worsen, making it unsafe for our firefighters to be inside. >> the family members, what they're dealing with, the shock. the anguish, and the pain of loss. >> reporter: a memorial has started to gun for the six victims, including a 9-year- old, a 3-year-old and a 1-year- old. around the mess that is left behind. >> could feel her loss. they won't feel it. >> it's just sweet people. it's going to be missed. and it's sad. because it's almost christmas. you know? god rest their soul. >> now, the city is providing hotels for those people who were displaced and is looking to find them, longer-term housing, while these homes are fixed. you we're also told by the fire department that one nearby fire house was closed due to rotating budget closures. but that does not affect response time. they got here in just three minutes. reporting live in east baltimore, mike hellgren, wjz eyewitness news. mary? >> all right, mike. thank you. authorities are still trying to determine the cause of the fire. as mike mentioned, intense winds that made that fire tough to battle. and tonight, the same dangerous weather lingers over maryland. the wind chill made the cold tough to bear. but there could be relief. weernlg could be live with first warning weather. bob turk and meteorologist bernadette woods are dating wind chill. >> they just dropped the wind advisory that was going to be in effect until 10:00. they have come down. but woo still have out to the west of us, winter storm warnings for garrett county. wind chills out there can get as low as 20 below zero, believe it or not. as far as the winds go, they are coming down just a little bit. right now, at 20, 20 in oakland. 21 in easton. and d.c. 16 in ocean city. we had wind gusts as high as 40 miles an hour, earlier today. bernadette in the outback. she's got a look at those temperatures and the current wind chills. bernadette? >> that's right. it's brought in the cold air. and take a look at the numbers that we're dealing with. we only got to 20 degrees for our high. we're still sitting at 25 in baltimore. 9 in oakland. when you factor in the wind, and it's been gusting, this is what it feels like. 11 in baltimore now. minus 11 in oakland. and it's not just us. look how much of the country is suffering from extreme cold. it cuts out all the way over in the eastern half of the country. so there's a lot going on. it's going to stick around for a while. and we'll have a forecast coming up. right now, back inside. >> stay with wjz for first warning weather coverage. wjz is always on. for live doppler radar, the latest closings and delays, log onto wjz.com. a terror plot foiled on facebook. tonight, authorities have an arlington man in custody. he allegedly told that he could use a pipe bomb. that facebook friend contacted the fbi. a judge has ordered him to stay in custody until a mental evaluation is complete. >> a a new twist in the death of a baltimore teen. investigators think he stowed away in a wheel well in a plane and then fell to his death. but tonight, his mother finds that hard to believe. vic is in the newsroom with her statement. >> reporter: he was afraid of heights. that's what his mother is now saying about the teenager. teenager. tisdale was found dead in boston. the 16-year-old was living near north carolina. investigators think he stowed away on a flight headed for boston. when the plane landed its gear, tisdale fell out. tisdale's mother says that the teen wanted to come back to baltimore, he could have just called. mary, back to you. >> all right, vic. thank you. tisdale's family says it will not be able to move forward with their lives until they know more about what happened to him. word of a multimillion- dollar lawsuit from the only survivor of maryland's medivac crash. jordan wells is suing for $50 million. the suit accuses faa air traffic controls of providing crews with outdated information. it also alleges they didn't dispatch an adequate search and rescue for the crash. the ntsb recently concluded a combination of factors which included outdated information. tonight, a teen is asking a judge to let him go home on home detention. suzanne collins explains, the 16-year-old has been in custody for a year and a half. suzanne? >> reporter: well, kai. the victim, christopher jones, was beaten. he fell off his bike and died. and his mother said today, it is just too early to let the boy who struck the first blow out on home detention. >> reporter: jennifer atkins and her sister make their way hesitantly into the anne arundel courthouse. her son, christopher jones, was killed in the summer of 2009 by a group of juveniles who beat him when they encountered him on his bike. now, the teen who the first punch, wants to get out of a locked detention facility and come out on supervised probation. >> it's been really hard, especially with it being christmastime. and not having chris here with us. and then to have to deal with, you know, the possibility of this kid getting out of jail so prematurely. >> reporter: the juvenile who is now 16, told the judge by phone, from the detention facility in michigan, that he has matured and even leads younger youth there in doing the right thing. but the report shows he also has been in trouble for cursing and argue and having a negative attitude. the victim's father says it's too early for relief. >> people in anne arundel county would be outraged. >> i mean, how would you like him coming home and playing with your kids? >> reporter: based on the testimony, the teen would like him locked up. but he wants update. the public defender says the boy's parents would like to have him closer. >> they would love for him to be able to come home. they have been visiting him as regularly as they can. >> reporter: christopher jones' mother is glad relief has been delayed. chris isn't coming back. i mean, tray did kill him. but he is a child. and inevitably, he will be released from jail. and it's best that he be rehabilitated. >> reporter: now, an alternate plan to transfer the boy to a lock would facility here in maryland was nixed by the judge. the judge said they don't offer enough therapy. and the maryland facilities have a poor reputation. back to you on tv hill, kai. >> all right, suzanne, thank you. a judge could decide to keep the teen in custody until he's 21. gop chairman michael steele is not calling it quits. he has officially launched his re-election campaign. he has asked for a second term. he already has several challenges for the job. it will all be put to a volt in mid-january. concern tonight about whether or not the ravens are ready for the play-offs. the team pulled off a narrow overtime win that left fans on the edge of their seats. sports director mark viviano, live at wjz.com, with what people are saying today about the ravens, mark. >> reporter: and they are talking, mary. as you know. the ravens victory, a roller coaster ride, had fans calling into my radio station today, voicing concerns, like the ravens had lost the game. another example of the uncertain, unpredictable nature of the nfl in general. and the ravens in particular. >> reporter: the game had everything the ravens could have wanted. three touchdowns by the offense in the first half. a sign of life after the struggles against the steelers. then to start the second half, an historic kick return by david reed. the rookie brings it back, 103 yards. and baltimore had houston down by 3 touchdowns. but the ravens' primetime party was put on hold. the texans were down, but certainly not done. delivering a stunning rally against the ravens' defense. matt schaub's two touchdown passes, plus a two-point conversion in the 40 quarter, and a monday night miracle for houston, became a nightmare for the ravens. >> reporter: in overtime, just before midnight, the ravens' defense redeemed itself with a game-winning play, delivered by josh wilson, who picked off the pass and carried it into the understand zone to put a cap on a crazy night. a 34-28 overtime win. >> it's the hero of the game. made a play. >> situation. in overtime. in december in a play-off hunt. >> when you're up by the amount of points we were, you don't like to have these kind of games. >> to give that up is pretty big for us. >> the ravens breathe a sigh of relief and bring home a victory, with our wjz fan cam. we ask you, have you ever been so worried during a ravens win? >> they were really lucky to win that game. and they're going to have to do a lot better than that. >> i'm looking at my defense. people are starting to be able to just pass on us a lot, too. it kind of worries me. >> we could beat any team that is nfl. we could make it to the super bowl and win. but not the way we're playing right now, offensively. >> reporter: as always, some high expectations here in charm city. even with a 9-4 record, as you can hear, you fans are worried. that play-off push is continued when the new orleans saints come to town. more from the players coming up later on in sports. mary, back to you for now. mark, thank you. the ravens are favored by just a point over the saints. still ahead on eyewitness news at 5:00. a 12-year-old, taken thousands of miles from her home. tonight, her emotional return to virginia. i'm alex demetrick. coming up, an air attack on freezing weather. that story as eyewitness news continues. the orioles scored big for local inner city students. making sure their holiday season is full of fun. maryland bundles up. bob turk is tracking the chilly temperatures. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, a big win in court today for the wikileaks founder, julian assange. a. >> reporter: ruled to let him out. but a late rule means he won't get out for a few more days. >> reporter: supporter of wikileaks founder julian assange rallied after a judge granted him bail. he spent a week in jail, on swedish sex abuse charges. but two hours later, swedish judges asked the judge to deny bail because the charges are so serious. assange will stay in jail until the british high court hears the appeal, which happens friday. >> they clearly will spare no expense but to keep mr. assange into jail. >> the judge had set bail at $310,000. a number of celebrity supports -- supporters offered to put up the cash, including film director, michael moore. >> he will have to wear an electronic tag to report to police every evening. >> reporter: supporters accuse the u.s. of pressing sweden to extradite assange from britain. making it easier for the wikileaks leader. >> we think he is being penalized for what he has told about government secrets. >> reporter: "time" magazine's online readers have chosen him person of the year. after the hearing, a police van brought assange back to the london prison, where he'll wait for the court's decision. charlie d'agata, cbs news, london. >> assange's lawyer says he is being kept in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day. and he's not allowed on the internet at all. if you're waiting for somebody to get home from work, let's check on the roads with kristy breslin, live at wjz traffic control. >> reporter: and definitely slowing down out there. northbound 95, now heavy there from mulaski highway to the harbor tunnel through way. and brake lights it whitemarsh to the beltway on that northeast corner. if you're on the north side outer loop, watch out for slow traffic there, dulaney valley to charles street. average speed, 30 miles an hour. west side inner loop, congestion. westbound 70, heavy there from 29 to marriottsville road. and we have an accident to watch out for that is beaver dam at warren road. also some congestion on harrisburg expressway in the northbound direction from shawon to belfast. and you can see brake lights 50 eastbound to sandy point. and a lot of congestion. area police are arresting a bunch of drunk drivers. checkpoint strike force.net, back to you. the cold that has plunged maryland into a deep freeze extends deep into the south. that placed florida crops in jeopardy. alex demetrick reports, it is forcing growers there to do what maryland does when frost threatens, attack it from above. >> reporter: in maryland, a cold snap in spring is a big worry. especially as plants start budding out. >> we're just looking to make sure we don't have any frost crystals forming on the leaves. >> reporter: thanks to helicopters. as the rotors spin, they pulled down warmer air from above, to counter cold are air on the ground. >> the frost could damage the buds. >> reporter: neil landing of advanced helicopter concepts, does it. >> flew from about midnight until about 8:15 in the morning. there was seven helicopters on that. it gets to be kind of crazy. >> tonight, in florida, a lot more helicopters will be flying over fields of produce and grain. unlike oranges, where ice is used to protect juice, sweet corn and strawberries need warmer air. >> there's no bigger risk than a farmer in a freeze. >> i've been told that if we don't get them and stay on them, they could lose as much as 80% of their crop in one night. >> passes over this section. and a couple of passes on the other side, on that other hill. >> and in maryland. might just fly in florida. >> alexalex demetrick, wjz eyewitness news. >> and using helicopters to beat the cold and cost a grower anywhere from $350 an hour to $1,000. that's for each shopper. >> wow. >> yep. >> this is the second cold wave in the last two weeks in florida. this week was 32 in palm beach. >> it's 50 in miami now. but 68 in denver. completely turn it upside down. >> we call that whacka doo weather. >> wind chill around 10 degrees. take a look at temps now. we are still very, very cold. 23. winds west at 18. and the humidity is still quite low. the barometer on the rise. we'll come back and look at a still cold wednesday after this. ,,,, ring ring. progresso. oh yes hi. can you put my grandma on the phone please? thanks. excuse me a sec. another person calling for her grandmother. she thinks it's her soup huh? i'm told she's in the garden picking herbs. she is so cute. okay i'll hold. she's holding. wha? (announcer) progresso. you gotta taste this soup. so, you can eat them right here... or eat green giant beans at home... ...frozen within 8 hours to lock in nutrients. up to you. [ green giant ] ho ho ho ♪ green giant. we're trying to look for positives about the cold. i guess we can say forget the stink bugs. stink bugs have had it. let's take a look at winds. that has been the major factor. and that seems to be -- when it gets this kind of cold around here, we've got to deal with the winds. 18-mile-an-hour winds here. 21 in oakland. 14 in ocean city. winds tonight, generally between 10 to 15. not quite as strong as they were today or last night at this particular time. we were at 23 degrees now. 25 in washington. 26 in ocean city. the cold spot as it normally is. oakland is at 70 degrees above zero. but the wind chill is down to 13 below zero. 19 in baltimore. mine in pax river. and 14, the hot spot in ocean city. if you can call it that. we have a couple of quick systems to talk about. one is going to be on wednesday night and thursday. we may just be in a little area of snow. most of it most of it south of our system. we have two systems to watch. and since we'll be dominated by this cold air, there is a possibility we could see some accumulation of show on monday. not all of the models are in agreement. it's possible. we just want to let you know that something could happen here on sunday. for thursday, it doesn't look like a big deal. this is a pretty weak system. but a little mixed rain and snow down here. and since we'll be in the very northern edge of it, probably the mason-dixon line maybe a flake will fall. but a possibility across much of maryland. light dusting to maybe an inch of snow here on thursday. so be watching that. now, this weekend, as i mentioned, don't know where this low is going to end up. it could head right out to sea. it could come up the coast. if it comes up the coast and recurs, then we'll get some of that tributic moisture into the cold air. and you can see some accumulation of snow across the east here on sunday. don't know yet. so just want to let you know, it's possible. and it is a long way off at this point. on the bay, gusty winds. so tonight, a few spots might see a very widely scattered flurry. otherwise, partly cloudy. cold. 18. and still breezy tomorrow. let's call it again, windy, cold. not as windy as today. mixture of clouds and sunshine. and tomorrow's high, a little warmer than today. only up to 20. 4 degrees warmer. 32. just wait until it gets to normal temperatures. 46 will feel warm. >> it sure will. >> you got me all choked up. orioles' magic can play today. the team hosted the holday party. it is a mixture of games, food and fun. itself the seen to spread holiday cheer. dozens of students in baltimore city spent the day at dave and buster's in the arundel city mall. >> we get to eat and have fun. >> pitcher koji uehara signed autographs. as third baseman mark reynolds took aim. the games were free. the food served up by players. and... the gift delivered straight from santa. a -- aka, former o's tich pitcher, scott macgregor. >> for one day of the year, they get everything. they're pampered. they get to play games, get to eat good. they get gifts. it's just the magic of christmas. >> reporter: each student also goes home with a new baseball and mitt for outdoor play when the weather warms up. a day of treats for the deserving student. each selected to attend based on school attendance, good behavior and grades. >> it's a way to honor them for being a cut above the normal. and this time of year, it's pretty easy to get their attention with a party. and i'll let a little secret out. it's probably as much fun or more for us. we get to see their face when they get an award. because so often, it gets overlooked. >> merry christmas, everybody. >> and this year's event marks the 32nd year for the orioles' holiday party for children from economically-disadvantaged areas. a different school is selected every year. >> they were all hugging santa. >> they were. >> cute kids. >> sweet. straight ahead. las vegas heist. how one man walked out of a casino with thousands. and the nominees are... find out which shows are up for a golden globe. slots at arundel mills. why you'll see them sooner than you think. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, it is 5:29. 23 degrees and partly cloudy out there tonight. good evening, everybody. thanks for staying with eej's eyewitness news. here are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. this time next year, there will be an added attraction at an arundel mills mall. slot machines. the cordish company has figured out a way to draw in the dollars even before its permanent facility at the mall is built. pat warren has more on the plan for us. >> reporter: that's right. the urgency to get slots up and running isn't all on the part of the cordish company. the state has a stake in this, too. >> on a role. >> the state, too, could be on a role. once one slot is open. they have generated $21 million since it opened in december. and ocean downs is slated to open january 4th. but the state most eagerly awaits. with a license of 4,050 machines. >> we're going to be busy. >> while the cordish company works on its permanent slots facility at this location, it's going to open a gaming garage. that is a parking garage. the facility will be equipped with 2,000 slot machines so the games will begin a year ahead of the casino. >> reporter: slots issue among residents seems to be played out. >> i think it's going to be good. >> in the long run, i think i'll be happy. [ laughter ] >> reporter: well, i think it's going to the schools. which personally, i think is overfunded anyway. >> reporter: if it keeps our taxes down anyway, it's a good idea. >> there are a lot of fingers in that pot. >> it means the counties get their money. the tracks and the horse industry get their money. and most importantly, the state education fund will get a fortune. it will help them with this deficit that they're wrestling with in annapolis. >> of course, that's all contingent on getting people to play. >> reporter: and to that end, the cordish company says this won't be a cob crete bunker looking place. it's going to be a first class casino. >> it could be open in 10 months or less. back at home, a virginia girl vanishes. then turns up alive in california. denise is live with details of her emotional homecoming. >> reporter: her father calls it the happiest day of his life. brittany may smith was missing after her mother was found dead in their home. the 12-year-old was traveling with her mother's boyfriend, 32- year-old jeffrey scott easley. police are investigating the death of jeffly -- of brittany's mother as a hondle. legal experts say they are not surprised that a man accused of murdering a uva lacrosse player will probably not face the death penalty. the examiner reports that prosecutors do not plan to seek a death penalty against george huguely. he is accused in the murder of yeardley love. jack ford is not surprised by word of negotiations and that plea deals are more common than not. >> reporter: there's certain factors that sort of lend themselves to a case -- you have to remember, an overwhelming number do. but this is not one where the defender is saying, wasn't me. >> reporter: the case is expected to be settled before trial. huguely is scheduled to appear in court on january 21st. gulf coast residents could get a quick payoff from the company if they waive their right to sue. it is aimed at people and businesses satisfied with the emergency compensation they received so far. it's also for those who file claims. businesses would get $25,000 within two weeks. the white house is mourning the loss of veteran diplomat richard holbrook. he died monday just days after undergoing surgery for a torn aorta. he was 69. nicknamed the bulldozer, holbrook is known for his forceful persona. and an ability to work with politicians, minors and even war lords. >> yesterday, america lost one of the most talented and dedicated diplomats it has ever produced. richard holbrook began his service as a young foreign service officer in gentlemen. the story career that followed spanned the globe and will remain an integral part of the diplomatic history of our nation. >> reporter: holbrook is best known for brokering the end of the bosnia war at the end of 1995. . senators are inching closer to the tax cut deal. many democrats in the house still aren't on board. but leading lawmakers predict, it's just a matter of time. joel brown reports for wjz from washington. >> the clerk will call the role. >> reporter: tuesday's debate gave senators one last chance to have their say on the controversial compromise that is all but guaranteed to pass. >> if we wait until next year to pass a bill, we are going to throw this economy into upheaval. >> reporter: most republican senators support the agreement that extends unemployment benefits for 13 months and cuts payroll taxes. in exchange, democrats won't block an extension of bush-era tax cuts to people in upper income brackets. each side said it didn't get everything it wanted. but time and options are running out. we can't afford to wait until we get everything we want. we cannot let the perfect be the enemy of the good. >> reporter: the bill still faces what promises to be a much tougher fight in the house. liberal democrats haven't been shy about blasting the deal hammered out between the president and republicans. they say it favors the rich. >> reporter: after the bill's success in the senate, the white house is urging house democrats not to stand in the way. >> the president has had good conversations. and i think we're on a path toward getting this agreement through the house. >> reporter: leading democrats in the house say they expect the bill will ultimately pass, but aren't ruling out changes. amendments that republicans warn could ruin the compromise. there's not much wiggle room if there's no deal by the end of the year. everyone's taxes will go up. in washington, joel brown, wjz eyewitness news. once the senate passes, the white house is expected to push lawmakers to turn their attention to a new missile treaty with russia. ya hoo is laying off as many as 700 workers, beginning as early as today. they are being blamed on the company's lackluster growth. it's ya hoo's fourth in the past years. this week's round of reductions is expected to be in the u.s. products group division. time now for a quick look at some of the stories you'll find in the baltimore sun. is maryland prepared for a health emergency, such as an epidemic? plans move forward from dundalk to -- dundalk to a waterfront in the city. and tom clancy is buying more penthouses. for these and more, remember to look for the updated forecast from wjz's first warning weather team. the hollywood awards season is getting under way. the golden globe nominations were announced today. who made the list. sandra hughes made the less. >> i'm your king. >> reporter: the british drama about king george vi, had the most golden globe nods with 7. >> actually quite good fun. >> reporter: that includes nominations for collin firgt, helen obonham carter. and geoffrey rush. >> people want to go on the internet and check out their best friends. >> reporter: the others include associate network, the fighter, inception and black swan. natalie portman plays a ballerina in black swan. and she's already getting buzz for oscar nods. but she's already facing tough competition. >> reporter: tied with six nominations each, facebook flick, the social network. and the gritty boxing drama, the fighter. >> reporter: both stars up for best actor, along with collin firgts, jess ranko, and ryan goz lin. >> where is the bottom of the boat? >> bottom of the canal. >> johnny depp also got two nods for his roles in alice in wonderland and the tourist. and on the small screen -- >> you are piercing the fifth amendment right. >> reporter: cbs'sed" goodwife" is up for three golden globes. "glee" his five nods. and amc drama is going for a fourth in a row. >> the golden globes will be given out january 16th. still to come tonight on wjz's eyewitness news at 5:00. holiday shopping advice. the hot toys every kid is asking for. big cleanup. a closer look at the weather disaster at the metro dome. >> bob turk, first warning weather center. when will the winds and intense cold subside. i'll have the cluive first warning five-day forecast. here's todaya report from wall street. we'll be right back. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, zoo shut down at noon because it was too cold to visit. and workers to stay outside. when the temperatures drop, they plan to reopen tomorrow, as long as it warms up a little. wjz is live with first warning weather coverage. bob turk has a look at what we can expect for the rest of the week. but first, let's go to meteorologist bernadette woods in the frigid outback. what is going on? >> it is getting colder tonight. we're going down into the teens. that's how we'll start out the day tomorrow. then tomorrow afternoon, still breezy, not quite as windy as today. but we get up close to freezing, about 32 for our high. and we drop once again. tomorrow night, right back down into the teens. for the heft of the five-day, here's bob. there's a chance for a little light snow here on thursday. best chance will be south of our region. 33 by then. 37. clouds increase saturday. 40. and on sunday, a risk, a chance if that storm is in a right spot, we could see some snow, maybe some accumulations. the best chance probably to our south. but once again, if that storm does form off the coast, could see some accumulations of snow, maybe even mixed with some rain with temperatures back up into the mid- to upper 30s on sunday. mary? >> all right, bob. thank you. we know a field furnace is responsible for a deadly case of carbon monoxide poisoning. the men were found dead. 11 others had to be hospitalized. as susan copin reports for wjz, this is the time of year when the silent killer hits. >> reporter: two people have now died. two others hospitalized. >> a poisoning scare at a student dorm. >> two people are dead, 10 others are hospitalized. >> reporter: as winter approaches, cases of carbon monoxide poisoning are adding up. >> it's typical during the winter months because that's when we start using our heating equipment. >> reporter: carbon monoxide gas kills 450 americans every year, and poisons more than 20,000. >> carbon monoxide, you won't smell it. you won't taste it. you won't even know it's there until it's almost too late. >> reporter: christine and her family had a scare in november. >> had we in the had a carbon monoxide detector, we would have died that night. >> a new boiler had been installed. >> it was like someone left the car in the basement running for six hours. >> reporter: symptoms mimic the flu. headache, fatigue, nausea, dizziness and shortness of breath. >> you just assume that you're sick, people around you are sick, because you have flu in your home, when in fact, it's actually poison. >> reporter: christine and her family have fully recovered. but the effects to her unborn baby may not be known for years. >> oops terribly frightening to know that we were so close to having a totally normal baby. and that those dreams that we had for him may not be able to come true. >> according to a new survey, 47% of homes don't have carbon monoxide alarms. you should install alarms outside each sleeping area and on every level of the home, including the basement. repairing the roof. crews in minneapolis are working to fix the holes in the metro dome roof. the roof caved in under 17 inches of snow. now, experts trying to decide if the three torn panels can be repaired or if they need to be replaced. that decision should be made by tonight. if the vikings can't play at home monday, the game will be moved to the university of minnesota stadium. a daring casino heist sounds like a scene straight out of the movies. a man with a motorcycle helmet on, walked into the bellagio this morning, pulled out a gun and demanded chips from the craps table. these are surveillance pictures of the robber. the stolen chips are worth about $1.5 million. the robber sped away on a motorcycle. he may have a hard time cashing in on his loot, though. the chips are only good at the bellagio. in tonight's consumer watch, there is a new way to lock in airline ticket prices. continental airlines lets you pay to hold a reservation. that way you get the price you want. even if you aren't ready to book the flight just yet. you can hold a reservation anywhere from 3 to seven days. also in consumer watch. did you know there are more than 160,000 different toys on the market this holiday season? manuel gallegus reports, which ones are topping sales and catching on with kids. >> reporter: bop it bounce. 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 it or not, the best-selling toy this year is singa majigs. >> jingle all the way. >> reporter: the main squeeze this holiday season. manuel gallegus, cbs news, new york. >> ah. >> singa majigs retail for about $12 each. >> that's the kind of toy that i rip the batteries out. it is splitsville for one of the hottest young couples in hollywood. scarlett johansson and ryan reynolds announced today that they are getting divorced. reynolds was recently named "people" magazine's sexiest man alive. and johansen earned the title of babe of the year from gq magazine. here's vic standing by live with a preview of what's coming up next. an important decision. the judge makes a major ruling on the use of strip searches here in maryland. unthinkable cruelty. what was done to this dog and its amazing recovery? check in for these stories and all the day's news. >> thank you. still ahead on eyewitness news. controversy at the dentist. >> why critics are coming out against mercury fillings. ,,,,,, dental fillings. randall pinkston reports, the fda is looking at issues that affects tens of millions of americans. >> ross privet says he started breathing a whole lot easier, after his silver fillings were removed. >> getting clearer. and much less symptoms. >> amalgam dental fillings contain mercury. a year and a half ago, it is safe. >> an advisory panel is reviewing the evidence again. >> consumer advocacy groups show neurological disorders to breathing issues and even heart disease. >> that mercury is even a hazardous material before it goes into the mouth. it has to be disposed of as hazardous waste when it comes out of the mouth. why would it be safe in the mouth? >> reporter: but the american dental association stands by the fillings. the group says millions of americans have used the fillings and have never had a problem. >> reporter: numerous studies show the level of mercury and amalgam is too low to cause health problems. there is absolutely nothing wrong with the use of anal gum. >> reporter: many are using white composite to fill teeth because it looks better. but many are still using amalgam because it's cheaper. >> things are looking nice. >> ross privet believes it improved his health dramatically. randall pinkston, wjz eyewitness news. >> several countries in europe already ban or restrict the use of amalgams. now, silver fillings have been used in the u.s. for more than 150 years. also in health watch, american teens are using more marijuana and less alcohol. the survey conducted by the university of michigan shows 6% of high school seniors report this year up from 5.2%. on the other hand, binge drinking is actually on the decline. while 23% of high school seniors reported having five or more drinks down in a row, that is down 5% from last year. there is a new way to keep track of your friends, no matter where they are. google just launched the latitude app for the iphone. it lets you see exactly where your friends are and they can find you, too. if you think had is too much information, you can change the setting. >> i might like that for my kids. still to come tonight on wjz eyewitness news. fierce flames. i'm mike hellgren. fire rips through a rowhouse in east baltimore, killing six people. i'll have the latest on the investigation and the impact the wind played in fighting the fire. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, tonight, the growing search for a cause. >> deep breeze. is snow next? >> ugly victory. >> ravens pull it out in overtime. fans have a harsh assessment of the performance. >> check in for these stories and the day's breaking news. >> wjz at 6:00 starts now. east baltimore tragedy. six members killed in a tragic fire. >> tonight, the search continues as a community grieves. >> i'm vic carter. >> witnesses watched in horror, as the flames ravaged the rowhouse. inside, firefighters find the bodies. mike hellgren has more with this. >> it's such a sad story. this is the deadliest fire in baltimore this year. and the people who owned the home where the fire started, the satterfields, have lived