good morning. holiday weekend havoc. the midwest recovering from a christmas week storm that dumped up to a foot and a half of snow snarling traffic. while in the south, heavy rains and high winds caused widespread flooding during the busy travel week. while this storm is heading out, another is set to move in. that means your new year's eve could be a very wet one. ready to compromise? news overnight that president trump might be willing to take half of what he was originally asking for when it comes to funding the border wall. this as the partial government shutdown enters the second week

with no end in sight. we are live at the white house. capture. police in california hold an emotional news conference. >> officers sees handcuffs. >> announcing the arrest of the man they say killed a young officer and father. the suspect an illegal immigrant taken into custody after the massive manhunt. the case drawing national attention, including a tweet from the president. all that, plus, no show. a new report details kevin spacey's report to keep the actor out of court as he prepares to answer sexual assault charges. staying alive. will a last-minute $4 billion bid be enough to keep the ironic store from shutting down forever? and oh, what a year. we look back at the fun here on "today." weekends filled with fun and jokes and food and plenty of

fun. >> today, saturday, december 29th, 2018. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with sheinelle jones and peter alexander and dylan dreyer. live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning. welcome to "today." thank you for joining us on this saturday morning. hallie jackson is filling in and maria larosa is filling in for dylan. we have a packed crowd on the plaza. >> and probably spend the whole show talking about all of your moments from the past year. >> we have a surprise guest at the end of the show. weather is the top story this morning. a deadly winter storm leaving a lot of damage in its wake and causing problems on roads and highways across the midwest and into the northeast. it is now moving out, but there's another one right on its heels. maria larosa is handling that for us.

take it away. >> things are getting back to normal for tens of millions of people this morning. the winter storm rolling across the country left a lot of damage in its wake. this morning, millions of people back on the roads this this morning, millions of people are back on the roads this holiday weekend. in the midwest, blizzard conditions turned deadly claiming at least six lives. in parts of minnesota, almost a foot of snow fell in just 36 hours. ice snarling traffic in kansas and strong wind gusts making some drivers lose control of their big riggs and in the south, heavy rains caused widespread flooding. in tennessee, a 30-year-old woman's body was recovered after he was reportedly swept away by rushing waters. more fortunate news in jrj geor -- georgia. and in louisiana, high winds and thunderstorms head to frightening power surges. on the east coast, snow and

freezing rain made for dangerous driving conditions in new hampshire. i-90 was closed for several hours friday after several trucks jackknifed. an end of the year storm sure to impact holiday travel this weekend. and that ripple effect too. the storm is down but not out. you can see with the radar we still have some of the rain across the southeast. some lake effect snow in through the great lakes ushering in the colder air but this is where it's going to linger for the next couple of days. we have a boundary setting up. that's keeping the rain. something they don't need in atlanta and birmingham where they saw 3 to 4 inches of rain yesterday. flooding is still a big concern. you have the clouds, you have the rain. so that means into the rest of the weekend. we'll be watching that develop and that's going to help bring in more moisture. notice the green. the cold air to the west there and midwest that's where we could see some snow. everywhere else another round of

several inches of rainfall through monday. we're talking anywhere from 1 to 2 inches of rain through the tennessee valley. you can see in places well underway through the number one wettest year on record. wilming wilmi wilmington and d.c. looking at more rain. >> thank you. the government shutdown is now officially in it's second week and at this point, there is no end in sight. but nbc news learned that president trump may be willing to accept a lot less money to pay for that border wall he wants. kelly o'donnell has more down in washington. >> good morning. the second week means another wave of pain as some agencies run out of the reserve funds and have to send more federal workers home without pay and soon tourists attractions like the smithsonian will be forced to close their doors. under pressure, the president willing to sharply cut his

demand for border wall funding was out late with his closest advisers. >> call it a shutdown strategy session as president trump left the white house for dinner at the vice president's residence joined by jared kushner and the acting chief of staff that told reporters earlier that democrats refused to talk after the president cut his demand for border wall funding. >> we gave them our most recent order. we came down off of our offer. >> sources tell nbc news the president would accept 2.5 billion. >> but he blamed politics an nancy pelosi claiming pelosi won't act until after the speaker's gavel is passed back to her. >> if she cuts a deal before her election on january 3rd she's at risk of losing her speakership so we're in this for the long hall. >> sarah sanders turned up the heat on pelosi too. >> she's unwilling to do

anything until she gets her speakership. she's more willing to protect that than she is to protect our borders and protect american lives. >> pelosi aids say democrats will not consider offers unless the president publicly endorses them and claim that the white house has not reached out to her directly since december 11th. looking for leverage, the president tweeted a controversial threat claiming we will be forced to close the southern border entirely if the democrats don't give us the money to finish the wall. but the florida republican senator tossed a wet blanket on that. >> i would imagine that people in texas and other border states whose economy rely on it would be less than enthused. >> visiting the border again today, homeland security secretary nielsen, her department is directly effected by the shutdown and she is under heavy criticism after two small

migrant children in custody have died. she said she is putting extraordinary precautions in place to protect the children in custody. >> kelly o'donnell. thank you. >> let's bring in john harwood. john, good morning to you. >> good morning. >> kelly was just saying that nbc news learned that the trump administration may be already interested in a compromise, essentially moving border wall funding from 5 billion to 2.5 billion. could this be a sign that the president is feeling the heat a little bit. >> yes. he is feeling the heat. beginning of the shutdown he announced that he wanted it. he's not going to get $5 billion. i don't think he's going to get $2.5 billion either but we're moving toward him backing down. >> next point is thursday. the new congress takes in. nancy pelosi is expeblthcted to

house speaker. how much pressure will she be under to cut a deal if any? >> i don't think she's under very much pressure. i expect what happens when congress comes back is that the house will pass a bill that the senate had unanimously passed that had some money for border security. not for a wall. the house was getting ready to pass that. i expect they'll pass that back. senate democrats earlier agreed to 1.6 rather than 1.3. i think that will be the sweet spot. >> if the president takes it. >> yes but i think the president will take it. he has owned the shutdown. it's his government. the american people, 60% of them polls show do not want the wall so he's on the short side of that fight. >> on friday he threatened to shutdown the entire southern border. is that just talk? >> it's just talk. it's a non-starter. as kelly indicated in her piece

and marco rubio indicated in the sound bite, there's people in border states that travel back and forth that need to go back and forth. the economy, because of the north american free trade agreement is linked with and i don't think that's going to happen. >> you mentioned the poll number, people who blame president trump versus democrats in congress for this. democrats are reminding folks, hey, it wasn't that long ago the president sat in the oval office and said i will take the mantle proudly for any shutdown. when he and the white house are trying to point fingers at democrats now, how much water do you think that holds? >> not at all. none. remember, as you know from the earliest days of the administration, the president campaigned in 2016 with this unrealistic promise to build a wall, which, by the way, many republicans in texas and border states do not want. >> and have mexico pay for it. >> and to have mexico pay for it.

in the first phone call with president neto he indicated i'm under pressure to deliver on this promise. he knew he wasn't going to get it. mexico is not going to pay for the wall. what he's left to do is wriggle out of the promise and try to make it in a way that's not obvious to his base and turns people away. he was going to do it in december, but people like ann coulter and rush limbaugh said he can't do that and he backed away. >> look in your crystal ball i know you have. could this have lasting implications, good or bad, and for whom? >> i don't expect long-term political implications. i would expect it's settled within a week or ten days when they come back to congress. the president has bigger things to worry about with the robert mueller investigation, the new democratic congress, various investigations. this is the kind of thing that's embarrassing for everyone. democrats have the high side of

the argument, but they aren't getting a lot of political benefit out of it. this will be forgotten when we get to serious business. >> thank you, john. >> you bet. a sigh of relief felt after police in california captured an undocumented immigrant wanted in the shooting death of a beloved police officer. it's a case that drew the attention of even the president. here's the latest. >> the suspect is in custody. >> reporter: this morning gustavo ariata is behind bars. >> the handcuffs are on that guy. >> reporter: a family's prayer answered. >> i want to thank you from the bottom of my heart. >> reporter: a thanks from the younger brother of the officer shot and killed wednesday morning. the case drawing national attention including president trump who tweeted shortly after the incident, there is right now a full scale manhunt going on in california for an illegal immigrant accused of shooting and killing a police officer during a traffic stop. time to get tough on border

security. build the wall. investigators say he's a known gang member in the country illegally and was fleeing to mexico. his record, two prior arrests for dui. police say when he was pulled over for driving drunk ariaga opened fire. >> we were going to relentlessly pursue this criminal. >> reporter: the search launching early wednesday. earl wednesday. he was killed hours after taking this picture with his wife and five months old son. friday the search moved 200 miles south. swat converging on a bakersfield home. >> swat trucks, police everywhere. >> police arrested him and seven others in connection with his escape. >> on behalf of the newman police department and the city of newman, we're extremely grateful. >> a man remembered by the people he served. >> iconic retailer sears may be getting a second chance to keep it's doors open after a last

minute multibillion dollar bid to save it from being liquidated, but it is enough? matt bradley is here with more on that. >> good morning. sears was all set for the chopping block when it's chairman submitted a bid late friday to save the company but as of this morning the terms of the bid remain unclear and so too does the store's fate. back from the dead, sears, the iconic american retailer got a new lease on life friday afternoon thanks to the chairman's 11th hour bid valued at $4.4 billion to save the company from liquidation. in a statement released friday. an affiliate said their bid provides the best path forward for the company and the best option to save tens of thousands of jobs. sears has nearly 50,000 employees. if the deal is accepted, it could save the company. >> sears was the first everything store. sears was the first retailer

that had everything in the same way that amazon does. >> even in today's ruthless world of retail, the 125-year-old brand still stands out. >> he believed in sears. he believed he could revive it and i think he has viewed this bid as his last effort to do so. >> but his bid may only delay sears demise. if details of his bid for the company are anything like the proposal he outlined earlier this month, there's bound to be problems. most of that was deal was supposed to be financed by outside investors. still nearly a third will be financed by three leading financial institutions that the company did not name. those terms may not be enough for the company's creditors. even if sears survived only as a shadow of its former self. since october they closed over a third of its 700 stores. >> now we won't know whether the

bid is successful until next friday and that's when advisers decide whether to consider him a qualified bidder. after that they'll have to decide whether closing shop makes more sense thanly inqui liquidizing this store. >> an undersea earthquake shook the philippines today. the 6.9 magnitude quake hit off the coast sending people rushing outside to safety. it hit about 11:30 in the morning local time along the dangerous ring of fire. at first there were fears of a tsunami but the warning was luckily later cancelled. >> 911 service is back in operation today but they want to know what caused the disruption and why it took so long to fix. the system went down thursday morning and was not up and running until friday night. police were directing people to call the station's landlines instead of using 911 in the event of an emergency. >> the nation's top college

football teams are facing off today in a pair of semifinal games to determine who is headed to the championship. you have number two clemson and number three notre dame in the cotton bowl. both teams are undefeated but clemson is the heavy favorite. that could set up another show down with alabama. crimson tide faces oklahoma tonight. let's talk about the weather for a moment. maria has a look at the rest of the country's forecast. >> today is a day of changes. we have the rain leaving the east coast and hanging on across the southeast. we still have flood concerns. cooler drier air behind it. wind chills 20 to 30 below but more mountain snow. a signal of the next storm system moving on through. this will be tracking as we get into the rest of the holiday weekend and into new year's

and the 80s in florida. that's the look at your weather. >> thank you, maria. still to come, a new twist in the sexual assault case against kevin spacey. what his lawyers are saying as they keep him out of the courtroom. and the parents who gave this baseball player the surprise gift of a lifetime. ri

we are back on saturday

morning with the weekly download. our look back at the week that was. >> the headlines dominated by the ongoing government shutdown. there were other stories we covered as well including the president's secret trip to iraq. a christmas surprise. president trump and the first lady visited u.s. troops in iraq marking the commander in chief's first visit to a combat zone. >> we are no longer the suckers, folks. we are respected as a nation. >> reporter: despite a drawdown in syria and potentially afghanistan, the president will keep troops in iraq, he says. wall street whiplash. markets plunged on christmas eve, falling more than 20% from recent highs. on wednesday, right after christmas, stocks rallied to erase monday's losses. it's been a volatile month amid concerns over the government shutdown and questions over the future of federal reserve chair jerome powell.

>> reporter: stocks had a 900-point thursday to end the day in positive territory. friday, some stocks giving back some gains. an electrical explosion at a con-ed plant in queens lit up the new york city skyline and social media. >> i was thinking it's the end of the world. >> some sort of ufo or something. >> reporter: no one was hurt in the scare. >> who would rush to judgment? >> reporter: kevin spacey posted a bizarre youtube video appearing to act in his "house of cards" character. he's facing a felony sexual assault charge. >> the 18-year-old said the actor bought him drinks and grabbed him inappropriately. spacey has not commented publicly. his rep said spacey was seeking treatment after allegations of sexual misconduct. >> reporter: a community reeling a week after this caught on camera moment when a high school

refereeing referee gave 16-year-old andrew johnson an ultimatum minutes before his match -- cut the dreadlocks or forfeit. >> no way should he have been degraded like that. >> reporter: new jersey sports officials and the state attorney general's office say they have opened a civil rights investigation, benches maloney in the meantime. he has not responded to our requests for comment. and some of the memorable moments. this guy got more than he bargained for with his new hoverboard. there was no topping this condiment for one little boy. >> look what's in there! >> reporter: 22-year-old brady singer who got a $4 million signing bonus with the kansas city royals shared this touching moment with his parents and biggest cheerleaders. >> dear mom and dad, i just want to say thank you for everything you have done to help me reach my dreams.

i'm paying off the loan from the bank. also i paid off all your debt as well. what! now instead of trying to save money every week to replace the saving account you drained for me to play baseball you can spend it on yourselves. >> oh! that one gets you. >> that's the dream for kids. most adult kids want to take care of their parents. >> absolutely, one day. i'm speechless. >> you hear about athletes or talk to celebrities, whoever. that's the first thing they want to do. >> yeah, buy their parents a house or whatever. >> yes. >> i love the ketchup kid. the simplicity of a bottle of ketchup. >> a jug of ketchup. >> where are the fries? >> still to come on "today," a look back at 2018. and a year filled with entertainment surprises from music video standouts to unprecedented diversity on the big screen. >> we'll take a stroll down memory lane and reminisce about

the good times on "weekend today." first these messages. >> which film got the biggest buzz? >> plus, what to watch for in 2019? monday on the third hour of "today." take a live look outsid

. good saturday morning to you. it is 5:56. here is a live look outside at the golden gate bridge on the last saturday of 2018.

thanks so much for joining us. >> it is cold outside. we are in the 30s in some spots. what a way to kind of kick start our morning for sure, little bump there in the temperatures would be nice, but we might get that into the afternoon. beautiful shot there from our cam. we'll be slow to warm. take a look at this temperature trend for san jose. we're going to stay in the 30s through about 8:00 a.m. about 9:00 a.m. we'll be in the 40s. temperatures are going to be in the 50s and 60s, very seasonal for this time of year. your skies will be nice and clear. we're tracking another kind of chilly night tonight. aside from that, we're expecting a dry, clear weekend not just

for today, but also for tomorrow. we might get a couple changes ahead into the workweek. >> we'll see you at 7:00. thanks. small town, torn apart y tragedy. a powerful show of support for a fallen officer and his family in a small town torn apart by tragedy. police dog sam led the way for his wife and newborn child. many coworkers and family shared fond memories of the police officer. >> he made my day better. i do not know how i am going to go back to work without him there. >> we lost a great friend, a police officer, but we lost a role model for all of our kids. >> officer singh was described

as a practical joker and a local friend. officers from across the region came together to pay tribute to corporal singh. it is 5:59. coming up, it was a smooth flight over the bay area until something went wrong. what this helicopter hit that forced it to make an emergency landing on a golf course. we hope you join us.

♪ we're back on saturday morning, december 29th, 2018. take it in as long as we can. beautiful shot of the rockefeller center christmas tree. the holiday may be offver, but e tree is up a while longer. stay lit until january 7th. >> let's begin this half hour with the check on the headlines. a huge winter storm is crippling holiday travel today. blizzard conditions in the midwest. including a foot of snow in minnesota have caused big problems the past two days. in kansas, powerful winds sent big rigs out of control on icy roads. the storm caused dangerous flooding in the southeast.

democrats won't seat republican congress member mark harris in the new year. they cite the cloud of suspicion on his win on election day. the contractor working for his campaign is accused of illegal election activity. the decision could drag on now the north carolina court dissolved the election board. stalling the investigation. how is this for the perfect start to the new year? $415 million in your pocket. that is up for grabs in the january 1st mega millions jackpot. nobody won last night. it rolls over to be the eighth biggest jackpot. and a scene from "indiana jones" when a rattlesnake slithered under the cabin. they decided to lift the building to get a better look. underneath, they found at least 30 of the deadly rattlesnakes. all hissing. the work crew had to clear the snakes out with sticks and trash

cans. >> at least it wasn't spiders. more on kevin spacey. his lawyers are now saying they do not want him to appear before a judge. did it is an effort to avoid the perp walks you see on tv. it could shed light on how his attorneys will defend him on sexual assault charges. we have kathy park with more. >> reporter: hallie, good morning. we have yet to hear from spacey about the charges, but we are hearing from his lawyer who wants to keep his client out of jail. this morning, kevin spacey back in the headlines. this time as the defense team builds the case for the actor now charged with sexual assaulting a man in 2016. spacey has not entered a plea. in the audio recording, spacey

is heard from the trooper. >> the first time he ever sat down to give a full statement was the statement you relayed to the clerk in your report on november 22nd, 2017, is that right? >> that's the first time in person. >> reporter: last week, the victim filed a court complaint suggesting there is more evidence of the assault. he told police his girlfriend did not believe him so that's when he snapchated the video. in the interview with kate snow, the victim's mother, a former boston tv anchor, said her 18-year-old son was groped by spacey. >> it wasn't until kevin spacey put his hand inside his pants that he really knew he was in trouble. >> reporter: but at the preliminary hearing, spacey's attorney argued there was no evidence. >> and what the video shows is a person's hand make contact with the shirt, correct? >> yes. >> okay.

not any body part? >> correct. you don't see any body parts. >> reporter: neither spacey nor his attorneys replied to our request for comment. the actor broke his silence in the social media post on the same day of the felony charge. in the video, he appears to be in character frank underwood from "house of cards." >> you wouldn't rush to judgment without facts, would you? did you? >> reporter: it's unclear what he is specifically addressing. netflix declined to comment on the video. the bizarre scene among the twists and turns ahead of the legal drama next month. last year, a representative for spacey said the actor was seeking treatment after accusations of sexual misconduct. his arraignment is scheduled for january 7th. according to "the boston globe" his attorneys want him to appear

in person. sheinelle. thank you. let's get another check of the weather from maria larosa in for dylan this morning. >> let's talk about how mild it is for the eastern third of the country. that gets us into the 50s and 60s in places like atlanta. all the way up to boston, you are up to 50 degrees. that will change. we have cooler and drier air moving in. that will keep things in check. you can see up into the upper midwest, you were talking about snow. you will see a warm up. kansas city is 44. chicago is 5 degrees above average at 39 degrees. still the chill across the southern plains and the southwest. new mexico, albuquerque, the first blizzard warning on record yesterday. the cold taking over next week. highs with the teens and 20s. that's the look

and there's your weather. >> thank you, maria. everything you need to know to keep you and your family safe if you get stuck in the car in the middle of a snow storm. that is something to think about. we will talk about that, but first these messages. well, how are the massage chairs working out for everyone? i dunno. i'm still a little stressed about buying our new house. well, it's a good thing we don't have to worry about homeowners insurance. geico can help with that.

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an important week after the snowstorm poupd pounded the cou. >> driving in a storm is scary and necessary. what should you do if you get stuck? jeff rossen has tips to save your life and the lives of your family and friends. >> good morning. we see it all the time. a snowstorm hits and people trapped inside in the car on the side of the road. it doesn't take a huge snowstorm to lose control and get stranded. when you get stuck, you can't move. it is too dangerous to leave the car. what are you supposed to do? this morning, the life-saving tips and they are simple. the big storm hits and suddenly you are stranded. it happened to this family. their car got stuck in deep snow in the oregon mountains on the way to go sledding. >> i was trying to stay calm. my anxiety kicked in.

>> reporter: after nearly 24 hours, a group of snowmobilers found them. it is not just the middle of the wilderness. it happened outside atlanta. >> one bottle of water and i have about a half a tank of gas left. >> reporter: on i-65 in kentucky. >> i have been melting ice and snow to drink. >> reporter: in the middle of lake shore drive in chicago. >> if they don't get me in enough time, my car could be covered in snow. i could be barricaded. >> reporter: drivers trapped for days unprepared. what do you do if you are stranded? to show you how to save your life, we have come here to frigid utah. it is cold here. this is tracey christiansen. my first instinct is to keep my family in the car and i get out and get help. >> that is the worst thing. it is frigid out there. if you don't know where you are

going, you could die. >> rescuers have a better time finding a car than a random person on the road? >> we will find you. >> reporter: should you run the engine? >> run the car for ten minutes an hour to stay warm. you need to conserve fuel. you could be here for the long haul. it is okay to run the car. >> ten minutes every hour. >> here is another tip. make sure the exhaust pipe is clear. >> you were saying never sleep alone in a running car. >> never sleep alone. that is a recipe for disaster. >> with the carbon monoxide getting in? >> yes. >> reporter: the life and death decisions coming in before you leave the house. you can get the essentials for less than $30. >> you can pick this up anywhere. >> we have. >> a couple of thingof things a important. litre of water. hand warmers.

batteries. >> those are cheap in the store. >> they're great. >> you have a blanket. >> this is one of the most important things you can have. a little bit of warmth. keep the core temperature warm. >> reporter: this wewith these you can stay alive for 24 to 48 hours. >> yes. we will find you. >> just to give you an idea of how dangerous it is to leave the car, experts say in temperatures below freezing, hype owe thermost hypothermia can set in within 10 minutes. if you are going on a road trip in the winter, tell someone where are yyou are going and ho are going. if they don't show up, they can call for help. >> these are the things you listen to in the comfort of your home. check it in the back of your mind in case an emergency happens. >> it is a good reminder, if you don't have to be on the roads,

don't do it. coming up, from box office surprises to tv standouts. a fun look back at the year in entertainment after these messages. new vaseline clinical care...

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pounding headache even if no one else can. it's why we focus only on headaches. nothing works faster. we see your pain and what's possible without it. excedrin extra strength. we see your pain and what's possible without it. she pretty much lives in her favorite princess dress. but once a week i let her play sheriff so i can wash it. i use tide to get out those week old stains and downy to get it fresh and soft. you are free to go. tide and downy together. we are back on saturday morning with the look at the big year in entertainment from the mega hits at the box office and darlings on the small screen. >> joe fryer has the highlights. >> reporter: in a year brimming with big screen superheroes "black panther" was king. >> the effects of what "black

panther" has done will be felt for years. >> reporter: 2018 was all about representation for movies by african-american filmmakers which grossed more than $100 million. while fans flocked to "crazy rich asians." the first studio film centered around an all asian cast since "joy luck club." >> we have the evidence to say yes, the stories are wanted and needed. there is an audience for them. if you make them, they will come. >> reporter: a glimpse at the future and past. 2018 marked the successful return of "incredibles" 14 years after the original. >> what does that mean? >> reporter: it is the year that gave us the latest remark of "a star is born." ♪ >> it is the hands down number one oscar frontrunner. not for best picture, but actress. >> reporter: the small screen

which felt big if you ask libby hill. >> how would you sum up the year in television? >> 500 scripted shows. >> reporter: credit or blame streaming services. like amazon which brought us "the marvelous mrs. maisel." >> i thought you were dead. >> reporter: and "roseanne" sudden return. then "the connerconners" withou star. it was a smoother reboot for "queer eye." >> it has been welcome back with open arms. what i love about netflix return to the series is that it is still pushing itself. >> reporter: in the world of music, one performance stood

out. >> coachella, beyonce, 2018. that is all that mattered to me. >> reporter: beyonce headlined the music festival with the concert both jaw dropping and throat provoking. to queen bey to cardi b. scoring three number one singles on the hot 100. drake inspired a viral somewhat risky dance challenge with "in my feelings." and ariana grande shattered records with the music video for "thanks u, next." >> are videos making a comeback? >> they never went away. i am watching on my phone or computer. i'm bored at work. i shouldn't say that publicly. >> reporter: so many ways to

watch. so many things to watch as we head into 2019. for "today," joe fryer, nbc news, los angeles. >> there are things i have not seen. >> i have the videos. i immedianeed the movies. >> let me look at the monitor. i'm supposed to look taller. i'm standing forward. let's see the monitor. not so much. kind of. hold on. >> i can take my heels off. >> i'm ready. now, still to come, from practical jokes to good old fashion fun, we take a look back at 2018 and the laughs we shared together. but first these messages. this is not a bed. it's a revolution in sleep. the new sleep number 360 smart bed is on sale now during our lowest prices of the season. it senses your movement, and automatically adjusts to keep you both comfortable. it can even warm your feet to help you fall asleep faster.

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still to come on "today," the latest on the storm that impacted tens of millions and a

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fast heartbeat, extreme drowsiness, swelling of your face, tongue or throat, dizziness or confusion. i found my tresiba® reason. find yours. ask your diabetes care specialist about tresiba®. good saturday morning. it is 6:26. here's a live look outside at san francisco. it looks beautiful all illuminated there. thank you so much for joining us

on this last weekend of the year. >> it's chilly outside. things are finally starting to feel like winter around here. this is a live look at downtown san jose. the current temperature, 37 degrees. we have clear skies. because we don't have any cloud cover, we don't have that blanket to keep us warm. running about 11 degrees colder this morning in mountain view than yesterday. santa rosa now at 32 degrees, oakland 39. your highs for today are only going to top out in the 50s. now, we are going to get a little bit of a break from all that wind that we saw kind of into the later portion of the workweek last week. as we head into tomorrow, we have a couple of changes that are going to impact that wind as we head into the overnight. by afternoon, we're going to get

sunny, clear skies and cool seasonal temperatures only topping out in the 50s. >> wow. thanks. ♪ amazing grace you're looking at a powerful show of support for a fallen officer and his family in a small town torn apart by tragedy. officer ron singh's police dog sam who was with him when he was shot and killed led the way for his wife and child. >> he made my day better. i do not know how i am going to go back to work without him there. >> we lost a great friend and a police officer, but we lost a role model for all of our kids.

>> officer singh was described as a practical joker and a local friend. local fire departments flew the u.s. flag along with a flag with a blue line symbolizing misservicmi police service. coming up this morning, it was a smooth helicopter flight until something went wrong. what hit the aircraft that forced it to make an emergency landing on the local golf course coming up at 7:00. ♪ toyland, toyland ♪ little girl and boy land ♪ while you dwell within it ♪ you are ever happy there daddy, it's christmas! ♪ childhoods, joyland never let go of your dreams. the mercedes-benz winter event is back.

lease the glc 300 for $459 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. good morning. holiday weekend havoc. a major mess to clean up this morning across the midwest after a big winter storm dumps a foot and a half of snow and from the south to the east coast. severe flooding after heavy rains moved through. as this storm rolls out, another one is coming in and could make for a wet new year's eve. we will have the full forecast. ready to compromise? news overnight that president trump might be willing to take half of the 5 billion dolla$5 bd for the border wall. this as the shutdown enters the

second week with no end in sight. and oh, what a year. >> what are you doing? >> our look back at the good times from the laughs to the jokes and food and the drinks. we are remembering all of it. today, saturday, december 29th, 2018. good morning. welcome back to "today" on saturday morning. hallie jackson is here this morning while peter has the morning off. >> the line is move your butt? >> dylan was trying to teach me to golf. lots going on. >> cannot wait to see that. >> we will get to that in a bit. let's start with the news. the weather that just won't quit. we are finally getting a break from the winter storm that left a mark this christmas week. it is moving out, but a new storm is on the way. we have maria larosa in for dylan.

>> good morning, sheinelle. the storm dumped a foot and a half of snow in the midwest. this video shows the snow in minnesota piling up in just 36 hours. check out the scene in louisiana where high winds and thunderstorms led to scary power surges. there was widespread flooding throughout the south. this was a deadly storm, too. it is responsible for at least six deaths throughout the midwest and the south. what's left of it? finally starting to see that drier air move in. we have lingering showers across the south. unfortunately, that is where we will see the wet weather hang up. the drier air moves in to places with a foot of snow like in duluth. here is the issue across the southeast like birmingham and atlanta which saw 3 to 4 inches of rainfall. the boundary is hung up. a few scattered showers and thunderstorms as well still remain.

th we will watch another area of low pressure. that will enhance the rainfall and bring moisture and heavy rain potentially to the great lakes. that is rain potential. the cold air locked up for now and through the plains. we are talking anywhere from 2 to 3 plus inches of rain in the darker area of red. that will cause more flooding problems and for areas topping out as the wettest year on record. wilmington, north carolina and d.c. sheinelle and hallie. >> maria, thank you. to politics. word that president trump may be willing to accept a compromise on the border wall money he wants. could that end the stalemate? we have white house correspondent kelly o'donnell with more on that. >> reporter: good morning, hallie. the president is looking to make a deal, but so far his compromise deal with the cut for border wall funding is going nowhere. the white house expects the shutdown to continue for several

more days. the president spent time with his close advisers handling negotiations with democrats on capitol hill. call it a shutdown strategy session friday night. as president trump left the white house for dinner at the vice president's residence. joined by jared kushner and acting chief of staff mick mulvaney. who told reporters earlier that democrats refused to talk after the president cut his demand for border wall funding. >> we gave them our most recent offer. we came down off our $5 billion offer. >> reporter: sources said the president would accept $2.5 billion. mulvaney blamed politics and nancy pelosi. claiming pelosi won't act until after the speaker's gavel is passed back to her. >> if she cuts the deal with the president of any sort before her election on january 3rd, she's at risk of losing the speakership. we're in this for the long haul.

>> reporter: pelosi aides says she will not talk about it until the white house reach es out to her directly. looking for leverage, the president tweeted a controversial threat. claiming we will be forced to close the southern border entirely if the obstructionist democrats do not give us the money to finish the wall. florida republican senator marco rubio tossed a wet blanket on that. >> i imagine that people in texas and other border states whose economies rely on it would be less than enthusiastic. >> reporter: and homeland security secretary kirstjen nielsen is continuing her tour of the border. she is expected to be in yuma, arizona. she is under criticism after two migrant children died in custody. she said she itting extraordinary precautions in place to protect the children in custody. hallie. >> kelly, thank you. we have more to get to this

morning with a suspect in custody. police say the suspect was headed for the mexican border when they caught up with him. seven other suspects have been detained in the case. an undocumented suspected of shooting singh during a traffic stop on wednesday. he is reportedly a gang member. the countdown is on to ring in the new year around the world. in new york, a million people are expected at times square monday night. while they watch the ball drop an army of police officers will be watching the crowd with more than 1,200 cameras including drones. >> maria has a check of the rest of the country's forecast. a nice crowd out there. >> a wonderful crowd. they're all excited that it's not freezing. we have lots of birthdays and a bucket list as well. >> i watched this show my whole life. >> you're okay with just the plaza, but now that you're on, double check. >> double check. thank you. >> a lot of excited crowd here.

we are in the 50s. a big change-up. look at the weather we expect today. the big storm system is moving to the east. we have lingering showers across the southeast. by new year's eve we'll watch the next wave. look at the heavy rain clear from the ohio valley into the great lakes. snow once again for parts of the midwest. a lot of snow for the four corners as well. if you wonder about the temperatures at midnight, yes, we are talking about below zero from the central plains into the midwest. it will be rain and mild, that's the trade-off. the mild temperatures and rain for new year's eve at midnight places like d.c. into new york. a lot of cold will take over once again through the central u.s. as we start 2019. we've got clear skies which means chilly morning temperatures. right now in san francisco 46 degrees. this is what it looks like outside. we've got some very low 30s. santa rosa right now waking up to 32 degrees, morgan hill 32

degrees, san jose 37 degrees. our daytime highs top out only in the upper 50s for some parts. and that's a look at the weather for a relatively happy and mild plaza. back to you. >> still to come, a look back at all of the fun we had on "saturday today" after these messages. ♪

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this music is supposed to relax me, though. ♪ maybe you'd mellow out a bit if you got geico to help you with your renters insurance. oh, geico helps with renters insurance? good to know. yeah, and they could save you a lot of money. wow, suddenly i feel so relieved. you guys are fired. get to know geico and see how much you could save on renters insurance. to say we like to have a good time on the show is an understatement. this is one of our favorite times of year. we close out 2018 and we want to take a look back at the fun we had here on "today." ♪

>> 2018 was an adventure. >> relentless. >> exhausting. >> a long year. ♪ >> how can you not love working for saturday "today?" it is the most joyful place. >> the best part of all of this has been becoming friends and getting to really know sheinelle and dylan. >> i was impressed with you. >> i didn't realize it. i miss those two. a little bit. >> oh, boy. specific memories? >> all the way down. you hit yourself in the head. >> i did it. >> hold up. s>> 2018 was pretty cool. i learned how to change a tire and how to play golf.

not bad. >> so fun. >> it is. >> you did it. >> i taught sheinelle how to golf. she taught me how to dance. there was a moment you were laughing so hard, the camera guys were laughing so hard. they could not keep the cameras still. >> move your butt. >> i'm trying. this is the worst dirty dancing movie i have ever seen. >> craig's ski fell off. >> go in the ski -- that's a great idea, craig. >> i'm doing it. >> we lost craig. >> i'm a quitter. i'm a quitter! >> your birthday. a big birthday. >> a lot of things happened on the show where it reminds you that you are part of something bigger. >> what are you doing? >> today, saturday, september 1st, 2018. today is my anniversary. >> good thing this show airs

early. >> one moment that was a favorite was the mother's day day surprise. and they managed to get my mother to new york city without me knowing. then to come and find out she had been hanging out with the other two moms the night before. >> if there is one thing the crew knows how to do is celebrate. celebrate and eat. >> i love a cooking segment. i'm a sucker for a segment where i get to stuff my face. sucker for it. >> cheers. >> cheers. >> i feel there is a blend. >> we are really drinking. >> this is the year of sheinelle drinking bourbon. >> i like this one. >> and a bourbon lover is born. she went in for a second sip. you have to do some work today, now. are you kidding me? what is wrong with you? >> i don't know what it is about pranks. you think they would get old. when you do one and land it,

it's pretty great. >> you are drinking ginger ale. that's funny. >> saturday, a lot of silliness that happens. >> this is called face yoga. >> up, down. >> am i doing it right? >> you look three years younger. >> is this a prank? >> is that serious? >> you forget you are here to work. >> excuse me. >> we can get a little carried away and have fun. >> layered with italian cheeses. oops. >> i'm looking at you, sheinelle. >> where is your hat? >> you look like amelia earhardt. >> he is like my little sister. >> we have a good time here. why do you always do this to me?

>> wubble dub. >> it has all of us singing. ♪ rubber ducky >> this was also the year where my schedule changed a bit. my friend peter alexander came in and took my job. i moved to the weekday. i miss my saturday team. i do. >> i guess we scared craig away. he could not handle working with us on saturdays anymore. >> we got peter. it was like hey. >> when you hear your name and you come in and sit behind that desk next to sheinelle and dylan. for me it is a dream come true. >> this is "today" with sheinelle jones and peter alexander -- peter alexander -- peter alexander -- peter alexander -- peter alexander and dylan dreyer. >> i'm not afraid to break it out a bit. >> peter alexander. sheinelle jones. ♪

dylan dreyer. ♪ this is "today." >> i probably have to check myself. >> this show is special because of the people. ♪ ♪

>> i hope 2019 is a great year. >> full of more laughter. >> i hope that 2019 brings calm. >> i hope 2019 is the best year yet. >> cheer to 2019. >> cheers to 2019. >> cheers to 2019. >> cheers to 2019. >> awe. how great is that? >> i feel lucky to hang out every now and then when you want to go on vacation. i'm like the weird niece. >> we could not close out 2018 without talking to craig. hey, craig. >> how are you? >> did you actually wake up for us? >> i did. >> hey. >> did you want to say hi to hallie and sheinelle? >> hi. i told him we were going to say hi to our friends. >> hi to america? >> how much do you miss sheinelle and peter and dylan?

>> you have no idea. you don't miss them until they're gone. perhaps i did not value them as much when i was there. i mess thiss them dearly. i especialnjoy the weekday team. >> that was the most hilarious thing. i love how he is like, no, you are with me. i will say he is an adorable little boy. i will say watching this video makes me realize we have a great thing here. we have a family here. we're thankful. now you get to be home with the kiddos. >> be careful what you think you want, right? >> bye. >> have a great 2019. >> happy new year. >> that was the best. >> so cute. >> thanks to our producer and researchers and editor for putting that piece

sad it's over. thanks for hanging out with us. >> last saturday of 2018. >> that will do it for us. tomorrow on "today" it is willie's turn to look back at the guests he interviewed. >> enjoy you

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bay .... the manhunt for a suspected cop killer is over. and a community comes together to coming up next, the manhunt for a suspected cop killer is over. and a community comes together to celebrate the life of a beloved fallen office. plus, the new law that some are calling a game changer in stopping drunk drivers. how it will make it harder for repeat offenders to get behind the wheel. also, a chilly start to the weekend. we'll have a look at what we can expect for new year's eve. from bay area tolls--- to the state capitol. the new laws you )ll need to knw starting next week. plus: vianey is tracking your new year )s eve forecast as you prepare to celebrate! join us monday morning from

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san jose good saturday morning. it is december 29th, if you can believe it. here's a live look outside. a beautiful sunrise over san jose, perfectly clear as we look at the outline of those trees there. you know what that means. when it's that clear, it's pretty cold. thank you so much for joining us.