others injured. >> wild scene. great to have you with us on this wednesday. i'm thomas drayton. >> i'm karen hepp. thank you so much for waking up early and joining us on this day. good morning. >> i'm bob kelly. thank you for waking up. >> we're still trying to wake up, as you can tell. >> in for sue on this first official day of winter, we're counting down. it is 5:00 now. forty-four minute away. >> forty-four minutes away to the official start of winter. and weather by the numbers on a scale of one to ten, today, we give a eight. temperatures will actually climb few degrees above average for a change. won't that be nice? but there it is. winter arrives at 5:44, as thomas said. daylight today, nine hours 20 minute, the days will just get longer after today. it is to up 29 degrees right now. sun comes up at 7:19. so it is cold out there on this wednesday morning. no question about that, 27, dover. twenty-six now in trenton, and atlantic city, north and western suburbs, good morning, doylestown, waking up with us, temperature of 25 degrees.

it is 23 in malvern, chester, looking pretty good right now with those temperatures. and it is going to stay dry, but once again, cold, so coming up, we will talk about the milder temperatures, and holiday forecast, there is a couple of systems on the way that could bring some rain. maybe a wet snowflake north and west. we'll explain. talk about that christmas forecast coming up. bob kelly? >> sound good, scotty. good morning, everybody, 5:01, we have a left over from yesterday. ice all over here. this is live look at columbus boulevard. back in the day we called it delaware avenue. southbound between queen and christian. now, let's roll video from skyfox. we pulled up yesterday over this hot mess, water main break, iced over the roadway. they didn't allow traffic through during the midday. they had to take the city salt trucks out there, put down layer of salt, so the work crews could use that far left lane. you see the salt trucks there. now, anybody that lives in the

townhomes, just situated right there, see them trying to scoot out from the side street. that's rally the only traffic that has been allowed in and out of that stretch there over the last 24 hours. so let's go back to my live camera. again, work crews left. every now and then you see couple of guys roll through here. but i'll tell you once we get ready to go, the work crews come back, they'll close the southbound lanes, queen to christian again, you want to work your way through south philly. front street, or two street, and be ready, because they're going to shut down the off ramps to columbus boulevard from 95 to prevent traffic building up there once those work crews arrive. now, rancocas road over in mt. holly closed at lancaster drive. wood lane road the best bet. accident pulled down string of telephone popes and the wires came down along with it, good morning wilmington. still working along 95 at route 141. ninety-five in the northeast, they're getting ready to pick up the cones here at cottman avenue. so far so good. not bad at all coming out of

northeast philly. majors are looking government it has been rough week so far for septa and trains. no delays yet on the regional rails. but just make sure you're bundled up on both the market frankford and broad street subway. they were using shuttle buses and the trains start today roll just few moments ago, karen, thomas, back over to you. >> thanks for the heads up. 5:03. we want to get breaking news. violent night in philadelphia. two men killed in separate shoot this is happening ten minute from each other. let's get right to the scene. steve keeley is on the scene of the latest one on market street, what do we know so far, steve? >> reporter: both less than four hours ago, and both victims pronounced dead at the same spot within 27 minutes, and here we are the first day every winter, and then awful first start in the first hours every winter, because right after 1:00 we have two murders, the second one right here, you can see eight car lengths up, where it police car; we are going to spin around and show you real time crime camera. again, from probably the fourth time in two weeks we are right under the frankford

market "el" train for a violent crime. so, nobody's in fear of any surround ill ends cameras, any applies real time crime cameras, which is are here, and highly technical to pick up stuff, even in the dark of night, because this is a spot where there has been violent crime before. so repeat crime scene here. now going to the video. you will see a toyota camry, 2515, car door passenger side open. the killer opened that door while the victim was sitting in the driver seat with the car running and blew him away. >> there is one bullet hole on the top of the door frame. so it appears that the shooter was fine from outside in to the car. we also found a projectile, actual bullet, a spent bullet, on the floorboards by the feet of the victim. so it appears that this time the shooter was standing right next to the passenger side open door of the vehicle that the victim was sitting in and

firing shots into the car and we know that this victim was struck at least two times in the head. >> five shell casings found on the grounds next to that passenger door. just before this crime, let's go to the murder number two, this is we're at 51 street. this is at 60 street. and almond, as in allman, and a man in his 40's there, who appears to be a robbery victim, and a murder victim t wasn't good enough just to rob him. they had to kill him too. >> upon arrival they did locate one male. he shot multiple times throughout the chest and the abdomen. police transported him to presbyterian hospital where he was pronounced deceased at 1:40 this morning. we believe at this time that the motive may have been robbery. but we're not 100% sure. >> reporter: so when you rob, police tell you always just give up whatever they're asking for. don't try to fight over property. because sometimes you end up fighting for your life. now, they don't know that that

happened in this case, karen, thomas, but sadly two murders within that frame, right after midnight here, and west philadelphia, just about nine blocks down, and two blocks over from each other. but not believed to be related, just a coincidence of violent crime in one part of this city overnight. >> all right, steve, thank you. too much violence in our city. >> time now 5:06. developing story this morning, the search for a new jersey murder suspect continues after police find a clue that could lead to his whereabouts. thirty-two year old jeremiah moanl remains on the run, accused every killing his he is training wife tara owe shea watson, found dead inside her cumberland county home monday morning. last night new jersey state police recovered his pick-up truck, friend of the victim say she endured years of abuse . >> you can tell something's not right, visible black and blue marks, she just bluntly

come out and tell me that there was problems. >> now, friends are planning a vigil in tara's honor tomorrow night at her home in commercial township. people are asked to wear purpose toll spread awareness of domestic violence. >> new video of pennsylvania woman and her family who are being held hostage by the taliban in afghanistan and have been held for quite some time. this is a first time we're seeing her two young boys that were born in captivity. her name is caitlin coleman. that's her husband, joshua boil. they were kidnapped while hiking four years ago. she was seven months pregnant at the time they were captured. now there is latest video was believed to be recorded by their captors on december 3rd. and in it, coleman from our area, york county, pleads for end to her family's nightmare. those two young boys, fudge knit their father's lap, but appear otherwise healthy. coleman makes urgent plea to both american and canadian governments to negotiate for their release. she also quickly mentions how she's been treated as a

hostage. >> we can only ask and pray that somebody who recognize the otrocity these men carry out against us, as so-called retaliation, in their hypocrisy, my children have seen their mother -- we ask quickly in our collective 14th year every prison, urge the government on both sides to reach some agreement to allow us freedom. >> since this abduction, the united state government has been trying get them released but repeated setbacks. us military says this particular taliban network is holding five american prisoners, the captors are demanding the release of one of their commanders currently in jail. >> the family of the young mother killed in a hoboken plane crash files notice that they intends to sue. lawyers for fab owe old a filed a claim, against the transit. stant willing -- she was standing on the platform,

killed by falling debris, and more than 100 people were injured in the accident. it was later revealed the engineer suffered from sleep apnea. no comment from the new jersey transit. >> 5:09. a setback in federal court for former philadelphia congressman, chaka fattah. a judge has ruled can he not be free while he appeals his bribery and racketeering conviction, which means, that he's got to begin serving his ten year sentence january 25th. his lawyers had argued it would be unfair to lock him up when his conviction could later be overturned on appeal. fattah convicted of using government grants, to repay an illegal $1 million loan from his failed run for mayor back in 2007. >> time 5:09. police say they've taken dozens of criminals off the streets. >> well, it took three days to get them off the streets. officer say they do have a whole cash of drugs, guns, money and gang members in their custody. >> well the crackdown comes after string of deadly opioid overdoses throughout the city earlier this month. >> our dave schratwieser reports among the items that police confiscated, than was

the real reason behind all of this one, lots and lots of heroin, $53,000 worth. >> when they see a big operation like this, it gives them hope. >> only fox 29 cameras were there, as philadelphia police and sheriff's officers rounded up dozens every suspect last week, in the latest sweep to get violent offenders, drug dealers, and wanted suspect, offer the streets. >> big take away from this is it kind of makes the bad guys keep their heads down, and it gives the good people hope. >> this was the scene on day one of three day sweep through the east police division. these are the guns, drugs, and cash, seized by police and federal agents, as investigators targeted the drug trade, and violent crime. it was the third in series every city-wide initiatives, spear headed by the narcotics unit. >> it has been successful. we're taking some real bad people off the street. we're developing inch ten genes information, leading us to largest organizations we target. >> police showed off 21 guns including ar15's, close to

$50,000 in cash, and over 200 grand in heroin, cocaine, and as sorted other drugs. there were hundreds of packets of heroin, which came on the heals every drug overdoses, and deaths this month. linked to deadly phentinol laced heroin. >> we were specifically with the drug organizations look at the ones selling the drugs killing people out there. >> nothing going to stop the drug sales, in the neighborhood, because this is the drug capitol of the united state. >> police also arrested several gang members, 36 violent criminals with outstanding warrants. they're still testing the heroin they seized to see if it matches the heroin that caused so many overdoses, here in the city in recent weeks. at police headquarters, dave schratwieser, "fox 29 news". it has been an eyesore for weeks. in one neighborhood just trash and debris. >> they are area getting tired of it. neighbors say they couldn't get help to get rid of any our stuff. so we sent our bruce gordon out. he's getting results. that's coming up next. morning, bob.

>> morning, 5:11, gooing for a ride, the schuylkill expressway nifty 50. so far so good. who wants to go skiing? blue mountain, hands in the air, susie chap stick, where are you? there a live look at blue mountain in the poconos. forecast for the poconos and the shore and everywhere inbetween when we come right back.

j the time is 5:15. cold start out there again, but temperatures will recover, actually, few degrees above average by the afternoon. twenty-nine right now in philadelphia. sunrise this morning, at 7:19. look at the temperatures. it is cold. millville, 20 degrees right now. twenty-six in atlantic city, 17, now, in allentown, 24 currently in mount pocono, and 24, also, in wilmington. >> north and western suburbs, look at doylestown, right now, reporting 25 degrees. we have 20 in phoenixville, west chester, waking up to cold 20 right now, so certainly, bundle up. high pressure off to the south. but, clockwise, winds around that high pressure, will mean more of a westerly wind, and by this afternoon, those temperatures will climb once again, into the mid 40's, for philadelphia, so several degrees above average for this time of year. the average now right around 42, 43 degrees, for center city. so, high temperatures, center city, 45. forty-six down the shore, sunny, nice, lehigh valley, temperatures top outright

around 42 degrees. so, looking ahead, what about christmas, the forecast? well, take a lock at the past several years. it was spot-on, 2012, the average, 42, freezing, 2013. 60s, the past two years, it looks like, temperatures will top out this christmas right around 50 degrees, for the philadelphia area. the weather authority seven day forecast showing mid 40's for today. turning blustery for tomorrow. so, by the game tomorrow night, i think kick off temperatures will be in the upper 30's. then by friday, a good travel day across much of the nation. fifty-two in philadelphia. 49 degrees on hand kay. maybe a shower or wet snowflake far north and west. but it does look like no white christmas, looking at 50 degrees for the high temperature on christmas day. and look at the mild conditions, as we move toward early next week. 57 degrees as we kick off kwanzaa on monday. back over to you, bob? >> scotty, good morning, everybody, 5:16 on this wednesday morning. getting up and getting out. a live look at the 42 freeway,

no problems or delays at all. the pocket, i like to call, starting to pop here, as you work your way in toward philadelphia. here is a live look at columbus boulevard. where we are all iced over. let's roll video from yesterday, skyfox pulled up to the scene. just talked to the water department. here is the game plan. once rush hour is over, 9:00 a.m., the work crews are going to come back and shutdown columbus boulevard again. they had it closed all day yesterday. the city salt trucks were out there. they made some repairs. restored some service. see the cars right there, scooting out of the side street? they are the folks that live in those townhomes there just between queen and christian. so let's come back to the maps. again, they're going to shut it down, 9:00 a.m., is the time, and then you'll have to use either front or second street. they're also going to close those off-ramps from 95 to columbus boulevard, that was a hot mess yesterday. folks didn't even know what was going on because of the off ramp being blocked. you will have to go up to center city or jump off down

in south philadelphia. rancocas road, lancaster drive, wood lane road is your best bet. an accident scene being investigated. so far so good on the regional rails. but again, these cold temps are not doing justice to the trains this morning. they've been having problems all week long. so just be ready for some scattered delays, as we've seen the last couple of days. ninety-five looking good out of northeast philadelphia. check out this guy. upper darby, good old paul. he's got the light on the roof. he's got the little candy cane lane here. and he's got a snow machine so that when you walk through the little candy cane lane, you get little burst of snow as you check out the christmas lights. come on, how is your christmas decorations looking? snap a picture, e-mail them, facebook them, twitter, instagram, use the #fox29lights contest so we can show them here on tv and this week we will pay a visit to someone's house and broadcast live from their front lawn. all of the details are on our

website at fox29.com. >> i tell you, there was no controlling this scene. that's a massive explosion at a fireworks market near mexico city. so far authorities have confirmed at least 29 people are dead. dozens more are hurt. explosion ripped right through the market that was full of people buying fireworks for the holidays. yesterday, well, crews today, still searching for any signs of life there. no word on what set off this blast. >> to the latest now on that attack in berlin. the german capitol now on very high alert as they still have manhunt going on right now. they're trying to find the kill here plowed that truck into the christmas village. isis is claiming responsibility, for this attack, that killed a dozen people, left nearly 50 other injured. but the us says there is not

enough information to back up that terror group's claims at this time. german investigators have released a 23 year old pakistani as sigh almost seeker they originally thought was suspect because they say they did not have enough evidence. >> also, there is a turkish official, now shining a spotlight on a muslim cleric in our area. up in the poconos area. this is the investigation that continues of the assassination of russia's ambassador to turkey at that art gallery. that's the cleric from our area. so, turkey is now saying that behind this movement, leading to this kind of violence. now, that cleric, released a statement, that's the ambassador killed, the statement was that he condemns the murder. russian investigators still want to know if andre's killing the work everyone person or part of larger conspiracy. officials have identified the shooter as 22 year old member of anchor's riot police squad. turkey and russia back opposing sides of the syrian

war, but they say, they won't let this stand in the way of their relationship. >> fox 29 is getting result for homeowners in a olney neighborhood. in a case, our bruce gordon likes to call, the debris debockle. pile of demolition rubble appeared in the backyard of this rental home. this is on the 200 block of spark street. after a tenant moved out several weeks ago, well, neighbors say it has become a magnent for rodents, a signal that the home is empty. >> this was a sunday. i doubt very seriously if anything happens until after, after the holiday. i really do. >> christmas present for you would be to get this mess out of here? >> yes, exactly. >> all right, so our bruce gordon made some phonecalls, city inspectors will visit the home early this morning, issue citations and require a clean up within two weeks. and also reached out to the property owner, and he says vandalism forced him to tear apart some of the property, but he promised he will have the mess cleared away by the end of the week.

fox 29 our bruce gordon is getting results. >> speaking every action, today may be the day that north carolina gets rid of the very controversial bathroom bill. the governor there is calling on legislators back to the capitol today, to repeal the state law which is called officially hb2 on monday the city half r lot vote today get rid that sparked the bill in the first place, controversial law requires people to use bathrooms according to the gender, they were biologically born with. this has cost the state hundreds of jobs, and several high profile sporting event, say, they won't play there, won't do business in that state. >> this council's move is contingent on the state fully repealing that law by the end of this year. >> musician richard marks springs into action, helping to restrain an unruly passenger on a flight that was going to south korea so he was sitting with his wife -- i can't believe we're not showing the pictures, daisy

fuentes, the guy gets violent, subdue the passenger for hour hours, so wrote daisy and i are home safe and sound, just did what i would hope anybody would do in the same situation. so after the plane finally landed in sole, they took him. >> oh, had rope and everything, one of the flight attendant had taser gun. >> couldn't get him to stop. couldn't figure out how to work the tazer. >> for four hours that went on. quite the ordeal. >> like the song, i will be there. >> that was good. who knew he was married to days. >> i lucky him. all right, she is adorable. >> also, lucky you, if you bought a powerball for saturday's jock pot and haven't check your numbers may want to do it right now. because you could be a millionaire. where that was sold next.

>> welcome back, time for your money news, could be big name change when it comes to pharmaceutical companies, and places, wallgreen's and rite aid, planning to sell nearly 900 locations to fred's, so see get ready to see fred's all over the place, they're making this move as rite aid prepares to merge with wallgreen's, if federal regulators give the green light on this one, fred's would immediately become the thirds largest pharmacy chain in the country, right behind wallgreen's, and vcs. >> something you probably already new.

philly doesn't has to brag about it restaurant scene. ranked philadelphia among the year's hottest food cities, we're number eight on the list, just below north carolina washington dc down there to the south ranked number one. >> wow. >> looked at 26 cities in all. they were judged on how many new restaurants each city opened in the amount of national media attention the city's received. >> we've got a lot recently from all of the big ones. >> we also have some big news. tens of thousands of soccer fans will be coming to south philadelphia next summer, because we're getting the gold cup. lincoln financial field picked to host the 2017 gold cup match. the game will take place in july. and we will get more details a little closer to that date. i hope more stores follow wal-mart's lead, because workes there will get little more time with their families on christmas eve. the largest retailer in the nation says it will shut its doors at 6:00 p.m. on saturday. in over the last couple of years, wal-mart closed at

8:00 p.m. christmas eve. wal-mart says it appreciate its workers, and this is a way of thanking them. >> nicely done. >> some lucky person in our area could be an instant multi-millionaire. >> did you look. >> i wish. if you had bought the powerball recently, pull them out right now, there was winning powerball ticket bought in delaware on december 17th. so the jackpot, more than $121 million. that's not what you want. you only want a million. but the winning ticket was sold, yes, well, still a lot of money, but just making sure. >> take me with you. >> it was sold at the sell bee ville goose creek location on dupont boulevard. so if you were there at that goose creek location, make sure you go check your tickets right now. if the winner chooses the cash option will receive lump sum payment, are we saying that they won all this money, $72 million? i got to check this one. that's outrageous. of course you can watch the

drawings here on fox 29. >> yes, someone hit the big one. >> the big one. >> congratulates. >> can they adopt? >> if you're about to walk your dog this morning, you better not leave your home without a senate them your hand. which town is cracking down on dogs on the loose? that's coming up.

>> breaking overnight, two men shot and killed in two separate murders, now, police this morning are searching for the gunman. plus: the man police say set off bombs in new jersey, and new york, makes his first court appearance. >> and fighting back. penn state taking aim at one every its former presidents. what it all has to do with the jerry sandusky scandal. good day everybody. it is a wednesday, it is december 21st, i just check, that real was a $121 million winning ticket down there in the dover area. so, that's pretty darn exciting. >> a great holiday season. >> i haven't checked. >> did you go down to delaware lately? >> i don't think i've been there. but good to think. that will if i'm not here tomorrow, you know what happened. >> right? >> good morning. >> good morning. >> you know what time it is? >> almost time for winter. >> twelve minute away, yes,

ball going to drop like times square? >> i don't know. >> we'll do a countdown? >> maybe a winter weather open, that would be great. wow. winter officially arrives, talking about nine hours and 20 minute of daylight, so the days will only get longer, after today, so that's some good news, weather by the numbers on a scale of one to ten, hey, what about a eight? good news all around, with this forecast, on this first day of winter. but it is cold out there. soap, dress for winter, this morning. it is 29 philadelphia. twenty-six atlantic city, 24 right now in the poconos, along with wilmington. soap, it will be a colds start for bus stop buddy bundled up, temperatures in the 20's, but we do have few clouds, passing through now, southern clouds expected for today. take a look at the temperatures. talkingly bit of four's across the area, so kind of seasonal, if not few degrees above average later on this afternoon. coming up we will talk about those rising temperatures, and the holiday forecast, it is all with the seven day coming

up. bob kelly? >> 5:33, as we get up and get out. grabbing your coffee and keys. live look at 95. this is 95 southbound heading into academy. they got an accident here that's off to the shoulder. so already starting to see the slow-downs. and then let's roll video from skyfox over the scene of this water main break that errupted yesterday morning, along columbus boulevard, between queen and christian. now the crews were out all day yesterday making repairs, they did restore some water to the townhomes there, even had the salt that far left lane, so right now, on the overnight, they've allowed some of the traffic in and out as you see the cars scooting out there, from the apartment, homes there, but for the most part, let's go back to our cameras 9:00 a.m. today, they'll close crumb before boulevard, queen to christian, use front or second street. it will be hot mess through south philly, later on today,

and, the off-ramps from 95 to columbus boulevard will be closed, starting at 9:00 to prevent all of the traffic from backing up, again, once the water department gets back in there later on at 9:00 a.m. now, we got report of fuel spill here. 295 southbound right near woodcrest station, that just popped up. and that's going to cause some delays for folks trying to get in to the patco high-speed line parking lots there. rancocas road, lancaster drive, watch for an accident that pulled down all of the telephone polls and the wires that went along with it, so wood lane road the best bet even for the school buses, so far so good. rough week for commuters and the trains, the cold weather, really, hitting the regional rail lines hard. but so far so good, no problems or delays. starting to see some volume come in on 422, and the works crews out with the shopper later today between sanatoga and route 724. karen, thomas, back over to you. >> bob, thank you, 5:35, right now, police investigating two deadly shootings in

philadelphia. >> that's where steve keeley is this morning, with all of the details, steve? >> reporter: well, philly police hope this real time crime camera that they operate here, right at the corner of 51st and market, at the second murder scene, you see, it is right under the market frankford "el", they hope it captured the killer if he came or went this way. it was just ten car lent off the corner that the killer opened the passenger door as we run our video of this toyota camry, then open fire as the young man who had no idea -- id on him sat in the driver seat with the engine running. >> we found five spent shell casings on the sidewalk about two, 3 feet from the passenger side front door of this vehicle. it appears that the shooter opened the passenger side front door, fired shots into the car, striking the victim. >> well, the car is registered to a woman who lives just 2 miles from here, not reported stolen. so police were going to talk to her to find out who she let

use the car and find out who the man was to help find who wanted them dead and why, since it does not appear to be a robbery. like it does appear if we run the next video as the motive in the murder just before this. just ten minutes before this, and just nine blocks away, over on 60 street. >> upon arrival they did locate one male. he shot multiple times throughout the chest and abdomen. police transported him to presbyterian hospital, where he was pronounced deceased this morning. we believe at this time the motive may have been robbery, but we're not 100% sure. >> well, both men shot and killed and pronounced dead all within the same half hour after 1:00 a.m. this morning. as this bitter cold, karen, tomorrow, continues, not to stop a lot of cold calculating killing here, in christmas week. >> it is the truth. so many families will be so devastated during the holidays when they should be celebrating, steve, thank you. >> man accused of setting off bombs in new jersey and new york has pleaded not guilty to

attempted murder. this is some video of him coming into the courtroom. his name akmed in his first person court appearance yesterday for the charges he tried to kill police before they captured him, you may remember, back in september. prosecutors also say that he set off bombs in seaside park right before a race, and in new york city injuring more than 30 people. he is expected to appear in court at later date to face those charges. and penn state is fighting back against its former president. the university is demand that gram spaniard give back all of the severance pay he's received over the past five years, penn state accusing him of not negotiating in good fate when the two sides reached an except breaks agreement back in 2011, the university says spaniard did not fully disclose what he knew about the jerry sandusky case molesting boys. spaniard is suing penn state for violating the agreement by publicizing critically his handling of the sandusky scandal. >> florida -- for the love of the game. people recovering from drug

addiction, helping one another stay on the right track. and it is all through the game of basketball. stay with us.

good morning, i'm sean bell. johnson back with the eagles after serving ten game suspension. the teen went just two and eight without him. yesterday, they talked about the frustration of having to watch his team go through all of this without him.

>> four and zero, after the detroit game, it is all on me, like i said, all i can do is go play, do less talking, coy talk all day about it, but will be, you know, proving that through the rest of my contract. >> to the sixers and the pelicans, sixers down by 14, drew holiday, finding anthony davis right here for the dunk. the sixers fall once again 108 to 93. and the phillies making some noise in the off season. yesterday the phils traded for red sox starting pitcher, clay buck holt. they gave up minor league second baseman for the two time worlds series champion. that's sports in a minute. i'm sean bell.

>> ♪ >> welcome back, it is a winter wonder lands. >> beautiful. >> it is official. it is really, just click off, 5:44, fall outta here. don't let the door hit you in the back side. >> yes, so today will be a long one as far as darkness. won't see a lot of daylight. good news after today, the days will get longer. so it is encouraging. just waking up, very good morning to you. great to have you with us. let's get a check on the traffic this morning with bob. >> 5:45, weaver snow in the poconos, and ice in south philly. ice on the roadways. live look at columbus boulevard. a result of the water main break that occurred yesterday.

right toward the end of the rush hour. it is columbus boulevard, southbound, between queen and christian. i talked to the water department. here is the game plan. at 9:00 a.m., they're going to come back, shutdown columbus boulevard again today, between queen and christian, so you will push traffic, local traffic, will go either front or on two street, the big delay, though, will be for folks that use 95. the off-ramps to columbus boulevard, will be closed also at 9:00 a.m. so you are going to have to go up to center city, girard avenue, or think ahead, and jump off here at south philadelphia, packer avenue, paterson avenue, front street there. so that's going, something that will cause problems throughout the day. over in south jersey, rancocas road, lancaster drive, watch for an accident. some type of spill on 295. it is southbound right before the woodcrest station. so that's going to cause delays for folks trying to get in to the patco high-speed line. whether it be patco, njt or septa, it's been rough week so far.

the cold temps really giving it hard to the trains here. so, everything is on time. no big delays. but we start to see some scattered delays, as we roll through the morning. hello hatboro. big old joe. he's got everything all lit up here. he has the light on the roof. he has santa on the slay. and we are ready for santa's arrival on saturday night. come on, i'm looking for your pictures. snap them, put them up thereon facebook, twitter and stain gram. use the #fox29lights contest. we can show the pictures here on tv and then pick a home, to go broadcast live. later on this week, we will do it from somebody's front lawn, during our 5:00 newscast, all of the details are up on the website at fox29.com. and we got that christmas and holiday forecast coming up in 15 seconds.

>> yes, it is officially winter now, it still feels like winter on this wednesday morning. temperatures are below freezing right now. in philadelphia we are talking 29 degrees. the sun will come up at 7:19. so it feels a little colder with those winds out there. but take a look at the numbers. definitely bundle up. dress for winter this morning. lancaster, 21 degrees. twenty-three in pottstown. seventeen now in allentown. look at millville. cumberland county, 20 degrees, 26 right now in atlantic city. so it is cold out there. ultimate doppler, it is dry, it is quiet, few passing clouds, but we're not looking at any precipitation. because high pressure, it is still in control off to our south. little clipper well off to the north and west. that will kind of head in our direction thursday, bring some gusty conditions, but it looks like it will mainly and dry passage. but, with the high pressure off to the south, we will get winds, clockwise, so those clockwise westerly winds, around the lehigh and delaware

valley, will mean temperatures pretty comfortable by this afternoon. what about 45 for the high temperature in philadelphia, the average for this time of year is in the low 40's, so across the region for today, looking at mixture of sun and clouds, but really nice. down the shore, 46 degrees, 42 for the high temperature in the lehigh valley. so, cold start, but a pretty seasonable afternoon. we still have cold air across much of the nation. some milder air off to the south. so, temperatures will continue to rise this afternoon, mid four's, as we move toward your thursday, friday, temperatures, we will be topping out in the upper 40's, to near 50. so, what about the holiday weekend forecast? christmas eve right now, looks mostly cloudy, there could be spotty shower or maybe a wet snowflake north and west, but temperatures above freezing, upper 40's to right around 50. moving ahead to christmas day, call it partly sunny, it will be mild, temperatures top out around 50 degrees, the past two christmasses in philadelphia, temperatures were in the mid to upper 60s,

so it won't be that warm, but nonetheless, we will be above the average high for christmas day in philadelphia, which is 42 degrees. so, for today, 45, looking pretty good, turning blustery tomorrow. 48 degrees. temperatures by kick-off tomorrow night, for the game, upper 30's, to right around 40, good travel day for tomorrow on friday, hanukkah, looking at once again mostly cloudy skies, and temperatures top out in the upper 40's. by sunday, christmas day, temperatures top out around 50. moving ahead, to early next week, temperatures stay in the 50's, there could be couple of showers, though, moving in, as we start kwanzaa on monday. back over to you. >> overall looking good, only seven minutes into winter. already counting down to spring, of course. >> thank you, scott. >> let's talk about this inspiring story coming out of south jersey? people recovering from drug addiction, helping one another to stay on the right track. our shawnette wilson says it all has to do with basketball.

>> reporter: this looks like an ordinary basketball game. and it is with the exception of the reason these particular players are hitting the hard wood. >> there is going to be sober environment with sober people. >> twenty-six year old jimmy machine donnell is player and part founder of the sober sports league, made up of people like jim any recovery from drugs and other substance abuse disorders. >> i started experimenting why open agents, like perk sets, pills it, led me to heroin. and then led me on downward spiral. >> jimmy said the sober sports league helps him and others on their continuous path to recovery. >> this is sunday at camden county college. they plan to expand to other sports. >> if you're struggling, if you feel like drinking or getting high that person next to you can talk you out of it. >> co-founder of the league. >> this is ground zero for the heroin epidemic in america. this is where the pure he is heroin is in the country and people are dying left and right. >> steven and jimmy both work at humble combination, a

outpatient drug treatment facility with offices in cherry hill and willow grove. their relationship here blossomed into the idea to form the sober league, to change how many people view recovery. >> meetings, aa, this type of things, you know what, when we take a twist with sports, you know it, tears down a lot of walls as far as what recovery looks like, and recovery, we could have fun, go bowling, go to the diners, maybe after a meeting. >> justin also work for humble combination. he helps those struggling with take sean and their family finds resources. justin says, he was a varsity athlete turned heroin addict at the age of 17. now sober, the sober league is his inspiration. >> recovery is much more, you know, than just having to stay sober and not having fun. we can still live and enjoy your life. you can have fun. >> once again that was shawnette wilson reporting. >> so, entertainment news, what's it like to play donald trump? well, alec baldwin reveals in a interview with new york

times on saturday, saturday night pace him $1,400 every time he impersonates trump. he said it takes him about seven minutes to make that tons formation to look like the preselect. he said it took him a lot longer to master the mannerisms, he had to watch powers of footage from the campaign trail. >> the rock-and-roll hall of fame has announced its inch duct tees to next year. >> popular pearl jam made the cut. imagine them playing, imagine them rocking out. let's talk about the other artist, supposed to be little sounds clip there. it includes tupac shakur, becomes the sixth hip heart artist inducted, joan bias, she has inspired so many artists through the years. >> electric light orchestra, the induction ceremony will be held in new york city, in april, congrats to all of those inducted. >> also, the countdown to christmas and hanukkah, on and

the mayor of philadelphia, he knows how to have fun, getting in on this one. the holiday spirit, alive and well. >> ♪ kisses deluxe chocolates. with a whole roasted hazelnut, delicate crisps and layers of rich, creamy chocolate, they're twice the size of the kisses chocolates you love. say more with kisses deluxe.

here we are, about 12 minute, winter, it is

officially here. so is the holiday spirit. so take a look. do you recognize that elf in green? that would be the leader of philadelphia mayor jim kenney. he got into the holiday spirit last night, at the franklin square holiday festival. santa, city councilman, mark, and the rest of kenny's christmas council, had the honor of lighting the franklin square electrical spectacle. >> a sixers big man gets a big ovation. after a week full of controversy, noel, coming up, his reaction on good day stay with us. my guest list just tripled.

my cookie exchange is super competitive. mine too. i want to go really big with my appetizers. we can do it without blowing our budget. oh yeah, this is great! my family really needs to be wowed this year! standing rib roast! wow. everything for the holidays. that's my giant.

>> violented night in philly. now police are trying to figure out who pulled the trigger. an explosion at a busy mexico fireworks marketplace turns deadly. an update on the investigation into the cause. and now nerlens noel about to come in. the reason for the applause, for the crowd here at wells fargo center. >> a sixers big man gets a big ovation, a standing o. after a week full of