And a good cold evening to you on this wednesday night. As we come on the air, half of the country is in a deep freeze. Serious enough that the states are issuing a windchill alert for millions and millions of americans. And its not just a problem for the roads. So many people are stepping out on to the snow and sliding on pure ice. Our extreme weather team, once again, out in force. From the frozen streets to the passengers still stuck at the airports. And well start with abcs gio benitez. Reporter as that bitter winter storm pulled out, people all over the east coast were left digging out. In new england, winds blowing all that snow around, 35mileperhour gusts. Here in plymouth, massachusetts, americas hometown, even that iconic Plymouth Rock is covered in snow. More than 13 inches of snow falling here, enough for this ice cream shop to jokingly put up a sign, see you in spring. People like jeff spooner, clearing snow from in front of businesses. Hes been at it since 6 00 a. M. Youre keeping downtown alive. We are, yeah. Were trying hard. Reporter for the first time in history, philadelphia has had three snowfalls of six inches or more before february. Philly and d. C. Closing schools. But schools were open in new york city, where a new mayor faced a big test, complaints that streets werent plowed quickly enough. If theres any place thats not good enough, were going to keep working. Every hour from this point on to improve it. Reporter city streets, like a skating rink for drivers and pedestrians. And take a look at metlife stadium, home of this years super bowl. Workers clearing the field and the stands. Were treating this as if its pregame and we have to get the bowl cleared. Reporter misery in minnesota, a fresh ground blizzard creating whiteout conditions. The cold and snow also creating beauty in ohio. These are called ice pillars, moonlight reflecting off ice crystals in the air. And were in norwell, massachusetts, the hardesthit area. And take a look. Where im standing right now, were seeing 12 inches of snow. But, diane, this is where the most snow fell, more than 18 inches. 18 inches. Thank you, gio. As gio knows, its happened so often this winter, thousands and thousands of Flights Canceled and delayed. Hitting everyone all across the country, coasttocoast, and not just in the frozen zone. Abcs reena ninan, now, on the fight to get all those planes flying again. Reporter the second, big storm for the northeast in two weeks, turned tarmacs into tundras. Just listen. We got a firsthand look at the allout runway war at dulles airport. This multifunction snowplow behind me clears the runway. It has three devices. A snowplow that moves the snow, a broom, and then, a snowblower. Across america over the past 48 hours, more than 7,300 flight delays. And over 5,000 cancellations. Frozen northeast hubs, some of americas busiest airports, causing a Ripple Effect of passengers stranded nationwide. From maine most of the flights are canceled already. Reporter all the way to los angeles. I was wondering if i would be able to reroute that flight. Reporter a travel nightmare. But for expert travelers, like donna paul you have to roll with the punches. Reporter her secret, find a good spot outside the security gates and camp out there. Its comfortable. I get here early enough to have my starbucks and work before having to go through security. Reporter its hard to forget the images from the last storm. People sleeping everywhere. And these women washing their hair in the bathroom sink. Heres a great tip from the writers at the stuck at the airport blog, if you need to wash up, go to baggage claim. The restrooms there get a lot less use when no planes are landing. 2014 has been horrible for the flying public. Nearly 35,000 Flights Canceled. And its only january. Reena ninan, abc news, Washington Dulles International airport. Thank you, reena. So, how long will the freeze last . Lets bring in abcs meteorologist, ginger zee, with the answer of whats ahead. Ive been looking at the longrange computer models. You want to find your state and look at the color thats over it because this is going to come at us in waves. We start thursday. Tomorrow morning. And you see that 32. Thats the blue line at the bottom. Were going to put it in motion. And watch where the cold sticks around. For friday morning, that white color all throughout the northeast, all the way down to kentucky and tennessee, is zero. We get a little break on saturday. But another punch monday. Check that out. 20 below zero is the navy color up in the northern plains. That sticks around for wednesday and early thursday, too. Diane . All right, ginger. And the whole team covering the cold again tonight. And next here, now, the big story about security at the olympics in sochi, two weeks away. Weve heard the worry of Law Enforcement. But today, we finally hear from some of the american athletes, trying to concentrate on gold medals but forced to think about something else, too. Abcs chief investigative correspondent, brian ross, with the latest now. Reporter they are still more than 6,000 miles and 2 weeks away from sochi. But security concerns are clearly weighing on the u. S. Athletes competing to go to the olympics, including the Olympic Ski Jump team, whose first three female members were announced today in salt lake city. The only thing i said to my family was, bring a jacket that doesnt scream america. Reporter for athletes who race down a 350foothigh ski jump without fear to qualify for the olympics, theres not a lot that scares them. Security isnt my top concern. I hope everybody goes there for the right reasons. We try to be safe. Were big fans of the buddy system on our team. Other than that, were going to be pretty sheltered, staying in the village where we are. Reporter in a case of what may be just security jitters, the olympic teams of the u. S. And five other countries today turned over Law Enforcement troubling email messages they had receive about possible attacks. And even the White House Press security addressed the threat environment today. We have seen an uptick in threat reporting prior to the olympics, which is, of course, of concern. Reporter in sochi, today, still no success by russian authorities in tracking down the suspected female suicide bomber, who authorities believe is already in sochi. Diane . Okay. Thank you, brian. Well stay overseas right now for the rough start in the peace talks in syria. The highstakes meeting to end the war thats cost 100,000 lives. Today, the talks were overshadowed by searing and powerful photos. And a warning, some of them may be difficult to see. Heres abcs chief foreign correspondent, terry moran. Reporter images of the horrors of war in syria. After nearly 3 years of killing, more than 100,000 dead. Millions of refugees. And now, this at the opening of the peace conference in switzerland, an Opposition Leader brandished graphic images, allegedly showing mass torture and murder by the regime of president bashar al assad. Reportedly smuggled out of syria by a defector from assads military police. The photos, which are extremely difficult to look at, show what a team of International Investigators claim is graphic evidence of war crimes. 55,000 photos in all. The photographs show systematic starvation, beatings, torture, that is unimaginable and certainly not mentionable on this program. Reporter the assad regime called the photos a hoax, and pointed out the investigation was funded by their enemy, the nation of qatar. Secretary of state kerry called for a u. N. Investigation. The questions raised by this require an answer. Reporter these latest allegations of war crimes against the assad regime cast a shadow over the peace talks that began today, which mark the first time the two sides in syria have sat down facetoface. There is blood on all hands in this war. So, theres deep pessimism that anything concrete will come out of the talks. Even while they were bickering in switzerland all day, they were still dying in syria. Terry moran, abc news, london. And back here, at home tonight, an update. A surprising turn in a case that made headlines across this country. Youll remember the older man accused of shooting a young father who was texting the babysitter during the movie preview . Well, tonight, abcs matt gutman tells us about the new twist in his defense. Reporter nicole oulson, speaking out for the first time, describes the moment her husband, chad, was killed after texting in a movie theater. And just to think that in the blink of an eye, my whole world just got shattered into a million pieces. And now, im left trying to pick them up. Reporter the oulsons were enjoying a rare night out. I was so excited and looking forward to spending the day with the love of my life. Reporter before the movie started, the screen lit up with that nowfamiliar announcement turn your phones off. This is the most important scene and your cell phone rings . Reporter chad oulson sent one last text to the babysitter. And prosecutors say that annoyed the man sitting behind him, retired Police Captain curtis reeves. Police say the two men started arguing. Then, stood up. At that point, oulson threw popcorn at reeves. Reeves pulled his handgun, fired and killed oulson. Reeves was charged with seconddegree murder. Hes now claiming selfdefense. He was hit in the face with an unknown object. At that point in time, he has every right to defend himself. Reporter but attorney Mark Eiglarsh says that wont hold water. The problem is, popcorn, traditionally isnt recognized as a deadly weapon. Reporter reeves lawyers are likely to invoke the stand your ground law. Add to that, under florida law, there are harsher penalties for those who attack people over 65. Reeves is 71. But the issue is what kind of condition is he in . Is he a frail 71 . Or is he somebody who could fight off someone if needed and doesnt need to pull out a weapon under those circumstances . Reporter he faces up to life in prison, if convicted. Matt gutman, abc news, miami. And today marks 41 years since roe versus wade made the decision to have an abortion legal in the united states. But divided passions still run strong. And thousands of people in tendegree weather joined their annual demonstration against the Supreme Court ruling in washington. President obama said, today, quote, every woman should have the right to make her own choices about her body and her health. And a big warning, tonight, about the car you may be driving. A new report shows those really small cars on the road may be a risk if youre in a crash. Only 1 car out of 11 passed a tough, new test. Which one . Abcs Clayton Sandell gets behind the wheel tonight. Reporter minicars can be big fun. Squeezing into small spaces. But in a crash, not so much. In a new test of how minicars held up in front corner collisions, the Insurance Institute for highway safety, found 11 models, mostly rated marginal or poor. The worst, the honda fit and the fiat 500. If youre shopping for safety, you really shouldnt be looking at one of the smallest vehicle segments in the market. Reporter only one minicar, the chevy spark, scored an acceptable rating. Highstrength steel that makes the passenger compartment stronger, along with seat belts that held the driver in place, reducing injuries, earning the car a top safety pick. Were tall guys. Are we going to fit in this car . Today in colorado we took the spark for a test drive. Smaller cars in general, are becoming much more popular. Reporter theres nearly 4 million minicars on the road. But in a crash, theyre often at a disadvantage against bigger cars. Just compare the numbers. This suburban is 18 feet long and 7,400 pounds. The spark, on the other hand, 12 feet long, and only about 2,300 pounds. Tonight, several manufacturers told us they are committed to safety and are reviewing the results, noting their cars have done well in other tests. Honda told us, they are completely redesigning the fit to be much safer. So that in a crash like this, everyone survives. Clayton sandell, abc news, denver. And up next, tonight, once again, we try to help you find real money for american families. Is fast food really fast . Our real money challenge, drivethrough headtohead. Watch the clock. Join the challenge, in a moment. Were back in two minutes. This. To prove to you that aleve is the better choice for him, hes agreed to give it up. Thats today . [ male announcer ] well be with him all day as he goes back to taking tylenol. I was okay, but after lunch my knee started to hurt again. And now ive got to take more pills. Yup. Another pill stop. Can i get my aleve back yet . For my pain, i want my aleve. [ male announcer ] look for the easyopen red arthritis cap. My feet felt so heavy at the they used to get really tired. Until i started gellin. I got dr. Scholls massaging gel insoles. When theyre in my shoes, my feet and legs feel less tired. Its like walking on a wave. Dr. Scholls massaging gel insoles. Im a believer or treat gas with these after you get it. Now thats like sunblock before or sun burn cream later. Oh, somebody out theres saying, now i get it take beano before and therell be no gas. On tonights real money, we all tend to think a trip to the fast food drivethrough will save time, even money. So, are you ready for the fast food challenge . Abcs Dave Zinczenko shows you how the money can stay in your wallet. Reporter hi, evelyn. Evelyn molina has a confession to make. So, you eat out a lot, huh . Yeah. Reporter this miami mommy blogger is leaving life in the fast food lane. Chinese takeout last night. Chicken fingers for lunch. Evelyn and her husband, nick, are spending 300 a week on fast food. You think its faster to eat fast food . Right. Reporter and so many families think so, too. But is it really saving them time . We decided to put a clock on it with bradley herron, executive chef at the Genuine Hospitality group. Heres whats going to happen. Nick and i are going to hit a drivethrough. Youre going to whip up something with chef bradley, mom. And were going to see who can do it faster. Here we go, one, two, three. And were off. Were going to cut those into wedges. Reporter testing speed and cost. We head to the molinas favorite drivethrough spot, just three miles away. While chef bradley shows mom how to cook up a dinner, just as tasty. They cook fast while we choose fast food at pollo tropical. Thats it. Reporter chef tells mom to slice everything extra thin. By cutting it thin, it will cook quick. Reporter cutting the cooking time in half, to just eight minutes. They slice while were still waiting in line. And Cooking Fresh is always faster than defrosting. We finally order. Can i get a full chicken, with rice and beans . Reporter and go through two more windows. There you go. Reporter 20 minutes. Come on. Reporter to get our dinner. Thank you. Reporter who will win this fast food challenge . Home stretch. Dinners ready. Reporter dad at 31 minutes. But mom wins it at just 22. Im amazed. Im really amazed. Reporter and the cost . 22 for the drivethrough. 12 for a homecooked meal. I underestimated the amount of time i actually spend to go pick something up. Reporter you saved like 50 . Right. Reporter and you still have leftovers. Right. Reporter just by cutting their fast food habit by two dinners a week, the molinas can save 2,200 this year. And the captain of the challenge, Dave Zinczenko, is here. Thats a lot of money saved on two meals a week. It is, diane. As we pointed out, it is 2,200 a year. This is a changed family, saving real money. So, you had a chef there. But anybody can try this, you say. He kept it easy for them. So, they can continue it on after the fact. And she says shes going to . She says shes going to. And her husband, nick, says its a winwin for everybody. Okay. Thank you so much, dave. Thank you, diane. Great to have you here. We have some real money tips, by the way, on ways to save at the grocery store. Just check them out at abcnews. Com. And speaking of groceries, just ahead. Are you ready for a shocking truth about an american classic tonight . Froot loops . Can it be . Our instant index. At 25th and hoffman. And the little room above the strip mall off roble avenue. This magic moment it is the story of where every great idea begins. And of those who believed they had the power to do more. Dell is honored to be part of some of the worlds great stories. That began much the same way ours did. In a little dorm room 2713. This magic moment as you age, you may not get all the nutrition you need to stay active. Try boost® nutritional drink. It helps fill nutritional gaps in your diet. Each delicious serving provides 10 grams of protein to help maintain muscle, and 26 vitamins and minerals, including calcium and vitamin d to support bone health. Among those who expressed a preference, doctors prefer the nutritional profile of boost® over ensure shake. Help get the nutrition you need with boost® nutritional drink. This has been medifacts for boost® nutritional drink. I took my son fishing every year. We had a great spot, not easy to find, but worth it. But with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. So my doctor prescribed symbicort. It helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes. Symbicort doesnt replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. With symbicort, today im breathing better. And that means. Fish on [ female announcer ] symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. It should not be taken more than twice a day. Symbicort contains formoterol. Medicines like formoterol increase the risk of death from asthma problems. Symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. Tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high Blood Pressure before taking it. [ man ] with copd, i thought id miss our family tradition. Now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. And that makes a difference in my breathing. Today were ready for whatever swims our way. Ask your doctor about symbicort. I got my first prescription free. Call or click to learn more. Afghanistan, in 2009. Orbiting the moon in 1971. [ male announcer ] once its earned, usaa Auto Insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. Because it offers a superior level of protection. And because usaas commitment to serve current and former military members and their families is without equal. Begin your legacy. Get an Auto Insurance quote. Usaa. We know what it means to serve. So, tonights instant index basically asks, can you handle the truth . First up, admit it, you love the iconic couple of the 70s. The captain and tennille and those electric clothes. Their big hit, love will keep us together, apparently wasnt enough. Tonight, its over. Stop, cause i really love you stop, ive been thinking of you look in my heart and let love keep us together we have learned that tennille has filed for divorce after 38 years of marriage. We have another tough dose of reality, tonight, all over the internet. The colorful froot loops, lime green, orange, purple, blue, red, yellow, are in fact the same flavor. The Kelloggs Company says its one blend of all flavors. Its always been that way. And you might want to take a blindfold to the breakfast table to prove it to yourself. And this photo, tonight, in the news. Bruce springsteens youngest son, sam, a 20yearold new jersey firefighter. He graduated firefighter training last week. And his mom, patty, posted this picture with proud. Ourfamilyhero. Youll remember that springsteen honored the 9 11 firefighters with his anthem, into the fire. May your hope bring us hope may your love bring us love and coming up next, right here, we bring you the latest on our story about the deaf football star about to go to the super bowl. And now, his two, biggest fans. Go, seahawks. They wrote to tell him hes their hero because he makes them think they can do anything, too. Feet. Splashing. Better things than the joint pain and swelling of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. If youre trying to manage your ra, now may be the time to ask about xeljanz. Xeljanz tofacitinib is a small pill, not an injection or infusion, for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well. Xeljanz can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. Serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers have happened in patients taking xeljanz. Dont start xeljanz if you have any infection, unless ok with your doctor. Tears in the stomach or intestines, low blood cell counts and higher liver tests and cholesterol levels have happened. Your doctor should perform blood tests before you start and while taking xeljanz, and routinely check certain liver tests. Tell your doctor if you have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common, and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, and if you are pregnant, or plan to be. Taken twice daily, xeljanz can reduce the joint pain and swelling of moderate to severe ra, even without methotrexate. Ask if xeljanz is right for you. Of moderate to severe ra, even without methotrexate. With freshly bakedeve in whole grain bread. Right then we add allnatural eggs. Lean antibioticfree ham. And vermont white cheddar. Get 16 grams of protein and 23 grams of whole grain in the breakfast power sandwich. But with less energy, moodiness, and a low sex drive, i had to do something. I saw my doctor. A blood test showed it was low testosterone, not age. We talked about axiron the only underarm low t treatment that can restore t levels to normal in about two weeks in most men. Axiron is not for use in women or anyone younger than 18 or men with prostate or breast cancer. Women, especially those who are or who may become pregnant, and children should avoid contact where axiron is applied as unexpected signs of puberty in children or changes in body hair or increased acne in women may occur. Report these symptoms to your doctor. Tell your doctor about all medical conditions and medications. Serious side effects could include increased risk of prostate cancer, worsening prostate symptoms, decreased sperm count, ankle, feet or body swelling, enlarged or painful breasts, problems breathing while sleeping and blood clots in the legs. Common side effects include skin redness or irritation where applied, increased red blood cell count, headache, diarrhea, vomiting, and increase in psa. Ask your doctor about axiron. Last week, we told you about the amazing spirit of Derrick Coleman, the football star heading to the super bowl. He is deaf. And impossibly, he does it all by reading lips. Now, abcs Neal Karlinsky tells us about two 9yearold girls who agree hes great. At the game, and at life. Reporter Seattle SeahawksDerrick Coleman never imagined what would happen when his life as a legally deaf nfl player was used in this duracell battery commercial last week. They told me it couldnt be done. That i was a lost cause. I was picked on. It was hard. Sometimes i went home crying to my mom. No matter what she said, i was still feeling bad. Reporter today, coleman is a powerhouse. An nfl star who reads lips on the field. Watch as the quarterback turns just so coleman can see him talk. Russell wilson turned around and mouthed the audible to him. Reporter 9yearold Riley Kovalcik and her twin sister, erin, are both hearing impaired. And they were transfixed. Finally, there was someone who understood their problem. So, riley wrote him a letter. I know how you feel. I also have hearing aids. Just try your best. I have faith in you, derrick. Their dad tweeted the letter out. And wouldnt you know it, today, coleman, who is just 23 years old and headed for the super bowl, wrote them back. I want you to know that i always try my best in everything i do and have faith in you and your sister, too. Even though we wear hearing aids, we can still accomplish our goals and dreams. Hes a big star football player. If he was bullied, i cant believe he got this far. Its just amazing. When you see somebody thats been through the struggles the same as you are, and i tell them, i did it. Reporter Come Super Bowl sunday, Derrick Coleman will be there, hearing aids on. Just like kids everywhere, and proud. Neal karlinsky, abc news, seattle. And we thank you so much for watching. Were always online. Nightline will be here later. And world news will be right back here again tomorrow night. Good night. Live Team Coverage of a Fatal Shooting of a bart officer. A new spike in the number of bay area flu fatalities. Violence driving the death toll to new heights. The governor declares a cal come back in his state of the state address the sign of what is still to come this year . And a 0 calorie sweetener. Why manufacturers cannot get enough of it. Sky 7 the scene of a big rig accident. Just east of livermore. The truck spilled oil all over the road that stretches a half mile. Eastbound lanes near flynn road north. You can see a long line of cars in this area. Lets show you the map of the area. Crews clean up oil. Take a look at the back up tonight. Reporting continues on twitter. Good evening, im dan ashley. We have learned tonight that a fallen bart detective killed in the apartment of a man that had been arrested. Tom smith, a 23year veteran was shot to death when seven others at the scene. Abc7 news and nick smith are live. Its been a sad day after a tragic event. Investigators are now spoken with officers. They may have video from cameras worn by officers and know its going to take a long time to get to the bottom of what happened. How it happened, why it happened. One day after this scene in dublin, investigators still have questions about