right now on "america this morning," the major storm bearing down on the east coast. more than a dozen states in its path. more than a foot of snow possible. how the pandemic is complicating preparations on the road and in state governments and the storm's potential impact on covid vaccine deliveries. a second shot. the new moderna vaccine potentially just days away from approval. the difference between that shot and the pfizer shot already in hospitals. and today the next step in vaccinating america. who's next in line? breaking overnight, not giving up. the new message from president trump and the new plan in congress aimed at overturning the election results. also this morning, the city that's hired too many women and now has to pay a fine for it. plus, the new way walmart plans to deliver without

drivers. and a real ram-page. the sheep attacking people in one town causing chaos. good wednesday morning, everyone. we begin with one of the biggest winter storms to hit the northeast in years. >> up to a foot of snow could fall west of philadelphia, new york and boston with even more snow inland. >> the first trouble today will be in parts of virginia and washington, d.c. where a mix of snow, sleet and ice expected later this morning. >> when it begins around 1 inch expected. it starts snow in philadelphia this afternoon followed by new york city around sunset when roads could get treacherous. >> when it's over parts of central pennsylvania and new jersey and connecticut could see 18 inches and winds could reach 50 miles per hour. overnight a potentially crippling storm taking shape.

snowfall totals could top 1 1/2 feet in some inland areas of the northeast. winter storm alerts up from georgia to new england and the coronavirus is complicating preparations. connecticut is being forced to rely on outside contractors to plow the roads because a covid outbreak at the department of transportation. more than 100 employees have tested positive and more are waiting for results. that could mean delays clearing the roads tonight. >> we'll have about 50 trucks on the road between public works and parks department, as well as our outside contractors. >> reporter: in new york city restaurants are bracing for another hit days after indoor dining was banned again. outdoor designing spaces must now remove tables, heaters and chairs to make space for plows. >> it's more stupid government regulations on what we're trying to do to stay alive at the moment. >> reporter: the storm also threatening to delay shipments of the covid vaccine. u.p.s. and fedex say they're monitoring the conditions and

will divert shipments as needed. meanwhile, some kids can blame the pandemic for ruining snow days. public schools in new york city will hold class no matter the conditions thanks to remote learning. >> we're about to potentially experience something we've never experienced in the history of new york city, which is if we did have a snow day meaning kids couldn't go to school, we still have remote learning. >> reporter: in pennsylvania, some are saying not just yet still giving the chance for a snow day if conditions warrant. >> get away from the screen, get outside and be a kid. obviously follow all the health precautions but just be a kid. >> the worst part begins later in pennsylvania and new york. a closer look at the forecast in just a few moments. the other big story, the promising data. it comes as hospitals across the country and the emergency grows worse.

the u.s. averages 2,400 deaths per day from the virus. this morning, the coast-to-coast covid vaccine rollout is offering new hope for frontlines workers. >> i think that moment that i can embrace my kids and just give them the biggest hug i can possibly give them. i'll probably just cry my eyes out. >> reporter: a second vaccine could be on the way later this week after moderna's candidate faces an fda committee tomorrow. >> the moderna vaccine could be kept at refrigerator temperatures for a month and the pfizer can only last for five days and otherwise needs to be a negative 94 degrees. >> reporter: early fda analysis shows moderna's vaccine is nearly 95% effective and appears to prevent severe disease and the preliminary evidence suggests the vaccine reduced asymptomatic infection after the first shot. the government is ready to ship millions of doses once moderna gets the green light. >> we know we'll ship just a little bit short of 6 million doses out to the american people. >> reporter: it comes as hospitals cope with a record number of patients for the ninth consecutive day. the impact of the virus growing

so severe in california, the state has activated its so-called mass fatality program. 60 morgue trucks are now on standby and 5,000 body bags have been ordered. >> the hospitals around us told us they can't take any chance because they're full. >> reporter: some nurses in southern california are calling for a strike over equipment shortages. in new york they're warning another full shutdown could come after christmas. >> i don't say it with anything but sorrow but i do think it's needed. >> reporter: in texas where nearly 25,000 people have died from covid, thousands of doses of the pfizer vaccine rolled into houston and el paso, tuesday. at least 47 states have started vaccinating health care workers. oregon, arizona and tennessee are starting soon. and today the first seniors are set to get vaccinated with shots arriving in florida nursing homes. and patients in 1,100 care homes nationwide will get shots by next week, then after nursing home, first responders, teachers and food workers get the vaccine. breaking overnight congressional leaders say they're getting closer to a deal

for a coronavirus vaccine relief package. both sides report progress. more negotiations are scheduled for today to hammer out an aid package to help struggling americans like these families miami. they lined up by the hundreds for free grocery gift cards. lawmakers are promising not to go home for the holidays until there is a deal. >> we're all here late. there's morning communications, the secretary and each other, and tomorrow we'll be back early and we'll be on schedule to get the job done. >> the relief bill is expected to include unemployment benefits and money for small businesses, but no word on whether more stimulus checks will be sent out. president trump's fight to overturn the election isn't over yet. he tweeted overnight that it's, quote, too soon to give up. if comes as a last-ditch effort is organized in congress. abc's andrew dymburt has the new details from washington. andrew, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, kenneth. you know, senate majority leader mitch mcconnell did finally recognize joe biden's win but some other key republicans like

house minority leader kevin mccarthy still have not and others insist the fight is not over. this morning, the stage is set for what could be the final act of president trump's campaign to overturn the election. congressman mo brooks of alabama is now calling on his fellow republicans to challenge the results on january 6th when congress convenes to officially tally the votes of the electoral college. >> by way of example the democrats in the house tried it in 2016 when they tried to strike alabama's votes. >> that's right. >> for donald trump. >> reporter: if just one senator backs him brooks can force congress to debate and vote on whether to accept a given state's slate of electors. >> this is not unusual. the law is very clear. the house of representatives in combination with the senate has the lawful authority to accept or reject electoral college vote submissions from states that have such flawed election systems they're not worthry of their trust. >> reporter: it comes as more

republicans in the senate begin to acknowledge joe biden's status as president-elect including mitch mcconnell. >> i want to congratulate president-elect biden. i also want to congratulate the vice president-elect kamala harris. during an exclusive interview abc's robin roberts asked vice president-elect kamala harris about mcconnell's message. >> it would have been better if it were earlier, but it happened and that's what's most important, so let's move forward. let's move forward and where we can find common purpose and common ground, let's do that. let that be our priority. >> reporter: although president trump has yet to concede, it appears his campaign is now admitting defete. in an email to supporters last night, the campaign asking should president trump run in 2024? in the meantime, biden was in georgia tuesday where control of the u.s. senate will be decided by runoff elections next month. >> you voted as if your life depended on it. well, guess what, now you're going to have to do it again.

>> reporter: and as for the inauguration, biden and harris will still take the oath at the capitol. the ceremony will include vigorous health and safety protocols and a, quote, reimagined parade, but the public is still being urged to stay at home. >> we will hear more from the vp-elect later this morning on "gma." andrew, thank you. president trump's national security adviser has cut short a foreign trip to deal with a cybersecurity breach affecting several u.s. government agencies. "the new york times" reports there could be a significant loss of data, but the extent of the breach remains unclear. the agencies affected include homeland security and the national institutes of health. the hackers have been linked to russia. rescue and recovery efforts are entering a third day at the scene of a deadly mine accident in louisiana. a worker's body was found at the salt mine in lafayette one day after a roof collapse. one employee is missing. 16 others escaped. let's return now to our top story, the weather. here's a closer look at your

wednesday forecast. we have a major storm across the east coast that will bring significant ice accumulations across portions of virginia and north carolina. meanwhile, farther north notice from central pennsylvania through northern new jersey heading into your wednesday afternoon and into new england that's where some folks could receive over 12 inches of snow outside of that region. we have multiple areas even throughout the ohio valley that could see snow accumulation. i'm marvin gomez with your accuweather forecast. coming up, the fashion mogul under arrest in a sex crimes case. also ahead, tourists get the scare of their lives from a giraffe. and later, the christmas caroling controversy including former "growing pains" star kirk cameron. who've got their eczema under control. with less eczema, you can show more skin.

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we are back with this angry giraffe in hot pursuit of tourists on safari in kenya. their vehicle was driving away from an area where giraffes eat when one started chasing the visitors. this went on for several minutes before the giraffe finally lost interest. >> so graceful. a fashion industry mogul has been indicted on sex trafficking charges. peter nygard has been arrested in canada accused of sexually abusing women and girls in the u.s. it comes ten months after his company offices were raided. his lawyer denies the charges. new video from new york shows the risk of expanded outdoor dining. a car slammed into this dining area in the bronx. the restaurant was closed and no one was injured. police say the driver had suffered a medical emergency. google has yet to offer an explanation for its second outage in two days. the problem tuesday affected gmail users who received error messages or had other issues for

about three hours. just one day earlier google said an identity management problem was to blame for an outage affecting several google services. the ex-wife of amazon founder jeff bezos announced that she gave away $4 billion. she said in recent months she gave the months to 400 organizations struggling to cope with the pandemic, food insecurity and racial inequality. scott is worth $60 billion. walmart is changing the way it delivers. the company is going driverless to make delivers next year as part of a program in arkansas. it's joining forces with the tech start-up to operate self-driving cars. the program may be used in louisiana. coming up, mayor pete buttigieg set to make history in washington. also ahead, an angry tom cruise reportedly lashes out at his film crew. what he was allegedly heard saying. that's next. for my best. g even though i live with a higher risk of stroke due to afib not caused by a heart valve problem.

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the former "growing pains" star did it at a time when, quote, your governor has prohibited you from doing that. tracey gold tweeted, checking in with my dear brother. i want you to know i disapprove. i'm worried about you and your family. wear a mask, stay home, sing later. tom cruise reportedly let his covid concerns be heard loud and clear while filming the new "mission: impossible" movie in an england. in an audio obtained from "the sun tabloid" which has not been proved by abc news, cruise was reported by furious with staffers for ignoring safety protocols. >> i don't ever want to say it again ever, and if you don't do it you're fired and if i see it today, you're [ bleep ] gone and if anyone on this crew does it, that's it and you too and you too, and you, don't you ever [ bleep ] do it again.

>> work had to be shut down when 12 staffers tested positive. in minnesota, a man convicted of a brutal crime when he was 16 has been set free. megan tevrizian has more. >> reporter: this morning a man once sentenced to life in prison is now free. myon burrell walking out of prison tuesday after nearly two decades. the minnesota pardon board cutting his sentence short amid outcry his punishment was too harsh. he was 16 when he was convicted of killing 11-year-old tyesha edwards. a stray bullet hit tyesha as she sat at her dining room table doing her homework. the charges carried a mandatory life sentence. >> this is not in any way, shape or form me trying to minimize the tragedy of the loss of 11-year-old tyesha edwards. >> reporter: the high-profile murder case gained national attention earlier this year after an associated press investigation revealed there was no physical evidence linking burrell to the shooting. >> i come before you a

34-year-old man who's spent more than half of his life incarcerated for a crime i didn't commit. >> reporter: the case taking a turn during minnesota senator amy klobuchar's presidential campaign. she was chief prosecutor at the time of the murder and used it as an example of being tough on crime. overnight klobuchar calling the decision to commute burrell's sentence the right and just decision. but tyesha's brother is condemning it saying the justice department has failed his family. >> so who's the victim here? my sister doesn't get to live a life. i don't get to have any nieces and nephews. sne never got to go to her prom. she never got to go to college. >> reporter: burrell still has two years of supervised release. minnesota governor, tim walls who is a member of the pardon board, says a life sentence for a teenager is too harsh. kenneth, mona. >> megan tevrizian, thank you. coming up, the city that's hired too many women and must now pay a fine. we'll explain.

also ahead, what happens to an iphone when it's dropped from a plane. we just found out. these are real people, not actors, who've got their eczema under control. with less eczema, you can show more skin. so roll up those sleeves. and help heal your skin from within with dupixent. dupixent is the first treatment of its kind that continuously treats moderate-to-severe eczema, or atopic dermatitis, even between flare ups. dupixent is a biologic, and not a cream or steroid. many people taking dupixent saw clear or almost clear skin, and, had significantly less itch. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. if you take asthma medicines, don't change or stop them without talking to your doctor. so help heal your skin from within, and talk to your eczema specialist about dupixent.

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♪ did you think i'd lay down and die, oh, no, not i ♪ time to check "the pulse" and what a fitting theme song to wrap up 2020. >> that's gloria gaynor's signature anthem from 1978. the singer will perform "i will survive" at the new year's eve celebration in times square. the event will be a celebration of perseverance and will honor essential workers. >> the festivities will be virtual with no crowds for the ball drop this year. the french government is forcing the city of paris to pay a $100,000 fine. >> the violation, having too many women in senior position. the city broke a rule that calls for at least 40% of those government jobs to go to people of each gender. the mayor who is also a woman

called that rule absurd. >> she says she'll pay the fine in person joined by the other women in her government. all right, next a whole new meaning for the term dropped call. >> a documentary filmmaker got a little careless while snapping pictures from a small plane over brazil. his iphone 6s slipped out of his hands and plunged 1,000 feet to the ground and it recorded the entire 15-second fall. >> thanks to gps, the phone he -- he found that phone the next day still charged with only a crack in the protective screen. >> wow. finally the revenge of the sheep. >> this video comes from turkey. take a look. some sheeps were attacking people in a small town forcing them to seek shelter in a building. the largest animal was seen head butting someone as if to say, get out of my parking space. >> i mean, calm was restored when their owner was found and they were finally returned to their pen. i wonder if they ever filed their complaints with city hall though. >> good one. we'll check the top headlines next.

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checking the top stories, the nation's first seniors get the coronavirus vaccine today whether shot as rife at nursing homes in florida. the second vaccine from moderna will be considered by fda advisers tomorrow. early evidence suggests it reduces asymptomatic infection even after one shot. a kit for at-home covid tests should be available in stores that gives results in 15 minutes. it should be available next month in stores for around $30. the fda is funding a new study that could end with the removal of restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men. the uk lifted its ban monday. today's weather, a major snowstorm brings heavy snow as it moves from the mid-atlantic this afternoon into the northeast this evening. some areas from west virginia to massachusetts could get 18 inches. the philadelphia, new york and

boston metro areas could see a full foot. finally some people spreading good will this holiday season. >> and for this good will reporting, here's will ganss. >> been doing this a long time and never seen anything that generous before. >> reporter: the owner and his staff speechless after getting the tip of a lifetime. >> when i asked if everything was all right, she showed me the check, and it was a $5,600 tip. >> reporter: the owner splitting the tip with all the employees, on the clock or not. >> some of the kitchen guys break into tears. now they can put some gifts under the tree. >> reporter: at a time when we can use it. savannah knows other people need extra help. >> other people can't get gifts because parents are losing their jobs. >> reporter: the 11-year-old setting up lemonade stands and bake sales and saving money from her birthday and she's providing gifts for dozens of

kids in her community. >> i want them to feel happy knowing that they're going to get gifts. >> reporter: finally, a guardian angel and ring. gina ford was at work outside sacramento at work when she realized her great-grandmother's ring was no longer on her finger. >> looked all over the store. >> reporter: she assumed lost for good. returning home after holiday shopping -- >> dumping out gifts, out came a ring and i was like this, is not mine. >> reporter: joyce saw a facebook post about the ring and brought the ring right back to gina. >> she was grateful. said it was a christmas miracle. i'm just glad she got it hauck. >> made me realize there are still good people out there. >> reporter: gina offered joyce a reward but she declined, happy to spread good will this season. >> 'tis the season for giving. >> took the words out of my mouth. >> that'

right now on "america this morning," the major storm bearing down on the east coast. more than a dozen states in its path. more than a foot of snow possible. how the pandemic is complicating preparations on the road and in state governments and the storm's potential impact on covid vaccine deliveries. a second shot. the new moderna vaccine potentially just days away from approval. the difference between that shot and the pfizer shot already in hospitals. and today the next step in vaccinating america. who's next in line? breaking overnight, not giving up. the new message from president trump and the new plan in congress aimed at overturning the election results. also this morning, the city that's hired too many women and now has to pay a fine for it. plus, the new way walmart plans d