While millions of Americans are expected to jostle for choice spots on Jan. 20 for the historic inaugural of the first black U.S. president, some residents of Washington are temporarily fleeing the area away from the maddening crowds.

Tour agencies are grabbing the business opportunities the situation offers by coming up with affordable escape inauguration tour packages. Among those making the most of the desire of district residents to be away during the Jan. 20 week are a ski resort in West Virginia and hotels on Florida's Amelia Island which are offering discounted tours to residents of the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

An armed masked man waving an American flag and standing on a Santa Barbara highway overpass caused California Highway Patrol officers to shut down a section of a section of Highway 101 in both directions.

No shots were fired, the man was dressed in brown fatigues, wearing a ski mask and armed with a handgun.

A 60-year old man is suing an 8-year old boy and his father, after the boy crashed into him, resulting in an injury to the man's shoulder.

David Pfahler, who was skiing at Beaver Creek last winter, claimed he and his wife filed a lawsuit against Scott Swim for crashing into him. The couple is seeking $75,000 in damages, and will be used to pay for several expenses such as physical therapy and vacation time.

A stapler-wielding man successfully robbed a Kentucky ice cream store, ran away with $175, and was caught shortly after by police. The culprit, 32-year-old Gerald Rocchi, did not resist arrest and was charged with first-degree robbery in a Boyd District Court.

Witnesses said Rocchi was wearing a ski mask when he flashed a chrome-plated stapler to hold up The Ice Cream Shop in Ashland on Tuesday. The employees manning the counter immediately handed over the cash.

A Montana couple had a "moving" wedding on Sunday at Big Sky resort, Lone Mountain, where the bridegroom skied and the bride snowboarded while a clergyman wore a camera helmet in the presence of about 30 guests on the slope to watch.

Matt Dodd, a ski instructor, and his guests were on skis as he wore a black ski jacket and pants as his "wedding dress." The bride, Ashley Hegseth, who is a snowboard instructor, wore a white ski suit plus a skirt, including a veil. All her guests were on snowboard.