Trending This Mornin'
An arctic blast awaits this morning.  Sunshine, but cold. Hi today 25.  Wind chills around zero, below zero in the mountains. Winds gusting 20 - 30 mph.  Low tonight 17.   Continued cold tomorrow.  A little warmer.  High 32. Partly sunny Thursday. Hi 35.  70% chance of rain/snow mix.  Hi 39.  Partly sunny this weekend.  Saturday, Hi 32.  Sunday 39.  Monday, Partly sunny.  Hi 47.

 
Smith Mountain Lake is back to full pond after all the rain.
 
 
APCO hopes to have all the NRV power outages back by tonight.

 
Downtown Roanoke Restaurant Week thru Jan 26.  More than 25 restaurants will have special lunch and dinner options all week.
 
 
Lookin' Back

 
Today is Answer Your Cat's Questions Day.  It's going to be a longgggg day in the Dowdy house with four cats. 
 

1929- The Yankees announce they would put numbers on the backs of their uniforms, becoming the first baseball team to start continuous use of numbers.
1968- Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In premiered on NBC. It lasted six seasons.
1973- The Supreme Court handed down its Roe vs. Wade decision, which legalized abortion.
1973- Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36th president of the United States, died at his ranch in Johnson City, Texas, at age 64.
2004- The end of Bennifer! Jennifer Lopez called off her engagement to Ben Affleck. The two apparently still keep in touch.

 

 

Cuttin' Cake Today

Beverley Mitchell (7th Heaven) – 32
Singer-actress Willa Ford (Dancing with the Stars) – 32
Christopher Masterson (Malcolm in the Middle) – 33
Celebrity chef Guy Fieri (Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives) - 45.
Diane Lane (Unfaithful) - 48
Linda Blair (The Exorcist) - 54
Steve Perry of Journey – 64
Piper Laurie (Carrie, Children of a Lesser God) - 81

 

Joke of the Day
What weighs six tons and wears glass slippers?  ans - cinder-elephant
 
 
Weird News This Mornin'
A British woman was so mesmerized by her cell phone that she fell into a canal, even as a bystander shouts to her to stop. She was texting her boyfriend. Laura Safe (this is her real name) fell into the canal in Birmingham, England, which has about 114 miles of canals.

A man in Connecticut went to get the flu shot, and left in handcuffs! Nathaniel Chambers, 27, visited Veterans Hospital in West Haven to get the preventative shot, but while there it was discovered he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest! Chambers had allegedly committed a violent assault and robbery at an auto shop a week prior. Once staff learned he was a wanted man, they had him arrested.  **At least he's been "flu free" this winter.

 

 
Smarter Than Question

What is the object most often choked on by Americans?    Congrats to Robert, Nicole and Carol Lou, they got it.  The answer is "toothpick."

Entertainment Buzz
 

 
Last night on The Bachelor,  Bachelor Sean was off to the beach last night, an amusement park and Hollywood last night as the field narrowed by 16 to 13 ladies.  Sent home: Taryn, the health club manager from Portland, and Kristy, the model from Darien, Wisc and Kacie B, who he tells "I just know in my heart we're better off as friends."

 
(Photo: AP)
 
Think there was enough "star power" at yesterday's Inauguration? Besides Beyonce', Kelly Clarkson, and James Taylor singing during the swearing in ceremony (Jay-Z was there, but didn't sing), Jennifer Hudson sang 'Let's Stay Together' for the Obamas' first dance at the Commander-in-Chief Ball.  Alicia Keys, Brad Paisley, John Legend and others also performed last night.  Lady Gaga will perform tonight at a ball for White House staffers.
 
 
Jennifer Aniston has been named the new face of Aveeno, with insiders claiming she landed an “eight-figure” deal to hawk their skincare line. 

 
TNT has given the go-ahead for a bounty hunter pilot starring Geena Davis. 
 
 
Heather Locklear is joining the cast of TNT’s Franklin & Bash. She’ll be a series regular on the drama’s upcoming third season, playing Rachel King, a trial lawyer who becomes a partner at Jared Franklin (Breckin Meyer) and Peter Bash’s (Mark-Paul Gosselaar) law firm.
 
 
Rod Stewart’s son Sean Stewart is reportedly dating a much older woman. Unlike his dad, whose current wife Penny Lancaster is 27 years younger than he is, Sean, 32, doesn’t mind dating a cougar, and according to reports, he’s found a new one – 51-year-old Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Adrienne Maloof. 
 
 

 
Tonight on TV

Raising Hope (FOX)  Ben & Kate (FOX)  New Girl (FOX)   The Mindy Project (FOX)
Pretty Little Liars (ABC FAMILY)  The Lying Game (ABC FAMILY)
NCIS (CBS)  Vegas (CBS)
Betty White’s Off Their Rockers (NBC)  Go On (NBC)  The New Normal (NBC)  Parenthood (NBC)
Hart of Dixie (THE CW)  Emily Owens, M.D. (THE CW)
The Taste (ABC)
Cougar Town (TBS)
Justified (FX)
Snooki & JWoww (MTV)
White Collar (USA)

 

DVDs:

End of Watch
For a Good Time Call...
Searching for Sugar Man

 

 
News from Nashville
 
Kelly Clarkson sang at the Inuaguration yesterday in Washington D.C..  Beyonce and James Taylor also performed at the Inauguration.

(Photo: Jana Kramer,Twitter)

 

Congratulations to newly engaged couple Brantley Gilbert and Jana Kramer. According to People, Brantley popped the question to Jana Sunday on the stage at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, which he had rented out for the day. Sunday was also Brantley's 28th birthday.  The two have been sharing a home in Nashville.

(Photo: Chris Hollo/ABC)

 

Brantley Gilbert and Chris Young make cameo's tomorrow night on "Nashville".

Taylor Swift is a native of Wyomissing, which is located in Berks County in eastern Pennsylvania, not far from Philadelphia.  The other day, she helped her hometown by teaming up with Scholastic, Inc. to donate 2,000 books to the Reading Hospital Child Health Center’s early literacy program.

LeAnn Rimes on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight at 11:35 on ABC.

Thompson Square will release a new album titled Just Feels Good on March 26.

Lauren Alaina - the the 2nd place finisher on Season 10 to American Idol to Scotty McCreery - has started work on her second album.

 

NEW RELEASES TODAY

Gary Allan- Set You Free

Randy Houser - How Country Feels

 

Little Big Town's Kimberly Schlapman and her husband Stephen have launched The Dogwood Project to honor the memory of Stephen's late brother, Allen Schlapman of Lynchburg.  Allen was killed by a drunk driver last Thanksgiving while visiting Kimberly and Stephen in Nashville, leaving behind a wife and children.   The Dogwood Project seeks to help children who have lost a close relative by giving them a dogwood tree or perennial flower arrangement to plant in honor of their loved one. The project will also help the children's caregiver find a grief counselor.

 

 
Lar's This & That
 
Wrist Pain 
If you have carpal tunnel, and it's bad enough that you're considering surgery,  try wearing wrist splints at night for about six months before making your final decision. Wrist splits keep your hands and forearms lined up in a way that significantly improves circulation, helping flush out damaging inflammation and speed healing. According to researchers at Louisiana State University, 60% of women who use them end up not needing the surgery.
Do Not Try This At Home or Work
Most people try to avoid getting outsourced! But this sneaky developer in the U.S. purposely outsourced his job to China so he could sit around and surf the web all day! The man got someone else to do all of his work (for less than a fifth of his pay), while he still collected his six-figure salary. His scheme was discovered after his company asked for an audit to investigate suspicious activity on its virtual private network (VPN) logs.
 
A check of the employee’s web browsing history revealed what he actually did all day – and a large chunk of it was dedicated to watching cat videos, going on eBay and updating his Facebook and LinkedIn profiles. Needless to say, he no longer works for the company. Not that he actually worked while he was there!
 

 
Food Waste

According to a new report, billions of tons of food go to waste each year. Globally, at least 30% of all food produced is lost in storage, handling or transportation. In America, 30% of food on grocery store shelves is eventually thrown away by consumers. A lot of produce is wasted because shoppers won’t purchase items that don’t look perfect. On top of that, supermarkets often throw away perfectly good food the moment it reaches its sell-by date. You might want to think about this before your next trip to Costco.

 

 
Do This For A Change
TSA is getting $400,000 every year.  How?  From your change.  While most of us who go through the airport security remember to take our keys, purse and shoes, more and more are leaving behind loose change.   Next time you fly, try this.  Put your change in something you're sure to remember to take with you - like your shoe.
Wrangler's Moisturizing Jeans
These skinny jeans are working overtime! Wrangler has developed the first pair of moisturizing jeans. The skinny-fit style contains high-performance skincare ingredients designed to protect your legs from the dehydrating effects of denim.
 
The Denim Spa jeans come in three versions – Aloe Vera, Olive Extract and Smooth Legs, which aims to prevent cellulite. The jeans launch on asos.com on January 28, with a price tag of about $136. The skin-softening effects last up to 15 days, but a reload spray will also be available to buy. Wrangler certainly has a leg up on the competition
 

 
What Your Cellphone Ring Tone Says About You
Here's what experts say: 

•Default ringtone. Technology specialist,  John Calian, using the Default Ringtone means you’re too busy and don't care to be bothered to program a personalized ring, or you’re just not that comfortable with technology.

•Vibrate.  According to psychologist, Dr. Max Wachtel of Denver, it’s no surprise that people who keep their phones on vibrate are sensitive about disturbing others and consider it “good manners” mode to have their phone on vibrate, especially in restaurants and movie theaters. If you prefer a silent ring, it could also mean you’re shy, and don’t like to draw attention to yourself.

•A 20-year-old song, like “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses? Dr. Wachtel says that old-school favorites mean you’re probably remembering back to when the song was popular. When you were younger, more idealistic, and more energetic. It may also mean that you’re reluctant to grow up, and don’t want to take yourself too seriously.

•A popular song, like “Low” by Flo-Rida? Technology specialists say this means you're social, and fun to be with. You like cheering up folks, and feel your ringtone shows that you’re trendy and in touch with the world.

 

 
Ways A Good Woman Improves Their Guy

Top 10 Ways A Good Woman Improves You
10. She makes you socialize
9. She makes you better in bed
8. She keeps you normal
7. She keeps you honest
6. She keeps you healthy
5. She focuses you on the future
4. She keeps you motivated
3. She challenges you to try new things
2. She provides stability
1. She sees the best in you

Source: The Frisky

 
Popular Puppy Names
The most popular puppy names of 2012 took on human form, according to a study by the veterinarian and animal health website Vetstreet.com.
 

Top 10 most popular puppy names

Female:

1. Bella

2. Daisy

3. Lucy

4. Molly

5. Lola

6. Sophie

7. Sadie

8. Chloe

9. Coco

10. Maggie

 

Male

1. Max

2. Buddy

3. Charlie

4. Rocky

5. Cooper

6. Bear

7. Bentley

8. Duke

9. Jack

10. Toby

 

Good News Story 

Assistant Fire Chief Russell Stevens has a first...he's run 10,000 calls with the Bedford Fire Department.  But firefighting isn't even Stevens' full-time job.

Russell Stevens owns his own business: a garage. He says there have been many times he's had to drop everything at work to go on a call, but his customers seem to understand.

Stevens says when someone is in urgent need of help, it takes top priority.  This past Saturday, he was recognized by the department at their annual banquet.  Russell was presented with a proclamation by Bedford City Manager Charles Kolakowski to congratulate him.

Stevens joined the department back in 1974.  The Bedford Fire Department is also celebrating its 125th anniversary this year.

Fire, police and rescue - we don't thank them enough for their service. Thanks Russell and thanks to all of you...whether it's your first call or 10,001...you're all special.

Lar's Thought of the Day 

"Every day is a gift. Spread a smile.  You might just heal a heart."