she would push the curtain out and square kids. >> i do remember. good morning, america. breaking overnight, help on hold. president trump putting that massive $900 billion relief bill in limbo. >> send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a covid relief package. >> calling it a disgrace and demanding congress increase those $600 checks to $2,000. what this means for millions of americans waiting for that critical aid with christmas now just two days away. this as the president issues a slew of pardons with just four weeks left in office. holiday exodus. nearly 85 million people expected to travel with the pandemic raging across the country and that nightmare before christmas storm on the move. where the blizzard is now.

we're tracking the latest on where it's headed this morning. dose of relief. breaking news. pfizer announcing a new deal with the government. access to millions more doses of the vaccine. this as fears grow over the new covid mutation. could it spread more quickly among children? now which vaccinemakers are testing their shots against the new variant, as the nation sets another startling new record for hospitalizations with more than 117,000. frightening flight. new images from inside the packed united plane where a man died. new confirmation that he did, in fact, have covid-19. other passengers now say they are experiencing symptoms. this morning, we hear from one who was just a few rows away. breaking down. the mother of that american teen behind bars in the cayman islands for violating covid protocols speaking out for the first time in an emotional interview. now, when will her daughter return home? ♪ you can ring my bell

and love and basketball. this morning, the bachelorette and her brand-new leading man join us live after that roller coaster season. plus, who's excited for the nba? the season tipping off with an explosive doubleheader. a night to remember. lebron and tayshia both getting that ring. ♪ ring my bell and good morning, america. the weekend team taking over times square and a big night for both "bachelorette" nation and laker nation. a lot more on both coming up as you guys know, i have passports in both of these nations. >> that's right. sports and roses, dan harris in a nutshell right there, ladies and gentlemen. we do have a busy morning on this wednesday with christmas just two days away, that holiday storm on the move. the blizzard just beginning there in grand forks, north dakota, as nearly 85 million

people are expected to travel for the holiday. >> and take a live look at atlanta right now. that is hartsfield-jackson airport showing you why it is known as one of the busiest in the world already packed with travelers and the houston airport also very busy this morning amid the coronavirus raging across the country. which brings us to our lead story. that stunning move overnight from president trump blasting the $900 billion covid relief bill that congress passed just days ago. he called it a disgrace and asked for larger stimulus checks and other changes. help for millions of americans impacted by the pandemic now suddenly in limbo and abc's rachel scott is tracking the very latest. rachel, good morning to you. >> reporter: dan, good morning. and this is the relief that the americans have now been waiting months for. that stimulus package would provide aid for millions out of work and fearing eviction, but all of that is up in the air with a threat from the president. this morning, president trump signaling he won't sign that

covid relief package set to provide aid for millions of americans. >> send me a suitable bill or else the next administration will have to deliver a covid relief package. >> reporter: the president labeling the bipartisan bill a "disgrace," demanding congress increase the amount of those stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000. but the president's new threat coming after lawmakers have already left washington for the holidays and after the trump administration had promised those checks would be in the mail as soon as next week. >> let me emphasize, that people are going to see this money the beginning of next week. >> reporter: now that crucial aid on hold for millions, like this recent graduate, who says she does not now how she'll be able to support her family, and pay her student loans next month. >> it would be really nice to get a little support so that i don't become homeless, so that i can pay my bills. >> reporter: just before the holidays, images like this, long lines at food banks from coast

to coast. democrats say they will take trump up on his $2,000 check demand. house speaker nancy pelosi tweeting overnight that they are ready to bring this to the floor this week. let's do it, but republicans have refused to budge on the price tag of the roughly $900 billion stimulus package and one of the president's closest allies, senator lindsey graham, calling the bill imperfect, but saying, the sooner the bill becomes law, the better. president-elect joe biden calling it just a down payment. how can you assure americans that relief will come and come soon? >> i predict to you we will get cooperation. the public is not going to stand for us not doing it. >> reporter: and it's not just relief for americans. funding for the government is also tied to that stimulus package, so the country could be headed toward a government shutdown in less than a week if the president refuses to sign it, dan. >> that's the question. is this a real veto threat or just voicing his displeasure. meanwhile, overnight president

trump granted 15 pardons and 5 commutations. can you tell us about that? >> reporter: yeah. with just four weeks left in office, dan, the president issuing these slate of pardons. on that list duncan hunter and chris collins. these are two former congressmen who were convicted on corruption charges, both forced to resign, both supporters of president trump. also another ally, george papadopoulos. this is a man who was convicted for lying to the fbi during mueller's investigation into russian interference in the 2016 election and president trump also deciding to issue four pardons for these blackwater military contractors who were convicted of killing unarmed civilians in iraq back in 2007. one of the witnesses saying that one of those contractors opened fire on a crowd of women and children. democrats are slamming this move by the president saying that he's trying to bring down the house of justice on his way out the door. >> more pardons overnight and we are hearing more potentially to come. rachel, thank you so much for your coverage this morning.

whit, over to you. dan, now to the holiday exodus. take a look at -- a live look at the terminal in atlanta. this is hartsfield-jackson airport, one of the busiest in the world. millions of americans have been flying over the past few days. the most at any point since the pandemic began and gio benitez is at newark airport with more on that. gio, good morning to you. >> reporter: hey, whit, good morning. yeah, you'll remember we saw so many people traveling for thanksgiving, but we could see even more people traveling this week, and that is exactly what has health officials so concerned this morning. this morning, the holiday exodus. millions on the move despite warnings from health officials not to travel. tsa screening more than 4 million people since friday. more than at any point since the pandemic started. nearly 85 million americans expected to travel between today through january 3rd. down 30% from last year but much higher than expected. especially as the u.s. surpassed 18 million confirmed covid cases just this week. that thanksgiving surge upon a

surge causing the national seven-day average to jump by 32%. now experts worry holiday gatherings will cause yet another surge. with more people traveling overwhelmingly to rural areas, presumably to see family, rather than big cities for vacation, and there's another surprising trend, they're staying there for weeks. >> the busiest weekend to travel, this christmas period, was actually last weekend and the busiest day to return will be january 3rd. that's probably one of the longest periods that we have recorded to date. >> reporter: this as concerns rise over that new variant of the virus discovered in the uk which experts believe could be more contagious, but is not believed to be more deadly. so far, the cdc not detecting that variant in the u.s. and starting tomorrow, three airlines will require passengers to test negative before boarding flights from london to new york. but some officials want that to be true across the board with a

federal mandate, whit. >> now that's coming from overseas but, here in the u.s. you are getting new data on where people are traveling this holiday week. >> reporter: yeah, that's right, whit. let's take a look right now at the top five destinations here in america right now. atlanta tops the list followed by denver, dallas, austin and columbus, ohio. cities like new york and l.a. are just nowhere near the top ten, whit. >> those big cities not as popular. gio, thank you so much. we appreciate it. janai, over to you. so many people flying as tens of millions are taking to the roads. stephanie ramos is along the west side highway here in manhattan with some tips to help you have a safer holiday trip. stephanie, good morning. >> reporter: janai, good morning. so here's some good news. aaa says they expect car travel to go down 25% compared to last year. however, that still means 81 million people will be out there on the roads during this holiday season. while the cdc recommends staying

home, traveling by car on short trips with members of your own household poses the lowest risk. longer car trips with a few stops along the way present a risk, and it's even riskier to travel by car with people outside of your household. rest stops also present an enhanced risk because you're coming into contact with other people, and surfaces that they may have touched. so it's important to keep in mind to stay six feet away and wear a mask. >> and stephanie, as everyone is trying to keep those things in mind with millions of extra cars out there, what are some times and areas people should try to avoid as they hit the road? >> reporter: if you are driving into detroit this morning, around 11:45, that will be the busiest time. san francisco, you'll see heavy traffic today, and peak traffic times in atlanta, boston and houston will be around saturday afternoon. so basically these major urban

areas will see some delays in the next few days. janai? >> lots of traffic on the roads as well as at the airports. dan, over to you. >> thank you, janai. the holiday getaway may be slowed for millions of americans by that winter weather sweeping through the country right now. the upside, of course, if you're dreaming of a white christmas, you might actually get it depending where you live. rob marciano is covering it all from bethlehem, connecticut, fittingly. rob, good morning to you, sir. >> good morning, dan, to you, those that are getting a white christmas right now, where the snow is coming down sideways, blizzard warnings up. to tell you how dynamic this storm is, we have had snow in seattle, thunder snow in colorado and in utah. here are some pictures near where the ski resorts are, in little cottonwood canyon. that's with the ski resorts are. in grand fork, this is where it's coming down sideways blowing 40 miles an hour. we've got blizzard conditions, blizzard warnings up across five states and we're looking for accumulating snow there and over

towards minneapolis. here's where the storm is now. mostly rain, chicago all the way down to the gulf coast, but gusty winds in chicago and detroit as well. flooding rains in the midsection. severe storms from new orleans to atlanta, to the carolinas, tomorrow for christmas eve, and damaging winds potentially overnight tomorrow night into christmas day for the northeast. we could see power outages, 50, 60, 70-mile-per-hour winds and so this is not a fun storm and bitterly cold air behind it and where we think the snow will stick around, could see a half foot in spots but not the best of weather for santa or anybody traveling in the next couple of days, dan. >> not a fun storm and a busy week for meteorologists, thank you very much. we'll be back to you soon. whit, over to you. dan, now to that breaking news just moments ago. pfizer announcing a new deal with the government. the u.s. ordering 100 million additional doses of their vaccine. so far, more than 4.6 million doses overall have been delivered, and more than 600,000 administered, but more help cannot come soon enough as the

nation sets another startling new record with hospitalizations with more than 117,000. and hard-hit california is now on the brink of 2 million cases. kaylee hartung is in orange county with the very latest on that. kaylee, good morning to you. >> reporter: and good morning, whit. they've already started vaccinating health care workers here at u.c. irvine medical center, but just as soon as that relief comes, they're faced with the harsh reality that this is what's necessary. a field hospital for up to 50 patients in the parking lot. more help is on the way. this morning, pfizer announcing a new deal with the government to deliver as many as 110 million doses of the vaccine between april and june of next year. that's welcome news for the country as president-elect joe biden issued this stark warning. >> our darkest days in the battle against covid are ahead of us, not behind us. >> reporter: particularly here in california, a state with more than 32,000 new infections yesterday alone, and doctors

agree it will get worse before it gets better. surging numbers sending predictions off the charts. california warning more than 100,000 people could be hospitalized within the month. >> what happened after thanksgiving is going to pale in comparison to what happens after christmas. >> pale in comparison? >> that's what we have to prepare for. >> reporter: here at u.c. irvine medical center that means constructing a massive field hospital like something you'd see in a war zone. >> we had to do something dramatic. that's what we did. >> do you know it's going to get worse? >> we know it's going to get worse. the numbers will go up. >> reporter: just as officials are begging folks to stay home for the holidays. >> we will get through this, each individual decision we make is a life saver. >> reporter: overnight, this caroling event disregarding the warnings. actor kirk cameron hosting the gathering with few masks and no social distancing. doctors here say it's been a herculean effort to build out this space in just nine days and they say it could be filling up as soon as the start of the new year. whit. >> all right, kaylee hartung,

thank you. for more now we're joined by dr. ashish jha, dean of the brown university school of public health. dr. jha, good morning to you. thanks for joining us. i do want to start with this new variant in the uk, because we're getting new information from some scientists that perhaps this could spread more easily among children. this would be a significant shift in the pandemic. how concerned are you about that possibility? >> yeah, good morning, and thanks for having me on. you know, i am concerned. there is some evidence that this virus does spread more easily including potentially more easily to kids. one of the bright spots has been that kids even if they get infected are less likely to get very sick. i'm hoping that doesn't change. i expect that to continue to be true. but, indeed, this may infect kids more easily. >> now one of the lead scientists behind the pfizer vaccine says that the vaccine should still be effective against this variant and if it's not, they might actually be able to make adjustments to it. how exactly would that work and then would it need new fda

authorization? >> yeah, so this is -- first of all, i agree that i think this variant should still be susceptible to the vaccine so i'm hoping that that is the case but imagine that it isn't. there is this platform now we're using, this brand-new mrna platform that allows us to use the genetic material of this new variant to make a new vaccine. whether the fda would have to go through a full authorization process, i think we don't know yet, but it's one of the kind of hopes of this new platform we can change vaccines quickly if we need to. >> definitely something to watch closely. vaccinations began about ten days ago. nearly 5 million doses delivered. only about 600,000 administered though. do you have any concerns about the pace of these vaccinations now? >> yeah, you know, this is one of those things we have to pay close attention to. "operation warp speed" has done a great job of getting stuff out to states, but the federal government has just not done enough for that last mile when

it gets to the state and gets into people's arms. i'm hoping the pace picks up this week and next. but if it doesn't i think we'll get concerned whether we can get all these vaccines out to people quickly enough or not. >> dr. jha, always appreciate it. thank you for your time this morning. >> thank you. all right, i'll take it from here. whit, now to some news out off your home state, the governor of california, gavin newsom appointing california's secretary of state alex padilla to fill vice president-elect kamala harris' seat. padilla was overcome with emotion expressing gratitude to his parents who are mexican immigrants. take a look. >> i'm honored, man. and i'm humbled because of them. i can't tell you how many pancakes my dad flipped or eggs he scrambled trying to provide for us for the many, many years, and my mom cleaning houses doing the same thing, and an important perspective to bring to washington. >> wow, alex padilla will make

history as california's first latino senator. >> you can definitely see the emotion in that response for sure. we are following a lot of other headlines this morning, including that man who died on a packed united flight. new confirmation that he had covid-19. what other passengers are saying this morning. and the mother of that american teenager behind bars in the cayman islands speaking out in an emotional interview. but first, let's go back to rob. hi, dan. more on the cold coming in a little bit, but first, your snowy cities sponsored by dick's sporting goods.

good wednesday morning, waking up to chilly temperatures in the north bay valleys. otherwise we have 30s and 40s to start out the this afternoon, high clouds toward the later part of the day, and we're looking at a storm arriving on christmas day. highs today from the upper 50s downtown, look for about 60 today in san jose. 62 in santa rosa, and the accuweather seven-day forecast, increasing clouds for your thursday, level all right, we've g all right, we've got so much more coming up. the bachelorette is here live with her new leading man. it's been a big season and a big finale. you don't want to miss this. we'll be right back. you don't want to miss this. we'll be right back. ♪ even the smallest surprise... can make the biggest memories...

big enough to last a lifetime. ♪ kinder joy treat plus toy a little surprise goes a long way. cross e'erbody off hey sis,your gift li♪tas ♪ ♪ the whole squad lookin' fly in the half-zips ♪ ♪ it's the coziest fleece-mas that ever existed ♪ shop last minute gifts with up to 75% off storewide! we holiday. now, at old navy, and oldnavy.com ♪ should auld acquaintance be forgot ♪ ♪ and never brought to mind ♪ should auld acquaintance be forgot ♪ ♪ and auld lang syne ♪ we'll take a cup of kindness yet ♪ ♪ for auld lang syne

next customer please. ♪ ♪ new aveeno® restorative skin therapy. with our highest concentration of prebiotic oat intensely moisturizes over time to improve skin's resilience. aveeno® healthy. it's our nature™. removes ten years of yellow stains. optic white renewal to improve skin's resilience. that's like all the way back to 2010. they're jeans. they're leggings. they're jeggings! whoa. remove ten years of yellow stains with colgate optic white renewal. hey! yeah!? i switched to geico and got more! more savings on car insurance!? they helped with homeowners, too!

ok! plus motorcycle, boat and rv insurance! geico's got you covered! like a blanket! houston? you seeing this? geico. expect great savings and a whole lot more. oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, geico. bublé sparkling water. it's buble! at target, order today and get it today! just use target same day delivery or drive up. for groceries, gifts and more on your list. it's the fastest way to get what you need, today.

at target. building a better bay area for a safe and secure future. this is abc 7 news. >> i'm reggie aqui from abc mornings. the oakland city council is going to hear a report on spending cuts that will close a $62 million shortfall. the city is cutting $29 million in personnel, law enforcement and public safety spending. the staff will be first in line to shoulder the cuts taking ten unpaid days, deferring the upcoming 1% pay increase in january and any annual salary increases. oakland is cutting its police department budget by $15 million and fire department by $5 million. pfizer and biontech have agreed to provide the u.s. 100 million more doses of the covid-19 vaccine. the question now who is is going to get the vaccination next.

the state advisory committee is going to try to answer the question during a public hearing. vaccinations are underway for 2.4 million americans many front line health care roles, in phrase 1 a, phase 1 b could include teachers, firefighters, grocery store and restaurant employees, along with other essential work ♪ ♪ digital transformation has failed to take off. because it hasn't removed the endless mundane work we all hate. ♪ ♪ automation can solve that by taking on repetitive tasks for us. unleash your potential. uipath. reboot work.

good wednesday morning, everyone, i'm lisa argen in for mike nicco. clear and cold this morning. we're here on top of the roof, bu but our east bay hills show clear in the valley. here's where we have some of the frosty numbers from santa rosa, 29, novato at 36. highs upper 50s to near 60. breezy at the coast. coming up, jailed in paradise, the mother of the american team behind bars in the

cayman islands is talking this morning after her daughter's sent than a holiday dinner table. gives you more options pick the speed that's right for you, with options faster than gig. and get reliable internet with top-notch coverage. plus, help keep your data safe and private with security included. no antlers on the table. how come you get to eat first? get started with this great offer, or ask about our fastest speed, 2 gig up and down.

switch today. introducing the new sleep number 360 smart bed. now temperature balancing, so you can sleep better together. can it help keep me asleep? absolutely, it intelligently senses your movements and automatically adjusts to keep you both effortlessly comfortable can it help with snoring? i've never heard snoring. exactly. no problem. and... done. so you can really promise better sleep? not promise. prove. it's the final days to save up to $700 on new sleep number 360 smart beds.

plus, 0% interest for 48 months on all smart beds. ends thursday. ohhh... i'm looking for coupon codes. well, capital one shopping instantly searches for available coupon codes and automatically applies them. save me some cheddar! capital one shopping. it's kinda genius. what's in your wallet? stnarrow it to all thes ikarate moms... in desperate need of brown sugar. meaning, you. you're the one we made mywalgreens for. with pickup in as little as 30 minutes. hiya! get 30-minute pickup at walgreens.com

oh. >> marry me. >> yes. >> nothing like a little love to get your morning going. welcome back to "gma." that right there, the moment bachelor nation has been waiting for, a fairy tale ending to one of the most dramatic seasons ever. i think we can all agree with that. zac proposing to tayshia. the happy couple, they are joining us live in our next hour. we are so excited. >> dan knew it was going to be zac the whole time. >> i have been placing big bets in vegas on that one. >> we are happy for them and happy to speak with them coming up. but first, the top headlines

we're following including that news breaking overnight, president trump putting that massive $900 billion relief bill on hold demanding congress to increase those $600 checks to $2,000. also right now, nearly 85 million people expected to travel for the holidays with the pandemic raging across the country and that nightmare before christmas storm also on the move. we're following that and a big update for university of florida basketball star keyontae johnson, he's out of the hospital this morning. released just ten days after that frightening on court collapse. his family saying they are amazed at the pace of his recovery and looking forward to spending christmas together. no official word yet on what caused the incident, but it's certainly great to see him back home. >> yeah, there was some question whether it was covid related because other members had tested positive. great to see him home. we are going to start this half hour, though, with the latest on that united airlines passenger who died midflight last week. the coroner's report confirms

the man died of covid-19, and now, several passengers say they are experiencing symptoms. trevor ault is at newark airport with much more. trevor, good morning to you. >> reporter: well, good morning, dan. you know, these days a crowded flight is already enough to make a person anxious. but now we know for certain the man who died on this plane had coronavirus, and this morning, we're learning multiple passengers say they have since contracted the virus too, and they believe they got it on this flight. this morning, a coroner's report confirms the man who collapsed on a packed united flight last monday died of acute respiratory failure and covid-19. >> i truly feel that we flew home from new orleans in a contaminated airplane. >> reporter: joe alvarez was traveling with his family seated just a few rows away as the emergency unfolded. tmz obtaining these pictures and video from inside the plane as medical professionals tried to save that man's life. multiple passengers on board, including alvarez, say they heard the man's wife tell emergency responders he had been experiencing covid-like

symptoms. >> his wife made a comment to them and said that he had tested for covid a week prior and that he was having trouble with taste and smell. >> reporter: before takeoff, every passenger is required to fill out a form asking if they've tested positive or shown any symptoms for coronavirus, and sources tell abc news the man who died said no to both questions. alvarez says after the landing the airline simply disinfected the man's seat with wipes before taking off again for los angeles, and now he says he and his wife have since both tested positive for covid-19. >> it's almost like they put a band-aid on the situation, then we just continued on our flight, and, you know, that put a lot of people at risk. >> reporter: united airlines says, at the time of the diversion we were informed the man had suffered a cardiac arrest, so passengers were given

the option to take a later flight or continue on with their travel plans, though some passengers dispute that claim. now, with everyone on board potentially exposed, united says they've turned over all passenger information to the cdc and haven't reached out to individual passengers because they can't give medical advice. the cdc says it's still in the possess of collecting information and proceeding according to our standard operating procedures to determine if further public health action is appropriate. alvarez says he and his wife have not been contacted yet and they have a simple message as they're at home sick. >> don't fly. don't fly. don't take the risk. >> reporter: now, this week, an emt who tried to save this man said he was also feeling sick. he since tested negative for covid-19, but there are still a lot of concerns for the passengers on board and the ripple effect of this potential exposure. janai. >> trevor, so alarming. especially as we know so many people are heading out for the holidays. trevor ault, thank you so much.

well, now to the latest on that american teenager behind bars in the cayman islands for breaking the caribbean nation's covid quarantine rules. and this morning, her mother speaking out in an emotional interview. victor oquendo joins us now with more. hey, victor, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, janai. skylar mack's sentence was cut in half but she will still be serving time. her parents spoke with our atlanta station wbs saying skylar was hysterical and that they think their daughter is just being made an example of. american skylar mack learning she'll spend the next two months in a caribbean jail. mack's mother and stepfather speaking out for the first time since their daughter's arrest for violating covid-19 protocols in the cayman islands. telling abc affiliate wsb, they're living through their worst nightmare. >> she's scared to death over there. she's by herself. there's no family there whatsoever that can see her. >> reporter: the 18-year-old pre-med student was silent as she was escorted inside that courtroom. her hands cuffed.

mack and her boyfriend asking the nation's high court for leniency ultimately getting their prison sentence cut from four months to two months. her parents got a call from skylar just after the ruling came in. >> this devastated her. she was hoping she would get to be home sooner and she's going to spend christmas alone by herself. >> reporter: mack traveled to the island on november 27th and according to officials broke her mandatory 14-day quarantine after just two days and one negative covid test. she allegedly removed her wrist monitor and left quarantine to watch her boyfriend, a 24-year-old professional jet ski racer compete. the trip to paradise taking a quick turn once authorities learned that mack attended the competition. both were detained and ramgeet charged with aiding and abetting and they were initially ordered to pay a fine and serve community service then upped

before the final decision, two months. >> i still remember her saying she can't do this. she can't go back to prison. >> reporter: the couple's attorney say they accept the court's decision. skylar's mother vowing to keep fighting until her daughter's back in the u.s. >> of course, we're hoping for a different outcome. we're not going to stop. we're going to keep fighting until she's here home with us safe. >> reporter: mack's attorney doesn't think she'll have to serve the entire sentence. she's already spent a week in a women's facility there and they expect her out in another four weeks. >> still a ways away. thank you so much. we do want to turn now to that christmas controversy, a lawn decoration causing a big stir in one neighborhood after a family was told to take down their cross by their homeowners association. now the family is fighting back and will reeve is joining us with more on that. will, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, whit. it's frankly a surprising fight to break out around christmas of all holidays because the

homeowners association says that a cross is not a christmas decoration. the family is not backing down and they're planning to sue. this morning, a real-life christmas battle brewing over decorations in a north carolina town. james and dee faison fighting back after their local homeowners association in raleigh demanded they take down one of their most personal possessions, a cross. >> we received a letter saying that our cross was not representative of christmas. it shocked us. we were just shocked. >> reporter: the couple threatened with a $100 fine and told in a letter, quote, unless biblical references can be provided noting the cross as a symbol of the christmas season, the cross is not considered a christmas decoration. >> who has ever heard of an hoa asking their residents provide biblical references? we believe the cross helps hope, salvation and deliverance. >> it was almost like they were

trying to educate us as to why the cross isn't representative of christmas and that was what we found offensive. >> reporter: the board eventually backing down, but the faisons say that only happened once local media got involved. now the couple's lawyer says they're planning to file a lawsuit in federal court. >> something needs to be done once and for all really to put a stop to what is becoming all too familiar to so many homeowners and that is homeowners associations overstepping their bounds. >> reporter: the hoa's board tells abc news they recently sent the faisons an email saying that their cross was now unconditionally approved writing, quote, we regret this has become a point of contention. the faisons' lawyer says the family will seek an apology and unspecified damages from the hoa. janai. >> all right, will, thank you so much.

well, coming up, some not so good news, millions of packages delayed with just two days left until christmas. becky worley has some ways to cross your fingers, improve the odds of getting your deliveries in time. getting your deliveries in time. trelegy for copd. ♪ birds flyin' high, you know how i feel. ♪ ♪ breeze drifting on by you know how i feel. ♪ ♪ it's a new dawn... if you've been taking copd sitting down, it's time to make a stand. start a new day with trelegy. no once-daily copd medicine has the power to treat copd in as many ways as trelegy. with three medicines in one inhaler, trelegy helps people breathe easier and improves lung function. it also helps prevent future flare-ups. trelegy won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. do not take trelegy more than prescribed. trelegy may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling,

problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. take a stand and start a new day with trelegy. ask your doctor about once-daily trelegy. and save at trelegy.com. can't believe that "daniel deal" daniel, state farm offersnce. surprisingly great rates to everyone. sure you do... you wanna meet the queen? ahhh i'm not dressed for that. when you want the real deal... like a good neighbor, state farm is there. ♪ your whole team can see your upper thigh ♪

♪ pour that smooth roast and aim that camera up high ♪ ♪ the best part of wakin' up is folgers in your cup ♪ subaru created the share the love event.n years ago, where our new owners could choose a national or hometown charity. and subaru and our retailers would proudly make a donation. but now, in times like these, companies are having a hard choice to make. but subaru is more than a car company. and as charities struggle, we cannot just stand by. which is why we plan to donate over twenty four million dollars, again this year. the subaru share the love event, going on now.

we're back with a bit of a we're back with a bit of a christmas nightmare. millions of americans are worried their last-minute deliveries will not make it in time to get under the tree. the surge in online shop something simply overwhelming shippers. becky worley is in san fran with

the latest last-minute tips that could optimize your success. becky, drop some knowledge. >> dan, good morning. will it get here? the postal workers union telling us 19,000 of their workers have called in sick or are isolating due to covid. that and other factors leave millions of americans who ordered a gift with delivery promised before christmas asking for that knowledge saying, what, if anything, can we do? from online warehouses to package hubs, to the last mile of delivery, this morning the shipping system strained to the breaking point. analyst shipmatrix estimates 7 million packages have been delayed this holiday season. "the washington post" reporting private carriers, fedex and u.p.s. have cut off new deliveries for some retailers, rerouting surging mail volumes through the overwhelmed postal service. now, the u.s. postal service is seeing numbers like never before. with packages still en route and christmas two days away, what

should consumers do about their gifts? >> if you haven't gotten your gift yet, it might be time to get creative about your gifting options. >> reporter: there are some options for improving your odds of receiving that delayed delivery. many carriers will let you sign up for realtime updates via text but with this much volume, tracking software can be a little off. >> in fact, tracking isn't necessarily being updated in realtime. i have several packages that say they're outstanding that have already been delivered. so it is possible that you'll get a nice surprise on your doorstep. >> reporter: also go to the carrier's website and make sure you don't have signature required for your deliveries. >> if you're unsure whether your package will deliver on time you might need to be creative about how you deliver that gift so you can wrap a smaller version of the item that you have coming to you or a picture of that item and still give somebody the opportunity to open that present without actually having the item in hand. >> u.p.s. responding to "the washington post" report saying u.p.s. is running one of the most successful peak holiday

shipping seasons ever adding we maintain a reliable network that all of our customers can depend on. dan, i'm in the same boat. me on that package tracking site, refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh. >> i feel your pain. my gift to you will show up in your inbox. it will be totally seamless. we can cut out the middleman. thank you, becky. you're a life saver. coming up next our "play of the day." ♪ did you know that geico's whole 15 minutes thing... that came from me. really. my first idea was "in one quarter of an hour, your savings will tower... over you. figuratively speaking." but that's not catchy, is it? that's not going to swim about in your brain. so i thought, what about... 15 minutes. 15 percent. serendipity. 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance.

...who takes care of yourself. so why wait to screen for colon cancer? because when caught in early stages, it's more treatable. i'm cologuard. i'm noninvasive and detect altered dna in your stool to find 92% of colon cancers... ...even in early stages. tell me more. it's for people 45 plus at average risk for colon cancer, not high risk. false positive and negative results may occur. ask your prescriber or an online prescriber if cologuard is right for you. i'll get on it! that's a step in the right direction.

with a touch of honey... plump, juicy raisins and tasty fiber into one delicious cereal? it took a lot of bran-storming. get it? kellogg's raisin bran crunch. two scoops of delicious. try eucerin advanced repair and switch. it doubles your skin's moisture and repairs dry skin over time. so tomorrow can be a different story. eucerin - recommended and used by dermatologists. oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, eucerin - bublé sparkling water. it's buble!

♪ rich, indulgent chocolate with a luscious caramel filling. with love from san francisco. ghirardelli caramel squares. makes life a bite better.

♪ we are back with our "play of the day." an early christmas present for basketball fans last night. the nba season tipping off with a doubleheader and some touching moments here. the brooklyn nets honoring essential workers before their game, hanging a special banner to thank those new york tough heroes. plus, lebron and the 2020 nba champs collected their rings, which paid tribute to the late kobe bryant. you can see the mamba behind the players' numbers. if you look very closely, incredible. the team's family members presented the players with their rings virtually. markeith morris' daughter definitely stealing the show. watch. >> we're here to present my husband markeith morris. >> markeith morris! >> with his championship ring. hugs and kisses.

go, lakers. >> hype gal. hype lady. all right, coming up, you know who else got that ring? the bachelorette. tayshia and her new leading man are here joining us live. stay with us. here joining us live. stay with us. another dud. i'll check the turkey. jiggle it. jiggle it. -just jiggle it. arrgh! ♪ ('hallelujah chorus') ah ha ha! incredible, dad! wow! ha ha ha! i used to have a mustang, back when cars made sounds. the all new, all electric mustang mach-e. ♪ should auld acquaintance be forgot ♪ ♪ and never brought to mind ♪ should auld acquaintance be forgot ♪ ♪ and auld lang syne

♪ we'll take a cup of kindness yet ♪ ♪ for auld lang syne next customer please. ♪ ♪ ♪

to shodo you need power? or this... optimum power. because duracell optimum makes this rc truck... ...even faster than coppertop. no! announcer: we have a winner. (duracell chime) so this aveeno® moisturizer goes beyond just soothing sensitive skin? exactly jen! calm + restore oat gel is formulated with prebiotic oat. and strengthens skin's moisture barrier. uh! i love it! aveeno® healthy. it's our nature.™

"good morning america" is sponsored by consumer cellular where low rates and award winning service are just the beginning. where low rates and award winning service are just the beginning.

building a better bay area for a safe and secure future. this is abc 7 news. good morning, i'm reggie aqui from abc 7 mornings. stanford health says it is making good on a promise to get its front line health care workers vaccinated. on friday, workers staged a protest claiming hospital administrators were receiving the initial doses before the front line workers. yesterday, stanford health admitted that that was a mistake, and neigh announced a plan to get everyone vaccinated. stanford says its remaining doctors, nurses and other providers should get their shots by the end of january. let's check with lisa for a look at our weather. good morning, everyone. beautiful on the roof. temperatures are in the 40s elsewhere. it is chilly. numbers in the upper 20s in the north bay. 43 in san jose. colder in spots, but if you like it sunny, enjoy today. this is our last day with a lot of sunshine, upper 50s to near 60. we have a level one system on the way, beginning christmas

day, a second system on sunday. coming up, the bachelorette and her new fiance live for their first interview and we'll have another abc 7 xfinity internet customers are saving up to $400 when they add xfinity mobile. they can choose from flexible data options. and get nationwide 5g included, all on the most reliable network! ...and they lived happily ever after. again! again! get an incredible offer on xfinity internet and you could save up to $400 a year when you add xfinity mobile. click, call, or visit a store today.

good morning, america. it's 8:00 a.m. help on hold. president trump putting that massive $900 billion relief bill in limbo calling it a disgrace and demanding congress to increase those $600 checks to $2,000. what it means for millions of americans waiting for that critical aid with christmas just two days away. holiday exodus. almost 85 million people expected to travel this holiday season with the pandemic raging across this country. and that nightmare before christmas storm on the move. where the blizzard is right now. covid and newborns. the new study revealing how often covid positive moms pass the virus to their baby. dr. ashton is here with the latest. dental diy. the tiktok stars promoting

dental habits like using nail files and hydrogen peroxide on your teeth. what's safe, what's not and what expert dentists are saying. ♪ you can ring my bell tayshia's engaged. >> you're mine. >> saying yes to zac in a blockbuster finale to "the bachelorette." now, the happy couple joins us live just ahead and they're saying -- >> both: good morning, america. ♪ you can ring my bell ring my bell ♪ hey, good morning and thanks for being with us on this wednesday morning. >> and it was quite, quite an end to a dramatic season of "the bachelorette." tayshia and zac, they are engaged and we will be talking to them just ahead. >> yes, we will. fresh love for the holidays. we also have the surprise of a lifetime coming up for this deserving couple right here in iowa. they've got seven kids at home and have been feeding their hard hit community for months during the pandemic and the aftermath of a derecho or a devastating

windstorm. wait until you see what we've cooked up for them. >> this is a great story. you'll really want to watch it. first to the news. a lot to get to starting with that surprise move overnight from president trump blasting the $900 billion covid relief bill that congress passed just days ago asking for larger stimulus checks. now help for millions of americans impacted by the pandemic suddenly in limbo so let's go back to abc's rachel scott covering it all from washington. rachel, good morning once again. >> reporter: dan, good morning and this is the relief that americans have now been waiting months for, but all of it is up in the air with this threat from president trump. the president signaling that he may not sign that covid relief package calling the bipartisan bill a disgrace. president trump is now demanding that congress increase the amount of those stimulus checks from $600 to $2,000. but lawmakers have already left washington for the holiday recess and the trump administration not only indicated that trump would sign

this bill, they said those stimulus checks could go out as early as next week. nour, democrats for months were pushing for the size of those checks to be around $2,000. but republicans would not budge on the overall price tag of this bill. and, of course, it is not just relief, it's also government funding which is set to run out in less than a week if president trump does not sign this bill. the bottom line here is that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say that this bill is imperfect. neither side got everything they wanted but they say that it is absolutely necessary to get relief to the american people, dan. >> stakes are really high here, rachel, thank you so much. whit, over to you. the holiday exodus. millions of americans have been flying over the past few days, rushing to the airports, the most at any point since the pandemic began. let's go back to gio benitez at newark airport with the latest. gio, good morning. >> reporter: hey, whit, good morning again. yeah, millions are on the move despite those warnings from health officials not to travel. tsa screening more than 4

million people since friday. that is more than at any point since the pandemic started. nearly 85 million americans expected to travel between today through january 3rd. that's down 30% from last year, but much higher than expected. experts worry we would see another surge if this is true from this week's travelers as we did after thanksgiving, but where are people going? well, mostly to rural areas, they are mostly staying away from big cities like new york or l.a. >> many still ignoring travel warnings, gio benitez for us, thank you very much. good news in the battle against the coronavirus. a new study published in jama say pregnant women who have the virus are not likely to pass it on to their newborns. dr. jen, we talked about it. personally coronavirus and pregnant women h. is going to offer a lot of relief for a lot of families. tell us more about what that study found. >> it certainly is, janai. this is encouraging news for the

4 million babies born in the u.s. every year. now in the setting of covid here's the actual paper, just out in jama. important study, they looked at pregnant women with covid and they looked at two end points, did the virus infect the placenta so we call that vertical transmission, was it passed to the newborn in utero? and levels of antibodies against sars-cov-2 found in the umbilical cord blood so account newborn get protection? they showed no cases of in utero transfer so no babies infected by the mom. they didn't see such high levels of antibodies of those newborns, so moms weren't able to protect the newborns, so good news/bad news scenario but mostly reassuring. >> it's not too often we hear some good news in the fight against the coronavirus but, dr. jen, for women watch who are pregnant or for those who may become pregnant what's the biggest takeaway? what do they need to know?

>> well, listen, there's no shortage of fear in parenting at baseline. it's not always possible to micromanage life or these kind of decisions. right now it appears the risk to the newborn is very, very low. moms generally bear more of the risk of covid infection and still we're going to be looking closely for some good data out of clinical trials of pregnant women who then get vaccinated against covid. so there will be a lot we'll be learning in 2021. >> we talked a lot go that too and looking forward to that coming up regarding vaccines. thank you so much. coming up, the bachelorette is engaged. tayshia adams joins us live with her fiance after that blockbuster finale last night. those risky dental trends taking over tiktok. one dentist weighing in on what is safe and what definitely is not. plus, we're revealing our next "gma" christmas cookie. this has been a struggle for me over the past few days but they are delicious. we'll be right back with more. ♪ hey youtube, how's it going?

♪ i still don't know how to cope. ♪ i'm going to show you how to make a cloth face mask. six feet apart! it's ok to cry. ♪ you're gonna make it to the other side and that's really all that's important. ♪ it's not tthis week...ave on last-minute gifts. save on toys... ...select tvs... ...home appliances and more until december 24th. this week only. save on last-minute gifts. at target. less sick days! cold coming on? zicam® is clinically proven to shorten colds! highly recommend it! zifans love zicam's unique zinc formula. it shortens colds!

zicam zinc that cold! it shortens colds! want to sell the best burger add an employee.ode? or ten... then easily and automatically pay your team and file payroll taxes. that means... world domination! or just the west side. run payroll in less than five minutes with intuit quickbooks.

nature made helps you win the night. our melatonin gummies are scientifically developed to help you fall asleep faster, naturally. nature made. the #1 pharmacist recommended vitamin and supplement brand. removes ten years of yellow stains. optic white renewal nature made. that's like all the way back to 2010. what's that? it's a shake weight. it's a weight you shake. remove ten years of yellow stains with colgate optic white renewal. where grandson and grandad will bond this is the pool where cannonball records will be broken and, this is the kitchen where the new boyfriend will unofficially become family. these are the vrbo vacation homes waiting for you to fill with your family. your together awaits find it with vrbo

oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh, your together awaits bublé sparkling water. it's buble! ♪ ♪ smooth driving pays off. ♪ with allstate, the safer you drive the more you save. ♪ you never been in better hands. allstate. click or call for a quote today.

♪ 'cause we are warriors we'll fight for our lives ♪ ♪ like soldiers, all through the night ♪ ♪ and we won't give up we will survive ♪ ♪ we are warriors welcome back to "gma." those are just some of the health care heroes fighting this pandemic on the front lines and so many of you have been showing your support for those hero. >> absolutely heroes including some fourth graders from the compound school in yorktown, new york, who put on a zoom play about the importance of listening to our health care heroes and those kids wrote it themselves though it's a mix of

"a christmas carol" and "the grinch." >> you help so many people by donating your money. >> your heart grows three sizes today. >> well, happy holidays to all and to all a good night. >> love it. perfect. of course, we want you to keep spreading the love as well so show us how you're helping out health care workers in your own community. right now using the #gmahelpingheros. >> now to our "gma" cover story and a fairy tale ending for tayshia and zac on "the bachelorette." we'll hear from the happy couple in just a bit but first take a look at what went down in the big finale. 23 men battled it out for tayshia's heart and in the end it was zac who put a ring on it. >> i came here. i was supposed to fall in love with you. >> reporter: beating out ben and ivan zac the last man standing until he got down on one knee.

>> marry me. >> yes. you're mine. >> reporter: while ben came back for a second chance. >> i'm still shocked that you're here right now. >> but i'm in love with you. >> reporter: the bachelorette had other plans. >> i care about you so much. i discuss feel like my heart is with somebody else. >> i was excited to be back. i saw it going differently but when you love somebody you want them to be happy. >> reporter: and ben saying good-bye again. >> i put all of myself into this. >> reporter: zac, a fan favorite, saw sparks fly with tayshia during week eight. their love story coming down to this moment. >> i question the fact if, you know, i really have ever been in love, true love until now. >> reporter: a bachelor and a

bachelorette no more. these two are officially off the market. >> best day of my life. this is my fiancee. >> woo. >> and tayshia and her new fiance zac are joining us now, you guys, welcome. thanks for being here. congratulations on your big engagement. such a sweet ending to a wild season. what was it like watching all of this back? >> i mean it was -- first of all, it was a whirlwind. this entire journey has been so -- i don't know. i can't even talk i'm so excited but i feel like it was really beautiful to watch back. i feel like you can really see how much love we have and how authentic and genuine we were and it was great. >> i said it a couple times but the beautiful thing is all the reasons i fell in love with her on the show remain true today and just like in our daily life so it was a special night for

sure last night to watch it all back. >> you can see how excited you guys are. so the show wrapped up production like four months ago. how has it been trying to keep this a secret and in the midst of a pandemic, has that made it easier if you're just squirrelling yourself away from people or more difficult? >> it's been a tad bit easier. sneaking around hasn't been so hard. not many people are out and about. >> i mean cheers to masks, right? this is like the one good thing to come -- i've been able to throw on a mask and do what i want, right? >> incognito. >> good point. now we are focusing on the engagement. are you planning for a long engagement or are you already planning a big wedding? >> we're just going with the flow at the moment. we're just going to date each other. how about that? >> yeah, i mean i want a big wedding when the day comes. she might think differently and she's going to get what she wants but, no, i want to date i, you know, i want to take you out

and do all those things. >> we have a lot of fun plans coming sflup sorry to put you on the spot. speaking of dating especially because it's been a parana you haven't been able to get out there and date like people normally do before the pandemic. but, zac, you found some ways to keep things fresh while you guys have been home. how has that been? >> i've done a little bit of -- i've been intro deuced to pinterest -- >> weekly email up dates he gets. >> i did a little scavenger hunt which was a hit and singing song, dancing and she has other talents the world doesn't know about. >> all right. so i won't press too much to find out what those are. but as you guys are planning ahead, tayshia, you're on the west coast, zac, you're from the east coast. how are you going to figure this out? tayshia, will you hail a taxi sometime soon? >> i plan on it. we're actually going to be spending christmas in new york which is going to be amazing,

but, yeah, i'm going to be bicoastal. i'll have my place here and looking forward to spending time in new york with him and just getting used to being bicoastal. >> perfect. we have a little lightning round to find out what you've learned about each other so far so i have a couple questions. get ready for this. okay, so who is the biggest goofball? >> he is. >> me. >> okay. you both -- who's the messiest? >> i mean -- we don't have to point fingers now. >> that's fair. that's fair. okay, what about pet names? >> oh, i mean he's clarky. >> she's the queen. >> yes, clarky and the queen. >> clarky and the queen. okay. all right. brace yourselves for this. who has the most annoying habit and what is it? >> okay, first of all, it takes him about 20 minutes to even say his statement because he kind of pauses so he has the clarky pause, you know.

he has to be pondering. that's probably -- he's so mad. >> zac, does she have any? >> i don't think tayshia has ever finished a beverage in her life so we're hanging out she'll start a beverage, place it on the table. say i'm thirsty. by the end of the night we have an entire beverage graveyard wherever we are hanging out. >> i may or may not be able to relate to that, tayshia. >> see. >> thanks for being with us and congratulations on your engagement. so glad you get to enjoy it as we head into the holidays. >> thank you so much. happy holidays. >> happy holidays. >> all right, dan, over sflou thanks, janai. we turn to the unexpected source many people are going to for denial advice, tiktok. there are apparently hugely popular video, some with millions of hits that show a diy approach to treating your teeth posted by people who and we should say this repeatedly and clearly are not dentists. will reeve is back with more on

shrinky new trend. hey, will. >> reporter: hey, dan. i have a confession to make i have not been to the dentist in a while. i'm sorry but i've also not yet been to tiktok in place of my dentist. many people have, though, and the dental advice on there is out there. experts say beware. >> wow. you can really dance. >> reporter: this morning tiktokers aren't just singing and dancing, some are searching for diy dental care. the pandemic has turned the popular social media platform into a surprising place for oral hygiene advice. despite studies showing a visit to the dentist is relatively low risk for transmission of the covid virus, many are looking to stay home and save money so some users, mostly teenagers are offering tips and tricks, posting how to videos they say will show you how to improve your smile at home. >> and we're doing it on a

budget. >> reporter: this has nearly 500,000 views and shows a young woman filing down her front teeth to even out her smile. other users doing the same and showing off results online but dentists warn these quick fixes can cause big problems. >> we happen to call this procedure enamelplasty. they shouldn't be doing it at home. there are three layers of the teeth. there's the enamel, the dentin and the pulp which is where the nerve is so once you remove the enamel you're in the dentin and that's very sensitive. >> reporter: if you have thin enamel to begin with dr. rosen says amateur filing could leave you with a cracked tooth. for those looking to whiten their teeth, some tiktokers brushing with baking soda. >> it's salty and gross. >> reporter: or even trying bananas. >> place it on your teeth for ten minute. >> it is proven that baking soda because it's an abrasive will remove some surface stains. now, if you use plain baking

soda all the time, that is way too abrasive and these things can actually make the tooth more porous. >> reporter: as for the banana, there's no scientific research to say it works or to evaluate its safety. another trick being touted on tiktok for whitening, hydrogen peroxide, the chemical compound used as an antiseptic. >> i put a little on my toothbrush and brush like normal. >> reporter: while experts say it may whiten teeth unless you're using a product intended for dental care be sure to dilute it. >> if done at a high concentration it will make the enamel sensitive because it could erode it. >> reporter: experts say it is always better to consult with a dentistry professional and some can be found on tiktok but make sure that you check their credentials before following their advice and if you're having a serious issue, check with your current dentist. dan.

>> will, thank you and thanks for telling us that you haven't been going to the dentist. whit has asked me to call you yuck mouth from now on. i'm not sure what that means. >> i did not say that. >> you can work it out with him. >> i'm sharing myself with you, come on. >> thank you. appreciate it. let's get it over to rob who is covering the forecast from the -- you've made a strategic choice. you went to bethlehem this morning. >> well, i don't know if you saw the christmas star last night, saturn and jupiter together. i saw it. tom manning saw it and followed it and we ended up here in bethlehem, connecticut. neither of us that wise, obviously. we have cold air coming in behind this system. ahead of it record warmth but some is definitely the coldest of the season. let's take a look at first widespread below zero windchills and some that have will be 20, 30, 40 below in the upper midwest and cold goes all the way to the

good wednesday morning, waking up to chilly temperatures in the north bay valleys. otherwise we have 30s and 40s to start out the this afternoon, high clouds toward the later part of the day, and we're looking at a storm arriving on christmas day. highs today from the upper 50s downtown, look for about 60 today in san jose. 62 in santa rosa, and the accuweather seven-day forecast, increasing clouds for your thursday, level now to our open for business series, the pandemic has been especially hard on female small business owners, but now there's a new program offering to help. so these women can better serve their communities and rachel scott is back with that story. rachel, good morning to you. >> hey, whit. good morning. you know, women and minority owned businesses have not only been hit hardest by the pandemic, they're also least likely to bounce back in the new year. one organization is stepping in with a very special holiday

surprise. at hodgepodge coffee shop in atlanta, it's about more than just a fresh cup of joe. >> for the last nine years we've been a lot of people's second homes. >> reporter: when the pandemic hit owner crystal rodriguez putting community over profit creating a food pantry to help others. >> even in our own hardship you made the decision to help other. >> when you're a part of the community and see it changing and you change along with it. >> reporter: nearly 800 miles away in philadelphia, robin young ser following strict safety guidelines to keep her youth development center open for underserved families and essential workers. you started your business to help tackle the disparities among communities of color. and now those disparities are only being magnified with the pandemic. >> we have single parent homes with multiple children and don't have access to just some of the

basic needs. >> reporter: she knew closing her doors would mean cutting off a lifeline. >> we're also part of the family. when parents tell you how much what you're doing for them and the sacrifices that you're making, how much that means to them. >> reporter: women and minority owned business owners like crystal and robin already face significant challenges, now the hardest hit by the pandemic. >> there's a big gap between the average revenue levels of male owned businesses and female owned businesses. there's a big gap between white owned businesses and women of color. >> reporter: so to help close that gap c200, a female led organization that aims at educating and advancing future women entrepreneurs creating their champion program helping to take women of color business owners to the next level of success with education, one-on-one coaching from top ceos and a $25,000 grant.

crystal and robin were among hundreds who applied and we brought them together for a special surprise. you both have been accepted into the c200 champion program. you will be receiving that one-on-one mentorship and there's more, both of you will be getting that $25,000 grant. >> i am in so much shock. >> this means an awful lot. >> reporter: and that money and mentorship will certainly go a long way. that program all about creating a pipeline of successful female entrepreneurs, whit. >> love your delivery of the good news as well. wait, there's more. rachel scott for us, thank you. we'll be right back.

♪ the snow is coming down welcome back to "gma." we are counting down to christmas just two days to go, so many people getting into the holiday spirit with their decked out christmas trees. >> we asked you to share your photos using the #gmaseeyourtree. check out this one, sandra's tree is gorgeous. take a look at the view of juneau, alaska, in the back. >> a nice picture. >> honey of a tree. >> clark griswold weighing in. >> this tree decorated by diane. she loves owls. hoo loves owls. come on. so she decked out her tree with owls from top to bottom. you like puns. >> i think i saw hedwig from "harry potter." here's one from kendra, this is from lincoln, nebraska, even her dogs getting into the holiday spirit as well. that's cute. keep sending us your creative

photos using the #gmaseeyourtree. now to an inspiring woman who is going above and beyond to support her neighbors in cedar rapid, iowa. that community is still reeling from the derecho devastating windstorm that hit back in august. they're also dealing with the pandemic at the same time but bridgette williams-robinson and her husband, jovountae, are on a mission to help. we'll speak with them in a moment but first ginger has their story. >> doing good with the meat? >> reporter: for the past four months bridgette williams-robinson and her husband jovountae have been feeding their cedar rapids neighbors from underneath in highway overpass. >> sunday through friday we cook every day. it's not just people that are unemployed, it's people that are working that are just struggling. >> this is the person that lives next door to me that i never knew didn't have anything to eat. just because a person smiles and

drives a nice car doesn't mean that everything is okay. >> reporter: in august, on top of the pandemic, an intense and devastating line of thunderstorms called a derecho had winds up to 130 miles per hour. it tore through iowa pulling the rug out from people that were already struggling from the shutdown. people like kelly height, a mother of four. >> there's no room for something to break down or something to go wrong because i don't have that extra money. >> reporter: her son parker, showed us the damage to their home. >> that's my room up there. >> reporter: his bedroom window still not repaired. >> point-blank, bluntly, it's cold. so we put, you know, the heat up trying to warm it up and stuff like that, and then you realize that's going to up your bills and stuff like that. it's taking money away from things that right now are necessities. >> feeding your kid at the end of the night should not be a decision you have to choose from. we couldn't help with tree removal and roof damage, but i

knew how to cook and we have the means to help, so that's what we started to do. >> reporter: with their own power knocked out it began as a way to share food from their fridge that was going to go bad. >> how was your day? >> reporter: but she kept going. >> it was supposed to just be a temporary effort. we never imagined that it would be this big so fast. >> reporter: the work so rewarding, it would change her life forever. bridgette realizing serving others is her calling in life. >> thank you all for the food. god bless y'all. >> reporter: she decided to make it permanent founding bridge under the bridge to provide year round service to the city that once helped her get on her feet. you see, eight years ago bridgette and jovountae were homeless with five children. they moved to cedar rapids to be closer to bridgette's sister and there they found work and a welcoming community and now she's giving back. >> helping people makes her happier than anything that i've seen in 15 years. now she's found her place.

>> reporter: even as temperatures plummet bridgette is determined to keep the bridge under the bridge serving hot meals. >> she makes it easier where i know that my kids are going to have a warm meal and i know that little bit may not seem much to some people but to me it's a lot when i don't know if i have that coming for the next day. what bridgette's doing is really awesome. >> it's really an incredible story and happy to say that bridgette and jovountae are joining us live. good morning to both of you. thanks for joining us. >> good morning. >> good morning, america. >> you trying to take my job? hey, so i want to acknowledge that you're doing incredible work and also as ginger mentioned in the piece that it's getting colder out there so i'm just curious as the temperatures drop, how is that affecting your work? >> it definitely affects it. it was warm when we began so it

was, you know, a longer day. we could hang out. we could help more people but now that it's cold, we have, you know, a limited time. it gets darker faster so we still have to make sure we can serve the community and get the hot meals pumped out but it definitely affects how long we're able to stay and how many people we can actually help. >> well, your work is so inspiring and, jovountae, i understand you've actually got elves helping out. your seven children have been part of this process. what's that experience been like for you? >> it's been amazing. my kids, they love being a part what have we do. sometimes they see familiar faces, some of their friends and they love being able to help their neighbors knowing that they actually are making an impact in their community. they love being a part of what we do. and we did a christmas toy drive and they were so excited -- they don't see toys under our tree yet, but they was excited to see toys going to other kids. it's an amazing feeling. >> the lesson you're teaching

these children is incredibly powerful and by coming on with us you're teaching children all over the country. we want to make sure we here at "gma" have a way for you to continue. we have an interesting early christmas present for you. it's out in the driveway right now so i'd like to ask to you get up and go check it out. go, go, go, go. guys, they're getting up off the couch. that's the camera out in front of the house. they don't know what they're about to see. >> he did not hesitate by the way. >> jovountae was in on this. she does not know what she's about to see and there it is. guys, can you hear me? can you hear me, guys? >> i can hear you. i can. i can hear you. oh, my god. >> we got this surprise in your driveway. this is a brand-new food trailer to keep you warm and open for business under the bridge or

wherever you're needed a gift from our friends at ebay. bridgette, are you surprised and what do you think? >> turn around. >> i love it. it's so nice. >> oh, my god. >> that's so awesome. >> and, guys, we know the benefits that bridge under the bridge brings to the community. >> wow. >> but giving like that, it's got to make you feel good. what's the benefit that you get from giving back to your community? >> just the feeling of knowing that we can help when we didn't have help when we needed it. that's the best feeling. >> we are so pleased that we can help you in this small way and really, really happy that you came on. keep up the great work and merry christmas. >> thank you. >> thank you so much. merry christmas to you guys. >> bye, guys. >> love it. >> so fun to see that. here's what's coming up on

the show. another delicious recipe for our 12 days of christmas cookie challenge. this is why i agreed to come on the show this morning make your holidays happen...at ross! surprise! ahhh! yes! i love it! you don't have to spend a lot to give a lot to the ones who mean the most. you've got the holidays, and we've got you, with the best bargains ever... ...at ross. yes for less!

at ross! yep! get the gifts you love... yes! ...for everyone on your list. you've got the holidays, and we've got you with all the gifts for less...

...at ross. yes for less! ♪ and this is our favorite part of the show right now, back with our 12 days of christmas cookies, so -- >> down to business. >> yes. let's open up our advent calendar right over here and see what's cooking this morning. we've got our chocolate turtle candy cookies. yes, right, of course, matching two turtle doves.

the theme perfectly and jocelyn delk adams, founder of grandbaby cakes is showing us how to make them. jocelyn, good morning to you. these cookies are looking really good. >> good morning. >> let me tell you how they really are. >> they are so fun. >> dan harris diving right in. how did you incorporate the ingredients into the theme here with the turtle cookies? tell us about it. >> well, i definitely wanted to have fun with this. we love homemade gifts. i love turtle candies so i thought this would be the perfect cookie, right? >> oh, yeah. >> super fun. >> this is incredibly delicious. so i understand -- >> yay. >> -- that you start by making cream out of butter and sugar. what is your tip for making it nice and fluffy? >> so i believe you must always have room temperature butter. this is unsalted butter because we'll add salt later but you also want to make sure that those sugars really come together and that butter and

it's got to be room temperature so it fluffs up perfectly. >> jocelyn, holy moly. these are delicious and so, the dry ingredients, i got to clean my teeth. the dry ingredients, they go in once the butter and sugar are done mixing. >> butter and sugar, egg and vanilla. >> why is salt important? i always see this in recipes and wonder how important it is. >> when you're having a bunch of sweet stuff you need to add some balance and that's what the salt does. so it's going to amp that flavor up. essential for any baked goods. here i'm adding in my flour, my cocoa powder. it almost tastes like a brownie in a cookie. that's why i love the texture of this so much. then i've got some salt and also baking powder and baking soda. it's going right into our batter

here. >> i'm tasting the salt, the chocolate, all coming together. >> all coming together is there after we chill the dough, which is an important step here, how do you put it together to make it look like a turtle? >> i know, right? so i scooped up some out of the dough here and then the fun part is you're going to need some caramel candy, and you're going to stick these right into the center of your cookie, like, press it down really good, and then you're going to add some pecans like right to the sides, like, right going in there. it's so cute. it bakes up perfectly. just stick those in right on the side. >> the caramel is getting stuck in dan harris' dentures. >> yeah. >> oh, my god. >> polident will not fix that. >> we should give that disclaimer, right? we should give the denture disclaimer while you're eating the turtle cookies. this is the super fun way. you can have the kids work on this. i love when these come out of the oven and the caramel is

totally melted into the center and these have toasted up a bit. it's great. >> how do you know when it's done? >> so you'll definitely see, like, the caramel has melted down, and also these have puffed up perfectly, and they also, like, they just come out and they're so chewy and decadent. they're wonderful. >> mm-mm. >> if you aren't going to finish the cookies i'll take them. jocelyn, it's delicious. >> here are my finished ones. these are my finished ones. >> looking good. >> i know, right, right out of the oven. they cooled down then i just drizzle a little chocolate sauce. >> love it, jocelyn. thank you so much. we are out of time but the cookies are fantastic. you can get jocelyn's recipe -- >> thank you. >> thank you. on our website goodmorningamerica.com. tomorrow, millie partry will be joining us with her recipe. rob also a look at the forecast. good morning. >> good morning. no cookies here. we've got gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

time now for a look at an exclusive at "gma." season two of will smith's series "will from home" has been packed with holiday cheer celebrating everyday heros across the country. we have a peek at the season finale using rap to encourage students to learn. ♪ >> yeah. can you throw something at us right now? what you got? >> i'm fly, i'm cool, all about school. yeah, i like to learn. >> yeah. we got a couple of things for you, you know, i wanted to have somebody stop by to just say hi. stay there. ♪ >> you can catch the season finale of "will from home" featuring a surprise appearance from lil nas x starting today only on snapchat. good wednesday morning from our tower camera. nice and clear here in the 40s

downtown, later on this afternoon, lots of sunshine, upper 50s to near 60. we'll do that again before we see increasisisisisisisisisisisi all right, time now to isisi reveal the book of the month, annual book of the year golden lolly award winner. the highest honor for an award winner, and it's one of the biggest reading communities in the world. ready to see the winner? here we go. it's our very own book club pick, "the vanishing half." >> very good. >> by brit bennett. this timely story is about twin sisters who would ultimately choose to live in two very different worlds. one plaque and one white. -- one black and one white. it took the world by storm this

year. debuting at number one on "the new york times" best-seller list and taking home tons of top literary honors. here's a special message now from the author brit bennett. >> growing up i was pretty nerdy. i loved reading, i loved writing. i always loved books. i want to tell stories about black life and all of its diversity. i want to write stories that are about black joy and black love, i want to tell stories about the communities that i come from and the communities that i'm part of and to think about how those communities change and grow throughout time. >> huge congratulations to brit. what an achievement. whit, you say you read that? >> one of my favorite books of the year. just really unique storytelling addressing big issues, great. >> incredible. you can read more about the award and brit on our website, goodmorningamerica.com. and as always be sure to read along with us on instagram @gmabookclub. coming up, laverne cox joins us live. ♪

♪ ♪ digital transformation has failed to take off.

because it hasn't removed the endless mundane work we all hate. ♪ ♪ automation can solve that by taking on repetitive tasks for us. unleash your potential. uipath. reboot work. back now with a very talented emmy and s.a.g. award winning actress, laverne cox is starring in the new film "promising young woman" joining us live.

laverne, good morning. thank you so much for being with us. >> good morning, america. >> all right. so, laverne, first off this has been a tough year but you say that it's actually helped with a spiritual breakthrough. what do you mean by that? >> thank you for that question. yeah, it's been one of the most difficult years of my life. it's been really messy but early on i understood that this is also an opportunity to engage with ourselves spiritually. i'm alone with my thoughts a lot, and i realized really this year that i have a lot of negative self-talk started creeping in. a lot of old shame tapes sort of creeping in and had to get clear about what i say to myself because i'm spending most of my time with myself and that's an opportunity to really engage with having a better relationship with myself and it has been messy. it's been painful. but it's been really incredible and it's really been a great opportunity for spiritual growth. >> that's an important message i

think a lot of people can connect to. you also took to social media recently talking about an attack, a transphobic attack that you and a friend of yours experienced, a very personal story you shared with the public. why do you think it was important to do that, to go public with this to help others? >> it was traumatizing and deeply triggering, and it was important for me that even though i'm laverne cox, if you are a trans person in public, your life and safety could be in danger. the safety of people around you could be in danger because you're trans in public. this is the deadliest year on record. more trans people have been murdered this year than any other year we have taken a statistic. even during the global pandemic, our lives are in danger, and it

doesn't matter who you are. this is an opportunity for everyone to question their relationships to gender and releasing people's gender in public. people stop social distancing just because you happen to be trans. >> i'm really sorry that happened to you. what about what else you have coming up? >> this is about a girl wand pretends she's drunk, and, you know, nice guys come to her rescue, and these guys think she's blackout drunk, and they try to make sexual advances twart towards her, and she says she's not drunk, and they have to confront this. it's a really intense script,

and the film is about, you know, what we do to young women, and how we treat young men since it's about consent, and it manages to be really dark and really funny. the sound track is incredible. you're going to love the sound track. there's a scene from a possible icon in one of their songs in the film, ends in instant classic. it's so important for these times. it's an opportunity to have a deeper conversation about consent in this post-me too era, and it airs christmas day. >> just like everything, pretty much everything you've said during the course of thi

♪ the snow's coming down "good morning america" is sponsored by allstate. you've never been in better hands. click or call for a quote today. >> thank you so much for joining us on this hump day. have a great wednesday. ♪

♪ it's live with kelly and ryan. today, the one and only jimmy kimmel. plus actor and comedian kal penn. also, we've got tips to save you money at the supermarket. and we'll meet the mosley's and their three adorable kids from pennsylvania, all next on live. and now, here are kelly ripa and ryan seacrest. good morning. thank you. we've made it to the middle of the week, wednesday, december 23rd. we're really excited about somebody's birthday, which is tomorrow. but i celebrate birthday eve as well as birthday. -do you? -yes. because you know how i feel about the 23rd. -to me the 23rd... -is the most exciting? is the most exciting.