there. live pictures this afternn from rdenna high school in los angeles. now backo our icy nditions today. we woke upith some snow, freezing rain overnight. so wt can we eect for tonight. >> meteorologist veronica johnson takes a look at that. >> thanks a lot, jim and pat. we won't see the b and wispread problems as we had thisorning with ice. but i do think thaty tomorrow morning, we're still going to have some trouble around area roadways, espially just north and west. district. as you take a lookt radar, we don't have a precipitation falling right now. and temperatures, most locations above freezi. a couple of degrees,n fact, above freezing. but again, icy spots i think we'll have. alexandria picked up a quarter of an inch of snow. carrl county picked up nearly three inches there. you folks in howard county picked up nearly an inch of snow and ice. damascusan inch and a half. here's what's going on across the area, as we advance on through. we've got some, a lite bit in the way of breaks in the ercast coming to us. those will quickly fill back in. theris a chance for light precipitation in theorm of rain. that will come our way after dnight, and probably be gone by early tomorrow morning around 6:00 or 7:00 a.m. soor a brief period tonight we'll see a few more swers move back over us. temperatures, of course will be critical, and i think there may be some icy spots north and west of d.c. could be some trouble there. rain develops after midnight on your fast forecast. there is a pential for a bigger storm system to come our way, i think thursday night and friday. we'll talk about tt coming up in a fewminutes. thanks, veronica. > the mixture of ice and rain made for a slushy mess acrs the metropolitan area this moing. tracey wilkins reports from northwest washington. >> reporter: we spent the earlier part of the morning in montgomery coun, then came down to d.c. in montgomery county, we saw basically a lot of slush. escially on the sidewalks. but here in d.c. wha we found is basically a nice sheet of ice, making it a veryifficult and slippe walking situati. >> it was crazy. i was wking down that street. i almost slid the eire way. and he was pulling me. he's only like five pounds. i was like being dragged down the reet. >> reporter: yes, walking was a challenge. so was shoveling forome people trying to balance on thisce. >> i really hasn't been bad. i thin it's a little layer of snow under t ice. like it's pretty easy to get up i thinkhe walng is harder i it's not shoveled. >> reporter: most of the roads were pretreated and plowed and plowedagain, leaving most roadways we but passable. the neighborhoods, on the other hand, were a bit more slushy. and in some cases, very icy. and this was the sound heard across our area early this morning as everyone scraped throh the layer of eet, snow, and freezing rain stuck to eir windshields. do you havit warmingp while you're scraping? >> yes, definitely. >> reporte you've got a good scrapehere, though it looks new. >> evidently. it was in the car. my husband must haveotten it. >> reporter: good thing, right? yes, lucky. >> reporter: tracey wilkins, ws 4. the ice delayed and canceled dozens of flights in the morning. rning travellers to check with the airports as they get back to normal. slick roads may have played a big role in a accident that shut dn i-70 near mount airy for several hours today. a tractor-trailer carrying chemicals id out of control and jackkfed along the eastbound lanes. it flipped onto its side. the driver wn't seriously hurt. but some of the cargo, embalming fluid, wood preservativesnd other chemicals spilled onto the area. hazmat crews cleaned up the mes an it reopened late this afternoon. thred line today, power lines hanging above the tracks madet unsafe for trainso operate. the red line was closed between the shady grovend twinbrook stations in montgomery county. from 10:00 this morning until 3:00 this afternoon, shuttle buses took passenrs between theo stops. let's findut if we're any better off for the ride thi afternoon. >> let's che in with ashley linder. what about it, ash? >> we're starting off with a bang. the beltway was already a little congested, u toward 66 the midd road construcon. that's been cleared. as soon as we cleared that, no we have a big accident on the beltway. you lose twoight lanes because that accident. the outer loop delays, there's no accident, just heavy delays, as you leave connecticut avenue onward toward 270. we're filling in fast around the region. as we make our wayver to 270 and ver road, it does open up. there is relief in sight. the american ledge bridge, that's not too bad at all. 95 keeping the good news coming. no problems toreport. from springfield down to fredericksburg, not a big wash all around t region. most of our roadways are a little slick, but you have a healthy amount of salt on them d a lot of fluid. for the most part, we're in good shape. just mind your speed out there on the ramps and overpses. back to you. >> ashley, thanks. ni days after being critically hurt in the shootings in tucson, congresswoman gabrielle giffords continues her rapid progress. doctors say h condition has improved so much that she's now been able to give herusband smile as well as a neck rub. and thanks to the youngest victim of the shooting, two childrenow have the gt of sight. jay gray has details. >> reporter: from the pain in tucson, there are new signs of progress today somef the strongest from the target of the assassinaon attempt,ongresswomanabrielle giffords, in an intervi that will air on abc tonight, her husband, astronaut mark kelly, talked about her recovery. >> e's in theicu, gone through this traumaticnjury and she spent ten minutes ging me a neck massage. it's so typical of her, that no matter how bad theituation might be for her, you know, she's looking o for other people. >> reporter: theoungest victim of the attack, 9-ar-old christina taylor green also continues to give even i death. her family sayswohildren can now see after transplt surge with corneas donated by the little girl. >>hey will see lot of beay in the world. i know that. because she always had a b smile on her face. >> reporter: the shooting has led to aush for new regulations in washington. carolyn mccarthy who ran for office after a nman killed her husband and injured her son, plans to introduce lislation banning the salef high-capacity ammunition magazines to civilian >> they are not needed inur society. they are not needed for the average citin. >> reporte investigators s jared loughner had at least two 30-rnd clips the day of the shooting. federal agents now say surveillance video from the atta is, quote, so clear it leaves no issue about who was doing the shooting. the iss now is how this communitwill continue to survive and recover. jay gray, news 4. congss returned to capitol hill today to debate health care reform. ther is a vote expected tomorrow. we'll have much more on today's showdo coming up in our next half hour. a developing sto now involvinnbc universal. th afternoon, the federal communications commission approved a merger agreement between nbc universal and comcast. the deal gives the cable giant a controlling interest in nbc universal u the parent company of nbc 4. the u.s. justice department has also given its proval. mcast is the largest cable providern the country. the deal would create a $30 billion business that includes broadcast and cab networks, movie studios, and theme parks. former vice esident dick cheney is talking for the first time about the technology that's keepinhim alive. his heart is beating, thanks to a battery powed pump implanted in his chest the time may com when chey needs a transplant but he's not ready to commit to that just yet. he described the device he uses now dung an exclusive nbc interview. >> it's -- i weait on a vest. anthere's a control element here. and thenwo batters, one on ch side. good for about 12 hours each. and then there's a cord tt runs inside my chest to the pump on the inside. and that's what powers it, a keeps it functioning. >> cheney says it is kd of awkward walking around with all that gear . but you ickly, he said, get to the point whe it's secd nature. gay marriage moves ahead in c. the supreme cot has rejecte an aeal from opponents of same-sex marriage who wanto overturn d.c.'s gay marriage law. washingtonas been issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples since 2009. andast year began recognizing gayarriages performed elsewhere. the court turn away a challenge from bishop harry jackson and oers who were pushing to allow residen to vote onhe measure ttefines marriage as betwn a man and a woman. the district's board of elections and ethics refused to put the initiative on t ballot sayingt would authorize discrimination. bishopjackson tells news 4is next effts will be to inspire elections f politicians opposing gay marriage being legal. the k to stopping the recent spike in violence is community involvement. nce the start of theew year 13 pple have been kied. police beefed up their homicide andarcotics divisions. they're also getng help from other state lawnforcement agencies. police said with that hel they've made seven arrests so faand closed four cases. countyeaders say tt's a great start. >> honest people men a women who every day get up, go to work, do nothing wrong, should not be fearful of walking outsidtheir door. and in this county, as long as i'm county executive, the will no >> police say part of the difficulty in solving these ses appears to be related. a young girl falls through thice, walking herog. the dramatic rescue i coming up. also ahead, one-half of regiand kelly is hanging it up. the announcemen straight ahead. an owl attacks a chihuahua and tries toarry it ay. that story i coming up. plus, she's been separated from her husband for years and even has a restraining order against him, but now she may ve to give up half her lottery winnings. that story at 4:30. whe do you take the first lady for her birthday? last night president obama picked dinner at the source. wolfgang puck's restaurant at the museum. michelle obama turd 47 yesterday. >> they still find time for a date. >> thedo. ey have date night and big birthday night. > regis plbin mad a big announcement this morning. he retiring at the end of the summ. >> have to tell you ts, because it's going to happen. and the station needs to know d gilman needs to know and we alneed to know. but this will bey last year on this show. no, i know. it's been a long time. >> philbin has hosted the show for 28 years. alongside kate lee gifford and noco-host kelly ripa. thisear is his last on the show. regis joked on live with ris an kelly that, quote, there is a time that everything has to come to an end for people on camera, especially certain o people. >> he's still got it, though. >> hedoes. a lot of people will miss him. kathie l giffordosted withim for more than a decade. she had this to say. >> i wasn't surised that he made the nouncement. i was just surpris he made it today. he had said it was going to come. we had dinner cently, a couple months ago, and i sensed fro what weiscussed that it was -- he was ready. >> gifford ss t producers need to change the name of the show,ecause no one can replace him. actress nicole kidman and her coury singer husband keith urban are the pud parents of a new baby >> ty made the announcement yesterday, the day after they peared on the red carpet a the goln glo awards. but there was no baby bump here. a surroga gave birth to faith margaret on december 28th. she was born in nashvill kidman and urban als have a 2-year-old daughte whose name sunday rose. kidman alsoas two children with her exusband, actor tom cruise. well, imagine the horror, you're out walki your dog late at night and suddenly a predator swoops in and cares the dog of >> it hpened in suburban chicago, but the attack was eventual foiled because the tiny dog was dressed for the weather. >> reporter: still a little timid to make the journey outside, chico the chihuahua is slowly recovering from a brush with a great horned owl. >> the was no sound at all until thewl came in contact with chico with a thud. >> reporter: george, who admits he's a night owl himself, was taking chico o for a walk at 1:00 a.m. last wednesday when without warning the predator swooped in. >> dragged him across the sidewalk, through the ow. chico was crying out in pain. they kind of landed in the snow, took off for a secd and then land again. i lunged at it yelling at the top of my lungs. and the owl flew away. >>eporter: chico was still crying and whiering when george and his wife dana rushed to the animal hospita where vets say his winter coatay have saved his life. the talon, you can see where went in right here. and here. but it never made it a the way throh the coat. that's the spot that would have probly punctured either his lung or heart rig away. >> reporr: chico has a bruise and a puncte wound is beginning to heal, but the adoptive dog has devoped a fear of the dark. >> he can go to the bathroom outside during the daytime, but heoesn't want to even step out the door at night. >> the little guy isilling to hold it from 4:30 until it's light out in t morning. >> reporter: but the feisty four-pound chihuahua is not backing do from owls. at least the stuffed version found in the comfort of his own home. >> chico's oer said the attack was also fouled becauiledecause a tight gp on t leash. chico, a fighter. >> look out for those owls. yeah. a close call yesterday for an 11-year-old girl who fell through thin ice while walking a dog on long isla. >> the girl was 50 feet offshore on the great south bay i suffolk countyhen the ice cracked, dumping her four feet into -- into four feet of water. a police officer craed onto the ice to rescue the girl, but the way back they both fell in and had t be rescued by firefighters >> i was walking my friend's dog, and he dragged me onto the beach and onto the e. and the was an area where the ice was very thin. and i fell through. and i was screami. >> i jt made it out to her and able to pull her out in o swoop an crawl back to shore with her. >> the puppy was also taken safelyack to shore. a brazilian man who w scued after spending 16 hours encased in m is now recovering. >> marcellas trappednder 13 feet of mud last week after the devastating floods and land sles near rio de janeiro. they heard muffled sounds coming from the rubble. they spent hours diggi him out. the journalist who shot this videis a friend of his. he had no idea he was shooting hi buddy's rescu until he s finay placed on a stretcher. wow. >> we've got a whole lot mor on news 4 at 4:00. while we deal withcy roads around here the northeast is getting slammed with snow again. also ahead this afternoon, do you know the textingaws in your state? liz crenshaw breaks down what you need to know before y get behind the wheel. [ male announcer ] before he changed the world... teadown this wall. [ male announcer ] ...or led a tion... i ronald reagan do solnly swear. [ male anuncer ] ...or governed a stat.. you and i have a rdezvous th destiny. [ male announcer ] ...he inired our company... ith his optimism, his belief innovation, and his entrepreneurial spirit [ man ] for general electric, here is ronald reagan. ♪ the northeast is getting pummeled by another round of winter weather. it comes about a week after redents dug outrom nearly two feet of snow. the dangerous mix of sn, sleet and freezing rain now working its way through new york, massachutts, andhode island. slk roads snarmed traff this morning, and closed schools. >> so we know it cld b a whol lot worse. >> right. their icles are like this. ours are like this. >> put it in perspective. >>hat would make them t sta lag tights. depends on your neiborhood, how good of a job they do at cleani up, boy oh boy, icy morning itwas. here's some ofhe shots from around the area. the ice just kind of -- the vegetation kind of encased in ice. ealy to sp those branch, i'll bet. so for the overnight, we are talkinabout some more precipation. but it won't be anything like what we had last night. between 1:00 and 5:00 a.m., we're going to get some more rain in here. i think it will be light ra. and for the most part, i think that a it falls, we're going to be just fine. again, all liquid for us. but once it does fall and sit th temperatures so close to the freezing mark, i think that will mean icy morning in spots. especially for northern and western counties. 36 is our temperatu right now. we've got a light wind at 8 miles per ur. givings a windchillf 30 degree again, overcast skies, en some fog there throughout the area. look at culpepper trying to sneak up to 41. winchestert 38 degrees rht now. 36 up i-95. our friends in baltimore, most of therecipitation with the initial system gone. it's mostly sno that's pushing out of new york and up into areas of new hampshire, vermont and maine. as well as around bost, a little bit of light snow. here's our second system thas going to comehrough tonight. it's all rain from cleveld, ohio, wn towards knoxville, tennessee. all rain with thatecond stem. that's a cold front that extends out from it. it will weaken as it mak its way eastward. 43 there in cincinnati. 46 in detroit. a warm pass forus. watch the futurest over the next couple of hours. 32 degrees by 7:00. at 1:00 a.m., i thinke'll be 33 intown areas northnd west, maybe just a weeit shyer. it's all based, the kind of precipitation we get op the temperature profe and what's going on upthere. but i think it will bell liquid when it comes through. by 6:00 a.m. tomrow morning it will bout of here. r those counties north, howard county, montgomercounty, prince william and carroll county, that where there could be some delays with school tomorr morning. then that system moves on out. we should hit a high tomorrow of 45 degrees. another big storm sysmill be organizing, perhaps coming in by thursday late, friday it will be with us. slick spo for the evening. definily for tomorrow morning. starting out right around frzing. again, a high temperature torrow, we'll be doing a little better than today, getting up to around 43 to 46. some call it mildor tomorrow. we'll talk about t nexttorm a lite bit more during the next weather hit, thursday to iday, looking like snow. >> okay. and then that mercury does another nose di. >> yes, it does. very active patter fn for us, a cold, too. comg up in the next half hour, a lottery winner may hav to share half her winnings with her estranged husband even though ty've been separated for years. the legal debat is next. plus, a racy halftime show is causing a lot of controvey. welcome back. i'm pat lawson >> here's what's making news. messand icy morning acss our gion. a lot of side streets and sidewalks were a sheet of ice today. most sools closed, or opened two hours late. >> doctors say the condition of gabrielle giffordsas impved so much, that sheas able to give her husband a smile and ne rub last ght. thanks to t youngest victim of the attack, two childn can now see after receiving the little girl's corneas. prie georges countyolice say they're working around the clock to stop the rect spike in violence since the beginng of the newyear. 13 people have been killed. police tell us with the help of other law enforcement agencies they'vmade seven arrests a closed four cases. the ftcnd justice department have approved a merger that would create a $30 billion busins that includes broadcast andable networks, vie studios and theme parks. thismoh's mega millions drawing has made for one bizarre fight over the money. >> one of the two winners doesn't want to shareer riches with her estranged husband. but under civil law, she may have to. he's nbc's kevin tls. >> hello, amera, the mega millions jackpot is so