also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80. what's my price? $9.95 a month for you too. if you're age 50 to 85, call now about the #1 most popular whole life insurance plan, available through the colonial penn program. it has an affordable rate starting at $9.95 a month. no medical exam, no health questions. your acceptance is guaranteed. and this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate lock, so your rate can never go up for any reason. so call now for free information. and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. and it's yours just for calling. so call now. did you know that feeling sluggish or weighed down could be signs that your digestive system

isn't working at its best? taking metamucil every day can help. metamucil supports your daily digestive health using a special plant-based fiber called psyllium. psyllium works by forming a gel in your digestive system to trap and remove the waste that weighs you down. metamucil's gelling action also helps to lower cholesterol and slows sugar absorption to promote healthy blood sugar levels. so, start feeling lighter and more energetic by taking metamucil every day. wow, look at that. cars went up in flames in an auto repair shop in connecticut. at least four cars were destroyed by a massive fire in new britain. a total of seven were damaged. one person was hospitalized with burns to their face.

investigators say workers fixing cars started the fire, but they're not sure how. a new jersey couple is giving new meaning to the phrase "fine dining experience." >> they were enjoying a meal when they made a rare discovery, a pearl in one of their oysters, and since there's not much to be done with a single pearl, they say, the couple gave it back to the restaurant. the owners plan to frame it. they could have put it in a ring setting. >> yeah, absolutely. >> something. >> could find plenty of ways to use that. finding a new job these days, it can be just as difficult as finding a pearl in a coldwater oyster. >> if you are looking, career experts say that now is the best time of year to ramp up that job search. here's abc's rebecca jarvis. >> reporter: mark those calendars. turns out the most important time is right now if you're on the hunt for a new job. >> this is the hiring season. october, november is when we're seeing many, many jobs available. >> reporter: and the best news, according to linkedin career expert catherine fisher, we're in a job-seekers market, meaning

there are more jobs available than people looking for work. >> there are 20 million jobs on linkedin right now. >> reporter: and recruiters are out in full effect. jasmine dejesus recently moved across country to set new roots in new york. today she's attending job fair x. these free events around the country let you meet face-to-face with local employers. >> at the end of the day it's about introducing myself and what i may be able to provide to anyone who's looking to fill a position. >> reporter: and remember, success comes down to numbers. the number of doors you knock on, the number of applications you send out. eventually it only takes one. >> it takes just one. one opportunity, one shot. big thanks to rebecca jarvis. linkedin says mondays are the best days to look for your jobs. that's when recruiters are doing most of their job postings. >> i think given this time of year, as rebecca was discussing,

i think it's also a good time to look for places to live. you think if there are that many jobs open, there could be that much more movement in the market. >> i do wonder depending on the city. the college kids, in certain areas, if they're around universities or whatever, they've grabbed up all the good ones. >> this is true. >> depends on what's available. coming up, gender fluid and polyamorous. >> we're meeting a uniquely modern couple redefining what it means to be husband and wife.

this morning we're meeting a young couple who's truly living up to the description of modern love. >> actor, author, and activist nico tortorella is showing the world how an unconventional relationship can reject both labels and monogamy. here's abc's juju chang. >> when bethany and i met in 2006, i was a boy, she was a girl, whatever that really means. >> reporter: this is not your typical boy meets girl love story. >> today bethany and i both identify as nonbinary and prefer they, them pronouns. >> reporter: actor nico tortorella and bethany myers are

a uniquely modern couple. >> my wife, my husband, my best friend, my partner, my everything. >> reporter: both are gender fluid. their marriage polyamorous. redefining what it means to be husband and wife. >> in layman terms it's not-man, not-woman. all-man, all-woman. >> reporter: it's laid out in his new book "space between," a place they say where people who don't consider themselves he or she can call their own. nico revealing their painful struggles with coming out and facing their dark battle with alcohol. >> when i started having access to the party, to the celebrity, to the free everything, it got out of control. like it does for so many people in this industry. >> reporter: 31-year-old nico found fame playing the hyper-masculine tattoo artist josh on tv land's hit show "younger." >> who calls at 6:00 in the

morning? >> portraying lyle menendez in "blood brothers." in the upcoming spinoff of amc's "the walking dead," nico plays a queer character battling the zombie apocalypse. >> you should be scared every time. >> reporter: on the red carpet, nico often makes a splash with wild gender-bending outfits. >> you have to be okay with a lot to get into this situation. >> reporter: but here at their upstate new york home, their sanctuary, nico and bethany are simply "they." but why get married? it seems to me a very traditional social construct for two very untraditional people. >> i knew that when it came to having a foundation and a family foundation, that this was the person for me to do it with. >> when it comes to, you know, visiting each other in a hospital, god forbid that ever happens, when it comes to bringing children into the world, when it comes to health insurance, the system was built for a reason. >> reporter: it's what works for them, and while bethany and nico

are deeply committed to each other, they also each have multiple sexual partners. >> polyamorous some people think means having group sex. but that's not what this is? >> it's the ability to create space for more than one person at any given point. >> reporter: nico struggled growing up in a working-class italian family. >> i always knew i was different. when i first realized homosexuality was an option i saw it on tv, i'd watch "queer as folk" and delete it from the queue because i didn't want my parents knowing i was watching it. >> reporter: while nico's fame has given them a platform it's a double-edged sword. >> you're very candid about your substance abuse and how rock bottom it got. >> yeah. once you're just like -- alone, drinking alone, doing drugs alone, you're completely numb to it all. >> reporter: nico's mom annie joining us. what would you say to other moms out there whose kids may be exploring sexuality?

>> and gender, right? >> it's more important for me to have the love of my son. who am i to judge who he loves, who he doesn't love? whoever. he loves everybody. >> reporter: husband and wife, mother and son, on their separate paths, but bound by respect and an abiding love. you said a lot of things to nico, i'm sure he said plenty of choice things back to you. when you look back on it now, what do you think? >> i want to say, i wish i could do it all over again. i can't change the past, i can change today. just as he's changing today for so many people, he's done that for me. >> he's helped you change? >> interesting, eye opening. i'm sure a lot of people have questions who are in the quote-unquote traditional families and marriages.

and if you meet someone polyamorous, you've got some questions. >> yeah, absolutely. but love is love, and that was a really tender moment between mother and child there. coming up, the woman who discovered her own breast cancer.

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twice as much dirt and dust. it gets stuff deep in the grooves other tools can miss. y'know what? my place... is a lot cleaner now. stop cleaning. start swiffering. ♪ a couple of stories here that will leave you saying, wait, what? yeah. you can count on it. a woman visited an attraction in edinburgh. she was able to use a thermal imaging camera at the camera obscura and world of illusions museum. she was looking back at the photos, noticed this dark spot, a heat patch over her breast. she started googling. made an appointment with a doctor. she was then diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. how about that. experts have warned that this woman was lucky because thermal imaging cameras are not typically effective in screening for the disease, but in this case, google sent her to the

doctor and it was another one of those moments where technology can save lives. >> that's incredible. and i feel like it ended on some good news there because it caught it early. and luckily there she knew that something just wasn't right. >> wasn't right. you've got to listen to your body. >> moving on, so you know when you're driving and someone cuts you off and you go, you dirty rat. apparently it might actually be a rat. wait, what? >> huh? >> yeah. because rats can drive, according to these researchers. they found at university of richmond, they put little rats in little cars and let them go and found that they can actually do a pretty decent job at driving these little cars. also interesting, they found that learning to drive actually relaxed the rats. >> how about that. >> they noticed a drop in their stress level -- >> you know why, because there's no traffic. >> ah. >> put some more rats in cars in that cage -- >> richmond, send them 100 miles north to washington, d.c. and

see how stressed or relaxed they will be, because they will be pretty stressed indeed. >> it is not any worse than every day on the l.i.e. >> oh, you're saying that -- what's worse, the l.i.e.? or rats? >> i would say given the evidence right there, i'd say they're just about equal. >> okay, gotcha. >> another wait, what moment for you, this man just had a problem with bugs in his backyard. wanted to get rid of them. then he accidentally, wait for it -- >> oh, no. no, do it -- don't do it -- no, don't do it -- >> put some gasoline in the hole. and there it goes. >> oh! even the dog came out for that one. like, you are dumb. >> nothing happened at first. he started putting those matches in there. >> oh my gosh. >> another wait, what part two, he didn't kill all the bugs. >> wait, what? he didn't even get all the bugs. >> no. >> that's pretty bad.

can we end on baby shark? >> this song. >> the national symphony in

this morning on "world news now," chaos on capitol hill. >> republicans stormed a closed door impeachment hearing, bringing it to a dead stop. plus what happened when it finally resumed? also this morning the latest in a possible murder investigation. 39 people found dead inside a truck. who officials believe they are. new this morning the deadly crash of a helicopter near las vegas and fears the wreckage could explode. with only seven days until halloween, we're carving out a little time to make the best jack-o-lanterns ever. we're getting expert advice, like how to keep your carved pumpkins fresh. and we're apparently being put to the test on this thursday, october 24th.

we are "gourd" out of our minds. these things are -- where do we get these things from? >> that guy we saw yesterday who made a kayak of sorts out of the pumpkin? maybe he grew these for us. >> it's pumpkin carving day here on "world news now." we're ready for it. we are being put to the test. jack is ready. >> nothing like a little healthy competition at this hour of the day. >> i heard you like some competition. >> i do. i'm not athletic. i can't beat you in a foot race or anything that involves hand-eye coordination. but let's carve some pumpkins. we will later on this half hour. let's get to some news. we begin this half hour with the chaos on capitol hill. house republicans storming a do you remember deposition room. >> the gop protest delayed the testimony of a top pentagon official involved in ukraine policy for nearly five hours. >> the republicans slammed the impeachment process as unfair.

they got into shouting matches with democrats, ordered pizza, and refused to leave. abc's rachel scott has the details. >> reporter: in washington the standoff between republicans and democrats reaching a boiling point. frustrated house republicans barging into a closed door hearing in a secure room in the capitol with their cell phones, disrupting the testimony of a key witness in protest of the ongoing impeachment investigation. >> by golly, if they're going to do it, do it in public. >> reporter: intel chair adam schiff says the interviews are conducted privately so witnesses cannot coordinate testimony. of the more than 30 house republicans who delayed the hearing, roughly a dozen are members of the committees leading the impeachment inquiry and already have access to the room. democrats urged their colleagues across the aisle to follow the rules. >> this is an effort to please the president, to try to shut down the process, it's a stunt. >> reporter: the latest round of questioning put on pause. hours after explosive testimony by the top u.s. diplomat in ukraine, bill taylor.

the president attacked taylor calling him a never trumper, adding, it would be really great if the people within the trump administration could stop hiring never trumpers. behind closed doors, taylor, a west point graduate and vietnam veteran, gave his detailed account of how the ukraine saga unfolded. he says he was told eight separate times that president trump demanded pressure be put on ukraine to investigate 2016 election interference and joe biden and his son. some democrats say it's the most shocking testimony they've heard yet. >> bill taylor gave a devastating opening statement yesterday. they're freaked out. they're trying to stop this investigation. >> reporter: and some republicans are continuing to rush to the president's defense. others like senator john thune say they want more transparency. that republican senator also saying based on the reporting that's out so far, the picture that's being painted is not a good one. kenneth, kaylee? >> our thanks to rachel for that report. now to severe weather starting in colorado.

it was snowing as wednesday evening's commute was starting west of denver. some parts of that region could get up to a foot of snow. >> in california the threat of more wildfires is the concern. officials fear hot, dry conditions and strong winds could lead to fast-moving fires. the state's largest utility has started its second intentional blackout in northern california to avoid downed lines sparking fires. 500,000 people will be affected and power could be cut in southern california today. accuweather's adam del rosso has the forecast. >> we're talking that critical fire threat once again across california from san diego all the way up to redding. it is dry, it is breezy. some spots could see gusts up to 60 miles per hour. we're also talking extreme heat along the coast. l.a. expected to climb back up into the 90s, well above average. across the four corners region, that's where the cooler air is going to be. snow showers working southward from denver all the way down to the texas panhandle. darker shades of blue in the rockies 6 to 12 inches.

let's go across the pond for a really tough one. a human trafficking, human smugglg tragedy in britain, on the worst in that country's history. >> 39 bodies were discovered in a truck container in an industrial park near london. authorities are trying to retrace their final journey as the murder investigation is under way. abc's ian pannell has more from london. >> reporter: horrific discovery in a cargo truck abandoned just outside london. 39 bodies, at least one a teenager, suspected migrants who had come in search of a better instead, dying in what appears to be a people smuggling operation. the truck registered in bulgaria, crossing into britain by ferry just after midnight, seen here on surveillance video. the gruesome cargo discovered by emergency services, called to the scene just 20 miles from london. a murder investigation now launched. police not identifying suspects, but the truck driver, a 25-year-old man from northern ireland, is reported to be in custody.

it's highly unlikely those dead are europeans. tragically it's happened before, and then it was refugees desperate to escape war-torn countries like syria, iraq, afghanistan. ian pannell, abc news, london. best-selling author heading to prison for her role in the college admissions scandal. >> 51-year-old jane buckingham paying $51,000 for help on her son's college entrance exam. she pleaded guilty to a single count of fraud and conspiracy. she's the author of the modern girls guides which includes a guide to motherhood. striking teachers in chicago hit the city's downtown streets wednesday as chicago's mayor was delivering a budget address. the strike is entering its eighth day. the strides are separated by several major issues including pay and health benefits. the union seems to be preparing for the long haul. it has a civil disobedience training session this afternoon. el dorado county deputy brian ishmael was shot responding to a

call about stolen marijuana plants. suspects opened fire as soon as ishmael arrived. another deputy was also shot but is okay this morning. the 37-year-old ishmael leaves behind a wife and three children. two suspects were taken into custody. an investigation is just getting under way into the deadly crash of a helicopter near las vegas. police say the chopper's 53-year-old male pilot has died from injuries sustained in the crash. another person who was on board is in critical condition. a major road in the area is closed due to fears any fuel still on board could explode. switching to sports here, the world series heads to washington with the nationals halfway to a sweep. kaylee, take it away. >> houston, we have a problem. the nats erupted for six runs in the seventh inning last night in houston to break open a 2-2 game. washington went on to hammer the astros 12-3 to grab a two-game lead.

the play of the night, though, happened before the two team hit the field. right here. >> whoa! >> simone biles, the olympic champ, what do you even call that? a standing full backflip with a twist, if you will? >> she's just showing off there. >> yeah, she is. >> she's the kind of extra we love here at "world news now." >> absolutely, and she did it in jeans. >> in jeans. they've got to get those stretch jeans like the ones i wear. i'm old enough, let's go ahead and get the stretch jeans. that's how i get around now. >> but this game really was unbelievable. i'll be honest, i didn't turn it on until the eighth inning, getting my hair and makeup done here, and i let out an audible gasp when i saw the score was 10-2. >> you know what, i didn't turn it on at all. >> so now you know. now you know. >> but i'm rooting for the nationals. houston, you know i love you. i got folks down there in houston. we got our station ktrk. you all know i love you all. but i was in washington, i was

d.c. based, i don't know if you heard this. >> i was d.c. based as well too. >> jack says i don't need to suck up. i know, jack. but i love houston. >> you know what college is the most well represented among the two world series teams? >> uh -- university of south carolina? >> lsu. >> oh. see? we're s.e.c. rivals here. she would say there's not a rivalry there, because lsu, blah, blah, blah. coming up, the age that most of us see our first scary movie. first, the tasing incident that resulted in a deaf teenager losing his implant. how it happened and the steps the county sheriff is now taking. later, taking jack-o-lanterns to a whole new level. we'll have pumpkin carving tips including why you should never carve out your pumpkin from the top. but first we're going to get to work on ours. oh wait. >> i'm just going to roll it.

just going to roll it. i'm alex trebek, here to tell you about the colonial penn program. if you're age 50 to 85, and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three p's. what are the three p's? the three p's of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price. a price you can afford, a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54. alex, what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65 and take medications. what's my price? also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80. what's my price? $9.95 a month for you too. if you're age 50 to 85, call now about the #1 most popular

whole life insurance plan, available through the colonial penn program. it has an affordable rate starting at $9.95 a month. no medical exam, no health questions. your acceptance is guaranteed. and this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate lock, so yr ratean never go up for any reason. so call now for free information. and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. and it's yours just foralling. so call now. olay's new retinol24 faced the competition and rose above.

olay's retinol24 complex hydrates better than the #1 retinol. visibly smoother brighter skin in 24 hours. new olay retinol24. a virginia woman says she thought she was going to die when she was hit by a city bus in richmond. look at that. newly released video shows hope d'amico being hit last fall, then jumping up moments later. she says she's still recovering. it came to light after a pedestrian was hit and killed near that same intersection two weeks ago. massachusetts authorities have reported 17 additional cases of vaping-related lung injuries to the cdc. >> overall the state has

reported 46 cases to the agency. nearly half the patients were 30 and younger. nationwide the cdc has linked vaping to nearly 1,500 lung illnesses and 33 deaths. scientists are racing to find the cause and are now looking at vaping devices themselves. tennessee officials are apologizing for an incident that caused a deaf man his only means of hearing. >> brett evans was tased leaving the scene of a suspected domestic dispute. he says he didn't hear commands to stop because the battery in his cochlear implant had died. his mother says he had no idea what was happening. >> he was walking, he felt a shock. his arms fell beside him. he leaned over. he assumed it was his cochlear malfunction. that was the first thing he thought of. he was scared and crying. >> evans was not involved in a domestic case. the campbell county sheriff's department has agreed to pay for a new implant. the old one cost $8,000. pumpkin carving by maniacs. >> is that us?

are we the maniacs? we are learning how to carve the most creative jack-o-lanterns, as well as tips how to freshen up your days-old work of art.

♪ he did the mash he did the monster mash ♪ ♪ the monster mash it was a graveyard smash ♪ ♪ he did the mash it caught on in a flash ♪ we are counting down the days to the scariest day of the year, halloween. >> if you're looking for ideas for your own graveyard smash, we are checking out extreme pumpkin carving. will ganss is here with more. >> i've got you, get ready to get schooled, y'all. we are officially one week out from halloween. if you're ready to jack up your

jack-o-lantern, who are you going to call? not the ghostbusters. instead let me introduce you to the maniac pumpkin carvers. you might scream. you may get spooked. >> here's johnny! >> reporter: because these pumpkins are scary good. they're the artistic creations of mark evan and chris soria, aka the maniac pumpkin carvers. >> me and chris have been friends since we were kids. we're both lifelong artists and we're both very competitive with each other. we were constantly trying to one-up each other, who can do a cooler pumpkin this year for halloween? we've been celebrating halloween as an art form since we were in high school and always trying to push the boundaries of what's next. >> reporter: what started as competition between friends has led to a spookily successful business operation. mark and chris work in other mediums year round, as muralists, illustrators, and painters.

but they carve out this time of year for the pumpkins. >> the season is a good three months for us. september, october, november. with majority of it taking place in october. >> is it safe to say that halloween is the super bowl of the pumpkin carving season? >> absolutely. >> reporter: these guys are the champs. hired by major companies for seasonal promotions, or for big events like weddings. and sometimes by an average joe who wants an above-average jack-o-lantern. art museums ask the guys to recreate the classics. it's what the maniac pumpkin carvers call their artist series. >> we spend maybe 12 to 16 hours on each one of those, but they're worth it. >> reporter: they better be. jack-o-lanterns' life spans are short. something like this, which is stunning and beautiful and so cool to look at, is it hard for you to know that this time a month from now, this probably won't be here? >> it's something that we have come to embrace. it's something that is ephemeral and it's meant to be enjoyed in

the moment. >> reporter: so as the orders come in, mark and chris hire up to 20 extra artists to help carve and get those pumpkins out the door in time. the guys work in two styles of carving. etching like this, and sculpting like this. but if you're sticking to the basics this year, don't worry, the pumpkin pros have tips and tricks to treat your jack-o-lantern well this spooky season. when picking the perfect pumpkin, start with the stem. >> you want a healthy stem. the health of the stem is often indicative of the health of the pumpkin. so if it's a flimsy stem or it doesn't look that healthy, the pumpkin is probably also not in the best shape. don't pick the pumpkin up by its stem. it's a stem, not a handle. >> reporter: next tip, skinny ain't always better. >> you want to pick it up. if it feels super light, that means the walls of the pumpkin are going to be thinner and that's going to allow for a lot less detail. >> reporter: don't cut a hole in

the top to gut it. it looks worse and it will decompose faster. instead -- >> we cut out of the back where you don't see. a very clean cut. kind of some sort of geometric shape that fits back into the pumpkin. >> reporter: the guys use a lightbulb instead of a candle and staple the pumpkin parts back together for support. kind of like -- >> it's alive! >> reporter: speaking of bringing things back to life, if your jack-o-lantern is dying a premature death and you want to keep him around a bit longer? >> fill a bucket with water and ice, maybe like a capful of bleach, and you submerge the pumpkin -- take the light out of the pumpkin and submerge the pumpkin in the icewater. the icewater kind of shocks it back to life. >> reporter: there you have it. yours may not be maniac material, but i'm sure your pumpkin will turn out gourd-ous nonetheless. speaking of gourd-ous, i went ahead and used the edging technique.

this is ariel from "the little mermaid" sitting on her rock. >> super impressed, will. >> she wants to be where the people are. so i went ahead and this is the etching technique. you guys have jumped right in. oh, yeah, there she is. kaylee, kenneth, your turn. who will be the pum-king or hollow-queen? >> stencils are allowed? >> stencils are allowed. not from the top. we went ahead and hollowed it out for you like the guys suggested. >> you did the lord's work. >> we're going to continue doing this. when "the mix" comes up next, we're going continue. we're going continue.

about the colonial penn program. here to tell you if you're age 50 to 85, and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three p's. what are the three p's? the three p's of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price. a price you can afford,

a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54. alex, what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65 and take medications. what's my price? also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80. what's my price? $9.95 a month for you too. if you're age 50 to 85, call now about the #1 most popular whole life insurance plan, available through the colonial penn program. it has an affordable rate starting at $9.95 a month. no medical exam, no health questions. your acceptance is guaranteed. and this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate lock, so your rate can never go up for any reason. so call now for free information. and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner. and it's yours just for calling. so call now.

♪ ♪ time for "the mix." i'm exhausted. will ganss is here to help us out with "the mix." we're still carving these pumpkins. i had to wear this poncho because it gets a little messy. >> i'm just risking it all. >> i know. so will, those were great tips. >> yeah. >> you didn't tell us how hard this was going to be. i had to get a bigger knife. >> the thing is as the guys suggested, the heavier the pumpkin, the thicker they're going to be, the better they're going to last, but it's harder to carve. >> i'm afraid that i might -- oh gosh. >> oh! >> you are so mean. >> it's just ketchup. >> the shrill scream i just let out.

>> i'm so glad you didn't curse. >> i have to go home. >> so will, get it together. >> i don't know if i can. >> i'm okay, everyone, i'm okay. i'm all right, i'm all right. can we move on here? >> refocus. take it to "the mix." >> i'm going to clean up my ketchup. tell us about the average age americans see their first scary movie. >> the average age of me almost dying is just now, my life just flashed before my eyes. a new study out is revealing the average age most americans say they saw their first scary movie. for me i would say probably in high school. >> i was 30. yeah, i was 30.

>> it was yesterday? >> michael myers, he scares me, yes. it was michael myers. but apparently -- so "the exorcist." "nightmare on elm street." >> "halloween." "texas chainsaw massacre." "psycho." the average age is 10 years old. >> my children are not going to be able to watch those kinds of movies. >> no, definitely. >> no, definitely. >> top five favorite? >> childhood villains. >> freddie kruger. >> he is not on this list. the daleks from "doctor who." darth vader from "star wars." voldemort from "harry potter." the wicked witch of the west from "the wizard of oz." and the child catcher from "chitty chitty bang bang." >> i totally agree with that. >> what we shouldn't be talking about on the air in case the kids are watching. >> the number one villain from tonight is kenneth moton who just scared the heck out of us. >> we're going to get a replay of that, show it hopefully later

this morning as well, that was hilarious. >> keep carving those pumpkins. >> we'll keep carving these

>> this morning on "world news now," fears that power lines could spark wildfires are again leaving thousands in the dark. preemptive power outages have begun as california braces for the strongest winds of the season. drama in washington, d.c. as republicans storm an impeachment deposition under way behind closed doors. hear why president trump is declaring a big success in syria despise isis fighters still on the loose. new this half hour, a thrifty treasure trove. >> a woman found $7,000 in a coat pocket. what she did with it will give you hope in humanity. the sanderson sisters are back. we'll tell you everything we know about the "hocus pocus" sequel in development. it's another glorious morning

this thursday, october 24th. good morning, everyone. don't be alarmed by the pumpkins on the desk. and also these gourds here as well. we have these here because it is -- halloween just a week away. we've been pumpkin carving throughout this morning. we'll continue to do so during the break. hopefully we'll have a nice jack-o-lantern product to show you soon. >> and all of our fingers by the time it's over. >> maybe. let's begin with the extreme fire danger across california right now. forces evacuations overnight. today's heat and winds could cause flames to spread in that area. >> this is a map from california's largest utility. the magenta-colored dots are cities where the power's been cut in hopes of avoiding fires sparked by downed lines. in all 500,000 people are

without power. abc's will reeve with more on the fire threat. >> reporter: with multiple fires breaking out in california this week, wide swaths of the state now facing critical fire danger. >> elevations above 1,000 feet, this is where the highest concern is with this fire danger. this is where the winds will be fastest. >> reporter: last year the deadliest and most destructive fire on record in california devastated the town of paradise. the utility company pg&e was held responsible for the fire here from sparks from a transmission line like this dead one. now they're cutting power to thousands of customers across the state hoping to avoid more fires capable of doing this. businesses in the town of sonoma bracing for outages. >> basically out of business for four days when they shut me down last time. hopefully it's not going to hit us this time. >> reporter: in southern california, where the palisades fire burned 45 acres this week, new infrared video shows it continuing to burn, hot spots glowing white. this video shot from a car appears to show the fire when it

was just starting. officials now investigating the cause. will reeve, abc news, paradise, california. >> our thanks to will. forecasters are calling the threat from wind a california-wide phenomenon. >> accuweather's adam del rosso can tell us more. adam, good morning. >> kenneth and kaylee, good morning. we're talking dry, breezy conditions once again across california and that's going to lead to that high fire threat once again from redding all the way down to san diego. gusts in spots could reach up to 60 miles per hour. we're also talking about a lot of warmth along the california coast. l.a. getting up into the 90s once again. you get into the interior, that's where the cooler air is going to be along with the snow. we're talking 2 to 4 inches of snow in denver. colorado springs, you could see 3 to 6 inches of accumulation. kenneth, kaylee? >> all right, adam, thank you. turning now to that dramatic protest on capitol hill staged by republican lawmakers fed up with the impeachment inquiry. >> about two dozen conservative house members forced their way into a secure room and derailed

the testimony of a top pentagon official for hours. they're demanding democrats hold the depositions in public. >> democrats say republicans are trying to detract from the testimony of bill taylor, top diplomat to ukraine, who said the president was directly involved in an effort to withhold foreign aid for political gain. >> this is an effort to please the president, to try to shut down the process, it's a stunt. >> the president is calling bill taylor a never trumper. do you have any reason to believe he has political motivations or question his credibility? >> no, i don't know anything about bill taylor that i can say negative. >> republicans took action a day after president trump urged them to get tougher in fighting back against the impeachment. president trump is declaring a big success in syria even as he faces intense criticism over his decision to upend u.s. policy and abandon america's kurdish allies. the president also lifted sanctions against turkey for its military offensive and he claimed credit for a permanent cease-fire which was actually worked out in a new deal between russia and turkey.

abc's jonathan karl has more. >> reporter: president trump declared victory in syria, a situation widely seen as a foreign policy and humanitarian disaster caused by the president's abrupt decision to pull out u.s. troops. >> this was an outcome created by us, the united states, and nobody else, no other nation, very simple. and we're willing to take blame and we're also willing to take credit. >> reporter: but this latest agreement was brokered by vladimir putin. following a lengthy meeting with turkish president erdogan, russian military vehicles flying russian flags could be seen patrolling the syrian border. president trump also said that the commander of the kurdish forces abandoned by the u.s. thanked him. >> we've saved the lives of many, many kurds. >> reporter: but syrian opposition and turkish flags were displayed at what was just two weeks ago the kurdish headquarters in northern syria as the kurdish army and

thousands of kurdish civilians were forced to flee following turkey's invasion. president trump announced sanctions imposed on turkey last week will now be lifted, and he praised turkey's president. >> president erdogan of turkey, a man i've got ton know very well, a man who loves his country. and in his mind he's doing the right thing for his country. >> reporter: but president said the reports of atrocities e committed by turkish-backed militias may be war crimes. >> if accurate, i assume they are accurate, they would be war crimes. as best as i know the law of warfare. >> reporter: the president also said very few isis prisoners had escaped and most of them have been recaptured, but there was a very different message from the president's envoy to syria, ambassador jim jeffrey testified before congress and said more than 100 isis fighters remain on the loose, unaccounted for, and quote, we do not know where they are. jonathan karl, abc news, the white house. >> thank you, jonathan. the body of congressman

elijah cummings will lie in state today at the u.s. capitol. >> leaders on both sides of the aisle are expected to attend services. cummings died last week following complications from health challenges. he was 68. baltimore mourners paid respect to their long-time congressman at morgan state university. former presidents barack obama and bill clinton will deliver remarks at his funeral friday. an indiana man nearly donated much more than he planned to at a used clothing store. a worker at the shop found $7,000 in cash in a jacket pocket. >> jennifer wasn't sure what to do, so she called her boss then tried to find a way to keep from panicking. >> sometimes you find gum. you know. or a picture, grocery list, something like that. you don't find $7,000 in a pocket. it just scared me, it made me nervous. you know, everybody wants to hold a wad of cash, but it wasn't mine, so i didn't get too excited about it.

>> so the man has his money back this morning. workers say he was grateful but didn't give them a reward. her boss says doing the right thing is rewarding in itself. >> restoring some faith in humanity right there. >> apparently he threw that money in there a long time ago then forgot about it and donated it. i don't know, maybe now that we've called him out and said he didn't give them any reward or anything -- he gave them clothes, that's a donation. >> how kind. i just donated i think half the clothing i own when i moved to new york city, time to downsize. >> he's got bills to pay, who knows, maybe this will bless him as well. might have been going through something, now he's got 7ke did >> i donhink iould forget about $7,000 in my pocket. >> i wouldn't forget about $10 or a dollar in my pocket. why supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg was just awarded $1 million. could tom brady be headed to a patriots divorce? how the star quarterback is now

hinting that this season could be his last. later in "the skinny," john legend hinting at a christmas collaboration with someone close to him. about the colonial penn program. here to tell you if you're age 50 to 85, and looking to buy life insurance on a fixed budget, remember the three p's. what are the three p's? the three p's of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price. a price you can afford, a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54. alex, what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65 and take medications. what's my price? also $9.95 a month. i just turned 80. what's my price?

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visibly smoother brighter skin in 24 hours. new olay retinol24. we're back with a terrifying close call in phoenix, arizona. a red light runner narrowly missing this couple pushing their 1-year-old baby in a stroller, wow. a chevy cruz entered the intersection at the same time, blocking the impact. the family is okay this morning. police say the man behind the wheel was driving under the influence. he's now facing multiple charges. we're hearing new details this morning about four flight attendants accused of money laundering.

>> authorities arrested them shortly after their flight landed in miami. here's abc's stephanie ramos. >> reporter: four american airlines flight attendants in custody after being arrested for money laundering. according to police, customs and border protection agents conducting routine checks say they found nearly $23,000 between all four flight attendants after their plane landed at miami international airport early tuesday from santiago, chile. authorities say all are citizens of chile. customs agents flagged the group when an agent asked one of them how much money he was carrying. he allegedly answered $100, then corrected his statement by saying, $9,000. agents then searched the rest of the crew and found cash on two more flight attendants, arresting them and a fourth person. in a statement, american airlines says, we take this matter seriously and are cooperating with law enforcement throughout their investigation. all four flight attendants will likely face money laundering charges. stephanie ramos, abc news, new york. >> our thanks to stephanie. supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg is officially a million-dollar thinker. >> justice ginsburg has been

awarded a $1 million prize for philosophy and culture. it's given out each year to thinkers whose ideas have profoundly shaped human understanding and advancement in a rapidly changing world. it cited her work in the 1970s for a women's rights project. the money will go to a charity or nonprofit of rbg's choice. >> congratulations to her. a story getting a lot of attention in football circles, tom brady may be looking to life after the patriots. the 42-year-old future hall of famer has the pats undefeated and looking very strong. >> but he's not shutting down the idea that this could be his last year in new england. given some evidence, listen to this. both tom brady and his personal trainer have put their massachusetts homes up for sale. and brady can become a free agent after this season per his contract. in a radio interview wednesday brady said he's taking things day by day and he doesn't know what the future holds. >> what's your expert guess here? >> you know -- i wouldn't be stunned if this is tom brady's

last year. he could win a seventh super bowl title. everything is looking towards him at least making his tenth appearance in a super bowl. but i don't think tom brady is going to play for any other team in the nfl. if this is the end of his time in new england, this is the end of his career in the nfl. >> i don't know much about sports and i completely agree with everything you just said. >> well, thanks for that. when we come back, an update on those "joker" stairs. it looks like the sanderson sisters are coming back. stay tuned for a "hocus pocus" sequel, we've got the details.

♪ skinny ♪ skinny just gimme the skinny i can't believe we would let "the skinny" interrupt the busy and difficult and serious work of pumpkin carving. >> she is still at it, i am too, i'm so tired from pumpkin carving. >> you're welcoming "the skinny" break? >> this is "the skinny" break. it is time for "the skinny." while kaylee continues to carve her pumpkin, we're going to

start with a new development involving the "joker" stairs. >> we told you earlier this week about the concrete staircase in the bronx here in new york city. it's been attracting so many selfie seekers. the stairs play a pivotal role in the movie, which i have not seen. apparently joaquin phoenix's character finally rounded the bend into a total life of crime. >> now congresswoman alexandria ocasio-cortez, whose district includes that staircase, is weighing in on tmz. >> when i was growing up, everyone would tell us to stay away from those steps or go with a friend. i think the way a lot of us feel is listen, keep your instagram posts outside of the boogie bag, this is for us. >> the staircase now has its own location on instagram. >> and googlemaps too just says, it's the joker stairs. >> yeah, wonder how the local locals feel about the people coming by, jumping on the stairs. >> sort of like the same thing we discussed a couple days ago, the "friends" building, the one that's the exterior in the sitcom, that restaurant owner not happy that people are

flocking to his corner. it seems like someone may have lit the black flame candle again, because the sanderson sisters are coming back. >> disney plus is reportedly developing a sequel to "hocus pocus." the 1993 cult classic starred bette midler, sarah jessica parker, kathy -- what's her name? najimy? apparently -- i think i know the plot to this. they're hoping to reunite the stars for the sequel now in development. >> i love this, i love this. >> how's your pumpkin going? >> it's going well, i still have all my fingers. >> they would be very proud of you, the "hocus pocus" ladies, for what i see happening here. >> right? commitment, commitment. only ryan reynolds can distract me from the focus i have here. he's such an instagram joker. he's getting it dished right back to him because it's his birthday. >> reynolds just turned 43 years

old on thursday, but yeah, he don't look it, i'm hating right now. >> don't hate. >> in honor of the occasion he's been getting quite a bit of attention from some pretty big names. >> i mean, we've seen him dish it out, now they're giving it right back. ellen degeneres, she tagged him, wished him happy birthday but with this adorable snap of herself kissing his rival, ryan gosling. >> "huffington post" contributor yasser ali comparing reynolds to ageless beauty paul rudd. >> the feud between rudd and reynolds is pretty funny. last but not least, of course not least, reynolds' wife, blake lively, weighed in with her own pic. with her finger up his nose. captioned "i picked a good one." >> with her own "pic," i see what you did there. >> you see, you see? >> that's funny. how about i take this next line while you continue carving. >> focus. >> halloween hasn't happened yet but christmas has come early for fans of john legend.

no, keep going, keep going. following the success of his 2018 album, someone asked if he'd ever team up with fellow "voice" coach kelly clarkson for a christmas song. to everyone's surprise john replied "stay tuned." looks like we all may be having ourselves a merry little christmas after all. >> i love that. >> i thought it was going to be chrissy teigen. >> the internet couldn't handle that. >> how's this for celebrity costume? this right here is "breaking bad" star aaron paul with his own mini me at san diego comic-con last year, daughter story annabel paul. her name is story annabel paul, i like that. >> isn't that pretty? paul has revealed he actually got this baby-size "breaking bad" costume at that same comic-con five years ago. that baby is not 5 years old. he said he knew when he saw the outfit that one day he was going

to put his own baby in it. >> so we're giving folks tips this morning about pumpkin carving. apparently i didn't listen to any of them. >> and? >> it is one of the toughest things. >> commitment. commitment. coming up, the power of sisterhood. s trapped in your car's soft surfaces get released, and are then circulated by your ac system. to stop the cycle of odors try febreze car vent clips. febreze stops the circulation of musty air by trapping and eliminating lingering odor molecules for up to 30 days of fresh, clean air. plus, they come in a range of scents including extra light. stop the cycle of odors in your car with febreze car vent clips. brand power. helping you buy better.

♪ girls are doing it for ♪ sisters are doing it for themselves ♪ ♪ oh yes we are standing on their own two feet ♪ ♪ and ringing on their own bell ♪ music is back this morning. >> yeah, it is. >> you're liking it. >> i am. >> we're hearing about two sisters doing it for themselves, but for each other. >> this morning they're back together for the first time in 75 years. one of them so young when they were separated, she didn't even know she had a sister. here's abc's david muir. >> reporter: susan becklin was

born in detroit, adopted by lloyd and bernice trotter in nashville, raised there as an only child. never knowing she was adopted until susan got a message just last month from this woman named jackie. >> we were hysterical. neither one of us could speak to one another. i mean, we just held the phone, i think, for a while. >> reporter: jackie is susan's older sister. jackie had spent her life looking for her, because she was old enough at the time to remember she had a sibling. she took an ancestry dna test and found her. jackie waiting at the airport for the sister she finally found. two sisters together for the first time in 75 years. >> we're together. after 75 years. >> reporter: they have a lot of catching up to do. >> now we can play hop-scotch. now we can have tea parties. we can go shopping. we can do anything we want. >> we have a lot to get caught up on, don't we, girl? >> yes, we do. >> reporter: this weekend the cake and the extended family susan never knew she had. >> that is just beautiful. found each other.

>> it really is. where would you even start to catch up? after 75 years? >> i know. and they've got some time to do that, and we are wishing them the best. they've got the holidays, including halloween. >> whoo! >> and we have been carving these pumpkins all morning. apparently it's time to show. here we go, the big reveal. >> it's like a speed competition, took some of the pressure off. >> bam. can you see? can we dim the lights? here we go. i did, what is this? mine is ghost. >> can you tell mine? >> that is horrible. >> can i get a camera one tight shot? no? >> it wasn't quite finished. >> look at that, that is scary. >> that is horrible. >> what is that? >> what is that? >> boo! i think i did a great job. >> there you go. >> so did you. >> hey, thanks, appreciate that. >> that was a lot of fun. they're still a work in progress, just like us and this show.

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news for building a better bay area, abc 7. >> live breaking news. it is in sonoma county where a major wildfire is raging out of control. it's exploded to 10,000 acres overnight. that new update coming in the last five minutes. acuamaatons are underway and there are some road closures. the pg aupd e power shutoff is affecting 179,000 people. the power affecting more people overnight. good morning on this thursday, october 24th. we are on early at 4 a.m. because of the kinkaide fire and the pg&e power shutoff. >> we want to show you this video. this is a dramatic look at what we d