right now on "america this morning," teens across the country rolling up their sleeves after 16 and 17-year-olds are approved for the booster. and the country warning of a $4,000 fine for vaccine holdouts. breaking news, a former nfl star is found dead in his home. the new details coming in from the scene overnight. the contaminated water crisis in hawaii, seemingly getting worse by the hour. video showing a home with fuel in its water. why one engineer calls the problem a ticking time bomb. plus, the state that's moving to ban gas-powered lawn mowers and leaf blowers. what a judge decided for

this woman, seen causing a crash at the tour de france. and the students coming together. surprising their teacher with an rly christmas on this december 10th. from abc news in new york, this is "america this morning." >> good friday morning, everyone. >> we begin with doctors now encouraging covid booster shots for younger people. >> the cdc has authorized the pfizer booster for 16 and 17-year-olds. this comes as pediatric cases have jumped 900% since the summer. austria's government will impose a $4,000 fine for people who evade the vaccine mandate. >> amtrak will reduce train service next month when a federal mandate takes effect, because 5% of the workers are still unvaccinated. here's the latest.

>> reporter: this morning, a new wave of americans, lining up to get their covid boosters after 16 and 17-year-olds were approved to get their shots. the cdc director giving the green light on thursday, as doctors find that children under 18 are playing a key role in driving up covid cases across the country. >> we're facing a variant that has the potential to require more immunity to be protected. > reporter: new studies show that pediatric cases have jumped nearly 900% since last summer. kids make up almost a quarter of all cases in the u.s. she now says the cdc is considering expanding the booster shots to coming kits in the coming months. we're getting our 5 to 11-year-olds vaccinated, we'll look at the 12 to 15-year-olds. >> reporter: as health officials work to expand vaccine eligibility, some americans are

refusing to get their shots. roughly 2/3 of parents are holding off on getting their younger kids vaccinated or refuse to do so. officials at amtrak say that train services will be cut to make up for staffcaed w refusin get shots. it comes as more than 65,000 patients are hospitalized in the u.s., pushing emergency rooms to their brink. >> our capacity was at 156%. >> reporter: in the southwest, hospitals in major cities like albuquerque and flagstaff say they are completely full. and pennsylvania doctors say they're also running out of beds. and in wisconsin, officials are coming for fema assistance. ann wen, abc news, washington. now to the major news involving your money. the labor department will release its latest report in inflation which is expected to rise 6.8% from a year earlier. the biggest gain in inflation sinc 1982. white house economic adviser

says the expected numbers are not an accurate reflection of where things stand now and wouldn't say if he thought it would last through 2022. >> i'm not going to get into the prediction business, other than to sashgs and i'll echo what i noted a @ beginning, most outside independent forecasters continue to see price increases moderating. >> they say since the data for the report was collected, gas prices have dropped and the supply chain bottlenecks are easing. a court has denied president trump's bid to shield his white house records from investigating the attack on the capitol. they said trump provided no base toys override joe biden's decision to waive executive privilege. jussie smollett faces years in prison after a jury convicted

him in a hate hoax crime. this morning, actor jussie smollett awaiting sentencing after a jury convicted him on five counts of felony disorderly conduct. the ex "empire" star facing up to 15 years, including charges for filing a false police report in connect to the fake 2019 hate crime. smollett was taken away from the courtroom minutes after the verdict. both the prosecutor and the defense speaking out after the decision. >> this case is seriously flawed from the initial reception. >> mr. smollett would not have lost this case as he did today unless the jury found that he lied to them. >> reporter: smollett told investigators he was walking home from this subway shop when two men attacked him. the pair yelling slurs and putting a noose around his neck. but authorities questioned his story when he declined to cooperate with the investigation. >> the fact that he came one a

ridiculous story to explain his misconduct did not apparently have an impact on the jury's verdict. >> reporter: the prosecution's star witnesses testified jussie smollett hired them to carry out the attack. smollett told the jury the attack was not a hoax, saying the brothers were trying to extort $2 million from them. he also testified that he and one of the brothers had sexual encounters. during cross-examination, he said the brothers never directly contacted him for the money. the jury found him guilty on five of the six charges. >> this is an inconsistent verdict. he was accused of doing one thing and charged multiple times for the same incident. a jury cannot come out and say guilty of lying, but not guilty of lying. >> smollett could seven up to three years in prison for a charge, but experts say due to the nature of the crime, it is much unlikely he will spend time behind bars.

another day in the testimony of a former police officer who shot and killed daunte wright. the jury saw a video of wright's car crashing after he was shot by officer kim foster who says she mistakingly drew her gun instead of the taser. >> i was just screaming his name, and was saying, please something, talk to me. i know he wanted to. i play that image in my head daily. >> the defense filed a motion for a mistrial, claiming the state introduced irrelevant evidence. breaking overnight, a horrific scene in southern mexico after a truck full of migrants crashed. more than 50 people were kid and over 100 injured. a survivor says most of the

people in the truck were from guatemala and honduras, trying to reach the u.s. breaking overnight, the passing of a former nfl star, demaryius thomas was found dead after suffering a medical issue. he played most of his ten-year career with the broncos catching passes from peyton manning. he was 33 years old. toxic water crisis is being called a ticking time bomb. oil leaking into drinking water has made residents sick. this morning, the water in this house is off-limits. >> it smells like i was pumping gas. >> reporter: at least 1500 families in honolulu, many military, started seeing fuel in their water about two weeks ago. >> a lot of us got sick at the same time, headaches, stomach pain. >> reporter: video shows the sheen taken overnight, watch as the oil dissipates as dish soap is add. according to the navy, the fuel

came from the fuel facility built during world war ii. and stores potentially millions of gallons of fuel. that leaky fuel facility sits only 100 feet over a major auk whicher if that supplies water to honolulu. >> we are on the precipice of a major disaster. we have seen the disaster happening, and it's a foreshadowing of something that could be worse. >> reporter: the water board's chief engineer says the best short-term solution is to remove the fuel from the leaking tank. >> they need to remove the fuel, remove it out of the connecting pipelines to reduce this tremendous risk that is sitting there like a time bomb ready to go off. >> and the navy says it's testing the water and offering bottled water to people impacted. in california, the sale of gas powered equipment like lawn mower also be banned in three years. the landscaping machines produce

pollutants. yesterday, regulators voted in favor of eliminating them by 2024. time now for a look at your friday weather. a coastal storm is bringing snow to the rockies, over two feet could call in some areas. the snow moves into the northern plains and upper midwest. the southern part of that system brings storms from texas to kentucky tonight. tornadoes and damaging winds are possible into tomorrow morning. the high temperature, above normal in the northeast. record highs today in the southern plains and along the gulf coast. a warm 63 in los angeles. coming up, a plane diverted overnight after police say a passenger assaulted a flight attendant and air marshal. the breaking details just coming in. travis scott talking about the astro world tragedy for the

first time. where he says he's not to blame for what happened. how large retailers want congress to step in to stop

we're back with breaking news. a flight from washington, d.c. to los angeles was diverted to oklahoma city after an unruly passenger assaulted multiple people mid-air. according to authorities, the suspect assaulted a delta flight attendant and an air marshal before he was taken into custody. police did not say what sparked the altercation. the fbi is now investigating. now to travis scott, speaking publicly about the deadly tragedy at his concert for the first time. the performer says he's not to blame for what happened. here's abc's matt gutman. >> reporter: superstar travis scott insisting he could not hear the desperate cries from

his fans, begging him to stop the show. >> did you hear those screams? >> nah, man. it's so crazy, because i'm an artist. any time you hear something like that, you want to stop the show and make sure fans get the proper attention they need. >> reporter: thousands that needed attention, people crushed in the surging crowd. trampled under piles of bodies. in a nearly hour-long interview about his performance last month at his festival in houston, scott denying his music and history of encouraging concertgoers to rage played a role. >> i feel like people understand my heart wasn't there to be thevilthe villa villain. >> reporter: he said he didn't know what had happened until after the show. he also spoke about the families of the ten people killed, the youngest just 9 years old. some of them rejecting his

offers to pay for funeral costs. >> at a time they've grieving and trying to find understanding. they want answers, and it's not about that. you know, i'm always going to be here. you know, to want to help them. >> reporter: according to the attorney, scott has not shown any remorse or a sense of responsibility. >> for 50 something minutes, he didn't even say sorry. every time he tries to shift blame and makes excuses, he just adds to the pain of these families who lost loved ones. >> reporter: matt gutman, abc news, los angeles. >> our thanks to matt. coming up, the ba reesas banning together and forming a union at starbucks. the woman who caused a big crash at the

no one can deliver your mom's homemade short ribs. that's why instacart helps deliver the ingredients. and you add the love. 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.

your dry skin story changes from one day to the next. 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. if you're an adult newly diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer that's spread eucerin — and tests positive for pd-l1 without an abnormal egfr or alk gene, your first option could be a chemo-free combo that works differently. opdivo plus yervoy equals a chance for more nights to remember. more days to savor. a chance to live longer. opdivo and yervoy can cause your immune system to harm healthy parts of your body during and after treatment. these problems can be severe and lead to death. see your doctor right away if you have a cough; chest pain; shortness of breath; irregular heartbeat; diarrhea; constipation; severe stomach pain, nausea or vomiting; dizziness; fainting; eye problems; extreme tiredness; changes in appetite, thirst or urine; rash; itching; confusion; memory problems; muscle pain or weakness; joint pain; flushing; or fever.

these are not all the possible side effects. problems can occur together and more often when opdivo is used with yervoy. tell your doctor about all medical conditions including immune or nervous system problems, if you've had or plan to have an organ or stem cell transplant, or received chest radiation. a chance to live longer. ask your doctor about a chemo-free combo, opdivo plus yervoy. a tornado that tore through middle tennessee this week flipped a school bus over with the driver sitting inside then just seconds later, that tornado slammed a nearby rv and tossed it on top of the bus. the driver crawled out through an emergency hatch saying he was happy to be alive. top retailers are calling on congress to take action in response to the recent rash of brazen robberies at stores across the country. a group of 20 ceos from companies like target, nordstrom and best buy sent a letter to the lawmakers asking them to pass legislation that would make it harder to sell stolen goods online. next to a big win for the labor movement.

workers at a new york starbucks voting to form a union. it's a first for the coffee retail giant since opening its doors back in 1971. abc's christine sloan has those details. [ crowd chanting ] >> reporter: this morning, employees at a buffalo starbucks banding together to make history voting to become the first starbucks shop to unionize and say working conditions in recent years propelled them to act. >> we want to say to starbucks, this is not who you are. this is not who we are. union busting is not this company. >> reporter: the coffee retailer denying those accusations saying they've been listening to workers and that the vote outcomes will not change our shared purpose or how we will show up for each other. we want to protect partner flexibility, transferability and benefits across all stores. workers also voting at two other buffalo starbucks, citing frustration over understaffing and insufficient training.

one voting against forming a union while votes are still being challenged at a third location because of alleged irregularities. the employees say the next step is to bring starbucks to the negotiating table. >> we have earned our seat, and we have proven that we are starbucks. >> reporter: this is just the latest unionization effort with amazon workers in alabama, museum staffers and university instructors among the recent attempts. even though union membership has been dwindling over the years, workers these days seem to have an edge as they demand better working conditions. that's because many companies, especially those in the service industry, are having a difficult time filling open positions. mona, andrea. >> christine, thank you. coming up, the 15-year-old soon with five college degrees. >> amazing. also ahead, the students coming together surprising their teacher with an early christmas present.

welcome to the beauty for all event. with 20% off your purchase at sephora, the gifting possibilities are endless. we're giving you access to more options, more exclusives, more ways to save, so you can celebrate everyone on your list. this season at sephora, there's more beauty to go around. and everyone's invited. 20% off your purchase at sephora. ends december 12th. my plaque psoriasis... ...the itching... 20% off your purchase at sephora. 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. i brought in ensure max protein, with thirty grams of protein. those who tried me felt more energy in just two weeks! (sighs wearily) here i'll take that! (excited yell) woo-hoo! ensure max protein. with thirty grams of protein, one gram of sugar, and nutrients to support immune health. learning about our history with ancestrydna®, inspired us to learn more about our culture and where we come from. ...here? ohhh my god. it told us, almost to the t, where we come from, where our mixture is. ♪ i'm very proud to be indigenous to zacatecas. that's our history, our little legacy. discovering things that were a mystery, that's what ancestry® did for our family.

♪ ♪ time to check "the pulse" beginning with the youngest person ever to graduate from the university of nevada las vegas. >> he is just 15 years old, and get this, he failed the third grade. that's when jack rico's mother started homeschooling him, and it paid off big time. >> on tuesday he'll graduate from unlv with a bachelor's degree in history, so what's next? >> i want to get my masters, but i don't really know what i want to get it in. i don't plan on getting it in history, so i want to audit some courses. i kind of want to like discover some of my other interests and stuff and see what i want to do with my masters. >> congratulations, jack. well done. >> so mature. well, next some high school

students showing their favorite teacher some love. >> the students pooled their money together and got their sociology teacher a gift. take a look. >> no, you're lying. [ laughter ] >> whoo. >> you did not. >> okay, mr. dunton of franklin high school in franklin, texas, is now the owner of some jordan ones. his students knew he loved sneakers and they even bought the right size. >> those are expensive, right? >> uh-huh. >> nice. well, next a notorious tour de france fan facing justice. >> yeah, the f cse crash this past summer. she was standing with her sign llrksse pileup. she called the incident unintended. finally we know santa is busy at the north pole, but he and a slew of his clones took some time to hit the slopes. >> santa skiers and snowboarders took part in a charity event where they raised more than five grand. grand. ♪ santa claus is coming to

take a moment to pause and ask, why did you get vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia? i help others. but i need to help protect myself. honestly? i couldn't afford to get sick. i want to be there for this one. i can't if i'm sick. pneumococcal pneumonia is a potentially serious bacterial lung disease. you may be at risk if you're 19 to 64 with certain chronic conditions. or if you're 65 or older. don't pause a moment longer. ask your doctor or pharmacist about getting vaccinated against pneumococcal pneumonia today. derriere discomfort. we try to soothe it with this. ask your doctor or pharmacist about getting vaccinated cool it with this. and relieve it with this. but new preparation h soothing relief spray is the 21st century way to do all three. ev touch fre preparation h. get comfortable with it.

why hide your skin if dupixent has your moderate to severe eczema or atopic dermatitis under control? hide my skin? not me. by hitting eczema where it counts, dupixent helps heal your skin from within keeping you one step ahead of eczema. hide my skin? not me. and that means long-lasting clearer skin... and fast itch relief for adults. with dupixent, you can show more skin with less eczema. hide my skin? not me. don't use if you're allergic to dupixent. serious allergic reactions can occur, including anaphylaxis, which is severe. tell your doctor about new or worsening eye problems, such as eye pain or vision changes, or a parasitic infection. if you take asthma medicines, don't change or stop them without talking to your doctor. when you help heal your skin from within you can change how your skin looks and feels. and that's the kind of change you notice. talk to your eczema specialist about dupixent, a breakthrough eczema treatment.

smooth dark chocolate, refreshing peppermint, enter york mode. ♪ rich chocolate candy and creamy caramel. that's how you rolo.

♪ ♪ healthier is getting all the stuff you may need to feel better get the door! ♪ ...from the comfort of home. ♪ this is what healthier looks like ♪ ...from the comfort of home. some days, you just don't have it. not my uncle, though. he's taking trulicity for his type 2 diabetes and now, he's really on his game. once-weekly trulicity lowers your a1c by helping your body release the insulin it's already making. most people reached an a1c under 7%. plus, trulicity can lower your risk of cardiovascular events. it can also help you lose up to ten pounds. trulicity is for type 2 diabetes. it isn't for people with type 1 diabetes.

it's not approved for use in children. don't take trulicity if you're allergic to it, you or your family have medullary thyroid cancer, or have multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome type 2. stop trulicity and call your doctor right away if you have an allergic reaction, a lump or swelling in your neck, severe stomach pain, changes in vision, or diabetic retinopathy. serious side effects may include pancreatitis. taking trulicity with sulfonylurea or insulin raises low blood sugar risk. side effects include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can lead to dehydration, and may worsen kidney problems. show your world what's truly inside. ask your doctor about once-weekly trulicity. >> building a better bay area, moving forward, finding solutions. this is abc 7 news. >> major national

lawmakers to take action and fight retail theft. >> the threat of the delta variant and uncertainty of omicron, leading officials to keep mandates in place. the county that is tightening up mandates. >> rain to the bay area and snow to lake tahoe. good morning on this friday, to some summer 10th. you are watching abc seven morning's live on abc seven and hulu live. >> let's start with the update of the forecast with mike. mike: some of the ski resorts are delaying their opening. for us, it will be a lot of rain. it is coming in the back half. let's talk about what is happening right now. if you are about to head out and live in one of our cooler neighborhoods, in solano county or any of our valleys, dealing with frost from 9:00 to 10:00