dehydrated. tonight, their condition so bad that police here refuse to let us see them. >> reporter: the discovery monday, of 40 dead animals inside this house, including cats, rabbits, birds, snakes, and guinea pigs, came as a sickening shock to neighbors. >> it just tears my heart out. it really does. >> police still waiting to question the women who rented the house. neighbors say she was active in an animal rescue group but hasn't been seen here in weeks. >> it's mind boggling. severe animal hoarding cases here and in the u.s. last year alone, 78 rabbits, found living in inhumane conditions here at the home. 62 cats found dead. 82 living in this. and 51 dogs, pulled from a pasadena home, their owner spoke to wjz. >> we were breeding them, selling them. things slow down. we ended up. >> a lot of these individuals, they don't see that they have a

problem. >> psychologist, dr. gregory chassen says animals are often well-intentioned, taking in animals, but many times, hoarders end up doing more harm than good. >> they don't have an easy time getting rid of the animals, once they have passed away. and also, you have a general level of disorgization-- disorganization with hoarding. and you see things like this, like the freezing of dead animals. >> reporter: a spokesperson tells us, that they have located the woman who was renting the home. they say they have asked her to come in with -- in for questioning in the next few days. they say it is possible see will face animal cruelty charges. >> derek, thank you. psychologists say if you recognize symptoms of hoarding in someone you know, it is important to help them get therapy to deal with the problem. baltimore's first murder of 2012, still unsolved. police are making a plea for

more information. >> reporter: well, vic, the person who shot and killed a 62- year-old man is still on the loose. police found bruce royster, slumped in the car in the 4,000 block of edgewood road. so far, there is no suspect in the case. it was the city's first homicide of the new year. homicide detectives plan to hand out flyers in the community tomorrow, urging anyone with information to come forward. >> police officers are asking for volunteers to hand out those flyers. a woman is killed in a crash in crofton. and police believe it was because she was driving the wrong way. it happened on route 3. investigators say angela biggens was traveling northbound on the southbound lanes. she died when her car collided head-on in another vehicle. governor martin o'malley is defending his proposal to ask thousands of marylanders to pay more income tax. political reporter pat warren explains, the change is part of

a budget plan that will come. >> in years past, the o'malley administration is steered away from direct hits on income taxes. but this time, families who are high earners, who make more than $100,000 a year, are in the cross hairs. >> a family of four, earning $150,000, would pay $191 more. or see $191 less, coming back in their state refund check, as a practical matter. >> it's a little scary to someone like me because i am a family of four. i have two children and a husband. and we have two working people. >> reporter: frederick county republican sees drawbacks to the governor's plan. >> i'm hoping that we can stop it in its tracks. >> reporter: it affects about 20% of state taxpayers and raises $182 million for the state. >> i don't like asking for this. i don't like doing this. there are many unpleasant aspects of this responsibility.

but in order to get us through this recession, in advance of other states, and in order to protect the priorities of the people of our state, and the futures of our children, they're difficult things we need to ask of one another in these difficult times. and this is one of them. >> reporter: teachers who rallied in annapolis last year to see their pensions will see local governments footing part of the bill. >> i believe that this is a sharing. i believe this is a way to settle this long-lingering issue. i believe that it's equitable. i believe that it's fair. wish that times were such that we did not have to do it frankly. >> local government shares government to raise from internet sales tax and put an online lottery in operation, which could generate $2 million in the first year. reporting from annapolis, i'm pat warren. now back to you on tv hill.

today, the government did not elaborate on a possible gas tax increase, saying he is saving that for another day. >> it is still very pretty. let's check in with bob. he's updating our first warning weather continues. >> there was the blue ridge mountains, by the way. generally clear conditions around the region. a few clouds here and there. but down to 36. exactly 24 hours ago, we were at 57 degrees. 24 in oakland. 39 down in ocean city. very dry air coming in. the winds still a bit of an issue right now. 15 miles an hour in the baltimore region. to the west of us, they've already dropped below 10 miles an hour. and this evening, our winds will continue to diminish. so we won't be dealing with those wind chills we saw earlier. tomorrow, a weak area of low pressure will drive the front across the region. tomorrow evening, maybe just a

few snow flurries, across northern sections of our region. we'll check that out for you tomorrow. mary? >> thank you. baltimore is practically covered in purple as excitement builds for the play-offs. fans are counting the days until the asc title game, when the ravens face the patriots. wjz is the place for complete play-off coverage. jessica kartalija explains how some lucky fans could win a trip to sunday's game. hi, jessica. >> hello, mary. for the past couple of weeks, we have been talking about how baltimore is going purple. well, now we have to tell you, the ravens are taking a big step and going gold. >> reporter: a can of paint could be your ticket to foxboro. >> one lucky fan will win a trip to foxboro this weekend for two. so two tickets and airfare, travel completely taken care of. >> undercover artists, with the ravens, spreading out over five counties. and painting gold ravens' logos in secret locations.

>> we're going to be posting pictures on our facebook fan page. and we're encouraging fans to come together. once they find the stencils, all they have to do is take a picture of you with the stencil, upload it and that enters you to win. >> this was found this morning. >> i said, i think where the location is. i threw on my jersey, threw on my hat, jumped on the subway and made it down here within about a 10-minute period. >> reporter: in baltimore county, there's a face you may not expect to see. >> we found this one here in towson. and while we were here, so many people walked right by, they didn't even see it. >> reporter: still, others are seeing gold and hope they can make the trip to foxboro. >> we are so excited that the ravens may be going to the super bowl. so we're hoping to win tickets to see them at the play-off game against the patriots. >> we know they're going to win. we're so excited for them. they made it this far and they can go all the way. >> reporter: and in baltimore county and here in the inner

harbor, we have been watching people come out and take pictures. and some of them, we have to say, are pretty funny. you do have until midnight to submit your pictures. we're told by the ravens, they already have 300-something pictures on their site right now. the winner will be announced tomorrow morning. we're live at the inner harbor, jessica kartalija, wjz eyewitness news remember. >> show us your glove on your right hand. did you get paint on your fingers? >> yes. and it is all over my pants. so if anyone is coming out to take a picture, do not touch it. [ laughter ] >> okay. that's what i thought. >> i learned the hard way. >> okay. >> i was trying to hide it. didn't work. >> we saw it. thank you, jessica. complete coverage continues now with mark viviano. as the ravens hit the practice field. >> flacco under pressure. >> reporter: joe flacco has taken his share of hits from opposing defenders. but this week, he was blind sided by a hit from his own

side. ed reed. criticism reed made public on a national radio show. >> when i first saw it, i was probably like, what's going on. but like i said, we talked about it. we're a team around here. it's not really that big of an issue. i don't really take things that bad. it is what it is. >> reporter: in this week's added media scrutiny, reed was not made available to local reporters wednesday. flacco said he met with reed one on one. >> i talked to ed about it. it was a little funny to me. got a little caught offguard. but it is what it is. it's not a big deal. >> ravens put the controversy aside to begin preparing for the new england patriots. >> i understand where his heart is. we're together all the time. we know each other. we understand where each other is coming from. >> it's not an issue. the only issue we have as a team is going up and trying to get a victory in foxboro.

anything else that anybody else wants to bring up is irrelevant at this time. and every person in our locker room is thinking the same way. >> reporter: and while reed did not meet with local reporters he did sit down for an interview with espn. in which he said of his comments about joe flacco, that there is method to his madness. and if any of his teammates are offended by his criticism, well, then that should show his motivation. flacco, again responding to the reed comments, also had very strong comments of his own about expectations as a team. we'll hear some of those comments plus hear from patriots quarterback tom brady. that's ahead at 6:00. >> of course, you can see the ravens face the patriots live here on wjz. the afc championship game starts sunday at 3:00. and wjz is your home for awful of the ravens' excitement. don't miss the championship special. watch it live, friday night,

7:30, here on wjz 13. and still ahead on wjz's eyewitness news at 5:00. an incredible scare in the skies. hundreds of passengers are mistakenly -- until the plane is about to crash. the explanation from the airline. a setback for rescuers, working on italy's wrecked cruise ship. i'm mike schuh, in the inner harbor. one of the original attractions down here, the carousel, is being given the boot by the city. reaction from its owner, when eyewitness news continues. well, it's a beautiful sunset tonight. but that spring-like weather is gone. will maryland see snow before the week is over? bob has more on his updated forecast. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

[ male announcer ] get ready for some deli-style delic-ious-ity: the subway big hot pastrami melt. take a moment to ponder tender cuts of pastrami, piled sky high atop your favorite freshly baked bread with spicy mustard, pickles and melt-a-licious cheese. okay, enough imagining how this fresh toasted number would tantalize your taste buds -- it's time to actually experience the subway big hot pastrami melt, built by the sandwich experts the way you love -- to per-fec-tion. subway. eat fresh. baltimore's original inner harbor attraction has been told to leave. the city has been in negotiations with the owner of

the carousel for years. >> on this cold, windy day, at 106 years old, this grand lady of a carousel, looks every day her age. but her age is what attracted michaela and mark here to take her pictures. >> carousel is old. just reminds you of the past. >> no fun for its owner. when this letter arrived. >> i thought it was a kick in the teeth. >> it terminates 31 years of lease renewals. >> is this it? >> no. it's not it. the people won't let my carousel go. ♪ [ music ] >> reporter: richard knight mortgaged his house to put this here. >> reporter: the city has noted that the number of days and hours that this carousel has consistently dropped and the ridership is also down from a one-time high of over $100,000 to $10,000 per year. >> reporter: the baltimore cites reduced, sporadic rent

pavement, or no insurance as reasons for the eviction. but to these local tourists, the carousel is baltimore, sports and all. >> we walk by them. and right past them into this. because this is beautiful. >> reporter: beautiful or not, the city says this lot needs to be cleared by march 31st, or they'll clear it. >> i don't believe that. [ laughter ] i think they'll change their mind. i really do. i -- i feel it in my heart. and -- i know it's the right thing. >> reporter: at the inner harbor, mike schuh, wjz eyewitness news. >> a website name "save the carousel" and a facebook page have popped up to try to get the city to change their mind. let's check in on the roads now with kristy breslin. hi again, kristy. >> hi again, mary. hi, everyone. a lot of congestion out there. you'll see delays there, from the harbor tunnel throughway, past whitemarsh boulevard. as far as the beltway goes, 15

minutes. over to greenspring avenue. and the west side inner loop, that delay has really stretched. it's now from baltimore national pike, to security boulevard in that direction. harrisburg expressway. jammed up in the northbound direction, from shawan to belfast. traffic just crawling along at 25 miles an hour. and as far as accidents go, 100 eastbound in oakwood road, in baltimore city, east preston street. west mulberry street at cathedral. and also west cold spring lane at paul mall road. that is a look at the delay at the harrisburg expressway at warren road. expect a little extra time to get through. this traffic report is brought to you by subway. introducing the new hot pastrami melt. it's freshly baked bread to satisfy even the biggest appetite. >> a local grandmother is in danger of being deported back to mexico, after living here in maryland for the last six years. now, her family is railing.

gigi barnett has their story. >> reporter: six years ago, 59- year-old josefinna rodriguez- vega came to maryland from mexico. she wanted to raise her four grandchildren. today, her family and friends rallied to keep her in the u.s. >> all of the things you want to do, with the family. >> reporter: in the coming months, rodriguez-vega faces deportation back to mexico. in june, she was arrested in hagerstown for driving without a license. her family thought a new pilot program approved by the obama administration would keep her in maryland. >> it's to have this implented -- implemented effectively. >> elizabeth alex organized the rally. she's with casa demaryland. a civil rights group. she says rodriguez-vega has no other family in mexico.

>> she has really, really -- it's our group and the community in hagerstown. she's gotten very involved in the catholic church. and that's why so many folks are here today, because they saw her every sunday. >> reporter: rodriguez-vega's son, says his family pleaded with immigration officials. >> sometimes i feel bad. and sometimes i feel angry. because i don't think it's fair that someone of that age is in jail right now. >> and wjz contacted immigration officials. they would not specifically comment on rodriguez-vega's case. but they did confirm that the grandmother of four has a criminal record. mary, back to you. >> okay, gigi. thank you. immigration officials would not say when she would be deported. well, we saw a little earlier, a beautiful sunset this evening. >> you could see the blue ridge mountains here. beautiful, clear as a bell out there this afternoon and this evening. 36 degrees. that's about 20 degrees colder than last night.

humidity way down. northwest winds are finally, finally throw sloing down. at -- slowing down. >> barometer on the way back up. we'll have a look at that thursday forecast after this. and wjz wants to see your purple pride. here are some of your favorite purple-and-black photos. to see the complete slide show, go to wjz.com. go to wjz.com. blan ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, 3q

i stepped on the machine, and it showed me the pressure points on my feet and exactly where i needed more support. i had tired, achy feet. until i got my number. my dr. scholl's custom fit orthotics number. now i'm a believer. you'll be a believer, too.

we have been talking about how far you can see. that's washington, d.c., the washington monument. >> that orange sky. >> pretty amazing shot. that shows you how clear this area is right now. you can see 40 miles away, that clearly, that just is amazing. we've got a clear, cold night on tap tonight. temperatures back to where they should be. generally in the low to mid- 20s. right now, we're at the clear skies, down to 36. 38 in ocean city. the cold spot, oakland at 23. we did have some snow showers last night and this morning. up in extreme western allegheny and much of garrett county. picked up a little bit.

37, washington now, over there. 39 at pax river. and the dew points way down. very dry air now. back down to 12 degrees. currently, 33, westminster. 39 in annapolis. and kent island. rock hall, coming in there on the bay, at 37 degrees. 57. now, you might say 57. that was just after midnight. that will go in as the official high to this afternoon. we have been in the 30s all afternoon. 38, so far, the low. 41, 24. actually, we just dropped to 36. 34, 21, the averages. record 68. and 4 below zero. shower activity came through last night, with that front. not much of it, actually. most of us to our south. snow showers in the afternoon to our northwest. most of the country, with the exception of the northern rockies and particularly the cascades and seattle, poarldz, tacoma area, getting cold. cold air getting right down to canada there. mixing with the storm off the

pacific. just enough cold air. heavy snow in many areas could see a foot or more. and that is going to cripple seattle in the next day or so. it may get warmer and see a change next week. but could see heavy snow in that region. the rest of the country, pretty quiet. still warm in florida. but that front is going to go through that region. may cool at least portions of florida. for our region, snow showers this afternoon, to the north. you can see, they're pretty much gone now. a second front will come through the area tomorrow night. and it may kick up just enough moisture for a few snow showers or flurries. and then, cold on friday. friday night and saturday. warmer air coming back into the region. we call it overrunning clouds, develop, maybe late friday night, after midnight, saturday essentially. a little snow mixture and sleet. and light rain on saturday, as it warms up. south winds on the bay, at 10 to 15 knots. and advisory for small craft,

will be lifted at 6:00 p.m. tonight. tonight, clear. down to 22. that's pretty close to average. tomorrow, a lot of sun and increasing clouds with the front coming through. 41, normal. and maybe a few snow flurries in the area tomorrow night. very light expected at this point. >> and no accumulation. >> all right, bob. thank you. still ahead on wjz's eyewitness news at 5:00. a secret service investigation, on pennsylvania avenue. who could be responsibility for a smoke bomb thrown at the white house? same-sex marriage showdown. i'm mike hellgren, what this new poll reveals about support for legalizing it in maryland. fans are relentless for ray lewis. and now, there's a t-shirt dedicated just to him. i'm andrea fujii. in columbia, how businesses are cashing in on the ravens' craze. that's just ahead. there he is, poised to discover plum amazins,

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it is 5:29. 36 degrees. clear and just a beautiful day. good evening, everybody. thank you for staying with wjz, eyewitness news. here are some of the stories people are talking about tonight. new numbers show marylanders are split on same-sex marriage. and there's a strong racial divide. wjz is live. mike hellgren breaks down the numbers for us and takes us inside the debate tonight. >> reporter: mary, in the summary of this gonzalez poll, it says the issue of same-sex

marriage is so close in maryland because the opposition of many african americans. in fact, it is too close to call. >> reporter: legalizing same- sex marriage will be one of the hottest issues in the general assembly. and just-released poll numbers show maryland voters are are split. 49% favor it. 47% oppose. that's within the margin of error. >> reporter: keylawmakers, including baltimore's mayor and the governor, are pushing for passage. but the polls show a huge divide among african american voters. only 33% favor it, 60% are opposed. peter sprig is fighting against legalization. >> african americans understand that the color of a person is not comparable to the sex acts that a person chooses to engage in. >> reporter: but supporters have key allies in the naacp. representative donna edwards came out forcefully for legalization this week.

>> we can't pick and choose the civil rights that we fight for. >> reporter: the poll also reveals passions are high. 34% strongly favor legalizing same-sex marriage. 34% strongly oppose. >> this is about fairness. it's about protection under the law. >> reporter: the stakes are high. without side money expected to pour in, and if marriage does pass, expect opponents to try to take it to voters for a referendum. >> reporter: and house speaker bush says this legislation would go through two committees, ned of one -- instead of one to increase its chances of going to the floor. washington state and new jersey are also considering same-sex marriage this year. mary? >> one to watch. thank you. coming up at 6:00, we'll tell you what the polls say about approval ratings for the governor and the president. and the secret service is looking into a smoke bomb thrown onto the white house lawn. ts clune -- ts clune -- it's

unclear who is responsible. police put the white house on lockdown. but the president was not home at the time. so far, there are no arrests. hope is fading for finding any more survivors of the italian cruise ship disaster. now, the focus turns to identifying the dead. anna metranga reports for wjz, with the latest on the tragedy. >> reporter: rescuers say the chances of finding anyone alive, inside the wrecked costa concordia are slim. >> the possibility is 5-0. >> reporter: corado is in charge of a special cave rescue team, brought in to navigate through the murky water inside the ship. >> you can see your hands in front of your mask. nothing more. >> reporter: rescue efforts stopped wednesday, after rough seas moved the cruise liner. officials say if the ship slips off the rocks, fuel could leak. >> reporter: this barge is loaded with equipment that

would help dutch crews drain 500,000 gallons of fuel from the cruise liner. >> reporter: that process is not expected to begin until rescue and recovery efforts are over. one of the 11 victims has been identified as a hungarian musician who worked on board. he went back to his cabin to get his violin. family members are arriving on the island, looking for their loved ones. >> i hope i find some more information. i know that the team is doing their jobs. >> reporter: kevin ribellow said he is more concerned with finding his brother than pointing fingers. the captain of the costa concordia, francesco scatino is under house arrest, and faces several charges, including causing the ship wreck. anna metranga, wjz eyewitness news. >> prosecutors are asking a judge to change his mind and send the captain back to jail. prosecutors say he is shaken by what happened. hundreds of passengers

aboard a british airways flight, had the scare of a lifetime when they are mistakenly told their plane is about to crash. denise is in the newsroom to explain how it happened. >> the flight was on its way from ma'am to london, when a female voice announced they would have to make an emergency landing on the water. prosecutors say they started screaming and crying and many believed they want going to -- they were going to die. turns out, it was just a pre- recorded message that had been played by accident when the pilot hit the wrong button. flight attendants rushed down the aisle to say it was a mistake. but many passengers a the apology is not enough. >> the same warning was reportedly played on a british airlines flight from london to hong kong in 2010. a victim for two elderly women who say they were strip searched. today, the tsa is admitting that screeners violated policies, when they took the women into a private room and made them take off their

clothes. homeland security officials have written a letter of apology. but both women say it doesn't accurately describe the humiliation of their experiences. just three days until voters head to the polls in south carolina. mitt romney remains in the lead. but his opponents are hammering away on why he won't release his taxes. >> reporter: mitt romney had reason to smile as he rallied supporters at a south carolina college. a new cbs new york times poll shows romney pulling ahead of the competition, among primary voters nationwide. >> if there's ever been a time the nation needs to turn a nation around, it's now. >> reporter: the other candidates are running out of time to catch the front runner. they're taking jabs at the multimillionaire's admission that he pays an income tax rate of 15%, a rate much lower than most americans. >> we're going to name our tax, the mitt romney 15% flat tax. >> reporter: others argue that

mitt romney is too moderate to beat president obama. and as they try to win over conservative voters, they are attacking each other. >> mitt romney says he has the best chance of beating romney. and says it would be helpful if rick santorrum and rick perry drop out. >> if conservatives come together, we beat romney decisively. if conservatives are split, he might squeak through with a plurality. >> the arrogance of speaker gingrich to suggest that i don't have the experience to run a campaign to win a national campaign, i finished tied for first in iowa. he finished fourth. >> reporter: rick perry says he isn't going anywhere either. they go thursday for a final debate. in washington, susan mcginnis. >> texas congressman ron paul left the campaign trail today to return to washington for a

house vote on the debt ceiling. two of the internet's most popular websites are among the companies protesting the anti- piracy legislation. wickwikipedia has shut down, while google has posted information on its main page. at issue are issues meant to crackdown on the pirated sales of products. the film and television industries support the bills, while critics say they could hurt the economy and suppress free speech. in tonight's wjz healthwatch report, some older women may not need to get tested for bone loss as often as they think. randall pinkston reports for wjz, with the surprising routes -- results of a new study. >> reporter: 79-year-old roberto wally takes medication to prevent osteoporosis. she also has a bone dense ittest every two years --

density test, every two years. >> it causes bones bones to become brittle and more likely to break with age. women may not need to be retested if are years. >> they're very unlikely to develop osteoporosis over the next 10 or 15 years. and they can be assured that they don't need to have repeat bone density testing. >> reporter: a bone density test uses x-rays to measure how much calcium and minerals are in the bone. the lower the density, more likely a bone will fracture over time. >> right now, there are no formal guidelines for how often a woman should be screened. but most insurance companies pay for bone density tests every two years. >> our practice would be closer to five years, if someone had a normal bone density test. >> actually don't look bad. >> wallac hopes they will keep covering the bone density tests. >> i don't think that

preventive medicine is the way to save money. >> reporter: because preventing or breaking a fracture at her age is what is most important. in new york, randall pinkston, wjz eyewitness news. >> osteoporosis is the most common bone disease, affecting one out of every five women over 50 in the u.s. time now for a quick look at some of the stories you'll find in the baltimore sun. more on the popular inner harbor attraction that appears to be on its way out. some local businesses are using brandings. to attract and keep customers. tom brady has turned his two favorite tight ends into his favorite weapons. for these stories and more, read the baltimore sun. remember to look for the updated forecast from the wjz first warning weather team. we know it's just four days until the afc championship. and the fans are stocking up on team gear. andrea fujii has a look at one popular t-shirt that is already on store shelves. >> he's a legend.

16 seasons, ravens' linebacker ray lewis. and now he has a t-shirt, dedicated to him. celebrating his relentless physicality. >> only reason you play this game is for an opportunity to go to a super bowl. and we did it. we have that opportunity now. >> reporter: and fans couldn't agree more. >> ray lewis, me, tough, represents baltimore great. >> reporter: the adoration for louis is why the shirt's creator said maryland needs one. >> i wanted to do a t-shirt of a warrior king, which is pretty much the way i see ray lewis. >> i love him. i truly, truly -- i think he's great. >> reporter: and the ravens' success is helping local businesses' bottom line. roberto cortez is one of 20 sports store owners, picking up the new shirts. >> it's very busy. very busy. these past couple of weeks, which is coming in here, picking up more shirts, trying to fill out the rack.

>> this machine prints 500 an hour and they'll keep printing until the super bowl. >> reporter: with hundreds of shirts already on the store shelves. >> at $20 a pop, fans and entrepreneurs hope the ravens go all the way. >> we're going to knock the mess out of anybody. -- somebody. we're going to the super bowl. ravens, number 1. >> andrea fujii, wjz eyewitness news. >> the t-shirt company hasn't heard directly from ray lewis. but the nfl players association has approved the shirt. and remember, you can see the ravens face the patriots live here on wjz. the afc championship game starts sunday at 3:00. and remember, wjz is your home for all of the ravens' excitement. don't miss our live championship special. get fan reaction, team updates and a hometown sendoff. watch it live, 7:30, here on wjz 13. 3:00 kickoff. gives you time to go to church in the morning. >> yes. say prayers.

>> take a nap and cook. still to come tonight on wjz eyewitness news. an elderly woman rescued just in time. how a total stranger saved her from a burning car. how a woman used a hair brush to sneak a dagger past airport security. >> bob turk. the first warning weather center, staying chilly for a while. i'm have the exclusive first warning five-day forecast. and here's today's report from wall street. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

the seattle area is known for rain. but not so much snow. but snow is canceling flights. >> reporter: power crews worked to remove tries from power lines in tacoma. the wind pushed the tree into a gas station. all available tow truck drivers are on the roads. >> there's been a lot of wind out. there's been a rollover. and you know, we're trying to get to him as quick as possible. but you know, we can only go so fast. >> reporter: the conditions made just about everything more difficult, including delivering the mail. from washington to oregon. there are hundreds of accidents. many drivers are not used to the wintry conditions. ice cold, frozen. people sliding all over the place. it's pretty bad out there.

seattle normally sees eight inches of snow for an entire winter. forecasters predict up to 12 inches in the next 12 hours. seattle says the operations center will be stacked around the clock until the snow stops. >> it takes time to accumulate. we're going to focus on priority routes. and ones that police and fire department need. ones that people need to get to the hospital. >> reporter: trish grady works at an animal hospital near puget sound. she says word for today is cancellation. still, the clinic opens. and she's staying busy. >> i'm out here, trying to clear the parking lot. so it won't be so bad. >> reporter: most can't wait for the rain to return before the weekend forecast. >> here in maryland, it's dryer now. but bob has a look at what we can expect tomorrow and over the next few days. bob? >> without that fog and rain, they're just lost. you know what i mean? let's take a look at our region tomorrow. it's going to be a cold start

to the day. temperatures in the low to mid- 20s, getting into the upper 30s by afternoon. and we'll see some increasing clouds. maybe a few flurries tomorrow night. it will be dropping below freezing eventually tomorrow night. next five days, cold on friday. 35. saturday, in the morning, maybe a little sleet, snow. then rain. temperatures getting back up to 41. 41 on sunday. partly sunny. and clouds back. but 50 degrees again on monday. mary? >> all right, bob. thank you. and today's energy saver, fix effective plumbing or dripping faucets. a single one can waste 100 gallons a month. it increases your bill for heating that water. for more information on how you can be an energy saver, go to wjz.com. scroll down the right-hand side of the page and click on our special section. people in kentucky are cleaning up today after a series of tornadoes. touch down near louisville. several hows -- houses were destroyed. several confirmed that funnel

clouds also touched down at mississippi, and indiana. two people walking near the famous hollywood sign discovered a human head. police say it appears the unidentified man was killed somewhere else and parts of his remains were left in the park. officers were back out in the park, with cadaver dogs, searching any other parts of the body. a woman in virginia is stopped by security when she tries to bring a dagger on board a plane. tsa agents at lynchburg regional airport say the woman had a dagger disguised as a hair brush in her carry-on bag. it was several inches long, made of ceramic, instead of metal as you can see. agents say the woman voluntarily surrendered the weapon but she was not arrested. a man was outside doing housework when he saw an out-of- control car come speeding through his neighbor's yard and hit a tree. the man acted quickly and pulled over just moments before

the car burst into flames. the woman's family says the man had already come by to thank them. >> said she doesn't have a scratch her or anything like that. >> i couldn't forgive myself if i did nothing. >> reporter: that gentleman said he used a hammer from his toolbox to break open the woman's window. check in for these stories. >> well, mary, taser trial. a fed rick county sheriff's deputy. why the victim's family says someone needs to pay. and governor o'malley lays out his budget. the new tobacco tax he's proposing. check in for these stories and all the day's breaking news, all new at 6:00. but now, back to mary and vic. still to come on wjz eyewitness news. a royal threat. pippa fights back against the paparazzi. the ultimatum for prince william's new sister-in-law. ,,,

an activist for women's rights in iran is shot to death

in her car in houston, texas. the body was 30-year-old was found slumped over the wheel when officers arrived at the scene. police say it is unclear if her civil rights work had anything to do with her murder. friends say she was very well known in her community. because she was constantly out pro testing. occupy protestors in london are being kicked out the city's occupy camp must be removed. the city says it was affecting worshipers -- worshipers. also, in london, prince phillip is given a clean bill of health. queen elizabeth's husband has returned to his official duties, following a heart procedure during the holidays. he attended a fundraising procedure. this has been the most serious problem for the 90-year-old. he is known for his active lifestyle. britain's pippa is asking

photographersers to back off. tina kraus reports for wjz from lond london. >> reporter: pippa middleton nearlystome the show in her hip- hugging gown at kate's wedding. but they say the show is over. it's more than a royal request. they're threatening to get a court order to force the paparazzi to stop snapping. unlike her older sister, pippa didn't choose the spotlight that comes with marrying a royal. >> it's not what she's asked for. it's not what she wanted. and she's really upset about it. >> reporter: before kate became katherine, the paparazzi chased her, too. and she hired the same lawyers to call the cameras off. >> since pippa is not a member of the royal family, she doesn't get the same security or respect that comes with it. >> reporter: some freelance photographers say they don't care what her lawyers say, when she's in public view, she's

public property. tabloid editors say they get about 400 pippa pictures every day. royal watchers say the party planners should tread camely with the media, especially since she has a book coming out later this year. >> she's going to have to meet the press later. she's going to have to be careful how she plays this game to avoid backlash. >> reporter: although few believe tabloids would ever turn on her royal highness they affectionately dubbed her royal hotness. >> they warned them to stop using them or face a possible lawsuit. >> you just told me something. she's not wearing a hat. it's called a fascinator. >> you should know about that with the wedding. they were talking about it. i assume you weren't paying attention, mr. carter. >> no. dozens of dead animals

found stuffed in a freezer. this biza,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

coming up right now on wjz eyewitness news at 6:00. gruesome discovery. dozens of dead animals found inside a howard county home. who police want to question about it tonight. do the dollars make sense? find out what governor o'malley could do to change what's in your pocket. why this ravens' logo could

be your ticket to the playoffs. i'm jessica kartalija. i'll explain next on wjz. it is a clear night ahead. and not as windy as we saw earlier today. bob turk will have all of the details in the first warning weather forecast. check in for these stories and all the day's breaking news. wjz eyewitness news at 6:00 starts now. dollars and cents, with maryland facing a huge shortfall, the governor releases his budget. >> tonight, the changes, the tax increases and the impact on your wallet. >> hello, everybody. i'm denise koch. and i'm vic carter. here's what people are talking about tonight. >> governor o'malley rolls