we're seconds away from the opening of best buy. >> emoryville, moments before the doors open. >> i think they're opening. that's emoryville on the left of your screen. what's happening right now, elissa? >> reporter: employees are letting employees in in groups. the first group just came in. you heard some of them cheering. some of them waiting outside more than 30 hours, missing thanksgiving dinner for a good deal. >> i want to be the first one. >> reporter: roman has been sitting in a foldout chair outside best buy since 8:00 a.m. wednesday. his family's at home cooking thanksgiving dinner while he's in line. he's after a 50-inch panasonic tv for $199. it retails for $550. >> you want the deals, you have to come early. >> reporter: thanksgiving day shopping has become the new black friday. more and more retailers opening their doors on the holiday, offering door buster deals a day

early. david cruz pitched a tent, sleeping in chilly overnight temperatures to snag some electronics. >> i hope they don't do this year after year. black friday should just be black friday. >> reporter: cruz admits the good deals are too good to pass up. but he's missing time with family. so were other deal seekers, trading homemade turkey and mashed potatoes for hamburgers and fries. this family celebrated thanksgiving yesterday, so they could take shifts holding a spot in line today. >> i'm taking a two-hour shift. and we'll switch. >> reporter: shoppers are here by choice. but some employees at major retailers are not. thousands signed online petitions, including one for kmart workers. saying they risk being fired for taking thanksgiving off. >> everything's all about money nowadays, or profit margin. it's kind of sad. but hey, what are we going to do. >> reporter: one california lawmaker has an idea. california assemblywoman gonzalez plans to introduce a

bill that would double holiday pay. she hopes to introduce that bill as early as next week. elissa harrington, abc 7 news. she's in a nice safe place. all across the country deal hunters are hoping to take advantage of the thanksgiving/black friday specials. >> long lines of shoppers eagerly awaiting the opening of this best buy store in indiana. >> they're willing to do it in the snow. best buy one of the retailers opening at 5:00 tonight. this is what it looks like at kmart in georgia. the store opened at 6:00 a.m. for shoppers to catch the pre-black friday sales. >> this is expected to be a big holiday shopping season. the national retail federation predicts holiday sales will total more than $616 billion. that's up 4% from last year. online shopping is expected to grow as much as $105 billion. >> if you are preparing your

black friday or cyber monday shopping list, just check out abc7news.com, because we have a look at some of the deals that the stores and online. before shopping became a thanksgiving tradition for many people, there was always football. right now the san francisco 49ers are getting ready to kick off their game against seattle. fans at levi stadium had thanksgiving dinner on their mind. you can find anything from turkey wings on a grill, deep fried turkey. fans had a big appetite for all the food. and even bigger appetite for a win. >> that's what we're hoping for. sports reporter colin is live at levi stadium with a preview of tonight's game. colin? >> reporter: hey, guys, such a big game, they're playing the space odyssey theme music right now. when the season began, most people thought this matchup would be for first place in the nfc west. the season didn't play out that way. it's become much more important

than that. both teams need to win this game to have a good shot at the play-offs. how big is it? the entire harbaugh crew is here. jack and jackie harbaugh spending thanksgiving here at levi stadium. and jack telling me moments ago, he wouldn't have it any other way. >> obviously thanksgiving day, how did you and the family spend it before coming here to the stadium? >> we watched a lot of football, just like we have over the last 50 years. >> shocking. >> this is what thanksgiving is all about for our family. >> reporter: what's it going to take to beat the seattle team. both teams on a roll. >> you can sense it when you walk into the stadium. it's something special. this is our fourth game here. you can see it by the crowd, you can see the emotions. this game is going to be a great, great football game. i look forward to go down to the last play of the game. >> reporter: i know jiwill say, it's just another game. but we all know it's the 49ers. a divisional game. this game means a lot as far as going into the play-offs.

>> i think when they made that schedule, they had that thought in mind. you saw this game on thanksgiving, for some reason or another, you circle it and thought, this game would have tremendous meaning, which it does. >> reporter: niners win by how many tonight? >> i hope one. >> reporter: at least one. he's right. they just need to win by one. now, the niners and seahawks, it just doesn't get any better than this. the niners sure hope that at the end, they're shouting, who's got it better than us, right? we'll have live post-game reaction at 9:00, and then at 11:00. live at levi stadium, abc 7 news. guys, back to you in the studio. >> colin, thank you so much. we have amazing pictures. the chp broke up a huge side show with hundreds of people in cars involved last night in oakland, all caught by the chp. they were monitoring a demonstration in the downtown

area. laura anthony joins us with new details on what happened out there last night. laura? >> reporter: hi, cheryl. there are still remnants of what happened out here this evening. behind me, the cars that actually burned, one car actually went up in flames. as you said, the highway patrol had a massive force not far from here last night to help keep demonstrators off the freeways. they also had information, they said, before hand that a big side show was supposed to happen. at the same time. the ak slon was caught clearly by sky 7 hd just after 10:30 wednesday night. two red cars doing doughnuts in the middle of the road. with hundreds of spectators standing just a few feet from the skidding cars. at one point it appears one of the cars may have hit a bistandser. then within minutes highway patrol cars, lights flashing, surrounded them and started making arrests. one car apparently trying to escape burst into flames. >> we were able to use our training, to block everyone in,

prevent the escape routes. a few people were able to get out but we blocked in the majority of them. >> reporter: as police surrounded the side show, a red van appeared to make a run for it by smashing through a chain link fence. as the occupants got out of the van, it included a child in a stroller. the highway patrol said there were also gunshots fired from the crowd but no one was hurt. another smaller side show event was posted on youtube. this one near high street. also wednesday in oakland. >> i'm thinking too much going on. >> reporter: todd sees the side show activity as a dangerous distraction for a city. that needs to focus its energies elsewhere. >> the police force to be blocking off people driving in cars, when other people are burning up the city. that bothers me more. >> reporter: the highway patrol reports officers confiscated multiple guns, cited dozens of cars and detained a number of

people for a variety of offenses. investigators plan to release more specific information friday. in oakland, laura anthony, abc 7 news. all oakland police officers are working this holiday, scheduled days off have been canceled so police can respond to any vandalism relating to the grand jury decision in missouri. they boarded up windows and cleaned up shattered glass in downtown oakland. vandals struck the area last night. the third consecutive night of violence. 35 people were arrested last night. a total of 170 people have been arrested in oakland since monday. it is a calm night in ferguson. protesters and riot police were nowhere to be seen overnight. no missouri national guard troops stationed outside the police station. the site of many violent protests this week. community members in ferguson spent the morning cleaning up

some of the extensive damage in the downtown area. the chp identified the driver arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence in a series of fatal collisions in hayward. chad rainer was arrested in castro valley. rainer hit a car. he rear ended a honda civic in an earlier accident. the infinity driver died at the scene. police are investigating a brazen armed robbery and kidnapping that happened at a popular overlook in the berkeley hills. a man and woman were sitting in their car early this morning on grizzly peak boulevard when they were held up at gun point. the suspect jumped into the couple's car and ordered them to drive to a nearby atm to withdraw money. two other men followed in a separate car. they got away with an unexpense fid amount of cash. travel this thanksgiving day is smoother than yesterday.

the storm grounded hundreds of flights and delayed more than 4,000 others. airline officials say it will still take a few more days to work through that backlog. travel is expected to be busy again on sunday, when folks try to make their way home. what a difference a day makes. traveling out of san francisco international airport was a breeze today. there were only a few people waiting at the kiosks to check in for their flights. the monitors showed all departing flights on time. even the security lines were moving quickly. >> that's good to know. they had some good weather to get out. but meteorologist sandhya patel is outside now. >> a gorgeous day for thanksgiving. mild conditions, plenty of sun. right now, if you are stepping out, take a look at live doppler 7 hd. temperatures quite comfortable. in the 50s and 60les. our radar will be tracking a storm as early as tomorrow night. black friday shoppers right now,

you're fine. but tomorrow morning, i would bundle up. we'll have clouds around at 5:00 a.m. clouds start to thicken throughout the day. and by 5:00 p.m., we're looking at rain starting to move into the north bay. the rain line stays there. all the way until 11:00 p.m. as i come back, i will let you know when you will need the umbrellas for the rest of the bay area, how many systems will impact us and how much rain we're expecting for the upcoming weekend and beyond. still to come, an amazing story. a woman paralyzed from the waist down takes her first steps today at the turkey trot walk. we'll hear her inspiring story. some of the must-have gifts for the holidays. the tips you need to know if a tablet is on your list this year. plus, another thanksgiving tradition. the hot holiday movies hitting theaters today.

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happening now, a live look at union square in san francisco on this thanksgiving. i love that tree out there. and all the lights. festive. folks getting ready to shop macy's that opens at 6:00 tonight. less than an hour. >> i love how they decorate the palm trees. wow. look at this. more than 3 million people enjoying marching bands, balloons during today's macy's thanksgiving day parade in new york. balloon newcomers thomas the tank engine debuted this year. santa claus rode in the last float in the parade warming the spirits on a 37-degree day in manhattan. police moved in after a group of demonstrators protesting the ferguson grand jury decision broke through barricades near harold square, at the end of the parade route. officers arrested seven people. back here in the bay area, thousands came out for the tenth

annual turkey trot in san jose. >> chris was there and introduces us to a woman who brought a big smile to many in the race. >> reporter: in the heart of san jose, a turkey day tradition for many. some came to run a personal best, while others hoped just to finish the race. 28-year-old maggie anderson of salt lake city was one of them. nearly 11 years ago, anderson was in an accident that left her paralyzed from the waist down. >> i always wanted to walk again but there was that part of me that it might not happen. just being upright and looking at people in their eyes, giving my sister a hug for the first time standing up. >> reporter: standing because of a new device called re-walk. it's a wearable robotic extra skeleton that works through user intents. >> the user presses a button to activate the system. then the user just shifts their weight a little bit. then it starts taking steps. and when the user wants to stop,

the user stops. when they want to sit, it's totally controlled by the patient. >> reporter: anderson was brought out to san jose to stand as a re-walk ambassador. today marked the first time she tested it outside. >> i think if you just slow down, realize what you're doing, and kind of block out what's going on around you, and go step by step, it's not as terrifying. >> reporter: her boyfriend matt also standing by. >> it's been really nice. a fun experience. she definitely lights up when this happens. it's always nice to see her in a really awesome mood. being able to do stuff she loves. >> reporter: anderson will tell you she's not one to back down from a challenge. her spirit inspired by a dedication to get things done. >> i can't believe i'm doing this. i made it through. i've gone this far. i never thought i would be walking across the finish line. >> reporter: chris nguyen, abc 7 news. congratulations to her. a big question, what is the

hottest gift this year. no longer just one like elmo, or the cabbage patch doll from past years. experts say the hot gifts this year, anything from transformers, to teenage mutant ninja turtles. and anything from the movie "frozen." and tvs. for the tech-savvy kids and grown-ups, the iphones and xbox 1. go pro is coming out with a drone version of their popular camera. they'll start selling mini helicopters equipped with the high definition cameras late next year. electronic tablets for kids are expected to be a hot gift. "consumer reports" has reports on the best tablets for your kids. michael finney has the details. >> the boys and girls "consumer reports" brought in to check out the kids' tablets were quickly mesmerized. "consumer reports" tested 17

tablets in the labs, checking for battery life, display, readability and bright light and responsiveness. a kid who can easily use his parents' device will be frustrated with sluggish performance. so you need a responsive screen. this test says, how tough the tablets are. >> the tumbler is a machine that we use to replicate kids dropping the tablet from a height of about three feet onto the floor. >> reporter: your youngster doesn't want to see this happen to her tablet. >> you try to click and get it into the box. >> reporter: "consumer reports" also checked into parental controls. >> nearly all kids' tablets come with browsers that keep them safe online. parents can regulate how, when and how long they use the tablets. >> reporter: top ratings went to the samsung galaxy tab 3 kids. and the kids' edition for $190. >> both have over nine hours of

battery life. excellence response. and some of the best screens on kids' tablets. >> reporter: another good choice, interactive curio extreme which comes with more than 75 pre-loaded games. a "consumer reports" best buy, it's light, slim and easy to use for $1 po. $130. >> tablets for kids aren't necessarily cheaper. they often come loaded with a lot of apps, especially for children. i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. good weather for this today. >> meteorologist sandhya patel joins us with the forecast. >> hi there. it was a gorgeous day here today for thanksgiving. mild conditions. mid-60s to low 70s. that holiday travel back might be a bit on the tough side, especially with rain coming in, with i we need. let's check out live doppler 7 hd. the radar on mount st.

beautiful view. here are the temperatures. mid-60s san francisco. 60 in oakland. currently 55 in half moon bay. here's the view from the emoryville camera. you can see some of the pollution down below which is why the spare the air alert remains up for tonight. temperatures at this hour, low 60s from santa rosa to fairfield, concord. 50s for petaluma. here's lovely after-glow from our east bay hills camera. the sun has gone down. dry during the day tomorrow. rain in the north bay at night. we're looking at a wet pattern. saturday through wednesday. yeah, that includes your holiday weekend. here's a look at the pacific satellite picture. the area of high pressure is weakening. that will allow these systems to come in. much needed rain in the middle of the drought. unsettled into the middle of next week as these systems are lining up. so the first one will start the

rain in the north bay by friday night. let's start with tomorrow morning. i know some of you are already out doing the black friday shopping. it's comfortable out there right now. dry for black friday shoppers. some cloud cover. it will be cool. make sure you dress in layers. and then as we head towards friday evening, rain starts to move into the north bay by 5:00 p.m. the rain line pretty much stays there until midnight. when it shifts south toward san francisco in the east bay. light to moderate rain expected with the first system. continues for your early saturday morning plans. and really, it switches over to showers saturday afternoon through saturday evening before our next system comes in on sunday. and then a third one due in early next week. when all is said and done, the three systems combined expected to bring, and these are rainfall estimates, three to five inches for the north bay and for the mountains. elsewhere, we're looking at one to three inches of rain by december 3rd next week. so tomorrow's a good day to string the lights on the house or get your christmas tree,

because tomorrow evening everything changes. tomorrow morning, starts off in the low 40s to low 50s. make sure you have a sweater or jacket if you're going to go out shopping. and it's outdoor stuff. tomorrow afternoon, have your umbrella. especially in the north bay. the rest of you are fine. temperatures mid-50s to the upper 60s. accuweather seven-day forecast, wet saturday, soggy sunday, traveling could be tough. chance of rain monday night. wet and breezy tuesday. more showers on wednesday. we finally dry out on thursday. now, early next week we may be talking about minor urban flooding, possibly some trees getting knocked down if the winds materialize. we'll keep you posted. >> sandhya, thank you. just ahead, william shatner kicks off a fund-raising campaign. and tonight at 6:00, a follow-up to an abc 7 news exclusive. the burger king backpack stuffed with cash.

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just about 35 minutes now. a live look at target in harward opening at 6:00 p.m. you can see the line. they're determined to get those deals on the thanksgiving day. from one tradition to another thanksgiving tradition for millions, a little turkey followed up with movie theater popcorn on the big screen. >> brandy shows us the big movies drawing crowds on this holiday season. >> reporter: the holiday box office is heating up. new films are flooding theaters, just in time for all that turkey and christmas shopping. >> there is no shortage of big movies this holiday season. >> reporter: "the hunger games" mocking jay part one is already a big hit. the penguins of madagascar are looking to take over the top spot. >> young adult fiction. >> we're looking for a tight second.

>> reporter: the tide turns. with exodus gods and kings. the week before christmas, the final film in the hottest series is competing against another night at the museum. and the remake of annie. there are also several films inspired by true events, including the imitation game, big eyes, and reese witherspoon in wild. >> every single one of those movies will probably also be in oscar contention. >> reporter: big stars in big movies on christmas eve as well. >> you want us to kill the leader of north korea? >> reporter: the comedy the interview is going head-to-head against disney's fairy tale flick into the woods. hollywood typically makes more money during the summer months, but the holiday releases are just as important, because this is the run-up to award season. with the oscars right around the corner. abc 7 news, los angeles. william shatner is turning

to crowd funding for his latest project. the "star trek" star is looking to finance his book called catch me up. it's aimed at catching up old americans with new technology. the 83-year-old said he's encouraging people to use tools like kick starter, so that's why he decided to create the book that way. >> very creative. still to come, adding it all up. >> just how much all that food you ate, or are going to eat tonight, adds up. >> we have the

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coming up tonight at 6:00, we'll follow up on the murder in the east bay hills of an inspirational teacher found shot to death along a popular trail. internet provider slowing down your service? michael finney looks at what can happen when you use too much data. thanksgiving tradition here at abc 7 news, will take you to a place where miracles happen to kids with cancer and the ones they love.

also this, lots of community organizations around the bay opened their doors to people in need today. >> st. anthony's served up nearly 5,000 pounds of turkey and 1,000 pounds of stuffing. >> they took breakfast as well as dinner, led by the reverend williams. >> anyone willing to wait in line got a free meal at one of the top restaurants today. for the past 25 years the owner has been opening up the restaurant on thanksgiving and giving away free turkey dinners. about 1,500 people took him up on that offer. goodness, the average person consumes about 4,500 calories during a traditional thanksgiving meal. >> 1,500 calories for snacks and nibbling, and lots of nibbling. >> oh goodness. >> don't forget the drinks. "world news tonight" is

"world news tonight" is next. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com welcome to "world news tonight." cold turkey. the deep freeze after the big getaway. hundreds of thousands waking up without power. americans digging out before they dig into a day of feasts, parades and a search for those holiday deals. >> shop, eat, shop again. out of the ashes. new protests coast to coast over the decision in ferguson. but amid the tension, one store owner whose shop was destroyed still filling her holiday orders and rebuilding with the help of thousands. close encounters. the soaring number of drones flying too close to planes, and possibly helicopters in the president's fleet. and turkey 911. inside the emergency call center talking you through those disasters.