when you see standing water. >> yeah, don't drive through it. >> we will be back with a local update of news in about 25 minutes or new year's now two days away thousands of passengers still stranded from christmas. >> it's not the holiday week many americans were hoping for it's december 29th this is "today." running out of options the nightmare home for stranded southwest passengers not over yet. with the airline still canceling flights by the thousands families enduring endless lines just for the chance to rebook. >> things were really out of control. u. >> in some cases, desperat travelers even facing trouble with the police. other airlines step anything to bring some relief. we have it all covered covid checkpoint

a growing surge and concerns of a new variant spark a new rule set to go into effect for anyone entering the country from china. we'll break down everything you need to know as cases are once again on the rise in the u.s thawing out. roads finally reopening in buffalo almost a week after that deadly blizzard brought life in western new york to a stand still. it comes just in time with resources there running low. this morning, some relief from the cold, too, with temperatures getting milder for much of the country. out west, a new storm has 15 million americans under flood watches. dylan is keeping a close watch all eyes on the vatican. prayers from around the world pouring in for ex pope benedict. the 95-year-old very sick according to pope francis.

we're there with a live report those stories, plus reality bites. how big tech companies went all in on the metaverse spending bibillions consumers, not so much this morning, why experts say the virtual trend could still catch on and out of this world. from the moon to mars, we'll take a look at the space race of 2023 and how the upcoming missions will impact us all down here on earth, today, thursday, december 29th, 2022. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb, from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza good morning and welcome to "today." thank you so much for joining us on this thursday morning savannah and hoda are off for the holiday. peter, we are so close to new year's eve it is starting to warm up a little bit >> the countdown is beginning. temperatures will hover close to the 50s. >> we'll take it >> a big change from a few days ago.

the latest on all of it in a moment we have been marinating in the mess this week frustrating news about travel. first things first, we want to point out a little bit of the good news. a live look from buffalo where the roads reopened overnight nearly a week after that monster blizzard dumped a foot after another foot of snow welcomed sight for residents there virtually trapped for the last few days. >> absolutely. and this is a look at the price of gas this morning. check it out at a station in south florida. $3.09 a gallon at a station in florida. the national average $3.16, actually down from a year ago. it hit as high as $5 a gallon back in the early summer it comes amid predictions that americans will pay even less next year. that is the good news but there's tough news still for the passengers trying to fly it is a familiar story this morning. thousands of southwest airlines flights canceled

hundreds of delays reported begin today. >> other airlines stepping up to help stranded flyers scrambling for a plan b blayne alexander starts us off with new details blayne, good morning to you. >> reporter: well, kristen, good morning to you as the travel nightmare stretches well into a week, the frustration is going beyond the flights. many of the passengers have already made it home but onl after incurring hundreds and even thousands of unplanned expenses southwest is not allowing them to submit the receipts online as yet another airline executive is speaking out >> waited in line two hours for the gate agent to get rebooked on another flight. >> reporter: southwest airlines continues to cancel flights by the thousands slashing slashing nearl two-thirds of its schedule, more executives are apologizing and offering some relief to frustrated travelers >> if you are still waiting on a bag, you can submit information on how to receive that bag at no cost to you.

you can submit a full refund for any canceled flights and if you have any travel expenses due to the disruption, you can submit those directly on our website. >> reporter: it comes as other major airlines are taking steps to help. dealt, american and united have all announced they will cap airfare in select cities to help stranded southwest passengers forced to shell out big bucks to book on other carriers. >> this is our first experience where things were out of control. >> reporter: they were stranded in kansas city. when southwest canceled their flight. they rented a car, drove to colorado, then bought six plane tickets on a different airline to get to san diego. all told, nearly $3,000 in unplanned expenses. >> i'd like to be reimbursed for all the extra we had to pay for but it's out of my control. >> reporter: a different frustration for passengers in nashville.

this video of an officer telling passengers who no longer have tickets after their flights were canceled they can be arrested for trespassing. >> if you doan have a valid ticket and are on the secured side and refuse to leave, you can be arrested. >> reporter: the nashville airport said they are working to provide the best passenger experience for all and southwest airlines requested the officer to escort passengers to the security area. for the thousands of stranded passengers across the country, experts say it's important to know what you're entitled to. >> the number one thing is that you have a right to get a refund of any ticket when the airline cancels it. regardless of their reason. >> reporter: when it comes to reimbursements, there's not always a guarantee. >> you may have to go ahead and exspend the money and then hope the airline will honor it. >> reporter: in the midst of all of this frustration we have been watching all week, i want to show you a happy ending that played out live on nbc yesterday.

take a look at this. our reporter was reporting live and met a gentleman seeing a report and recognized the bag in the background of the report. he drove to the airport. claimed it live on "nbc news daily" and thought it was in a different state. he was stunned to see his bag. at least one person was able to find a piece of luggage. guys. >> it was such a great moment, blayne. we are all holding onto the positive moments right now. i want to shift gears and ask you about other news. there is another piece of major travel development this morning. an upcoming covid policy change. at u.s. airports. what can you tell us about that? >> reporter: yeah. this was an announcement that came out from the cdc saying that starting january 5th they will require all passengers traveling into the u.s. from china and hong kong to submit

either a negative covid test or proof of recovery from covid they say in order to try to help curb the spread of covid cases of course here in the u.s. they point to a lack of transparency from the chinese government when it comes to reporting the number of cases over there in china. kristen. >> blayne alexander covering all the angles for us. blayne, thank you. now to buffalo where the roads have finally opened after that deadly blizzard dumped feet of snow on western new york. but as the death toll keeps climbing, there are renewed questions about the officials there, their response to the historic storm. jesse kirsch is on the ground in buffalo for us again today. jesse, good morning. >> reporter: peter, good morning. you can see we still have mounds of snow pushed to the side of roadways. it's been six full days since the blizzard began and for the first time since people started, people are able to do this. we are getting a look at one of the neighborhoods in buffalo.

the road is reopened. the travel ban is lifted. clearly conditions are far from perfect. there are questions about why it has taken this long to get the roads reopened. thatat led to fifinger pointnti the death h toll contitinues to rise. this morning some relief for residents of buffalo. the national guard going door to door for wellness checks. overnight, the city's travel ban finally expiring. all this amid concerns that food and medication could be running low. >> being able to lift the travel ban safely now will allow people to do those important things. >> reporter: the announcement coming late wednesday after erie county's executive called the city's response embarrassing. >> the mayor is not going to be happy to hear about it. storm after storm after storm, the city unfortunately is the last one to be opened. and that shouldn't be the case. >> i will say my full focus today as it has been during the duration of the storm has been to serve the needs of the residents of the city of buffalo and get our city back open.

>> reporter: leaders were pressed on whether the travel bans should have been issued earlier. as new york's death doll rises to nearly 40. >> the grim reality is that we know we will find more bodies when the snow starts to melt. >> reporter: but already the losses are staggers. erie county says 17 people were found outside. a stranger discovered her 52-year-old mother, monique alexander, lying dead in the snow christmas eve. >> he put her under an awning so she wouldn't be buried under snow. you can tell when we spoke on video chat how sorry he was. he was crying. we were crying together. >> reporter: amid the heartbreak, stories of hope from the city of good neighbors. one woman said she and her boyfriend rescued a man from the cold before getting him to a hospital. then there's barbershop owner who said his business became a refuge for many escaping the brutal storm. some taking their chances in the blizzard.

>> i had an opportunity to help people. i genuinely would do it again. i just did it so people could be warm. >> reporter: that's just one of the inspiring stories we have been hearing from this community. that business owner was giving out money so people could try to get home. this morning we have been watching for the threat of potential flooding here. the national weather service said as we get rain, especially tomorrow, the national weather service said if there's flooding it will be minimal. that's good news. peter? >> they could use good news these days. jesse kirsch in buffalo. jesse, thanks so much. the rest of the nation's roads and airways remain busy with holiday travel. dylan is here with a look at a major warmup on the way and new year's forecast. that is looking good with the 50s. >> yeah. 50s. mid-50s. real nice. especially in the buffalo area to help the melting along. take a look at what we are expecting today. chicago should be up to 55 degrees today.

that will feel downright mild when you step outside. lexington 59 degrees. buffalo up to 46. we stay well above freezing the next several days. tomorrow, 55 in buffalo. that will help with the melting and again without the threat of the melting causing major flooding. this is really just a good thing. st. louis, 48 degrees tomorrow. here's the setup as we go into the weekend itself. saturday, we will see heavier rain across the southeast. dry through the middle of the country. we have another big storm make its way into the west coast. it will bring rain along the coast and mountain snow. midnight looks pretty wet in new york city where the ball is dropping. we will see mild temperatures. still looking at a lot of rain. that will exit new york by new year's day. looks good across the eastern two-thirds of the country. still looking at more snowy weather out in the mountains without west. kristen? >> thank you so much. we turn now to rome. prayers pouring in for the retired pontiff, pope benedict. the 95-year-old being closely

monitored by doctors after pope francis revealed that his predecessor's health has taken a turn for the worst. molly hunter is at the vatican with the latest on the condition. molly, good morning. >> reporter: peter, good morning to you. behind me you can see the massive crowds packing the square. he has appeared frail at times. but this was a very public, very serious acknowledgment from pope francis that the former pope is very sick. former pope benedict's health taking a sudden turn for the worst. at 95, the vatican says it is due to his age but his health has been deteriorating in recent years. in a rare move, pope francis addressing the faithfu yesterday saying he is very sick, asking them to pray for pope benedict, prompting an outpouring of support. >> he is seen as a guardian.

very traditional very conservative. many see him in a grandfatherly-like way >> this is one of the most learned men in the world deeply familiar with all world religions, as well as his own catholic faith >> reporter: pope francis visited benedict yesterday and before that last saw the very frail looking benedict in august with a new group of cardinals. when benedict became pope in 2005, he succeeded the care mas charismatic pope john paul ii, a difficult act to follow. at 78, he became one of the oldest cardinals ever elected as pope and he took on modern issues, opposing homosexuality and women priests and leading the church into social media, joining facebook and setting up a youtube channel. >> i think ordinary catholics sensed in him a man not only of great learning but of real holiness and were inspired by that

>> reporter: a quiet, intellectual man, he was known for his love of playing the piano and fondness for red shoes. under benedict, the catholic church grew in africa. but with scandals in the u.s. and uk his last weeks were tarnished into the church's own bureaucracy. he was the first pope to resign in over 600 years, unprecedented move citing a lack of strength of mind and body the unusual situation two living popes inspiring a movie. >> you lifted a great burden from my shoulders. >> you placed every one on mine. >> reporter: he left the vatican in 2013 with all the pomp and splendor the vatican could muster >> and just really wanted th to show the church and the world how much god loves each person individually >> reporter: benedict has been

living out his time in a convent remaining largely on it of sight. now, the vatican has sd old age has contributed and aggravated to the deterioration of his condition when a pope dies, it triggers a concave. conclave when a former pope dies there is no playbook. it is thought francis will preside over his funeral when he does pass. peter? >> given it's 600 years since the retirement of a pope before. molly hunter in rome molly, thank you as we mentioned earlier, there is good news for anyone making a stop at the gas station this morning experts say in the coming year, filling up won't cost quite as much nbc senior national corresponden kerry sand serious at a gas station in south florida, where things are starting to look a lot better good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. gas buddy tells us there is some good news and a little bit of bad news

let's deal with the good news first. collectively, with the prices of fuel down, we as a nation will spend $50 billion less on fuel than we did in 2022. the bad news, sometime around mid next year it is predicted a price of a gallon of gas will go to $4. some positive news at the pump this morning estimates for 2023 predict gas prices will be cheaper overall next year. >> i think i would be happy. >> reporter: if the price is down >> right >> reporter: those savings are expected to be significant on average, gas should cost nearly 50 cents less per gallon in 2023. >> the price of gas, at least until may of next year, is expected to be down, not up. you say? >> it's a welcomed thing >> reporter: welcomed for drivers here and across the country after consistently high fuel prices dominated in 2022. a spike that set off recession alarm bells, worsened inflation, and crushed consumer confidence. >> it's horrific it's absolutely horrific

what are you going to do what are you going to do >> reporter: between now and may of 2023, prices are expected to remain low but gas buddy expects to see price increases. with prices potentially reaching the $4 per gallon mark again in may, june, july, and august >> gas prices are very seasonal. as the weather starts to form warm up beginning in march, we start to see americans getting outside more demand for gasoline starts to accelerate >> reporter: despite summertime increase, americans should see more money left over in their wallets after filling up their tanks. >> the average household will spend about $277 a month on gasoline in 2023 than 2022 >> reporter: the constant strain on budgets hopeful live easing in the new year. how much do gas prices dominate our life google tells us among the top

searches on their website in the last year is gas prices near me. i think we all know that routine, don't we? >> sure does make sense. kerry sanders, thanks so much for that let's get another forecast with dylan, the full forecast. >> yes we are going to see pretty decent conditions across the northeast. it is still a little bit cool but warming up we are going to see temperatures more seasonable up and down the east coast above average. back into the midwest, great lakes, we should get into the 50s and 60s, which will feel nice we are watching a series of storms make their way on shore out west, more coastal rain and mountain snow is likely. and down along the gulf coast, we could even see stronger storms develop today that it's a look at the weather across the country we'll get to your local forecast in the next 30 seconds

a live look right now at storm ranger. we have the rain move in overnight in the early morning hours, and you can see lighter pockets moving in through hayward, fremont, san mateo, and in through 580 and breaks expect the for san josé. we will have temperatures climbing in the 50s and then that rain becomes >> and that's your latest forecast >> all right, dylan. thank you. coming up, virtual reality was all the rage this past year or was it? that's the question. our steve patterson has the latest on disappointing sales in the metaverse.

>> yeah. growing pains abound good morning, kristen. there is no doubt that vr sale are slumping that may be the calm before the storm. we will get you inside the metaverse. >> plus, to infinity and beyond. a look back at nasa's milestones how 2023 is expected to bring more exhilarating missions we will catch you up on the ture of space, adventufure

still ahead, we're catching up with some of the most inspiring guests from this past year, including this morning bob saget's widow. >> how she says her grief has given way to gratitude but first your local news.s. ♪♪ ahhhh! we''re no o one hit wonder. ♪ i don't give a a med bout' my repuputation ♪ allow us t to reintrododuce ourselveves... folgegers”. nonot me!

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flights are canceled, and 144 of those are from southwest. if you are a passenger affected by the flight-mare, you have a right to be compensated. we are getting a little break right now but we still have rain out there. san josé, a live look in the 50s. so far across the bay area we have seen scattered early morning showers, and light to moderate. downtown san josé is going to start to get light rain picking up and then we get a break from about 12:00 to 3:00 p.m., and by the time we hit that break, our daytime highs will climb in the 50s. notice by noon, there will be a partial clearing. we will get peeks of sunshine, and then the wind picks up, and along the coastline we will see

another storm on the way this weekend. i'll be back with

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going to cut it they also have free counseling if you need someone to talk to what do you hope is in the past. >> everything. i love my family every year it's like let's move forward to the next one. >> mine is overscheduling myself i want to just dial it back a bit. what about you >> the dust on my peloton. i'm hoping to say good riddance to that in the new year. >> i'll agree with you on that we want to get to the 7:30 headlines. maryland congressman jamie raskin has been diagnosed with a serious but curable cancer the 60-year-old democrat is a member of the house's january 6th committee. also the lead manager for former president trump's second impeachment trial. raskin says he plans to keep working during his outpatient treatments we wish him well >> we certainly do mean wheel, at least ten people are dead after a massive fire overnight at a hotel casino in cambodia. dozens others were injured or

reported missing officials say hundreds of people were inside the hotel on the border with thailand the fire broke out on the lower floor and quickly spread throughout the entire building the investigation into the cause is getting under way better days ahead for 150 sea turtles rescued during the christmas freeze down in south texas. they have been released into the gulf of mexico now that the weather has warmed up a bit they were pulled out of shallow areas last weekend when they became stunned, weak, and unable to swim. they actually got excited and started to wave their flippers as soon as they heard the sound. look at them, of the waves again. so cool. >> aww you can see how excited they are. that is so sweet >> i'm an excited turtle occasionally other news this morning. we have been hearing so often what they call this metaverse, right? three dimensional ecosystem that is supposed to be the next big thing in the evolution of the internet but is it?

nbc's steve patterson is bringing us a cold, hard dose of reality. good morning >> peter, good morning good morning, guys it is still in the early stages. the metaverse could upend and reinvent everything we know from online gaming to how we practice medicine as for now its development is definitely going through some growing pains. >> reporter: the animated future of the metaverse is taking a while to render. >> here you can find your community. >> reporter: in 2021, virtual reality was the hot new space in tech and vr headsets were nearly impossible to find this year a slowdown fewer people trying to find their way into the metaverse, a virtual reality space where users can interact with a computer-generated environment and other users. developmental priority for big name tech giants like google and apple and mark zuckerberg going all in >> at meta, we are focused on building the fundamental technology that will help bring

the metaverse to life. >> reporter: since the company changed its name from facebook to meta, it has spent $27 billion on metaverse development. but meta's commitment aside, skeptics remain amid the slumping share price to experience the met verse, you need a vr headset which can cost anywhere from $200 to well over $1,000. after a record-breaking 2021 where vr headset revenue in the u.s. more than doubled, this year sales declined 2% analysts say that although sales are down, it is most likely a temporary lag, particularly since apple is expected to release their first attempt at an arvr headset in 2023. >> i'm not sure it's accurate to say there is waning interest in the universe consumers may be waiting for the next iteration to come out that's what we are seeing in our sales data

>> let's go! >> it is a physical existent without physical limitations >> reporter: jeremy and chica duncan have a metaverse podcast. they say although it's still in its infancy, it is here to stay. >> i absolutely love everything we have experienced with the metaverse as far as the community aspect of it >> i really believe the metaverse term is going to fade to the back and it is really just the next computing platform. >> steve, unless you are reall plugged into the tech word, people are struggling to understand what we even are talking about and its appeal what are they doing to try to expand its reach >> yeah, peter one major thing tech experts point to the virtual reality world has yet for the killer app, the super mario brothers,

where is the viral game or movie that makes a headset a must-buy item time will tell if we see a vr experience that gets everyone clamoring for one. it's up in the air back to you. >> steve patterson, thank you very much. i still think i have work to do to get there >> i do too. i can put those on for five minutes and then i have a get overwhelmed. >> steve is right. >> king kong or die. coming up, a link between long covid and debilitating heart condition. we'll tell you more about it and the signs to look for. 2022 was a ground breaking year for nasa. what's ahead when it comes to the big business of space tourism. that's right after this. comes the big

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fascinating year we had the artemis moon mission, the webb telescope and nasa's mission to push an amazing pictures deep in space astronaut off its course asteroid off its course. just to name a few >> 2023 is shaping up to be huge for commercial space operators like spacex while they go deeper into the unknown than ever before here's nbc's tom costello. >> reporter: guys, good morning. so in the next few weeks we expect to learn the names of the astronauts who will be part of nasa's next missions to the moon orbiting the moon, then landing on the moon. in the meantime, in 2023, the private sector is going to continue to move on. big year for space tourism we're looking back from 2022 incredible pictures back in time as nasa builds on going to the moon and beyond. putting a cota on a year of space triumphs, the stunning images from the james webb

telescope forcing a rethink of the vastness of our universe and whether we are alone >> next 20, 30 years, we could have an answer whether there's life in the universe >> splashdown. >> reporter: 2022 brought splashdown for orion after the 25-day artemis mission to orbit the moon a shakedown flight before a human crew or bits the moon and lands on the moon in 2025 or '26. >> i can bounce gently in this space suit and not unlike what i can do on earth. >> reporter: at a nasa training pool with sand and rocks on the bottom, astronauts are already training for moon walks. >> this is similar to what apollo astronauts did on their mission to the moon. >> reporter: the south pole of the moon, it is low. right in your eyesight but everywhere else it's pitch black. nasa wants to land on the south pole where there are signs of

ice. potential drinking water, and most importantly, rocket fuel. meanwhile, after years of setbacks, boeing is hoping to finally launch its starliner spaceship, which will carry astronauts to the space station in april as e ron musk's spacex launche even more rockets to the station. and another all-civilian mission. this one orbiting the moon and earth. >> welcome, everybody. the "crew dragon" resilience >> reporter: jared isaacman, the billionaire who paid for last year's st. jude fund-raising trip, is paying for three more trips. go farth a new spacex program dubbed polaris. >> we will go farther into space since humans have last walked on the moon we will test out a new space suit which includes an eva or space walk >> reporter: the first private astronaut spacewalk 310 miles above earth. yet another billionaire from

japan plans to take eight more civilians on a spacex trip around the moon. jeff bezos and richard bran son plan to launch more civilians but it's artemisand spacex that are forging a new path. poised to take humans to a higher orbit and eventually one day to mars. >> it's about building a permanent base it's about building a space station that will orbit the moon it's about getting us started in terms of having fuel depots, supply depots. it is really about building the infrastructure we will build off the next 50, 100 years >> the timeline nasa is hoping to orbit the moon in 2024, landing on the moon in '25 or '26. then a moon base they hope to go to mars in the late 2030s it could take up to nine months to get there, three months on mars, nine months back so you are talking about two

years, more or less. you've got to hope that the crew gets along well if they will be crammed together for that long guys, back to you. >> that is something to think about a moon base. our thanks to tom for that would you go into outer space? >> in two seconds. >> if a billionaire was doing it, i could do it. >> i would stay here at home >> that is your 2023 extraterrestrial forecast. dylan has the terrestrial forecast >> i like to keep it on land this i understand a little bit better we have quite the systems, plural, approaching the west coast. we have one right now that is continuing to bring heavier rains. we have flood watches in effect. also the mountain snow heavier rain in san francisco, up across northern california, even in the southwestern oregon near he medford. above 9,000 feet, and we are looking at mainly snow with this storm system additional rainfall, three to five inches, isolated higher amounts. we have the burn-scarred areas that could lead to mudslides

along the foothills of the sierra nevada mountain range up into the mountains, three feet, widespread with some picking up five feet this is a ski resort set of storms that will continue to make its way into the west coast. something we will be keeping a close eye on afternoon storms along louisiana, mississippi, too. b-. you heard dylan mentioning the series of storm already impacting the bay area. this is a live look now of the golden gate bridge. we have rain coming down light to moderate at times, and widespread through the afternoon. rain coming down from gilroy to the santa cruz mountains. 40s through 7:00 a.m., and then we will

>> and that is your latest forecast >> dylan, thank you very much. up next, we will catch up with bob saget's widow kelly rizzo. >> i just talked to her the other day about how she is doing and how she is finding joy a year after her belovoved husbans dedeath. momore on thatat coming upup rit afafter this in my ozemempic® triri-zone, i lolowered my a a1c, cv ris, and lolost some weweight. in s studies, ththe majojority of pepeople reached d an a1c undnder 7 anand maintainined it. ozemempic® lowowers the rirk of majoror cardiovasascular evs such as ststroke, hearart atta, or deaeath in adulults alalso with knknown heart t di. and you u may lose w weight. adadults lost t up to 14 p po. ozozempic® i isn't fofor peoe with typype 1 diabetetes. don't share neneedles or p pe, oror reuse neeeedles. don't take ozezempic® if you or r your familily evever had mededullary ththyroid cancncer, oror have multltiple endococe neneoplasia sysyndrome typyp, oror if allergrgic to it.. stopop ozempic® and get medical l help rightht away if you getet a lump or swelllling in youour neck, sevevere stomachch pain, or n allelergic reactction. serious siside effectsts may ininclude pancncreatitis.. gallbladadder problelems may oc. tell y your providider about v n problems o or changes.s. tataking ozempmpic® with h a sulfononylurea or r insulin

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just ahead here on a busy thursday, we will help you make a homemade pasta dish certainly special enough for new year's eve. or you can make the sauce any day of the week. it is an italian classic as we say chow down to 2022. and a new documentary on the legendary family announced on what would have been his

100th birthday you don't want to miss it. but first here's a check of your local news or on the sp ine. the surgeries that she's had and the mris and everything, all that cost a lot of money. and that's something that we don't have. as far as life saving for my daughter, it wouldn't have happened if i didn't have that support from st. jude, and they did what they did. thanks to generous donors like you, families never receive a bill from st. jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food, so they can focus on helping their child live. join with your debit or credit card, and we'll send you this st. jude t-shirt that you can proudly wear to show your support. i'm grateful for every dollar or dime that anybody gives, because that's why my child's still here. that's why she's still alive. from the donations.

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a very good morning to you. it's 7:56 right now. i am laura garcia. here's a look at what is happening now. >> i am bob redell in fremont. one of the main concerns over the next few days is this winter storm coming in and it will be waterways, and that's why the national weather service issued a flood watch for much of the bay area. that will be taking effect starting tomorrow through saturday evening. the rain could cause a rapid rise in rivers, streams and creeks. we have seen thihis overfloww o hihighway 844 throughgh niles c. and thehe roads,s, y you want h your speed ass you heaead out t mornining. a driverr lost controlol of hisr andd rolleled overr and crashed the drivever was trarapped andn

to be extricated and taken to the hospital with significant injuries. take it easy when you head out the door. how is the rain looking? >> this is what it looks like in san francisco. we have light to moderate rain at times, and storm ranger picking up the rain in the south bay. keep that in mind, don't put away the rain boots just yet. we will be back with another local news update in half an hour. join us for

it's 8:00 on "today. coming up, travel meltdown more cancellations and mounting frustrations for southwest customers. >> this is our first experience to things were really out of control. >> as weary travelers try to get refunds, other airlines are stepping in to help get people home we're live with the latest then, warming up buffalo residents finally able to use the roads again this morning as relief is now in sight. with milder temperatures on the way, but a new storm out west has millions on alert. what you need to know heading into new year's.

plus, one year later, bob saget's widow speaks out ahead of the anniversary of the beloved actor's death. this morning the heartfelt message she's sharing with fans. and a true marvel. a new documentary on legendary comic creator stan lee is announced on what would have been his 100th birthday. we have details on when the new film will swing to a screen near your thursday, december 29th, 2022. ♪ >> blair from baltimore. >> and i'm turning 8 today >> visiting from minnesota >> go, gophers >> surprised dad with a trip to the "today" show >> for my 60th >> cheers from maine >> huntsville, alabama >> massachusetts >> and tokyo, japan!

>> from texas. >> from memphis. >> wishing our nana a happy birthday >> we love you ♪ >> love to see everyone so fired up happy birthday, nana welcome back to "today." we are so glad you are with us on this thursday morning savannah, hoda and craig are enjoying time off for the holiday. they are again fired up from near and far >> the crowd starting to pile in and at new year's they'll be dropping the ball with warmer temperatures but maybe a bit of rain. we'll keep our fingers crossed. >> on a fri-yay eve, as mr. melvin would say >> for sure. tomorrow on "today," hoda' conversation with miley cyrus ahead of her new year's special. >> it is going to be so good she is ringing in the new year with her god mother. dolly parton co-hosting for the night. a new chapter ahead now that miley turned the big 3-0

>> isn't dolly parton like america's godmother? >> she is really miley cyrus's godmother. >> i'm looking forward to that it is a busy morning right to your news at 8:00 desperate air travelers grounded by the southwest airlines fiasco are turning to other carriers and creative solutions of their own. blayne alexander has been on this story from the start. she joins us from atlanta with the very latest. good morning to you. how is it looking this morning >> reporter: well, kristen, good morning to you when we are talking abou southwest cancellations, 2,300 of those cancelations just today. for so many passengers the frustration extends beyond the airport. even when they have arrived back home some people had to take buses, rent cars, book flights on other carriers to get home that could mean hundreds or thousands of dollars in unplanned expenses this morning southwest announced they have set up resources to try and help passengers. people can submit online to get reimbursed

they have a link to try and help reunite people with many pieces of lost luggage. this all, of course, comes a other airlines are stepping up, as well. american, delta, united, stepping in trying to cap their fares in select cities where the cancelations have been hit the hardest, trying to help stranded passengers book on their flights and make the prices more feasible we are hearing from southwest executives another spoke out overnight offering apologies and saying the airline will do whatever it can to regain the trust of its customers. kristen? >> yeah. pretty frustrated customers there. blayne alexander, thanks so much a new round of stormy weather could prolong the misery for a lot of customers dylan back with more on that a big warmup for folks ahead of the new year what's it look like? >> we will end the year on a warm note for sure will help melt a lot of snow sitting on lake erie, lake ontario.

temperatures today should get about 15 to 20 degrees above average. niagara falls, 53 for a high temperature today. tomorrow nice and mild going into the weekend d.c. up to 62 degrees by sunday. hanging out in the 50s in columbus, ohio st. louis, 60 degrees by monday. for the ball drop in new york city, yes, it will be mild but it will be pretty wet. we have a lot of rain moving in with the next storm system temperatures about 50 degrees. you want to prepare for the rain very rainy out west. a parade of storms will just make their way through today, tomorrow, the entire weekend coastal rain and mountain snow, too. it will impact central and northern california for today. it will shift south through the weekend. >> dylan, thanks so much a new health warning ahead of a possible covid surge this winter >> a new study is showing link between covid and debilitating heart condition, one that can go diagnosed for years. what should you be looking out

for? kristen dahlgren joins us with more good morning what do we need to know? >> good morning, guys. dizziness, light-headedness, rapid heartbeat may be familiar symptoms to a lot of people suffering from long covid. this morning researchers say that could actually be from something called pots, a condition many doctors may not even be looking for. >> reporter: nearly 20 million people in the u.s. suffering from long covid, struggling to find answers hannah davis is one of them. before getting sick in march 2020, the 34-year-old was energetic and healthy, but long covid completely disrupted her life >> i can no longer do 80% to 90% of the activities i used to love to do. >> reporter: her most debilitating symptom due to a condition known as pots. >> my heart rate is much, much higher it can get to 150, 160 very

easily >> reporter: p.o.t.s. is thought to disrupt the body's auto autognomic nervous system. >> things like blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, digestion are functions we shouldn't have to think about >> reporter: now a new study is finding that covid is linked t a five times greater risk of p.o.t.s. and could be the cause of many long covid symptoms. dr. mitchell, a p.o.t.s. expert at stanford university, said the condition can be crippling >> symptoms that are worse when you stand. light-headedness, shortness of breath just being physically unable to do most basic activities >> reporter: his p.o.t.s. clinic now packed with patients in the wake of covid. >> unfortunately our wait list is currently between 6 and 12 months >> reporter: getting diagnosed with p.o.t.s. is tricky. some patients need to undergo

specialized testing. and many doctors are not familiar with the disorder hannah considers herself one of the lucky ones getting a p.o.t.s. diagnosis three months after her covid infection. >> this whole experience has been strange, surprising and i never imagined that i would be as public about some of the stuff as i have ended up being. >> now, the study did find a link between p.o.t.s. and the covid vaccine but the risk is much, much greater for the people who actually got covid versus the vaccine the good news, guys, is that many people with p.o.t.s. do recover, but it can take years back to you. >> such important information. thank you so much, kristen now to a newly elected member of congress whose admitted lying about a wall street career, college degree is now the focus of multiple investigations his name is george santos. he is a new york republican an he is scheduled to be sworn into the house next tuesday

but a county prosecutor is now examining how santos, who had a history of financial troubles, paid for his campaign. and they are looking at revelations uncovered by the "new york times. at this point the congressman-elect has no intention of stepping aside. a lot of swirling questions around him >> a lot of buzz that's the news. how about a boost? >> let's do it >> ready okay if you weren't dealing with snow or travel headache, here's hoping you enjoyed a well-deserved week off, like this panda at the toronto zoo. check this out while his playmate is enjoying a snack. he wants nothing more than to doze in his hammock. he is too relaxed to climb onto it he eases into a rock and pushes off and flops into the hammock for his panda power nap. nothing better than a panda power nap. that's so sweet! >> i am thinking about doing

that this afternoon, actually. >> he made it into his little hammock. so sweet all right, guys. coming up -- [ i ♪ i'll tell you what you really want ♪ coming up, if you want to be a fashion icon, it helps to inherit your closet by a spice girl her daughter giving tribute to the iconic '90s style. >> so fun. you caught up with bob saget's widow. >> a year after the comedian's shocking sudden death, kelly rizzo talking about how her famimily helped d her find j joy ststick aroundnd we'll l be right b back. fo. onone, two, reready, play.. ♪ no,o, no, no, n no, no, n, not me! ! ♪ allow w us to reinintrode ourselves,s, folgers.. fofor bathroomom odors that l linger. trtry febreze e small spacac. just pressss firmly anand it continuouously fightsts odors in n the air ann soft sururfaces for r 45 . just pressss firmly anand it continuouously

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we are back now with can't-miss people of 2022 where we are taking a look back at some of the people who inspired us one of those, kelly rizzo, the widow of comedian bob saget. >> jacob sat down with kelly to check in with her a year after her husband's passing was so sudden, especially for his work. >> it impacted all of us he was best known as danny tanner from "full house. but to his widow he is the

greatest man she has ever known. she's shown grave through the grief and now she says she i carrying on bob's legacy by living her life to the fullest way. she is really inspiring other people to do the same thing. >> i'm i the raddest, baddest day a kid as ever had. >> reporter: it's been almost a year since america lost their tv dad. his sudden passing devastating friends, fans and, most of all, his family >> when i think about the fact that, you know, i haven't talked to -- i'm sorry. or seen my husband in a year, that's, like, very surreal and very strange >> reporter: on january 9 th beloved actor and comedian was found dead in a hotel room from blunt head trauma. his wife kelly and three daughters supported each other through their unthinkable loss >> the three of them are jus everything to me because they were everything to him so keeping them close really is everything >> reporter: after his sudden passing, hoda sat down with

rizzo to reflect on their love and life >> we valued every single second we had together. that's why this is so heartbreaking. >> who is the bob saget like at dinner when there was no audience >> he just tried to make everybody feel special and happy and comfortable. he always was just so kind and loving to everybody. and he was just -- sorry he was just the best man i have ever known in my life. >> reporter: in the year since his death, rizzo shared an unfiltered view of her life on social media touching others going through losses of their own. >> this is having some sort of impact on people who have gone through something similar. now it's just given me this whole new sense of purpose and life to be able to share this. >> reporter: now, she says her grief has given way to

gratitude. >> the missing him and being sad about it doesn't go away the grief now has really morphed into tremendous gratitude for the time we had together >> rizzo and saget spent some of their happiest times in the kitchen. it is there she says she is finding joy again. >> he was my biggest fan he loved all the videos. and so i feel like now it is kind of another way to honor him. >> reporter: when you look back at 2022, how are you going to remember the year? >> when i look at the beginning of the year, of course, i'm like this is the worst thing i have ever gone through. but then i'm also really trying to take from it the what you can do to turn into into a positive experience because bob did that he had so much loss in his life. and he turned everything into a positive reflective experience if he did that, then i want to use this experience in the same

way. >> reporter: what grace and what strength she said the other thing that has gotten her through the past year are bob's friends, of which there are so many, she said she tried to be strong for them but it's their support that was priceless for her. i was lucky enough to get to know the sag at the temple in my neighborhood it's in the palisades growing up he was such a kind man now that i got to know kelly, just as kind just as special. >> the strength she is showing there is contagious. it gives people a sense of the strength they can find after any kind of loss they experience >> i love how she is sharing her grief. >> really so honest. we want to check in with dylan keeping an eye on the forecast out on the plaza dylan, what do we know >> i love this time of year. we have the huge crowd on the plaza. and i found this lovely girl right here what is your name? >> lily. >> so nice to have you here. i hear you are from erie, pennsylvania how old are you? >> 10. >> my first job was in erie,

pennsylvania, and you weren't there yet. so it's very nice to meet you here is your nana back home >> yeah. >> do you want to say hi >> hi, nana. >> let's take a look at what's going on across the country. where today, back in erie, pennsylvania, no lake-effect snow lots of sunshine we will see warmer temperatures, too. we will do a lot of melting out in that part of the country, buffalo, watertown sunny and mild on the east coast. late day storms along the gulf coast. a little bit of light snow in the plains and a series of storms out west. lots of rain we could deal with som we have some light rain coming down in san jose. a live look at downtown. 50 degrees. a range of scattered showers to the south bay, gilroy, santa cruz mountains, and we're getting a break between 11:00 and 3:00 p.m. right around 3:30, we start to see that rain increase once again.

especially for the north bay through the afternoon. are you excited to be on tv? >> so excited. >> who do you want to say hi to in your big moment >> hi, mom and dad >> great choice. >> always a good choice. >> always the best choice. right? >> thanks so much, dylan jacob, you are doing your carson today. here we go ladies and gentlemen, let's get started. stan lee created big screen cameos for marvel fans like this one. >> are you tony stank? you know, i guess one person can make a difference. > wow. nice suit. >> zip it, stanley >> alfred "hitchcock of the marvel universe yesterday on what would have been his 100th birthday, they announced a documentary is in

the works about the absolute legend the studio describing the doc as quote 100 years of dreaming an 100 years of creating. stanley was co-creator of so many legendary characters. spider-man, incredible hulk, thor he passed away in 2018 at the age of 95. the documentary will stream next year on disney plus. what a prolific hollywood legend amazing guy. >> hard to choose your favorite when you hear that list. >> i know, i know. next up, "avatar" way of the water. james cameron's sequel hit a mega box office milestone. in two weeks the sequel brought in a billion dollars in sales. achieving that benchmark one week faster than the original film in 2009 despite as a result of covid in

china, even with all that going on, with a billion dollars in the bank, the flick has a long way to go. james cameron said "avatar 2 would need to double the number to be profitable you have to spend money to make money. >> that's spending real money. >> $2 billion they spent >> i know, i know. i haven't seen it. i will contribute mine coming up next, mel b. who can do the dance to this karaoke classic? watch. ♪ ♪ make it last forever ♪ ♪ friendship never ends ♪ anybody? >> i don't know if i could do the dance, but i know all the words. i could sing along to the whole song >> we can turn the music back on if you want. >> i know the macarena i do not know the spice girls dance. there is nothing that says '90s quite like the spice girls amazing dance moves and iconic outfit

scary spice's daughter phoenix is reviving some of the looks. she's 23 she channeled her spice girl in a number of photo shoots that very scary, thank you very much, resemblance to her mom watch this >> creating my mom's iconic photos from the '90s ♪ >> so side by side -- perfect recreation. >> that is wild. >> there we go side by side perfect recreation of the "spice world" movie trailer bravo, phoenix nicely done. >> they're like twins. >> my dad, totally bald. put us next to each other, not twins. love you, dad. next up, serena williams, like a lot of folks, the tennis pro spent some quality time with her family this week lucky enough for us she documented it on tiktok. she went online to share behind the scenes at her sister's house, giving followers a peek

inside the trophy case which happened to include a few thatey even surprised serena. >> she has all these trophies. that is wimbledon trophy that's, like, an open trophy she should probably get cleaned. wait what is this one this is 2009 doubles. i don't remember winning that. because she only played doubles with me. did we win that? let me google that >> come on imagine being so good you have to google your own resume. >> to win so many times, you can't keep track of all of them. >> you need to build a room for the trophies that they've won. >> i could tell you every pop start story i ever did "wednesday," the "addams family" series is taking over the internet no doubt you have seen this dance trend.

jenna ortega's viral dance skated its way onto the ice. professional skater camilla valeva who failed to place at the olympics after the doping scandal. she hit the rink at russia's figure skating championships with the spooky theme. take a look. ♪ ♪ i cruise through the city and i roam the streets ♪ ♪ i'm looking for someone that is next to me ♪ ♪ >> looks like so much fun. >> it was good, right? not too shabby >> nailed it way to go. >> congratulations to her. that's your pop start, guys. >> for sure. >> thanks so much. by the way, viral makeup and beauty trends from tiktok. >> our expert will break down the videos to look your best, including an easy way to apply your blush

♪ good morning, everyone. it is 8:26. i'm scott mcgrew. southwest airlines continues to cut flights for a third straight day. a live look at sfo where there is a sea of baggage inside this morning. we're seeing hundreds of southwest cancellations across all three bay area airports. yesterday, southwest canceled more than 2,500 flights. this morning, sjc and oakland have been hit harder. san jose, 146 cancellations right now, almost all of them southwest flights. oakland, all 117 cancellations are southwest. sfo has 38 cancellations, most

are southwest. in the meantime, another rain system moving through the bay area. let's check in with vianey. >> the rain is pretty light overall across the bay area, stormranger scanning the rain pushing through the south bay and the santa cruz mountains. we'll get a break but see the rain pick up shortly after 3:00 p.m., becoming more widespread throughout the north bay, down to the south bay, san francisco right now you can see a little bit of that rain, and notice it picks up again around 2:00, 3:00 with a greater impact for tomorrow.

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♪ ♪ we're back in the studio this thursday morning, the 29th

of december. we're already getting the countdown started ahead of new year's eve so many folks here enjoying -- >> epic crowd. >> a little bit nicer temperatures than in recent days coming up, to buy or not to buy. that is the real estate question for 2023 our expert is going to help you find your answer plus, the best places to live at all stages of life from first-time buyers to retirees is ahead. >> all right that's important information so is this beauty and makeup hacking are getting billions of views on tiktok allure's jessica cool will show us how to pull off the trends in real life. >> i always ask people how my makeup looks when i come out here on the plaza. >> looking good. >> thank you very much an impressive italian dinner for new year's eve look at this this new york city chef is rolling out the dough for a delicious -- homemade pasta. if you're in a rush, no worries. time-saving hacks, as well >> not in a rush we will enjoy eating that.

>> very much so. in the third hour, we will take you to a place not your ordinary construction site it is a neighborhood where all of the homes are being built by a 3d printer >> wow >> that is fascinating it could be the new trend for the future >> cheaper construction. could make a difference for a lot of folks coming up tomorrow on "today," all in on the new year's eve prep to make your celebration sparkle. from elevated appetizers to that classic champagne toast. who is ready to celebrate the new year >> are you guys excited? say hello. one family here drove 27 hours ladies, wave to the cameras. right over here. let me come and say hello. what are your names? tell us your names >> rose hughes >> melanie >> you drove from where? >> we drove from houston she came from san antonio because the flight got canceled. >> 27 hours to be here on the plaza. ladies, thank you.

they are a part of the travel story. it's so wonderful to have them here >> if your southwest flight has not taken off, come hang out at the plaza. >> dylan, how's it looking >> no stops for bathroom breaks. let's take a look at what's going on across the country. as we get closer to new year's eve, the all-important forecast for you. tomorrow, if you're traveling, most of the delays are going to be out west. seattle, san francisco, salt lake city. the east coast looks good. saturday, though, we could start to see more impacts at the airports, especially as the heavier rain takes hold in atlanta, charlotte in the northeast, we could see delays west coast not looking much better with the rain and snow. and then on sunday still unsettled in the west. for the east coast, most of the bad weather would be isolated to central and northern new england in the day then we will see improvement for everyone headed back to wherever you came from sunday, sunday looks like an okay day to travel that an okay day to travel.

that's what's going on around the country. now here's a peek out your window. we are seeing some light to moderate rain move through right now and across the bay area, expect to see a little bit of a break with some peaks of sunshine. right now in san jose, about 50 degrees. notice at about 3:00 that rain moves back in, and that's going to become more widespread throughout the entire bay area. this is going to take us through your early friday morning commute. expect totals to be up to a quarter to a half an inch. forecast >> dylan, sounds good. thank you. coming up next, real estate 101 for the new year where can first-time home buyers get the biggest bang for their buck in 2023 plus, the best places for families and hot spots for retirees but first, this is "today" on

2022 the year of upheaval. especially in the housing market starting off with a bang but ending in a whimper. the low inventory made for a wild ride. what trends will the new year bring? real estate expert and broker is brand catson here. so nice to see you. >> nice to be here. >> so the question everybody asks into the new year is the same with interest rates high right now, is this the time to rent or to buy >> i cannot tell you how many people ask me the same question but i think it comes down to what's right for you right now we are seeing a change in the rates we have seen huge, over the past six months, mortgage rates, interest rates and inflation now all of a sudden we are seeing mortgage rates almost half which means buyers suddenly have the opportunity to get back in

especially if their monthly amount is less than renting. that makes it way more interesting. and there's negotiablity if you are a buyer coming into the market now there's an opportunity. if renters are trying to get in, now is the time to start putting in money, working towards it, talk to someone you trust and keep it going. >> if you're afraid of the rates now, buy now and perhaps refi if they come down in the not too distant future >> 100%. >> let's talk about th first-time buyers. you are keeping your eyes on texas in particular. places like plano and austin why? >> you know what it is on fire. texas has become the i suspect it is in part there's no state tax there's a vibe in austin it's hip and happening it's a great town. frisco, right outside dallas, if you're priced out of dallas, that is a great place. it's a quality of life for people great for first-time buyers. foodie, music.

got it going on. >> best places for families. let's bring families into the mix now. tampa and santa monica, california that is one nice place for a family growing up on the beach >> it is pretty amazing actually it's the number one best place for families i think it is a combination of the fact that it is on the coastline. it is next to silicone beach access to entertainment. i think people think l.a., traffic, car, no >> not in santa monica >> they have created roads so people can bike, walk. it's the highest paying wage area in the country right now. >> all right let's take a moment and talk about the retirees we will try to cover everybody if we can. this struck me as you talk about the latter parts of life. they are trying to enjoy good relaxing time today. lancaster, p.a why? >> it is an interesting anomaly. it is a seven-mile radius. it is comprised of 60% of the population is over 60 plus it has some of the best medical

coverage it is the best tax break for retirees it's hip and happening they have museums, night life, restaurants, cafes it's all going on. besides, you might make some of the best relationships of your life at that time in your life >> and retirees have the most purchase power that is an underviewed demographic. they are in the best position to spend. >> over 20% of our u.s. population >> it's been so nice to meet you. >> thank you so much for having me >> thanks for helping us out >> thank you it's been great being here >> we will be looking for properties after the broadcast up next, viral beauty trends we will do it for you. how to pull off the most popular looks on it can tock no filter needed but first this is "today" on

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i'm takiking medicatation for t i shshould have e been takining years agago. (vo) caremore h health provides a advanced prprimary e whereverer you need d it, in e hospitital, at homome, in our c clinics, oror virtual. (steven)n) so when i call them over a medicacal issue, they takake care of f it inststantaneouslsly. i'm not t afraid to o go to te doctoror anymore or put offff going to o the doc. (vo) call the n number on y your scn to learnrn more abouout medice plans inin your neigighborhoo that include caremore. this morning on "today's style," tiktok is one of the most popular destinations for beauty hacks videos viewed over 46 billion times.

they all claim to make your life easier but how do you recreate the looks if you're not really a professional makeup artist well, "allure's" editor-in-chief jessica is here with the biggest viral beauty trends that actually get the job done. so good to be with you thank you for being here >> i'm glad to be here you can't trust everything you see on tiktok. our editors tested the hacks we believe these are the ones that actually work that means a lot >> that does mean a lot. this first one is a big one. >> >> yes. this is how you get that smoky amazing eye look >> it is called siren eyes part cat eye, part smoky eye you focus the shadow, maybe a dark brown, right around the lash line. think up everything needs to be upwards apply a liner like this one in a wing that goes straight up up, up, up >> does the brush you use make a difference >> yes

this brush is perfect for applying shadow near the lash line because it's very dense. you put it around the lash line. bonus, if you do a little wing in the inner corner, it gets the shape up from middle to out. >> really emphasizes that smoky siren eye. >> yes >> sirens are going off. this i love. blush and concealer at the same time who would have thunk it? >> when this first came out, i thought this is not going to work what are people doing? i don't understand it. you put a dab of blush and concealer and it acts as a color corrector. using a pink or red tone will counteract blueness you have >> is there a risk of getting too much pink under your eye >> just go with it it looks good either way >> we're going to go with it this is an interesting one

this is the "w" for blush. and our great intern grace is doing to do this >> i did this this morning i love the "w" blush trick like you are wearing goggles we will dab a little bit here on the temple to the apple. >> a little dab will do you. >> and one on the nose we will blend it together. >> it makes an actual "w." >> blend, blend, blend we could have done more but i didn't want caitlyn to look like -- a circus clown >> it looks beautiful and adds a little bit >> it feels really nice. >> i did it myself and you can use powder or cream. >> the key is blend, blend, blend. >> i didn't want caitlyn looking too strong i love more. >> this is what i just love, the eyelash curler >> you recognize an eyelash curler but this is a different way to use it. i'll take my glasses off to demo here a little bit.

you take an eyelash curler and you use it to mark where your crease is. ever do a tutorial where they say put it in the crease no one knows where that is >> this helps you find it. >> and you apply the shadow just like that. >> helps you have a straight line >> yes it gives you the distinct line >> sometimes people are afraid of the tools >> i'm horrible at eye shadow. >> and that was great. these are a classic making a comeback >> velcro rollers in the '80s were everything. i mean, everything >> i know. trust me >> well, now this is a trick that celebrity hair stylist have used for years you take the largest size. >> it matches my dress >> it does match your dress. after you have done your blowout, it is good when your hair is still warm at the crown while the hair is still warm you curl it up you don't need a clip but you can use a clip and let it sit 20 minutes, while you're doing

your makeup, getting dressed and then you release it. because it's velcro, you get automatic tease, volume. great way to maintain a volume >> all about the volume. take them out before you leave the house. >> or riding in the car. i do that sometimes. >> happy new year to you. >> happy new year. >> if you want to give trends a try, go to today.com/shop. peter, i will save some of these items for you. >> hey, i have something for you, as well coming up next, going italian for new year's eve, whipping up homemade pasta and sausage. ♪ this renental car isis so bororing to dririve. let's be honesest. the e rent-a-carar industrys ththe definitition of borir. anand the reasason can be e d in the n name itselflf. rent - a a - car. you u don't wawant a frien. yoyou want thehe friend. you don'n't want a a job. you u want the j job. the isis always ovover a. that's s why we don't t offer a cacar.

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♪ we are back now with plaza picks. these are a few of the folks that we met outside today. they are from new orleans grove,

nashville to join us >> 6-year-old on the plaza fro philadelphia, a shoutout to her kindergarten teacher, mrs. hope. so sweet >> amanda with family and friends from san francisco are here celebrating her 21st birthday she will be taking her first sip of alcohol ever today. >> that's a good crew there. by the way, now a new year's eve edition of "today food." we have the perfect italian dish you can make this weekend. sausage and lentils. it's sure to impress everyone at your dinner table. hillary sterling, the executive chef here in new york city what a beautiful spot. so nice to see you >> thank you nice to see you too. >> happy new year to you walk us through what type of pasta is stracci >> it translates the rags. it's misshapen it's something you can have fun with do it with your kids, yourself no rhyme or reason

just cut and go. >> this sounds like something for cooking with call in the future >> this is delicious >> what is unique to the sausage? and show me how you do some of this >> i want to be part of the rag making process >> we have pasta here. >> for rags, choose your poison. we can go and cut them, also if you are looking for something you can buy over the counter, dried rigatoni works just as well this is what it looks like on your plaza right now walk me through the cooking process. what are you going to make for us

>> we will get our pasta water boiling and drop our pasta >> so where do i find cotaquino. where do i find this if i try to buy that >> right now italy is probably the best bet or an italian market there are a couple options this is a favorite livoni it is just pork sausage. it has a bunch of skin, fat and spices you would never know was in there >> skin, fat and spices. sounds good as we celebrate. >> fantastic. >> liking it >> mine is halfway done. >> jacob is crushing it. he is not talking. how do you make this walk me through the process. >> you want to get it nice and crispy >> you cook at high or medium? >> we are cooking at a high heat crumbling up the sausage it comes in precooked form

so you have to crumble this up this is a fast way to cook pork sausage, as well nice weeknight meal if you're in need of something quick. new year's eve dinner is with lentils wishing you a prosperous new year >> am i going right in >> yeah. >> how much lentils, a cup, two cups >> we want good fortune. load them in there >> just put them in? >> yeah. we will put in chicken stock >> we cook them in chicken stock before >> you cook them in the chicken stock before >> we cook them in the chicken stock before once we have it cooking, we will reduce it down maybe a touch of garlic. >> yes, please i shall. that's a touch >> we have our pasta cooking this is the reduced version of this

we are making the pasta sauce. >> how long did it take you? >> i would say 30 minutes. nice and slow. we're going to get it nice and creamy >> now let's get to the rags, as you say. >> they are cooking away before we will put them in and we will always add the butter at the end. >> the butter at the end when you make noodles at home, they sometimes stick together and it becomes problematic does that happen with this or mix it in? >> as long as when the pasta hits the pan, we immediately move it around and the pasta will never stick >> that's the problem with my spaghetti for the girls at night. >> also, butter is delicious let's just be real >> you can never have too much butter >> we will go all in >> yes, we are >> yes, we are >> when you're plating it for folks? >> we are plating it get the butter cleaned up and we'll put it on the plate. >> you go because our time is limited. i want to eat. >> i love how the noodles are thick, wide, but very thin and delicate to eat. >> and they take a few minutes,

barely to cook. >> they are excellent. >> that's really good. >> this is delicious >> we're just going to finish it >> that is amazing >> parmesano. >> this is fantastic we can't wait to celebrate new year's like this. this is a good way to do it. thank you for visiting us. what was on top? >> a little balsamic to finish >> this kills it >> well done >> excellent >> hillary, thank you so much. happy new year to you. for a lot more head to today.com/food >> we all still have full mouths i will try to read this tease. coming up on hoda and jenna, lots of laughs with legendary comedian jerry "seinfeld." a sweet assignment onon the job with a food scieientist. but first, your local news

good morning, everyone. 8:56. i'm scott mcgrew. we are in a microclimate weather alert as more wet weather arrives across the bay area. yesterday's break in the rain just enough time for public works crew to clean up and prepare for the next storm. you see people stocking up on sandbags. the santa clara valley water

district restocked its sandbag stations throughout the south bay. happening now, pg&e says this is an all-hands-on-deck situation for its employees. check your emergency kit and make sure you're ready if there are any power outages. the national weather service has issued a flood watch for almost the entire area.

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