we are one day from the georgia senate runoff. hear from the first woman to speak out publicly, alleging domestic violence against herschel walker since the campaign began it's an nbc exclusive. a year after a man drove his car into crowds at a waukesha christmas parade, killing six, the annual celebration continued with heavy hearts and those lost on everyone's mind in idaho, two roommates who were in the house when four others were killed are speaking out. desean jackson returns to the gridiron to jeers and cheers plus, all your week 13 action

around the league. and we spent our kerry sanders in search of the perfect christmas story, the combination of nature and science and the future of the holidays it's monday, december 5. "early today" starts right now thanks for starting the week with us. i'm frances rivera. >> and i'm phillip mena. we begin this morning with the final sprint in georgia's runoff race for u.s. senate with just one day to go, senator raphael warnock and his republican challenger herschel walker made their final appeals to voters in a campaign blitz this weekend early voting numbers show record-breaking turnout, with nearly two million early ballots expected to be counted it's been a controversial run for walker, who has faced a flurry of allegations. in an nbc news exclusive, we're hearing from a woman on camera who dated him for years and says he was abusive vaughn hillyard has more. >> reporter: god don't need a politician he need warriors. >> reporter: the georgia senate runoff heated on the campaign trail to the very end.

>> hello university of georgia >> reporter: but a woman who was in a five-year relationship with republican herschel walker speaking out to nbc news. >> i believe the deception now is on the american people and i have to say what i know. i have to tell the herschel i know >> reporter: sheryl parsa first told her story to the daily beast last week, alleging the former football star physically attacked her in 2005 >> he told me, you want to see a man? i'll show you a man. he was pressing his forehead against mine my head was against the wall he was speaking with such force, his saliva was all over my face. he had his hand on my chest, my neck and he leaned back to throw a punch, and luckily, i was able to avoid that. and the punch landed on the wall instead of me. >> reporter: nbc news spoke with three individuals whom she told of this incident in the past before he was running for the

senate her story not the first allegation of domestic abuse against the former football star his ex-wife sydney grossman spoke out in 2008. >> he got a gun and he put to it my temple. >> reporter: put the gun right to your temple >> uh-huh. >> reporter: what did he say >> i'm going blow your f'ing brains out. >> reporter: two months ago, walker's son tweeting that his father had previously, quote, threatened to kill us. walker has previously acknowledged suffering from mental illness during the period of these allegations he even wrote a book about it, saying he had disassociative identity disorder in which an individual has various and distinct personalities >> a texas woman is alleging that you attacked her. would you like to respond to those allegations? >> reporter: walker and his campaign have not responded to parsa's allegations. >> i never thought i would be in this situation today whoever thought he would be running for senate and i would feel this compelled

to come forward. but it was the women it was for me, because i had lived in silence for so long, carrying the shame of what i allowed. >> our thanks to vaughn for that report the waukesha, wisconsin christmas parade is back that killed six and wounded others. it was an emotional procession that sought comfort while honoring the victims of last year's senseless violence. >> reporter: waukesha's christmas parade is back, bigger and stronger than ever the community turning up in force one year after tragedy struck when a man drove an suv through the parade, killing six people and injuring dozens more. 80 floats lined the streets, led by six snowflake cutouts in honor of the lives lost. the dancing grannies, who lost some of their own are back too

what does it mean to you that you're back here dancing again after being injured? >> it means that i have lots of angels surrounding me. >> reporter: first responders serving as the grand marshals as they honor the victims, their families forever bonded together. >> we all have a chekz. >> reporter: sheri and aaron sparks >> i've always loved christmas, but then there is that weight that you're fighting through >> reporter: do you think that the parade coming back will help with that? >> i think for a lot of people it's going to be healing. >> reporter: they're not comfortable going back this year, but credit the community support for those who do want to attend to ensure safety, the city quadrupled police officer presence and altered the parade route from past years, along with an $800,000 investment in new vehicle barriers. >> the most important is the community feels safe and that's something we can't

put a price tag on >> reporter: the town's resilience on full display >> remember what a christmas parade it's bringing everyone together in the joy of christmas. you kind of think about how terrible it is that, you know, there has been a stain on that, and there shouldn't be. >> and our thanks to moira for that report. now to idaho, where we have new details in the university murder mystery where four college roommates were killed last month the two roommates who were also in the house that night are breaking their silence steve patterson has their story. >> reporter: three weeks later, more questions, few answers, no suspects, as friends remember four lives lost. >> how truly special i felt to be your friend >> reporter: for the first time, we hear from the two surviving roommates inside at the time of the stacks in their own words. >> i'm going to be reading two different letters, one from dylan, and one from bethany. >> their letters read by a pastor at a service held this weekend.

from dylan mortonson >> my life was greatly impacted to have known these beautiful people >> and bethany funke >> maddie, kaylee, xana, and ethan were all one of a kind they all lit up any room they walked into and were gifts to this world >> reporter: the surviving roommates have been ruled out as potential suspects their four friends stabbed to death in the early morning hours of november 14th, likely asleep in their beds. with no suspects or murder weapon, the moscow police department still following leads in the investigation, digging through more than 100 pieces of evidence on top of thousands of calls, tips, and emails maintaining the fatal stabbings were targeted. the department focused on dispelling misinformation, saying there is speculation without factual backing, stoking community fears and spreading false information. but in this tight knit town, frustration is boiling over. the father of one of the four victims kaylee goncalves is speaking out >> the detective looked me in his eyes

i have no doubt he's working as hard as he can but somebody isn't communicating. there's nothing being released >> reporter: in our interview, he says with a lack of evidence, he's terrified the trail could go cold. >> i don't know how you catch a criminal if you don't even know what you're looking for. >> reporter: families now fearful they may never find justice. steve patterson, nbc news. the eruption of the world's largest active volcano continues in hawaii. during the past 24 hours, the lava flow advanced at the rate, average rate of about 400 feet per hour, according to the u.s. geological survey's most recent update the lava's migration to one of the island's main highways, however, has slowed significantly. plus, mount semeru, indonesia's highest volcano erupted sunday according to national disaster management agency, monsoon rains eroded and finally collapsed the lava dome atop the 12,000 foot high volcano causing the

eruption evacuations began in the east java province. so far no casualties have been reported one of the nfl's most controversial figures back on the field and playing against his old team desean jackson returned to the browns, having served an 11-game suspension after dozens of women accused him of sexual misconduct nbc's jesse kirsch was at the game >> hear a smattering of boos here as watson takes the field for the first time. >> reporter: he used to play for the texans but when cleveland browns quarterback desean jackson took his first snap, houston didn't give him an entirely warm welcome. that chorus of boos echoing throughout most of the game. >> i can't imagine you've ever been booed every time you've taken a snap what did that feel like? >> i definitely have south carolina around college. >> reporter: you got to think it's not about rivalry this time >> like i said, i can't control that. >> reporter: the embattled nfl star returning from an 11-game

suspension after more than two dozen women accused him of sexual misconduct, including forcing a woman to perform oral sex, according to one lawsuit. 23 women settled with watson, while 30 accusers settled with the texans, according to their attorney but watson was never charged criminally and still says he is innocent around 10 of his accusers watching watson's return in person, according to their attorney >> they're still here. and we still have not seen any sort of change from the nfl. >> reporter: many fans treated him like nothing ever happened >> any trepidation about him being on the field >> no. >> when you're in this kind of limelight, you can't have actions like that. >> i just feel for the women not necessarily like going to be cheering just for him. i'm just here for some good football. >> reporter: as desean jackson gets a second chance amid lingering controversy. >> there is no expiration date on the harm that this caused

but there is an expiration date on offenders who are penalized and that -- that is unfair >> our thanks to jesse for that report >> you know what they say. everything is bigger in texas. and the one team sunday night certainly stood taller in dallas >> organize the guys prescott, ceedee lamb, was he down they say no for now and he is into the end zone. >> the cowboys scored early on, but indianapolis kept battling back dallas scored 33 points in the final period, breaking a franchise record getting the lopsided win, 54-19. another dominant jalen hurts performance. the qb is flying high with four total touchdowns and 380 yards passing as philly moves to 11-1. they beat the titans 35-10 >> the phillies still hold a two-game lead in the division over the cowboys, soaring above

the giants and commanders who tied on sunday everyone in the nfc east except for washington currently holds a play-off spot. patrick mahomes and the chiefs led heading into the fourth quarter, but the bengals scored ten unanswered, and a missed kansas city field goal sealed the victory for the third time in 2022 the bengals get the best of the chiefs since he wins it, 27-24 justin fields tried to rewrite this chapter of the nfl's oldest rivalry, but aaron rodgers wasn't having it the packers scored 18 unanswered in the fourth to come from behind and beat the bears for the eight straight time, 28-19 with that victory, the packers surpass the bears for the most regular season wins in nfl history, now standing at 787 that's the first time since 1921 that chicago is not the league's winningest franchise let's turn now to your monday weather, nbc meteorologist michelle grossman who is watching heavy rain and

flash flood risk. >> portions of the southeast, especially to alabama, tennessee and georgia, we could see some really heavy rain. we're already seeing the showers on radar early this morning. it's a lot of moisture pulling in from the gulf that's what we're going see today. showers expanding during the afternoon hours. as we head throughout tomorrow, we're looking at that rain moving into the northeast. also scattered showers into the mid south. and then wednesday, we're going see training storms. more rain. there is a lot of rain where you see thbrightere normal for this time of year temperatures in the 70s and 80s in texas all right. it's a new workweek. we're going to take a look at that forecast in just a bit. >> all right sounds good, michelle.

thank you. up next. we'll remember a beloved original member of "sesame street" who has just died. >> an an uatpde on nicick cacans health folollowing a r rush to e hospspital follolowing a solold performance. . .....clinicalllly showown to improrove joinint comfortt withinin 7 days. .....clinicalllly showown to improrove osteo bibi-flex - avavailable atat your lol retailer a and club. who says y you have toto d more on skskincare to get resesults? i i power up m my skin witith . to get resesults? itit works. guararanteed. to get resesults? try niniacinamide e for streng, retinol 24 for smomoothnes to get resesults? anand vitamin n c for brigight. to get resesults? i likeke to use ththem all! to get resesults? olay. . face anyththing. a dentntal tool is r round for a a reason. soso is an oraral-b. round clcleans betteter by surrorounding each too. round clcleans betteter soso clean, yoyou'll f feel liu just left the dentist. oral-b. . brush likeke a . soso clean, yoyou'll f feel liu just left the dentist. ♪♪♪ wonderering what a actually gs intoto your multltivitamin?? at new c chapter, its' innnnovation, wonderering what a actually gs intoto your multltivitamin?? organic ingredients, and fermentation. fermentatation? organic ingredients, and fermentation. yes.s.

formulateded to help y you y yes.s. rereally trulyly absorb the e natural gogoodness. yes.s. new chapteter. wellness, , well done.e. leading the news, a beloved resident of "sesame street" has passed away. "says my workshop" is mourns the loss of bob mcgrath. they say he embodied the melodies of "sesame street" like no one else. ♪ and if i didn't love you, how could i miss you ♪ ♪ and feel sad, happy, happy sad ♪ >> bob played a friendly neighbor for the first 47 seasons and continued to make appearances after that he once said the impact the show has on millions of kids was the most gratifying thing anyone could hope for his family says he died

peacefully at home bob mcgrath was 90 years old nick cannon is in the hospital after coming down with pneumonia. the father of 11 and masked singer host shared the update on friday, saying it came one day after his sold-out show at madison square garden. cannon, who lives with lupus, said having pneumonia is nothing he can't handle, writing on instagram, this is a great lesson to take care of you, or you won't be able to take care of everyone else spider man also known as prince harry sent a video message to children who have lost a parent in the armed forces. >> so go out and have the best time and merry christmas >> the video is played to members of scotty's little soldiers at their annual christmas party. this year's theme was heroes and villains in the message, the duke of sussex tells children that christmas is a time when we miss our loved ones, but added it's important not to feel guilty for having fun at the same time.

after a quick time, "wakanda forever" reigns for the fourth eka row. sprucingng up your s spruce. how w scientiststs are creatati perfecect christmamas tree rface. that whehen touched,d, can quy spread thrhroughout yoyour . help stotop the spreread withth microban2n24. with it't's long lasasting sh, itit's the onlnly leading g bd provenen to keep k killing with it't's long lasasting sh, 9999.99% of babacteria on n surs for r up to 24 h hours. with it't's long lasasting sh, soso, no matteter what youor famimily toucheses, bebe confidentnt you're prproteg them witith microbanan24. don'n't just sananitize it,, mimicroban it.t. [oveven ding] we makake sit-downwn chicken. ststand-up chihicken. [oveven ding] backyard c chickenen... oops chihicken. anand all-smililes chickene. if there's's one thingng we k, it's c chicken, chicicken and chchicken. anand all-smililes chickene. if there's's one thingng we k, more choicices. more wowow. more to o love. t. pain hits fast. so get relief fast. only tylenol rapid release gels have laser drilled holes. they release medicine fast for fast pain relief.

and now get relief without a pill with tylenol dissolve packs. relief without the water. wantnt more fromom your vitat? get morere with natuture's bou. from the f first-ever r tripe action s sleep supplplement.. toto daily digigestive supupp. to morore wellnessss solutios everery day. geget more witith nature's's b. ♪♪♪ entresesto is the e #1 heart failure e brand presescribed ♪♪♪ by cardidiologists. it w was proven superior at h helping peoeople stay a e and out t of the hosospital. it w was proven superior at h helping peoeople stay a e don't takeke entrestoo ifif pregnant;t; it canan cause hararm or deah toto an unbornrn baby. don't takeke entrestoo ifif pregnant;t; don't takeke entresto o with anan ace i inhibitor o or alisk, or if yoyou've had a angia wiwith an ace e or arb. don't takeke entresto o with anan ace i inhibitor o or alisk, the momost seriousus side effes are angigioedema, don't takeke entresto o with anan ace i inhibitor o or alisk, low blooood pressurer, kidndney problemems, oror high blooood potassiui. asask your dococtor about enentresto. oror high blooood potassiui. disheses still comoming out di? itit may be yoyour detergege. ononly cascadede uses dawnwn. as a a built-in prpre-rinse sysystem. ononly cascadede uses dawnwn.

it r rehydrates s dried on f f. ononly cascadede uses dawnwn. ...liftsts it off..... ...and brereaks it dowown. doining the pre-e-rinse for r. cacascade platatinum. doining the pre-e-rinse for r. scrarape, load, , done. doining the pre-e-rinse for r.

now is our time. >> another weekend on top for "black panther: wakanda forever. the film landed atop the box office for fourth week in a row. it's earned over $33 million worldwide so far the r-rated action comedy "violent knights" a strong debut with $13.3 million ahead of expectations and landing in third was disney's "strange world," almost 5 million in its second weekend. michelle is back with a look at your week aadhe

>> and scieientists arere st in t to o help creatate ththe f growowing christstmas tree stay w with us e e 9 of youour worst cocold and flu sysymptoms. 9 of youour worst cocold toto help takeke you fromom 9 to nonene. power ththrough with v vicks dayququil sever. ♪♪♪ nonow special l k fruit & & yt ♪♪♪ has evenen more yogugurty clustersrs. that's's music to o my ears. has evenen more yogugurty clustersrs. ♪♪♪ kellogg's s special k.k. dodo what's dedelicious. ♪♪♪ ♪♪♪

one e prilosec o otc eachch morning b blocks hearartburn all l day and all l night. one e prilosec o otc eachch morning b blocks prprilosec otctc reduces excecess acid fofor 24 hours, blblocking heaeartburn beforere it startsts. one pipill a day. . 24 hours. zero h heartburn.. (nananci) gegemma's mymy show dog.g. blblocking heaeartburn she's an athlelete-she's a canie athlete.e. prior toto blue buffffalo, i s feedining proplann but t i really w wanted to f fa high qualility dog fooood thatat didn't t contain chchin by-productct meal and d corn gluteten meal and d when i fouound the blue buffffalo it jusust fit, and so w we switcheded. i know t that she hahas a good , goodod energy ovover all.... she's s smart as a a whip, and d i would dodo anythingg to makake sure thahat she's s tt dog she cacan be. ♪holidaday music♪♪ afteter a night t like t. crest has s you coverered. cresest. as t the officiaial toothpastete of santa.a. wewe asked foror his helpp in closingng america's's smilp this holididay season.n.

whwhat's ththe #1 retininol bd in closingng america's's smilp used m most by derermatologis? itit's neututrogena® rarapid wrinklkle repair® smooths s the look o of fine l lines in 1-1-week, deepep wrinkles s in 4. so you c can kiss wrinkleses goodbye!! neneutrogena® ready to s shine frfrom the insnside out? say y “yes” to naturere's bouy advanceded gummies and jelllly beans. the nunumber one b brand for r hair, skinin and nail. withth two timeses more biotn to bring out more of youour inner bebeauty. get morere with nanature's bou. if you haven't tried dawn powewerwash dishsh spray, what a are you waiaiting for? it's dawn's fastest t and easiet way y to clean e everyday didi. on simimple messeses... just sprayay, wipe andnd rins. on t tough messeses, its spry actitivated sudsds have fifive times f faster greaee cleaeaning powerer to break d down greasese witht water. plplus, its tatargeted sprpray s even h hard to reaeach places better.. soso, replace e your dish h soah dawn p powerwash and spray y your dishehes cle.

welcome back on this monday. we're looking at heavy rain. the potential for flash flooding in portions of the tennessee valley, the lower mississippi, also heavy rain falling in the southeast. it's going to be warm, temperatures 10 to 20 degrees above normal the west remains very active we're look at snow continuing to fall we could see an avalanche risk portions of the rockies, the sierra nevada mountains. it's blustery in the upper midwest, the northern plains, the great lakes. and by wednesday, it's going to be soggy soggy too on tuesday in the northeast from new england into the tennessee valley once again. so that flood threat does continue more snow in the rockies as we near friday, we're looking at still wet conditions in portions of the northeast could see some snow showers in the inteor parts of the northeast, the great lakes, into the upper midwest. back to you guys >> michelle, thank you faster growing, more perfectly shaped how scientists are stepping in to create the ultimate christmas trees. that's next on "early today.

thig on all the gifts you need for the gifts that keep on giving. because while they have no idea what's going on here... -hi. -...a little something of their own will get them in the spirit. they don't know why you'd ever leave the house like this... but they'll happily hold down the fort while you're gone. -smiles! -and let's be honest, they'll never understand this whole situation... but they do get this. thank goodness. great prices. happy pets. chewy. do you struggle with occasional nerve aches in your hands or feet? great prices. happy pets. try nervivenerve relief from the world's #1 selling nerve care company. nervive contains alpha lipoic acid to relieve occasional nerve aches, weakness and discomfort. try nervivenerve relief. who says y you have toto d more on skskincare to get resesults? who says y you have toto d more on skskincare i i power up m my skin witith . who says y you have toto d more on skskincare itit works. guararanteed. who says y you have toto d more on skskincare try niniacinamide e for streng, retinol l 24 for smomooths who says y you have toto d more on skskincare anand vitamin n c for brigight. who says y you have toto d more on skskincare i likeke to use ththem all! who says y you have toto d more on skskincare olay. . face anyththing.

now to the scientists branching out to make your christmas tree a cut above the competition. they aim to make trees bigger, stronger, grow faster and even smell better kerry sanders takes us inside the lab. >> reporter: in north carolina's blue ridge mountains -- >> you see one over here that might work >> reporter: three generations of the amable family continue the family tradition. >> what do you think of that one? >> i like that one over there. >> reporter: in all, four trees, including one for 7-year-old charlie rain's bedroom

why did you choose this tree of all the trees? >> because it had a lot of greenery on it >> reporter: along the east coast, the tree on your neighborhood lot likely was grown in north carolina. >> i was driving a tractor when i was 9 years old. >> reporter: farmer joe freeman. >> well, fraser fir is the most popular because of the overall appearance, the strong branches, the smell. >> reporter: but it's what you cannot see on his 350,000 tree orchard that's groundbreaking. behind every tree there is more than just farming. these days there is science, and yes, even genetics for what has become the definition of the perfect christmas tree in a first of its kind lab at north carolina state, justin whitehill leads a team of researchers on the cusp of creating super trees, christmas trees that grow in six years inside stead of ten.

is there an analogy of what you're going in the lab here >> we're developing the elite athletes of christmas trees essentially. >> reporter: scientists extract dna and at the molecular level pinpoint what allows some to grow faster than others. >> this is a clump of embryos or baby trees. >> reporter: embryos what are cloned and then crafted into saab lings, like many of those now growing on joe freeman's farm four decades of research finally paying off, just as climate change becomes an urgent challenge. >> we've got to build a better tree so when we do have an early frost, a late frost, a wet season, a dry season, whatever, we need a tree that's robust enough to live through that. >> reporter: here in the research orchards, more progress >> if you want the needles to stay on, but you're also working on -- >> the aroma. >> the aroma >> yeah. >> reporter: it smells great. >> it smells great, yeah. >> reporter: and you thought that perfect christmas tree like the one in charlie's bedroom was

just good luck kerry sanders, nbc news, laurel springs, north carolina. >> never knew so much about christmas trees until now. i learned so much. >> all the science behind it the on

speaking out, a woman who had a long-time relationship with herschel walker is talking exclusively to nbc news about allegations of violent behavior. this as a record number of georgians have already hit the polls ahead of tomorrow's senate runoff turning point. news of iran's mortality police potentially being disbanded after months of protests remembering one of the original cast members of "sesame street" as the legendary bob mcgrath passes away at 90. the president calls out four