies. >> there are play sets. they're very collectible. little girls love those miniature things. >>> and here's something. it's called the vetteron rave. wave. it keeps lev stating as long as you keep your hand under it now. >> classics are still possible. elmo and lego. and a new take on simon called loops. and a v-reader. like a kindle for kids. what i love about this is it's a toy. but kids feel like they're doing something mom and dad do. >> reporter: but believe it or not, the best-selling toy this year is singa ma

manuel gallegus reports for wjz from pensacola, florida. >> reporter: the attorneys general from 20 statese for the president. >> obama care should be stricken down as violating the constitution. >> reporter: attorneys gentleman from texas, florida and alabama, argued in a federal court that congress does not have the constitutional authority to force all americans to buy health insurance or penalize them if they don't. >> what the judge said if congress can force you to go out and purchase a product such as healthcare insurance, congress can force you to go out and eat brockol tebecause that would be better for your health. >> reporter: they also told the judge, if states are forced to expand medicare programs under the new law, they'll go broke. >> where are we going to get the money? are we going to raise taxes enormously this week? >> earlier, a judge ruled that people cannot be forced to buy healthcare insurance. and supporters here want to go even further, to stop the federal government from enacting healthcare reform. >> but two are the judges have upheld the law. >> there's a lot a

manuel gallegus reports, which ones are topping sales and catching on with kids. >> reporter: bop itounce. tea cup piggies. >> i'm full now. >> scwirchgies. they're among the hottest toys toys this christmas. but which will captivate your child. >> the average family spends about $300 per year, per child. >> oversized dolls are big this year, from disney to dora the explorer. if your child is past the princess age, there are the kids of monster high. >> these are the sons and daughters of the classic monsters. >> and they text. on the tiny side are scwirchgies. >> this is $9.99. little girls love those miniature things. >> reporter: here's a really popular toy this christmas. it's called the vetron wave. about $20. it has a sensor. and it just keeps levitating as long as you keep your hand on it like that. >> reporter: classics are still popular. elmo and lego, which has board games and harry potter. there's a new take on simon called loops. and a v-reader. >> what i love about this, especially is it's a toy. but kids feel like they're doing something mom and dad do. >> but believe i

back to you. >> thanks, manuel gallegus in new york. >>> let's go to sharon chen and the east coast stormhas prompted the cancellation of more than two dozen flights and sharon is at sfo with the very latest. >> reporter: passengers are not just dealing with the effects of the east coast snowstorm but they're also dealing with the san francisco fog. here are the latest numbers for you. at sfo, more than 50 flights have been canceled. 35 arriving and 18 departing from boston's jfk and laguardia and newark and philadelphia. right now, air carriers are evaluating whether the late afternoon and evening flights will also get canceled. and also this morning, fog at sfo diverted several arriving southwest and united flights. they landed instead in san jose, oakland, or monterey. and the airport duty manager reports that the current one to two-hour delays could rise to three hours later today. and a big backup from the combination of east coast snow and san francisco fog and low visibility in southern california. patience, the key to surviving air travel today. >> passengers are scrambling to fin

i'm manuel gallegus, cbs news new york. >>> okay. how about this? you want an online date? she has nice lips. >> seriously . the dating site -- [ indiscernible ] .com -- you know that one? >> no, i don't. >> you knew. >> claims that line is the holy grail of flirting. badu expected 200,000 online exchanges across 11 different countries. they tested out 12 opening lines but the lips won. >> however, the website says some countries have different preferences. brazilian, french, italian and american women are more moved by compliments about their clothes. >> hm. >> tracy, you look hot in that. >> that's the word, too, hot. >> yeah. that's the keyword. >> what's the best pickup line you have ever heard? >> best pickup line. i don't know if i can say that on morning television. >> obviously didn't work, huh? >> well, i'm not saying it didn't work. but it was a good one. >>> let's take a look at your forecast. you ladies trying to get me in trouble! mix of sun and clouds today, highs in the mid- to upper 50s. more sunshine thursday and rainfall friday, saturday, sunday monday and

manuel gallegus, wjz eyewitness news. >> maryland is not among the states in the lawsuit.nia is. >>> time now for a quick look at some of the stories you'll find in tomorrow morning's edition of the baltimore sun. >>> a preliminary cost estimate to expand the center and build an arena next to it. >>> an outreach organization now finds itself homeless, or at least headquartersless. >>> and the man who double parked because he was scared to walk home. for these stories and a lot more, read tomorrow's baltimore sun. and remember, you can look for the updated forecast from wjz's first warning weather team. >>> still to come on wjz eyewitness news. real-life grinch. caught on tape, stealing from war veterans. >>> how the weather is impacting the case. >>> bob turk, first warning weather center. some sun coming back. and actually going above freezing. i'll have the exclusive first warning five-day forecast. >>> wjz is always on. here are the top stories on wjz.com at this hour. for updates on all the day's news, and the updated forecast, log onto wienl.com. -- wjz.com. this one

here's manuel gallegus. >>> those reminders that you're overdue for a doctor's visit could safer youream followed more than 1,000 patients late for a screening. half received a reminder in the mail or on the computer and half did not. those who got reminders were twice as likely to go for a screening. a new study suggests higher tax on sodas may not be effective in fighting obesity. researchers found it would only cut about 13 calories a day from a person's diet. experts say taxing the owners of restaurants and vending machines might be a better way to g and a new study finds bees also need their sleep to function properly. researchers discovered that sleep deprived worker bees are less able to direct other bees to food. just like people, don't perform tasks as precisely. and those are some of the day's top medical stories. i'm manuel gallegus, cbs news, new york. >>> a carnival cruise ship stranded in rough seas off the coast of florida finally docked last night. whoo. passengers were tossed around for 12 hours in high wind and 15-foot waves rocking the boat. 2900 passengers and 855-

worker productivity is one reason the anemic jobs picture is not improv improvinge hear from manuel gallegus. >> productivity has improved at anadigics. recession forced the new jersey chip make tore lay off 190 employees, a quarter of its workforce. to survive the downturn, the company streamlined its operation, retrained workers and increased productivity. >> we can do the same amount of production with 20% fewer people. >> reporter: in recession, companies typically cut costs, squeezing more out of each worker. in 2009, there was an unprecedented 7% spike in worker productivity. in recent months, employees, on average, worked longer hours and productivity rose 2.3%. with productivity so high, even as the economy recovers, employers are asking themselves just how many workers do i need to hire back? historically, a rise in productivity predicts the beginning of an economic expansion and some economists say hiring is overdue. >> employers who want to bank on this productivity growth sticking around are playing a dangerous game. because if they don't go out and hire employees, their competit

manuel gallegus, cbs news, new york. >>> tonight, crews are working hard to get rid of all that snow and get it out of times square before the big new year's eve party. so far, they have managed to clear the sidewalks and stage area. they are also testing the confetti that will fall on the estimated crowd of more than a million folks that will watch the crystal ball fall friday night. >>> as if all the flight delays weren't bad enough, travelers will have to pay more next time they fly. several carriers including united, delta, american, and continental are raising fares on domestic flights by $10 each way. increase comes as fuel prices are rising and it takes effect immediately. >>> the ads bombard us everywhere so are those end of the year car deals worth it? that answer in two minutes. ,, ,,,,,,,,,,,,,, computer... soon, it may be the car. ford will launch a feature >>> parents already control the tv and computer and soon, it may be the car radio. ford will launch features that allow parents to block out explicit satellite radio channels like howard stern and the playboy radio. th

manuel gallegus, cbs news, new york. >>> a toyota recall is bound to impact families in our region. >>> and one researcher says there is something hiding in the mona lisa. >>> before we head to break, it's time for the question of the day. being so close to christmas. today's question is about our favorite christmas movie. >> according to a survey, the majority of your american neighbors selected this as the number one christmas movie of all time, home alone, a christmas story or national lampoon's christmas vacation. the time is 4:53. we'll be right back. [ male announcer ] itchy dry scalp? get selsun blue for itchy dry scalp. strong itch-fighters target scalp itch while 5 moisturizers leave hair healthy. selsun blue. got a clue? get the blue. >>> welcome back. in some cases a snowy morning across montgomery, fredericks counties in to howard and prince georges and anne arundel. northern prince georges. little band of snow has been going on the last several hours causing problems. if you park outside you will have to dust off your car. we see some of these blues showing up in montgome

manuel gallegus, cbs news. >> y lisa bet edwards was laid to rest next to her son at a cemetery in raleigh. >>> on the second anniversary of person ard madoff's arrest his elder son hanged himself in his apartment. 46-year-old mark madoff was despondent over news coverage of his father's case. an ongoing criminal investigation of family members including himself. mark madoff and his brother andrew said they were unaware of their father's crimes. >>> diplomat richard holbrook is recovering tonight from heart surgery. the president's special envoy for pakistan collapsed, he underwent surgery for a torn aorta. president obama says he is praying for the veteran diplomat. >>> an opportunity that could literally sail away. why san francisco will have to cup regatta. >>> thousands of wishes come true for the holidays. the massive celebration in southern california. ,,,,,, [ mom ] my son only wanted one toy this year. i want a robosan 4000. [ mom ] the one no one could get. toy stores are reporting long lines and empty shelves. a robosan 4000. [ mom ] and i mean no one. so i did most of my holiday

on the after math of the blizzard ard of 2010 anne mackovic is at sfo but we will begin with manuel gallegus. hello manuel. >> reporter: hello dana and robert. it's still chilly here. it's cooled off. a sunny afternoon but as the sun went down it got cool here, i'm told about 16 degrees with the wind chill. new yorkers are hardy and so are the tourists. you can see the snow piles, they were trampling on them. this is all the depre-that's been scooped up from the avenues and streets here. in the outlying areas it was certainly a lot tougher to get around as well. digging out is no easy task especially when the snow is higher than the blowers. more than two feet fell in parts of the new york metro area new yorking out power to thousands and creating a day of back breaking work for the sha peery family. >> hots of snow, lots of shoveling, but it's fun. we're with my family so i'm happy. >> the blizzard dumped 20" of new york city. most streets are plowed but freezing temperatures are making roads very slick. >> then they are not that good. they are not that good. >> this is a common sight. even

manuel gallegus, has the latest for wjz. >> the attorneys general from 20 states have a message for the president. >> obama care should be stricken down as violating the constitution. >> reporter: attorneys general from florida, texas and alabama, argued in a federal court that congress does not have the constitutional authority to force all americans to buy health insurance, or penalize them if they don't. >> what the judge said is if congress can force you to go out and buy a product like healthcare insurance, congress can force you to go out and eat broccoli because it would be better for your health. >> reporter: they also told the judge, if theys are forced to expand the new medicare law, they'll go broke. >> where are you going to get the money? >> reporter: earlier this week, a judge ruled that citizens cannot be forced to buy health insurance. and supporters here want the florida judge to go even further. to stop the federal government from enacting follow federal healthcare reform. >> reporter: but two federal judges have upheld the law. and dozens of groups are weighing in on

. >> manuel gallegus, wjz eyewitness news. >> and the last time the dome deflated due to snow was 1983. and then it took four days to fix. >>> here in maryland. very cold out there tonight. wjz is live with first warning weather. bob turk and meteorologist bernadette woods have our updated forecast. and we're going to begin outside with bernadette. i see you put your hat on, bern. >> oh, it's time. it's definitely time. and this cold air is going to stick around. take a look at the forecast for tomorrow. we're starting around 23 degrees. with the winds still gusting. and as we head through the afternoon, only topping out around 30 degrees. still windy with the wind chill making it feel like 15 degrees. and we drop back down. there is a chance for scattered snow showers also as we head through the day. here's a look at the rest five- day forecast with bob. >>> and more cold days to tell you about. 32 on wednesday. winds will slowly be diminishing then. back in the teens tonight. 35 on thursday. a chance we'll see little snow in the area. maybe a little rain to our south. it's a little c

manuel gallegus reports. >> reporter: remembering john lennon. >> he was a great man. >> reporter: thousandsby the strawberry fields memorial dedicated to him in central park. ♪ something in the way she moves ♪ >> reporter: all day long there was singing and shared memories. and near the moment of his death, a somber silence. paul mccartney talked about his friend in an interview with the cbs "early show." >> for me to be in new york on this day, really, is something sort of inspirational about it, even though it was, you know, a terrible thing. >> reporter: three days before he was killed in front of the dakota apartments, lennon gave a nine-hour inter view to "rolling stone" magazine. in the aftermath of the shooting, much it went unpublished until now. >> didn't plan to live here. it just kind of happened. >> reporter: that's lennon talking about living in new york. >> we were coming for a short visit. we just never went back. >> reporter: in fact, the 40-year-old was optimistic about his future, saying he had plenty of time left to accomplish his goals. ♪ and the world will be as one ♪ >