highway 121 in sonoma and highway 12 that are closed until further notice. all right, well, the today show is just moments away, but for more local news you can stay with today in the bay as we stream on roku, pluto and other platforms ahead at 8:00, we have the gold rush. cheerleaders are joining us in studio to talk about a fan rally happening this weekend. lieu we're fired up. we're fired up. i've got my pom poms. yeah, yeah. all right, look, thanks for joining us this morning on today in the bay. stick around. today show is coming up storms in parts of the country. >> they could have an impact on your new year's eve plans. this is december 27th. this is "today." wild weather.

overnight, at least five tornadoes rip through parts of the south as heavy rain and strong winds create more hazardous conditions up and down the west coast. could relentless, severe weather put a damper on your new year's eve plans? the all-important forecast. stowaway scare. another unticketed passenger flight aboard a delta flight on christmas eve. it comes weeks after a different person snuck on a flight bound for paris. >> each time an incident like this happens, everyone must work together to strengthen those vulnerabilities. >> what the airline and tsa are saying about this busy travel holiday season. mid-air mystery. questions swirling about what caused the deadly christmas plane crash overseas. why it was suspected to be shot down by the russians and how moscow is responding. not giving up. the jonbenet ramsey case getting

another look. her father, john, hoping outside experts can finally solve his daughter's murder. >> we're going to have a representative with us from one of these cutting edge labs to explain what they can and can't do. hopefully, he will accept their help. >> nearly 30 years later, why jonbenet's family hopes it could lead to an arrest and the long-awaited closure. flying high. a major milestone birthday, and we are taking you onboard for a one-of-a-kind ride. >> here we go! >> how the famous air ship keeps rising to the top 100 years later. those stories, plus giant jackpot. more than $1 billion on the line in tonight's drawing. what would make for a massive belated christmas gift for somebody. and game changer. >> throws it up in the air, and it is intercepted. >> the seattle seahawks keep

their playoff hopes alive muzzling the chicago bears in the lowest scoring nfl game of the year. >> toledo wins it in six ots. and the epic finish in college football with toledo putting the squeeze on pitt after a record six overtimes. we have the nail-biting back and forth today, friday, december 27, 2024. >> from nbc news, this is "today" with savannah guthrie and hoda kotb. from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning, and welcome to "today." we appreciate you joining us on this friday morning. you have heard in sleepless in seattle. last night this was more like a snoozer for the seahawks. they got the win over the bears. this wasn't the best football to watch. but this is prime nfl season. a big weekend of playoff hopes alive for several teams. >> my poor bears. i alwaways have root for the

home team. i keep tabs on the bears. >> we have some faith. we want to get to our top story, severe weather, threats coast to coast showing no signs of slowing down. overnight, multiple tornadoes reported across the south, along with heavy rain and hail battering the region. >> more snow, wind and rain is expected to snarl travel across the country throughout the weekend. and next week, the most iconic new year's celebration in the world could be at risk for some wet conditions at the stroke of midnight. >> we will get to dylan dreyer's forecast in a moment. but we want to we begin with sam brock who made his way to time's square ahead of the ball drop a few days away. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this is a tradition that dates back to the 1900s on new year's eve. the city expecting some million people, and it's not clear if they'll see confetti or rain from the skies.

storms slamming the west coast once again, tornadoes tearing through texas and issues at airport delays from chicago to san francisco. a terrifying funnel cloud churned through the fields northwest of dayton, texas, one of at least eight reported in the region, including in louisiana, the day after christmas. >> it is on the water right now. >> reporter: this twister reportedly captured at lake houston in crosby, texas, about 30 miles northeast of houston. in el campo, leaving witnesses awestruck. the lone star state getting pummelled by a hailstorm, making it hard to walk outside. the first white christmas for 15 years in new york city, all eyes on the forecast for the big celebration in time's square, with expected rainfall expected to put a damper on the party. for the holiday travelers still coming home, dangerous weather and driving conditions all across the country. flood waters continuing to cause concerns in dallas and fort

worth. much farther west in northern california, they're expecting another round of heavy snow and rain this weekend. snowfall totals for the cascades and sierra, nevada can range anywhere from 5 to 18 inches. over the rockies up to 3 feet. all of that, just a stormy crescendo for a week that saw california lose a pier in santa cruz on monday. seeking of the sierra, drivers forced to take it slow while the area struggles to dig out from a foot of fresh powder that snarled holiday traffic. as for those new year's eve revelers that are expected to brave the cold, peter and laura, for hours standing outside, it is only expected to be in the 40s. that's a little further than the teens we saw earlier this week. so you've got your hand warmers. you have got your positive attitudes. i will not tell you, however, to pack your patience. >> yeah. you have to be patient for a lot

of hours if you have those crowds coming up. sam, thank you. let's bring in dylan dreyer with more. how wet is wet? >> i mean, wet is wet. we will get rain midnight in new york city, but it is in the upper 40s. it could be worse, i guess. but i still think there will be a lot of folks out there enjoying new year's no matter what. we have heavier rain moving through illinois. and stretching even down into the gulf coast. the storms themselves, those strong storms we had yesterday are weakening a bit, so no tornado threat right now, but that could change over the next couple of days. wet weather up and down the coast. more snow up across the mountains over idaho into wyoming, denver and utah where we could see the snow continue to pile up. wet weather could cause slowing on the roads with ponding on the roads and delays in airports like minneapolis, chicago. kansas city, portland all could be seeing some delays.

now going into tuesday, the last day of the year, that new storm across parts of the eastern great lakes. that will turn into that midnight storm for new york city. temperatures in the upper 40s with the chance of rain. the rest of the country looking good for new year's eve celebrations, guys. >> dylan, thank you. see you back in a bit. we are learning about yet another case of an airplane stowaway after determining a passenger somehow boarded with no ticket. this incident is now under investigation. nbc news's national correspondent morgan chesky is joining us with the latest. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this new incident raising new questions for airport security all across the nation, especially as this holiday travel rush starts to heat back up. someone made it through tsa screening but somehow got on a plane without a boarding pass. all of this now the center of an

ongoing investigation. this morning, as millions prepare to fly back home post-holiday, security at seattle's ctac airports now the focus of a federal investigation. the case opened following a christmas eve stowaway authorities say made their way on a delta flight bound for hawaii without a ticket or a boarding pass. the delta crew discovering the unidentified passenger before takeoff. the airlines stating their staff followed procedures to have an unticketed passenger removed from the flight and apprehended. authorities sharing they used airport security cameras to track the individual into a bathroom after everyone deplaned. >> it is scary, especially this time of year when there are so many passengers flying and it is easy to make mistakes. >> the passenger did not possess any prohibited items, but somehow bypassed the boarding status stations.

>> there is no such thing as the perfect boarding security system. but each time an incident like this happens, everyone must work together to strength those vulnerabilities. >> reporter: it comes after another incident the day before thanksgiving. this woman exploited security weaknesses at jfk to board a delta flight bound for france. the 57-year-old russian national now facing federal stowaway charges. she has not entered a plea. keith jeffrey says determining intent is crucial. >> you see these incidents so close together. how does this strike you? >> certainly concerned because it is the holiday season and there is an extra vigilance put behind it with all the elements involved in security. >> reporter: new questions in security amid a holiday rush that isn't over yet. this morning the tsa says they are planning to have an independent review here. they also opened a civil case against this individual. that's standard protocol any

time tsa regulations have been broken, which remains the heart of this s ongoing vestigation. there are new developments in that christmas tragedy overseas after a passenger plane carrying 67 people crashed in kazakhstan. while the cause is under investigation, through new questions about what really happened, including the possibility the plane was hit by a russian air strike. nbc's steve patterson has more on this for us. steve, good morning. >> reporter: laura, good morning to you. amazingly, 29 people survived this crash, including 3 children. as investigators pour through the wreckage, there is a focus on russia as the possible reason. this morn, news about what may have brought down this

azerbaijan jet in a fiery crash killing 38 people on board. experts say there appears to be shrapnel damage. the air passenger jet with 62 passengers and 5 crew board has taken off early christmas day heading to the capital in southern russia, an area where u.s. officials say moscow used air defensive systems against ukrainian drone strikes in recent months. russian officials say bad weather diverted the airport across the sea. they say an oxygen tank exploded in the cabin causing passengers to lose consciousness. this shows people calm, even after oxygen masks dropped. then the plane suddenly lost altitude before crashing in a fireball in a field. they say the plane experienced a failure in its control systems and an oxygen tank had exploded in the cabin causing passengers to lose consciousness. this shows people calm, even after oxygen masks dropped. then the plane suddenly lost altitude before crashing in a fireball in a field. some of the injured lifted to a

hospital overnight. now as the people of azerbaijan mourn the loss of the fallen, a u.s. official tells nbc news there are early indications the plane may have been hit by a russian aircraft system. >> the likely cause of the event is a misidentification and damage sustained from that. >> reporter: this comes after a dutch court recently concluded that a malaysian airlines fight was brought down by initial fire by russian fighters. officials blaming russia for this crash, too. the kremlin responding it would be incorrect to make any hypothesis before the investigation comes to conclusions. and as investigators comb through the ground wreckage, they have recovered a second black box and will hand it over to authorities. meanwhile, we're hearing from

russia's aviation department this morning, which says at the time of the incident, the area around the airport was, quote, very complicated and adding that ukrainian combat drones were carrying out attacks in the city and the department. they made two attempts to land the plane, but they were unsuccessful. laura? >> steve patterson, thank you. also this morning, president-elect sharing new details about the incoming administration's immigration plans, including how it's planning to bring back family detentions. aaron gilchrist has the latest for us. >> reporter: donald trump says he plans to act on border security. trp's homeland security team is huddling this week at mar-a-lago and putting the finishing touches on plans for executive orders to make good on his campaign promise to carry out the largest deportation operation in american history.

this morning new details emerging about how the incoming trump administration may handle undocumented immigrants. telling nbc news family detention centers shuttered by president biden could return. >> family detention, if we bring it back, it's on the table. >> reporter: president-elect trump saying earlier this week he will order the southern border closed and begin mass deportations on his first day in office. he expects to have a new data-driven enforcement plans in weeks. he doesn't want to separate undocumented parents and their u.s. citizen children, but they could be faced with that choice. >> if you choose to have a child here in the united states and you know you are on a court ordered deport, that's on you. >> the public doesn't want cruel policies directed at families and children. >> reporter: the aclu led a lawsuit against family separation during the first trump administration and say they're still trying to reunite some of those families.

>> what are you prepared to do? >> there will be policies we think are illegal and violate the constitution or our laws and we will challenge those. >> reporter: while trump faced backlash over his separation policy in his first term, cracking down on immigration was a key part of his campaign that helped him win the 2024 election, with it being the top issue for those that voted for him. according to an nbc news exit poll. the renewed focus on deportation comes adds the president-elect fired off a stream of truth social posts on christmas day targeting canada, greenland, and the panama canal, and drawing new attention to a comment he made about vladimir putin on sunday. >> president putin said he wants to meet with me as soon as possible, so we have to wait for this. but we have to end that war. >> reporter: the putin post coming less than 24 hours after president biden condemned a russian missile and drone attack on ukraine's energy infrastructure calling it an outrageous assault in the dead of winter. trump and biden's teams have been coordinating with how the

u.s. is working with ukraine during the transition and cleser to home, trump has also suggested pushing mexico and canada to do more to stop the flow of undocumented migrants into the u.s. or face a 20% tariff. peter? >> aaron, thank you. now over to the middle east and a new wave of israeli air strikes in yemen. the operation targeted irani-backed militants who have been stepping up their missile fire on israel. raf sanchez is in tel aviv with the latest for us. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. israel says it was attacking military infrastructure when it struck sea ports, por stations and yemen's main airport. at least six people were killed according to local authorities. but the strikes also came dangerously close to hitting one ofhe un's top officials. this morning, new fall-out from

israeli strikes against iran-backed houthi rebels in yemen, an attack that devastated the country's main international airport. israel says its jets were targeting military infrastructure used by the houthis to struggle weapons. president biden saying, we're -- prime minister you've netanyahu overseeing the strike from a command center saying, we're determined to root out this terrorist arm of iran's axis of evil, but among those at the yemeni airport during the strike, the head of the world health organization. he says israeli bombs hit just a few meters from where we were, injuring one of his aircraft's crew members. since the start of the gaza war, the houthis have been targeting commerci ships in the red sea and firing ballistic missiles at israel. one of them destroying this elementary school just last week, israel says. this happened early in the morning before school started.

but the question many israelis are asking today is what if children had been inside. >> i think we're all in shock because it's so close and it could have been us. >> reporter: while iran's other proxies hamas and hezbollah have been badly weakened from fighting israel, the houthis appear defiant and undeterred. neither american, nor israeli strikes bringing an end to their repeated missile fire, which set off sirens in tel aviv this morning once again. now, the secretary general of the united nations is saying he is alarmed by how close those israeli strikes came to that team on the ground. we asked the israeli military were you aware that humanitarians were at the airport at the time you attacked? they didn't respond to our request for comment. >> raf sanchez in tel aviv for us. thank you, raf. >> dylan has the rest of our forecast. final weekend of the year. here we go. >> i know. we do have quite a few areas seeing trouble there. sense fog stretching down south that could create some delays sn e airports early this morning. rain along the coast and

mountain snow. we have gusty winds along the coast, too. right through the middle of the country, thrhrough kencky and tennessee today, a chance of stronger storms. not as strong as yesterday with tornadoes. although, this c could turinto a more severe situation as we go into tomorrow. that's a look at the weather across the country. we'll get to your forecast in the next 30 seconds.

heavy rain and now it's starting to taper off to some lighter showers, but we will continue to see a chance of rain as we go throughout the day as well as tomorrow. overall, mostly cloudy and highs in the low 60s and then heavier. rain returns early sunday morning and next week is dry for o our temperatures. heading for the upper 50s. overnight lows will be in the upper and that and that's your latest forecast. >> dylan, thank you very much. the father of jonbenet ramsey calling for one last push to solve the infamous cold case. why he has new hopes in the new year. and it is almost as big as a football field, and it's looking pretty good for its age. we will find out the history of the goodyear blimp as the iconic air ship turns 100 years old. but, first, this is "today" on

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this morning at an apartment building on emily way, just off capitol avenue. the roadway is currently still shut down as crews are mopping up. three apartments are damaged and we understand eight people are now displaced. it's not yet clear what caused that fire, but the fireepartment says no one was hurt. i'm bob redell here in santa cruz, where we're getting another round of high surf poundi our coastline. you can't see it, but it is happening right now. off to my left, here at the beach in santa cruz. and behind me is the wharf, which is still shut down after about a 150ft of it fell into the ocean during high waves earlier this week. later this morning at 11:00, the city of santa cruz expected to give us an update on that closure. and as we get started this morning, we had some heavy rain earlier this morning, but now the weather is improving just a bit. still some lingering light

showers, but it will be mostly cloudy today and this next storm coming in. we'll keep it very active and building up those waves along the coastline. we're still seeing some significant waves today, and the high surf advisory continues until sunday morning. after that we are looking at sunshine next week chris. all right. thank you so much, kari. and we are streaming our next newscast at 8:00 on roku and wherever else you stream. we are talking with gold rush cheerleaders too, about a big fan rally that's coming up this weekend. we hope to see you there, and we hope to see you

here comes the pressure. duggar under duress, incomplete! and there are no flags! toledo wins it in six o.t.s. >> six! and that was the ending to a wild game last night. toledo not taking their foot off the gas for a record six

overtimes in their game against pittsburgh, winning 48-46. and over to the nfl where the score was sadly a little lower. the seattle seahawks beating my chicago bears 6-3, in the lowest scoring nfl game of the year, but keeping their playoff hopes alive. >> the bears. >> i know. what can you do? we got jacob soboroff back this morning. >> happy early new year. guys, we will take a turn now as we approach 2025. it has been 28 years sincehe killing of jonbenet ramsey. the case remains unsolved, and no one has been charged with the crime. >> john ramsey he has he plans to meet with the current chief of police in boulder in the new year.

dana griffith has the latest for us. >> reporter: good morning. that's right. john ramsey called that meeting, an important step towards closure. he is hoping the boulder police allow him to bring in outside experts to help test crime scene evidence in a last-ditch effort to solve the murder. nearly three decades after the brutal murder of 6-year-old jonbenet ramsey in her colorado home on christmas night, her father still thinks the case can be solved. >> that's an important meeting. we will have a representative with us from one of these cutting-edge labs to explain what they can and can't do. hopefully he will accept their help. >> reporter: boulder police declined to answer questions about the case or do any interviews citing the active investigation. only saying in a statement, the boulder police department has regularly met with the family and plan to do so in 2025. the 1996 case now the subject of media, with the younger al

generation following the release of a new netflix docuseries. >> it was a case people coul't stop talking about. >> reporter: boulder's current police chief says the murder still haunts the department. >> detectives are regularly investigating some aspects of this terrible crime and i receive updates frequently. >> reporter: the chief says detectives have long collaborated with outside agencies and labs. the department also writing, the assertion that there is viable evidence and leads we are not pursuing to include dna testing is completely false. no one has ever been charged with jonbenet's murder. now 80, john ramsey telling savannah he is determined to find the killer. >> you still have hope this can be solved? >> i believe it can be solved if the police accept help from outside this -- their system. >> reporter: jonbenet's mother patsy ramsey passed away from cancer.

>> colorado has over a thousand unsolved homicides, and we're not going to be one of them. >> reporter: the netflix docuseries examined what many experts say were critical mistakes made in the early stages of the investigation, including how the crime scene wasn't locked down quickly enough. boulder police have not commented directly on the series, but last month the chief did acknowledge there were things that could have been done better back in 1996, adding he hopes public generation will generate fresh tips in the ongoing investigation. >> yeah. raising a lot of questions about how the dna was handled as well. guys, thank you. coming up in "popstart," which iconic scene from "home alone" happened by accident. ha but, first, jesse but, first, jesse kirsch is taking us up inside the goodyear blimp.

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by getting your updated flu and covid vaccines. risk less. do more. welcome back. happy friday. these days, we are used to seeing cool aerial views on national television. but way back when, it was the goodyear blimp that started it all and became much more than a marketing gimmick along the way. >> now it is coming up on a very big birthday. jesse kirsch took the blimp for a spin to celebrate early. >> not everybody gets to say they took the blimp for a spin. jesse kirsch joins us from pompano beach, florida. good morning. >> reporter: yes. you have to be invited to take a ride on the blimp. odds are you have seen one of these up in the skies overhead. you talk about this big birthday. how big of a birthday are we talking about? i'll give you a blimp. the goodyear blimp is about to turn 100 years old. to celebrate, we are flipping the camera around on the blimp itself. super bowls, san francisco and sin city, when americans look up, the goodyear blimp is there.

you ready to go? it has witnessed more than 2,500 events since its last flight and flown about a half million passengers, including president ronald reagan, as well as charles lindberg to charles barkley. now it is about to make history again by turning 100 years old. >> here we go. >> reporter: and we helped kick off the big celebration over florida. takeoff feels like someone just let go of a balloon. that happens to fill about 80% of a football field and fly a top speed of 73 miles an hour. >> we can hover. we can hold it in place. the maneuverability is

fantastic. >> reporter: have you ever been on an airplane that feels like this. we have reclining seats, train tables and a bathroom. have you ever seen one of these with a view? but other creature comforts are missing. air-conditioning the old-fashioned way. is there any billboard that could ever come close? >> absolutely not. >> reporter: goodyear ceo mark stewart says the original vision for the blimp went far beyond selling more tires. >> it was geing ready for luxury air travel. the war came and it became a very, very useful thing for the military to protect our folks. >> reporter: amelia earhart christened a ship. in 1955, one of the first-ever nationally televised aerial from the tournament of roses. along the way, it became one of the most even during advertising

vehicles of all time and also provided a public service after hurricane andrew in 1992. it beamed messages down to survivors. one of the pilots flying those messages back then, larry chambers, who in 1987 even found love in the sky when his now wife faye became aboard. >> were you at all that the pilot seemed to be paying more attention to you than flying the blimp? >> i liked it. >> reporter: within a few years, larry and faye were married. where else but on the blimp? larry spent 40 years at the controls. but some of us are rookies. it does feel kind of like i'm playing one of those fighter jet video games. unbelievable. what does the goodyear blimp mean to this country? >> oh, it is kind of like the apple pie. everybody loves the goodyear blimp. >> reporter: a true slice of americana still going strong 100 years young.

i still can't believe they let me take the controls of this thing. but i promise you, i had adult supervision the entire time. if you have got blimp fever after watching it, great news. goodyear is planning flyovers over all 50 states for the big birthday celebration over the next year. but if you want to ride on the blimp, you need to be invited. there are three blimps in the u.s., another in europe. but you can't just get on. you need to be invited to do it. i consider myself among the lucky few. thank you for sending me on this adventure. back to you. >> he's got blimp fever, baby. >> jesse is the official human goen retriever we've established with his head out the window there. as bucket list items go, jesse, thank you. you have done this before? my >> yes, i have. the blimp was 66. she was a young 66. my dad, thank you, steve

soberoff, took me and my siblings on the blimp. look at those controls. but it was one of the more memorable things i got to do. >> i will say growing up, when the blimp showed up, you knew there was a big event going on. >> jacob, you didn't stick your head out the window? >> i probably did. there is like 45 minutes of footage. >> check through that. we do have stronger storms in the forecast for today. although, not as strong as yesterday. we had eight reported tornadoes yesterday. today it will be more wind gusts up to 60 miles an hour, larger hail in is area that includes areas just northeast of new orleans but also up into tuscaloosa and into pensacola, too. tomorrow we will increase our chance of seeing strong storms, especially in this darker orange area here. large hail, damaging winds and

nocturnal tornadoes. those are the more dangerous ones. they occur after dark.k. that will be the threat going into saturday afternoon and evening. that moves further into the east where we could see stronger storms. that's a look at the weather ac kari hall. we've been watching waves of rain coming through, but now most of that activity is tapering off. we will have a drier afternoon, but the next storm system is set to arrive early on sunday, which may in fact impact some of your weekend plans. still some lingering showers and our weekend forecast. and next week we are all dry with temperatures headed for the upper 50s and lows in the upper 30s. and that's your latest forest. >> thank you. still ahead right here, your morning boost. but up next, the return of moo deng. the adorable hippo went viral as a baby. now we're getting a look at what's ahead in the new year for this fantastic, slippery sensation, right after this.

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lauren: relax... i got 'em both too. anybody can at metro! at metro, everyone gets their perfect match - iphone 12 with 5g and apple watch se for only $99.99. only at metro. speak now or forever hold your- [cough] only took 4-hour cough liquid? [cough] unlike robitussin dm, delsym liquid offers 12 hours of cough relief all day or night. delsym, cough crisis averted. we are back now at 7:48 with one of the most beloved creatures in the world. >> moo deng is her name, she quickly became the internet's favorite animal. >> what's next for the viral sensation? >> everyone wants to know. janis mackey frayer has more on what to expect from the tiny hippo who made a massive slash. >> moo deng heads into the new year bigger than ever, both in

the flesh and online and marking milestones along the way. now five months old and over 100 pounds. year-end lists naming her one of the biggest viral sensations of ththe year. >> it is undeniable. >> reporter: the breakout highlighted in google's year-end search and new york times naming her most stylish, dominating bangkok's lights festival. we first met this pudgy little internet sensation in september when thousands of visitors captured every adorable moment of her rolling around, taking a bath, gnawing on the zoo keeper's boots and napping. even inspiring a memorable snl cameo. >> i'm your favorite hippo's favorite hippo. >> reporter: she owes her fame to her keeper who had trouble keeping up with demand, including american super fans like molly from new york, traveling all the way to thailand to catch a glimpse not once but twice.

>> i flew 18.5 hours. everybody needs a little more joy in their life, and she's perfect for it. >> reporter: and rocking her moo deng pjs, telling us she's not done yet. >> my goal is to return to her first birthday. >> reporter: also building new business. her image now a registered trademark in thailand, with local media saying branding collaborations could generate as much as $4.3 million by march. while also boosting awareness with pygmy hippos considered an endangered species. this little girl unaware of how much the world adores her or other adorable animals like biscuits the sale pup and the celebrity panda. back in thailand, the zoo looking to keep the moo deng magic going with a holiday proposing ceremony that will see moo deng's older brother matched with a female pygmy hippo hoping for new little ones in the new year. but for moo deng, making a splash online is one thing.

staying close to her mom joanne that is still the top priority. happily unbothered, this icon wiggling her way into a new year. janis mackey frayer, nbc news, beijing. deng, making a splash online is one thing. >> thanks to janice for that joy. >> would you like more animal-themed content? from one cute animal to another, our holiday gift from the smithsonian national zoo, new video of its adorable giant pandas. we can see the cubs just being, here we go, unbearably cute overall.

the pandas were brought to the zoo as a loan from china a couple months ago. they're set for the public debet in late january. i'll go. yes, it will. yes, it will. i love a good panda. >> brought to you by animal planet. still ahead, the post christmas sales bringing some of the best prices of the year on clothes, home goods, tech. anything you need we'll break down in what you need to know. plus, we're counting down the best songs of 2024, filled with an all star list of artists. but, first, a check of your local news and weather. [coughing] hi susan, honey? yea. i respect that, but that cough looks etty bad. try this robitussin honey. the real honey you love, plus the powerful cough relief you need.

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you're not waiting to win, you're ready to succeed again at umgc.edu. celebrate up to 50% off savings you're not waiting to win, you're ready with the clearance event at target. ♪ celebrate, celebrate ♪ ♪ oh, everybody, everybody celebrate ♪ hurry in. clearance deals go fast. shop in stores now for up to 50% off only at target. good morning. it is 756. i'm marcus washington and i'm kris sanchez. happening now. good morning. i'm thom jensen in san jose and the 2500 block of gemmell drive, where this apartment complex caught fire this morning. this is a three alarm fire. i talked to a battalion chief a short time ago. he said everyone got out safely. there were no injuries, but there are several displaced families. we'll have more on nbc

bay area news later today. all right. let's get a look at that forecast for us. kari. another wet start to the day. yeah, we had some heavy rain early. it's taped off to some lingering light rain as we take a live look outside in san francisco. we will still have some hit or miss showers throughout the morning into the early afternoon, and then we will take a break before the next storm system is set to arrive by the end of the weekend. this could also bring in a round of some heavy rain early on sunday morning, but in the near term there still may be some off and on showers into this evening, as well as the north bay. seeing some more rain tomorrow. but overall it's going to be a cloudy and cool weekekend and heavy rain starts to ramp up again on sunday morning and continuing at least until noon before we catch a break and some sunshine will follow that will lead us into the start of the new year with some drier conditions, but also some chilly temperatures. and we're following all of those changes in your weekend forecast. back to you. all right. thank you kari. well, be sure to watch our today in the bay live streaming

newscast. it starts in just a few minutes. although we are in for a soggy weekend, we are tracking your new year's eve forecast. you know what kind of outfit to wear? you can watch on roku, pluto and other streaming platforms.

♪ you know i'm a dreamer ♪ ♪ but my heart's of gold ♪ ♪ just one more night ♪ ♪ and i'm coming off this long and winding road ♪

♪ i'm on my way ♪ ♪ i'm on my way ♪ ♪ home sweet home ♪ there's no place like the road home. receive a $5,500 bonus on a new 2024 audi q5 plug-in hybrid during the season of audi sales event. ♪ it's 8:00 on "today." coming up wild weather. tornadoes rip through parts of the south while heavy rain and strong winds batter the west coast. with 2025 less than a week away, how the severe weather might impact your new year's eve plans.

dylan is live with your full weekend forecast. then lottery dreams. if you are looking to nab one more gift this holiday season, the mega millions jackpot is still in play and tomorrow's drawing is more than $1 billion. more details just ahead. and shopping rush. post christmas sales hitting the stores and bringing some of the best prices of the year on clothes, h home good tech and more. from what to buy now to what you should wait on. all that coming up. all that, plus pop music popstart. from the records broken by beyoncé's halftime show to what cynthia erivo is revealing abou the "wicked" sequel. a new song in the "wicked" sequel. and the top ten songs of the year. those musical moments and more coming up today, friday, december 27, 2024.

♪ >> from vicksburg, mississippi. >> celebrating my 65th birthday. >> friends for 40 years. >> mother-daughter trip. >> from massachusetts. >> travel from north carolina. >> norman, oklahoma. >> ottawa, ohio. >> and michigan! >> love you grandma and grandpa. >> from southlake, texas. >> celebrating my 14th birthday with "today". >> happy 14th birthday! welcome back to "today." thanks for starting your friday morning with us. savannah and hoda are enjoying a little time off. >> deservedly so. >> yes. nice to be with you. it is a cold one outside, and we're keeping a close eye on your forecast. we begin with severe weather from coast to coast as many americans travel home after the

holidays. in the northeast, there is now a chance that rain could dampen your new year's eve celebration plans, especially if you plan to be here at the famous ball drop in time's square. sam, good morning to you. >> reporter: i have not a shadow of a doubt about that, peter. good morning. look, this is a tradition that dates back to the early 1900s. new york city is expecting about a million people out here to watch the ball drop. now dry will they be? that is another question. let's get to some of the severe weather you just mentioned happening across the country starting in the south, peter, where we saw eight confirmed tornadoes over a period of 24 hours. 5 in texas, 3 in louisiana. the severe threat is still there this morning.

as far as texas is concerned, one of those touching down 30 miles outside of houston, another one in alexandria, louisiana, a short distance away from baton rouge. also intense hail to the point where you are stepping outside for some folks, it was hard to walk. on the west coast as well, extreme weather there. storms slamming the pacific northwest and portions of northern california as well. the cascades and the sierra nevada seeing 5 inches to 18 inches. over in the rockies, you are looking at three plus feet of snow. speaking of which, we actually saw a white christmas or christmas eve, if you will. that is not the expectation for new year's. but the temperatures will actually be in the 40s if you are standing outside and braving the cold. right now it is about 20 degrees. i will definitely take that. double that temperature for next week. we will see if that holds. that's what we're looking at right now. >> sam, the sweater looks good, but i'm thinking a raincoat will do you better over the next few days. thank you so much. >> dylan dreyer is tracking the weather for us. >> well, there is a lot going on this morning if anybody is traveling down.

we do have that storm system making its way on the west coast. rain and mountain snow. we also have heavier rain falling across central kentucky into tennessee and stretching down across louisiana right now. we could see stronger storms develop later on this afternoon, but we are going to see the heavier rain perhaps cause some delays on the highways there. if you are traveling across the mountain passes, you will see very dangerous conditions on the roads. we could also see some delays at the airports in seattle and portland because of the rain. minneapolis, kansas city, same thing in nashville as we go into this afternoon and evening. now let's go over to tuesday. the last day of the year. most of the country is looking dry. but here is that storm system that's going to bring rain through the great lakes down through virginia and north carolina. but then it makes its way into the northeast by the time we get to midnight. that's why we will see some of the rain.

too warm for any kind of snow. but with the rain and cooler temperatures, it will not be that comfortable, guys. >> all right. dylan, appreciate it. thank you very much. now to those millions of americans as they prepare to fly back home after the holiday. we are learning of yet another passenger boarding a plane without a ticket. on christmas eve just before takeoff, delta turned around one of its planes on the runway on a seattle airport after the crew discovered someone made it on to the flight to hawaii without a boarding pass. tsa said the person did go through their standard screening and did not have any prohibited items. this incident comes, of course, after a woman stowed away on a flight from new york to paris last month. americans spent more this holiday shopping season than ever before. new economic data shows holiday sales from november 1st through christmas eve increased nearly 4%, 3.8 to be exact over the year. experts say that happened even though we are paying more for

groceries and other necessities these days. the data was released by mastercard spending polls that tracks all kinds of payments, including cash and debit cards. no one won the last mega millions jackpot. so the pot for tonight's drawing grew to $1.15 billion. yes, billion dollars. nbc's george solis has more on your lot by dreams. george, did you get your ticket? >> reporter: i'm about to, laura. it is $2, and that billion dream. if won tonight, it will be the fifth largest in mega millions history. look, sure, the odds may be stacked against you, but it is still fun to dream what you would do with that half billion. that is if you go with that cash lump sum option. so let's talk about some of those options. are you in the market for a new car? well, you could buy a porsche 911, 4,300 of them. jeff bezos' yacht is reportedly

$500 million, so you would be able to buy that and still have enough money left over for a captain's hat. now, it is the season of giving, after all. check this out. according to feeding america, for that mere half billion, you could create about 10 billion meals to help knock out hunger. lotto officials are stoked about this because they know a lot of people got this for stocking stuffers. you definitely want to check that before you put away the holiday decorations. let's talk about the odds here for a moment. they are stacked against you. you are more likely to get struck by lightening. the odds are 1 in 302 million. but i want to leave you with some hope. the actual odds of winning any prize is 1 in 24. the bottom line here is you can't win unless you play. i will buy my ticket right now. there it is. coming at you.

all right, guys. here are my numbers. so you are wondering, george, what are you going to do if you actually win? well, my commitment to you guys is you are all invited to my yacht. i will, of course, throw in the champagne if i win that billion. and, yes, i will be coming in to work to tomorrow. >> you better, george. george solis, thank you very much. i took away from that report i have a good chance of being struck by lightening. >> i was hoping he would say his plans were to share. john legend facing his toughest interview yet. his daughter luna asking him all about his new children's album. up next, vicky nguyen is walking us through the post-holiday sales as retailers are looking to clear the shelves. >> did you get some holiday cash you are looking to spend? i will tell you where to find the best sales and what you should wait until the new year to buy. that's next right here on "today."

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back now with today's maybe if you didn't get everything you want for christmas or you have gift cards

to use, good news. the shopping season is still under way. >> here to help you find the best deals is vicky nguyen. vicky, we always are grateful when you are here. all right. this is the best time of year to do shopping, get some of the best deals around. where do you find them? >> shake it off if you have that shopping fatigue because a lot of people got cash gift cards for christmas and maybe they're burning a hole in your pocket. retailers want to clear the decks for the new year. let's start with the big ones, target and walmart. they will have deals up to 50% off of all the things you can think of for your home. my warning here is just you are looking for the best deal, so you want something that says final sale or clearance. that's how you know it actually is an end-of-year sale and not one of the regular sales they put things up and mark them back down. looking across those categories. and wayfair, if you had people over for the holiday this year and thought, i could have used a couple extra chairs, maybe an ottoman, wayfair has deals off

up to 60%. >> okay, great. we want more deals. give us more. >> we have quite a list of all different kinds of websites. you don't even have to leave your couch in order to buy these things, up to 63% off. here are some of the highlights we want to show you when it comes to beauty and clothing. look at all those right there. ninja kitchen, that's a really popular one for air fryers and mini blenders. they have deals up to 39% off right now. kohl's 50% off lots of categories there. nordstrom is having their half yearly sale which people forget about because it is the holidays, but this is a great time to get clothes or items you might not have gotten in your size for the holiday. uggs on sale at nordstrom. they pick their popular items. they say they made too much. but these items are 70% off. these are popular, normal items. so if you are looking for bamboo sheets or pajamas, they're oprah's favorite things from

cozy earth, those are big sales. >> not for nothing, cozy earth, those sheets, they are no joke. the days after halloween, sorry to the neighbors, the days after halloween, you get the cheapest candy. >> you definitely don't want to wait on this one because people are snatching up those items right now. anything holiday themed, those will go quickly. so the people at retail me not say if you see it, get it now. remember, it isn't just holiday decor, though. beauty items are on sale because there are a lot of holiday gift packs that the stores want to clear. check sephora and ulta. glitter eyeshadow works year-round. and candy. you have a couple months for this candy. if you are looking for holiday candy, this is the time to buy. >> is there anything we should wait on? >> definitely.

white sales are happening next month. you want to wait for places like macy's and other department stores to have their big linens' sale in january. new year, new year. that gym membership is going on sale next month. those kettle bells, wait on those until next month. and then nothing s says celebrating martin luther king jr. like buying mattresses or furniture. those three-day weekends, we will see big items, especially appliances. if you missed black friday for televisions, which as we learned black friday is the best time to buy electronics and tvs, wait until closer to the super bowl, end of january, beginning of february, that's when you will see televisions coming on sale again. >> i was eyeing those kettle bells, but we have a doorstop already. any thoughts? >> always shop with a list. you don't want to go willy nilly. that's how you end up overspending. price match is the phrase of the season. a lot of retailers are onboard.

they understand that people want the best value for their dollar. if you buy something and you see it goes on sale or it is on sale somewhere else, ask if they price adjust for you. finally, use those gift cards right away because the longer you hold on to them, the more likely you will forget. >> you see me smiling at you about those gift cards. >> we are very anti. but use them until you lose them. >> at least use them gift. thank you, vicky. over to dylan dreyer with a check of the weather. >> we do have wet weather moving into the pacific northwest. dense fog across the upper midwest of the northern plains and strong storms for later on today down through the southeast. those could produce large hail and damaging winds. that's a look at the weather

>> and and that's your latest forecast. >> all right, dylan. what do you have in "popstart". >> the numbers are in. netflix broke records. the matchup between the kansas city chiefs and pittsburgh steelers and the baltimore ravens win over the houston texans have become the most streamed nfl games in history. that's according to nealson numbers, reported upwards of 24 million for each game. and we know there are plenty of football fans out there, but we should note viewer ship for ravens/texans spiked during this

highly anticipated performance. ♪ ♪ to the left ♪ send me in the middle ♪ i can't read your ♪ run to the right, and spin me in the middle, oh, i can't read your mind ♪ ♪ this ain't texas ♪ >> i mean, it brought everybody in, right? everybody wanted to see the game and the performance. the super bowl certainly has a lot to live up to after that epic show from beyoncé. >> it will be a special also. they're making it its own special. did we talk about that yesterday? >> yes. we always do. >> okay. next up, "wicked." this wicked witch just revealed she's changing the story for good. afraid. >> don't be afraid. >> i'm not afraid. it's the wizard who should be

afraid of me. >> in a recent interview on "variety," cynthia revealed that she co-wrote an original song for the movie's second chapter telling the podcast, i collaborated on one of the new songs, and it is so special to me. continuing, when we filmed it, the entire crew was in tears. i hope audiences are ready. it is a song that speaks to the heart of who elphaba is. it hits theaters in november of next year. >> she is, honestly, she is so unbelievably good in the movie. >> and talented. >> have you tried the -- i don't want to do it on television. >> it's early in the morning, yeah. glad you both tried it. next up, "home alone." in another podcast revealed, chris columbus just dropped a major truth bomb behind this iconic scene. >> ah! >> we have watched this movie so

many times this year. it turns out that that legendary aftershave face slap was improvised. columbus telling hollywood reporters, maybe he was nervous. he just didn't move his hands from his cheeks and it made all of us laugh.h. usually when the crew laughs it means it is not funny. but the crew laughed and we kept it in the preview of the film and the audience loved it. so it was a complete accident. what does that say about the crew? >> the crew is silent. >> yeah. >> is it not funny. >> they're like doing it for us to humor us. >> i have experience with that. thank you very much, joseph. thank you very much. next up, let's take a look at some of the best music from this year as 2024 comes to a close. usa today just released a list for the top ten songs of the year. we'll start the countdown at top five. starting with this collab from lady gaga.

♪ i want to hold you just for a while ♪ ♪ and do it with a smile ♪ >> that's "die with a smile." next, kendrick lamar, who will be performing at the super bowl. this is his epic diss track, "not like us." ♪ they not like us, they not like us, they not like us ♪ >> all right. moving into third place, this track from billie eilish's new album, "hit me hard and soft." ♪ ♪ i don't think i could love you more ♪ ♪ i love you more, but baby, i, i'll love you till the day that i die ♪ >> of course, that was her summer smash hit "birds of a feather." that's the other song, right? >> i don't know, dylan. i don't know. i don't know. >> breakout artist chapel run -- chappell roan with this hit.

♪♪ hit -- ♪ >> how bad is it i don't know a lot of these songs. >> i thought it would be good to go. let's get to the number one song on the list. ♪ i'm so obsessed with him, but he avoids me ♪ ♪ like the plague ♪ ♪ i got a lot, but i am so productive ♪ ♪ it's an art ♪ ♪ you know you're good when you can do it ♪ >> of course, taylor had to get in there straight from her epic eras tour. that's the music video for "i can do it with a broken heart." i can say that i've also not heard that song. >> 2024 is the year of taylor. were she not number one -- >> that wouldn't have worked. >> dylan, have you heard of spotify? >> i'm sorry. i don't know what we're

listening to, but yeah. next up, john legend. the grammy winner just sat down with billboard for the latest on his project. it is a kids music album called "my favorite dream." guess who conducted the interview? his 8-year-old daughter luna who opened up about how it felt to open up about the new album. confidence. she's just like 8 years old. >> he looks just like his son on that album cover, too. he looks just like myles. >> yeah, he does. >> thanks, dylan.

♪ back now at 8:30 on this friday morning, december 27, 2024, as we roll into the weekend with an incredible crowd on the plaza there. they are ready. this is a friday crowd. this is a weekend crowd. hoda, craig and savannah are enjoying some holiday time off. it is an extra special day because our savannah is celebrating her birthday. >> happy birthday, savannah! and speaking of spending some time off, board games are the perfect thing to bring your family together during the lull between the holidays. and we have the editor of "parents" here with great ideas from all ages. >> i just noticed they put hand warmers in these pockets. we have hand warmers for you all in a second. plus, emilie ikeda got a look inside america's favorite sanctuary for retired circus and zoo elephants living their best life. and on today food loves football, the ultimate spread for sunday's big game when the

falcons take on the commanders. stick around. then, coming up on the 3rd hour of "today," al gets a look at how nasa astronauts are training for their next moon mission. but, first, we are saying good-bye to one of our own after 45 years on nbc. 45 years. our audio engineer steve is retiring. he has worked up everything from today, sports, specials, elections, parades and so much more. steve is looking forward to not waking up at 2:00 a.m. each morning and is going to spend his free time with his family and his two adorable grandkids. steve, congratulations. you are going to be missed. >> thank you very everything. >> for so many years doing this, when you hear that last voice in your ear checking you in to make sure your audio is working. there is no more calming voice. steve, we appreciate you. >> well, we do have some chilly weather, of course. but it is going to warm up. that's the next round of wet weather that comes in the form of rain. that's on saturday.

we're also looking at a chance of stronger storms down along the gulf coast and active out west with mountain snow and some rain up and down the pacific northwest coast. that could lead to travel issues on sunday as that rain intensifies. we're looking for nice, mild temperatures in the 70s, close to 80 across texas. heavy rain is going to move its way into new york, pennsylvania down through the mid good. good. friday morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall. we are starting out with a lot of clouds across the bay area. we had rain earlier this morning, but now it's tapering off to some spotty light showers. and we will have a chance of rain throughout today. overall, it's going to be a little bit warmer with highs in the low 60s, and we'll see more of the same tomorrow. but heavier rain is set to arrive again on sunday morning, and we will be in and out of the showers at least through noon, but then

and, everybody, you know what sunday night is. it's football night in america. the falcons take on the commanders down in maryland. rainy, a little breezy. 58 degrees. at least it is not too cold. but it will be a wet one for sunday night, football night in america. it is not raining right now, but it is cold and i can't feel my toes. so you are going to take it around the horn. >> this crowd is so big, what do you say we take it around the horn, everyone. here we go. thank you for coming! thank you for coming! let's go! let's go! all the way. wow! this is a big crowd. keep going. here we go. here we go. here we go! here we go! whoa! all the way to the end. at is your name? >> dylan. >> dylan to dylan. good job, guys.

back to you! >> i love how he says it's a big crowd like he doesn't know the perimeter of ts like the back of his hand. next up, fun board games for the kids, teens and family fun perfect for the holiday weekend. but, first, this is "today" on nbc. first, this is "today" on nbc.

ashe holiday break rolls on, now is the perfect time to unplug with your family and cozy up with a good old-fashioned board game. we invited grace, the editor-in-chief of "parents." grace, nice to have you this morning. let's start in my wheel house, the littles here, three and over here. >> yes. nothing like family game night to really bond as a family. and some of these are winners of the best toys awards. the goal of this is to pile these friends on top of this

mushroom and balance, exactly. and while a die determines your next move, kids use coordination to avoid wobbles. >> fun, okay. what's next here? cake-n-bake. >> no kid can resist a rainbow birthday cake. they have to stack the slices correctly to match the card they draw. if you get six candle cards, you win that round. >> nice, teaching the patterns. >> yeah. and a good way to focus and foster creativity. and it comes with nice props. >> okay, nice. let's go to the next one here. >> this is called floats mcgoats. you can say that. it's a lot of fun. you try to save ship wrecked goats by building a raft. you roll a 12-sided die. you can add sticks, take away sticks, but also you can get

sharks to go after your opponents. the first person to get all their sticks on the raft wins the game. this is for a bigger kid. it is a great way to practice winning and losing gracefully. >> depending on your household. ticket to ride. >> while this is an easy game to play and learn, it involves a lot of tactical decision-making. you build routes connecting different cities. the longer the routes, the more points you win. you can also block your opponents by making them go in a different direction. and because this game takes about 30 to 60 minutes to play, it is great for after-dinner fun. >> yes. >> best part, it is a geography lesson. >> all right. lots of things going on here.

the big kids. >> yes. in this fast-paced game, you roll six dice to try to get xs on your board and create a specific pattern. >> oh, that's cool. >> and it is a game of speed because you want to get the right color and number combo. and the twist is that you can also play and add xs to your opponents to your board or play sour and remove xs. >> ah, sour patch themed everything. >> this is really nice. >> does it come with sour patch gummies? >> no, you have to get those. >> telestrations. think of the game of telephone but with visuals. you get a notebook. so you get a word and you illustrate it and then you pass that notebook around. people have to guess what you drew and sketch their own interpretation. when it comes back to the original player, they reveal the word and the hilarious drawings. >> so modified charades. >> with herd mentality, you don't want to stand out. you want to go with the crowd.

the idea is to guess what everyone will answer to a specific question. so what's the best color for a car? what's the most popular pizza topping? and if you guess different, you get a pink cow. and if you guess the same as everybody else, you get cow tokens. if you get eight cow tokens, you win the game. simple, light hearted and promotes mutual understanding. >> all things we desire. all right. last but not least, what do you meme? >> so everyone from the kids to grandma will get into this. you take turns picking a judge, and that judge chooses a photo card, and everybody else has to choose the best caption that goes with that meme. and the judge selects their favorite pairing. and that's the winner. so really nice way -- >> i haven't heard of any of these. these are great choices. >> well, you have the weekend now, so you can enjoy these games. >> i have a lot of time with no child care and a lot of time to spend together. >> it's screen-free fun. >> thank you.

still to come, a look at the important work being done inside the biggest elephant sanctuary in america where these majestic creatures get to enjoy their golden years in style. but, first, this is "today" on nbc.

back back now with our ongoing series "today in the wild" and an exclusive look at the largest elephant sanctuary. >> this facility is closed to the public, but emily was invited inside to follow an elephant caregiver for a day. >> well, talk about a larger than life assignment. i was only an hour and a half outside of nashville. 12 elephants from all over the country are enjoying a never-ending retirement party. with every ear flap and trunk swing, the sense of serenity spreads throughout the 3,00000 acres at the elephant sanctuary in tennessee. so we can see four elephants just from right here. similar to a retirement home, this is where a dozen geriatric elephants are living out their golden years, after decades of hard work as circus performers and stars at the zoo.

their only job now is to simply be an elephant. can you find words to describe your workplace? >> peaceful. >> this is also christy's office. she studied elephants in africa. but she says nothing can compare to her dream job right here. as the senior management of elephant care, she leads a team of more than 20 caregivers and oversees the medical and meal plans for each elephant to thrive in a sanctuary. what have you learned? >> oh, gosh. they teach me so much. elephants are really resilient animals. they really teach you to trust again, to be patient. >> why is it important to provide this kind of care in the final years of life? >> they deserve it.

they deserve respect. they're not here for our entertainment. they're here to be animals and we're here to provide them with that retirement. >> she and her team work around the clock to support this endangered species, like flora, a 42-year-old elephant who starred in "big top peewee". >> come on, flora. >> she has since put hollywood behind her, trading in the glitz and glamour for her favorite treat, watermelon, a reward she gets today. >> so her foot is lifted up right now. what's going on there? >> yeah. so we're checking her feet. we want to make sure they're healthy and not picking up debris with rocks or anything like that. and then they get the food

reward for doing so. they also get the clicker. okay, girl. i'm going to come up, okay? >> her caregiver spent months earning flora's trust by earning food and positive reenforcement. >> our goal is to help them become secure and confident elephants. then the rest follows. the elephants are in charge here. we listen to them if they have any signs of feeling uncomfortable. so we let them take the lead. >> the elephant sanctuary provided home and care for 33 elephants since hoping their doors 33 years ago. the sanctuary says they have the space to welcome more. the decision to transfer an elephant is up to the owner or the government if abuse is suspected. but it is no easy feat getting the elephant to tennessee. 44-year-old donna made that trek from the oakland zoo in

california last year. >> donna, she's a cheeky little girl. her comfortable with the other elephants here. we work with her every day to make sure she's still acclimating to the sanctuary. team's dedication as these elephants trot off into the sunset. >> i mean, w she is one of those elephants does this job ever get old? >> no, absolutely not. we always say they teach us something new every day. we love being around them and working with them. >> and we have exciting news to share. since we visited, the elephant has welcomed oz. the african elephant likes to spend his time exploring his new home and, of course, lots of snacking. you can check him out and all the elephants by watching the sanctuary's live feeds on their website. we have info on today.com. >> that's the zoo i grew up

going to. they're such beautiful creatures. and smart. just saying. they are. >> all right. coming up next on "today food loves football," dishing up a little inspiration for this sunday's big game, making crispy

♪ ah, you can smell it already. we are back with a holiday edition of "today food loves football." this sunday got the atlanta falcons taking on the commanders, a prime time matchup. we have game day recipes perfect for your holiday weekend. you may recognize our chef. he has a new restaurant called salt and ash at the florida keys. good morning. >> good morning! >> a new restaurant on the horizon.

you have a lot to be celebrating this holiday. >> yeah, it is an exciting place, too. the keys are so magical. when you are up here in the cold, there is dolphins and everything beautiful. come down and check us out. >> where are you guys? >> in duck key. >> what kind of food are you serving? >> delicious food. no, just really modern american fun food, something for everybody. >> all right. we will start with some falcon food, as it were. something from the atlanta neighborhood, as it were. >> so we're taking a funky approach here. we're making a marinade. you might, you know, not know why i'm putting bananas in here. it actually tenderizes the chicken. so you get this beautiful -- these are already tender, right? >> a little garlic. >> garlic, banana, chili powder, shallots or onions, whatever you have in the fridge. a little salt. crank it on high. >> what was that? >> sherry vinegar. >> okay, good.

just whatever that is. >> we mix it all up. just gets funky in there. >> nice. for the chicken, what part of the chicken are you using? >> i love chicken thighs. i think there is so much more flavor and so much more capabilities with the thighs. so you let this marinade overnight, right? it does it thing and magically turns into this. we go here. and this will actually be on the menu at salt and ash. >> okay, good. you open in a month. >> yes. we're a month out from opening. beyond that, we actually bring a lot of produce to that restrant from our own farm. so that's pretty exciting. the beer or the food? >> all of it. >> all of it. could i have another beer too, please. all right. are we ready for this or just dip? >> are you taking the plunge? >> how hot are you cooking this about? >> we will do this at 350. don't get too high.

it will get burnt. low and slow, get it crispy. >> am i doing great? i feel like you are being kind. okay. >> do you cook a lot at home? >> i mean, not this. this is more exotic than i like to cook at home. the bananas are an interesting thing. i like that. i might try that some time. how long are you going for? >> until it looks delicious and ready to eat. i would say 2:30 minutes in there. >> when it looks delicious, you know you are good. all right. you are mixing up salad to put in it. >> i love this mason jar situation, right? you can throw everything in here. we have citrus juices, orange, lime, lemon. we will add more shallots for crunch. red jalepeno. do you like spice? >> yes. >> okay, good. a little bit of sugar. >> is it? >> super. >> it's very pretty. >> let's keep moving. that's how you dress your salad.

you have avocado and pears. >> yep. you have pear in here, beautiful dressing. if you have extra leftover, you can leave it in the fridge. >> we've got the commanders there, too. you organize. i'll start eating, if that's okay. >> okay, perfect. so we have pork schnitzel. this is a boneless pork chop we pounded out flat just to get the egg whites. typically, you would see this. a little tap. little taparoo. and we go into egg white, which is different than your egg wash. more fluffy and crispy. >> little bread crumbs to go with it. >> and then this would go here. >> golden brown and delicious. >> honey, dinner. th >> golden brown and delicious. >> honey, dinner. that's delicious. that's a good strategy. >> okay. walk me through this if you can.

so here is your schnitzel. it looks gorgeous when it is done. and finally? >> cream, water, cooking polenta super fast. add your butter. >> yep. >> all t butter. >> okay. cheeses, parmesan, garlic powder, chili flakes. this time of year, it is magical. >> commanders and falcons on a sunday night, you don't just need this for football. this is good. we will save the salad, but thank you very much. have a good holiday. we'll see you in florida. >> yes, the keys. >> scan the qr code or head to today.com/food to get these recipes and access your free account and make sure to watch the falcons and commanders sunday night right here on nbc. but, fir

good morning. it is 8:56 a.m. marcus washington. we are following developing news in east san jose. that's where firefighters have put out a three alarm fire at an apartment building. it happened around 515 this morning in a unit on gillham way. this is just off of capitol avenue. now, three apartments were damaged and eight people have been displaced. the fire department says no one was hurt. and it's not clear what caused that fire. but a firefighter told nbc bay area that the fire started on the second floor. happening now. tamalpais union high school district has agreed to pay $17.5 million to four former students to settle a sexual abuse case. the four say that their former tennis coach, thurmond burgos, assaulted and in one case, raped a student in 2019. burgos was convicted of 60 counts of sexual abuse and he is currently serving his sentence. he will

have much more of this for you during our upcoming newscast at 11:00. you can also find more information online at nbcbayarea.com. - man, i need some serious help with this health insurance stuff. - check out covered california. it's a free service from the state that helps you get health insurance. millions of people have used it. - wait, for real? - mmm hmm, they even offer financial help to lower the cost. - nooo... how you know about all this? - that's how i got my insurance. i got a great plan for about $10 dollars a month. - okay, i see you. - if you've got questions, covered california can help, every step of the way. enroll by december 31st. covered california.

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this morning on the 3rd hour of "today," a designer on the rise whose family ignited his passion for fashion. we pass by this closed bagel shop for rent, so we went for