good morning, america. officials sounding the alarm on the new omicron variant first detected in south africa. >> this variant has a large number of mutations, and some of these mutations have some worrying characteristics. >> why health experts are so concerned. president biden's new travel restrictions for eight countries and the state of emergency in new york ahead of potential spikes. global concerns. countries around the world taking action to try to stem the spread. testing positive for covid on two flights from south africa to the netherlands. what we know this morning. mall shootings. black friday shoppers wounded by gunfire in washington and north carolina as more stores in california are hit by brazen smash and grabs. what thieves got away with.

shopping frenzy. the rush to snap up holiday bargains as mom and pop stores hope for a boon on small business saturday. the head of the small business administration joins us live. return trip. millions of americans heading home from thanksgiving, the projected busiest travel day since the pandemic. just ahead, the best and worst times to hit the highway and advice at the airport. plus, could weather impact your trip? ♪ tonight, tonight ♪ and remembering stephen sondheim. the musical master passing away at 91. a look at his 60-year career with hit after hit. ♪ everything free in america ♪ ♪ for a small fee in america ♪ >> his reflections on "west side story" just two weeks ago. good morning, america. so great to have you with us on a saturday.

eva is on maternity leave but we are very excited to have will reeve back at the desk once again and for the first time anchoring weekend "gma," our congressional correspondent rachel scott is here. usually chasing politicians, now you have to deal with us. >> lucky me. lucky me. >> i'm okay, but you're the best. so glad to be with you. >> go easy on me, guys. >> we'll do our best. we promise. we'll have a lot of fun. we have a busy morning here. so let's get right to the news, and we start with that covid variant raising concerns around the world. >> the so-called omicron variant first identified in south africa is leading multiple countries, including the u.s., to impose new travel restrictions. the variant has many mutations that health officials are working to investigate, but it is still not known if it is more transmissible or causes more severe illness. wall street taking a hit on the news, the dow plunging more than 900 points, this as new covid-19 cases and hospitalizations in the u.s. are both up about 10% in the last week. abc's elwyn lopez is at cdc headquarters in atlanta with the latest.

elwyn, good morning. >> reporter: hey, rachel, good morning. and those cases are on the rise again, and now a new variant is sparking an upcoming ban on travelers from parts of africa. this morning, a new coronavirus variant triggering the shutdown of travel to the u.s. from south africa and seven other countries starting monday. >> i decided that we're going to be cautious, make sure there's no travel to and from south africa and six other countries in that region and -- except for american citizens who are able to come back. >> reporter: the world health organization now classifying omicron as a variant of concern, saying it has a large number of mutations, some of which are concerning. preliminary evidence suggesting an increased risk of reinfection. this as people gather for the thanksgiving holiday. the u.s. already seeing a surge in covid-19 cases, up by nearly 47% since late october.

and ahead of potential spikes, new york declaring a state of emergency, the governor there saying in a statement, while the new omicron variant has yet to be detected in new york state, it is coming. michigan and minnesota, the states with the highest infection rates, now calling on the national guard for help. >> the new covid surge is way worse than it was before. >> reporter: new hampshire experiencing a record-breaking surge of infections where hospitalizations have nearly doubled in just weeks and now less than 7% of icu beds are available. >> everybody who is here working are so tired and, frankly, very broken individuals, and we don't have a lot left to give. so i would ask anybody when making a choice not to be vaccinated, please consider the impact your choice is having on other people.

>> reporter: and merck now saying clinical trials show its covid-19 pill reduces death and hospitalization by 30%. that's less than what was earlier estimated at 50% but if authorized, it would be the first at-home treatment for patients to lessen symptoms here in the u.s. whit? >> there's also that pfizer pill they'll look at later on. elwyn, thank you so much. meantime, the u.s. isn't the only country restricting travel because of the omicron variant. abc's julia macfarlane is in london with more on the global reaction. julia, good morning. >> reporter: whit, good morning. look, while there is still much unknown about the variant's impact on vaccines, transmissibility and other factors, countries such as canada, the u.s., the uk, israel, japan and many more are now restricting or halting travel to south africa. this variant was first reported to the w.h.o. from south africa on november 24th where the first known confirmed omicron infection was from a specimen collected on november 9th. and now the number of cases of this variant appear to be increasing in almost all

provinces in south africa. the european commission president has issued a recommendation for the 27 nations in the eu to suspend travel with countries affected in southern africa. countries such as italy and germany have now signaled their own restrictions on international travel from the region ahead of that recommendation from the eu. meanwhile, in the u.s. the cdc say they are working with other u.s. and global public health and industry partners to learn more about this new variant and, guys, we should acknowledge we only know about this new variant because the south africans have invested heavily in genome sequencing. whit? >> still a lot of questions. we'll dig into this more. julia macfarlane, thank you. joining us is dr. ashish jha, the dean of the brown university school of public health. dr. jha, thanks for joining us. it's great to have you. what makes this omicron stand out compared to others and how concerned are you? >> good morning, whit. thanks for having me back. yeah, we do see new variants pop up every month or two and most

of them don't turn out to be that important. this one is different for two reasons. one is we've seen it take off in prevalence across multiple countries but particularly south africa in very, very short order. we have not seen that happen before meaning it probably is a lot more contagious. we don't know for sure. the second is the mutations in the spike protein where our antibodies work making a lot of us concerned that our vaccines may be less effective against this variant. >> you mentioned the vaccines. what about some of the treatments? we know monoclonal antibodies and also these pills we've been talking about from merck and pfizer coming out later. could a new variant perhaps create problems for those? >> yeah, i think the pills will hold up fine because the mechanism by which the pills work should not be affected by the variant. you know, the monoclonal antibodies, they target parts of the virus that we're seeing mutations. we just don't know to what extent those antibodies will continue to be effective.

we'll have to testa out in the days and weeks ahead. >> the u.s. and other countries are imposing travel restrictions from some african nations. is that a necessary step to keep this variant in check? >> you know, my sense is this variant is already out. i mean, we've seen cases of it in asia, in belgium. the person in belgium probably got it from traveling to egypt. so the point here is this is probably already global. it is possible that the travel restrictions will help slow things down a little bit, but it will not have a large effect. we should expect that this variant will come to the united states and will become truly global soon. >> and i was going to ask you about that. you do expect it's going to come here, but what about our abilities to monitor and track it? is it good enough to be able to handle a variant like this? >> it is good enough. we have phenomenal technology. we have more than enough capability. we haven't really been using it. one of the reasons south africa identified it is not necessarily because it started there but they do great genomic surveillance. we can ramp up ours.

we have the technology to do it and i hope we do so we can track this variant as it comes and spreads across the u.s. >> another important question, a covid vaccine easy to get now in the u.s. but not in many other countries around the world as we've seen. will new concerning variants just keep popping up and threatening us and our way of life if our government doesn't do more to expand vaccine access around the globe? >> there's no doubt about it. this pandemic doesn't end. we're going to see more variants as long as there are large numbers of people unvaccinated, both in the u.s. and globally. the government is trying to do a lot to get americans vaccinated but we have to get them out to the african continent, especially where the vaccine has been hard to get. i think we could be doing more and we should be. >> dr. jha, thank you for your time. we always appreciate it. >> will, over to you. >> whit, important context. now to the brazen thieves striking during the height of holiday shopping. authorities in los angeles taking new action following more smash-and-grab robberies overnight.

abc's deidre bolton has more. had >> reporter: more robberies overnight in southern california. police saying a group of thieves charged into a luxury store using pepper spray grabbing luxury goods. another group emptying the shelves of tools at a home depot, the latest in a string of similar thefts during the black friday rush leaving the los angeles police department to order a tactical alert. >> we frequently find that there is some organization to this. there is usually some degree of sophistication and planning. >> reporter: over the past few days in the area, a group of five suspects attacking a guard at a nordstrom, stealing expensive items. >> there was a mob of people. the police were flying in. it was a scene out of the movie. it was insane. >> reporter: at least five smash and grabs this week in the bay area. two suspects were taken into custody after trying to rob a macy's. nine more facing federal charges for a robbery at a louis vuitton store. earlier this week police near chicago say 14 thieves stormed another louis vuitton in broad daylight. as shoppers scatter, masked looters emptying shelves making

off with $120,000 worth of merchandise in mere seconds. dozens of suspects still on the run, and the lapd announcing a special task force to look into those robberies. will? >> deidre, thank you so much. still on the run. thank you. black friday shoppers who were in stores were on a mission this year. they're still crunching the numbers, but adobe digital says retailers took in $9.5 billion yesterday and a new record of more than $200 billion for the holiday season is within reach., welook at e poance of small business saturday. >> looking forward to that. now to the holiday travel rush. sunday is expected to be the busiest travel day of the year with millions of americans taking to the roads and the skies for the big return home. abc's reena roy joins us live from laguardia airport. reena, pack some patience, right? >> reporter: hey, rachel, good morning to you. yeah, that's absolutely right. the journey back home has

already begun for millions so today will, of course, be busy but tomorrow it is expected to be even worse. take a look at these numbers, 2.4 million people expected to fly on sunday. beating the more than 2.3 million on wednesday. now, that is the most airline passengers in one day since the pandemic began. if you are looking to avoid the crowds and take off hopefully on time, experts suggest hopping on an early morning flight if possible. also a good reminder, getting to the airport at least two hours early to give yourself enough time to get through security. now, looking at the roads, if you are driving you'll probably hit some traffic with more than 48 million people behind the wheel this holiday week. today and tomorrow between around 1:00 and 7:00 p.m., just about anywhere will be pretty congested. but the best time to get on the road this weekend will be before 12 noon to avoid the worst traffic. whit? >> we've heard it before but that planning ahead does actually pay off. reena roy, thank you. we turn to a child custody

dispute that turned into a deadly shooting. it was all caught on camera. we warn you the video is disturbing. and abc's zohreen shah has the story for us. zohreen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, whit. a custody battle turned into an explosive fight that left one man dead. now, the big question haunting this small town, was this self-defense or murder? >> leave. [ bleep ]. >> call 911. >> where's my son? >> reporter: this morning the wife of a man shot dead during a child custody dispute in texas speaking out exclusively to "gma." >> he would do anything for time with his kids. >> reporter: according to jennifer read, the deadly shooting happening when chad read tries to pick up his 9-year-old son from his ex-wife christina. her new parter kyle carruth shooting read after a tense argument. jennifer captured this video from her car showing chad arguing with his ex. >> you keep trying to keep my son from me. >> reporter: carruth joins the exchange bringing out a gun.

>> 911, call 911. >> reporter: carruth shoots at chad's feet, then chad appears to reach towards the gun. that's when carruth shoots two fatal bullets. did you ever think this could happen? >> no, i thought it was like a stun gun or a taser gun or something. like who is going to bring out -- they're having a discussion about a custody thing. >> reporter: carruth's attorney writing in part, all texans may lawfully brandish a firearm to protect themselves. though read came unarmed, he announced his intent to kill kyle carruth with kyle's own gun and took immediate powerful action to do so, which was unsuccessful. jen's lawyer matthew harris making the case that self-defense does not apply. >> whenever mr. carruth brought that firearm out, he is the one that escalated and provoked the situation. >> reporter: experts say carruth's actions dramatically alter the dispute. >> when he fired the initial shot at their feet, that could be seen as some form of

aggravated assault, so we'll have to get more details as the story unfolds. >> reporter: according to abc's local station, the district attorney recused their office. the ludlow police department turning the case over to the texas attorney general. tat decision partly why jennifer released the video nearly three weeks later. >> i feel like chad deserves justice. every morning i wake up without him, and every night i go to bed without him, and that didn't have to happen. >> reporter: jennifer is also fighting to get custody of her husband's kids. she's frustrated because she says the man who was partly caring for them right now also just killed their dad. so far no charges have been filed in this case. rachel? >> still so many questions, thank you, zohreen. time now for the weather. rob marciano is here. rob, it's starting to get a little chilly. >> that's not the way we scripted it in the make-up room. rachel, you have to say this is everyone's favorite time of the show.

>> it is, it is a favorite time of the show. >> i told her she doesn't have to listen to you. >> she is a true journalist. she is a d.c. bully, and i don't expect her to listen to anything i say. check out this snow. look, thanksgiving is over. time now to get into the holiday spirit and they're getting into during the lake-effect areas. this is near erie and some accidents there along the interstate. in plymouth, new hampshire, snow there and the ski resorts starting to crank up. loone open for business there. ten inches of snow in some spots. look at this. this is cool on the great lakes in wisconsin, some pancake ice, a little wave action, some bubblers to cause this sort of cool-looking ice to form on some of the lakes. you got all that cold air driving down to the deep south. look at this. windchills in the teens, 20s. below freezing as far south as jackson, mississippi and montgomery, alabama. frost and freeze advisories and several fronts and little alberta clippers will reinforce the cold air that will be coming through for the next several days. here's one that will pop through tonight and lake-effect snows will be increasing tomorrow and chilly temperatures really will hold on tight at least for a week. that's a check of what's

lisa: 60's for richmond. the accuweather 7-day forecast pattern continues it is cold in the east for a lot of the college football games here but a historic rivalry is heating up. the college football playoff race, the ohio state university heads to the big house at the university of michigan. "college gameday" will be the t for all the action. espn football analyst and heisman trophy winner and wolverine himself desmond howard joins us live from ann arbor. desmond, you're finally in some

friendly territory there. how does it feel to be at your alma mater? >> it feels like home. it feels great to be back here amongst all these friendly faces, my fellow wolverines. very excited about this match-up between the buckeyes and the wolverines. it feels good. even though it's a little frigid out here, i don't have a coat on because of the warm reception i got when i came on the stage. >> that cold doesn't bother you anyway. you're a disney compatriot like me. look, big rivalry weekend for so many schools across the country, but this year ohio state, michigan is huge. break down what is at stake in this game, desmond. >> well, it's a big game, like you said. you have twos team, both are 10-1 and it seems like the big ten east is at stake right now. you know, whichever team wins will represent the east in the big ten championship game and when you look at the bigger picture, you have ohio state is ranked number two in the country right now. michigan is ranked number five

in the country right now. either team if they win out, they control their destiny as far as getting to the college football playoff. so there's a lot at stake in today's game. >> and on the coaching aspect, harbaugh could use a big win against ohio state for sure. another big game on abc tonight, prime time, oklahoma at oklahoma state, cowboys/sooners, two top ten teams. what will decide this one? >> yeah, wow. that's a really good question. you look at the cowboys' defense and which is kind of odd because, you know, you look at oklahoma state, they've been known for their offense, but this year they've been doing it predominantly with their defense. and the sooners, okay, lincoln riley, you bring spencer rattler is back, he's the heisman front-runner when the season begins but then he gets benched for caleb williams. caleb williams doesn't play well against baylor, and it's like a quarterback carousel going on. to me it will depend on the cowboys' defense, how they're able to affect the sooners' offense no matter who is at the

quarterback position. that's been their recipe for success so far, their defense. keep an eye on the cowboys' defense. oklahoma state, the pokeys, they're one of the best in the country. i'm talking about they're up there with wisconsin and georgia. >> a lot of these rivalries have nicknames. they call it bedlam. is that what they call that game? oklahoma/oklahoma state. >> oh, yeah, that's bedlam. and it's a game that we've kept our eye on throughout the season. i mean as you watch both teams they start to gain momentum and are starting to play better. you say, okay, bedlam will be bananas. i think that could potentially be one of the best games this weekend. >> looking forward to that. it looks like it's going to be bananas in ann arbor as well. enjoy the game, desmond. see you on espn "gameday" 9:00 a.m. eastern. all the college football games following that. i know it's a big football weekend for you. >> rachel wanted to add a little analysis. >> i understood everything. >> you are wearing maize, >> on purpose.gan's color, so -- >> when jousting with

politicians, she's more like a ufc fan than football. >> right. we have a lot to get to coming up this morning. it's small business saturday. why shopping local is so important. the head of the small business administration joins us live. plus, learning about the life of ahmaud arbery. friends and family describe the man they knew before his fatal shooting. and honoring broadway legend stephen sondheim. the legacy of musical theater he leaves behind. we'll be right back. "good morning america" "good morning america" is sponsored by hess toy truck.

with age comes more... get more with neutrogena® retinol pro plus. a powerful .05% retinol that's also gentle on skin. for wrinkles results in one week. neutrogena®. for people with skin. expecting someone else? for wrinkles results in one week. it's the all-idays, and no matter how you jingle, we've got your jammies. nice, nice. it's the naughty ones who make history. get 50% off your online purchase now - only at oldnavy.com hi susan! honey? yeah? i respect that. but that cough looks pretty bad... try this robitussin honey. the real honey you love... plus the powerful cough relief you need. mind if i root through your trash? now get powerful relief with robitussin elderberry. this black friday, do you want a tv? or do you want.

the place on the tv? ♪ best of my love by black pumas feat. sofia reyes ♪ at target, shopping has never been easier — or do you want. use same day delivery, free order pickup, or free drive up, — and leave with your holidays in the bag. order today, get it today at target. [end music] is struggling to manage your type 2 diabetes knocking you out of your zone? lowering your a1c with once-weekly ozempic® can help you get back in it. oh, oh, oh, ozempic®! my zone... lowering my a1c, cv risk, and losing some weight... now, back to the game! ozempic® is proven to lower a1c. most people who took ozempic® reached an a1c

under 7 and maintained it. and you may lose weight. adults lost on average up to 12 pounds. in adults also with known heart disease, ozempic® lowers the risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death. ozempic® helped me get back in my type 2 diabetes zone. ozempic® isn't for people with type 1 diabetes. don't share needles or pens, or reuse needles. don't take ozempic® if you or your family ever had medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2, or if allergic to it. stop ozempic® and get medical help right away if you get a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, or an allergic reaction. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. tell your provider about vision problems or changes. taking ozempic® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase low blood sugar risk. side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea may lead to dehydration, which may worsen kidney problems. looking to get back in your type 2 diabetes zone? ask your health care provider today about once-weekly ozempic®. oh, oh, oh, ozempic®!

you may pay as little as $25 for a 3-month prescription. i didn't order a pizza. i know, but that “parker promo” saved me so much on my insurance, i brought you a little something special. parker, state farm offers everyone surprisingly great rates. you're the man, man. when you want the real deal...like a good neighbor, state farm is there. walmart's deals for days isn't over yet. this cyber monday is your last chance to score big online starting sunday night. don't miss out on walmart's deals for days. ♪ ♪ >> announcer: t-minus 12 days and counting, michael strahan, liftoff, rocket to space. see it live thursday, december 9th starting on abc's "good morning america." are you ready for this, michael?

♪ ♪ when the chapstick goes on. it's on. get yours on at chapstick.com really really moving forward this-- >> good morning everybody. at to be bovard after exiting their eyes go football game in campo -- in campbell. san jose police found a man in the parking lot with

non-life-threatening injuries. another man was they could about the. both are expected to survive. police say there are no suspects at this time. let's get a check of the weather. >> good morning to you. a beautiful view of emeryville. the temperatures are mainly in the 40's. a few 50's downtown. pierre 59 looking kind of quiet. we will see highs today in the upper 60's to near 70. a repeat performance for sunday. >>

♪ i like to be in america ♪ ♪ okay by me in america ♪ ♪ everything free in america ♪ welcome back to "gma" on this saturday morning. this morning we are celebrating one of the most important figures in 20th century american musical theater, composer and songwriter, stephen sondheim. coming up here on "gma," we'll have much more on the tributes pouring in for the man behind some of broadway's most memorable musicals, a visionary and icon. and, will, you were pointing out his impact just right outside our window right here in times square. yeah, he is the reason why much of what we have in new york -- the heartbeat of the arts culture is due to him in large part. he's incomparable. >> big mentor to lin-manuel miranda, little show, "hamilton." >> exactly. yep.

we'll have much more on the tributes that are coming in later on in the broadcast. first we turn to some of the other big stories we're following and happening right now, lockdown at a mall in tacoma, washington, on black friday after shots were fired near the food court. police say at least one person was injured following an argument that allegedly led to the shooting. witnesses say they heard more than a dozen shots being fired. police are still searching for the gunman. also right now, three people including a 10-year-old child caught in the cross fire in another mall shooting. this one in durham, north carolina. police say it was not a random shooting but a dispute between two groups who knew each other. three other people were injured in the chaos and one person is in custody. and now that you paid extra for that turkey, well, get ready to shell out even more cash for your christmas tree. that's if you can actually find one, of course. the american christmas tree association saying there is a shortage of real trees after last summer's fires in the northwest and artificial trees are also hard to come by because of the widespread shipping

delays. >> i need to get mine today. >> yeah, i'm getting it this weekend. >> yeah. i get one that's like this big because i live in a small apartment. we begin this half hour with small businesses hoping for a merry and bright holiday shopping season as they kick off small business saturday. that is today, and abc's deidre bolton is here with more. hi, deidre. >> reporter: good morning. well, according to american express, nine in ten consumers believe small businesses are essential to their community. more than 80% of consumers say they plan to shop small this holiday season. from retail to restaurants to activity centers, these are some of the businesses that likely make up part of your community. >> i could still go down the block to a store that's owned from a jamaican family from when i was 4. >> reporter: this year business owners say it's more important than ever to support them. >> it can be difficult in these times for small business owners. >> reporter: between managing supply chain issues and competing for workers, small businesses are also trying to make up for lost revenue from

last year when many had covid driven closures. >> delays, the amount of times that things get held and how long it takes for stuff to get shipped, that's really affected me. i've had orders get thrown back six months because production couldn't be done. even worse, the price of shipping goods has increased tremendously, maybe like three times. >> reporter: kirsten owns two local shops in brookings, south dakota. she said she's been able to manage inventory so far but has another specific worry. >> this year i feel like i'm actually a little bit more nervous because there has been so many warnings about people shopping early. i'm nervous that they turned to online shopping or big box retailers and aren't considering the smaller businesses like us. >> reporter: to be sure, american express estimates that spending locally keeps an average of 67 cents on the dollar in that business' community. >> i feel like keeping the

dollar within the community, it kind of gives everybody a chance. >> reporter: one pro tip, we tend to think of shopping local as shopping in person, but you can also shop small online. sites like etsy and others feature lots of gear from small businesses. rachel. >> big day, and joining us now, isabel guzman, the head of the smallbusiness administration. welcome. and we know small businesses have been really hit hard by the pandemic. and what do you hope small now- business saturday and the rest of the holiday season will accomplish? >> well, we've seen that our small businesses have had to pivot and adapt during covid. there's still uncertainty ahead and so now more than ever it's important that we support them. they really drive local economies. they hire locally, and the money that we spend there stays in those local communities and so small business saturday is all about making sure that our beloved small businesses can stay afloat and we can make sure that they get a big percentage of the holidays this year, and i

know that so many of our small businesses need that extra push and support from all of us. they don't have the big ad buys that the larger businesses do, so small business saturday is about celebrating them and making sure that everybody remembers to shop small, dine small, entertain with local small venues so that we can drive our local economies. >> really the backbone of our country and time is running out for businesses to get that covid relief funding from the small business administration. are businesses that need that money leaving it on the table right now? what do they need to know? >> well, throughout the pandemic the federal government has been here to support our small businesses through the sba and there's still relief available through our disaster loan program. it's called covid idle economic injury disaster loan program and we have seen record numbers of small businesses coming in for those loans and for those who are eligible for the additional grants that come with that program. through the end of the year businesses can apply for loans up to $2 million. these are patient, long-term

loans for 30-year terms and 3.75% interest rate that allows them to defer payments for two years as well as make payments on debt they need to or use it for working capital or other expenses for their businesses. so we do hope that all those businesses who still have been hard hit by covid and need to recover are able to access these funds and contact us at sba.gov to get those dollars in to support their businesses throughout this time of covid. >> so many are still looking for those resources. what kind of help can be expected down the road? we know the new infrastructure law is now in place. build back better has passed the house, still awaiting to get through the senate. what can people expect? >> well, the bipartisan infrastructure deal will just be a record investment that will help small businesses because they depend on our transportation infrastructure to get their customers to ship their goods to customers, as well as they depend on broadband, digital main streets

nowadays, so the investment in broadband will really drive businesses forward. there are more micro enterprises in businesses that have broadband so there's great excitement with those investments and the build back better agenda specifically of past also will make great investments in the sba so that we can expand our lending opportunities for businesses, as well as increase that training and incubation and acceleration that our businesses need to make sure they have better successful outcomes. so we're really excited by those investments as well as those investments through build back better in our workforce. small businesses employ nearly half the private workforce. they create two-thirds of net new jobs and so having a skilled workforce that's ready and able to work will be really critical and so this bill, of course, would include investments in health care and child care that will help our small business workforce as well and benefit them in the long run. >> thank you so much.

isabel guzman for joining us. now it's time for the weather. rob marciano back. >> see, that's the excitement i'm looking for. thank you, rachel. good morning again, everybody. let's go to the west coast. we dealt with the eastern half of the country in the last half hour and we still have fire issues in the west. this is san clemente south of l.a. quick brush fire and businesses around here but were able to get a handle on it, and this is outside san diego on thursday night, also a small fire there about 18 acres, they got a handle on that thankfully. elevated fire danger, a little bit in southern california. more so in some of the interior mountains. winds gusting across parts of the northern rockies to 20 to 30 to 50 miles an hour. look at these warm temperatures. 70s in so-cal. upper 50s in the mile high city. it's 10 to 20 degrees above average. lisa: good morning to you. welcome to the weekend. we have plenty of sunshine for you today, tomorrow, with temperatures above average, so enjoy 60's at our

this weather report has been sponsored by lindt chocolate. because, rachel, you're so nice, i'm not going to mention your boyfriend is out in the cold. does he know it's a two-hour show? >> these guys don't know how to keep any secrets. i'm learning my lesson ahead of tomorrow. >> i didn't say a word. >> her boyfriend in case you missed it is outside standing in times square because he couldn't be let into the building for various covid reasons, but that is a good boyfriend. >> yes. >> okay. uh-huh. >> he's got a warm hat and a warm cup of coffee. hey, bud. all right. >> you two have a nice one. >> rachel is thoroughly embarrassed. coming up here we do have a lot to get to on "good morning america." looking closer at just who ahmaud arbery was following the conviction of three white men for his murder. and remembering stephen sondheim and his impact on broadway and musical theater. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

this year take the time to melt into your holiday moments with lindor. ♪ ♪ irresistibly smooth chocolate. from the lindt master chocolatier. ow bizarre by omc ♪ no annual fee on any discover card. irresistibly smooth chocolate.

on the outside, i looked fine. i got really good at masking my depression. but inside was a different story. even though i'd been on an antidepressant for months, i was still feeling depressed. is there anything more i can do? yes, adding rexulti may help. when taken with an antidepressant, rexulti was proven to reduce depression symptoms an extra 62% compared to the antidepressant alone. so you can stay on your current treatment and help build on your progress. rexulti can cause serious side effects. elderly dementia patients have increased risk of death or stroke. antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts and worsen depression in those under 25. call your doctor about fever, stiff muscles,

and confusion, which could be life-threatening, or uncontrollable muscle movements, which may be permanent. increased cholesterol; weight gain; high blood sugar; decreased white blood cells; unusual urges; dizziness on standing; seizures; trouble swallowing may occur. when depression sets you back, keep moving forward. talk to your doctor about adding rexulti to your antidepressant.

my retirement plan with voya keeps me moving forward. talk to your doctor about adding rexulti they guide me with achievable steps that give me confidence. this is my granddaughter...she's cute like her grandpa. voya doesn't just help me get to retirement... ...they're with me all the way through it. voya. be confident to and through retirement. welcome back to "gma" and welcome back to "gma" and the story that made headlines for the past year and a half, the shooting of ahmaud arbery. three white men convicted days ago of murder are now facing life sentences. a "20/20" special, "nowhere to run: the ahmaud arbery story,"

takes an in-depth look at the case, including just who ahmaud arbery was. >> ahmaud was the baby. i had ahmaud on mother's day. i knew ahmaud would be the last one, so i cherished ahmaud. >> and he was your mother's day gift. >> yes, we shared a very special bond. ahmaud was the kid that would come in and give me a kiss on the cheek or just come in and give me a hug around the neck. >> ain't a day passed by he didn't tell you that he loved you. he didn't just tell you that. he showed that. >> he's a funny guy, always wanting to keep people laughing. we all be joked out and he be right in the center of it making you laugh. >> right or wrong, if you were his family, he would stick beside you. he was a great kid. >> he's very comical. loved to smile. he normally lightened the load with his humor. >> when he knew i was having a bad day, he would come in and say something that he thought was funny to get me to smile. his goal was to make me happy, and he did that. >> was he sort of the man of the house in some ways? >> he was. ahmaud helped me in so many

ways, not as far as financially but emotionally as well. ahmaud didn't realize how much i was actually depending on him at that point. >> i met him at my first job. it was at mcdonald's. we literally just clicked. he played sports. i played sports. he'd come to my house. we're working out together, we're eating together. we're looking at movies together. my friends could not catch me at that point. they knew when i was with ahmaud there was just no way i was going anywhere. >> "nowhere to run: the ahmaud arbery story" is streaming now on hulu. coming up here on "good morning america," stephen sondheim's hits through the decades as we remember his huge contributions to musical theater. stay with us. ♪ clear the deck ♪ i'm still drawn to what's next. even with higher stroke risk due to afib not caused by a heart valve problem. so if there's a better treatment than warfarin that's a trail i want to take. eliquis. eliquis reduces stroke risk better than warfarin.

and has less major bleeding than warfarin. eliquis has both. don't stop taking eliquis without talking to your doctor as this may increase your risk of stroke. eliquis can cause serious and in rare cases fatal bleeding. don't take eliquis if you have an artificial heart valve or abnormal bleeding. while taking, you may bruise more easily or take longer for bleeding to stop. get help right away for unexpected bleeding, or unusual bruising. it may increase your bleeding risk if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all planned medical or dental procedures. the number one cardiologist-prescribed blood thinner. ask your doctor about eliquis. expecting someone else? cardiologist-prescribed it's the all-idays, and no matter how you jingle, we've got your jammies. nice, nice. it's the naughty ones who make history. get 50% off your online purchase now - only at oldnavy.com lactaid is 100% real milk, just without the lactose. so you can enjoy it even if you're sensitive to dairy. so anyone who says lactaid isn't real milk is also saying mabel here isn't a real cow. and she really hates that.

it's the ultimate sleep number event on the sleep number 360 smart bed. it senses your movements and automatically adjusts to relieve pressure points. mabel here isn't a real cow. and its temperature balancing so you both sleep just right. save 50% on the new sleep number 360 limited edition smart bed. plus 0% interest for 60 months.. ends cyber monday. why is la roche-posay recommended by over 90,000 dermatologists worldwide? because we bring you effective skincare that makes a difference. like la roche-posay double repair face moisturizer with dermatologist-recommended ingredients, including ceramide and niacinamide. double action helps repair skin's protective barrier after one hour and provide 48 hour hydration. so, no matter your skin type, even sensitive, you can have healthy-looking skin with la roche posay double repair face moisturizer.

♪ honey, everything ♪ back here on "gma," we remember a titan of musical theater who made such an impact on broadway, he has a theater named after him, stephen sondheim. the creative force behind some of broadway's most indelible hits died yesterday at 91. abc's chris connelly has more. >> i'd like to propose a toast. >> reporter: in broadway shows and feature films from the 1950s onward, they were playful and precise, vessels of deep thought and powerful feelings. >> art leads surprise otherwise it doesn't hold an audience's attention. theater needs surprise. >> reporter: for decades the songs of the great stephen sondheim. his music and lyrics enthralled and moved millions of theater and moviegoers as his mastery transformed the american musical into more than mere entertainment. from the melancholy of "send in the clowns" from "a little night music." ♪ send in the clowns ♪

>> reporter: to the intricacies of "into the woods." ♪ my champion, my favorite ♪ >> reporter: the force of his creative brilliance led the musical to become an art form that could express ideas and emotions at the highest level. ♪ clear the decks ♪ ♪ clear the tracks ♪ ♪ next door comes in company ♪ >> reporter: "fear of commitment" and "company," art and creativity itself in "sunday in the park with george." wanton brutality in "sweeney todd." ♪ anyone at all ♪ >> reporter: madonna helped earn sondheim an oscar performing his "sooner or later" from "dick tracy" at the 1991 academy awards. ♪ always get my man ♪ >> reporter: his other accolades include tony awards, the pulitzer prize and in 2015, the presidential medal of freedom. 60 years ago with such timeless songs as "tonight."

♪ tonight, tonight ♪ >> reporter: sondheim's words set to leonard bernstein's music made "west side story" a cultural phenomenon. ♪ everything free in america ♪ ♪ for a small fee in america ♪ >> reporter: as director steven spielberg's reimagining nears its release next month. sondheim looked back two weeks ago to abc news. >> what am i most proud of? i'm just most proud, i guess, to be connected with it. it was my first -- it was my virgin experience. you know, i was 25 years old, and it had its own character. what i was proud of is being connected with it and i still am. >> reporter: stephen sondheim died at the age of 91. his body of work and the man himself revered by multiple generations of performers and audience members alike. ever grateful for his generosity and his genius. for "good morning america," chris connelly, abc news. >> chris, thank you. a life well lived and well remembered by chris. >> absolutely.

from the time that he was a teenager he was composing music. i mean, what a life. what a career. everything from tony awards to a pulitzer prize. >> and some tributes pouring in. bernadette peters comparing him to shakespeare. andrew lloyd webber saying his contribution to theater will never be equaled. idina menzel writing, we will try to spend the rest of our lives making you proud. we'll be right back. ♪ rich, indulgent chocolate with a luscious caramel filling. with love from san francisco. ghirardelli caramel squares. makes life a bite better. ♪ best of my love by black pumas feat. sofia reyes ♪ shop new black friday deals at target. save on select toys, boots for the family,

tvs and more. now through saturday at target. [ end music ] this black friday, do you want a tv? or do you want. the place on the tv? oh, just one. jake from state farm, that "maya markdown” or do you want. saved me so much on my insurance. maya, everyone gets surprisingly great rates with state farm. how can i ever repay you? when you want the real deal, like a good neighbor, state farm is there. walmart's deals for days isn't over yet. this cyber monday is your last chance to score big online starting sunday night.

don't miss out on walmart's deals for days. ♪ ♪ my plaque psoriasis... ...the itching... deals for days. the burning. the stinging. my skin was no longer mine. my psoriatic arthritis, made my joints stiff, swollen... painful. emerge tremfyant®. with tremfya®, adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis... ...can uncover clearer skin and improve symptoms at 16 weeks. tremfya® is the only medication of its kind also approved for adults with active psoriatic arthritis. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. emerge tremfyant® with tremfya®... ask you doctor about tremfya® today.

with voltaren arthritis pain gel. my husband's got his moves back. an alternative to pills, voltaren is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory gel for powerful arthritis pain relief. voltaren, the joy of movement. this holiday season, give $50 or more to charity, and receive $400 off stressless® mayfair recliners

and office chairs. $200 off any stressless recliner and office chair, and $200 off each stressless sofa seat. don't wait, it's time for stressless. shop stresslessfurniture.com today. morning relay liz:- liz: good morning everybody. the world tree hope is the largest origami holiday tree in the world. it stands over 23 feet tall and is decorated with 17,000 origami cranes and stars. each one is hand folded.

the tree will be lit on december 6. today is the return of a san francisco christmas classic. the two-story gingerbread house is back at the fairmont hotel. teams have been planning since july crafting up to 8000 ginger man bricks. the display is made up of 1000 pounds of powdered ship -- sugar . it took more than 500 hours to put it altogether. there will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning. it will be up throughout the entire holiday season. lisa: good morning. we are looking at a nice start to the weekend. a live look outside. you can see the visibility here. it looks good. theayt ofunshine. upper 40's to low 50's.

looking skyline, we will see temperatures in the upper 60's so well above average for everyone. notice upper elevation allowing for some mixing. liz: shots fired near a football field. it we will have the latest. a new covid-19 variant prompting u.s. officials a tra i'm 53, but in my mind i'm still 35. that's why i take oste bi-flex to keep me moving the way i was made to, it nourishes and strengthens my joints for the long term. osteo bi-flex, plus vitamin d

for immune support.

>> building a better bay area. liz: gunshots rang out just outside hospital championship game. ducking for cover as panic sets in. good morning. you are watching abc7 news. let's start with a quick look at the weather. lisa: good morning. it's a nice start to the weekend. plenty of -- temperatures when you look at the golden gate bridge. you get an idea that