cbs 2 this morning...the holiday season severe weather that buzzed through the midwest -- nearly catching iowa. we're watching delays at the airports and on the roads while you get ready to see the family for christmas. the protests in minnesota and los angeles that disrupted holiday shopping and travel. welcome to cbs two this morning...i'm kevin barry.

let's get a it was just strong winds and a rare winter rain storm that the corridor had to contend with last night. night.but to our east -- a tornado was spotted near the quad cities -- southeast of davenport -- in western illinois.debris was spotted in the air by storm chasers but so far no reports of major damage or injuries. the south was also hit by severe weather wednesday.a massive tornado tore through northern mississippi.it was apparently on the ground for ten minutes -- damaging homes and blowing a tractor trailer off the road.at least six people are dead and several others are injured after the storms. severe weather killed one person in northern arkansas. authorities say straight line winds caused a large tree to

woman inside the home died.the severe weather threat ends today -- but the east coast is expected to see record temperatures just in time for christmas. this holiday season is expected to see more people traveling than any time over the past few years -- and those storms are causing headaches and several delays. delays.91-million people will hit the roads and another 38 million passengers will fly over the christmas and new years holidays.right now -- travelers acorss the country are waking up in airports -- hoping they'll make it home on christmas eve.heavy rain -- fog and heavy rain -- fog and storms from wednesday either delayed or cancelled many flights.that weather is expected to clear up though today. a protest at the mall of america, america,ended up delaying flights when it moved to the minneapolis-saint paul international airport.a black lives matter group shutdown key terminals. the protesters moved to the airport when officers closed entrances to the mall.a black lives matter activist said they used the

airport.the protestors are calling for video to be released in the police shooting death of jamar clark. and 9 black lives matter protesters were arrested in los angeles after staging a demonstration in the middle of a freeway -- bringing traffic to a stand-still wednesday. that area is expecting a record 3-point-5 million travelers to pass through l-a-x this holiday season -- with more than 200-thousand yesterday alone. domestic violence and human trafficking have no seasonal limits...that's why the secretary of state has implemented a new program to protect victims and help them feel safer at home.cbs 2 news reporter dora miller explains how it allows survivors to keep their real address a secret. secret. as the holidays approach, different emotions set in... advocates at waypoint say it's not always happiness. happiness. "a lot of times the holiday season is happy time with a lot of happy memories and family time and for some people it's not that way, it people it's not that way, it

lonely time."for those who are living with violence, stalking or trafficking...before happiness, safety is priority. priority."after someone leaves a violent situation and is living in a safe place, to continue that feeling safe and having a safe place to be and not having their address be known is really important."so safe at home -- a program by the secretary of state -- allows survivors to continue living in peace. "when you fill out applications and that sort of thing that require you to put down a mailing address, this address can be put there in place of your actual mailing address."cedar rapids gives also partners with law enforcement and the government to help those in need -- specifically victims of trafficking "we are working collectively, aggressively and effectively to make iowa a safer place for our women and children." children." "just because the violence "just because the violence ends and they're now at a safe place, what maybe might happen again is if that

that was perpetrating violence on them before and then it starts all over again."so the hope is that education -- and security -- help keep victims safe at home. the program starts on january first -- but applications are being taken now.the secretary of state's office predicts they'll see about 500 applications in the first two years. con-artists are already trying to cash in on hawkeye fans' rose bowl fever. fever.in marion -- police are asking people hoping to buy tickets to the rose bowl to be on the look out.they say someone is driving a white hyundai sonata with washington state license plates selling fake tickets to the game.if you see this person you are asked to call marion police. and in cedar rapids -- police are warning people about a possible scam on the internet. the department tells cbs 2 news that they've received reports of counterfeit tickets bought through craigslist -- with the seller meeting buyers at a movie theatre in town. they ask you only buy tickets through reputable businesses or from someone you trust. our community works hard to make sure kids have presents under the tree this time of

group getting some love this christmas as well. last hope animal rescue in cedar rapids -- takes in many animals that other shelters can't. a lot of the time -- the animals are injured or abandoned and need medical attention. instead of putting them down -- this shelter treats them -- and finds them homes. "we will take cases that cost thousands of dollars and we know that money will never get recouped, but it's all for the animals and the animals life. so whatever we can do, we're going to do it," it,"they were in danger of having to move -- but when they posted their need for a down payment on their website -- their loyal community responded with money -and gifts!they'll be able to stay in their location for at least two years -- but they do need to pay it off. if you'd like to donate -- we put the information on our website, cbs 2 iowa dot com. now here's a new view of our planet -- taken by a nasa spacecraft orbiting the moon. you can see this earth-rise -- as it first appears over the lunar horizon.the large tan area is the sahara desert -- and just beyond is saudi

pacific coasts of south america are also visible to the left. it's coming up... up...we'll have a look at what you can expect when you hit

holidays.in your cbs 2 if you're driving today, to make it home for the holidays, you probably should expect some traffic. traffic.demarco morgan shows us why the majority of holiday travelers this year, will be hitting the roads. roads. (narr) at this rest stop in ridgefield, new jersey we found the wolfe family of six, from brookhaven, mississippia&they've already logged 18 hours on the road. dad nick wolfe says their final stop is vermont. (sot- nick wolfe brookhaven, ms) "everybody is doing great. we had a dvd installed in the van so we have been watching a lot of movies, its been great."for alex sphere and his family from boston, highway driving has been great for the wallet, even if it means nearly running out of gas. (sot- alex sphere) "we tried to make it to new jersey without stopping so we could get the cheaper gas prices in new jersey than new york, so we are running on just about empty." (gfx in) according to aaa, the record 91 million people hitting the road is nearly 2 million more (1.8)than last year. cheap gas may be fueling the increase: an average $2 a gallon a&. down 37 cents from last year. a family of 5

york to miami is paying just $130 dollars one way - a savings of $80 compared to just two years ago. (source: aaa)robert sinclair is with triple-a.sot - seventh year in a row...we are seeing more people travel than the year before. and as the economy improves incrementally we are seeing the number of people travel increase incrementally, also(gfx out)(nats) at new york's penn station -- one of amtrak's busiest hubs - national guard and bomb sniffing dogs, walked among the growing crowd. we found jane rennyson (renn-iss-enn) and her family as they were boarding an 8-hour trip to virginia. they are part of the more than 3 million others traveling this holiday by train or bus.(sot- 12:07:16) (demarco) was there a reason you chose to take the train as opposed to driving? (jane) we just didn't want to get in the car and deal with the headache of traffic. and the train you can get up, walk around, have a snack, play cards, it's great."for drivers wanting to avoid the holiday hassle of jammed roads, aaa says the best days to travel are christmas day and new year's

it's now on this morning. morning.coming up next... next...the simple action that could make newborns and their mothers drastically more healthy.

welcome back - my mom's name is irene, and she has alzheimer's. adult daycare costs so much, i have to take my mom to work with me.

i worry about what the next step is. my mom deserves the best care she can get. so i met hillary clinton. i could tell that she was moved by my story... because she teared up. being able to pay for daycare... to know that my mom is safe while i work so that i can continue to support us. hillary clinton has proposed real things that could help us.

- it's now we're taking a look at your_______ your_______ a new study in pediatrics finds that low birth weight babies who were held skin to skin, have a 36 percent reduced risk of infant mortality.it's the latest research touting the benefits of the simple technique. danielle nottingham reports how it could not only benefit the baby's health, but also the mother as well. well.

delivered twins more than 3 months early. her son came home first, but her daughter, camila, remained in the nicu and she wasn't able to hold her for weeks.(kathryn garcia castro/ mom)(01:03) automatically it was really the only thing i wanted to do was to be close the them (01:05) it's the one thing you want to do when you have a baby is touch and hold"when camila was well enough, nurses at cedars sinai medical center encouraged garcia castro to snuggle with her baby skin to skin. new research from the children's national health system finds skin to skin contact decreases new moms' stress levels.(gedy esquedah/ cedars-sinai registered nurse) (46:34) so those intimate moments when they are skin- to-skin bonding -- really, really help to decrease mom's anxiety. (46:43)having a baby in the nicu can interfere with parent-child bonding. the study found mothers who held their babies skin-to-skin improved their moods and made them feel less helpless about their infants health issues. (danielle nottingham, cbs news, los angeles)13:11:52 skin to skin contact should start right after birth or when baby is stabilized and last at least 45 minutes a sessionprevious research has shown skin-to-skin contact

helping with digestion, stabilizing heart rates and increasing sleep time.garcia castro says it just feels right. (kathryn garcia castro/ mom)(59:51) it's that part of that maternal instinct that sort of kicks in that you feel like 'this is what i'm supposed to be doing.' (59:55) danielle nottingham, cbs news, los angeles the study also found that newborns who weighed less than 4-point-4 pounds who received skin-to-skin care were less likely to get sepsis or a major infection. it's after the break... break...the christmas miracle for some animals spending the

habitat.in your cbs 2 praised as one of america's best mayors who governed as a pragmatist. bernie sanders

than any other member. cracked the gridlock with john mccain to strengthen veterans' healthcare. bernie sanders. a consistent, principled, and effective leader. building a future to believe in.

here's a look at some of eastern iowa's top stories -- on this morning... one of the four companies picked to oversee iowa's medicaid program is taking legal action against the state. state officials terminated well-care's contract after some of its former executives were convicted of fraud. well-care says it properly informed the state before it was selected to help manage

dollar program.the company is asking the state to reverse its decision. in fayette county -- a crash where two highways cross sent one person to the hospital.it happened just after 10 on wednesday morning at the intersection of highways 150 and 93 in fayette.the fayette county sheriff's office says 73-year-old roger litterer did not stop at roger litterer did not stop at the intersection and was hit by an oncoming car. car.the driver of that other car is 53-year-old kathryn moser -- she was taken to palmer lutheran health center in west union for treatment for minor injuries.litterer wasn't hurt in the crash but was charged with failure to yield. there are some creatures in san diego -- where it's expected to be in the mid 60's today -- who have more snow on the ground than we do in iowa. iowa.and it's all thanks to one very generous christmas miracle. miracle.polar bears at the san diego zoo got 26 tons of snow for christmas -- giving them a break from the normally sunny and warm habitat.this video posted on the san diego zoo facebook page shows them

it and sliding around head first. first.their keepers hid suprizes and food in the snow so there would be a reward for digging through it.it all happened through donations to the animal donations to through it all happened through donations to the animal care wish list on the zoo's website. it's

after the break... break...the newst move for the man who flew his gyrocopter through restricted airspace in

right now on cbs 2 this morning...the discussion around changing the united states military's rules of engagement -- and how it would change the fight in the middle east. the man being held responsible for the crash that killed one man and nearly killed commedian tracy morgan. we check in with santa to see what part of the world he's visiting this morning. welcome to cbs two this morning...i'm kevin barry.

an update this morning from the war on terror terrorin iraq and syria. syria.u-s officials are considering changing their

airstrikes in the two countries.a senior u-s official says there most likely wont be any immediate decision.some officials are now talking about if they'll loosen rules for when the airstrikes can occur.the discussions include whether multiple confirmed intel sources are necessary before a strike is approved. it could increase civilian casualties -- but officials say the goal would be to keep those at zero. the bodies of six u-s service members killed in a suicide bombing in afghanistan have been flown home.the caskets -- wrapped in u-s flags -- arrived at a delware air base yesterday.a motorcycle driver detonated the explosives during a security patrol outside bagram airfield on monday.one victim was new york police veteran detective joseph lamm -- who was on his third tour of duty with the air national guard. he spent time in northeast iowa as a child.the taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack. the woman facing murder charges chargesfor running over pedestrians on the las vegas

more charges.wednesday -- lakeisha holloway made her first court appearance -- where she was arraigned on murder -- hit and run -- and child abuse charges.her next court date will be january 20-th. the man accused killing three people inside a colorado springs planned parenthood clinic now wants to represent himself. himself.robert dear told a judge he wanted to get rid of his court appointed lawyer. this is video of dear's first appearance earlier this month. during that hearing -- dear made several outbursts -- saying he went on the shooting spree to protect the lives of babies.he's charged with 179- counts of first degree murder -- attempted murder and other charges.if he's convicted -- dear could face the death penalty. a new jersey grand jury has indicted the truck driver who slammed into a limo carrying actor tracy morgan.authorities now say driver fatigue likely caused the crash because kevin roper hadn't slept in 28 hours and didn't slow down despite posted warning signs.the crash seriously injured morgan and killed another comedian.roper

manslaughter -- vehicular homicide and 8 counts of aggravated assault. the florida man who made headlines for landing a gyrocopter on the lawn of the u-s capitol will run for congress. congress.a court filing on wednesday showed douglas hughes will challenge debbie wasserman schultz -- who is also the chairwoman of the democratic national committee. hughes was arrested in april after flying through restricted airspace around the capitol.he pleaded guilty to a felony and will be sentenced next year. every year, christmas trees are to blame for more than 200 hundred fires around the united states. cbs 2 reporter stephanie johnson is here to explain how you can avoid that from happening in your home. home.kevin, homes damaged by christmas trees can cause millions of dollars in property damage.and possibly claim a love ones life.to avoid those troubles here are some things you should consider. consider.before you go to bed, turn off the christmas tree lights. make sure to observe

branches can easily break off it's time to get rid of it. caption josh jenson- -from the cedar rapids fire department-- also says be careful where you place it. if you have a live tree keep it away from heat sources that's fire places heat registers, vents, candles, holiday candles. keep the tree watered. check the tree every day make sure there's enough water in the base. lastly, if your tree has been in your home for a extended period of time.. it can still catch on fire... even if you water it every daystephanie johnson, cbs 2 stephanie johnson, cbs 2 news. thanks stephanie...one more thing to worry about -- a christmas tree in washington state went up in flames earlier this week -- and the home owner says it's all thanks to his family cats.they believe their two cats were chewing on a string of lights -- causing the tree to catch fire.the nearby couch and whole living room was burned too. the cats were injured but are expected to recover. authorities say if you have animals -- check the light strands often to make sure they're not frayed.

up after your christmas festivities -- the linn county solid waste agency has a few reminders for you.christmas lights can be recycled at the agency -- but they can not be recycled curbside in any community. community.wrapping paper must be thrown away -- even if it says it's recyclable. recyclable.unwanted trees can be taken to the marion and cedar rapids locations.but all decorations must be removed and there is a five dollar fee. to see specific curbside rules for your city -- log on to our webiste, cbs 2 iowa dot com. we're told it's the most wonderful time of the year -- but that isn't the case for everyone. everyone.experts at the johnson county crisis center tell us negative emotions can easily be magnified this time of year.some families are financially stressed -- having to decide whether to spend money on a holiday meal -- gifts or their bills.other folks can feel other folks can feel isolated -- guilty -- anxious or sad -- but experts say it can be hard to talk about -- especially when you're supposed to be happy. beau pinkham, crisis intervention coordinator 10:17:41 take some time for yourself and just remember

that you had before and know that you don't have to spend every waking moment with your family or friends if it is not making you happy. happy.if you would like to get in touch with the crisis center to talk or make a donation, we have information on how to do that on our website, cbs 2 iowa-dot-com. this time of year *can be very stressful -- but there are ways you can make your holiday less crazy. crazy.the mayo clinic tells people to be realistic about your holidays -- not everything has to be perfect. they also say to plan ahead -- and make sure you write out menus and shopping lists so you don't forget anything at the last minute.also -- take time for yourself to unplug from technology.even 15 minutes doing something that calms you down can go a long way. now we're taking a look at where santa claus is right now.... now....

next... what you need next... next...coming up it's coming up next... next...what you need to look out for if you're looking for

markets.in your cbs 2 at some of eastern iowa's top stories -- on this morning... an eastern iowa beef maker is recalling 200 pounds of beef sticks over listeria concerns. the iowa department of agriculture says the products are from the edgewood locker in edgewood.the beef sticks have cheese in them and they were packaged december 15th -- and come in 8 ounce or 2 pound ounce or 2 pound packages.they were sold either at directly at the edgewood locker or at greenwood grocery in farely.so far -- no illnesses have been reported.anyone who bought the beef sticks is advised to return them or throw them away.

i have been named among the best public colleges for value. kiplinger's has the u-i as the 57th best value -- with u-n-i just one spot behind at 58th. both schools got high marks for the four-year graduation rates -- and total cost per- year. good morning, it's on this morning, we'll have a look at some of today's top stories, right after this. cbs-2 news connects with the corridor.call us with your story tips at 1-800-222-kganor email us at news at cbs2iowa.comor connect with us

- it's now we're taking a look at your_______

it was just strong winds and a rare winter rain storm that the corridor had to contend with last night. night.but to our east -- a tornado was spotted near the quad cities -- southeast of davenport -- in western illinois.debris was spotted in the air by storm chasers but so far no reports of major damage or injuries. the south was also hit by severe weather this morning.a massive tornado tore through northern mississippi.it was

ten minutes -- damaging homes and blowing a tractor trailer off the road.at least six people are dead and several others are injured after the storms. severe weather killed one person in northern arkansas. authorities say straight line winds caused a large tree to fall on a house.an 18-year-old woman inside the home died.the severe weather threat ends today -- but the east coast is expected to see record temperatures just in time for christmas. this holiday season is expected to see the most people traveling than any time over the past few years -- and those storms are causing headaches and several delays. delays.91-million people will hit the roads and another 38 million passengers will fly over the christmas and new years holidays.right now -- travelers acorss the country are waking up in airports -- hoping they'll make it home on christmas eve.heavy rain -- fog and storms from wednesday either delayed or cancelled many flights. a protest at the mall of america, america,ended up delaying flights when it moved to the minneapolis-saint paul

lives matter group shutdown key terminals. the protesters moved to the airport when officers closed entrances to the mall.a black lives matter activist said they used the mall as a decoy to disrupt the airport.the protestors are calling for video to be released in the police shooting death of jamar clark. con-artists are already trying to cash in on hawkeye fans' rose bowl fever. fever.in marion -- police are asking people hoping to buy tickets to the rose bowl to be on the look out.they say someone is driving a white hyundai sonata with washington state license plates selling fake tickets to the game.if you see this person you are asked to call marion police. and in cedar rapids -- police are warning people about a possible scam on the internet. the department tells cbs 2 news that they've received reports of counterfeit tickets bought through craigslist -- with the seller meeting buyers at a movie theatre in town. they ask you only buy tickets through reputable businesses or from someone you trust. our community works hard to make sure kids have presents under the tree this time of

group getting some love this christmas as well. last hope animal rescue in cedar rapids -- takes in many animals that other shelters can't. a lot of the time -- the animals are injured or abandoned and need medical attention. instead of putting them down -- this shelter treats them -- and finds them homes. "we will take cases that cost thousands of dollars and we know that money will never get recouped, but it's all for the animals and the animals life. so whatever we can do, we're going to do it," it,"they were in danger of having to move -- but when they posted their need for a down payment on their website -- their loyal community responded with money -and gifts!they'll be able to stay in their location for at least two years -- but they do need to pay it off. if you'd like to donate -- we put the information on our website, cbs 2 iowa dot com. the cedar rapids animal control is also making it easy for you to adopt pets.managers there tell cbs 2 news they have dozens of cats and dogs in need of a forever home.next week it will cost only 25-dollars to adopt a spayed

dollars for a dog.the sale lasts through new year's day. now here's a new view of our planet -- taken by a nasa spacecraft orbiting the moon. you can see this earth-rise -- as it first appears over the lunar horizon.the large tan area is the sahara desert -- and just beyond is saudi arabia.the atlantic and pacific coasts of south america are also visible to the left. it's now on this morning.we'll take a look at the top three stories as you get your christmas eve morning started.

top three stories you need to know on this christmas eve morning. morning.rare severe weather just to our just, produced this tornado, spotted near the quad cities in western

the air by storm chasers but so far no reports of major damage or injuries. 91-million people will hit the roads and another 38 million passengers will fly over the christmas and new years holidays.travelers acorss the country are waking up in airports -- hoping they'll make it home on christmas eve. heavy rain -- fog and storms from wednesday either delayed or cancelled many flights.that weather is expected to clear up though today. and finally, it's christmas eve!! we've been tracking

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