good morning. good morning. breaking overnight, dangerous new wildfires exploding across southern california destroying homes, threatening to consume tens of thousands more. we're live on the front lines. here it comes, 61 million people from texas all the way to maine set for the first major snowstorm of the season. an icy mix already causing problems in the south and dylan is tracking it all. boiling point. new violence, new protests in jerusalem over president trump's decision to recognize that city as israel's capital. nbc's richard engel in the thick of it all. those stories, plus, shocking verdict. the police officer shoots and kills an unarmed father

so why did the jury just find the officer not guilty? a fact check at whole foods. and then -- ♪ ed sheeran here live for a perfect performance, today, december 8th, 2017. >> announcer: from nbc news, this is "today," live from studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. good morning, everybody. welcome to "today." it's friday. nice to have youç with us. >> it's friday. >> we're so happy. >> and we have ed sheeran with us. >> it's going to be a great day. but we have a lot to get to and it's a tough time in california. those worsening wildfires there. a new one has now roared to live near san diego while crews in and around los angeles struggle

we want to get to nbc correspondent miguel almaguer. miguel, good morning to you. >> reporter: savannah, good morning. some 500 structures have been destroyed. this is the scene that's been playing out in this community. the fires can travel for miles and wipe out neighborhoods still standing. this morning, six fires are now burning out of control up and down the southern california coast. firefighters being stretched to the limits, pushing in to day five of battling the blazes. extending from santa barbara to l.a. with a bird's-eye view, here is the northern most blaze. >> the thomas fire has made its way all the way to the pacific ocean. >> reporter: the thomas fire in ventura county, just a few hours north

115,000 acres of land, nearly 500 structures damaged or destroyed. fire officials say gusty winds and dry conditions could keep firefighters on the ground for at least another week. the neighborhood now blackened and charred. it's not just the wind but visibility. firefighters are having a difficult time tracking these fires and they are all on the move. the fast-moving fire leaving patricia hampton and her family just 20 minutes to grab their most cherished belongings. >> the ash was so thick and the fire was huge. >> reporter: counties beyond just the city light and now a new blaze, the lilac fire, burning rapidly across san diego. thick, black smoke billowing above. already thousands of acres on fire there. a state of emergencyor

evacuations and road closures in effect. a mobile home park and other structures destroyed by the fast-moving flames. >> extreme weather that we're facing. as a result, we're seeing extreme weather behavior. >> reporter: dozens of horses were killed while hundreds of thoroughbreds were evacuated to the nearby del mar fairgrounds. more than 6,000 personnel are fighting fires and fatigue. the battle to save the golden state red hot and far from over. the santa ana winds will now weaken in sunday. that's the good news. the bad news is, they will become more erratic pushing these fires in multiple directions. they cannot catch a break in southern california. hoda, savannah? >> thank you. we're keeping an eye on the first snow of the season for millions of people from

dylan is in for al this morning. >> from texas to new england. >> hello. >> houston is 31 degrees so it's a very bizarre situation. baton rouge has only seen measurable snow 23 times and right now is the 23 times. here's the snow from southern texas which extends 2,000 miles up into new england. we have winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings in effect. this includes the suburbs of atlanta where we'll see delays at the airport. winter we had they ared advisories, too. we've got the cold air on the western side of this storm system. so the immediate coastline of north and south carolina, that's all rain. but you go inland a little bit where the air is colder and we're going to see that snow continue to pile up. so let's take a look at some of the snowfall estimates we're expecting. jackson, mississippi, about 2 inches of snow. these purples and

where we get into the 4 to 4-inch range and into virginia we could see 4 to 6 inches and new jersey, up to 4 inches. i say a widespread 2 to 4 inches into boston. keep in mind, a lot of this will accumulate on the grassy surfaces because it's been so mild lately that the roads will be, for the most part, okay but it's time to get the training wheels on. >> it's hard to imagine how wide of a swath this is. >> out of nowhere. >> dylan, thank you. now to a major shakeup on capitol hill. al franken announced that he's stepping down because of allegations of sexual misconduct against him. he was not the only lawmaker to resign on thursday. kasie hunt is on capitol hill for us. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. senator al franken bowing to intense pressure within his own party and stepping asi

against president trump on his way out. on capitol hill this morning, a dramatic fall from grace. senator al franken now on his way out. >> in the coming weeks, i will be resigning as a member of the united states senate. >> reporter: at times defensive. >> some of the allegations against me are simply not true. others, i remember, very differently. >> reporter: and also reflective, arguing he's earned a reputation as a champion of women. >> i know there's been a very different picture of me painted over the last few weeks but i know who i really am. >> reporter: and taking a parting shot across the aisle. >> i, of all people, am i weawa that there is some irony in the fact that i am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the oval office. >> reporter: it's a stunning end to the politicale

former snl star who became a punch line. >> i know this photo looks bad but, remember, it also is bad. >> franken apologized to leanne tweeden and tried to keep his job. but when a seventh victim came forward, his party turned on him. >> do you think it was the right thing to do? >> i think it was. >> reporter: drawing a line in the sand on bad behavior. if roy moore, who denied multiple allegations of sexual misconduct with teenagers wins the alabama senate race next tuesday. >> this is not our best foot forward with roy moore and it will have, i think, long-term damage for the party. >> reporter: also in trouble this morning, republican congressman trent franks of arizona announcing last night he plans to resign next month amid an ethics committee against sexual misconduct. he acknowledged that he talked to former fle

children saying, "i deeply regret that my discussion of this option and process in the workplace caused distress." franks is joining john conyers who has stepped down after thousands across the country have said, me, to. th next to minnesota, the democratic governor will appoint someone to temporarily fill franken's seat. savannah, hoda? >> kasie, thank you very much. we're seeing new violence and protests in the middle east following president trump's decision to recognize jerusalem as the capital of israel. nbc's richard engel is right there in jerusalem in the thick of things. richard, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, hoda. we are in east jerusalem. behind me is damascus

city, which is a maze of small alleys and streets. we were in the old city to cover palestinian demonstrations against president trump's recent statement and while we were there we found ourselves in the midst of the israeli crackdown. clashes this morning over jerusalem in jerusalem as palestinians left a mosque in jerusalem's old city. palestinians trying to demonstrate but israeli security forces were ready for them. police are not allowing the protesters to move out of the old city. breaking up the demonstrators with force. pushing and shoving down the narrow allies. they are trying to prevent people from gathering and reaching the main street and trying to break up the demonstration. but before they are able to congregate, for the palestinians, this is their way of showing that

to accept the israeli claim to jerusalem. palestinians want this old city and its mosque to be the centerpiece of their future capital but president trump seemed to rule that out, backing israel, which claims all of jerusalem as its own. and this isn't just the battle over real estate. for many muslims, this is an issue of faith and justice. across the islamic world, this mosque is revered as protests have spread to turkey and pakistan and many other places where they believe president trump is trying to give control to the islamic holy site to israel, a move, they say, they will fight for. there have been other clashes in jerusalem and other palestinian areas in the west bank. we spoke to israel's police spokesman and he said expert security forces have been deployed here in jerusalem. he wouldn't say how many but it's enough to contain the situation.

[000:11:59;00] in the meantime, the crisis over a looming government shutdown has been solved temporarily. nbc's national correspondent peter alexander has more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, savannah. president trump is going to sign that spending bill today. the bottom line here, when it comes to the threat of a government shutdown, congress effectively kicked the can down the street until later this month. capitol hill crisis averted, at least for now. >> the motion to reconsider is on the table. >> the joint resolution has passed. >> reporter: republicans avoiding a shutdown ahead of today's deadline passing a short-term bill to fund the government but only for another two weeks pushing it to december 22nd, just before christmas. the votes coming hours after president trump hosted congressional leaders, including chuck schumer and nancy pelosi

who bailed on an invitation just laste demands for money for opioid disaster and disaster relief. compounding the challenge for republicans, their race to put a tax cut bill on the president's desk by chris. also on the hill, just days after president trump tweeted that the fbi was in tatters, the bureau's director christopher wray defended the reputation of the fbi. >> there is no finer institution than the fbi and the men and women who work there and are its very beating heart. >> reporter: in a politically charged hearing with republicans casting doubt on robert mueller. meanwhile, congressman john

lewis who was beaten for defending civil rights will avoid the ceremony. he says it's an insult to the people portrayed in this civil rights museum. the white house calling it unfortunate that lewis and another congressional black caucus member won't be attending. alater today, president trump will head south for a campaign-style rally and just days before alabama's senate election, roy moore is not expected to attend. the white house says the president will have a physical exam early next year, that the results of it will be made public. press secretary sarah huckabee sanders dismissed his health saying that his throat was dry. savannah, hoda, back to you. >> peter alexander, thank you. also this morning, we are learning more about the victims and the gunman in a deadly shooting at a high school in new mexico. nbc's tammy leitner is there.

good morning, tammy. >> reporter: goor still so many unanswered questions this morning. we still don't know if the shooter was a student at the school or why he did this. what we do know is that a small tight-knit community has come together and is grieving the loss of two teenaged victims. >> do we have contact with the school? >> this morning, police are trying to determine a motive in a deadly high school shooting. sg i think i'm at the bottom of the stairs in the middle of that building right now. the window's shot out. i think the officers went inside. >> description of the suspect? anyone have description of suspect? >> reporter: two students were killed at this remote high school in aztec, new mexico. the victims were identified as francisco fernandez and high school junior casey jordan marquez. >> she was a wonderful girl and i know she'd be very happy that

people are here to witnessed a very heinous and horrific act and there are two children who have been killed. >> reporter: the suspect also dead. officials describing the shooter as a male but offering few other details. it happened early thursday as classes were getting under way. shots rang out. [ gunfire ] terrified students and teachers hiding in classrooms, some behind locked doors. >> there was a lot of banging going around and the next thing we knew our teachers were yelling for us to get in the closet and that it was gunshots. >> these are places where we send our kids to be safe. >> reporter: some residents in disbelief. others offering their condolences to the fallen. >> i'm so grateful that you were out here tonight. so grateful for you to be here and support each other in this

horrific event that has taken place in our school and i just want to tell my students, i love you guys. >> reporter: this small community now left to pick up the pieces. classes have been canceled today. authorities still have not released the name of the gunman or how he died. we're expecting an update in a few hours from the sheriff's office. hoda? >> tammy, thanks so much. sad story out there in new mexico. another check of the weather. miss dylan is here. >> good morning, guys. taking a look at what is going on across the rest of the country, we have fires in the southwest. instead of 80-mile-per-hour gusts we'll see 60-mile-per-hour wind gusts. very poor air quality. lake-effect snow in the east and then snow from texas to new england. that's a look at national weather.

your local forecast in 30 se good morning. temperatures are cold and mid-to upper 30s. 38 in washington and there is a storm system pretty far down to the south by the time it organizes offshore, here's what it will look like locally, late tonight early tomorrow. we'll start to have the snow moving at 8:00 a.m. for your saturday. we're going to be on the edge of this thing so by lunchtime it will clear out. could see 1 to 3 inches around

the district and less than one farther north and west. >> dylan, thank you. just ahead , disturbing video. a police officer kills an unarmed father and why the jury found him not guilty of murder. amazon promises to slash prices since buying whole foods. but have they? first, this is "today" on nbc. p. but have they?

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walgreens. trusted since 1901. 7:26 is your time now on this friday, december 8th, 2017. good morning to you, i'm eun yang. >> we can see our first snowflakes of the season today. this morning, v-d.o.t. is heading out to make sure the roads are ready for the flakes. authorities will temporarily shut down parts of 95 in stafford county to begin searching for pamela butler's remains. the d.c. woman disappeared in 2009. virginia state police will close the access point to the 95 express lanes starting at 10:00 a.m. now we want to check on your commute with melissa mollet.

good morning. >> good beltway. slow up top but that's pretty normal. on the left side, southbound coalsville, back to virginia now eastbound 7 before belmont ridge road a. crash blocking the left side there. >> thank you, mel sa. >> a check of your forecast is

next. good morning. we're in the 30s, mid-to upper 30s across the area right now. 36 in leesburg and 35 in clinton. we have snow coming for tomorrow. it's going to start in the morning. by noon, it starts to pull away but temperatures will be very cold. we are looking at about 1 to 3 inch ace cro inches across the district. only less than one farther north and west. through the weekend,

temperatures only reach the upp stay. we're still in the 30s for daytime highs, guys. >> bundle up. thanks, sheena. another local news update in 25 minutes. >> for now, back to the "today" show. and get expert backup in the blink of an eye. because safety is never being satisfied and always working to be better. well it's a perfect nespresso hold on a second.orge. mmm. ♪ [mel torme sings "comin' home baby"] hey there. want a lift? ♪ where are we going? no don't tell me. let me guess. ♪ have a nice ride. ♪ how far would you go for coffee that's a cup above? i brought you nespresso. nespresso. what else? bp is taking safety glasses to a whole new level. using augmented reality

so engineers in the field can share data because safety is never being satisfied and always working to be better. good morning, everybody. it's 7:30, it's friday, the 8th of december 2017. >> the weekend is upon us. let's get a look at the headlines starting with new fires exploding in southern california. >> inferno. wildfires ravaged southern california as hundreds of thousands are forced from their homes and firefighters from l.a. to san diego race to battle the flames. >> its hot embers flying through the air. they can wipe out a neighborhood in minutes. >> while the first storm of the season brings snow and icy cool temperatures from texas to new england. >> a new day of rage.

more violent following president trump's decision to recognize jerusalem as the capital of israel. nbc's richard engel caught in that chaotic scene this morning. >> reporter: for the palestinians, this is their way of showing that they are going to accept the israeli claim to jerusalem. >> hoping and praying. pittsburgh steelers ryan shazier undergoes spinal surgery following that scary injury monday night as fans and teammates rally around the star. out of the box idea. ups launches a pilot program using golf carts instead of delivery trucks to help ease the crush of over crowding streets this season. and a slice of history. pizza chefs take to the streets as neopolitan pizza making is recognized as an art form. >> it's about time. >> yes. >> how about pizza eating as an art form.

we're going to n disturbing story. a stunning verdict tied to a police shooting that happened in arizona. nbc's morgan radford is here. this is tough to watch. >> it's an incredibly difficult video to see. good morning, guys. this morning, there's a family in mourning and a community in shock that a former officer found not guilty of second-degree murder and this disturbing video has been released of an unarmed arizona man being shot by the police. in the moments before the gun goes off, it shows the man sobbing, begging, pleading for police not to shoot him. and what his family attorney calls an execution. plain and simple. >> you do that again, we're shooting you. >> do not shoot me. >> then listen to my instructions. >> i'm trying to -- >> don't talk. listen. >> newly released body cam footage showing the final minutes of daniel shaver's life. >> crawl towards me. >> sir -- >> don't --

[ gunfire ] >> thei arizona police officer philip brailsford not guilty. >> not guilty. >> during the trial, brailsford told jurors he thought the 26-year-old father of two was reaching for a gun. his attorney referencing a point in the video when shaver appears to move his right hand towards his waistband. >> when movements look like it's going towards a weapon, you have one second to make up your mind. >> reporter: shaver, whos had been drinking, may have been trying to pull up his pants. this happened in january 2016 at a hotel in mesa, arizona. officers were called to the scene after reports of a man pointing a rifle out a window. according to officials, shaver did have a pellet gun in his room but didn't have it on him when he was shot. in a facebook post from 2016, shaver's widow called for justice. >> what happened was wrong and i

hope one day justice will come will give me answers for why they killed him. >> the video shown at the trial was only made public after the officer was found not guilty of both manslaughter and second-degree murder. the widow is now suing the police department for $75 million. >> that's hard to watch. quite a verdict, morgan. thank you very much. we head over to dylan dreyer for a check of the weather. >> we're focusing on the conditions in the southwest. still critical of fire danger because of the very dry conditions and gusty winds. this is southwestern, california. take a look at the winds. they are expected to gust up to 60 miles per hour and up into los angeles, 35 to 40-mile-per-hour gusts which is enough wind to help spread the fires. without any rain in sight, it's

not going to help firefighters at northwest, we have air quality advisories in effect. the cold front will reinforce some of the lake-effect snow in the great lakes. louisiana, alabama, mississippi and eventually all the way up into new england as we go through the weekend. that's a look at the weather across the country. now here's a peak out your window. >> good friday morning. we're in the 30s as you head out the door. 38 degrees in washington. 35 in dulles and clinton. as we go through the evening, we see the edge of the storm system bringing part of the snow. early tomorrow morning, snow is falling across most of the area if you're farther north and west. a much lower chance clearing afternoon tomorrow but we could see 1 to 3 inches around the district. 2 to 4 if you're farther north and west. >> this "sunday night football" weather is brought to you by

this sunday night football is brought to you by verizon. >> watch live, local and primetime games with nfl mobile. only on verizon. all right. who is ready for "sunday night football" in america? the baltimore ravens are playing. it's going to be very chilly. 26 by game time. windchill at 26. you can catch the steers and ravens sunday night on nbc. coverage begins at 7:00 eastern. it's football night in america. >> dylan, you did a great job. >> thank you. >> we need to tell al. >> dylan, thank you. coming up, decorating a pineapple instead of a tree in a few of the holiday season's bizarre new trends. and from the highly anticipated new movie "the

showman," zac live. and this teenager's story will inspire you to give back as well. plus, amazon under fire. is it slashing prices at whole foods? all of that coming up after this. what are you asking santa for? i want a rabbit! (train whistle blowing) hey, thomas. that's not how you get a rabbit. if you want a rabbit, you ask for a pony and then let them work you back down. mm-hmm. you're up! what if aunt joy wants the new iphone? you make this your final offer: ask for it on verizon. it's the most awarded network ever. that's why more people count on it. i'd like a giant singing rabbit in a rocket ship, please. she's a shrewd businesswoman. (vo) give the gift of any iphone and get up to $300 off. only on the best network. when food is good and clean and real, it's ok to crave. and with panera catering, there's more to go around. panera. food as it should be.

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♪ ♪ ♪ that's a happy crowd. we're back, 7:41. an nbc news reality check. >> when amazon bought whole foods, it promised to slash prices. now three months later, how much have the prices really dropped? nbc's tom costello is at whole foods in maryland. tom, good morning. >> reporter: hi, ladies, good morning. a lot of people have been waiting for the prices to drop. but so far, there doesn't seem to be much evidence of it in the grocery aisle. we covered it, sure to drop

prices lower. >> on day one, customers say the form of lower prices. >> reporter: from avocado to kale, amazon is coming out swinging. >> it remains to be seen. >> i haven't noticed. i haven't noticed that the prices are lower. >> i would like to see them come down more. >> reporter: for a reality check, nbc compared prices at a seattle whole foods to prices last august of roughly 35,000 items for sale, just 269 were flagged as lower since the merger. across the country in massachusetts, consumer investigator went to three whole foods and found just 254 items were flagged, on average. >> they carry somewhere between 10,000 and 35,000 items in the store, so that means between 97 and 99% of the items were not cut in price. >> reporter: another study in new jersey found prices down just over 1%.

in a statement, the company amazon have a shared goal to bring the highest quality, natural and organic food, at affordable prices to everyone and we're just getting started. but near boston, wendy says she hasn't seen it yet. >> the quality of the food is still very good. the prices still seem to be about the same price point. i haven't seen any difference. >> reporter: still, many grocery analysts say amazon is cutting prices strategically to gain a competitive edge. >> this is an all-out war that amazon whole foods is going against walmart, going against every other supermarket in the country. >> reporter: whole foods still very popular, of course, and it is offering discounts to amazon prime customers. but here's what is interesting. whole foods itself does not have a really developed customer loyalty program with the database on their buying habit. so now they've got to build that database and then, according to

experts, you'll start to to target what people are buying and hopefully get them to come down even more. guys, back to you. >> tom, thank you for that. >> you can get us a couple of wheatgrass, tom, since you're there. let's go over to carson. hi, carson. >> how are you? coming up, the tale of the tattooed santa. why many people are racing to his defense. first, these messages. more people shop online for the holidays than ever before. (clapping) and the united states postal service delivers more of those purchases to homes than anyone else in the country. ( ♪ ) because we know, even the smallest things are sometimes the biggest. what bad knee?u'll ask gs what throbbing head?

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> a little bit of a controversy over a santa at the mall. >> this will be telling of what kind of person you. for 20 years, this is scott who has been dressing up at parties, you name it, he'll go there. he's dedicated to his crowd and got these stattoos, naughty and nice, on his arm. he's known for taking more goofy poses with your kids. he will even take pictures with your pets. santa has developed quite the following. but this year, a mall hiring company asked santa scott to cover up the tattoos and tone down on the goofiness to preserve the tradition of santa. people online are weighing in. "let santa scott be himself. we love him."

>> if i'm paying, i want the pictures how i want th and yes, santa scott is his job and jobs have rules. here's the survey. wa do you think of the controversy? 67% say, yes, keep it goofy. 37% say tone it down. do you want to have this picture with this santa scott? >> this particular helper and if you want a more traditional santa, go to a different mall. >> exactly. >> who do you want your picture with, savannah? which one? this one or -- >> santa scott just for fun. >> do you want him to put you upside down? >> i would mind that. very lightheaded. all right. straight ahead, zac efron will be here with us and ed sheeran tapping off a big week for him with, what else, a live performance here in our studio. can't wait. first, your local news and weather.

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new power. ♪ this is a news4 news break. >> 7:56 is your time. good morning to you. i'm eun yang. we go to melissa mollet for a check on traffic. >> looking good at the top of the beltway but no major incidentses incidents to tell you about. a crash blocking the left side there. 270 southbound at old 100. 270 through that area is still throw. 355 is shut down. >> thank you, melissa. a quick break and check of the forecast next.

stay with us. good morning. temperatures in the 30s and feels like 34 but it's pretty cloud out there. we keep the clouds around today and tomorrow the snow moves in. here's your saturday forecast. snow falling by the timt ye you wake up and through the afternoon it's staying pretty cold. cloudy and dry, 42 for the high. we have a weather alert because of that snow. >> thank you, sheena. another local news update.

back to the "today" show after the break. it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, relentless fires. coming up on "today," relentless fires. southern california bracing for another day of fast-moving flames. 200,000 evacuated. 23,000 homes threatened. firefighters on the front lines not spared from the tragedies. >> you knew your house was in trouble? >> i knew my house was in deep trouble, yeah. >> lester holt with that heartbreaking story. and a star-studded morning to

talk to the greatest >> i don't have an act. >> and i came all the way from north carolina. >> it is our first time in new york city. >> what do you want this morning? >> a selfie with hoda. >> we want to be on the "today" show. >> you came here from st. louis to celebrate what? >> check out what we have here on the plaza this morning. a few thousand of the closest friends. look at that crowd. >> you know what they may not

realize? they are celebrating a one-year birthday of young charlie. by the way, you guys, this time last year, savannah was giving birth to that cute little button. >> it was right at 8:00. >> it was. it really was. >> my little man. >> can you believe he's 1? >> i can't. i can't. so blessed. what a little doll. love him so much. let's do the whole hour of pictures of charlie. by the way, our producer is celebrating a birthday today. we adore you. >> love you, honey. we've got to get to the news at 8:00 and firefighters now battling six major wildfires across southern california this morning. wind-driven flames have scorched thousands of acres and destroyed hundreds of structures as well. nbc national correspondent miguel almaguer has the latest in ventura. good morning to you. >> reporter: savannah, good morning.

the thomas fire, the most destructive of the fires, have damaged or destroyed some 500 homes. i want to give you a live look of our affiliate in los angeles who is flying over the blaze. you can see it's still on the move. smoke is still popping out and mother nature remains in control. >> from the hillside to the sea, a relentless wave of fire. narrowly missing others, stretching crews here to the limit. a firestorm exploding even further south in rural san diego county. fueled by winds gusting up to 35 miles an hour. a new fire exploding out of control in just hours, swallowing everything in its path. flames going house to house taking out entire blocks of one neighborhood as emergency

responders rush to clear scene. six major wildfires now choking southern california from san diego to santa barbara closing highways and schools. threatening 20,000 homes. dozens of horses were killed as hundreds of thoroughbreds escape the fast-moving flames. another devastating day in this late-season windstorm. the fire feeding on bone-dry vegetation. >> what is you are prices you, if anything, about this fire? >> the intensity of the event and the size of the event. we've got winds that have affected from santa barbara all the way down to the mexican border. it's all happening at the same time. >> reporter: in ventura county where the landscape has forever been changed, the fire fight continues around the clock. >> that's just pure devastation to see your family's home just gone.

>> reporter: crews and neighbors working tireless weaken into sunday and fire officials say it will remain extreme through the weekend. savannah? >> far from over. miguel, thank you very much. thousands of firefighters are on the front lines battling the fires and at least one of them is feeling the impact personally. lester holt has that story. >> you knew your house was in trouble? >> i knew my house was in deep trouble, yeah. >> reporter: for ventura county, the raging california fires hitting home and battling an intense blaze, the captain reached out to a colleague stationed in his neighborhood. >> asked him to go by and check our house and he texted me back saying, sorry, you know, it's gone.

>> reporter: thankfully, his family got out safely gbi whatever they could before fleeing. >> how do you decide what to take? >> i grab pictures and stuff and the other things could be replaced but you look back in retrospect, everything is going so fast. >> reporter: fire is coming out of a canyon and the wind right in this direction and blew through this neighborhood with incredible speed and intensity. people are coming back to see what is left. while we were there, tom's wife lauren seeing the remains of their home for the first time. >> sorry. >> reporter: the lansky's able to salvage a few photos and heirlooms. but despite their personal loss, perspective. >> we are all okay. if he didn't come home and my house was here, i would not be okay. >> reporter: with a house of memories now reduced to ash, tom is springing back into action on

the front lines helping others in knowing that you're paying it forward? >> absolutely. i want to go back out there and help as best i can. >> reporter: lester holt, nbc news, ventura, california. >> can you imagine? >> no. they have such perspective. >> yeah. absolutely. and now to politics, capitol hill and a major shakeup there in both the senate and the house. as expected senator al franken announced he is stepping down amid accusations of groping and improper advances from at least seven women. the former "snl" comedian says he remembers those incidents differently and took a parting shot at his rivalry. >> i am aware that there is some irony in the fact that i am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits

in the oval office. >> fra republican congressman trent franks of arizona said he'll resign next month amid an ethics committee investigation into misconduct. house officials learned that he had allegedly asked two female employees to bear his child as a surrogate. >> there is more unrest in and around jerusalem today following president trump's decision to recognize the city as the capital of israel. israel deployed extra troops after a so-called day of rage and pro restests are also takin place in gaza. violence left dozens hurt. and it's 8:08. no bigger thrill than seeing a loved one you haven't seen in a long time. there are two sisters living in australia and they returned home to portland, oregon, and only

one ing ththing, they didn't te their mom that they were coming. got home from the store. >> these are my pink socks for football. >> how are you doing? >> i'm fine. [ laughter ] oh! >> come on, that's it. that's all you need to watch. >> who cares. look at that. >> i loved the conversation five seconds before. >> by the way, the hug goes on for so long. >> there's a lot more ahead from half trees to decorating pineapples, we are checking out and debating some of the strange holiday trends. >> and we'll talk to zac efron. >> first, megyn kelly.

>> do you have trouble drawing red blotch o red blotches on your face? it may be a sign of disease. we'll talk about it at the top of the hour. and a perfect performance from this man right here. >> yes, ed sheeran is here. but first, these messages. >> hi, ed. >> hi. ♪

♪

♪ ♪ ♪ hey! ♪ bee to hive for that honey you know ♪ ♪ a sweet tasty bowl ♪ of that get up and go ♪ put in the good and the good will grow ♪ ♪ good goes around and around and around hey! ♪ honey to the o is the yum in yo bowl ♪ ♪ playing around that's how we roll ♪ ♪ start with the good and watch good flow ♪ ♪ good goes around and around and around hey! ♪

speaking of good, you'll love new chocolate peanut butter cheerios. on this friday, we are going to trend. we've rounded up some trending and there are some weird ones but we'll play a game of okay or not okay. >> okay. >> everyone gets a starbucks christmas tree frap pacino gone viral. half christmas tree. it gives you the full christmas tree look but yet it's pressed up against the wall. okay or not okay? >> in the spirit of my great  o father, the most practical man i know, i think it's a good idea for certain people. the small apartment, you put that sucker against the wall, save a little money, why not? >> any time carson says i agree --

>> when you buy usually a good side or bad side. >> i put my bad ornaments against the other side. >> have you seen how much they cost lately? they are expensive. that one should be half the price. >> all right. is it okay to send someone a gift electron chee rather than opening up a gift. it says, hey, carson, you got a sweater or someone gave you a bracelet. >> i think it's okay but i would prefer to be able to open it. >> would you ship it, too? >> you get a virtual sweater? >> they decide whether they like it or don't like it. >> oh, i don't know about that. >> or is it one of those things, i didn't get you a present but i'll pretend that i did? >> yes. okay. alaska airlines is celebrating national ugly sweater day and allow anyone with a hideous christmas sweater on to board early.

>> that's fun. >> i'm okay with that. somebody gets to board first and they didn't mean to. wait, this isn't just my sweater. >> what about nontraditional trees? a pineapple christmas tree. people are decorating pineapples. >> they look pretty. i wouldn't want that in place of a christmas tree. >> this is like putting pineapple on your christmas tree. it's not a good idea. >> it was a hot trend. check this out. they are adding candy canes. >> pizza master in the world. >> okay. >> candy cane pizza?

that's too far. >> the elf would though. wore going to go to pop start. ashley olson made a rare public outing to support bob saget. "so honored my dear friend ashley olsen came to support my event." her sister, mary kate, was not in attendance. ed sheeran will be here. prince charles made him an official member of the order empire. while he was there, reporters asked him if he would perform at the royal wedding. ed said that prince harry and megan markle was there and if he'd be willing. >> i like that. >> i was wondering if they asked

him to thinking out loud here. >> this is a beach go er in florida. in california, these birds can get pretty crazy. >> oh, my gosh. >> yeah, you've got to be careful. >> the seagulls haven't eaten in a long time. it looks like an ambush. >> by the way, she's fine and the seagulls lost interest quickly. but be careful. >> that's crazy. >> yes. flyers where to hide. >> wow. my heart would be in my throat. carson, thank you. another check of the weather?

>> yes. let's do it. today's weather brought to you by honey nut cheerioses. >> and we have a lot of snow falling across the country and even in texas where we've seen measurable snow. some areas getting a couple inches of snow. same thing for the northeast. we haven't driven in the snow this season so it's going to be nasty. into alabama, a lot of snow falling in atlanta, too. because of that, we have -- thank you for that. we do have winter storm warnings and winter weather advisories in effect down south up through the mid-atlantic and into new england, too. snowfall totals where we could

see 2 to 4 inches of can see 2 to 4 inches as it brushes the east coast, too. the time frame will be most of the day on saturday and then the whole thing will pull away on sunday. here's a peak out your window. >> good morning. we have a winter weather advisory for early tomorrow and we'll stay on the dry side. mid-to upper 30s in gaithersburg. 38 degrees in the district. 42 for an afternoon high. cloudy and cold. south and east later tonight. as far as the snowfall is concerned for tomorrow morning, 1 to 3 inches across the district. here's your weekend, we see it dry on sunday. >> and that's your latest forecast. savannah? dylan, thank you. we're here with zac efron who is starring in "the greatest showman."

>> this is loosely based on barnum. he's a wealthy man of theater who agrees to help barnum for the right price. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> zac efron, good morning. you just said something astoupding. you haven't seen this movie? >> no, i haven't. tonight. >> that's so fun. what is it like to actually have worked on something, you know it intimately but that moment that you get to watch it in a theater with other people? >> i don't know. it's kind of indescribable, really.

it's hard to watch y first time that with this movie being a musical and all, it's so much fun. >> we love watching you sing and dance and i feel like that's breathing to you, but i don't know. is it one of those things that you say, i have to wake up early and practice a lot or does it come easily or natural to you? >> i think it's like anything else in life. the more you work at it, the better you become. for me, it's work. i didn't come out of the womb tap dancing or anything. i mean, that took a lot of rehearsal. hugh jackman said it was easier than preparing for this role because of all of the dancing and singing and how physical it is. what did you do? >> yeah, this was like a whole new skill set.

it's not like riding a bike. it from ground zero. >> you did? >> yes. hugh is amazing. i had a good partner in him and we kept working and chipping away and eventually got pretty good at the number. >> what was it like being with him on another level, just being friends? >> he's an awesome guy. he's like my idol in many ways. i mean, he was awesome to work with. >> it's funny, ""la lla la land so successful and the writers had something to do with this as well, right? >> the cool thing about this movie, it's all originals. >> there's never been any

incarnation of this it's about acceptance and love and really leading with love in life. and so it's really great. >> the costumes are beautiful and we just happened to have them all over the place, around us. getting into those period costumes, did that put you in the right frame of mind to play your character? >> literally. tighten pants above your belly button and still wear suspenders. >> not a typical saturday night? >> not typical. >> talk about a transition, you're playing ted bundy next. >> yes. >> are you in the middle of that, are you about to do that? where does that stand? >> it's coming up. >> that will be changed? >> i'm not going all daniel day-lewis. i'm not going to push it. >> all right. you know what, you were so happy that you're here with us. would you take a walk with me and savannah?

we'd like to take you we have someone who has been looking for you. they are getting ready for you. do you have any christmas plans? >> i'm going to see my family in st. louis. >> nice. >> what do you usually do on a christmas morning? >> our tradition is like stockings and -- >> hey, what's going on? >> what do you think of his music? >> i saw him at a show in l.a. >> oh, did you? >> yes. it was a great show. >> we have such a huge crowd we thought it would be fun to see what would happen if we walked out with zac efron and ed sheeran right here. [cheers and applause ]

>> oh, this >> zac is here, ed sheeran is here. "the greatest showman" premiers tonight.

we'll have a check of your local news and weather. it is 8:26 and you made it to friday. good morning. i'm chris lawrence. hope your morning is off to a good start before you head out the door let's get a look of the roads with melissa mollet. >> good morning, chris. a crash blocking the left side northbound bw parkway near the 202, delays northbound and southbound. a hit-and-run crash on the scene there and beltway right now looking pretty light. >> all right. thanks, melissa. a check of the forecast when we come back. stay with us.

z2m7ez z16fz y2m7ey y16fy bp's natural gas teams use smart app technology to share data from any well instantly. so they can analyze trends and stop potential problems in their tracks. because safety is never being satisfied

and always working to be better. bp's natural gas teams use smart app technology to share data from any well instantly. so they can analyze trends and stop potential problems in their tracks. because safety is never being satisfied and always working to be better. good morning. 38 degrees right now but it feels like 34. there's a big storm system down to our south so by tomorrow we see snow falling for the early

hours. one to three inches in the the morning. by sunday, we are dry and cold. >> thank you, sheena. you can get the latest news and

weather at any time on the nbc washington app. ♪ good morning. thanks for being here. 8:30 now. it's a friday morning and it's the 8th of december 2017. a pretty day out here on our plaza. you know who stuck around because he's a great guy? zac efron. he's helping with our annual toy drive. people have come by to donate and we're happy about that. zac, we need you over here. >> we need you. this is important. in honor of your new movie, we're happy to announce the

start of the greatest w on "today." would you pull that down? thank you. >> showman alley. >> we're officially renaming the plaza as showman alley. >> i love it. >> it's a week-long event. go to today.com for more information. >> and you know what, zac? that's not all. >> this portion of "today" is created with our sponsor, "the greatest showman," believe what is possible, in theaters december 20th. >> zac is going to come with me because we have aç surprise. i feel bad. i wish i could give it to everybody, but i'd like to know

where is chipeka and roads. whose 30th b >> me! >> guess where you're going tonight, where zac efron is going to be. >> where are we going? >> to the premier of "the greatest showman." we have two tickets and zac is going to be there, too. so y'all take those. >> thank you! >> all right, you guys, congrats, congrats. >> thank you, thank you! nice meeting you! >> how great is that? "the greatest showman" hits theaters december 20th. to learn more, head to today.com. thank you, zac. >> after the week, it can be snowman alley. did you meet ed just now for the first time? >> oh, no. great guy. >> he's getting ready for a live performance. >> i don't know how you can talk

during this excitement but i believeyo >> what is the one thing you need to put on your ham? not pineapple. >> bourban, baby. we'll walk you through it. and then do you ever lose hair out here on your eyebrows? >> i do. >> you could be dying. >> no, not really. but there is something that it could mean that is linked to your health. some signs on your face could indicate some hideous disease. >> what? >> they are mild diseases but we're going to talk about them. >> megyn, thank you so much. can't wait to hear about the dreaded diseases. dylan, let's get a check of the weather. >> let's take a look at what is going on and we are going to see the chance of some stronger storms down near florida today. 7 million are under risk for damaging wind gusts and an isolated tornado is possible. it's all part of this system that is going to develop into

the coastal storm that is bringing snow from texas and all then even down through florida, it's going to get very, very chilly by the time we get to saturday evening. it's going to be messy in parts of the higher elevation of north and south carolina and the suburbs of georgia, too. santa ana winds up to 60 miles per hour. that's a look at the weather across the country. now heres a peek out your window. >> 37 in lauren and we keep the 30s around. low 30s for a high. 7:00 p.m., we can start to see some snow edging into the area south and east of the district. by 9:00 tomorrow morning, most of the area should be waking up to snow falling. one to three inches possible across the district. clearing up through the afternoon and then we're dry. even on sunday with a high of only 39 degrees. this portion of shared

kindness is created locally for the last ten years, including meals on wheels. and now for our special seasonal series, share kindness, the holidays are about to give back and we're highlighting an inspiring young volunteer from right here in new york. >> i'm driving around and delivering meals to each person and i'm thinking about how i can positively impact their day. >> reporter: 17-year-old nicolas is a driving force in his community. alongside his mother for the last decade. >> hi, meals on wheels. >> reporter: the high school senior has been volunteers for meals on wheels during holiday and summer breaks. a nonprofit that delivers some 200 million lunches and dinners every year to the homebound elderly, like joan.

>> they will take time to visit with you, ask if e >> reporter: and a volunteer force of more than 60 million. >> put everything right here. >> reporter: i hope he gains an understanding of the importance of giving back and sometimes they feel forgotten. >> very, very good. >> reporter: in the united states, a quarter of all seniors struggle with hunger and 15 million are isolated or living alone. at greater risk for poorer health and depression which can worsen during the holidays. >> i think they feel like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders and the burden of loneliness has been taken away. >> reporter: to share in the joy he's received from giving back, this fall he gathered together his high school football team to deliver meals, a tradition of compassion and companionship he hopes will continue. >> not just with meals on wheels but we as young people to volunteer more.

i think i brightening someone's day can be positive not only for them but for yourself and a really great thing to do. >> it's such a great tradition. we are working with our sponsor subaru asking people to share how they are spreading kindness and giving back to their communities. for #sharethelovetoday, they will donate $1 to one of their partners, meals on wheels, aspca and make a wish reaching up to $50 thou $50,000. by the end of this year, retailers will have donated more than $115 million to help those in need. head to today.com for more information and start sharing your stories of kindness now using the #sharethelovetoday. coming up next, forget ordering. why making your own pizza is easier than you think.

and also, ed sheeran is coming up.

>> this is "today" on nbc. see holiday tradition in a whole new light. join in the joy of christmas town at busch gardens. with over 8 million twinkling lights. more than anywhere else in america. enjoy coasters and thrills. and celebrate with holiday shopping and shows. bring your family to busch gardens and you would even say it glows. christmas town.

where christmas shines brightest. and we're back with "today food." sunday night's big game, has the the steelers and baltimore ravens are here on nbc. and making pizza at home and nobody better to do that than christopher bianco. author. so good to have you on. >> great to be here. my first time. >> you're one of the most revered pizza makers on earth. what a treat. people are intimidated to make dough at home. >> everybody can do it. >> what's the ingredients? >> it's pretty simple. basically, we start with water and it's in the book.

i have a book ave need to know is in there but -- >> are you from the bronx originally? >> i am. >> it's coming out. >> the only way i speak is to scream. and water and new york's finest water, a little warm, maybe blood temperature, warm weather. >> it's weird to know what blood temperature is, but okay. >> warm water and this is like a one packet of dry yeast. it's about a quarter ounce. and then we use about five cups of organic flour or bread flour. >> okay. >> so we let that sit and get going for a few minutes. >> okay. >> and we added a a little bit of flour and if we had time, which we don't -- >> no, we only have three minutes. >> let it hang there for a minute and if it gets bubbly, we

dump most of it in, as much as you watch it. it's going to be good. it's going to work out. >> it will look like that. >> boom, we knead that together and the whole process takes about six minutes. after that, we knead this for about ten minutes. >> put a little work into it. >> grab and push, grab and push, boom. done. really nice. after that's done, boom, this has been sitting for about two hours or so. it's nice and chill. >> perfect. >> this is overnight and -- >> ed sheeran is taking your pizza. >> he's stealing some of your pizza. >> nice, man. i'm honored. honored. >> get concert tickets out of that. >> no, no. all good. all good.

okay. sois that's the only difference in -- >> you can leave it overnight or not? >> yes. it gets better as you goes. a window of 14 to 36 hours. >> okay. so now we took it and sat it overnight. >> okay. >> we're good on time. >> 1:30. >> that's nothing but time. >> so at this point gl-- >> these are individual sizes? >> yeah, boom, boom, boom. make a ball. put it here, cover it in plastic. this should rise a couple hours. >> he's having more! >> boom. >> guys, how is the pizza? >> i'm from arizona. can you give me your cell phone number?

>> two-hour line. >> >> i have four places. >> your food philosophy is world renowned. >> i'm unbelievable. my mother thinks i'm unbelievable. >> i do, too. >> margarita? >> yes. first organic tomatoes crushed and mozzarella. >> boom, boom, boom. >> put it in the oven? >> we're going to use some basil when we come out. >> how long pop it in the oven? >> for like -- >> if ed doesn't make jingle ball new york, it's because he ate too much pizza on the "today" show. chris is amazing. find the recipe. go to today.com/food. the book tells you all of it. and it's awesome.

thank you for ravens versus steelers. ed sheeran coming up. first, this is "today" on nbc.

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this holiday season for remaining 2017s. the citi concert series on "today" is proudly presented by citi. he had sheeran recently picked up two more grammy nominations. >> of course he did. top album on spotify this year. and he just gave ate an entire pizza. >> i would actually have another slice. >> all right. the stats are amazing. you must feel awesome inside. >> yes.

i really, really enjoy it feels like january was yesterday but i guess that's a good thing. >> speaking of yesterday, you were in england and got a high honor. tell us about that, that moment. >> it's called an mbe. i think it's most excellence order of the british empire. most excellence member of the british order. >> something like that. >> and i got to meet with prince charles. that was pretty cool. my granddad is a huge fan of the royal family and died to you are years ago and so i my dad got really emotional. >> so meaningful. >> you know what we are doing on the set, listening to you and beyonce sing. >> that is so beautiful. >> how many different versions of "perfect" were you sitting on and there's a couple. >> there's one more coming next friday.

you knowv version with andre bocelli. i haven't told anyone that. but next friday. it's a little present for christmas. it's in italian. >> i can't wait. >> oh, my gosh. >> all right. ed, take it away. ♪ i found a love for me darling just dive right in and follow my lead ♪ ♪ i foundç a girl last week ani never knew you were someone waiting for me ♪

♪ we were just kissing and we fell in love not knowing what it was ♪ ♪ i want to give you up with time ♪ ♪ darling just hold my hand you're my girl and i'll be your man ♪ ♪ i see your future in your eyes ♪ ♪ baby i am sitting in the dark ♪ ♪ and listening to our favorite song when you said i was under my breath ♪

♪ darling you were ♪ she shared my dreams and some day i'll share her home ♪ ♪ i found a lover and we are still kissing so in love ♪ ♪ fighting against all odds i know we'll be all right ♪ ♪ as time darling just kiss me close your heart is all i own ♪ ♪ and in your eyes you're all mine ♪

♪ baby dancing in the dark with you between my arms and ♪ when i saw in that dress looking so beautiful ♪ ♪ i don't deserve this because you look perfect tonight ♪ ♪ baby i am dancing in the dark with you between my arms ♪ ♪ listening to our favorite song i have faith in what i see and i know i have met an angel ♪ ♪ who is perfect she looks perfect ♪ ♪ i don't deserve it you look

perfect [cheers and applause ] >> yes! >> and now you can have more pizza. you've earned it, my friend. you've earned it. >> that was awesome. >> we love you, ed. >> more music from ed in a few minutes. ♪ >> we love having you. back in a moment. this is "today" on nbc. bp is taking safety to new heights. using drones and robots offshore

so engineers can stop potential problems before they start. because safety is never being satisfied and always working to be better. bp is taking safety to new heights. using drones and robots offshore so engineers can stop potential problems before they start. because safety is never being satisfied

and always working to be better. [ cheers and applause ] coming up, this is awesome pizza.

>> that was -- >> name a pizza after him now. >> make sure you watch on saturday with your pizza. >> it is going to be a fantastic show. we all know some places are reporting widespread activity and doctors warn we could be in for a severe season. how to keep your family safe. >> and ed sheeran, he first played in l.a. when he was coming up. great conversation. >> ed is awesome. chris, you're awesome. >> thank you. good morning. it's 8:56 on this friday. hope your morning is off to a great start. i'm chris lawrence. before you head out the door, let's get a check on the roads with melissa mollet, first 4 traffic. >> inbound new york avenue, crash blocking the center of the roadway right now. still have this hanging around

on 66. inbound crash blocking northbound bw parkway, krarkscr the left side there. beltway volume is nice and light. >> thanks, melissa. a check on the forecast when we

come back. good morning. temperatures are in the 30s still. mostly mid-to upper 30s. there's a storm system we're watching on the northern edge. the snowfall totals have gone up a little bit. one to three around the district and for tomorrow morning temperatures across the weekend into the 30s. >> thanks, sheena. get the latest information any

time on the nbc washington app. this morning on "megyn kelly today," a clash over cake. a case that started in a colorado bakery goes all the way to the supreme court. >> he informed us that he would not make a cake for a same-sex wedding. >> i can't be forced to celebrate something i believe that goes against the biblical teaching. >> is it religious freedom or discriminati discrimination? are there warning signs for a disease on your face. plus, we're on track. >> all aboard. >> our merry month of merry train is heading to the station. all that on "megyn kelly today"