ramped up at the same time to keep hundreds of thousands of visitors safe. what's being done .. what's being changed .. and how you can get a free ride. a 2-alarm fire in downtown las vegas .. smoke could be seen across the valley as an old motel went up in flames. who investigators say were its current uninvited guests. and we sit down with presidential candidate bernie sanders.. for a one-on-one interview about nevada voters .. housing and the future of energy in the silver state. this is fox5 news at 6. local. las vegas i'm elizabeth watts in for john and christine tonight its that time of year again when hundreds of thousands of people come to the valley to bring in their new year. but with the extra foot traffic and celebrations also comes heightened security. fox5's abby theodros joins us live from the strip with a look at how officials are preparing for the big night. in just a few days this street

people for new years eve. and while las vegas officials welcome the party - they want to make sure it's also a safe experience. it's "americas party" and las vegas is the place to be. lindsay somerstein, visiting from miami: 1:03:00 we came here specifically for new years we heard it was a lot of fun so we wanted to see what it was like. with the crowd expected to top 300-thousand - county officials are taking extra steps to make sure the party is as safe as it is fun. larry brown, vice chairman of clark county commission: when people are making the decision as far as a destination like las vegas, the first question they ask now is "how safe is your community?" and we will go above and beyond this year. that means just under a thousand uniformed officers will be working the strip, 300 in downtown las vegas, and an additional group of plain clothes officers spread through out town. metro is also taking a page from the fremont street experience hand book - asking the public... not to bring large items onto the strip. lombardo: we're putting a request out on las vegas blvd. to prevent indiviuals from showing up with backpacks, bags, strollers, bulky items that one could use to conceal items of harm

- it's not an ordiance. just a request. nevertheless mayor carolyn goodman says more than the preparations in place- the public is their best asset. we're the boots on the ground, we something that looks unusual we see someone acting out. we need to take responsibilty and we can't just turn out head and figure its someones job. christian molander-barraza it was just a lot of rides from 6 p.m. on new years even to 9 in the morning then next day. and those buses will circulate to and from the strip and downtown. earlier today we spoke with the las vegas convention and visitors authority .. it expects nearly 99 percent of all local hotel rooms to be full new year's night.

more than 330- thousand people will be in town for the party.. and expect them to spend more than 227-million dollars.. up almost 5-percent over last year. a violent crash killed a woman just before daybreak this morning. from our traffic cameras you can see the emergency responder activity around the scene. according to the nevada highway patrol .. a woman was driving an suv north on the 15 when she lost control and rolled down the rocky embankment onto the ramp between the 215 and las vegas boulevard. she was not wearing a seatbelt .. was ejected and died at the scene. no word yet on if she was impared or something else led to her losing control. a vacant motel catches on fire - and the fire department believes it could be homeless people seeking shelter from the cold. the fire was called in at 10:30 this morning - fox 5's ophelia young is live at the scene wiht the latest. yesterday and today are the coldest mornings we've seen this season - so homeless

department says its possible this is what led to the fire. hope kwon owns this building on 3rd and imperial downtown - "this window was clear before and we blocked it last week. before she blocked the window, she had a clear view of the vacant motel across the street. "the kids go up and down and kids go in and out of the parking lot around the building so i called 911." it wasn't the first time she complained about the homeless in the motel. she wasn't surprised when the shuttered motel caught fire monday morning. "this is second fire since ive been here." nat sound this is video from the first fire a year and a half ago. it was caused by squatters - or homeless people seeking empty building for shelter. they left the motel then - but during a recent inspection - the department found more evidence of squatting. "theres usually trash mattresses shopping carts things of that nature its just a place they go to hang out and theyre trying to get out of the elements."

which started in the stairwell is still being investigated- symanski suspects squatters may have accidentally started it. "it could be smoking cooking but many times they build a little heating fire this morning was the coldest morning that we've had so far this season." there are also reports those living there included workers renovating the building. the fire department boarded up the building after making sure the blaze was put out. but in the past - boards have done people out. "some of these people they dig tunnels they breach walls they cut a hole in the wall theyre hiding" "within an hour homeless people will be over there off getting back again." hope has had broken by rocks homeless living around the motel "everytime i change it they broke it again." she hopes the fire disperses them - and brings attention to the homeless problem in a

revive. "oh i hope so please im asking city mayor help me keep the place nice." squatters are a growing problem in the valley - the fire department asks property owners to frequently check their buildings if they are vacant - especially during the winter when temperatures near freezing. reporting live. a new squatter law makes it easier for property owners who suspect homeless living in their property to work with police to arrest them. democrative presidential candidate bernie happening across the nation this week. plus .. a grand jury decides whether or not to prosecute the officers who shot and killed 12-year old tamir rice. "are you kidding me? how do people afford that? that's crazy!" he's talking about the cost of

ball drop in you too will be shocked at how spending this year. 24/7 forecast is coming up next you're watching fox5 news at 6. local. las vegas fox5 news at 6. local. las vegas .

ok, we're here. here's dad. mom. the twins. aunt alice... you didn't tell me aunt alice was coming. of course. don't forget grandpa. can the test drive be over now? maybe just head back to the dealership? don't you want to meet my family? yep, totally. it's practically yours, but we still need your signature.

then drive event. zero due at signing, zero down, zero deposit, and zero first months payment on a new jetta and otherselect models. jury will not charge any officers in the 20- 14 police shooting death of 12-year- old tamir rice in cleveland. rice was shot while playing at a recreation center near his home. the 12-year-old was holding a pellet gun when he was a shot, and the two officers involved in the shooting said it looked real. the lead prosecutor says it was reasonable to believe the officer who fired the fatal shot felt threatened. tim mcginty/cuyahoga county prosecutor "given this perfect storm of human error, mistakes and miscommunications by all involved that day, the evidence did not indicate criminal conduct by police." a witness who reported rice to 9-1-1 said the weapon the african-american sixth-grader was holding was "probably fake". but the officers involved were not told this. prosecutor tim mcginty said the

child should not happen again ... and he called on toy gun manufacturers to stop making items that look like real guns. rice's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of cleveland. a strange scene at the hyundai sun bowl in el paso texas yesterday as snow fell during the game. the university of miami and washington state had to battle the elements as well as each other. washington state went on win the game 20 to 14. (( weather )) now fox5 weather 24/7 with chief meteorologist ted pretty we keep the freeaing to near-freezing temperatures overnight through the week with cold afternoons. tuesday's start at 33 degrees will be a few degrees warmer than what we saw monday morning at 29 degrees. through

around freezing with highs around 50 degrees. new year's eve will feature breezes to 15 mph..those breezes last into new year's day. we keep the freeaing to near-freezing temperatures overnight through the week with cold afternoons. tuesday's start at 33 degrees will be a few degrees warmer than what we saw monday morning at 29 degrees. through the rest of the week we'll see lows around freezing with highs around 50 degrees. new year's eve will feature breezes to 15 mph..those breezes last into new year's day.

will resume shortly we keep the freeaing to near-freezing temperatures overnight through the week with cold afternoons. tuesday's start at 33 degrees will be a few degrees warmer than what we saw monday morning at 29 degrees. through the rest of the week we'll see lows around freezing with highs around 50 degrees. new year's eve will feature breezes to 15 mph..those breezes last into new year's day. closed captioning will resume shortly democrative presidential closed captioning

democrative presidential candidate bernie sanders has spent the day campaigning at public and private events around the valley.. tonight .. he's holding a rally at canyon springs high school. that's where fox 5's rachel moore is with a look at his busy day. elizabeth they just opened the doors to this event and you can see there is a line of voters flooding into this gymnasium. we're expecting sanders to speak around 6 this evening. they'll have a few speakers rev up the crowd before he takes the

earlier today the senator attended a private event at a the home of former democratic congressional candidate erin bilbray. he spoke to about 100 guests of the women's leaders luncheon. in a short speech sanders talked about money in politics and said he would fight for an increase in the minimum wage and fight against income inequality. if elected -- he also promised to appoint supreme court justices who uphold limits on government influenced by monetary interests. he said he was proud of his campaign fueled by millions of small-money donations than by the beneficiary of billionaire patrons. after posing for individual photos the senator then went to an event to speak to veterans. and in about an hour or so he'll talk to the crowd coming in here now. this is a free event -- open to the

expecting a couple thousand people here tonight. rlrmffnllv. according to a new study- asthma rates in children have decreased the last two years. after twenty years of increases, diagnoses appear to have stabilized though not kids between ten and seventeen years old and in underprivileged children. researchers at the national center for health statistics say children's surroundings plays a role. the number of twins born in the united states reached a new high in 2014, according to the centers for disease control. last year, almost 40 twins were born out of every one thousand births. the year before was around six- percent lower than this. the most twins born were in california, texas and new york, respectively.

twin birth rates have been rising for white, african-american and hispanic women since 19-80. the reason is not known, however more women are giving birth later in life, which has a higher occurrence of twins, health officials said and more are using in vitro fertilization. but as the twin birth rate rose, the rate for triplets or higher dropped 5 percent, and has plummeted 40 percent since 19- 98. the eyes of the u-s will be squarely fixed on new york city this thursday night.. at least before watching our amazing party. but for those who want tenjoy the holiday from the warmth of a close restaurant or bar near times square .. get out your check books... because it's going to cost you!! fox's lisa evers has the scoop on the business that is new year's eve in new york city. there's no question times square is the place to be on new year's eve.... just ask the more than one billion people worldwide who tune in to live coverage... but there's nothing

person... if you're looking to dine close to the action, get ready to shell out the cash.. and we're talking popular chain restaurants... the prices at ruby tuesday's on 7th avenue start at $349 per person, & go up to $1699 a couple for a v-i-p table... demeola says: "are you kidding me? how do people afford that? that's crazy!" the demeola family from new jersey just had lunch at ruby tuesday's and was pondering the new year's eve menu... demeola says: "does that come with diamonds, a gold necklace, a car?" that's not the only pricey chain restaurant in the crossroads of the world.... the olive garden has reportedly sold out it's tickets at $350 a head... that includes a d-j, open bar and buffet... but none of their famous breadsticks.... mos says: "i think that' s absolutely crazy!" (evers on cam bridge) "this is the ball that will drop at midnight marking the end of 1 year and the beginning of the new.." the kicker is in most of the restaurants... the only place

t-v screen or your phone.... at bubba gump shrimp on 43rd and broadway... they reportedly sold out of their $799 per person tickets.... and this patron isn't surprised... mos says: "for new york city, that's reasonable, seriously." at the end of the day and the end of the year, it's all about proximity to the famous ball... and getting a view from the street will only cost you time... space is on a first come basis... tompkins says: it's absolutely free and, so, this is a major civic event. you know, super bowl, you gotta pay a lot of money to go. here, you can come for free." ...and that might be the best deal of all. lisa evers, fox 5 news next .. a fire scare at a northern nevada casino.. and fedex explains what went wrong during this years holiday shipping rush. plus .. a strange thing has happened since hackers exposed the names of people who had signed up to the cheating web site

onse over the weekend to the nugget resort and casino in sparks. people were reporting smelling smoke and the odor of something electrical burning. the sparks fire department responded and did not find a fire .. however .. they believe the smell was real and it

kitchen incident at the casino's gilley restaurant. firefighters say a broken sprinkler tank caused a fire pump to run, causing diesel smoke to fill a hallway. it has not been a merry christmas for fedex. the company missed christmas delivery deadlines for thousands of packages across the country over the holiday weekend. fedex issuing a statement saying, quote "severe weather in the southern part of the country meant a large number of packages had delays getting on the move." the company also wrote they were handling a larger amount of last- minute demand than they were expecting. amazon says it shipped a record number of items worldwide for the holidays. the online retailer says christmas eve was the biggest day ever for deliveries using the company's prime now service. the service offers free two- hour delivery to more than 20 metropolitan areas.. including las vegas. the company's amazon prime service gained three million new members in the third week of december alone. amazon says prime members shopping

remember the large hack of the cheating website, ashley madison? since all the publicity about the hack ... the website claims on its homepage that it now has more than 43-million members. that's up four million from this summer, when the hack was made public. the new number has not been confirmed, and ashley madison's parent company declined comment. the data breach exposed the names and some vital information of an estimated 32 million ashley madison members. still ahead .. how to campaign in 2015. "it wasn't that long ago when people wanted signatures on things and now forget that." what presidential candidate jeb bush is talking about has social media

if you need a reason to start celebrating super bowl 50 early - i'll give you two. get a large,1-topping pizza foronly 50 cents

better ingredients. better pizza. better football. papajohns.com g-o-p presidential hopeful jeb bush tackling the hard-hitting questions at a campaign stop in west palm beach. a reporter asking him about taking selfies while on the campaign trail... the former florida governor explaining the art of the selfie. "the selfie is now the 11th amendment of the bill of rights. it is inspired by our framers and our founders apparently. it is required that you take one and i do it with great joy on

know - look, it wasn't that long ago when people wanted signatures on things and now forget that. i want my damn selfie and i'm not leaving until i get it." "just for the record young people do it better than older people - we'll go through a little training lass here, cooler to do it diagonally rather than straight up. remember that. and it's better to do it higher than lower because you look skinnier. am i right?" and after delivering his remarks, the candidate hopped off the stage to take selfies. thanks for joining us.. "more access" is