it is tuesday, december 24th, 2024. this is wbz n"cbs news mornings the holiday hustle. millions of americans crisscrossing the country to make it home in time for christmas while trying to dodge storms in their path. hrescue at sea.

heavy surf causes part of a california pier to collapse, taking several people with it. and jubilee celebration. why this christmas eve is more special than most at the vatican and for the faithful. ♪ ♪ good morning. i'm michael george. well, it is christmas eve, and that means millions of americans are dashing off to see friends and family today, adding to what is expected to be a record-breaking year for holiday travel, but winter weather could disrupt some people's plans in the northeast, while strong winds and heavy rain slam the west coast. cbs's leah mishkin is keeping track of everything. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, michael. in regards to the weather, if your flight is cancelled or significantly delayed, it is the first holiday season since a transportation department rule took effect that requires airlines to give an automatic cash refund. so no need to spend hours on the phone with customer service, although let's think positively. family and friends are eagerly awaiting their loved ones and

tsa is expecting to screen nearly 40 million passengers this holiday season through january 2nd. it is beginning to look a lot like christmas at airports across the u.s. >> the one thing i am looking forward to is being there already. >> reporter: aaa expects more than 119 million people will travel at least 50 maple leafs from home over the your-end holiday period with the majority, 90%, driving. but for some people who are taking to the skies instead of the road, it is the packing that's causing a travel pain. >> unfortunately, all of our packing has gotten me down. >> yeah, it is worse than i expected. so feeling slightly panicked. >> reporter: some airports called in essential volunteers to help tackle this busy time of year. >> a lot of people, this is their first time to travel or they don't travel very often and it is extra stressful. we want to be there to make it a little bit easier. >> reporter: other passengers are getting by, knowing they soon will be reunited with family and friends. >> i'm bringing my girlfriend to kind of meet the other side of

my culture. >> reporter: or knowing they're getting closer to a much-needed vacation. >> i'm a full-time teacher so i'm trying to be on the beach and chill. >> reporter: this family was headed to disney world and had these wise tips. >> go with the flow. absolutely bring the grandparents, and just, you know, make the most of it and go at the pace of the slowest one in your party. >> reporter: and another smart travel tip? leave as early as possible if you can. it might just help you avoid some lines and a major travel headache. and according to aaa, many people are opting for a warm holiday in places like orlando, miami, dominican republic and mexico are among the top holiday destinations plus the classics like new york and london. michael. >> and it is anything but warm here in new york city right now, but a great place to visit for the holidays. >> here too in london. >> thanks so much, leah mishkin. now moving on to a tragedy

as the surf was churned up. one man died after being trapped under debris on sunset beach and two remain missing after being swept away in rough water on other beaches. >> i can't believe a whole building just broke off into the ocean. >> well, the santa cruz wharf appeared under construction, partially collapsed and fell into the pacific, taking three people with it. two were rescued. the third swam to safety. all are expected to be okay. luigi mangione, the man accused of killing unitedhealthcare ceo brian thompson, pleaded not guilty to state murder and terror charges. he didn't say much else in court, but his defense attorney did, going on the attack against what she calls a politicized legal process orchestrated by new york's mayor and police. cbs's lilia luciano has the deta details. >> did you want to say something? >> reporter: shackled and handcuffed, luigi mangione was led into a courtroom where he spoke briefly to enter a plea.

he faces 11 counts including first-degree murder in connection with terrorism for allegedly killing unitedhealthcare ceo brian thompson nearly three weeks ago. he is simultaneously facing federal charges that could carry the death penalty if convicted. >> i have never seen a case with such volume of evidence, aside from the issue of the quality of the evidence. >> reporter: mangione's defense attorney accused mayor eric adams of politicizing the 26-year-old's arrest after a dramatic perp walk with heavily armed officers last week. >> i'm very concerned about my client's right to a fair trial in this case. he is being prejudiced by some statements that are being made by government officials. like every other defendant, he is entitled to a presumption of innocence. >> reporter: cbs news legal analyst rikki kleiman. >> from what you heard, do you see these comments as an attempt to move the case to a different jurisdiction? >> i think the defense attorneys are doing exactly what they should be doing. what they are doing is building

block by block, and i'm sure that they will do it at every appearance. you just don't wait until the eve of trial to make these motions. you build them every single time you go to court. >> the next time mangione is due in this court is february 21st, but we might see him before that because he has a preliminary hearing on the federal case that's set for some time after mid-january. lilia luciano, cbs news, new york. former president bill clinton is in a washington, d.c. hospital after developing a fever. a spokesperson says he's undergoing tests and observation. clinton's deputy chief of staff said he remains in good spirits. the 78 year old has faced several health scares since leaving office in 2001, including undergoing quadruple bypass heart surgery back in 2004. well, now to the bombshell report on former congressman matt gaetz. the house ethics committee released its findings, documenting a trophy of salacious allegations including

paying an underage girl for sex and drug use. gaetz responded by filing a lawsuit to stop the publication but he failed to block its release. cbs's scott macfarlane reports from capitol hill. >> reporter: matt gaetz, who just weeks ago was trying to land the job of u.s. attorney general. >> folks have been very supportive. >> reporter: is now alleged to have violated florida's statutory rape law. the u.s. house ethics committee, which first launched an investigation of gaetz three years ago, has issued a 42-page report of its findings, alleging they found evidence gaetz paid a 17-year-old girl who just completed her junior year in high school $400 for sex in 2017 and made payments of more than $90,000 to 12 different women, likely for sexual activity and drug use. the report says women testified sexual encounters were consensual. one woman told the panel the use of drugs at parties with gaetz may have impaired her ability to know what was going on. gaetz has denied all of the

allegations. >> the person doesn't exist. i have not had a relationship with a 17 year old. that is totally false. >> reporter: maryland's glenn ivey is one of five democrats on the evenly divided ten-person ethics committee. >> i think from an ethics standpoint clearly everything we talk about in this report is over the line. >> reporter: the committee said its report found evidence gaetz may have engaged in illicit drug use and that it obtained text messages in which he refers to drugs as party favors, vitamins or rolls. allegations gaetz also denies. gaetz recently acknowledged on social media he had behaved embarrassingly in the past, drinking and smoking more than he should have. >> i don't know what he will want to do down the road, whether he might want to run for office again. in that instance, voters should probably have this information. >> reporter: republicans including house speaker mike johnson opposed the public release of this report, arguing gaetz is no longer a member of congress and no longer under the ethics committee's jurisdiction. but at least two republicans

joined democrats on the panel to vote for its public release. scott macfarlane, cbs news, the capitol. later today, pope francis will inaugurate the 2025 holy year noun as the jubilee. at the start of christmas eve mass, the pope will open the holy door at st. peter's basilica which will stay open throughout the year. it will allow the 32 million pilgrims expected to journey to rome to pass through. pope francis says the jubilee year is an opportunity to rediscover joy. coming up, an explosion sends a boat flying through the air at a busy florida marina, and how some stray animals are finding a home for the holidays. (♪♪) from celebration moments... ...to joyride moments. your moments are worth protecting against rsv. rsv is a highly contagious virus if you're 60 or older with certain chronic conditions, you're at higher risk of being hospitalized from rsv. and there are no prescription rsv treatments.

you know how to protect against covid and flu. so ask your pharmacist or doctor about scheduling pfizer's rsv vaccine, too. because moments like these matter. jordan's sore nose let out a fiery sneeze, so dad grabbed puffs plus lotion to soothe her with ease. puffs plus lotion is gentle on sensitive skin and locks in moisture to provide soothing relief. a nose in need deserves puffs indeed. america's #1 lotion tissue. ♪today my friend you did it, you did it♪ pursue a better you with centrum. ♪♪ it's a small win toward taking charge of your health. ♪♪ so, this year, you can say... ♪you did it!♪ for more than a decade farxiga has been trusted again and again, and again.

♪far-xi-ga♪ ♪far-xi-ga♪ ask your doctor about farxiga. time to press rewind with... neutrogena rapid wrinkle repair. it has derm-proven retinol... ...expertly formulated... ...to target skin cell turnover... ...and fights not one—but 5 signs of aging. with visible results... ...in just one week. neutrogena when you really need to sleep. ...in just one week. you reach for the really good stuff. zzzquil ultra helps you sleep better and longer when you need it most. its non-habit forming and powered by the makers of nyquil. a deadly explosion on the water in fort lauderdale. take a look at that. investigators say a fire broke out on a boat in a marina, spread to another, and then caused an explosion. one witness described seeing the top half of one boat fly about

ten feet up in the air before coming back down. one person was found dead and five others were hurt. well, many studies show the benefits of having a pet for our physical and mental health, but not everyone can have one all year long. so how about fostering a pet for the holidays? cbs's bradley blackburn shows us how. >> come here. >> reporter: 5-year-old pup sugar is right at home in kristin's new york city apartment, even if she won't be here forever. arua's work schedule doesn't allow her to have a dog year around, but she can foster this christmas season and share in the joy a pet can provide. >> they make you laugh. they lighten up any room, they greet you when you come home. it is an immediate bond. >> reporter: animal care centers pioneered what they call stray indication. the idea has spread to other shelters around the country.

>> there are so many ways to help animals. >> a straycation can last one night or a lot longer. >> we've found once an animal is in their home, oh, okay, this dog is going to stay here now. >> reporter: it can be a real help to shelters, freeing up space for other animals in need. >> when a cat or dog stays at someone's home overnight it relieves a burden for you? >> absolutely. plus the animal gets to be in a home, it is a win-win. >> when i have the capacity to do it, it changes a dog's life. >> reporter: sweet for sugar and all animals finding warm homes through this season. bradley blackburn, cbs news, new york. next on "cbs news mornings", the manslaughter case against actor alec baldwin is over. why prosecutors decided to drop it. is is our story

i was born with idiopathic infantile scoliosis. i've had 17 surgeries. i was born missing my lower right foot. i was born ten weeks early without my left arm. i have osteogenesis imperfecta. i've broken over 70 bones in my lifetime. with my polio, i have tough days and my pain just pops out out of nowhere. there's nothing to be afraid of because all the doctors are all so nice. most people think, oh, it's the medical side of things at shriners hospital. but for me, it's a confidence that i've gotten. when somebody sees these commercials. there'll be a phone number on the screen and all they have to do is call and make a donation to help kids like me. thanks to a generous donor, every dollar you give will go three times as far to help more kids. when you join with us. we'll send you one of these adorable blankets as a thank you and a reminder of all the abilities you are helping make possible.

we have so much to celebrate this time of year. please call or go to loveshriners.org. your gift of $19 a month will have three times the impact in the lives of kids like me. you are the best you because shriners has given you the confidence that you need. it's just really cool knowing that you're part of something bigger than yourself. shriners has given so much to us, and we have a mission, and we have a goal that we want to help more kids. from all of us at shriners hospitals for children™. merry christmas! merry christmas! please call the number on your screen or go to loveshriners.org. if operators are busy, please call again. and when you become a monthly donor, your first gift will be tripled. thank you for giving. here is a look at today's

forecast in some cities around the country. well, alec baldwin's manslaughter case is over. new mexico prosecutors withdrew their appeal of a judge's order dismissing the case. baldwin was on trial earlier this year after a gun he handled went off and killed cinematographer halyna hutchins on the set of the movie "rust." the judge dismissed the case over how some of the evidence in the case was handled. baldwin always maintained his innocence. mega millions fever is growing, and two big automakers have plans to merge. here's carissa lawson with today's "money watch." >> reporter: stocks kicked off the shortened holiday tradeing week in the green. the dock the dow ticked up by 66 points. the nasdaq gained 192 and the

s&p 500 jumped by 43. honda and nissan announced plans to merge into the third largest automaker. japanese automakers have lagged behind their big rivals in electric vehicles and are trying to cut costs. nissan's strategic partner, mitsubishi, agreed to join the talks too. the automakers would have a combined value of nearly $54 billion. the nordstrom family has joined forces with a mexican retail group to buy out the company and make it private again. in a $6.25 billion deal. competition is putting the squeeze on the centuries-old department store chain and the founding family decided to take control once again. shareholders can expect a payout of $24.25 for each share come march. how would you like to wake up christmas morning with a nearly $1 billion gift? then you better grab a mega millions ticket. the jackpot is up to an estimated $970 million, the seventh largest jackpot in

history. but don't get your hopes up. the odds of winning the jackpo are more than inone in 302 million. but that's still a chance. that's your cbs "money watch" report for this christmas eve morning. i'm carissa lawson, cbs news, new york. coming up, the power of nature on display. the popular tourist spot now spewing hot lava. the thousands of real people who go undiagnosed. people whose psoriasis can look very different depending on their skin tone. as the makers of tremfya®, we understand that everybody's moderate to severe plaque psoriasis doesn't look the same. so, we undertook a first-of-its-kind study of plaque psoriasis in every skin tone. like hers and his and yours. serious allergic reactions and increased risk of infections may occur. before treatment, your doctor should check you for infections and tb. tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms or if you need a vaccine.

ask your dermatologist about tremfya®. ♪ ♪♪ vicks vapostick provides soothing non-medicated vicks vapors. easy to apply for the whole family. vicks vapostick. and try new vaposhower max for steamy vicks vapors.

and here is a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country.

well, how about this incredible site on hawaii's big island? after more than a year, kilauea volcano is erupting again, spewing 300-foot-tall lava fountains. experts say no immediate threat to infrastructure. well, christmas is go time for elves. they're busy right now building toys, keeping a watchful eye on children, and in chicago one of santa's helpers is so much more than an elf on the shelf. here is cbs's noel brennan. >> reporter: christmas is right around the corner. >> that leg. >> reporter: there's no place an elf would rather be than here. >> hi, ben. i'm holly the elf. do you know where i'm from? >> reporter: holly has traveled from the coldest of places. >> where santa lives. >> reporter: to bring warmth to

central dupage hospital in winfield, illinois, and to kids like 3-year-old finley. >> he has been here for 15 days or so, somewhere in there. i have lost count. >> reporter: days are a blur, but mom, jessica edgar, will remember this moment. >> one, two, three. >> reporter: an elf just doing her job for holiday heroes. >> we just kind of take their mind off what they're going through and bring some happiness. >> you know, at the north pole we are really busy this time of year. we are doing all kind of stuff. we bring in activities boxes and sensory bags and lots of programming supplies. >> it is a bunch of squishies and stress balls and stuff that makes weird noises, of course, because we're elves. you should see us when we drink an entire gallon of sir yrup. >> reporter: holiday heroes bra brightens days for kids across chicago land. elf selfies and hospital room

dance parties come at no cost to families or hospitals. >> yeah, this is from elves are awesome. that's cool, that's unexpected. >> you know what? i feel like you can never have too many awesome things, right? i think we bring them memories, we bring them something else to take home from the hospital. >> reporter: but the greatest gift an elf can give -- ♪ jingle bells ♪ ♪ jingle bells ♪ >> reporter: is comfort. ♪ jingle all the way ♪ >> reporter: and joy. ♪ oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse opened slay ♪ >> reporter: noel brennan, kcbs news, winfield, illinois. stay with us. we will be right back. ♪far-xi-ga♪ ♪far-xi-ga♪ ask your doctor about farxiga. [♪♪] did you know, serums are concentrated with powerful ingredients to visibly improve your skin? try olay super serum. for five powerful ingredients in one,

it hydrates, improves texture and evenness, while also firming and smoothing. try olay super serum. sore throat got your tongue? mucinex instasoothe sore throat medicated drops, uniquely formulated for rapid relief that lasts and lasts. that's my babyyy!

- i had health insurance before. (discouraged) so expensive. i mean, i'm helping my mom out, i don't have that kinda cash. - ugh, i know. but you can get financial help now through covered california. it's totally affordable. you'd be surprised. they've got this calculator thing that shows how much you'll pay. - for real? - yeah! what are you doing not having health insurance, man? - hey, i know, i know... - here, let me show you... - we all have questions. covered california has answers and can find a health plan that's right for you. covered california. this way to health insurance.

catherine depalma: in my lifetime, i did not come to know the lord until i was 43 years old, so i had an entire childhood and adulthood apart from the lord, and can find a health plan that's right for you. knowing of god, but not knowing christ, not having a relationship with jesus. there's a lesson that i learned from dr. charles stanley. we think something's too small to bother asking god about, but every little detail of your life you should be checking with him on. so, don't only pray in the dark times, but pray when things are going good.

pray to think him, pray to worship him.

♪ it's december 24th, christmas eve. welcome to "cbs mornings." i'm vladimir duthiers. >> i'm adriana diaz. >> and i'm michelle miller. >> gayle, tony, and nate are off, but we are in great hands. here's today's eye-opener. it's your world in 90 seconds. >> yeah. it's worse than i