captioning funded by cbs it's wednesday, december 30th, 2015. this is the "cbs morning news." the midwest braces for historic flooding. millions are affected as major waterways reach record heights. >> if that river hits the targets that are predicted right now at that chester gauge, that is higher than the mississippi river has ever been. >> the severe weather has created an air travel nightmare, stranding thousands of travelers during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. it's reported that the u.s. governmeme on isiseli,

conversations of u.s. lawmakers. good morning from the studio 57 newsroom at cbs news headquarters in new york. good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. the potential for historic flooding in the midwest threatens to swamp hundreds of homes and it stems from the massive storm system that killed at least 56 people as it moved across the united states. days of downpours in the midwest have caused rivers to swell. flooding threatens about 18 million americans. it is blamed for at least 13 deaths in missouri alone. rivers, including the mississippi, could reach historic levels in the next couple of days. don champion is in new york. don, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. right now, officials are monitoring 19 levees that are considered vulnerable. the floods have already shut down highways and led to widespread evacuation. >> missouri is in the midst of a very historic and dangerous flooding event.

jay nixon called in the national guard, as the state grapples with deadly flooding. volunteersrshroughout st. louis worked late tuesday night laying out sandbags. the situation was dire at this water treatment plant in the town of high ridge. its reserves only contain enough water for up to four days. >> we are all going to get through it and have to work together as a community and get through it. >> reporter: the winter deluge has already left parts of the state, includidi the town of union, under water. rising water along the mississippi and other major rivers have forced people out. >> we took everything important out of our basement which is strictly storage any way. then we cleaned out the outs of clothes, things that can't be replaced, important pieces of furniture. >> reporter: tony phillips closed his furniture store ahead of an evacuation order. >> we are preparing for the worst by getting things up to higher grounds. >> reporter: water levels in

those not seen since the great flood of 1993, but state officials maintain they are prepared. >> in terms of forecasting river levels we are light years better than '93. now we are putting in forecast rainfall, so that has given us a much more heads-up. >> reporter: more than 12 people in missouri have been killed in the flooding. just to give you an idea of how bad the situation is on the ground there. the mississippi river in st. louis is expected to reach nearly 15 feet above flood stage in st. louis tomorrow, which would be the second worst flood on record. >> that's pretty bad. don champion in new york, thank you, don. travel delays associated with the weather are not expected to get any better for a few days. there are nearly 1,200 flights cancelled yesterday nationwide and more than 6,000 were delayed and already, about a hundred flights have been cancelled. thousands experienced delays and long lines at chicago's o'hare airport.

terminal became emotional. [ screaming ] they won't let us speak to someone! this is bull [ bleep ], it's bull [ bleep ]! >> o'hare supplied cots for some passengers and others had to sleep on the floor. the northeast saw snow and ice from a storm system linked to the system that brought the deadly thornedsornadoes to the midwest. six inches fell in parts of new england and ten inches fell in western maine. more snow and ice is expected today. a moderate earthquake rattled southern california last night. the epi center of the magnitude 4.4 quake was northwest of san bernardino. dozens of aftershocks followed. there are no reports of damage or injuries, though. the national security agency faces new allegations this morning of spying on members of congress. "wall street journal" cites sources who say the white house ordered the nsa to eavesdrop on conversations between u.s.

it was allegedly part of an effort to make sure the nuclear deal with iran was not derailed. a spokesperson for the national security council tells cbs news we are not going to comment on any specific alleged intelligence activities. we do not conduct any foreign intelligence surveillance activities unless there is a specific and validated national security purpose. the so-called affluenza teenager could return to the united states sometime today. ethan couch and his mother were found this week in mexico after disappearing from texas. authorities believe the teen may have violated his probation for killing four people while driving drunk. it was a pizza order on a cell phone that led authorities to couch. omar villafranca has more. >> reporter: mexican authorities apprehended ethan couch and his mother tonya in puerto vallarta. the 18-year-old apparently tried to disguise himself. his blond hair was dyed brown

the pair disappeared earlier this month after couch missed a meeting with his probation officer. >> they planned to disappear. they even had had something akin to a going away party before they left town. >> reporter: ethan couch was given probation and no jail time two years ago after killing four people in a drunk driving crash. during the trial, a psychologist testified that the teen suffered from affluenza, suggesting his parents' wealth left him without a sense of responsibility. authorities say they will try to transfer couch's case to an adult court. now that he isn custody, what do you want to happen to ethan couch this time around? >> well, i'd like for him to be held accountable. >> reporter: they will charge his mother for hindering and apprehension. >> that is a third-degree felony in texas and carries a range of punishment two to ten years in a penitentiary. >> reporter: do you want the full ten years for her? >> i feel she needs to be

>> reporter: if convicted as a juvenile, he faces four months in a facility. omar villafranca, cbs news, ft. worth, texas. campaign 2016 has turned into an escalating showdown between front runners donald trump and hillary clinton. the billionaire is stepping up attacks against the former first lady, including comments about former president bill clinton's affairs. kenneth craig reports from new york. >> reporter: donald trump touched down in oma tuesday night and ratcheted up his attacks on democratic front-runner hillary clinton. >> frankly, hillary brought up the whole thing with sexist and all i did was reverse it on her because she has a major problem and it happens to be right in her house. >> reporter: trump claims bill clinton's extra mayor tall affair with monica lewinsky is fair game in his wife's campaign. trump conceded his own indiscretions could also be scrutinized. campaigning in new hampshire hillary clinton only took a swipe at trump's campaign slogan. >> i think america is great and if we work together, we will be greater.

called trump's words degrading. clinton sent out a fund-raising letter saying we can't make donald trump stop talking,but we can make sure he never, ever becomes president. >> if it's got to be a woman, which i'm all in favor of someday, it shouldn't be hillary. >> reporter: trump is planning to use savings on ad buys in early voting states. kenneth craig, cbs news. the republican field of presidential candidates is smaller this morning. george pataki dropped out of the race tuesday. a campaign official said the former new york governor struggled to raise money or gain media attention. overseas now. coalition air strikes have killed a aisis leader linked to last m/nth's attacks in paris. a u.s. official confirmed yesterday the death of al mouadan and officials say he is linked to the paris attacks and planning more violence against the west. nine other isis leaders have been killed in the past month.

cold case. the government investigates blue bell ice cream, following a

this is the "cbs morning news." a former "glee" star is arrested and new training for chicago's cops. those are some of the headlines on the morning newsstand. the "chicago tribune" reports chicago's mayor is set to announce major changes today in training for police officers. it will emphasize de-escalating conflicts and include the goal to equip every officer with a taser by summer. the plan comes in the wake of high profile deadly shootings by police. "the hollywood reporter" says police arrested former "glee" actor mark salling on child pornography. he is known as noah puckerman on the show. police took the 33-year-old actor into custody on sunday and

the "los angeles times" reports on a possible data leak affecting millions of california voters. a database of more than as 191 million voters nationwide had reportedly been posted publicly online by a third-party. it allegedly includes names and addresses and birth dates and whether the person voted in elections since 2000. on the cbs "moneywatch." twitter cracks down on threats and the fed looks into tainted ice cream. jill wagner is at the new york stock exchange with that and more. good morning, jill. >> good morning. cbs news learned that the justice department is now investigating what management at a texas ice cream maker knew about dangers in a ice cream process. deaths are linked to a blue bell listeria outbreak earlier this year. an fda investigation found the bacteria in each of its three plants and a number of safety problems. blue bell did not respond to the request for comment. the markets reopen in a few hours fresh off a rally boosted

yesterday. the s&p 500 added 21 and the nasdaq added nearly 67 points. the gains erased two days of losses caused by fears over falling oil and commodity prices. twitter is clamping down on threats and hate speech on its service. users who violate the new policy by making violent threats or spreading hate speech will face suspension or they could be banned. this comes as twitter and other services face pressure with extremists using them as recruiting tools. seaworld is challenging a ruling banning it from breeding its captive killer whales. in october, the california coastal commission prevented seaworld from breeding whales at its san diego park or trading or transferring the whales elsewhere. seaworld claims the commission exceeded its authority. a german entrepreneur is

2600 people $1,100 a week. those receiving the my basic income included students and unemployed people and two young children. some spent it on partying, on education, and to expand a small business. >> i read an article on this experiment. the organizers said, you know, it changed people's lives in a number of ways, but everyone said they were sleeping better at night. i don't think that is surprising. jill wagner here in new york, thanks a lot, jill. up next, ringing a in a safe@ new year. we will show you how authorities

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here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. here in new york city, times square will be packed on new year's eve as revelers watch the iconic ball drop to welcome in 2016. it poses a major security challenge for the nypd, but the city says that it is ready. don dahler reports. >> reporter: with over a million people expected in mid-town manhattan and a billion more watching on tv, new york officials are determined to make times square the safest place on earth. mayor bill de blasio. >> we are the best prepared city in the country and we know how

time and time again. >> reporter: 5,000 uniformed and undercover officers will be in times square. snipers will be on rooftops and garbage cans removed and manhole covers sealed shut and radiation detectors deployed. this year, the nypd established a 500-person special response unit that holds regular drills. at a new operation center in downtown manhattan, officers monitor thousands of camera feeds. on new year's eve, the room will be staffed with members of governmental and private agencies. last month, chief james o'neill gave us a tour. do you think people should feel safe? >> you know what? i'm not going to tell people not to be concerned but i'm going to tell them to feel safe. i don't think anyone does this work better than the nypd, along with our federal partners. >> reporter: but memories of the paris and california terror attacks are fresh. commissioner bill bradley. the pattern this year is terror

with all of the focus on times square. what about the thousands of businesses outside this area? >> both to capabilities on the threat analysis beforehand, that side of it, as well as the capability to respond, very quickly. we believe we are as prepared as anybody can be. >> reporter: spectators coming to this area will all be searched. they are required to get to their places early and stay there. they will also note allowed to bring in large bags, backpacks or alcohol. don dahler, cbs news, new york. in sports now. the philadelphia eagles fired coach chip kelly. kelly was fired with one game left in his third season, following a pair of 10-6 seasons. the eagles have won just six games this year. kelly came to philadelphia with high expectations following great success at the university of oregon. in college hoops, the top ranked michigan state spartans were handed their first loss of the season. the spartans played iowa in their big ten opener.

hawkeyes never trailed. iowa beat michigan state 83-70. still ahead, holding out hope. the search for country music singer craig strickland who is missing after a hunting trip in severe weather. like losing some baggage, i don't have to carry it around with me anymore. chantix made it possible for me to quit smoking. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. chantix definitely helped reduce my urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood, hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some had seizures while taking chantix. if you have any of these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, which could get worse or of seizures. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you have these, stop chantix and call your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you have heart or blood vessel problems, or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke.

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here's a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. here is another look at this morning's top story. there are flooding concerns in the midwest, as rivers could reach historic levels. it follows days of heavy rain from a massive storm system that began soaking the area last weekend. floods threaten about 18 million americans. the search in oklahoma for a country singer whose boat cap-sized in severe storms

back road anthem lead singer craig strickland was reported missing on sunday. his companion in the duck boat was found on monday. in china eight more survivors of a collapsed mine were found. infrared cameras detected the miners raising their hand. the mine collapsed on christmas day killing at least one worker. nine are still missing. the sea lion we told you about in california trying to cross the highway on monday, camped out it on tuesday. that prompted marine biologists to tranquilize the 900-pound elephant sea lion. it's now been relocated to the sea. coming up after your local news on "cbs this morning," the biggest lies on the presidential campaign trail.

news." anybody who struggles with their weight and i'm at the head of that class, knows that it's not just about the weight; it's about something bigger. you've been fighting with then wrong tools; you've been looking in the wrong direction. so every time i tried and failed, and every time i tried again has brought me to this most powerful moment. to say, if not now, when?

a california woman is enjoying her newfound freedom, thanks to a special christmas gift. 21-year-old brenda gutierrez biaza gogoa robotic arm that attaches to her wheel chair. her santa cruz community area raised $50,000 to help her buy it. she has a rare disease that limits the use of her arms. the first thing she did with the robotic arm was turn on her computer. there is a festival trying to change the color of classical music. fewewethan 4% of classical american symphony musicians are african-american. but as lee cowan reports, it's not for a lack of talent.

charleston, south carolina. remarkable, bebeuse this was the very first time many of these musicians had ever played together. >> reporter: maestro marlon daniel conducts not only the organize tra but this festival called "the color of music" now in its third year. >> a lot of get pigeon holed into jazz and it's a big stereotype. >> it's a stereotype. >> it's a big stereotype. they say there are not any musicians ever color doing classical music when there are tons of us. >> reporter: robert davis says in most symphonies, he sticks out as a black classical artist, but not here. >> you usually get to see the same ones. thenen came down here and it's a whwhe other group and where are they coming from? so i was very shocked about that. >> reporter: the festival also

composers. on this night, it was adolfus helstrom. historic black church, in june, a white gunman opened fire, killing nine. >> we are very lucky. >> reporter: businessman lee pringle, who founded the event, hopes sights like this will help diversify other orchestras. >> i think most orchestra want to change. they just don't know how to change. >> reporter: and how do they change? >> by hahang people at the table who look like me. >> music should be colorblind and to make it that way, you have to infuse in it all of the colors. >> reporter: a unique unit that, for a few days at least, makes for an especially powerful sound. lee cowan, cbs news, charleston, south carolina. coming up after your local

more on allegations that white house spying swept up intelligence on u.s. lawmakers. we will hear from cbs news national security analyst, juan za regardzarata. we will also talk with an actress from "the danish girl." that is the "cbs morning news" for this wednesday. i'm anne-marie green. thanks for watching.

have a great day. "this is siouxland news at