a deadly string of storms rips through the south. >> we are right here. we could see at least seven homes have got either destroyed or a lot of damage. >> former president, george h.w. bush spends the night in a houston hospital after experiencing shortness of breath. sony will release "the interview" in some theaters beginning tomorrow. this is the "cbs morning news" for wednesday, december 24th, 2014. good morning. good to be with you. i'm anne-marie green. parts of the southeast are under a state of emergency this morning after severe weather slammed into the region leaving

at least four people dead. the massive storm system struck across the region bringing damage and destruction from louisiana to the florida panhandle. tornadoes flipped cars and tore into homes and businesses. thousands of customers without power this morning. a twister ripped into a gas station and commercial complex in marion county, mississippi. >> the front is gone. the restaurant that he leases sustained damage so both of them were out of commission. >> lightning struck a building near hattiesburg. omar villafranca reports. >> reporter: these homes in louisiana didn't stand a chance against a powerful line of storms tuesday. about two dozen were damaged or destroyed as the tornadoes raked across the south. >> a lot of people say it sounds like a train. it's a huge roar that doesn't

let up. the wind just keeps going. i prayed it wasn't my time. >> reporter: the roof was torn off one building, another collapsed. the powerful winds blew this ambulance on its side. at least four deaths are blamed on the storm. the state's governor declared an emergency for two counties and more bad weather is possible. >> watching this area in orange. damaging wind gusts and flash flooding. >> reporter: several highways had to be shut down because of downed trees. police and rescue crews assessed the damage. omar villafranca, cbs news, dallas. more severe weather and storms are expected to complicate travel. airlines in the midwest are experiencing delays and cancellations. don champ i don't know is at

laguardia. >> reporter: people line up behind me to get through tsa at laguardia. rain will be a problem for people flying in and through new york city. that's why people are being told to pack patience today. across the country, travelers are making their way to loved ones for the holiday. >> san diego, yep. >> reporter: they got a head start yesterday. she's one of the estimated 89 million americans taking advantage of the lower gas prices. >> a lot cheaper than flights for a family of five. >> $1.99. it's sweet. >> reporter: he was able to spend more on the holidays because of what he's saved at the pump. >> i have given two extra gifts. >> reporter: others are braving the crowds to travel by air. >> hey, we have time to spare. >> reporter: the holiday cheer is leading to travel woes. people flying through new york

city area airports are seeing delays as the strong storm system brings rain to the region. >> the rain spreads up the east coast, will be disruptive, then the snow on the back edge. >> reporter: forecasters are predicting heavy and create hazardous conditions elsewhere by the time we get to christmas day. for all you white christmas lovers out there, here is an interesting weather tidbit. the snow cover is at the lowest level on this date in ten years. guess where people won't see a white christmas? hawaii. >> oh, the irony. don champ i don't know, thank you very much. s former president, george h.w. bush is hospitalized after experiencing shortness of breath. alice barr reports from houston

methodist hospital. >> reporter: the senior former president bush is in the hospital behind me at houston methodist hospital. staff tells me he will be staying for observation as a precaution. a statement from the office of former president, george h.w. bush says he was brought here as a precaution after having shortness of breath. the former president who is now 90 spent christmas at methodist two years ago in 2012. it was for fever following a month long cough and bronchitis. he was in a wheelchair then, but smiling and in good spirits. we will stay on top of this and bring you the latest on the former president's condition. alice barr, cbs news, houston. sony had a change of heart about "the interview." they decided to release the

controversial movie. danielle nottingham reports independent theaters plan to show it tomorrow. >> they hate us. >> reporter: the interview is back on. sony pictures reversed course tuesday and is allowing theaters to show the film beginning on christmas day. theset rogan comedy is about a plot to kill north korea's leader after a devastating hacker attack exposed internal documents, embarrassed sony pulled the film. fans, artists and the president were critical. >> i think they made a mistake. >> reporter: sony delivered another plot twist tuesday saying we are proud to make it available to the public and to have stood up to those who attempted to suppress free speech. the film will be shown in 200 theaters. on social media, the film stars called it a victory and said, quote, the people have spoken,

freedom has prevailed. sony is working to get more theaters to show "the interview" to reach the largest possible. >> it's people all over the u.s. and the world who wanted to support, you know, freedom of creativity, freedom of expression. >> reporter: some say they will have extra security on hand to ensure the safety of movie goers. danielle nottingham, culver city. police are investigating a deadly shooting. st. louis county police say an officer shot and killed a man who drew a gun in berkeley, near ferguson. hundreds of people marched through new york city to protest police violence.

they ignored pause for a cause after two slain officers are buried. protesters carried signs and were mostly peaceful as they worked through manhattan. the white house says joe biden will travel to the area to attend the funeral of one of the officers. on the "cbs moneywatch," signs the economy is picking up and a recall of a coffee machine. jill wag near is at the new york stock change with that and more. >> thanks. the economy is building. the previous 3.9 estimate upwards to 5%. that's the fastest surge since the summer of 2003. led by cheaper gasoline, strong consumer spending as an upswing in business investment. wages are finally starting to pick up and the federal reserve is promising not to raise rates until well into 2015. all that good news kicked off a

rally on wall street. the dow closed above 18,000 for the first time ever. investors may get a chance to catch their breath. the market closed early today ahead of christmas. the dow gained 50 points on tuesday. the s&p was up three, also closing at a new record high. the nasdaq, though, was down 16 points. asian markets were mixed, despite wall street's rally. tokyo's nikkei rose 1%. the shanghai lost 2%. keurig is recalling 7 million single serve coffee brewing machines because of burns. the company's mini plus systems with model k10 can overheat and spray water. keurig received about 200 reports of hot liquid escaping and 90 reports of burn injuries. 6.4 million people are

signed up for obamacare for 2015. 1.9 million of those are new customers. the rest are automatic renewals of customers covered this year. the goal for 2015 is just over 9 million customers before the deadline, which is february 15th. >> jill wagner at the new york stock change, thanks a lot. coming up, saving money at the pump. cheap gas is making for a happy holiday for drivers. we'll show you what they are doing with all that extra cash. this is the "cbs morning news." you know it can be a struggle to keep your a1c down. so imagine ... what if there was a new class of medicine that works differently to lower blood sugar? imagine loving your numbers. introducing once-daily invokana®. it's the first of a new kind of prescription medicine that's used along with diet and exercise to lower blood sugar in adults with type 2 diabetes. invokana® is a once-daily pill that works around

the clock to help lower a1c. here's how: the kidneys allow sugar to be absorbed back into the body. invokana® reduces the amount of sugar allowed back in ... and sends some sugar out through the process of urination. and while it's not for weight loss, it may help you lose some weight. invokana® can cause important side effects, including dehydration, which may cause some people to have loss of body water and salt. this may also cause you to feel dizzy, faint, lightheaded, or weak especially when you stand up. other side effects may include kidney problems, genital yeast infections, urinary tract infections, changes in urination, high potassium in the blood, or increases in cholesterol. do not take invokana® if you have severe kidney problems or are on dialysis or if allergic to invokana® or its ingredients. symptoms of allergic reaction may include rash, swelling, difficulty breathing or swallowing. if you experience any of these symptoms, stop taking invokana® and call your doctor right away

or go to the nearest hospital. tell your doctor about any medical conditions, medications you are taking, and if you have kidney or liver problems. using invokana® with a sulfonylurea or insulin may increase risk of low blood sugar. it's time. lower your blood sugar with invokana®. imagine loving your numbers. ask your doctor about invokana®. eh, yea, actually i do. one. it's mucinex fast-max night time and it's got a nasal decongestant. is that really a thing? it sounds made up. mucinex fast max night time for multi-symptom relief. breathe easy. sleep easy.

let's end this. gasoline for a record 89 straight days. the average now is $2.38 a gallon. the forecast says that means drivers have a lot more money to spend this holiday season. >> every day motorists are saving $450 million on gasoline compared to prices in june. nearly 40% of people in one poll reported having more money to spend each month because of savings at the pump. more than a third of those with additional income plan to use the savings on holiday gifts. cheaper gas is also boosting holiday travel. nearly 90 million people are expected to make a road trip, up 4% from last year. lacey patterson will drive 500 miles. >> i was not planning to travel. due to the changes and the allowances i have had with the

extra money, i decided to make a trip. >> reporter: the savings go beyond the road. in louisiana, shrimpers are paying up to 70 cents less per gallon. that adds up when you consider boats like the one owned by david and hold thousands of gallons of fuel. what does it translate for your guys? >> money in your pocket. it's equivalent to a little over $1,000 in each crewman's pocket. >> reporter: by one estimate, it was the equivalent of a $75 billion tax cut for u.s. households. with prices falling, it looks like 100 to 125 billion. manuel bojorquez, cbs news, dallas. federal agents asked police near memphis to watch a bridge across the mississippi river. there was an anonymous threat,

but no attack on the bridge was mentioned. local authorities were alerted and the bridge remains open. federal health officials are proposing an end to the ban on blood donations from gay and bisexual men. the food and drug administration recommends new policy for men that have been sell bat. it was to protect the blood supply from contamination from the aids virus. ahead, the weather and your sports. damien lillard leads portland to a comeback. eally big deal. with aches, fever and chills- there's no such thing as a little flu. so why treat it like it's a little cold? there's something that works differently than over-the-counter remedies. attack the flu virus at its source with prescription tamiflu. and call your doctor right away. tamiflu is fda approved to treat the

flu in people 2 weeks and older whose flu symptoms started within the last two days. before taking tamiflu tell your doctor if you're pregnant, nursing, have serious health conditions, or take other medicines. if you develop an allergic reaction, a severe rash, or signs of unusual behavior, stop taking tamiflu and call your doctor immediately. children and adolescents in particular may be at an increased risk of seizures, confusion or abnormal behavior. the most common side effects are mild to moderate nausea and vomiting. ask your doctor about tamiflu and attack the flu virus at its source. up to 27% more brush movements. patented sonic technology with get healthier gums in two weeks. innovation and you philips sonicare save when you give philips sonicare this holiday season. right now at kohl's, the more the more you save! go to kohl's dot com to get your savings pass... spend $100 or more and save 20%! spend under $100 and save 15%! save on top of already great sale prices!

now through 6pm christmas eve! kohl's. you think it smells fine, but your passengers smell this... eliminate odors you've gone noseblind to for up to 30 days with the febreze car vent clip. female passenger: wow. smells good in here. vo: so you and your passengers can breathe happy. choosing is half the fun.. because there's a little something delicious... for everyone. hershey's miniatures, choose your own delicious. here is a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. in sports, we begin with a big overtime win for portland

trail blazers. portland rallied from a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter. damien lillard lit up oklahoma city including a game time three-pointer with three seconds left in regulation. portland beat the thunder, 115-111. and the chicago bulls ran their winning streak to four games. derrick rose led the bulls with 25 points. chicago beat washington, 99-91. washington defeated chicago in the first round of last year's playoff. cleveland's kevin love played against his old team, the timberwolves. he played with minnesota six seasons before the trade. kyrie irving helped beat minnesota, 125-124. san francisco pulled an overtime upset over ninth ranked texas. anthony brown scored a season

high, 25. randall scored 21 as they edged the longhorns, 75-71. when we return, a gathering of the faithful takes you to bethlehem for pre-christmas festivities. ♪ but the fire is so delightful ♪ [ male announcer ] nothing melts away the cold like a hot delicious bowl of chicken noodle soup from campbell's. ♪ let it snow, let it snow of chicken noodle soup from campbell's. walare full of surprises.ays that's why, whenever the need arises... walgreens is always right around the corner, so you can get in and out in no time.

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here is a look at today's forecast in some cities around the country. here is another look at this morning's top stories. a massive storm system packing tornadoes left at least four people dead in the southeast. it flipped cars and tore buildings apart. parts of mississippi are under a state of emergency and thousands of customers remain without power this morning. sony pictures reversed course and decided to release "the interview." 200 mostly independent theaters

will show the movie starting christmas day. christmas eve celebrations are under way in the holy land. christian pilgrims and tourists are pouring into the square in bethlehem. hundreds of palestinian security forces are watching over the festivities. a skier beat highway traffic in colorado as heavy snow hit interstate 70. drivers and cars were moving very slowly. traffic cameras showed a small figure skiing on the side of the road past vehicles. a holiday surprise for drivers in west virginia. they pulled over vehicles not to hand out tickets. they got a $100 bill courtesy of a secret santa. one hugged the trooper saying it would pay for the holiday dinner. coming up, sting.

this is the "cbs morning news." [ male announcer ] are you so stuffed up, you feel like you're underwater? try zyrtec-d® to powerfully clear your blocked nose and relieve your other allergy symptoms... so you can breathe easier all day. zyrtec-d®. find it at the pharmacy counter. zyrtec-d®. up to 27% more brush movements. patented sonic technology with get healthier gums in two weeks. innovation and you philips sonicare save when you give philips sonicare this holiday season.

sam cooke is a rare performer whose work is fresh and timely. anthony mason tells us about the artist and song that gave voice to a movement. ♪ darling you send me >> reporter: with hits like "you send me" sam cooke became one of the most popular artists in the country. by 1964, with the civil rights movement spreading, the singer wanted to send a different message. ♪ i was born by the river >> reporter: 50 years ago this week, his song, "a change is gonna come" was released. ♪ it's been a long, a long time coming ♪

♪ but i know change is gonna come ♪ >> the song would go all through your bones. it's been too hard living. ♪ it's been so hard living, but i'm a stranger -- >> staples from the staples center. were you surprised that song came from him? >> when he had that song, black people needed black people to do something for us. sam cooke was at the top. >> reporter: cooke, who had been turned away from a white's only motel in louisiana wanted to write a song with the power of bob dylan's "blowing in the wind." >> try to determine how people are thinking and determine the times of your day, i think you can always write something that the people will understand. >> reporter: a change quickly became a civil rights anthem.

but cooke did not live to see it. he was shot to death in a los angeles motel two weeks before its release. >> it's like sam's last song and everybody loved sam. sam was such a -- he would give you the shirt off his back. >> reporter: al green's performance. and made it his own at a 9/11 benefit in 2001, smokey robinson. >> it's the kind of song, as a song writer you want to write because it's around forever. >> it's a classic, classic. ♪ it's been a long, long time coming ♪ >> that's something that won't change. anthony mason, cbs news, new york. >> still such a beautiful song. coming up after your local news on cbs news this morning, the latest on how the weather will

impact your trip and sony's decision to release "the interview." we will hear from a republican, frank luntz. that's the "cbs morning news" this morning. thanks for watching, i'm anne-marie green. have a great day.

we're starting a off with breaking news right now another shooting involving a police officer in st. louis county, miss yuri. group of 60 people gathered at the scene. investigators say a police officers with the city of berkley was on a routine business check at a gas station overnight when he saw two men a approach them. police say one of those men pulled a hand gun and pointed it at the officer. then the officer we're told fired several shots, striking and fatally wound ago this suspect. second man fled, and we will bring you up to dayton this breaking story a a as we get more information as the morning goes on. it is west december 24th, i'm quarter von tiehl. i'm nicole brewer in for ukee washington. developing right now two police cruisers collide in the north philadelphia intersection sending three officers to the hospital. also police are lookin