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strong winds apparently proved too much for a new wind turbine in new york city's bronx borough. it collapsed in the middle of the afternoon taking a billboard with it and crushing a parked car. amazingly, no one was hurt but now the stores in that shopping center have been ordered to stay closed which is going to hurt some merchants' pocketbooks. a controversial incident involving a vulgar insult on a coffee cup given to a police officer was and has been ruled a hoax. >> images of the cup with the word expletive pig written on it went viral over the weekend. the now former herington, kansas, police officer said it was given to him by a worker at mcdonald's. herington's police chief says the ex-cop told him it was meant to be a joke. the chief called the case a black eye on law enforcement. >> this was completely and solely fabricated by a herington police officer who is no longer

employed with our agency. moving forward, herington police department will work tirelessly to regain the loss of trust with both mcdonald's and with the citizens that we serve. >> security video proved none of the employees did anything wrong. the officer resigned. officials haven't identified him saying it's a personnel matter. he is not expected to face charges. firings and suspensions have been handed out in the nazi salute scandal in west virginia. >> the controversial picture of correctional officer trainees came to light this month. all 34 cadets have been fired along with three current officers. four others are suspended without pay. investigators say cadets told them they made the gesture as a sign of respect for their instructor. on a much wider note, a mother near dallas says her sons have some yard work to do when spring arrives. >> that's because the boys set the front lawn on fire christmas day. they were using a magnifying glass one of them got as a gift to light paper on fire. the flames spread to the grass which the whole family helped extinguish. that's a big chunk of grass. some christmas lights were

melted but other than that no serious damage or injuries. >> well, you tell the boys to go outside and play, this is what happens. >> right, that's what they did. >> and this is just science, right? at least they weren't trying to kill insects, right? >> maybe they were, maybe that part of the story was left out. >> no, it was paper, it was paper. >> the family put out the fire with the help of lawn sprinklers and blankets. >> i thought when you burned grass it just renews and it's going to be beautiful and green, and all that good stuff, right? >> they need to have some kind of punishment, right? >> i guess so. ring in the new year with taste. >> our chief entertaining officer tim laird will show us how to build a perfect champagne station and dessert toast. station and dessert toast.

babies aren't fully developed until at least 39 weeks. a healthy baby is worth the wait. ♪ ♪ welcome back. we are in the final hours of 2019, but there's still plenty of time to impress your new year's guests. here to start the celebration is our friend, america's ceo, that of course is chief entertaining office tim laird. tim laird, of course we needed

you to help us usher in 2020. >> ringing in the new year. >> right, and properly. >> we have great ideas, whether it be for a new year's eve party, a new year's day brunch idea. here's what i like to do. when we think of new year's, you think of champagne. so i brought out what i do. i set up a champagne station. >> a champagne station? you are a genius. >> isn't that fun? your guests can build their own. not a plain old mimosa. >> you've already poured for me. then you've got the different types. >> different juices. >> this one is the -- >> a little cranberry, put that in there. >> can i mix cranberry and pomegranate? >> yes, you can. that's what's fun about a champagne station, your guests build it however they want. >> okay. oh, i like that color. >> i like the juices, put a little bit of that, a little bit of strawberry as garnishes. i put out raspberries, strawberries, all kinds of fruit to make it festive. happy new year's. >> happy new year, sir, there you go. >> excellent. and it's tasty.

you as a host or hostess don't have to man the champagne station, let your guests do it themselves. >> put them to work. >> and speaking of a toast to the new year, here's another fun idea. i put out all kinds of different breads and spreads and meats and then i let my guests build their own toasts. because it's something that can stay out, easy to do. again, your guests are building up what they like. for example, here's a couple of examples, i got this i call it the hampton. it's avocado, a little manhattan salmon, that's a recipe from our "bourbon country cookbook." and a little bit of spice. that's everything bagel spice that you can buy. i call this the new yorker, a little sour cream, chopped egg, a little caviar on top too. >> a little caviar, talking about a little tim laird flair, a little caviar. >> perfect for new year's. over here, another example, goat cheese, cranberry sauce, put on it a toast, crushed pistachios

on top. even a dessert toast. in fact, we can make this here. i'll tell you how it goes. a little pumpernickel. let me grab one here. you grab one. just like we're at the party, making our own toasts. a little nutella goes on. just like that. >> you're much smoother over there. he's smooth. i'm going to be smooth like tim laird here. >> you're a smooth operator, let me tell you, kenneth. >> you sure are. >> and after that, we're going to put a little bit of strawberries there that i've sliced up, maybe just a couple. >> okay, strawberry me up. >> boom, i'm going to get you covered. there it goes. the nutella works like a little glue. >> really makes it stick on there. >> a little pecan i crushed up, just a little pecan to put on there. here it is. our fun dessert toast. cheers. >> toast to 2020. >> let's see how we did. oh wow. isn't that good?

>> that is delicious. >> what i like about this party is, your guests are working for it, they're doing their own thing, and they can build it what they like. if they have allergies or something, they can leave it off. or add more. >> what is the key? the key to the best party to ring in the new year? >> i'll tell you what the key is, have plenty of food, make sure you have plenty of beverages, including alcohol-free beverages. you want to have a safe, happy new year's. just have a lot of fun. bring out the hats and horns. blow those up. have fun. i mean, it is the new year's. >> tim laird is always about the fun. you are the chief entertaining officer, sir. >> and the cheers. we're about the fun and the cheers. >> yes, you are. tim laird, happy new year, and thank you as always. we've had an amazing year with you. >> it's been fantastic. >> food, drink, and fun. we really appreciate it. you can find these recipes on our website, wnnfans.com, and tim laird's cookbook, "the bourbon country cookbook." tim, happy 2020, friend.

>> happy 2020. cheers. >> great vision, that's one of my first 2020 vision's. >> i love that. ♪ can imagine. live... welcome back to the mirror. you've got this, john. ... and on demand. it's boxing, cardio, yoga, and more. it's an interactive, goal crushing, whole family, whole body fitness machine. and it's the best gift you've ever got. it's so cool! the future of fitness is at home. the mirror. 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, hd 5. and price. rice, a price you can afford,

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try febreze one; it eliminates odors with no heavy perfumes, so you can feel good about using it in your home. for a light, natural-smelling freshness, try febreze one. ♪ ♪ it's time for #goodnewstues. you like my singing, don't you? >> yeah, it's growing on me. >> this is a fitting way to end 2019 with this segment and we are starting with the most amazing gift a husband could give to his wife, the gift of life. >> when 74-year-old peggy niner of texas needed a kidney transplant, she didn't have to look very far. turns out mike, her husband of 51 years, was the perfect match. >> the couple underwent the process at the kidney transplant center at north austin medical center. peggy said in an interview with cnn quote i don't think he has to give me another gift for the rest of my life.

but she reserves the right to change her mind tomorrow. >> of course, as any woman should. next to another unexpected christmas gift for a waitress in ohio. >> it was the last thing she was expecting from what turned out to be a group of not so secret santas. here's abc's whit johnson. >> reporter: it was a typical meal at this waffle house restaurant in wood lawn, ohio. what would happen next was anything but typical. >> thank you. >> you're welcome. >> reporter: watch as this server gets a surprise of her life. one by one each diner approaches the counter to pay. >> thank you. >> reporter: a $100 tip from each, $600 total. eventually realizing what they were doing, this single mother of five is overcome with emotion. one customer moving in for a big hug. >> it's not like i have a million dollars and can just give away money. so as one person, you really can't do a lot, but you're going to find your people. >> reporter: and then hugs for the entire table of six.

>> merry christmas. >> reporter: she wasn't the only server to receive a surprise this holiday. melissa samuels, single mother at olga's kitchen in kalamazoo, michigan, receiving a $1,000 tip. >> thank you. >> reporter: these men have been doing this for three years, all ten of them chipping in to surprise one lucky server at random. a holiday tradition. >> it's not about any of us at all. it's all about helping somebody else. >> i am so blessed. >> i love that. >> i love that so much. a big thanks to whit johnson. >> yeah, this was all part of an ohio informal social media initiative called "shock and claus." >> it encourages people to leave $100 per person tips at the end of a meal at a local greasy spoon where tips are usually in single digits. that is something to take right on into 2020. celebrate tonight, have fun, do

it responsibly. we want to see you happy and healthy in 2020. here you go, friend, let's do this. >> 2020 vision! hey, christina itfrom accounting.. christina: yeah, hi! andrew: hey, i used to date a girl named christina. christina: oh, really? andrew: yeah, and then she dumped me for my best friend. do you want to see some photos of them that i took? christina: i don't. scott: i thought we talked about this buddy. andrew: buzzed and overshared again? scott: yeah. andrew: yeah, i'm going to call a car. scott: that's a smart idea. andrew: yeah, i know... that's why i did it.

scott: you're going to get back to the top of the mountain. andrew: does that mean i'm going to get back with christina? scott: no. andrew: oh. scott: no, no.

this new year's eve morning on "world news now," all eyes on the weather. >> as a deadly monster storm is causing havoc for many with heavy snow and ice making roads slick and dangerous. tens of thousands are without power. what's the weather going to be like in new york city for the big ball drop celebration? also this morning a texas community comes together to remember those killed in that horrific shooting during a sunday church service. for the first time we hear from the hero who took down the shooter. plus, the countdown is on. we're breaking down new year's eve by the numbers. from how many pounds the ball in times square weighs to how many drag queens it takes to drop a giant red shoe in key west, florida. and why this sunday is expected to be the busiest day

of the year for online dating. why so many will be logging on and swiping their way hopefully to true love. it's new year's eve, december 31st, 2019. good morning, everyone. there were so many headlines in there i was like, oh, that's a good story. that's a good one too. >> interesting. >> drag queens? >> in red shoes. >> the ball dropping? >> a lot's going on. >> celebrating? >> the last day of 2019. >> andrea fujii is back with us to help us close out the year. it's so great to have her here. >> thanks for having me. >> on this new year's eve as people prepare to ring in 2020 they want to know what the weather is doing. >> good question. the pavement is wet out there, but it's stopped raining in times square. we'll have the new year's eve forecast in new york and elsewhere. >> many holiday travelers will be trying to catch up today. drivers had to slow way down in the upper midwest because of

poor visibility. >> an accident in new hampshire knocked down a utility pole. it was one of 200 statewide in a single day. >> across the country thousands of flights were delayed or canceled. abc's eva pilgrim has more. >> reporter: the upper midwest reeling amid whiteout blizzard conditions and massive snowdrifts there. an icy mess in the northeast. millions traveling over the holidays. >> water, snow, ice. roads are very slick. very hard to manage. >> reporter: in maine, multiple crashes on icy i-95, stretches of the crucial highway shut down, backups for miles. in new hampshire this truck crashes into a utility pole knocking out power. >> if you don't have to be out on the roads today, just stay inside and wait for this storm to finish. >> reporter: back in the midwest, the mayor of fargo, north dakota, calling this one one of the worst storms they've had. a farmer helping pull one of the city's police vehicles out of

the snow. more than 20 inches falling in parts of the dakotas. in minnesota hundreds of crashes. and at least two fatalities. the state patrol showing how slippery the conditions are on i-94. this school bus skidding outside of minneapolis. and in st. paul, the city declaring a snow emergency. the same system bringing severe weather to parts of the south, multiple reported tornadoes in mississippi. buildings torn apart. this tractor-trailer overturned. and a wind turbine crashing to the ground completely unexpected in the bronx. take a look at this video and you see that newly installed wind turbine crashing to the ground, taking with it a billboard. it also smashed into a car that was here in this intersection. it has caused a real mess in this area. not just because of the weather but also because of that turbine making a real traffic nightmare for people on an already busy travel day. eva pilgrim, abc news, new york.

>> crazy weather out there, thanks to eva for that. well, the weather should be better in most of the country for those still traveling or outdoor tonight at midnight. >> accuweather's chris nallan has the detailed new year's eve forecast. chris, good morning. >> kenneth, andrea, we're talking about the active weather that continues across the northern tier of the country. snow around the northeast through new england. very snowy there around downeast maine. further south, a big chunk of the south nice and mild. to the west a little bit of snow. the northeast really wins out when it comes to active weather. they are going to be the more active spot. temperatures around new york city 40. that real feel, though, at 26. kenneth, andrea, back to you. >> thank you, chris. the texas community shattered by that deadly church shooting is entering the new year in mourning. as investigators continue to search for a motive. >> dozens of people gathered outside the west freeway church of christ last night for a candlelight prayer vigil for the two men killed in the attack. the hero parishioner who took

down the gunman is speaking out. ♪ oh lord my god >> a vigil for the lives lost in the texas church shooting. ♪ that sunday service interrupted by gunshots when a shooter opened fire. at least six armed parishioners fought back. church goer jack wilson firing a single shot, killing the gunman before he could harm anyone else. >> i don't feel like i'm a hero. i was doing what i needed to do to protect the people of the congregation. >> reporter: two worshippers, 67-year-old richard white, 64-year-old tony wallace, were killed in the attack. wallace's grandson was in the sanctuary at the time. >> gunman stood up and turned around to him. so probably like three feet away from my papa. kind of like heartbreaking, but sometimes got to be strong about it and just keep on going. >> reporter: the state's attorney general calling this church a model, praising a new state law that affirms the right of licensed handgun holders to

carry a weapon in a place of worship. >> we can't prevent every crazy person from pulling a gun, but we can be prepared like this church was. >> reporter: now a community mourning. >> i lost two great men, friends. men that i consider putting above myself. who did the same for me. >> so tragic. authorities trying to pin down a motive, say the gunman had been to the church several times before, and he was arrested in 2016 for unlawful possession of a weapon. the gunman's sister told abc news she believes her brother went on a suicide mission. the suspect accused of slashing five people at a hanukkah celebration outside new york is now charged with federal hate crimes. sources say grafton thomas is being investigated for a possible connection to the unsolved stabbing of a rabbi last month in the same community as last saturday's attack. investigators say thomas had journals containing anti-semitic references and had searched for information about adolf hitler

and the location of synagogues. a security camera photo from the scene of saturday's attack appears to show the suspect entering. thomas has pleaded not guilty to all charges. wall street enters its final trading session day of the year following a rare down day. all three major averages started the holiday-shortened week posting losses. the dow fell 183 points. despite that stocks are on track for their best year since 2013. the first post new year's celebration of 2020 comes up this weekend. >> this sunday, january 5th, has been dubbed dating sunday. it seems the first sunday of each year is the biggest online dating day of the year. experts say nagging from family over the holidays about relationships combined with the approach of valentine's day helps drive the increase there. >> interesting that it's sunday. right? after people went through the weekend, thinking, you know what, this single thing's not so cool. >> yes. you think it may be like

saturday or something like that. sunday you need to be in church. no. >> it's after church, like 9:15 i saw is the most popular time, 9:15 p.m. >> maybe you can find someone at church. january overall is the best month for online dating. it's the most popular in terms of sign-ups and activities. 2019 was the biggest in their seven-year history with a record more than 1 million messages sent on that app. >> they have a lot of friends who got married from online dating relationships. >> all right, find some love in 2020. coming up, a quick check on times square, just hours away from new year's. first as we start the big countdown, we're taking a look at new year's eve by the numbers including six tons of crystals and lights, 16 million colors, and 80 pounds of cheese. >> cheese? later, looking back at the way we were in the year 2019. oh lord. here we go. you'll want to stick around for this one. this one. ck around for this one.

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 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. ♪ work so hard ♪ give it everything you got ♪ strength of a lioness ♪ tough as a knot ♪ rocking the stage ♪ and we never gonna stop ♪ all strength, no sweat. ♪ just in case you forgot ♪ all strength. ♪ no sweat secret. all strength. no sweat.

want to freshen your home ♪ without using heavy, overwhelming scents? try febreze one; it eliminates odors with no heavy perfumes, so you can feel good about using it in your home. for a light, natural-smelling freshness, try febreze one. we are looking at a live picture from new york's times square. it's pretty empty now. no dirty elmos.

no raggedy-looking supermen. but tonight, practically, every inch will be covered with people, lots of people. security, barriers and other equipment are already in place. and in a few hours, all the side streets will be closed off. the police department promises this evening times square will be quote the safest place on the planet earth. that is some good news there as we go into the new year. the countdown is on. >> i forgot we had these on here. >> so did i. oh yeah, i got eyewear. the countdown is on to the end of the year and the end of the decade. >> as new york puts the finishing touches on its annual times square extravaganza, the rest of the country is gearing up for celebrations of their own, and our own will ganss is here now. >> my entry, we'll save it for tonight. the ball here in new york city has been dropping since 1907, but there are a few more modern and certainly more quirky celebrations going on around the country tonight. let's count a few of them down. you know the usual countdown.

>> three, two, one, happy new year! >> reporter: here's some other new year's eve numbers you probably don't know. starting at one. 1 times square. that's where the secret vault is which holds the nearly 6 tons of crystal and l.e.d. lights that make up the iconic ball that drops in new york city. that ball is capable of displaying a palette of over 16 million colors and billions of patterns that create the kaleidoscope effect atop the 130-foot pole each new year's eve. it takes three different cable handlers which is more manageable than earlier versions of the the ball, lowered by hand. actually lowered by hand by a team of six men and a rope and a stop watch knowing it was time. some numbers from new year's eve parties. 80 pounds of cheese lowered from a fire truck ladder in plymouth, wisconsin, at midnight. 7,000 lights decorating this fiberglass cluster of grapes lowered in temecula, california, a fitting celebration in wine country.

600 pounds, that's how much wylie the walleye weighs in port clinton, ohio. 20 feet, that's how far bob the buzzard will drop in perry, georgia. to mark the new year. and back to one, that's the number of drag queens lowered in a giant shoe in key west, florida. what a way to kick off the new year. that drag queen's name is sushi. but back here in new york city, an estimated 1 million people will gather in times square to watch the ball drop which means cleaning up more than 40 tons of debris the next morning. for now, happy new year, you two. >> happy new year. >> going to the times square celebration? >> yeah, will you be there live for us? >> i've got to get a good spot. >> see you, will! a lot of work goes into celebrating the new year. >> everywhere. >> and we love them all for doing it. it's worth it. coming up next half hour, the deepening mystery high in the skies over colorado and nebraska. reports of large drones up to six feet across flying, swarms

up to 30. this morning residents are asking where are they coming from and who's controlling them? first the epic rewind of 2019 on "world news now."

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♪ ♪ ♪ it's so hard to say good-bye to yesterday ♪ a good slow dancing song. >> it really is. on this new year's eve, we're saying good-bye to our many, many past days of the year. >> this morning we're looking back on some of "world news now's" most memorable moments of 2019. ♪ vogue vogue vogue vogue ♪ okay ladies now let's get in formation ♪ >> you saw blue ivy. >> oh my gosh, whipping her hair, yes, she was getting it with mama. >> here we go. get it, kenneth. >> that's my blue ivy. there we go. >> that's a body roll. >> you know why? just because.

♪ >> hey oh hey oh ♪ ♪ jump kick one two three ♪ jump kick one two three >> this is it, whoa! >> wrap them up, wrap them up. >> hulk smash! >> can we get something in here? >> that would make it really fun. >> yeah. >> where's the brown stuff? >> it's on them. >> oh you -- >> i want to show you my -- bam! >> what? >> my autumn colors. >> oh. >> finally, in case you haven't checked your calendar, today is national scarf day! >> oh my goodness. how did they even rope us into this? >> i'm just afraid that i might -- oh! oh!

>> you are so mean. >> nearly half of americans say they don't change their drawers -- who put that in the prompter? jack? how many days, jack, has it been? >> well, i think this story also presumes that everyone is wearing underwear. >> oh! i'm done! >> today is all about our dear k-mo as we mark the announcement that he is officially anchor of "world news now." ♪ ♪ >> who do you think you are? >> i'm the new coanchor. i thought this is how we operate. >> oh, this is how we do it? >> i'm like, wait, what? i literally -- i lost it. >> we built a whole brand on these curls. >> thank the lord the curls are back! >> oh my gosh, you guys know he has been dying to get some curls on that head. just shady boots.

>> welcome back to "tnn," "throne news now." i'm ken mo, guardian of the overnight, son of annette and thomas. >> i'm dragon queen of the insomniacs, mother of morning news, breaker of coffee bags. >> oh my gosh, you're back! >> thank you, iron man! >> iron man? i'm not iron man. i'm moton man. ♪ >> janai norman, you've shared this news with so many others, now you can share it with our insomniacs. >> finally. i'm having a baby, another one, whoo! >> yes! >> why do you want a boy when you can have a man. turn off the lights as teddy says. and light a candle. >> i'm just going to sit here and eat. >> sometimes i only do half of it, the bottom, and the

chocolate nougat. >> you are a psychopath. ♪ when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie ♪ >> go for it. yeah, right. >> whoa! >> i broke it. >> this country boy will now get into it. >> whoa, whoa! you have done that before! >> why can't i just find some yellow mustard? >> for what, your drumettes? we got his drumettes, honey. here's all the mustard you need for drumettes, the real small ones. >> why are people so crazy about -- oh my gosh. >> oh my gosh! what's happening, what's happening? >> that is a perfect ending because that is our "world news now" team. a big thanks to janine elliot who put that together, all those memorable moments. also a big thank you to our team here. i mean, it takes a lot to have

that much fun sometimes. >> that all happened in one year? that was ten years' worth of stuff. >> we have such a good time, we cannot wait for 2020. ♪ work so hard ♪ give it everything you got ♪ strength of a lioness ♪ tough as a knot ♪ rocking the stage ♪ and we never gonna stop ♪ all strength, no sweat. ♪ just in case you forgot ♪ all strength. ♪ no sweat secret. all strength. no sweat.

ordinary tissues burn when theo blows. so dad bought puffs plus lotion, and rescued his nose.

new puffs have more lotion... and soothing softness to relieve. a nose in need, deserves puffs, indeed. time for the final "mi time for the final "mix" of 2019. we know about those theme-inspired hotel rooms, airbnbs. we got one for you for "lord of the rings" fans. this one right here is a hobbit house. there is a special experience there that they're offering, mike and caroline parrish, an unusual airbnb cabin experience. the new structure on their property is a shire-style "lord of the rings" airbnb that's 90% underground. >> wow. >> they hope to have available by early 2020. they don't have a price, not yet, but after it's shown here on "world news now" they're probably going to up it a little bit. >> is that for short people?

>> that is true, for the height-challenged there. >> nothing wrong with that. there's a couple in florida. normally when a husband and bride get married the wife takes the husband's name. >> yep. >> but this couple decided to buck the trend. they decided at the altar to flip a coin. >> whoa. >> and see whose name they were going to take. turns out the wife's name was taken. so congratulations to mr. and mrs. ward. >> we could have had a whit fujii? >> yes. >> instead of whit johnson we could have had a whit fujii? >> they met online. >> we like that. >> this is a driver rescue two delivery truck drivers, because you know what, the delivery's still got to happen. so they're in fargo, north dakota. this person not only helped one tow truck driver -- sorry, one delivery driver, helped a second one too. >> wow. >> as in a mail delivery truck

there. >> there are whiteout conditions there, so amazing to have these people on the road, glad everybody's safe. okay, remember, hurricane irma, it happened a couple of years ago. florida was really impacted. a lot of caribbean islands were impacted. well, a cat went missing. and christmas eve, this cat. >> no. >> look at little eva there. >> no. >> she was found outside a county sheriff's station in hillsborough county. >> that kitty said, not today, i'm coming home. >> my nine lives are still going strong. >> i love it so much. >> little eva was microchipped, already taken home. so congratulations. >> welcome home, eva, we're glad you're back. finally, before we go this half hour, we'd like to take a moment to recognize the passing of a member of the abc family. >> mel jackson worked as a cameraman, boom operator, and technical director on a variety of shows including "world news now," "gma," "nightline," "world news tonight," and "all my children." >> a three-time emmy award and peabody award winner, jackson was a force here at abc for more than 30 years. we are thinking about his family this morning and the work and

contributions that he gave to this organization and network. he was 76

this morning on "world news this morning on "world news now," let get the party started. this morning on "world news now," let get the party started. bus we are bringing in the new year. the ball is ready to come down and all systems are go in new york city's times square. security unprecedented as thousands gather here and worldwide to bring in 2020. the deadly brush fires in australia are prompting massive evacuations. thousands of people trapped. new this half hour, the mystery that is unfolding in the skies over colorado and nebraska. >> large drones stretching about six feet across traveling in swarms up to 30 at a time. what the faa and the air force are now saying. she's been dubbed the queen of christmas.

why mariah carey is now queen of the billboard hot 100. later in "the skinny," what she just accomplished this week from no other female recording artist has ever done. it's tuesday, new year's eve, december 31st. ♪ all i want for christmas is you ♪ mariah said, you know what? you aren't done with me yet. >> never. >> she says -- >> it's a classic. >> i can't wait to talk about that one because it is a classic and she's doing big things as we head into 2020. that is where we begin, with the preparations for new year's eve. >> we're looking live now at times square, the so-called crossroads of the world. kind of the calm before the storm there. >> definitely. officials have already tested the ball to make sure it's ready. it has more than 32,000 l.e.d.

bulbs and thousands of waterford crystals. the ball can display more than 16 million colors and billions of patterns. this year's design celebrates the gift of goodwill, with three pineapple cuts signifying what new yorkers are known for, hospitality. >> they really are, i agree with that. the police department's counterterrorism chief says it's put a lot of effort into making this one of the best protected celebrations in the world. spectators will begin gathering 13 hours before midnight and they won't be allowed to bring in backpacks, umbrellas, alcoholic beverages, or even "world news now" coffee mugs which i don't think is fair. >> they won't need those because there's no bathrooms either for those people. >> i've heard people wear typers. >> that is true, actually. years and years and years ago when i was a much younger man when i went, let's just say empty bottles were used. >> it wasn't a pleasant experience. >> they weren't so empty by the end of the night. i'm not saying for me. >> they've got to deal with a lot. tonight's weather should be much better than in the past few days for the rest of the country. >> all of that rain in northeastern pennsylvania probably contributed to this

sinkhole swallowing an suv. the driver was not injured. >> and drivers in southern maine can put yesterday's mess on i-95 behind them as the wintry mix tapers off this morning. let's get the forecast now from accuweather's chris nallan. good morning, chris. >> andrea and kenneth, we're talking about cold weather, snowy conditions across wisconsin, the great lakes continue to see several inches of snow, just in time for the new year. and the same system is pressing towards the northeast so is this going to be impactful for new year's eve. at least it won't be snowing and milder temperatures, as we head after the new year's day. all right, northern tier of the country, there it is. cold air in place for new year's eve in general. we're looking at warmer air to the south in and around new york city though for times square, temperatures around 40 for the ball to drop. the real feel right around 26, so bundle up.

andrea, kenneth, back to you. >> thank you, chris. it's a dangerous new year's eve in australia where bush fires are forcing people into a river to stay safe. >> about 4,000 people are trapped in mallacoota in south wales. they've been putting on life jackets preparing to go into the water to escape the flames. fire has already cut off power to thousands of residents there and nearby towns. meantime there's a mandatory evacuation order in east gippsland as fires close in on people preparing to celebrate the new year. turning now to the six seconds of terror that claimed two lives near ft. worth, texas. the gunman was identified as a 43-year-old drifter with a history of arrests. jack wilson, a parishioner who shot and killed the shooter before he could harm others, says he doesn't feel like a hero but was doing what he needed to do. the grandson of one of the men killed was in the sanctuary at the time. >> the gunman stood up and

turned around to him. so probably like three feet away from my papa. kind of like heartbreaking, but sometimes you got to be strong about it. just keep on going. >> investigators are still searching for a motive. president trump was among those praising a new texas law that allows parishioners to bring their guns into churches and other houses of worship. investigators are looking into whether the suspect accused of the hanukkah attack outside new york could be connected to an unsolved stabbing of a rabbi in the same community and they want to know if the security camera photo shows grafton thomas just before saturday's attack. abc's trevor ault has more. ♪ >> reporter: the jewish community coming together holding a rally in response to a heinous attack outside new york city. this as the man accused of stabbing five people during a hanukkah celebration saturday is now facing federal hate crime charges. >> swinging a sword, knife, i don't know what it was, back and forth, hitting people. >> reporter: police say after

the attack, a witness spotted thomas' license plate, allowing officers to track his car into harlem. he was taken into custody, reportedly covered in blood. thomas' family and attorneys say he has an extensive history of mental illness, but no known history of anti-semitism. >> my impression from speaking with him is that he needs serious psychiatric evaluation. whether those manifested in anti-semitism at a moment, i can't tell you. >> reporter: the criminal complaint detailing information uncovered by investigators, that thomas had handwritten journals referring to nazi culture, draws of swastikas and star of david, and his internet history included searches for german jewish temples and why did hitler hate the jews. he showed interest in the black hebrew israelite movement, an

ideology followed in a shoot-out in jersey city, which killed six including two assailants. both attacks part of 13 targeting people of the jewish faith in the new york city area. one of those 13 attacks happened in manhattan, a 65-year-old man who was kicked and punched by another man who reportedly shouted a anti-semitic remark, that suspect is also now facing hate crime charges. kenneth, andrea. >> trevor, thank you. new details about saturday's deadly plane crash in louisiana. investigators have uncovered new images of the flight's last few seconds. also a heartbreaking revelation from the husband of one of the victims. here's abc's kaylee hartung. >> reporter: officials discovering new surveillance video of the moments before this fiery crash in south louisiana. they could be a critical clue in this investigation. >> it gives us a very clear picture of what the airplane was doing as it came out of the clouds. >> reporter: just about a minute after takeoff the plane spiralling from 900 feet. controllers sounding the alarm. the pilot never making a distress call. the twin engine aircraft barely missing an apartment complex. striking power lines.

slamming right into the ground. erupting into flames. the wreckage scattering 700 feet. >> so it did not come apart in midair. >> reporter: this control panel one of the only pieces left in the entire cockpit. just before this fatal flight departed lafayette airport with six lsu fans on for the peach bowl. carley mccord sent one last text, it simply said, i love you, but her husband didn't see it until it was too late. steven ensminger jr. telling abc, it's the first thing i think about when i wake up and the last thing i think about when i finally fall asleep. and the one passenger who survived, wade berzas out of surgery monday, most of his body badly burned. he remains in critical condition. kaylee hartung, abc news, lafayette, louisiana. former vice president joe biden is not ruling out the idea of a bipartisan ticket if he wins the democratic nomination. a new hampshire voter asked biden if he would consider a republican as his running mate. he said he would but added he

couldn't think of one right now. biden said there are some really decent republicans out there but they've got to step up. and fellow democratic presidential candidate bernie sanders has released letters from three doctors all which indicate he's in good health. the vermont senator suffered a heart attack back in october. one of the letters says the 78-year-old sanders is more than fit enough to pursue vigorous activities. it appears greta thunberg isn't just a force for climate change. >> the teen is apparently helping people find love online. the dating app ok cupid says there was an 800% increase in thunberg's name on profiles worldwide this year. many users have indicated supporting her is important in finding a match. >> among ok cupid users who responded to a question about about what's most important to them, climate change, economy, eradicating disease or world peace, 51% picked climate change. so greta is making waves -- >> everywhere. >> in the world of love. >> online dating is a theme of

today's show. >> it really is. >> keep talking about it. >> we're talking about it throughout the morning, how you can find love in 2020, apparently greta is helping a lot of people do that. she's like, look, help save this world, or else you're going to be finding love in a -- ♪ hopeless place >> he's got to bring a song into it. >> made her love. coming up, the 16-year-old boy who survived a 500-foot fall down the side of mt. hood. plus what former first lady michelle obama just accomplished for the second year in a row. but first, the real life x-file playing out high in the skies in colorado and nebraska, mysterious drones as wide as six feet traveling in swarms of up to 30 at a time. as wide as six feet traveling in swarms of up to 30 at a time.

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a 500-foot fall down the a 500-foot fall down the tallest mountain in oregon sends a 16-year-old to the hospital. the teen was climbing mt. hood yesterday. officials say he was 10,000 feet up the mountain when he fell. he suffered a leg injury. it took about four hours to rescue him. he is expected though to be okay. to the south and east, a deepening mystery in the skies is unsettling quite a few people in colorado and nebraska. >> authorities have been getting

reports of large drones flying in swarms up to 30 at a time. and no one seems to know where they're coming from or who's controlling them. here's abc's clayton sandell. >> reporter: these specks of light, tiny and hard to see, but the speculation behind a fleet of mystery drones is enough to fill an episode of "the x-files." >> it's a little frightening. i'm more worried about what they're doing and why they won't tell us than actually flying around. >> reporter: last week local sheriffs started hearing about residents about dozens of drones crisscrossing the night sky. >> we observed anywhere from five to ten drones over about a 25-mile square radius. >> reporter: the first sightings in northeastern colorado and nebraska. now officials in three more counties are getting calls from baffled residents. the drones are flying at night. that requires faa approval. so the agency can warn other pilots, avoiding collisions like the one that recently damaged an l.a. tv news helicopter. then this close call over las vegas last year, a drone narrowly missing a packed passenger plane.

drone experts tell us most likely the craft belong to a private company mapping power or pipelines. the air force tells us these drones are not theirs. as for the faa, they're proposing a new rule that would allow them to track drones in realtime. for now the drones here in colorado, still a mystery. clayton sandell, abc news, denver. >> clayton, we've seen these -- is that the "x-files" music? wait, is that an "x-files" situation here that's a little creepy, scary. >> "close encounters of the third kind"? >> that's true. we saw drones being used, that super bowl performance that time. i'm like, sure, somebody's got a bunch of drones up there. it's not an alien situation, guys, turn that music off. >> every night? >> no! >> crazy, faa says they don't know where they're coming from either. when we come back, what mariah carey just did that no other female recording artist has ever done before. and the tie before president trump and obama. tween president trump and obama. kinny" is next.

- did you see that?! - whoa, whoa, we scored? - yeah we scored, we're going to the playoffs. - i can't believe i missed that. (bell dings) every time i'm buzzed i spend too much time on my phone.

- what? i should take your phone away. - no, no, no, i'll call for a ride. - hey, why does my face look like that? - (laughing) i'm playing with these new face filters. - okay you know what? that's mine. - [buzzed guy] i'm gonna need that back. - [kevin] nope. - [buzzed guy] kevin. ♪ skinny just gimme the skinny ♪ skinny just gimme the skinny

♪ skinny just gimme the skinny final "skinny" of 2019 and we're starting with the proof that -- ♪ all i want for christmas ♪ is the holiday gift that keeps on giving and giving and giving. >> and a song that will remain aboard the billboard chart next week, making mariah carey the first artist ever to have a song aboard the chart in all four decades. "all i want for christmas." as that song continues to make history 25 years, can you believe that, after it was released. >> that's incredible. meantime some other christmas classics are doing the same. holiday hits rank in top four spots, some continuously for the first time ever in the hot 100 chart's 61-year history including "rockin' around the christmas tree," "jingle bell

rock," and "holly jolly christmas" at numbers two, three, and four respectively. >> all those are on my christmas cds, so, i guess i know what i'm doing. >> love it. there was no boyz ii men. are they on the list, guys? >> they're missing some of them, i'm sure. >> the temptations? merry christmas from the temptations. >> so many good songs. next to the stunning result of a gallup poll asking americans to rate the most-admired man. >> results, a tie between president trump and former approximately obama, americans' choice for most admired man was of course sharply divided along party lines. 41% of democrats chose former president obama, while 45% of republicans named president trump. relatively new cross-party lines and independents' choices were nearly equally divided. >> this is obama's 12th time in the top spot and trump's first. after the two no other man was

mentioned by more than 2% of responders, not even kenneth moton. >> no, you can believe that. >> among the top ten, president jimmy carter, pope francis and the dalai lama. meantime, former first lady michelle obama has been polled as the most admired woman for the second year in a row. >> okay. that's a pretty interesting gallup poll. it shows as we go into 2020, it feels just about right. next to what looked like the best birthday celebration ever. >> miss oprah treated her best friend and our friend of our show, miss gayle, to manicures before an elaborate dinner party in her home in honor of gayle's 65th birthday. >> the menu included slow-braised wagu short ribs. hand-cut wild mushroom tortellini. oprah brought in sunny yellow floral arrangements from holland in honor of gayle's favorite color. >> that's a friend. >> during dinner gayle shared the most surprising thing about turning 65. >> that you can still feel so young. because honestly, i used to think when my mom turned 50 that seemed old. when i turned 50 i thought, okay, this is good. i still feel so -- not like a little kid but still so young and that there's still so much more of life to come. i still truly, truly believe

that. >> 65 is the new 25. we say happy birthday to miss gayle, she is looking great. it's not all smooth sailing for her birthday and the celebrations. i know for a fact that miss gayle is in mexico watching our show. she actually reached out to us saying she's in mexico. she loves the show and she's watching. she had a little luggage mishap. they lost her luggage on the way from oprah's. she's going to mexico, that's her filling out the forms there. i know on her instagram she reported they sent her two of her bags but the big bag with all of her clothes still missing. that's her with a couple of the bags in mexico. miss gayle, i hope you get all of your luggage. she said she bought that dress right there. you know, it happens. >> the other part of that story, it's really nice to be oprah's best friend. >> that is true. miss oprah, she can send some luggage too. after being benched by bumble, sharon stone is back in the game. >> the popular dating app

blocked the veteran actress after her account was flagged as being fake, stone then tweeted from her bumble account. hey bumble, don't shut me out of the hive. within two hours of her tweet bumble had reinstated the account. 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.

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♪ baby bye bye bye ♪ you may hate me but it ain't no lie baby bye bye bye ♪ we are bidding bye bye bye to another year, in fact, another decade. >> and this morning, we're hearing from some of the youngest among us on how their ringing in another new year. our will ganss is here with another installment of "kid news now." >> we will all be awake but only the luckiest among them get to stay awake till midnight for the big celebration. no matter how little they may be, they have big plans for the new year. let's talk about new year's eve. how do you celebrate new year's eve, deanna? >> last new year's i was left

out. >> what? >> because i had to go to bed before everyone celebrated it. i was left out. it's totally not fair the little one has to miss the celebration for new year's. >> i cried last year. >> why did you cry? >> i loved 2018. >> what are your new year's resolutions as we head into 2020? alison? >> i want to be nicer to my sister even if she's being extremely annoying. sometimes she's like -- sometimes i'm like walking into the bathroom and she tugs my glove off. i mean, crazy. >> i mean, come on. deanna, what are you aiming to do in 2020? >> i want my sister to be more nicer to me. she calls me stinky which i do not like it at all. >> we're just telling her -- don't get too mad, just yell and cry so your parents will see your sister did something to you. >> this sounds like another evil plan.

>> no, it's not evil. she -- the sister's doing something, why can't she cry? if she's doing something, you have to let her cry. >> i'm 6. why should i cry about that? >> good point. so to recap, your new year's resolution, deanna, is for your sister to be nicer? >> yes. >> okay, well, we'll work on that. so what is your hope for the world in 2020? >> hm, to -- for people -- no more kidnapping, no more burning houses no more littering. >> mattie, what would you wish for everybody in the world? >> i wish that every -- nobody was homeless. >> five, four, three, two, one! happy new year! >> just like mattie, i think i'm going to cry at midnight tonight because this has been such an incredible year, and these students from basis independent manhattan have been one of the highlights of my 2019. >> we love those kids. your kids have any resolutions coming up?

>> the whole sibling rivalry which was a theme there i think goes along with my kids too. they're both annoyed with each other.

♪ every day it's getting closer ♪ ♪ going faster than a roller coaster ♪ ♪ a love like yours will surely come my way ♪ ♪ hey, hey, hey ♪ every day it's getting closer ♪ ♪ going faster than a roller coaster ♪ ♪ a love like yours will surely come my way ♪ ♪ hey, hey, hey babies aren't fully developed until at least 39 weeks, which means babies born even a few weeks early can have breathing, feeding, and learning problems. if your pregnancy is healthy, wait for labor to begin on its own. a healthy baby is worth the wait.

everybody. making news in america this morning, countdown to 2020. the new level of security in place right now for new year's eve celebrations. inside the preparations. what's different this year, plus how the weather is impacting travel plans. the blizzard burying parts of the country while others face flooding rains and damaging winds. what to expect tonight. breaking overnight, the man accused in the stabbing rampage at a hanukkah celebration now under investigation for possible ties to another anti-semitic crime. the new evidence and what the suspect allegedly searched for online. happening right now, wildfire emergency. tens of thousands of people flee for the coast seeking shelter near the ocean as historic fires