BOSTON (CBS) – Massachusetts voters will have to make decisions on three ballot questions on Election Day.

Question 3 would allow for the use of medical marijuana in the Commonwealth.

Eric McCoy, who supports the measure, lives with progressive multiple sclerosis and enjoys living on his own in his Boston apartment.

He says that relief from painful muscle spasms which limit his mobility only comes from one thing.

“Without medical marijuana I would not be able to move my legs properly, I would not be able to take care of myself, to get around.”

How does he get it?

“Because it’s illegal,” McCoy told WBZ-TV. ” I’d prefer not to discuss my procurement methods.”

But Eric won’t have to break the law if Massachusetts voters pass Question 3.

His message to voters?

“Medical marijuana helps so many people in the state of Massachusetts that need the medicine.”

If Question 3 passes, doctors could recommend medical marijuana for patients with certain conditions including MS, cancer or parkinson’s. 35 state-regulated marijuana centers would supply it, but in some hardship cases people could grow marijuana on their own. While easing pain sounds humane, opponents say the consequences would be too severe.

“We just opened our fourth recovery high school in Massachusetts and the number one drug that kids are in treatment for in those high schools is marijuana.”

Opponents like Heidi Heilman with the Mass Prevention Alliance and the Massachusetts Medical Society worry that safeguards aren’t strong enough to prevent abuse.

“If we are really in a place where we need to allow patients to have access to medical marijuana we are truly in those places of chronic illness,” says Heilman, “then let’s put a different law together – this is not it.”

Massachusetts would become the 16th state to allow use of medical marijuana. Supporters say it would be the safest in the country because abusing the new law would be a felony.

BOSTON (CBS) – It can be the most dreaded part of the holidays: traveling.

But if you haven’t booked your flights yet there might still be time to land a deal.

“Passengers can expect to pay more this year. Airfares are up about 3-4% over last year,” says George Hobica of AirfareWatchdog.com. Hobica says “that’s partly due to all the airline consolidating that’s been going on.”

To stay on top of prices, that can change by the hour, sign up for airfare alerts. If you want the best seat and best flight time you may have missed the window of opportunity.

But, if you’re willing to gamble and book a last-minute trip you could score a deal. Hobica says “check two weeks or a week before and you will discover, on some routes, the airlines were overcharging and nobody bought. They have a few seats left and you can get a deal.”

If you’re flying this holiday season for the first time in a while, brace yourself for an unwanted gift… in the form of a new fee.

Many airlines are now charging families to sit together. “Don’t be bullied into buying a premium seat thinking that you’re not going to get on the plane unless you do,” explains Hobica. You’ll still get on the plane without paying the fee. And maybe some nice passengers will switch seats once you’re on board.

It’s a good idea to check those airline fees before you book. What may seem like a great sale price might not be worth it once you add up those extra fees.

Check out this airline guide for more.

BOSTON (CBS) – What can you expect for a raise next year? That might not be clear, but one thing that is true, the rules of who gets rewarded are changing.

One of the concerns is that women workers might be doing themselves a disservice when it comes to making a case for a raise.

American workers on average should see raises of 2.9% next year. That’s a slight improvement over the past few years. Raises averaged 2.7% in 2011 and 2012 and just 2.3% in 2010.

Increasingly, employers are using what money they do have to make a statement.

Art Papas is the CEO of Bullhorn, a Boston based company which makes human resource related software. He said employers “are presenting their top performers with higher raises, and the people who may be in the middle may get a raise that keeps them up with inflation, and the people who are the bottom performers are probably getting nothing.”

Making the case for a raise can be uncomfortable, particularly for women. A survey by LinkedIn found 39% of women are anxious about negotiating for a raise, and 25% actually avoid it.

“Men are trained early on to have high expectations for what people will do for them and of their worth, and young women in the workforce, and certainly women who have been working for years don’t have the same expectation,” explained Elaine Varelas of Keystone Partners.

In fact, men are four times more likely to negotiate for higher pay. Over a lifetime, that can cost a woman more than a million dollars in earnings.

Varelas believes those numbers should embolden any woman to advocate for herself. “You may not be comfortable, but you will be less comfortable knowing that you are not being paid what you are worth,” she says.

Her advice is to start by researching your industry and your position. Make sure your expectations are reasonable.

Next, keep a list of your contributions all year long. This will help you make a good case during a review.

Finally, make sure you remain positive and professional during all discussions.

“Find out all that information out so that you have valid data, not about what you want but about what you are worth,” added Varelas.

Executive Coordinator Amy Layne followed that approach and got the raise she wanted. “You never know until you ask,” she said.

MANCHESTER, N.H. (CBS) – When it comes to Black Friday bargain hunting “we don’t stop. We go, go, go!”

That’s how Erica Murphy describes the all-night shopping spree she takes on every year with her mom, Cheryl.

Related: The Holiday Guide

The Manchester mother-daughter shopping duo has been hitting the shops on Black Friday for decades. And during a trip to the Mall of New Hampshire in Manchester they shared with us their advice to get everything on their Christmas list in just one whirlwind shopping spree.

MAKE A LIST

“Organize the list by what time everything is opening geographically,” that’s the first step explains Erica.

Plot out that early morning route by stores closest to the house and be sure to keep in mind the time of any “door buster deals” that are on the list.

SCAN THE AISLES

Once inside the store, Cheryl says, “the best thing to do is take a scan of the aisles because people will take four things then realize I don’t really need all this.”

Those unwanted items will wind up where you least expect them. One year Erica and Cheryl found a deeply discounted video game in the vacuum section.

CHECK FRONT OF THE STORE

“Another good tip is before you go the cash register go to the front of the store. They have carriages that are usually filled with things that need to go back to the departments. If there’s an item we can’t find, seven times out of ten they’ll be there and we’ll find them.”

When faced with an incredibly long line the dynamic duo stashed their loot in an empty area of the store.

Related: When Do Malls, Stores Open?

They came back a few hours later, picked up a few more things, and checked out – without the crowds.

BRING YOUR OWN CART

This year Cheryl and Erica will be bringing along their beach cart to keep from loading up their arms with gifts and they won’t have to fight the crowds for a shopping cart.

As much as they love shopping in the stores, they admit shopping online has it’s perks.

SHOP ONLINE FIRST

“I also do online shopping before we even leave the house because there’s a couple of stores that will launch their prices online before they actually open the physical stores,” say Erica.

“Last year, I said pretty soon we may just be sitting in our bathrobes, drinking our tea, shopping online, and we looked at each other and said ‘I don’t think so! This is too much fun!’ “

BOSTON (CBS) – A busy marketing executive, Jane Charneski was desperate to ‘unplug’ during a recent vacation. “I was just working a lot of late nights and weekends and it was just really intense,” she said.

She decided to tune out all of the noise in her life by trying something different: a five day silent retreat. “I thought it would give me a way to take inventory,” she explained.

Silent retreats, where you literally have to take a vow of silence during your trip, have become a huge travel trend according to travel editor Kathryn Oshea Evens.

“I think it’s because we’re just so completely bombarded with texts, Facebook, Twitter messages, emails, phone calls. It’s endless and sometimes as human beings we just need to unplug and get away.” she said.

Silent retreats can be bare bones accommodations or luxury resorts.

Some allow group interaction while others encourage you to spend time alone. According to Oshea Evens, resorts offer activities like hiking, canoeing and spa treatments.

Some facilities require total silence, while others have extended quiet periods. Many of them check your technology at the door.

“It’s our belief that by becoming disconnected in the ways we connect through our technology we can become more connected to ourselves,” explained Nat Reid who runs a silent retreat center. He says while staying silent can be difficult, it can also be transformative.

“People often talk about a renewed sense of wonder, kind of rediscovering the joy of being out on a beautiful day and maybe just watching the way the light changes in the evening,’ he said.

Jayne believes her retreat experience was invaluable.

“It is a really powerful feeling to be really in the know, to really be in the know and really be experiencing what’s in front of you.”

These retreats can last for a long weekend or even a couple of weeks, depending on just how much you want to disconnect.

WEST BRIDGEWATER (CBS) – Lisa Holden rarely stocks up the pantry without using a stack of coupons. So, the budget-conscious West Bridgewater mom jumped at the chance to rack up savings on her heating and electric bills. “I signed up instantly and pretty much told everyone and anyone I know about it,” she says.

Lisa now saves money by shopping. It’s all thanks to Neighbor Power. The Andover-based company lets shoppers earn reward points toward their electric and gas bills with each trip to the store. “You get rewarded for living,” explains Paul Harkins, the CEO of Neighbor Power. The company launched last year letting customers save money on oil and it recently expanded to offer deep discounts on gas and electric too. Harkins says, “if you could save $15 – $20 a month on that bill by doing the same things you’re doing today, just doing it through our platform, it’s kind of a no-brainer to offset all these increases in energy costs.”

And this winter is expected to be expensive. According to the US Energy Department, families who heat their home with oil are looking at a price hike of 20%. Natural gas is expected to be up 15% and electric heat will cost 5% more this year.

There are two ways to earn cash using Neighbor Power. If you like to shop online, the first option may be right up your alley. Just log onto your favorite stores through your Neighbor Power account first. Through those online purchases you can rack up cash rewards to put toward that heating bill. You can also save money by registering all of your store loyalty cards with Neighbor Power. Then browse the Neighbor Power website for coupons that you like. Once you activate a coupon the discount is automatically stored on your all of loyalty cards, plus you earn points toward your heating bill. Lisa describes this option as double dipping, “You’re getting the money from the coupons and money into your account from Neighbor Power.”

In a few weeks, the money will be in your online account, ready to be deducted from your bill. After just a few weeks, Lisa had already saved $24 to put toward her bill. She expects to save enough to cover at least three full electric bills a year.

BOSTON (CBS) – Buying new clothes can make us feel good; add a bargain price tag and it can become an obsession. “The average American consumer buys 68 garments and seven pairs of shoes a year,” explained Elizabeth Cline, author of “The Shockingly High Cost of Cheap Fashion.”

Cline spent years researching the clothing industry and discovered to get the most for their money, Americans need to change the way they think about clothing and that may mean passing on that really cute $30 dress. “You are essentially buying garbage and you’re throwing your money away,” she said.

According to Cline, you’ll save money in the long run if you spend more on fewer pieces that last. It’s a philosophy Boston designer Sara Campbell built her business on. “There’s just more construction,” Campbell said about her clothes in comparison to cheaper brands. “More construction makes it more durable.”

Learning to spot good construction is at the heart of Cline’s book. “It’s always good to flip it [garment] inside out to see what it is made out of,” she explained. She explained that linings, hems and other details can tell you a lot about the quality of a piece of clothing. She showed us a dress that was fully lined with a blind hem and beautiful pleats and details. “This is a dress to aspire to own,” she said.

To compare the difference in quality, she also showed us a ten dollar dress that had no details and no lining. “The waist on this dress is an elastic waistband and that’s just a way to cut costs, whereas this dress, they actually made an effort to cut into the pattern so it fits your waist,” Cline explained.

According to Cline, when you pay for quality you are more likely to take care of a garment and the longer you wear something, the better it is for your bottom line.

Campbell agrees. She said you are better off buying a great dress that will last and change up your shoes and accessories to give it a new look.

In the end, you’ll save money and look great.

BOSTON (CBS) – Chances are you know someone like Mary Helen Beatificato. She can’t stand the thought of being away from her mobile phone, even for a short time. “The panic and anxiety that I have during those seconds is probably not normal,” she said. “Even while I’m sleeping, my hand is on my phone.”

Mary Helen is right. It is not normal. Psychologists have even come up with a name for it: Nomophobia as in ‘no mobile phone’ and Mary Helen says she’s got it bad. “It goes with me in the bath and the shower. I actually have a case that is fully submergible.” As a full-time working mother of two, she says she can’t imagine how she would manage without her phone. “I can do so many things with my cell, order school lunches; I can look at cameras inside my house to check on my children when I’m not there.”

Dr. Elizabeth Waterman is a psychologist who helps to treat people with the condition. The symptoms, she says, are easy to recognize: frequently checking the phone, using it in inappropriate places and constantly making sure the battery is at full capacity.

According to Waterman, Nomophobia is most common in women age 18 – 24 and it can get to the point where the phone use can interfere with life. “Someone with an unhealthy attachment to their phone may have thoughts like, ‘I can’t do my day without my phone’,” she said.

Experts say Nomophobia is often connected to a larger psychological issue like anxiety. Waterman’s advice is to slowly take steps to separate yourself from your phone. “Try to put your phone down for a certain amount of time each day. There is no magic number in terms of how long. Try to put it down for a while and try to refocus on your face-to-face interactions,” she said.

That may be easier said than done for Mary Helen and thousands like her.

BOSTON (CBS) – Sorting laundry shouldn’t be dangerous, but one type of clothes hamper has left at least three children scarred for life.

11-year-old Keon Reeve is one of those kids. His eye was slashed when the wire frame of a collapsible hamper poked through the fabric. “I was putting clothes in the basket and it popped out, like real fast,” he explained.

Ophthalmologist Dr. Iris Kassem calls the injury devastating. “The chance of him having good vision in the end is unlikely,” she said. Dr. Kassem hopes the use of a special contact lens will eventually restore some of the vision in Keon’s damaged eye.

This was not an isolated incident. 23-month-old Jania Peet cut her eye when the wire frame of her hamper snapped loose. Dr. Kassem treated both children. “When I first saw Jania, I thought, wow this is a freak accident. What bad luck she had. Then Keon comes in and a light bulb immediately went off and I said, ‘Oh no, I think this might be a pattern,” Kassem said.

There was a third case of an eye injury to a four-year-old involving a pop-up hamper. That case was recently settled for $665,000.

Keon wants other families to be aware of the danger. “I think it should be off the market because I don’t want no one else to be hurt or in pain like I did,” he said.

Some brands of spring-tension hampers have a warning to keep them away from children and your face while opening them. A spokesperson for the Consumer Product Safety Commission says the agency has no standards for this type of product, but the CPSC will look into these cases.

BOSTON (CBS) – Getting children excited about the beauty, power and possibility of classical music. That’s the goal of Boston’s Project Step. Celebrating its’ 30th anniversary this year, the organization reaches out to young people who might not otherwise have a chance. We met some of the kids as they rehearsed for their First Night performance.

It was a small, group rehearsal in a basement room at Symphony Hall. Just 4 of the 15 young musicians who will play classical and holiday favorites at First Night. “Project Step” identifies musically talented minority students from the Boston area, and works with them from as early as age 5.

“Historically the world of classical music has seen a huge lack of diversity,” says Javier Caballero, Project Step’s Co-Artistic Director. “One of our parents put it very eloquently. She said, ‘I want to see on the concert stage, the diversity I see in my neighborhood, on the street, in the city,” says Caballero. “It’s a great experience. It’s just amazing. If you have these opportunities, you don’t want to pass it up,” says Amir Ali, a violin player in the group. “For me it’s more challenging to play something like Mozart, rather than something by Elvis, let’s say,” says Alex Hernandez, who plays viola.

Comprehensive and rigorous, Project Step’s goal is not only to teach music, but to change lives. “It helped me basically be a musician,” says Rebecca Byrd, a former Project Step kid who now studies music therapy at Howard University. “It gave me an experience to music that I probably never would have gotten,” she says. “Most of our students do go into careers in classical music, whether they’re performing in orchestras, or solo or teaching,” says Javier Caballero.

Though these kids are stage veterans, playing First Night is simply a great gig. “Performing for a big event is just an honor, and it’s just cool,” says Itsva Hernandez, a violin player. “I get to play in front of a lot of people and then afterwards I usually go hang out with my friends at First Night, watch the fireworks and get some hot cocoa,” says Amalia Ali who plays cello. “I just want to make everyone happy with what I play,” says Amir Ali.

You can enjoy the Project Step players at First Night at 1 o’clock at the Hynes Auditorium

BOSTON (CBS) – Think of big box retailers and things like cheap paper towels and large canisters of cereal come to mind.

Many of these retailers are now offering a broad range of financial services.

Lilly Newbauer had no idea she could refinance her home at one of these stores. “We were really surprised,” she said.

And the savings were significant. “The difference we’ve seen financially in our mortgage has been about $200 a month so that’s a big difference,” she says.

Tom Feltner of the Consumer Federation of America described the range of services now available: “Mortgages, home equity loans, home improvement loans, life insurance.”

Some stores are also offering home and auto insurance too.

Feltner believes these stores are filling a growing niche. “Consumers are drawn to the simplicity of a transaction that in previous products, there was much more of a barrier to entry.”

Sam’s Club has a small business program for customers who don’t qualify for a traditional bank loan. Spokesperson Catherine Corley said the average loan size is around $11,000.

Home Depot now allows customers to finance projects in the range of $40,000 as an alternative to a home equity line of credit.

Brandon Hayes said these Personal Project loans are often used for roofs and kitchen renovations.

It sounds like an easy way to get credit, but these types of financial products should be approached like any other large transaction.

Experts say consumers shouldn’t be coaxed by the convenience.

Added Feltner, “They’re targeting customers who are looking to complete a transaction very quickly, and at that point of sale, and I think in many ways that puts the onus on consumers to make sure they’re getting the best deal.”

Feltner says consumers should still shop around and comparison shop. That means reading all the terms and conditions of the loan. It is also important to compare premiums, interest rates, and closing costs.

BOSTON (CBS) – We often hear about prescription errors, but they don’t just affect people.

There is growing concern about the number of medication errors involving pets.

Sarah Schuck is still mourning the loss of her Labrador Rafter. “It is really hard.”

What makes the death of her lovable dog even tougher is the way he died. There was an error on a prescription drug. Sarah gave him 2.25 teaspoons of medicine like the label instructed, instead of just 2.25 ccs.

The overdose compounded other health issues and Rafter had to be put to sleep.

Just days after Rafter died, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about some troubling patterns of pet prescription mistakes.

FDA investigators discovered errors stemming from issues like look-a-like packaging, drugs with similar names, and even sloppy penmanship.

Dr. Howard Silberman, a veterinarian, said the consequences of those mistakes can be completely devastating.

Dr. Silberman takes precautions like requiring medications and dosage levels be catalogued in a computer.

Only veterinarians or qualified technicians can fill prescriptions.

His office even puts the pet’s picture on the label to reduce the chance of a mix up.

One problem is pet medicine doesn’t always come from the Vet. For example, Rafter’s prescription was filled at a human pharmacy. They don’t often have the same safeguards, and might use different abbreviations.

Carmen Catizone of the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy said, “Currently most of the pharmacy curriculums don’t touch upon vet medicine.”

Catizone added some pet owners are also quick to try low cost alternatives. “Their primary concern should always be whether or not that pharmacist is knowledgeable in the area of veterinary medications. Price should be a secondary consideration.”

BOSTON (CBS) – Families with two working parents are becoming the rule rather than the exception. With that trend comes a rising number of grandparents who are taking over the care of the kids. And now, a new study suggests grandparents may not always know best.

When Betty Boyko of Belchertown began babysitting her grandchildren, she quickly discovered how the rules have changed. “For instance they said the baby goes on her back. She doesn’t sleep on her stomach. My children slept on their stomach,” she said.

A recent survey found many grandparents aren’t aware of all kinds of new safety guidelines. Experts, like Dr. Kyran Quinlan of the American Academy of Pediatrics say it’s time to get up to speed. “There is new knowledge about what is safest for young kids and grandparents who regularly care for kids will need to learn about these things to do the best job,” he said.

The survey found a third of grandparents thought it was OK to put a baby to sleep on their stomach. But research shows that can increase the risk of sudden infant death syndrome. About half of grandparents didn’t know that blankets, bumpers and stuffed animals also increase the SIDS risk. About a quarter of the grandparents were not aware of the current recommendations for car seats. “Grandparents felt it was OK for a 9-month-old to be in a forward facing in a car seat, and this is also the opposite of what is true,” Dr. Quinlan said.

Experts also warn parents to avoid the urge to pull out their old baby gear from the attic. Safety standards have changed so many times in recent years that most all older gear is likely to be unsafe.

BOSTON (CBS) – It’s the time of year for resolutions and if weight loss is making your New Year’s list, you might want to tell your friends. That’s how Karen Kofalt got real results. She lost 50 pounds since having a baby a year ago. “I think a lot of people can relate to getting back to work and being a full-time working mom and trying to find that work balance. Weight loss sort of slowed up.” says Karen.

But, then she tried FriendshipWeight.com.

With the website, you’re not the only one tracking your progress. Your friends are with you every step of the way. In Karen’s case, her sister gets weekly online updates and is able to send Karen words of encouragement.

Inspired by his own father’s struggle with weight cardiologist, Dr. Kevin Shinal, created the website. “When he passed away suddenly in 2007 this whole problem became way more personal,” he says. “And as a result, I became more passionate about it.”

Accountability is the key to program. Every week, dieters post how much they’ve lost or gained. “They need to know that as they walk this path that if they slip and fall there’s someone there to catch them,” explains Dr. Shinal.

Karen is convinced she lost another ten pounds because she knew her friends and family were watching, “there’s that little accountability piece throughout the week that keeps you pretty honest.”

It costs about $9 a month to join Friendship Weight and it doesn’t matter which diet or exercise plan you use.

BOSTON (CBS) – It’s a painful virus usually associated with your parents or grandparents. But, it’s not necessarily confined to just them anymore.

The shingles virus is now hitting more young people than ever before; young people like Caroline Radaj.

First, Caroline was in a lot of pain.

“It felt like either I had a pinched nerve or that just someone was constantly stabbing me,” she said.

When she developed a rash on top of the pain, a quick online search led her to shingles and doctors quickly confirmed the diagnosis.

“It’s something that happens in older people. So, for it to happen to a young college student they were little bit baffled at that,” said Caroline.

Researchers say cases of shingles are up six fold across all age groups. And there’s a particularly alarming rise on college campuses.

“Instead of maybe one [case] every three or four months you may be having two or three [cases] each month in the college. And that stands out,” said Dr. Barbara Yawn.

Anyone who’s had the chicken pox can get shingles. The big question is if these younger shingles sufferers will get it again.

“If you got your first case of shingles at 80, it’s not very long until you won’t have to worry about it. But if you get your first episode of shingles at 18 or 20, you’ve got another 60 or 70 years that you’re at risk. And our data suggests that the risk of recurrence is higher than the risk of occurrence,” explains Dr. Yawn.

Technically, shingles is not contagious.

But, the virus can be spread to a person who has never had chicken pox.

There is a vaccine, but it’s only approved for people 60 and older.

BOSTON (CBS) – Health care is so expensive that even people with insurance can get crushed by huge co-pays and deductibles.

Now, more and more people are getting help from complete strangers in covering those bills.

Maria Joffrian and Tommy

They’re raising money on crowdfunding or crowd sourcing websites. This approach to raising money started as a way for new businesses or artistic projects to get off the ground, but now covering health care related costs is one of the fastest growing areas.

Maria Joffrian would have a panic attack every time she had to start up her old minivan. That’s because she had to get her son Tommy from Leominster to Boston on a regular basis for chemotherapy. Even the windows had to be duct taped shut at one point.

Maria said getting anonymous donations to help her get a replacement van was overwhelming. About $6,000 was raised in one week.

Family friend Allison Paquette had the idea of setting up a crowdfunding site, and set it up. When asked how long it took to get it up and running, she said it was just a matter of seconds.

Crowdfunding for health care costs got national attention when the world’s tallest man raised almost $50,000 to have shoes custom made by Reebok of Canton.

Brad Damphousse, creator of www.gofundme.com believes these arrangements are a situation in which everyone wins. He isn’t worried about people perpetuating scams because he believes these pages are self-policed on the web. “We depend on our community to report any suspicious or fraudulent pages. “

It isn’t just money that worries public health professor Alan Sager. The Boston University professor is concerned about equity as well. “Patients who are more photogenic, and who are members of some racial and ethnic groups might be more likely to draw money than patients who are members of other groups.”

But Tommy’s story points to the power of those individual cases. This is a case in which total strangers opened their hearts and their wallets to help a little boy who just needed some help. Maria said, “It’s a tangible thing that can absolutely help us, and I have been thinking, I will be driving with all these people. They will be coming with me, so I will be thinking about them.”

We checked back with Maria after she had the van for a couple of weeks. Tommy loves it. She says he’s even falling asleep on those long trips back and forth from Dana Farber and that is something that never used to happen.

If you’d like to see Tommy’s site, go to www.facebook.com/teamtommy2010.

BOSTON (CBS) – News Anchor Paula Ebben is moving to evenings on WBZ-TV.

Ebben signed off from her final morning newscast Friday – after eight years on the shift – thanking her family, co-workers and viewers.

“I meet so many of you out on the street or in the grocery store and it always really touches me when someone says – I wake up with you every morning. Thanks for saying that,” Ebben said.

Starting Monday she will be anchoring the 5 p.m. news with Jonathan Elias and working on stories for WBZ News at 6 and 11 p.m.

Kerry Connolly will be returning to the 4:30-7 a.m. newscasts with David Wade.

Lisa Hughes will continue to anchor the 6 p.m. news with Jack Williams, and the 11 p.m. news with Jonathan.

Kate Merrill will be taking over for Kerry on weekend mornings.

BOSTON (CBS) – For the first time we’re hearing the frightening story of a former Marine, swept away in a Mt. Washington avalanche earlier this month. Despite losing a leg in combat, the Marine’s training helped him survive.

“I remember just hearing the voices yell avalanche,” says Keith Zeier. It was supposed to be a challenging yet fun hike for the experienced climber, a former Marine who lost a leg in an explosion in Iraq. He and 11 others were making the ascent up the northeast’s highest peak when disaster hit. “I remember seeing the avalanche and when my eyes opened, sliding down, but it still feels like a surreal type thing,” he says.

Keith and the two other climbers on his rope team were hit the hardest. All were hurt, and the cold was bitter. “It was either sit there and freeze, or crawl out to safety. So we ended up sliding and crawling over two and a half hours,” he remembers. The closeness between the friends kept them going. “Making sure you’re making eye contact. Is the person still there? Are they getting hypothermic. Just taking care of each other,” says Zeier.

They eventually found a trail and were rescued. “I suffered a brief loss of consciousness so I had a slight concussion. I ended up tearing my rotator cuff,” he says. And he can’t move the fingers on his right hand. But Keith and the other climbers count their blessings. “There were times where it was like, yeah, this may definitely be it. But at that point it wasn’t our time, and once again, I got another chance,” he says.

Keith and the others were making the climb to raise money for families of service men and women lost in Iraq and Afghanistan through an organization called “Ascents of Honor.” All the climbers survived and are expected to fully recover.

WORCESTER (CBS) – In his final day as a Senator from Massachusetts, John Kerry toured the state on a farewell tour.

At a stop at Holy Cross in Worcester, Paula Ebben spoke with Kerry who was preparing to be sworn in as the 68th Secretary of State. He says the challenges will be enormous.

“I’m excited, and I’m happy for the day,” Kerry said, “but I’m also filled with a sense of the mission, of the challenge, of the amount of work yet to be done and I’m excited to go out and do it.”

“My cause is my country, and I want to represent the United States’ interests as powerfully and as effectively as I can,” Kerry said.

Kerry believes the most important job for America is to, “get our act together here at home and fix our budget, our deficit, our debt so that we are in the strong position that we need to be abroad.”

Watch More Of The Interview

He says voters will decide his successor but he has faith in Congressman Ed Markey, who he says is ready to pick up where he left off. Congressman Stephen Lynch announced he was running today as well. Republican Scott Brown is rumored to be planning to announce a run in the coming week.

Kerry says there is some relief as he leaves the political fray. “It allows me to just focus, I don’t need to worry about raising money somewhere in the country,” he said.

BOSTON (CBS) – The new uniform at work is jeans. This isn’t a story about construction sites. It’s one about professional offices.

And this isn’t a story about what people are wearing on Friday, but every day of the week.

Sarah Borelli is one of those workers who swears by jeans. “We are at the point where jeans are normal at the workplace. It is definitely around here. We wear jeans every single day.”

That’s the case in more and more offices, regardless of the worker’s gender. In a world in which only 6% of men now wear a tie to work every day, attitudes are definitely changing.

Borelli added, “I don’t need to dress up every day to feel confident in what I do, I am already confident in my job.”

There are four rules every professional should follow to wear jeans successfully on the job.

First, buy a dark wash or black says Steve Simon, president of the National Jean Company.

Simon added that a professional look is just one of the benefits of a darker jean. “A rule of thumb for everybody, both male and female, the darker the jean, the more slender you look.”

The next rule involves fit. Since denim stretches, new jeans should be snug. “It should feel a little tight and you should feel a little discomfort up top, around the top of your legs and waist,” said Simon.

Rule number three is to avoid anything ripped. “Not for the workplace,” according to Simon.

Finally, buy quality jeans made with a thicker fabric. Simon said to consider them a long term investment in your wardrobe. “We have jeans that are up to $280-$300.”

And shoppers are buying them. Sales of jeans that exceed $100 a pair were up 50% for both men and women last year.