looking for the best deals.. ahead of ton er. we're helping you s linda macdonald, captioner vitac corporation. next at noon, millions of people looking for the best deals ahead of tonight's thanksgiving dinner. we're helping you stretch your dollar as the holiday shopping season officially kicks off. good afternoon, happy thanksgiving. i'm kenny choi. today many americans are ditching their dinner plates to get an early start on their holiday shopping. kpix 5's julie watts shows us where shoppers can find the best deals. >> i assumed 5 a.m. -- >> reporter: but unfortunately for melody the thanksgiving doorbuster deals begin at 5 p.m. at best buy. >> come on in. >> reporter: bass pro shop opened at 8 a.m. for those pre-black friday shoppers looking to score a deal but how do you know if something really is a deal? well, the experts at wallet hub

say remember one number, 37%. they say that's the overall average discount on black friday deals this year. so before you whip out that credit card, wallet hub said google the item first to see what it normally sells for and confirm you're saving more than 37%. >> you're going through your cart while you're in line, go through all the markdowns. if there's anything less than 37% off, you might be better waiting until christmas night to get that. >> reporter: wallet hub analyzed 10,000 deals and found kohl's and j.c. penney are offering the biggest discounts this year on average 66% less than items would normally cost. sears is discounting on average 50%. macy's 46. at the bottom of the list, well, wallet hub says that's bass pro shops, offering the lowest average discount this year of about 21%. >> i think it's still a great deal. >> reporter: as for kicking off black friday on thanksgiving thursday? well, it appears if they open,

shoppers will come. >> i work every thanksgiving and i could always remember people coming and saying oh, i'm so sorry you have to work. i go, yeah, but you're here. [ laughter ] >> reporter: now, for those debating whether to come out to brave the crowds or shoppping online, nerd wallet says that big box stores like walmart, target or kmart generally have better deals this time of year. but when it comes to department stores like sears or macy's, they say you'll usually find better deals online. in san jose, julie watts, kpix 5. overall, wallet hub says they found black friday discounts are generally highest on items like clothing, accessories and electronics. san francisco's glide memorial is feeding the homeless today. as anne makovec shows us, it's committed to providing a thanksgiving meal for everyone who walks through the door. >> happy thanksgiving. >> reporter: it's thanksgiving dinner for 5,000 people here at glide memorial in san francisco's tenderloin.

>> more and more people that are showing up at our door for services to help across all their basic needs. >> reporter: karen is the new president and ceo of glide taking the helm from glide's founder cecil williams. in a city where 25% struggle to find enough food. >> there's a growing gap between rich and poor. it's all over the world. all over america. then it's very stark here in san francisco. >> reporter: today, government subsidies and private donations have brought in 500 turkeys and hams and 500 people have come to volunteer. this person from concord volunteers several times a year. >> whenever i come to the city, i see a lot of homeless people which breaks my heart. [ pause ] >> and glide is one to help everybody. >> reporter: he says he believes in karma in a place

where extreme need meets generosity every day. >> we're going to amplify it. we're going to really build on all of that. >> reporter: glide serves three meals a day to anybody who wants one every day. and they do need more volunteers especially after the holidays. if you want to sign up, we have a link to their website on ours, cbssf.com. in san francisco, anne makevoc, kpix 5. all right. anne, thank you. let's take live look outside from our vaca cam. a nice shot, overcast skies, but don't let that fool you. if you have gone outside today, you could feel it is warmer than normal. neda iranpour is keeping track of the thanksgiving day forecast. neda. >> yeah. it's warmer than normal but we have some clouds out there making for quite a pretty show across our skies. here's our hi-def doppler, as well. so across the north, we are seeing some green on the screen. some rain coming down. and we're waiting to see if it's going to reach the north bay. it has not yet. clearlake so far has been the area getting some decent amount of rain coming down there right

now. but most of the rain has been up in chico, orland or redding. bodega bay just got a cell. so some good amount of rain off the coast for bodega bay heading that way at least. and it could reach santa rosa, yountville, napa, sonoma, and it looks like right now, our temperatures are sitting pretty into the low to upper 60s already in the low 80s for san jose. not quite record-breaking, but it is warm. it is a perfect day for a jog and runners in oakland laced up for the first turkey trot in the city. but for many, the event is more than just a race. kpix 5's jessica flores is there. >> reporter: it's a sold-out event here at oakland's first turkey trot. 3,000 runners are lined up. people are gearing up to burn calories hours before thanksgiving dinner. >> we have turkey, mac and cheese, greens, dressing.

>> reporter: and with the countdown -- >>3, 2, 1 -- >> reporter: turkey time got closer. 3500 participants and including 500 children walking or running around lake merritt getting some exercise and giving thanks. >> what are you thankful for this thanksgiving? >> my sister. >> i'm thankful for me and my family. >> i'm thankful for just being here and thankful for friend friend and for the day off. [ laughter ] >> whoo! >> reporter: each participant headed for the finish line is making strides for charity. registration fees are helping support the alameda county community food bank and the oakland education fund. organizers hope this race becomes oakland's newest thanksgiving tradition. >> this is an opportunity for the people of oakland to come out and celebrate as a large community family before they go and celebrate with their own families. >> reporter: the takeaway today, more than a medal. it's gratitude and giving back n oakland, jessica flores, kpix 5. security is a top priority in new york city right now.

there was a massive show of police force to keep the biggest thanksgiving day parade in america safe today. laura podesta was there. >> reporter: an estimated 3.5 million people came out to watch the balloons, clowns and bands march through the streets of new york city for the annual thanksgiving day parade. >> i feel that this is the safest place in the world right now. it's got all these men in blue and taking care of us and making sure everybody is safe. >> reporter: he and his dad woke up at the crack of dawn to secure the best spot to watch. >> like kind of a family tradition to get the front row seat. >> reporter: this is one of the largest outdoor events in the country, and the nypd is out here in force to keep the millions of parade-goers safe, along the 2.5-mile route. snipers were perched on buildings and there was a massive security operation behind the scenes. new york's mayor said there were no credible or specific

threats surrounding the parade. but after a man deliberately drove a truck onto a bike path on the west side of manhattan last month killing eight people, the nypd is taking no chances. trucks filled with sand blocked all streets that intersected with the parade. >> it's really exciting! and i love all the energy, because it's really happy. >> reporter: for kids, the only worry was being able to see the favorite balloons, pass by in the sky. laura podesta, cbs news, new york. our military troops stationed overseas are getting a taste of home with a traditional thanksgiving dinner at military bases around the world. cbs correspondent ben lewis reports from london. >> reporter: just 6 miles from the north korean border u.s. troops enjoyed the most american of meals. >> happy thanksgiving. >> reporter: thanksgiving dinner gave them a rare chance to relax in a region under constant nuclear threat. >> i have a wife and two

beautiful daughters back home. i miss them very much but i'm here now and making the best of it. >> reporter: with more than 28,000 u.s. troops in south korea, kitchens had to be run with military precision. >> we stayed up late last night cooking about 60 turkeys and we served probably over 1,000 soldiers and families so far. >> reporter: in a video conference, president trump spoke with military members overseas. >> i know i speak on behalf of all americans when i say that we totally support you, in fact, we love you. we really do. >> reporter: more than 200,000 u.s. servicemen and -women are deployed across the world right now from qatar. >> i wanted to wish all my friends and family back in birmingham, alabama, a happy thanksgiving. >> reporter: to japan. >> i would like to wish all the marines and sailors across the world a happy thanksgiving. >> reporter: to puerto rico. >> happy thanksgiving!! >> reporter: and when you're far from friends and family, a

little home style comfort food makes a world of difference. ben lewis, cbs news. >> and the military sent nearly 100,000 pounds of turkey to u.s. troops based around the world. president trump is in palm beach, florida, today. he is spending the thanksgiving holiday there. he tweeted this morning, happy thanksgiving. your country is starting to do really well. jobs coming back, highest stock market ever, military getting really strong, we will build the wall, va taking care of our vets, great supreme court justice, record cut in reds, loaves unemployment in 17 years! next week, the president is expected to meet with to be congressional leaders to avoid a government shutdown on december 8th. still ahead, hitting the slopes, the ski resorts opening today in time for the holiday season plus the next california storms right around the corner. >> how a cup of joe could help save the environment. i'm teri okita in london where

coffee ground waste is being used to help fuel some of london's iconic red buses. >> plus, wait until you see what happens when a snake greets passengers on one train. you won't believe where the reptile came from.

train... trying to get a sna all right. some scary new video, um, out right now. take a look at this from i shouldnesia. you can see people on a commuter -- indonesia. you can see people on a commuter train trying to catch

a snake. one brave man -- look at that -- he just grabbed that snake, threw it down in a split second. he killed it. witnesses say that they watched the snake slither out of someone's bag in the baggage area. here's something that's a little more normal. many americans start their day with a cup of coffee and that leaves behind tons of coffee grounds each year. now britain is turning that waste into biofuels. teri okita shows us how it's fueling london's famous double- decker buses. >> reporter: at coffee shops and cafe around the uk, more than 500,000 tons of coffee ground waste gets tossed into landfills each year. now a company called biobean believes its green idea can help power london's red buses. >> we make the coffee oil, which is then blended and turned into biodiesel by our partner an energy company. >> reporter: the biofuel blend called b20 is made up of 80% mineral fuel and a 20% oil

component from the coffee waste. this week, london's transport system rolled out plans to run some of its buses with the b20 blend. >> the amount of fuel specifically was reducing is enough to power about 365 buses for the day. >> reporter: biobean says its fuel blend can be used without altering bus engines, gas tanks or the factories where coffee waste is recycled. while biobean claims it's the first company in the world to do this type of recycling, it's not the only one testing the efficiency of coffee waste. scientists at england's lancaster university have created a one step method of turning spent coffee grounds into biofuel. before, the process took two steps. >> when we make one step, we usually get a lower processing cost. >> reporter: these researchers say their fuel has the potential to go directly into gas tanks or more likely be

blended in with other biofuels. teri okita, cbs news, london. >> the biobean company recycles used grounds from some of the uk's biggest coffee chains as well as mom and pop cafes and businesses at all london train stations. all right. more ski resorts are set to open for the season. today in the tahoe truckee area, among them, north star and kirkwood. most of the other resorts already opened up for the ski season just a couple of weeks ago. let's check the forecast with neda. >> you know, it's whether you're going skiing or if you are going to the beach, the weather is just right for you. here's a live look at the bay. we are getting a show up in the sky. here's your headlines for today. couple of degrees cooler than yesterday for your thanksgiving. we are getting a few clouds to roll in a little more this afternoon. and then our next storm is not until sunday. so we still have high pressure in place. taking a look at how people are spending their holiday thanks to lance sending us a photo

from disneyworld, you can always tweet me #nedanews. chris in jackson, look at this gorgeous view. that's a swimming pool right there. looks like a nice place to be if it's heated. a gorgeous view of all the colors that you can see of course. that's on the way to the sierra. the foothills there. here's a look at what tahoe will bring you for the next couple of days. today the thrice 60s and sunny. 59 for -- today the highs 60s and sunny. 59 for tomorrow. 30s overnight. so they are making snow overnight. here's a look at what we are seeing across the country for our friends and family down in southern california, they are dealing with heat. we think it's warm here? it's hotter there. look how cold it is in detroit. 40 in pittsburgh. it's going to be chillier in the northeast. thanksgiving forecast here at home. temperatures upper 60s, mid-70s partly cloudy warm conditions. we are about 10 to 13 degrees warmer than average. here's where we should be down into the low 60s for san francisco. oakland, but we are going to be

in the low 60s. mid-70s for san jose. not expecting to break a record today. high pressure is there. we are getting a bit of an onshore flow helping cool things off a little bit. once this high pressure moves east, then we'll get a storm system to come through. we'll have to wait for tomorrow. partly cloudy conditions. similar to today. saturday night the beginnings of the storms, by sunday we'll see widespread rain from this storm s here's a look at that seven-day forecast. so temperatures dropping off saturday into sunday. we'll be down into the mid-60s for sunday and then next week we'll dry up and we'll be in the low 60s. that's where we should be for this time of the year. and the sunset is happening tonight at 4:53. should look pretty. if you get a break from the football, go outside and take a look at the skies. if you want to have some fun with the family, ice skating rinks will be nice. >> plenty of options out there on this thanksgiving day. thank you. up next, her portraits are

a priceless gift in difficult times. how our jefferson award winner is giving people treasures that they can hold onto for years. ♪[ music ]

but a great photographer can also bring out the light from within the subject. a good photographer makes sure there's good lighting on the subject but a great photographer can also bring out the light from within the subject. kpix 5's sharon chin shows us that is just what this week's

jefferson award winner does. >> i want to take your picture! [ snap, snap ] >> reporter: virginia becker's photos tell a family story. in sarah moore's case, a picture of perseverance. her 10-year-old son charlie is getting chemo and radiation for a brain tumor. >> school pictures. so she caught a moment of our lives that we might have missed otherwise because of this. >> perfect! >> my kids have been put through the wringer. they're very strong. >> you did a great job! >> reporter: virginia offers preportrait sessions for seriously ill children and their families who stay at ronald mcdonald house while having treatment at stanford. she offers free portrait sessions. since 2010 more nonprofit family album project has given away 50,000 photographs, treasures to hold ton. >> we need to keep the stories, those memories alive. >> reporter: with her husband at the printer, the former teacher shoots more than 100 free portrait sessions a year

for community groups serving the bay area's most vulnerable. from heart transplant recipients to the homeless, from senior citizens to cancer survivors. >> our goal is to make you look the best and strongest that you can under the circumstances that you're dealing with. >> reporter: ronald mcdonald house ceo annette arrow says virginia's photos are a gift. >> the photography that she creates are lasting portraits, they are the last physical tangible memory that they have of their children as a child. >> nice! >> reporter: and when photographing the homeless, virginia shares the view through her lens. >> i like this. >> reporter: the image empowers domestic violence survivor ortiz. >> the last thing you want to see, it's amazing. it brings out your self-esteem. >> reporter: that makes virginia smile. >> i have never been happier in my life. >> reporter: so for providing precious photographs that bring out the best in difficult

times, this week's jefferson award in the bay area goes to virginia becker. sharon chin, kpix 5. >> and starting next month, 60 of virginia's photos will be featured in an exhibit on homelessness of at san jose city hall. you can nominate your local hero for a jefferson award online at cbssf.com/hero. we'll be right back. you could save energy by weaving your own shoes... out of flax. or simply adjust your thermostat.

do your thing, with energy upgrade california.

but budweiser already has plans to be the first company to brew beer on the red planet. this

week.. it announced plans to y-- the key beer mankind has yet to land on mars. buttedbudweiser plans to send ingredients to the international space station. science will observe how barley seeds react to a microgravity environment with the hope of brewing on mars someday. bottoms up. >> you can never have too many breweries. >> that's it for us. happy thanksgiving.

♪ >> steffy: happy thanksgiving! the house looks wonderful! thank you for hosting. >> eric: hi. >> quinn: ohh! mmm! [ chuckles ] well, and thank you for organizing. you're the one bringing everyone together -- not just the forresters, but you convinced wyatt to come, and that made me so happy. >> steffy: i wasn't gonna let wyatt be alone. >> liam: steffy and i are doing our part to make it as painless as possible for wyatt. >> wyatt: make what painless? [ sighs ] pam's broccolise