i'm john huck. i'm cyndi lundeberg, christine has the night off. after hearing her friend of 10 years had been robbed, one woman uses social media to bring a little joy to her family... fox 5's miguel martinez-valle joins us now from the newsoom with more on this heartwarming christmas story... of course we have all posted a facebook rant after something bad happens to us.. well after a single mother of three was robbed a few days ago she took to facebook to express her frustration, what she didnt expect was that one of her friends would see the post, un- friend her on facebook, only to create a go fund me account and suprise her with the money she earned on day... amanda thaw was more than just scared when she came home to find that a real life grinch had stolen christmas... " i was nervous, i was angry, i was sad because i saw my kids presents like some of them open and some of them missing." she called the

her family the sad news, and took to facebook to express her frustration. thats where her friend of 10 years olivia daniel saw what happened and decided to help... " i was online, and i had thought about it and i was like oh they have those go fund me things ive never done this before." but olivia wanted it to be a suprise, so she un-friended amanda on facebook and tried to raise some money for her friend and her children " i um, i was relentless with it... i posted it every hour..." she kept the whole thing a secret, and with the help of friends and strangers who donated to the cause, she was able to raise almost 800 dollars by christmas day... thats when she took the money over to amanda, and got the whole thing on video... " its a bunch of people and theyre all just awesome and it was super cool... "" youre so funny, oh my gosh."" " i was really excited because she didnt know, she was completely shocked, and as grateful as i knew she would be because of everyone who helped make it happen. it was really cool." amanda says her biggest concern right now is making her kids feel safe at home... but the help she

everyone that helped out makes explaining the situation to them a little bit easier... " moral for me for it was, you know, theres still people out there that are willing to care and have compassion, so that what they took from us, dont worry, because it will be ok." olivia says shes going to leave the go fund me page up for a few more days to help amanda replace some of the things stolen from her and her family... right now 785 dollars has been rais in just three days... if you want to donate you can find a link to their go fund me account on our website... fox5vegas.com police say a woman shot and killed her husband, inside their room at the plaza hotel. 34-year-old maria escalante was arrested around ten last night. she's now facing a murder charge. police say she got in an argument with her husband at the hotel, and she shot him several times. he died at the scene. metro is still looking for more information on this shooting.

crime stoppers at 702-385-55-55. the teenager killed after police say he broke into a home, has been identified. the coroner says the teen is 17- year-old "manquise leshon adams" from glendale arizona. metro says a homeowner shot adams after he found him in his house. metro says the homeowner was a victim of burglary, and did not say if he will be charged. another teen was also shot and injured... and the 13-year-old involved wasn't hurt. a fire destroyed a home this morning... and investigators say this might have been an arson. fox5's ophelia young talked to neighbors, who say the people who live here haven't been seen recently. "we woke up because we heard exploding sounds" christmas morning 2 am - neighbors on little blue heron avenue jolted out of bed. "we thought somebody was breaking into our house we were scrambling to get clothes on" the house next door to trevor hunt's was engulfed in flames "i looked out the window and i can see the flames shooting out from the garage from the

house." as neighbors thankfully found out - there was nobody home when the fire started. but hunt watched nervously for more than an hour while firefighters battled the flames blowing his way in wind speeds over 20 miles per hour. "huge, ive never seen the house on fire like that before." officials determined someone deliberately set the home on fire. after firefighters thought they put out the flames they packed up. but at 9 in the morning - "somebody else knocking on our door saying the house was on fire again." another call reported more smoke coming from the top - the fire started up again. as firefighters returned to make sure the fire stayed out - hunt recalls other recent activity at the home. "i know like a week or so ago a bunch of cops over at the house." north las vegas police confirmed to fox 5 it was a domestic violence call. the investigator back on scene believe they know who the suspect is - though they didnt give any more details. the christmas morning fire remains a mystery to neighbors - but theyre grateful firemen stayed all morning - keeping

safe. "crews and battallion chiefs the overhauls done appropriately so the fire wont start up again that the weather that were having right now with the winds that were sustaining right now." last we heard - the suspect is not in custody. arson charges are expected to be filed once someone is caught. some fed ex workers spent christmas delivering packages... after many didn't make it to their destination on time. despite the move, social media was full of angry customers venting their frustrations at late or missing gifts this christmas. many people using the twitter hash- tag - fed-ex-fail to submit stories. officials say deliveries were delayed in some part of the country due to bad weather and a last minute holiday shopping surge. after the presents are unwrapped and the food devoured... plenty of people spent the day at the movies. we're going to see star wars. it's a christmas tradition for the last decade, we've been going to

christmas morning. "they didn't have the chipmunks playing, so star wars it is. this is a great movie, we wanted to go see something as a family, so going to the movie on christmas day is a good family activity. some of the big movies opening today include "joy", "daddy's home", "concussion", "the revenant", and "the hateful eight". and of course, it was also a great weekend to check out star wars... for a second or third time for many people! it's a great weekend to spend some time in the mountains. but there's some things you'll want to know before you plan a day trip. what officials are saying about crowds this weekend, and what they need people to do to stay safe. a family struggling from a hard year and little money to pay for christmas gifts... receives help just in time from the fox 5 surprise squad. see the moments that had our own crew members in tears. an astronaut gets to call home... but he calls the wrong person! the message he gave to an unsuspecting stranger. your fox5 weather 24/7 forecast is

live from las vegas. you're watching fox5 news at 10, with emmy award winner john huck. christine maddela. and weather 24/7 with chief meteoroligist ted

news at 10. local. las vegas. locals escaped the desert to celebrate a white christmas at lee canyon today. fox5's abby theodros took a trip to the mountain to join in on the fun. for those who live in the dessert but dream of a white christmas -lee canyon was the place to be on christmas. sockha son, visiting lee canyon: the snow. this year we got a little bit thicker snow than we got last year. over at lee meadows - visitors like liane rodriguez say the twenty-fifth is a time for snow activities with family. trekking up to lee canyon during the long weekend is an annual tradition. liane rodriguez: we're usually up here by 8 o'clock trying to beat the rush traffic of all the people coming up after us so we want to get good spots and we come up with the kids and eat hot dogs and play in the snow all day nats car honk but rodriguez isn't the only one with that idea. park officials say the extra inches of snow will have thousands visiting the canyon over the weekend which means traffic will be congested and safety will be a top priority. capt: - have a lot of patience, we have a

area that fills up real quickly. be sure to watch out for the kiddos in the congested area that are running back and forth across the road way but once the park gets too full - officials are setting up a check point and you'll only be able to get in when people exit the park. capt: we'll eventually deny access because itll be so populated with people in here that it's just not safe and the ambulances and fire crews and emergency vehicles cant get through it. but if you do make it this holiday weekend - most people at the park say its worth the wait. amanda fuller: it's just a really special time. just because it is our tradition and we get to spend a lot of time together making memories, taking photos and we're always talking about our past experiences and its just a lot of fun for us. lee canyon also has a day lodge and more than 400 acres of hiking terrain. now fox5 weather 24/7 (( weather ))

trace of snow at mccarran airport around the midnight hour. but for folks staying up to listen for reindeer hooves clicking on the rooftop, they got some briefly measurable snow in the far west and northwest parts of the valley. up in centennial hills it was maybe a quarter of an inch. as you might guess, the most accumulation was way up top on mt charleston where they had 6 inches as of early this morning. and you know what? we're not done: a few more flying flurries have been reported in the the bigger story us is the wind and temps. winds will be coming from the north - cold north

combine that with temps down to the upper 20s, you've got wind chills down to the teens. the below normal reading stretch into mid-week. daytime highs will struggle to reach 50 and overnight lows may hover around the freezing mark. looking ahead to new year's eve: expected the mercury to once agian be around 32, so if you have outdoor plans you'll need to bundle up for sure. closed captioning will resume shortly closed captioning

closed captioning will resume shortly a woman ready to cancel her layaway... receives help from an unexpected place. "you don't know what this means to me. my heart is happy today. " the fox5 surprise squad jumps in, to save christmas for a family who had almost given

and selfless acts around the valley this holiday... as locals share kindness with strangers. the different groups treated to christmas feasts to lift their spirits. fed ex workers were on the job today.. after a surge of online buying and bad weather delayed their christmas deliveries.. but some have told us the problem lies with their customers.. who wait til the last minute to ship a package and what's the big deal if it doesn't make it there by christmas anyways.. it's not what this day is about.. the rant is still ahead tonight.. we want to hear from

the fox5 suprise squad is powered by united nissan.. dollar loan center.. and helix electric on christmas eve - we showed you when the surprise squad caught shoppers off guard at a local k-mart - by buying their layaway items.

family that we wanted to wait to show you today - because what followed the surprise was nothing short of a christmas miracle. vicki: so the next customer that we have uh, is living in a weekley, she just had a stroke. she wants to get some things for her grandkids, so maybe we can help her do that. cassandra: hi, i'm cassandra jones withhe fox5 surprise squad. i hear you're here to pay off some layaway today. yeah? what all do you have laid away? sherry: some dallas cowboy nfl clothes, a karaoke machine for the kids. cassandra: mmhhmm and i hear you also need to go shopping for your grand children. sherry: yeah. cassandra: yeah. would it be okay if we took you shopping for your grand children today, and we took care of the bill, and

well. would that help you out? sherry: you're kidding. i don't believe it. cassandra: believe it, we're here to help you. sherry: i'm sorry. we're just having it very bad right now. you don't know what this means to me. my heart is happy today. cassandra: you've been through a lot lately. can you tell me what you've been going through? sherry: we're homeless. vets are putting us up. we've got three grandchildren. they need warm clothes. we wouldn't have no christmas. i was coming to cancel the layaway. cassandra: we don't want you to cancel that layaway. and we're gonna help you okay. crying ben: as grandparents we do what we can, like my wife said, my daughters husband passed last year, and so she's with

cassandra: hi, hi selena, i'm cassandra jones with the fox5 surprise squad. we actually just surprised your mom, and we been taking her on a shopping spree for your kids. but we need your help to finish that shopping spree, will you help us> selena: yea. cassandra: how long have you guys been married? ben: go ahead, tell em. sherry: 41 years. cassandra: 41 years? sherry: he's my high school sweetheart. cassandra: oooh sherry: now he's my babysitter. ben: we're firm believers in marriage. it's til the end, so that's what it is. we don't take it lightly. sherry: that's why i picked you. cassandra: here's what we got your 8 year old. would she be into that? selena: you guys are awesome, yes. ben: if you could take a picture of her now, you'll see that she has stopped completely shaking, she's just so at ease, i know

much, and she keeps know it affects her, um, but at this moment i know she could not be happier. you already gave me a present, by having her, having her like this. she just, she's just ecstatic. sherry: thank you. cassandra: you're welcome. vickie: it's just been amazing today. just seeing her laughing and crying, from where she was when she first walked in, uh it's just been a turn around, it's been great. cassandra: that's for you. sherry: laughing whoo baby. somebody gonna be a warm santa clause. $990.15 for my family. thank you fox5, thank you nissan, thank you k-mart. you just made our christmas. i'm so happy. these are happy tears, they're not sad tear. thank you thank you. cassandra: you're welcome.- that's a wrap! (cheering!) sherry and her husband are hoping the u-s veterans office will help them get out of the weekly

currently at.... and into a permanent home in the new year. the homeless and less fortunate received a christmas meal thanks to catholic charities. around 15- hundred meals were served. the executive chef - 'juan carlos penate' - planned a menu which included - stuffed pork loin and bread stuffing. more than 125 people volunteered to hand out the meals. everything was free and the doors were open to anyone who wanted to attend. "another wonderful gift we're giving our community thanks to our donors and volunteers. we'll serve over a thousand clients today. anyone who's hungry. men, women, children, families a great quality meal. it's an experience of generosity to our community." the catholic charities saint vincent lied dining facility has been serving meals to the homeless for the past fifty years. u-s-o las vegas hosted a special christmas day brunch for the troops at nellis air force base. "just a morale boost, this time of year can be very depressing for service members

from home for the holidays." the event included a buffet of turkey, stuffing, salad, and a bunch of different desserts. the center director says he hopes to lift the spirits of the troops and keep them energized so they can continue to do their jobs and keep us safe. there's still time, if you want to help hungry people in a very easy way. all of november and december you can drop off non-perishable food at valley albertons and vons... or donate at the register. all of the proceeds benefit three square. a local mother is heartbroken... when her home is broken into and gifts for her kids are stolen. and it's social media to the rescue! the effort to make today merry for this family. " it sounded literally like a freight train...sounding of the horn..it was coming" " this christmas, many people are celebrating just being alive... after tornadoes tear through several towns. hear their stories on how they

have your next burger with a side of awesome. the one-of-a-kind, creamy blend of sweet and tangy. miracle whip and proud of it. at kraft we start with quality ingredients. all expertly blended to make our mayo. so you can take whatever you're making from good to amazing.

and many of her things stolen, including her kids' christmas presents... one woman recieved a christmas suprise today from an old friend. it's a story that caught fox 5's miguel martinez- valle's attention today on social media. he joins us now from our newsroom with how a community came together for this family. when olivia daniel found out what happened to her friend of 10 years she says she was pretty angry at first... but then she decided she needed to help. so just days before christmas she made a go fund me account and used her facebook to push it... amanda thaw, a single mother of three, came home one night to find that her house had been broken into and many of her things were stolen... this including her laptop, a dvd player, and even her childrens gifts... olivia found out about this and made that go fund me page, but in order to make sure her friend didnt find out about the christmas suprise she deleted her and all of their mutual friends on social media... this morning when she delivered the present, amanda and her family got a christmas

about more than just material goods... "" a lot of people went on there and were like, im so sorry for what happened to you and your family and i hope this helps. and it was beautiful that you can kind of see people still willing to help each other out during times like this." " amanda says the money her family is getting is going to help restore some of the things stolen... she also said at this point her main priority is making her kids feel safe in their own house again... so far close to 800 dollars have been raised in just 3 days... this go fund me page will be up for a while longer, you can find a link to it on our website fox5 vegas .com great to see people coming together through social media to make a families christmas a little bit brighter... many sick people are able to come home to their families for the

responders. the american medical response team is making sure people with serious medical needs are able to spend the holidays with their families. they take them out of care homes and other facilities - and bring them home at no charge. it offers a little extra family time - at christmas. "we actually get to bring these families home and we know what it's like to be with our families and we appreciate that so when we get to bring these families back together it warms us up." the a-m-r team brings about twenty critically sick or injured people home every year for christmas and thanksgiving. heavy weather spawned several tornadoes this week... killing at least 14 people back east. cnn's nick valencia spoke to some of the survivors about how they lived through the devastating storms. this christmas, scenes of devastation in parts of the south and midwest. heavy rain causing widespread flooding across north georgia and tornadoes tearing across several states. (mos) "started hearing a real loud roar starting getting louder and louder

said, 'we need to get into the house now.' it sounded literally like a freight train...sounding of the horn..it was coming" in ashland, mississippi, all that's left of teresa mckay's home is the porch. she and her husband were inside when they saw the tornado coming. they ran and hid in this truck. (voice of teresa mckay/ survivor) "there is nothing left in my house. not one thing. nothing but all that debris." this building may have saved tony goodwin's life, when a tornado hit perry county, tennessee. (tony goodn/wi survivor) "i had my grandson in my arm, under my arm. and uh, everybody got in except for my sister-in-law, and i'm yelling at her, 'come on!' you know. she got in and and as soon as she did i shut the door.'" the tornado knocked his house off it's foundation. but he and six others survived by taking cover in the storm shelter. (captain bart rosson /perry co. sheriff's dept.) "you never know until you are on the scene like this to seek shelter immediately however you can. because it's a life saver" two of those killed

ann and antonio yzaguirre. according to the storm prediction center... at least 14 tornadoes hit mississippi on wednesday. but a single twister did most of the damage. (dr. patrick washington/ ashland resident) "this is a miracle. there is no way that um three individuals were in this house at this time and they were able to walk away." communities coming together. thankful to be alive. (laura dupont/ linden resident) "i went and bought toys for kids cause i also have a little girl. and for them not to have christmas and toys and stuff there's... it's not a holiday." the national weather service says flash- flooding is possible through sunday... in the southeast, tennessee and ohio valleys. there's also storms in the forecast for the appalachians and southern plains. the childhood home of bill clinton was heavily damaged by a fire that broke out last night. the home in hope, arkansas is a designated national historic site -- and maintained by the national parks service. when fire crews arrived -- the back of the home was on fire and it spread to the second floor. in addition to the

outside -- there is extensive smoke and water damage on the inside. police say there are multiple clues that the fire was intentional. "a strong odor of accelerant. there's also some graffiti around the point of the initial setting of the fire" "we saw the number 5-5 and there's also another drawing. not really sure what it is. it's a depiction of something." clinton's grandparents owned the home. it's where he spent the first four years of his life. a new candidate is joining the race to become president... this time from the libertarian party. john mcafee entered the white house race. the 70-year-old cyber-security pioneer is known for his popular computer anti- virus software.. and his run from the law a couple years ago. mcafee says a representative from the libertarian party contacted him this week about representing their party. a wisconsin republican state representitive is

holiday season. some say a message to his constituants is too religious. 'for those who may watch this who are not christians, i invite you to consider the hope offered by the prince of peace.' it is not uncommon for lawmakers to send out christmas greetings -- the president and first lady even sent one out back in 20-13 referencing their faith. "the freedom from religion foundation" believes state representative 'scott allen' shouldnt have emailed and recorded his message using state equipment. the organization already received a complaint from one of allens constituents. allen is defending his comments. 'it is by definition who i am. it is inseparable from me. if people of the 97th district dont like that, then they have a choice to make.' allen didn't directly answer if his remarks are a call to convert non-christians... but he says the reaction he's personally received has been positive.

number is bad enough -- it's even more awkward when you're calling from space. a british astronaut "tim peake" arrived a the international space station just ten days ago... on december 15th. he tried to call home to wish a loved one merry christmas... when he realized his mistake -- peake tweeted his regret - saying.. "i'd like to apologize to the lady i just called by mistake saying, 'hello, is this planet earth?' not a prank call... just a wrong number! u-s troops in kuwait are celebrating this christmas away from home -- but they did get a home cooked meal. "well, for the u.s. army arcent, you know we have about 18 thousand soldiers serving in the theater and for all of them were are thankful for what they're doing and they're have a very important mission, as we provide the security to this region. it's very important for our nation and for the world really." the troops are part of the servicemen and women supporting the u.s. led campaign against isis. the military men and women are getting the fixings as they celebrate overseas. a new species of

discovered in the pacific ocean. check out the "ninja lantern- shark." it was discovered by a cal state graduate student and her professors. it's the first lantern shark found in the central eastern pacific ocean near central america. its jet-black color keeps it camouflaged in deep ocean water... and inspired the student's young cousins to add ninja to its name. that's not all... the ninja lantern-shark also glows in the dark! a trip to the hospital puts life in perspective, for some unlv athletes. " ike nwamu: when we're really down and saying practice think back to these moments and these kids and it will give us some more motivation. " the heartfelt way rebels reached out to their youngest fans. and it's not too late to squeeze in attractions if you to them this season. still open this weekend. your fox5 weather 24/7 forecast is

one caller tells us what he saw unfofo at the intersection of sierra vista and maryland parkway... and it told him all he needs to know about christmas.. you'll hear it in the rant coming up! you're watching fox5 news at 10.

to visit with some of their youngest fans at the hospital. and as fox5's kevin bolinger shows us... it's a day they won't forget anytime soon. music bed the masks go on...but there was no hiding the impact a group of unlv student athletes were about to hand out in perhaps their most important road trip of the year. it was a chance to brighten the day of kids dealing with things kids shouldn't have to deal with.

hospital at christmas is a small problem compared to what some of these kids are going through. seeing the rebels along with dave rice, tony sanchez and football assistant cedric cormier walk into the room....eyes light up - and for a few time stopping moments....the smiles return....the laughter fills the air and all is right in the world. ike nwamu: it's really a big deal to be able to come here and hang out with the kids, lighten the mood a litte bit. mike hughes, jr.: to actually make a difference and give them a fun day to feel nice about themselves and not think about their health for once. it's nice. this is the 7th year unlv student athletes have visited sunrise children's hospital. it's organized by ken thomson - host of sports x radio - and longtime las vegas resident....who knows first hand how hospital visits help kids after watching his brother suffer through cancer. ken thomson: i love that side of the

we all want our teams to win every single game but at the end of the day just seeing that there's more than just wins and losses, there's more to the community and when you get these guys and gals involved it's important. the rebels got just as much out of the experience as the kids. ike nwamu: it kind of puts things in perspective for us. when we're really down and saying practice was hard, you just think back to these moments and these kids and it will give us some more motivation. and for the kids - a chance to make friends with athletes they watch on t-v.....playing games...talking sports....and most importantly....just being a kid. jarom schmidt/sunrise children's hospital: one of the kids said it best today, it was one of the best days of his life. that's cause these are people that they follow. these are student-athletes that they follow. so to break up their

around a lot of treatment and a lot of healing and a lot of pain. this makes their day. and that might just be the best gift you can get. ike nwamu: it's just really a blessing. you can catch some of your favorite unlv athletes and the latest on rebel sports on the reb zone sunday nights at 11. if you're not ready for the christmas fun to be over -- there are still places you can go to keep the holiday spirit alive. magical forest is open until january sixth for families to enjoy -- with christmas lights, hot chocolate and merry-go-rounds. glittering lights is also a fun way people are spending the remaining days of the holiday season. families are able to stay cozy and warm in their cars

million lights! the take 5 to care event is going on until january third. "this guy wants to stay on the marry- go-round all night.. but he's keeping warm with the hot chocolate so he's alright." "this is our first year, but it's a great way to end christmas. come here and check out the lights. we had a great day. kids got really good gifts from santa." "it's christmas day and we are here with my mom as well. and we wanted to go ahead and see some christmas lights... so here we are." ethel m will also be staying open for all to enjoy... they will have their doors open until the first of the year. now fox5 weather 24/7 (( weather )) officially it was a trace of snow at mccarran airport around the midnight hour. but for folks staying up to listen for reindeer hooves clicking on the

some briefly measurable snow in the far west and northwest parts of the valley. up in centennial hills it was maybe a quarter of an inch. as you might guess, the most accumulation was way up top on mt charleston where they had 6 inches as of early this morning. and you know what? we're not done: a few more flying flurries have been reported in the valley this evening! the bigger story that affects all of us is the wind and

temps. winds will be coming from the north - cold north wind - and when you combine that with temps down to the upper 20s, you've got wind chills down to the teens. the below normal reading stretch into mid-week. daytime highs will struggle to reach 50 and overnight lows may hover around the freezing mark. looking ahead to new year's eve: expected the mercury to once agian be around 32, so if you have outdoor plans

bundle up for sure. fed ex workers

fed ex workers are picking up extra shifts on this christmas day.. a surge of online sales and bad weather in parts of the country have delayed some christmas deliveries. the rants we got though... were not aimed at fed ex... but at their customers.. who some of you say should know better.

here's a look at what's coming up.. on fox five news at eleven. a community comes together, to help a single mom after her home is broken into. what this mom says she was most touched by... and it's not the money. and we'll look at how christmas was celebrated worldwide today... as many areas are working to overcome difficult situations this season. there's no rush to take down the christmas tree... but if you're ready to say goodbye, there's plenty of places you can drop off your live one. unlv is organizing a tree collection. they ask you remove all non- organic katerials first.. things like lights, wire, tinsel, ornaments, and nails. the foreign objects can hurt people and chipping machines. flocked trees can't be recycled. we have a list of

home page of our website, fox5 vegas dot com. most are open 24 hours. students at one school were mildly interested, when their teachers held a karaoke contest. we'll show you the one performance... that has people wanting a shy lunch lady to get a record deal! teachers this is the best block of all. it's like candy cane lane. i know. oohhh. oh, holiday ferris wheel.

look at those reindeer. jeffrey, you're awfully quiet back there. i was just thinking... maybe it's time we finish this test drive and head back to the dealership? that is so jeffrey... soooo jeffrey... so jeffrey... oh. elves.. it's practically yours. but we still need your signature. zero due at signing, zero down, zero deposit, and zero first months payment

convinced a high school cafeteria worker in pennsylvania to take the mic in a karaoke contest. at first she was nervous... but everyone soon realized they had a budding super star among them. "hang a shining star above the highest bough..." the kids went wild when "becky alderfer" hit some burst into the person who took this said she had to be escorted through a crowd of screaming fans to get back to

fox5 news at 11, your only local

live from las vegas it's time for fox5 news at 11. a heartbroken mother posts on social media, when her home is broken into. how friends near and far, and even strangers, are coming to her rescue. a mystery in one neighborhood... after a home is destroyed in a fire. what neighbors are saying about the homeowners... and why police had recently visited this house. and the efforts caring volunteers are taking... to bring medically fragile people home for the holidays. this is fox5 news at