right now on "america this morning," winter's wrath. yet another storm takes aim impacting this morning's commute. 110 million americans on alert. the effect that covid-related worker shortages could have on snow removal. plus more people stranded on the highway for hours. the record conditions from east to west. new pandemic plan. the experts now pushing president biden to change course on covid and adopt a new strategy, plus the new push for a fourth dose of the vaccine as the supreme court takes up biden's vaccine mandate today. tennis superstar in limbo. new details on why novak djokovic believes he should get a vaccine exemption as he remains detained in australia. his family claims he's being held prisoner. what his wife is now saying. party on a plane.

why these people living it up on the way to a vacation paradise are now stuck in mexico with no way to get home. 500 words per minute? the new keyboard that could change how you type. and later it's no fish tale. the scientists who claim they taught a goldfish how to drive. good friday morning, everyone. more than 110 million americans are on alert because of another winter storm, and for many of them it's hitting just in time for the morning commute. >> the radar right now shows heavy snow falling in new york city after moving from tennessee, kentucky and virginia. federal offices in washington, d.c. are once again closed today because of the snow. but the bull's-eye could be in southern new england which could see eight inches. >> other regions are also digging out. buffalo saw more than 16 inches of lake-effect snow yesterday.

that's a record. parts of michigan got 18 inches and now bitter cold has set in. windchills could drop to 50 below zero in parts of the upper midwest. in the pacific northwest, the mountain snow is piling up to levels we haven't seen in 20 years. parts of the cascades have seen 230 inches so far this season. but we begin our coverage with the biggest concern that faces us right now. this morning, a bitter blast of winter weather is arriving along the east coast, and the timing could not be worse with the heaviest snow hitting during morning rush. >> travel can get rough in a hurry leading right into the morning commute. this is custom built for a nightmarish morning. stay off the roads and let the crews do what they can. >> reporter: 3 to 5 inches are expected over a wide spread area where major cities are dealing with covid-related worker shortages including a lack of snowplow drivers. some towns are paying them up to $300 an hour. the sanitation department in new york will try to keep the roads clear this morning even with more than 20% of its staff out sick.

>> at the end of the day, we have a robust number of staff to be able to man our full complement. a large number of plows on extended tours. we'll shift our separations to two 12-hour days. >> reporter: people in kentucky took a major hit from the storm. >> we went from tornadoes to snow. >> reporter: drivers were stranded for up to eight hours in this pileup involving dozens of vehicles outside of lexington. >> looks like somebody's fedex packages won't be arriving on town. >> reporter: 30 cars involved in this chain reaction crash. >> i got a car to my left is in a ditch and right in front of us there is a red semi that's crossed the entire lane. >> reporter: it comes days after a snowstorm stranded hundreds on interstate 95 in virginia. some of them for more than 24 hours. that area expecting significantly less now from this storm. but this message from the state's governor this morning, stay off the roads. one man who got stuck

during that storm was an uber passenger. he spent nine hours in traffic and uber billed him $600, but the company has now refunded him the money, and we'll take a closer look at today's forecast in just a few moments. today is judgment day for the three men convicted of killing ahmaud arbery. greg mcmichael and his son travis and their neighbor william bryan will each face mandatory life in prison at today's sentencing, but the judge will decide if any of them will be eligible for parole after 30 years. the men chased arbery in a neighborhood in 2020. travis mcmichael shot him as he tried to run away. all three plan to appeal. they still are facing a federal hate crime trial next month. turning to the pandemic the supreme court hears arguments today about the legality of president biden's vaccine mandate for large businesses. meanwhile, at least one state now wants to start giving out a fourth dose of the covid vaccine. it all comes as some top experts push the white house to adopt a

whole new pandemic plan. abc's ike ejiochi here with the latest this morning. ike, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, mona. some pandemic experts are now urging the president to change his strategy saying, we need to learn to live with the virus. meanwhile today a new step in the fight over vaccine mandates. this morning, the supreme court in the spotlight. the justices today will consider whether the biden administration can enforce vaccine and testing rules for private companies as well as vaccine mandates for health care workers. the white house says it's confident the president has that authority adding, the need and the urgency for these policies is greater than ever. >> the surge now is very different. i'm not seeing a lot of hospitalizations, but i am missing a lot of staff to take care of people. >> reporter: 32 states are now averaging more covid cases than at any other point of the pandemic. according to "the los angeles times," l.a. county is beginning to see delays in ambulance response times to 911 calls. because more employees are

calling in sick with covid, now a group of experts is calling for a shift in the nation's covid strategy. six of the president's former medical advisers who counseled him during the presidential transition wrote in "the journal of the american medical association," one saying, the new normal requires recognizing that covid is one of several circulating respiratory viruses. the former advisers argue the focus should now be on testing and treatment instead of defeating the virus. meanwhile, a new cdc study is shedding light on breakthrough cases when vaccinated people get infected. researchers found every vaccinated participant in their study who developed a severe case of covid already had at least one underlying medical condition that made them vulnerable. the governor of west virginia is now the first governor to push for a fourth dose of the vaccine for people most vulnerable but many public health experts it's far too early to green light a fourth shot.

now, the white house has responded to those former advisers calling for a new strategy that says the president's ultimate goal remains defeating the virus. mona. >> ike, thank you. we have new information stemming from the investigation into the pipe bombs planted on capitol hill before the january 6th attack. a white house official says vice president-elect kamala harris was inside dnc headquarters when the explosive was found outside the building. harris was evacuated moments later. another bomb found at rnc headquarters. surveillance footage shows a suspect in the area. the fbi is still searching for that suspect. washington remains sharply divided one year after the attack on the capitol. congressman liz cheney and her father, former vice president dick cheney were the only republicans on the house floor to mark yesterday's anniversary of the riot. mr. cheney said he's deeply disappointed in the gop leadership. earlier at the capitol president biden slammed former president trump for spreading what he called a web of lies about the election. >> for the first time in our

history, a president had not just lost an election, he tried to prevent the peaceful transfer of power as a violent mob reached the capitol, but they failed. they failed. his bruised ego matters more to him than our democracy or our constitution. he can't accept he lost. >> president biden and vice president harris traveled to georgia next week to speak about voting rights. breaking news overseas, the president of kazakhstan claims order has been restored after days of deadly protests. dozens of people including police officers have been killed. thousands of demonstrators have been arrested. russian security forces are arriving at the government's invitation to restore order. the chaos erupted when the government raised gas prices. a new development in that tragic house fire in philadelphia that left 12

people dead including 8 children. investigators are trying to determine if a 5-year-old playing with a lighter set a christmas tree on fire. 18 people were living in the upstairs apartment. authorities in colorado now say last week's wildfire near boulder caused more than $513 million in residential damage. more than 1,000 homes and other buildings were damaged or destroyed. president biden visits the area today. >> all right, time now for a look at your friday forecast. a fast-moving winter storm coming through the northeast. the storm already dumped significant snows in the midsouth and kentucky and tennessee. i think the heaviest amounts will come between 6 and 9:00 a.m. along i-95 and the big interstates will have issues for sure but by 2:00, 3:00, it should be mostly done, 3 to 6 expected across a widespread area. over 8 inches across coastal new jersey, long island and eastern parts of new england. certainly road crews will have

their hands full before the snow ends on later on this afternoon. coming up, the ceo who just got a 500% raise. but first caught on camera, a man attacks a woman at this bus stop using a shoelace. what she did that likely saved her life. and new details about why tennis star novak djokovic is fighting for a covid vaccine exemption in australia. i lost 26 pounds and i feel incredible. with the new personalpoints program, i answer questions about my goals and the foods i love.

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surrounding tennis superstar novak djokovic. his family claims australia is treating him like a prison inmate, and now we're learning why he thought he had a vaccine exemption. this morning, officials down under are fighting back after the family of tennis star novak djokovic accused the australian government of holding him prisoner. [ crowd chanting ] djokovic's father addressing a large crowd of supporters in his native serbia saying, they are keeping the best sportsman in the world in jail. the 20-time grand slam winner, an outspoken critic of vaccine mandates, initially received a medical exemption to their regulations so he could play in the australia open but when he arrived in the country, border authorities detained him before canceling his visa. authorities say he failed to provide appropriate evidence to meet the entry requirements. he's now being held at this hotel, which serves as an immigration detention center. his supporters seen protesting outside. his mother describes the accommodations as dirty and terrible.

>> it's just some small immigration hotel as we can -- if it's hotel at all with some bugs and so dirty and the food is so terrible. they are keeping him as a prisoner. it's just not fair. it's not human. >> reporter: the australian government responding overnight saying djokovic is not a prisoner. >> mr. djokovic is not being held captive in australia. he is free to leave at any time that he chooses to do so and the border force will actually facilitate that. we treat all people who are in immigration detention fairly, equitably. >> reporter: but djokovic is expected to stay at the hotel voluntarily until his appeal can be heard in court, which is scheduled for monday. meantime, his longtime tennis rival rafael nadal weighed in on the controversy. >> in some way i feel sorry for him, but at the same time, he know -- he knew the conditions

since a lot of months ago, so he makes his own decision. >> reports indicate djokovic may have claimed his previous covid infection made him eligible for an exemption to the vaccine right requirement. mean while, his wife says she's taking a deep breath to calm down. apple has disclosed the pay raise that ceo tim cook just received. cook made nearly $99 million last year, a 569% raise from the previous year. most of it came from stock awards. he was paid nearly 1,500 times more than the average employee at apple. coming up, new questions about where the super bowl will be played. also ahead, why these people seen partying on a plane are now stranded in mexico. welcome to allstate. where auto insurance now costs less. ♪ and savings like that follow you everywhere. ♪ now, save more with allstate. ♪

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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. back now with a party on a plane that ended with a terrible hangover. the passengers on this charter plane to cancun, who posted videos of themselves partying without masks are now stranded in mexico. at least three airlines are refusing to fly them back to montreal, saying they violated covid travel restrictions. and they could face thousands in fines. covid restrictions are raising questions about whether the super bowl will have to be moved. the game is scheduled to be played outside los angeles, but the nfl has reached out to other stadiums, including the home of the dallas cowboys, to check on availability incase southern california imposes restrictios >> we turn now to high school

sports and the debate over running up the score. one basketball team is in hot water and the coach is being disciplined. >> reporter: this morning, a high school basketball coach is suspended after leading his team to a 92-4 victory. sacred heart academy, also apologized for its lopsided win against lyman hall. the school's president saying the game does not align with our values or philosophies. and are deeply remorseful for the manner. the team was undefeated and ranked third in the state. now, coach jason kirk must sit out one game. it's the latest example of a coach criticized for a blowout. a football coach this past fall led his team to a 106-0 win. the principal later apologized. englewood went on to the playoff where is their opponent's coach

spoke about the importance of good sportsmanship. >> one of the most important thing is teachable moments and i talk about how football is great because it emulates life and teaches you lessons. >> reporter: but they also understood why a team would run up a score. >> you get it in and get it done and nobody w5b9 wants to face a outcome like that. either side of the score, it's a teachable moment. >> reporter: some coaches argue the more points a team scores, the higher the team's ranking. this is the first time the two teams played each other in 2017 when lyman hall beat sacred heart. andrew, mona? >> andrea, thank you. coming up, the keyboard that could change how you type. a very special honor for a very special honor for leonardo dicaprio. people with moderate to severe psoriasis, are rethinking the choices they make like the splash they create the entrance they make, the surprises they initiate.

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time to check the pulse. we begin a keyboard that's leaving all others in the dust. >> this is an odd-looking device that works nothing like a standard keyboard, but it has typing speeds of 500 words a minute. >> interesting. it can type entire words in a single motion. next, a little girl lifting spirits on a dark day. >> our crew is covering the january 6th anniversary met khloe chen, the 5-year-old spent the day handing out candy bars to police officers. she wanted to thank the officers for saving democracy. >> we're giving out kacandy cand as a thank you for saving our

democracy. which really appreciate that for making a sacrifice so big. and we want to give out candy bars. >> khloe used her own allowance money to buy the candy. i think she needs a raise. next, leonardo dicaprio's work on sbhbehalf of the environment earned him a special honor. >> he has a species of tree named after him. the previously unknown tree was discovered in africa. >> the official name will not be jack. finally, your pet goldfish may be smarter than you think. >> researchers in israel put some goldfish in a contraption, and the fish learned how to drive the vehicle to specific locations motivated by what else, treats. >> it suggests that goldfish can navigate unfamiliar

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a new study warns cases of dementia across the world are likely to triple by 2050. no >> the supreme court hears arguments against joe biden's covid vaccine mandate for large businesses. some former medical advisers say biden should change his pandemic strategy and focus on testing and treatment. wall street is waiting the monthly jobs report due out this morning. it's expected to show more than 400,000 jobs were created last month, nearly double the month from november. a winter storm arrives in the northeast, just in time for the morning commute. six inches of snow are expected across a widespread area. the same storm snarled traffic across the mid south. some drivers in kentucky were stranded for eight hours.

checking the map, the midwest is locked in bitter cold. windchills could drop to 50 below. more snow in the northern plains and the mountains of the northwest. and elmo, the lovable character from sesame street like we have never seen him before. >> he's in a fight with a rock. will ganss explains. >> reporter: it's a feud going back 18 years. in one corner, elmo. the other, a pet rock named rocco. this week, the long standing feud boiling over when the 2004 sesame street clip resurfaced on line. >> you can't have that cookie, elmo. >> reporter: tiktokers and twitter users dealing with another surge in cases, finding unhinged elmo all too relatable. elmo breaking his silence, issuing a statement on twitter

saying, don't worry, everybody, elmo and zoe practiced sharing and are still best buds forever. adding, elmo doesn't want to talk about rocco. hours later, elmo tweeting down as what might be the shadiest subtweet in sesame street history. has anybody ever seen a rock eat a cookie? elmo is just curious. it's not unexpected. elmo has a reputation for keeping it 100% real and unfiltered. >> you want a piece of me? you want a piece of me? >> yes. >> rocco the pet rock has yet to issue a statement. but today, dwayne johnson tweeted this rock devours tookies. looks like this feud just got

right now on "america this morning," winter's wrath. yet another storm takes aim impacting this morning's commute. 110 million americans on alert. the effect that covid-related worker shortages could have on snow removal. plus more people stranded on the highway for hours. the record conditions from east to west. new pandemic plan. the experts now pushing president biden to change course on covid and adopt a new strategy, plus the new push for a fourth dose of the vaccine as the supreme court takes up biden's vaccine mandate today. tennis superstar in limbo. new details on why novak djokovic believes he should get a vaccine exemption as he remains detained in australia. his family claims he's being held prisoner. what his wife is now saying.