connected tv. i'm elise preston, cbs news, new york. it's thursday, november 25th, 2021. this is the "cbs morning news." preparing for the parade. one of the nation's biggest holiday traditions returns to pre-pandemic form. we'll have a preview of the macy's thanksgiving day parade and the security measures in place. guilty of murder. a jury convicts three white men who chased down and fatally shot ahmaud arbery. what happens next and president biden's reaction. stepping up. nfl star j.j. watt is helping the victims of the parade tragedy in his hometown of waukesha, wisconsin. good morning, and good to be with you. i am anne-marie green. happy thanksgiving.

this morning, americans are preparing to gather once again for thanksgiving. one year ago many families were separated during the pandemic. now people are traveling, and holiday celebrations have returned. one of them is the macy's thanksgiving day parade in new york city. last-minute preparations got under way yesterday as crews started to inflate the balloons. at least 6,500 people are expected to line the route. security is ramped up, as well. police will block off access routes with heavy vehicls and concrete barriers. city leaders say that there are no credible threats against the event. we have more from along the parade route. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, anne-marie. from the start of the parade route where the balloons and the floats are already lined up and ready to go. americans appear determined to regain some sense of normality this holiday season. >> family time and being able to see them for like the first time since the pandemic.

>> reporter: some 50 million people are driving, flying, or taking trains to their thanksgiving destinations. >> we're going to soulsbee, texas. an hour and a half away. >> reporter: a far cry from 2020 when the cdc was urging the country to stay home. >> i was so scared last year that i was going to get covid and take it home to my family. it is definitely more like -- less nerve-racking definitely traveling this year. >> reporter: covid-19 cases are rising in 24 states, but overall the numbers are down from a year ago >> tricky. we're all wearing masks still which is unfortunate. like everybody else, we're pushing through it and hopefully going to have a good travel experience. >> reporter: here in new york city, pr for the return of the full thanksgiving day parade. last year's event was limited to just a single block. and there were no spectators allowed. today thousands will crowd the sidewalks along the 2.5-mile route. >> we are so excited that we're able to deliver something that feels very much like our normal thanksgiving day parade. >> this is what we all need now, right?

a little happiness and joy before the holidays. >> reporter: the parade will feature 15 giant character balloons including newcomer baby yoda. one of the big differences here this year is children will not be on the floats. children under 12, that is. but they will be allowed along the parade route as spectators. >> courtney kealy at the thanksgiving day parade. thank you so much. so some americans are starting their holiday travel today. so if you plan to hit the road, aaa says do it early. according to the agency, the best time to drive is before 11:00 a.m. the woworst time is between noo and 3:00 p.m. more than 48 million people are expected to drive to their destination for the thanksgivin brake lights outside of the los angeles international airport yesterday. officials say up to two million travelers are expected to fly out of there for thanksgiving.

dallas-fort worth international airport was also packed yesterday. some people who headed out early said they were feeling good about seeing their loved ones on time. >> i think we're feeling pretty good since we're the morning flight. i think if we were later in the day with connections, that could be an issue. but i feel pretty good for the morning. >> meantime, the justice department addressing problems with unruly airline passengers. attorney general merrick garland said passengers who assault crew members or endanger the safety of other passengers will be aggressively prosecuted. turning now to georgia where a jury found three white men guilty in the death of ahmaud arbery. travis mcmichael, gregory mcmichael, and william bryan now face life in prison. the jury delivered the verdict yesterday after several days. out the courtroom, dozens of supporters hugged and cried as they cheered the decision and chanted arbery's name.

president biden issued a statement in part saying ahmaud arbery's killing is a devastating reminder of how far we have to go in the fight for racial justice, but the verdict ensures that those who committed this horrible crime will be punished. natalie brand has more. >> reporter: the courthouse is now quiet, but around the time that the verdict was read, the demonstrators who had gathered outside the courthouse erupted in cheers. people we spoke to expressed a sense of relief. ahmaud arbery's mother said her son can now rest in peace. >> count one, malice murder, we the jury find the defendant, travis mcmichael, guguilty. >> reporter: the jury deliberated more than 11 hours before convicting travis mcmichael on all counts including malice murder. his father, greg, and their neighbor convicted on felony murder in the killing of ahmaud arbery. inside the courtroom, arbery's mother appeared in silent prayer. outside she thanked the family's

supporters. >> i never thought this day would come, but god is good. >> reporter: the killing in february of last year, the killing garnered national attention and prompted georgia officials to repeal the state's citizen's arrest law. the defense had claimed the defendants were trying to make a citizen's arrest believing arbery had committed a crime. but there was no evidence to support that. the prosecutor argued their actions were based on assumptions. >> the verdict today was a verdict based on the facts. >> yes. >> based on the evidence. >> yes. >> that was our goal was to bring that to that jury so they could do the right thing. >> reporter: this is the scene outside the glynn county courthouse shortly after the verdict was read. demonstrators who have been here since the start of the trial have called for justice for ahmaud arbery. >> i've been here 30 years, 30 years, and to get this outcome right now, it's a blessing. >> reporter: the defense team said they're disappointed and

plan to appeal, but right now are respecting the verdict. >> these are two men who honestly believed that what they were doing was the right thing to do. >> we felt from day one that the video showed that travis mcmichael acted in self-defense. maybe we had our own tunnel vision going. >> reporter: the three defendants all face life in prison. a sentencing date has not yet been set, and the three men still face federal hate crime charges in a separate case. georgia's attorney general said this verdict, quote, brings us one step closer to justice and healing. in brunswick, georgia, i'm natalie brand, back to you. >> thank you, natalie. ahead on "cbs mornings," we'll speak with arbery's mother, wanda cooper jones, for her reaction to the verdicts and what she hopes her son's legacy will be. people from around the globe are coming together to help the victims in that christmas parade tragedy in wisconsin. the "milwaukee journal sentinel" reports more than 6,300

donations from a dozen countries have been made to a community fund to help the victims' families in waukesha. it comes after six people died after a driver in an suv plowed into a parade on sunday. nfl star and wisconsin native j.j. watt said he will pay for the victims' funeral costs. after sunday's tragic incident, he tweeted that he was grateful to those who rushed and helped the wounded. so coming up, the sweetest thing -- how u2's the edge want to help musicians still trying to recover from the pandemic. and oh, deer. an unexpected visitor at a tennessee school. how this curious buck got trapped inside a classroom. this is the "cbs morning news." > this is the "cbs mornin news."

don't settle for products that give you a sort-of white smile. try crest whitening emulsions... ...for 100% whiter teeth. its highly active peroxide droplets... ...swipe on in seconds. better. faster. 100% whiter teeth. shop crestwhitesmile.com. motrin works fast to stop pain where it starts.

like those nagging headaches. uncomfortable period pains. and disruptive muscle aches. you can count on fast, effective relief with motrin. ♪ ♪ 'tis the season to break tradition in a cadillac. don't just put on a light show—be the light show. make your nights anything but silent. and ride in a sleigh that really slays. because in a cadillac, tradition is yours to define. so visit a cadillac showroom, and start celebrating today. ♪ ♪ this morning an investigation is underway after at least 31 migrants died when their boat capsized off the coast of france. they had been trying to across the english channel.

it is one of the deadliest migrant incidents in the dangerous crossing. one person is still missing. france's interior minister said four suspected traffickers have been arrested. a school in tennessee got an unexpected visitor, and an irish rocker is selling guitars for charity. those are some of the headlines on the "morning newsstand." the "associated press" reports u2 guitarist the edge is leading a sale to help musicians hit hard by the pandemic. his music rising charity is holding an auction next month of famous guitars and other music items to support new orleans musicians. it found a new mission after the pandemic started. >> we're sort of guessing that a lot of musicians have probably had to sell equipment to survive after hurricane katrina. so we feel like this is a good moment as venues are just beginning to start to open up again, to give these musicians the chance to get their equipment back in place and get playing again.

>> the edge is auctioning two of his own guitars. instruments are also being donated by other artists including paul mccartney and slash. "the tennessean" says a deer squeezed its way through an elementary school emergency door and found its way into a classroom. wildlife officials say a teacher found the white-tailed buck strapped -- rather, trapped in the springfield classroom tuesday morning before many of the staff and students arrived. other than a few overturned tables and chairs, there was no damage to the school. and a wildlife officer was able to lead the deer out. and our new york city station wcbs affiliate says the world's largest menorah is ready to mark the beginning of hanukkah. the 32-foot steel menorah was assembled yesterday. it has been a new york tradition for nearly 50 years. organizers say this year the menorah stands as part of the city's post-pandemic renaissance. it will be lit on sunday to mark

the start of the eight-day jewish holiday. coming up, a cook-free thanksgiving. we will tell you about some restaurants offering their own family feast in case you want to take it easy today. ♪ rich, indulgent chocolate with a luscious caramel filling. with love from san francisco. ghirardelli caramel squares. makes life a bite better.

♪♪ thousands of women with metastatic breast cancer . u for men with hr+, her2- metastatic breast cancer as the first hormonal based therapy. ibrance plus letrozole significantly delayed disease progression versus letrozole. ibrance may cause low white blood cell counts that may lead to serious infections. ibrance may cause severe inflammation of the lungs. both of these can lead to death. tell your doctor if you have new or worsening chest pain, cough, or trouble breathing. before taking ibrance, tell your doctor if you have fever, chills, or other signs of infection, liver or kidney problems, are or plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. for more information about side effects

talk to your doctor. ♪♪ be in your moment. ask your doctor about ibrance. here's a look at the forecast in some cities around the country. ♪ >>the head of stagm hasete p adam mosseri will appear before congress in early december. the discussion will focus on the platform's potentially harmful impact on younger users. the action follows months of scrutiny on that issue, and it will be his first appearance before congress. the number of jobless claims tumbled to the late-night host

level in 52 years. the labor department reported initial jobless claims totaling 199,000 last week. the lowest since november of 1969. meantime, stocks ended largely higher yesterday. the dow shed nine points, the nasdaq gained 70 points, and the s&p 500 added 10. diane king hall has more in our cbs "money" report. >> reporter: wall street is closed this thursday in honor of thanksgiving. tomorrow investors will return for a half day of trading, and s will show up early. the nation's trade gap narrowed in october. the trade deficit contracted by more than 14% to $82.9 billion. that was better than expected thanks in part to a sharp increase in exports last month. imports also rose modestly. for the second year in a row, many retailers will remain closed this thanksgiving. walmart, target, kohl's, macy's, and jcpenney say they are

keeping their doors shut. many retailers spread out their deals this year in the run-up to black friday. there will be a handful of stores open this thursday if you need a last-minute item like kroger, 7-eleven, cvs, and walgreens. if you can't beat the heat, enter the cooking free dinner alternatives for thanksgiving. cracker barrel has family meals an feasts depending on the size of your group. it's offering home-style dishes as thanksgiving takeout meals. at ihop you can get a roasted turkey dinner with two sides, and all of its locations are open this thursday. that's your cbs "money watch" report. for more head to cbsmoneywatch.com. at the new york stock exchange, i'm diane king hall. so up next, toe-gate. why packers quarterback aaron rodgers showed off his bare foot during a virtual news conference. next, toe-gate. want more from your vitamins? at nature's bounty, we give you more. more immune support.

with the only vitamin c that lasts 24 hours. more restful sleep. with the first-ever triple action sleep supplement. we put more of our brains into helping your heart. we give you more wellness solutions backed by rigorous science than we ever have before. nature's bounty gives you more, so you can live bountifully. your eyes. beautiful on the outside, but if you have diabetes, there can be some not-so-pretty stuff going on inside. it's true, with diabetic retinopathy, excess sugar can damage blood vessels, causing vision loss or even blindness. so remember this: now is the time to get your eyes checked. eye care is important to your long-term diabetes management. see a path forward

with actions and treatments that may help your eyes— and protect against vision loss. visit noweyesee.com and take control of your sight. nyquil severe gives you powerful relief an for your worst cold and flus. symptoms, on sunday night and every night. nyquil severe. the nighttime, sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, best sleep with a cold, medicine.

here's a look at the forecast in some here's a look at the forecast in some cities around the country. ♪ ♪ i'm walking on sunshine whoa and don't it feel good ♪ couple of toucans in brazil seemed to be feeling good. the curious bird and their colorful bills were spotted on a

highway pole getting an up-close look at a traffic camera. all we get are seagulls here. green bay packers quarterback aaron rodgers is trying to clear up questions about his injured toe. he says he fractured his pinky toe, and it is not so-called covid toe, the name for a condition causing foot lesion -- lesions for some people who tested positive for covid. rodgers tested positive earlier this month. there were reports that he's suffering from covid toe. he tried to set the record straight yesterday during a virtual news conference. >> i'm glad you asked just so i could show you the lesions on my foot here. if i have enough room on this camera -- let me see if i can -- oh. there's no lesions whatsoever. they're called disinformation when you perpetuate false information about an individual. i have a fractured toe. >> rodgers says his toe is very painful, but he does not expect

to miss any games. the collins english dictionary has chosen nft as its word of the year. nft is short for non-fungible token. collins defines it as a unique digital certificate used to record ownership of an asset such as an artwork or collectible. it says that it chose nft because its usage is up 11,000% this year. sales of nfts took off after the artist beeple auctioned an nft collage for more than $69 million. yeah. and the life of singer tina turner is being turned into a comic book. she is the latest high-profile woman to be featured in tidal wave comics female four series which focuses on women who have made an impact worldwide. turner's comic will look at her early years in tennessee, her success, her troubled marriage to ike turner and her comeback. it's being released to celebrate her 82nd birthday tomorrow.

and coming up, bill cowher of "nfl today" stops by to share his predictions for today's big thanksgiving day football games. . our strength, our power, our purpose... starts within. so let's start there. with collagen that supports our body from the inside out. (sfx: playful cadence of full soundscape) what makes febreze air effects different? while cheaper aerosols rely on artificial propellants...

febreze uses a 100% natural propellant. check it out! pressure created by what's in your air makes the bottle spray. which means freshness everyone will love. febreze.

our top stories this morning, the defense team representing three white georgia men found guilty in the death of ahmaud arbery said they plan to appeal the verdict. travis mcmichael, gregory

mcmichael, and william bryan now face life in prison. dozens of supporters outside the courthouse cheered the verdicts yesterday. and the macy's thanksgiving day parade is back in all its glory. at least 6,500 people are expected to line the parade route with a few covid restrictions in place. they're set to get a glimpse of the famous floats and balloons with some new additions this year including baby yoda. in richmond, virginia, some furry friends are finding new homes for the thanksgiving holiday. here's ben tracy. >> reporter: andy and jennifer parsons didn't think their hearts could handle a new dog. they lost the one they've had for 13 years just last month. >> and we are definitely dog people, and we miss her and miss the presence of a dog. >> reporter: but they heard the richmond animal shelter lets people foster a pet for two weeks during thanksgiving. >> we just thought it would be helpful to get a little bit of some dog back in the house and not really have to feel like we're committing right off the bat. >> it's a good test run. and then y'all can see if it

works. >> reporter: the shelter director, christie chipps peters, tries to find a temporary home for abandoned cats and dogs. >> i was thinking about how full our shelter was of all of these animals that just wanted to be loved. and thinking about the people out there that may be alone for thgivinghat want the same thing. and so if we could connect the two, maybe it would be a really beautiful thing. >> reporter: she matched the parsons up with a 2-year-old pit bull named squirmy. >> i love her so much. i'm so glad that she's with you. >> reporter: more than half the time, foster parents end up adopting, and that's exactly what the parsons did. this seems like a pretty instant match. love at first sight. >> almost like it was the perfect dog for us, 100%. >> reporter: now they know their hearts still have plenty of room left to share. ben tracy, cbs news, richmond, virginia. coming up on "cbs mornings," a preview of the thanksgiving day parade in new york city. "entertainment tonight's" kevin frazier and keltie knight will

be on the parade route. plus bill cowher of "nfl today" stops by the times square studio to share predictions for the football games. and the impact of climate change on growing cranberries. eric fisher takes us to a massachusetts farm that's coping with irregular weather patterns. that's the "cbs morning news" for this thursday. thanks for watching. i'm anne-marie green. have a great and happy thanksgiving. ♪ and happy thanksgiving. ♪