thanks for joining us! elias: good to have everyone with us! and it's great to have central iowa's most accurate forecast with meterologist sam schreier! hey sam! sam: (sam adlibs) sam (sam adlibs) sam: weather adlib: yesterday ended up feeling pretty nice with our highs climbing to a pleasant 41 degrees! cooler winds and afternoon cloud cover will keep things in the upper 30s today here in the metro, but i'm sure there will be a few 40s in western and southern iowa. overnight tonight we'll see partly cloudy skies with calm winds and a low in the mid 20s. friday is looking like a partly cloudy to partly sunny day with warm southerly winds warming us up into the mid 40s. saturday will start with sun but clouds will return in the afternoon, but despite that cloud cover highs will still feel amazing in the upper 40s! we may see a few early morning showers on sunday with highs falling back

storm expected to impact iowa late monday through wednesday morning. the energy from this system still has to cross the entire pacific ocean so it's still too early for reliable snowfall totals, but it is safe to say heavy accumulating snow is a possibility on tuesday. elias: let's get into the top five this morning.... elias: to the statehouse...whe re the back and forth over education funding has been sent to a special conference committee. that's where the issue ended up for much of last year's session, before legislators made a final decision. meanwhile, a controversial bill has been brought up this session. the death with dignity act would allow for assisted suicide for those suffering from terminal illness. a similar bill came up last year, but didn't have enough support. elias: in the number two spot this morning... elias: the revelation about the brain health of tyler sash has become the latest case to add to the

football-related brain injuries. across the country and here in iowa, groups have contemplated alternatives. for instance, community leagues like the y-m-c-a have flag football leagues. elias: the third thing you need to know before you walk out the door... elias: despite not being on the debate stage tonight, republican presidential candidate donald trump will still cast a shadow over the event. instead, he plans to hold a veterans benefit event at drake university. fellow candidates will take the stage at the iowa events center for their last debate before monday's caucuses. elias: number four... elias: ammon bundy, leader of the armed group occupying an oregon wildlife refuge, has asked his followers to stand down. bundy and several protestors were arrested tuesday on federal charges, with one protestor killed during the arrest. through his lawyer, bundy asked his followers to end the occupation. elias: and finally in the top five... elias: an upcoming

television show has cast a surprise actor to play pop star michael jackson. british actor joseph fines has been cast to play the singer who died in 2009. news of the casting has stirred up social media, which has been used to draw attention to the lack of diversity in academy award nominees. elias: new this morning...look for some long lines at metro fast food restaraunts, but not for ordering. elias: just days before the iowa caucuses....and hours ahead of tonight's republican debate...the iowa fight for 15 will hold events in des moines... organizers and fast-food workers will protest for a higher wage... forty-eight percent of iowans are paid less than fifteen dollars an hour for their work. just before sunrise, cooks and cashiers from fast-food chains around the metro will strike... they also plan to hold a protest and march this evening at the iowa events center....the location of tonight's debate.

education returns to iowa today... actor and activist kal penn has returned to des moines to support the turnaround arts program.. integrates arts into other curriculum areas... he last visited area schools in april of last year to see how schools were program. penn spent wednesday at the state capitol talking about education with today, he will be back at harding middle school to meet with students... elias: we're back with meterologist sam schreier... sam: (sam adlibs)

weather adlib: yesterday ended up feeling pretty nice with our highs climbing to a pleasant 41 degrees! cooler winds and afternoon cloud cover will keep things in the upper 30s today here in the metro, but i'm sure there will be a few 40s in western and southern iowa. overnight tonight we'll see partly cloudy skies with calm winds and a low in the mid 20s. friday is looking like a partly day with warm southerly winds mid 40s. saturday will clouds will return in the afternoon, but despite that cloud cover highs will still feel amazing in the upper 40s! we may see a few early morning showers on sunday with highs falling back into the low 40s. there

impact iowa late monday through wednesday morning. the energy from this system still has to cross the entire pacific ocean so it's still too early for reliable snowfall totals, but it is safe to say heavy accumulating snow is a possibility on tuesday. elias: it's possibly a elias: it's possibly a first in iowa....yoga classes that take place behind bars for offenders. dave franzman says supporters already see some signs it's working to improve offenders lives in linn county. " [take pkg]pkg [anchor:dave]dave [readrate:15] [camio3(1 ) [one line l3] - cedar rapids (00:00 - 00:00 the mats probably look the same. sot/nat the instructions sound the same. but as for location... that's definitely different. [take sot]sot [camio3(1 ) [dave franzman] - (00:00 - 00:00)

to administrators a year ago and said, you know they're doing yoga at other prisons, mostly for adults, in other states, would you like to try it here? the answer was, well yes.">14:54 allison ordman teaches a yoga class for both juveniles in custody and staff one day a week. and it's looking so promising a local foundation just gave the county a five thousand dollar grant to train more instructors to offer more classes for those in custody. some juveniles in custody were skeptical at first. but one says after doing yoga for awhile she started noticing some benefits. [take sot]sot 4:50 [take sot]sot [camio3(1 ) [two line l3] - dawn schott linn cty. juvenile detention ctr. dir. (00:00 - 12:45 instructor ordman teaches what's called "trauma informed" yoga. what that means is more of an emphasis on breathing control, stress relief techniques and emotional calming and less on the more exotic yoga positions. it's aimed at participants who have different needs and

yoga students. [take sot]sot [camio3(1 ) [two line l3] - allison ordman yoga instructor (00:00 - 00:00 9:15 juvenile center staff believe those who've taken part in yoga classes are less likely to have outbursts. sot/nat they believe that makes it worth the time and trouble." elias: earlier this month, the greater cedar rapids community foundation awarded the program a five- thousand dollar grant to expand the effort. the funding will pay for more yoga instruction time, and train detention center staff to teach yoga. elias: at ((time check)) we'll take a short break, but still have lots more good morning iowa ahead... coming up, a popular fitness tracker is facing a lawsuit... elias: but first...for those traveling into polk county...be safe this morning... the sheriff's office has automated traffic enforcement vehicles at two locations.... one at the ...eight-hundred block of northeast 50th avenue and a second at the ...49-hundred block of northwest beaver drive. so take care on the roads today... elias: let's also get a

traffic... this is i-235 at valley west... [current conditions] good morning iowa continues after this!

morning iowa in hd with elias johnson, sabrina ahmed and we are iowas most accurate meteorologist sam morning iowa." elias: a storm system florida may have tornado... strong winds overturned vehicles and even ripped off the roof of a

broward college. the national weather service says they believe a twister did strike, but won't make an official determination until they perform a storm survey. luckily, nobody was injured. sabrina: elias: (anchor toss to wx) sam: adlib toss. sam: weather adlib: yesterday ended up feeling pretty nice with our highs climbing to a pleasant 41 degrees! cooler winds and afternoon cloud cover will keep things in the upper 30s today here in the metro, but i'm sure there will be a few 40s in western and southern iowa. overnight tonight we'll see partly cloudy skies with calm winds and a low in the mid 20s. friday is looking like a partly cloudy to partly sunny day with warm southerly winds warming us up into the mid 40s. saturday will start with sun but clouds will return in the afternoon, but despite that cloud cover highs will still

few early morning showers on sunday with highs falling back into the low 40s. there is still a large snow storm expected to impact iowa late monday through wednesday morning. the energy from this system still has to cross the entire pacific ocean so it's still too early for reliable snowfall totals, but it is safe to say heavy accumulating snow is a possibility on tuesday. elias: fitbit is arguably the hottest fitness tracker on the market. it seems like

that track your steps -- and in some cases your heart rate. but does fitbit really work? mary moloney explains.. " --reporter pkg-as follows-- (nats) this year -- the word health is almost synonymous with the word fitbit. not only do you see these brightly colored bracelets at the gym or work -- but the catchy commercials run frequently. (nats) they promise to help get you in shape -- but do the wearable trackers work? this month -- fitbit was hit with a class action lawsuit -- alleging fraud. according to the suit -- two of the company's heart rate monitors -- the fitbit charge h-r and the fitbit surge -- don't accurately measure your heart rate. and that could be potentially dangerous. especially for people looking to push their heart rates past a certain mark. the suit surprised consumer reports -- who tested and recommended the fitbit charge h-r and the fitbit surge. so -- consumer

devices. and compared fitbit's products with another device that has proven accuracy -- the polar h-7 chest strap. the consumer reports testers again found both fitbit models were on point. and if there was a variance between the polar device or the fitbit -- it was no more than three beats per minute. which isn't big. but consumer reports noticed one exception. the fitbit charge h-r would give more inaccurate readings at higher intensity workouts depending on where that strap was put on the arm. if you follow fitbit's directions and wear the device in the place it recommends -- the monitor is accurate. while consumer reports says it will keep an eye on the fitbit lawsuit -- it says it will continue to recommend the fitbit surge and the fitbit h-r trackers." elias: time for another short break...but when we come back... an impromptu performance at a michigan mall leads to a lot of attention for a teenage piano

"now, we are iowa's most accurate forecast with meteorologist sam schreier. certified by weatherrate the independent weather experts" sam weather adlib: put script here in green sam

elias: in take a look at this today.....a piano performance goes viral... " nat pop of piano playing" elias: video of 18-year old monntel west playing the piano inside of a michigan mall has been getting a lot of attention... and get this.....west says he has never been formally taught how to play...doesn't read music, and doesn't have a piano at home. he says he learned on an electronic keyboard and from watching videos on youtube. since the video went viral....west has had offers for free piano lessons...free pianos...and was even contacted by a record label. all: (reax)

well time now for another short break... but when we come back... not having your wallet won't money at an a-t- m...just make sure you have your phone. ...but first here's what happened last night on jimmy kimmel live.

"you're watching good morning iowa in hd. we are iowa." elias: on your money now elias: if you don't have your debit card...j-p-morgan chase says you can still make a withdrawal. just use a smart phone. the bank is upgrading its entire fleet of a-t-ms this year. it says one of

function that allows customers to take money out of their account by tapping their phones to the a- t-m. the technology used is the same one that allows apple-pay and other payment apps to work. elias: and a big television merger announced wednesday... our parent company... nexstar broadcasting is now the owner of media general. the local tv station group says the deal is worth 4 point 6 billion dollars. nexstar will now own 171 stations in 100 markets across the u-s. the new name of the company will be nexstar media group, it will be the largest independent owner of c-b-s affiliates. elias: and finally...it's national data privacy day the annual day is for raising awareness and promoting privacy and data protection best practices. so get your computers checked out and cleaned of viruses or

and remember to keep your personal information safe when surfing the web. elias: that's a look at your money this morning... coming up after the break... sam's in with central iowa's most accurate forecast... but first...a quick look at traffic... this is i-235 at euclid... [current conditions] good morning iowa returns after this.

"you're watching good moring iowa in hd. we are iowa's most accurate weather team. good morning iowa starts now " elias: thanks for joining us on your [day of week] morning, i'm sabrina ahmed. elias: and i'm elias johnson... elias: weather is

in with central iowa's most accurate forecast... meteorologist sam schreier. sam: (adlib toss) sam weather adlib: yesterday ended up weather adlib: yesterday ended up feeling pretty nice with our highs climbing to a pleasant 41 degrees! cooler winds and afternoon cloud cover will keep things in the upper 30s today here in the metro, but i'm sure there will be a few 40s in western and southern iowa. overnight tonight we'll see partly cloudy skies with calm winds and a low in the mid 20s. friday is looking like a partly cloudy to partly sunny day with warm southerly winds warming us up into the mid 40s. saturday will start with sun but clouds will return in the afternoon, but despite that cloud cover highs will still feel amazing in the upper 40s! we may see a few early morning showers on sunday with highs falling back into the low 40s. there is still a large snow storm expected to

wednesday morning. the energy from this system still has to cross the entire pacific ocean so it's still too early for reliable snowfall totals, but it is safe to say heavy accumulating snow is a possibility on tuesday. elias: elias: let's keep an eye on education...as we check in at the statehouse. elias: its a waiting game for iowa school districts....as the education funding issue moves through the statehouse. lawmakers started with a 4 percent increase, then it changed to 2 percent - that wasn't agreed upon either. which now sends it to a special conference committee. that's where it was stuck for much of the session last

legislators made a final decision. this year, lawmakers have said it's their top priority and they'll decide on possible. iowa lawmakers also looking over a controversial bill this session. elias: called the death with dignity act....it would give those suffereing from terminal illness the choice of euthenasia or assisted suicide. lawmakers who will introduce the bill held a news conference wednesday. and iowans suffering from stories. christine 15:21 i don't want this bill passed before it's my time. my family and friends want this bill to be passed. john 19:48 i believe it is a basic human right to choose not only how we live, but also how we die. elias: the controversial bill will likely spark debate....a similar measure was introduced last year but didn't have enough support. opposition to the bill came from some religious groups... elias:

hear from you at home... miles says quote "it should be the right of a terminally ill patient to be in charge of his or her end to life." sondra says that her mother was diagnosed with cancer...and given only two years to live... but she fought and lived another eleven years... she says quote..."what a loss if she listened to the doctor's prediction! never give up and have faith are two lessons i have learned from her." elias: and keep the discussion going... do you support the death with dignity act? let us know -- you can post you thoughts on twitter and facebook. or send us an email or give us a call . the contact information is on your screen. elias: your screen. elias: with four days elias: with four days until the iowa caucuses....prepa reations are in full swing... setup in downtown des moines began yesterday... elias:

all media coverage will be headquartered there as the numbers roll in on monday. the latest polls show a tight race for both parties....with candidates ramping up for a big weekend of events across the hawkeye state... trying to sway as many voters as possible before monday. elias: and all eyes on tonight's republican debate in the hawkeye state. the republicans look to clash...without donald trump on the stage. the gop frontrunner...sp eaking out...on why he's not attending..and what he will be doing instead of participating in the debate. abc's ray raimundi explains. " the fox news - donald trump debate controversy continues this morning? both sides engaged in a high- stakes game of "chicken" just hours before tonights final debate (from tuner 4 donald trump on oreilly factor fnc c 16 012716) sot: 20:18:20: 00 o'reilly: "but by walking away from the debate, you are not giving them...." trump: i'm not walking away. i was pushed

away, bill." o'reilly: "you are walking away." trump -- defending his decision to skip out on the republican debate on fox news (from turner 4 donald trump on oreilly factor fnc c 16 012716) sot @ 20:02:05:00 "i was not treated well by fox. i have zero respect for megyn kelly. i don't think she is very good at what she does. i think she is highly overrated." and the gop frontrunner's republican counterparts -- pouncing on his decision to be a no show. particularly senator ted cruz (from wsvote2016wedpkg4 sot: ted cruz "if someone did that, didn't show up at the interview, you know what you'd say? you're fired!" the texas senator also now challenging trump to a one on one. debate trump tweeting his response - saying "okay-can we do it in canada?" insert nats from sanders rally in mason city: wssandersmasoncityia on the democratic side...bernie sanders

he'd like to replace at the whitehouse. president obama and sanders long discussed meeting was a way for the president to show neutrality in the close primary race. nats back in iowa? former president bill clinton stumping for his wife ahead of monday's caucuses ray tag: donald trump says he will be holding a fundraiser for veterans in iowa...at the same time of the fox news debate...just two miles away. rr, abc news, new york." news, new york." elias: we're back with meterologist sam schreier... sam: (sam adlibs) sam: weather adlib: yesterday ended up feeling pretty nice with our highs climbing to a pleasant 41 degrees! cooler winds and afternoon

things in the upper 30s today here in the metro, but i'm sure there will be a few 40s in western and southern iowa. overnight tonight we'll see partly cloudy skies with calm winds and a low in the mid 20s. friday is looking like a partly cloudy to partly sunny day with warm southerly winds warming us up into the mid 40s. saturday will start with sun but clouds will return in the afternoon, but despite that cloud cover highs will still feel amazing in the upper 40s! we may see a few early morning showers on sunday with highs falling back into the low 40s. there is still a large snow storm expected to impact iowa late monday through wednesday morning. the energy from this system still has to cross the entire pacific ocean so it's still too early for reliable snowfall totals, but it is safe to say heavy accumulating snow is a

elias: a call to end the protest in oregon tops our look at national headlines. elias: ammon bundy, leader of the armed group occupying a federal wildlife refuge, has asked his followers to stand down. bundy and several protestors were arrested tuesday on federal charges, with one protestor killed during the arrest. officials say the

waistband, where he had a gun, and swat team members opened fire. through his lawyer, bundy asked his followers to end the occupation. the group is being held without bail. elias: and a university of missouri communications professor may lose her job because of her involvement in a confrontation with student photographers. mizzou's board of curators debated for about four hours last night -- and then decided to suspend melissa click.. during november protests over racism on the school's campus, click was caught on-camera ordering student journalists to leave and asking for - quote -- "muscle" to remove one of them. elias: and here's an animal you don't see every day. it's a two-headed turtle! its owner brought the turtle to a south miami animal hospital

the vet says the six-year-old turtle is surprisingly healthy, as similar turtles usually don't live very long. the turtle is now headed to a new life at a zoo in the philippines. elias: at ((time check)) we'll take a short break here on good morning iowa... coming up, the awareness of football and brain injuries grows even more following new details in the death of tyler sash elias: but before we go...as you get ready to start your day...be safe out on the roads.... des moines police will have mobile radar set up at three locations... the first at the nine-hundred block of southeast sixth....that's southbound. another at the 17-hundred block of park avenue...facing eastbound. and the third at the 14-hundred block of 55th...northboun d. so use caution while driving.. elias: while we're at it... a quick look at traffic... this is i-235 at mlk... [current conditions] good morning iowa continues after this!

morning iowa in hd with elias johnson, sabrina ahmed and we are iowas most accurate forecast with meteorologist sam schreier. this is good morning iowa." elias: nearly 4 days after the blizzard of 2016, people in baltimore say they feel like they're being skipped... despite officials saying 98 percent of roads have been plowed at least once.... some residents still have streets blocked with snow. snow crews say this heavy snow is making it difficult for equipment to get through but they will sabrina: anchor toss to wx

weather adlib: elias: the news from doctors that the late tyler sash had advanced traumatic injury to his brain after years of hits on the gridiron....has added to the debate over whether kids should be allowed to play contact football. sahs's family donated the young man's brain to science...

then found c-t-e, a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated trauma. according to their findings...the disease had advanced to a stage rarely seen in someone sash's age. elias: because of the national attention drawn to football- related brain injuries, people across the coutry and iowa have been contemplating alternatives. many organizations and community leagues, like the y-m-c-a already have flag football leagues for younger kids. it's designed for kids in kindergarten through sixth grade to learn the basics of the game, before throwing on a helmet and shoulder pads. organizers say it will help with technique later on. ryan westerkamp, ymca sports and youth director: "you learn some of the basic skills of football, whether it's running routes, how to throw properly, you know how to do those things. and when you add pads and a helmet to that and then you have to teach them how to tackle, some of the kids just can't

time." elias: from the department of and boston university found that 96 percent of former n-f-l players suffered from the study also around 80 percent of athletes who'd at the high above had the same type of brain disease. elias: we have lots more good morning iowa ahead...but first here's abc's kendis gibson and reena ninan with america's money. america's money: good morning. topping "america's money"... a possible change coming to yo good morning. topping "america's money" -- a possible change coming to your cable box. >> under a proposal, could purchase the device. >> reporter: right now, everybody must lease the box from their provider.

possible security breach. the fast-food chain said it has reports of unusual active/of cards that had recently been used at its locations zblmpbl and just for the look of it. diet coke is hoping to refresh of its brand with some splashy new graphics. >> it creates it's mine, to implode colors on cans. no two cans will be alike. >> okay if you say so. that's "america's money." >> have a great day, everyone. before earning enough cash back from bank of america to help pay for her kids' ice time. before earning 1% cash back everywhere, every time. and 2% back at the grocery store. even before she got 3% back on gas,

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"now, we are iowa's

meteorologist sam schreier. certified by weatherrate the independent weather experts" sam weather adlib: put script here in green yesterday ended up feeling pretty nice with our highs climbing to a pleasant 41 degrees! cooler winds and afternoon cloud cover will keep things in the upper 30s today here in the metro, but i'm sure there will be a few 40s in western and southern iowa. overnight tonight we'll see partly cloudy skies with calm winds and a low in the mid 20s. friday is looking like a partly cloudy to partly sunny day with warm southerly winds warming us up into the mid 40s. saturday will start with sun but clouds will return in the afternoon, but despite that cloud cover highs will still feel amazing in the upper 40s! we may see a few early morning showers on sunday with highs falling back into the low 40s. there is still a large snow storm expected to

monday through wednesday morning. the energy from this system still has to cross the entire pacific ocean so it's still too early for reliable snowfall totals, but it is safe to say heavy accumulating snow is a possibility on tuesday.

toss back. elias: time for another short break here on good morning iowa .... a quick look outside as you get ready to start your day....when we return, a look at the top stories in our morning refresh. elias: : do you have a story for us...or a comment you want to share? well be sure to contact us. you can email us or call our newsroom... we're also on facebook.... "we are iowa local 5 news" and twitter "we are iowa 5 news" if you see news break... let us know. we are iowa and we want to cover the

"you're watching good morning iowa in hd. we are iowa." elias: welcome back everyone....as we wrap up our first hour, let's take a quick look at the top stories... elias: we recap your headlines...in the morning refresh... elias: state lawmakers continue debating school funding....which now goes to a special conference committee elias: the concerns over brain injuries from full-contact football has some looking at alternatives. elias: while he may not be on the stage, donald trump will still be a major topic for tonight's debate. elias: and the man at the head of the protest at an oregon wildlife refuge calls for the occupation to end. elias: plus, the casting

stirred up a lot of controversy. elias: time now for another short break... but when we come back... a first in an iowa correctional facility....those in the linn county juvenile detention center get a chance to try out yoga.. plus sam's in with a look at your morning forecast! another full hour of good morning iowa... is right after this. " nexstar copyright"

moring iowa in hd. we are iowa's most accurate weather team. good morning iowa starts now " elias: good morning iowa!

it's x:00 a-m on thursday