ringing in the new year with new beer. how police are going above and beyond to protect revellers in time square as weatherut threats to damper on the celebration. the president was upbeat, in a very good understood and i think he's receptive to making a deal if it achieves his goals of securing our borde new hope that an end to a government shutdown is in sight from a senator. primed for the playoffs. which teams punched their tick that to post season as a pair of head coaches get the ax. an unsuspecting football fan gates visit from the national bird. "early today" starts right now.

good morning. >> we're on high alert forck weather this new year's eve at the legendary time square ball drop, heavy rain thpeatens to damthe fun. and in the midwest and parts of the plains, heavy snow is in the forecast. nbc meteorologist michelle grossman. >> we're looking at temperatures are going to be mild. big difference from this time last year. we were frigid last year. bu the trade off is rain that will be fall. soere's our countdown. and we're looking at temperatures around 49 otherwise we're looking at frigid temperatures in the northern plains.a honestly that'ttle more dangerous. well below freezing in many spots and typical once again looking at snow showers in the four corners.

looking at some feet of snow in the mountains there. so we have it all over the place. now, frigid temperature cans. that time of year.nw mle we're still counting down to thery legen times square ball drop safety is the top concern this new year's eve. the nypd will be in full forcen with heighalert. more from mat bradley. >> reporter: this new year's eve the famous ball won't be the only thing in times square. keeping eyes in the skies on what could be hundreds of thousands of revlers below. >> with the drones is the first time we're using them at a large scale event. >> reporter: along with bomb sniffing dogs, helicopters, snipers and 200 blocker vehicles and thousanof of uniform cers. man ea taking up positions around the square.

the bottom line is this. they should feel safe too. one of the most well policed, best protected events at one of the safest venues in the entire world. >> reporter: that's reassuring from cameron grey. >> we're excited. >> i'm excited. i'm not worried about anything. i'm just there have a good time and this isim my first ever seeing a ball drop. >> reporter: well, times square is already packed. the stage is set and in a few hours the very first revellers are s go tyirt trickling into times square, getting ready for a very long night. at midnight cap 28 rr hill will ring in the new year with no deal to end the shutdown. now law makers aren't scrambling to finds aix. president trump continued to dig his heels in, blaming democrats onr twil and comparing his demands for a border wall to the

fence around former president obama's house in d.c. saying quote the u.s. needs the same thing, slightly larger version. jennifer johnson has the latest. >> reporter: president trump spending his holiday week at the white house. republicansonter lindsey graham optimistic about a possible deal that protects the so-called dreamers, immigrants in exchange for a border wall. >> there's things that you want that can be had if you agree to border security in a reasonable way. >> reporter: they say borde b security, ye not a wall. >> they want t waste $5 billion in taxpayer money on a medieval border wall tt is a fifth century solution to a 20th century problem. >> reporter: the president is now escalating the blameame after two migrant children died in u.s. custody this moh.

it's strictly the fault of the democrats and their pathetic immigration policies. whileth claiminwall would have prevented the death. the head of border protection is calling for a ceasefire. >> we need really confront and grapual the fact that children and families are coming into this . >> reporter: even republicans losing patience with tig border wall. >> we've got to move away from the blame game. blaming the president, blaming the democrats and get back to ing what we're sent there to do, to nund government. r orter: agts 00,000 federal workers remain furloughedwihile workinout pay. o> a federal judge in texas will lmacare stand. ruled that the affordable care act is constitutional. in the controversial case the judge said the law cannot stand without its individual mandate

penaltes which conzeroed out last year. he issued a stay saying quotemany every day americans would a otherwise facreat uncertainty. now involving lionst an animal conservation center in north carolina. they say a 22-year-old woman was killed after a lion escaped from a locked space and attacked her. the woman, had been interning in burlingten. she had been there two weeks and cleaning a separate inclosure when the attack happen. the lion was shot and killed. now investigators are looking into how the lion incleezed yairia. >> as soon as he got out the inclosed, he went straight towards her. it's unfortunate the loss of fe of a young lady who just starting out. >> the cente remains closed during the investigation. s one bigety issue is

drunk driving linked to 21 deaths every day in this country. utahs taking a controversial step to try and change that. it's not the first time the state has made a bold move. >> reporter: new year's eve and utah is alreadyit buzzing the strictest dui law in the country. >> i you're go tying drink here, don't drive here.r: >> repor nationally considered legally drunk at 0 out -- .08%. in utah.05%. it's estimatedg egg 1line 20 pounds, 12 ounces of beeres or 5 ouf liquor. for a 160-pound man it's about two drinks. >> we're hoping to see betder scissions made on the front end on a night when someone's

choosing toival alcoholic beverages. >> othertates followed and now a handful are considering once again loweng the limit . >> we're one of the lowest in th country for injuries and deaths but we still have a problem. >> reporter: the arican beverage? stut calls it an attack on the restaurant and hospitality industries and coerts their responsible patrons into criminals. a crackdown to keep drivers safe and sober. n kalgty park, ns. let's check back win michelle grossman. >> and we're lookingts of weather. snow, rain and a chance for severe weather. nashville, jackson, columbus. you could be seheng severe we you want to move indoors, listen for thunder.6

llion at risk. and we're looking at the cha ie oflated tornados and heavy rain. otherwise we're looking at rthn in parts otennessee valley. heavy rain in some spots. where you see yellows and greens, and thatill be t case as we go throughout the day and towards the northeast we're going to see that rain as well. here's a closer look at the day ahead. >> all right. gaugsz, we're looking at 1 below zero in bismark. and the northeast we're warm, much warmer than this time last year but the trade off will be the it rain. yes, so last year we were in the low 20s for a high. it was frigid but the trade off will be umbrellas. one of the biggest stars of the cotton bowl in texas wasn't even a player. a trained bald eagle decided to

take detour and landed on some noelter dame fans.e handlers eventually got the bird back. unfortunately notre dame fans, that might have been the most enjoyable part of thosgame since tht. just ahead we'll have the nfl playoff picture and only rescue animals at retail. a strictht bew law. be rk. with moderate to severe crohn's disease, i was there, just not always where i needed to be. is she alright? i hope so. so i talked to my doctor about humira. i learned humira is for people who still have symptoms of crohn's disease after trying other medications. and the majority of people on humira saw significant symptom relief and many achieved remission in as little as 4 weeks. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections and cancers, including lymphoma, have happened; as have blood, liver, and nervous system problems,

serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before treatment, get tested for tb. tell your doctor if you've been to areas where certain fungal infections are common, and if you've had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have flu-like symptoms or sores. don't start humira if you have an infection. be there for you, and them. ask your gastroenterologist about humira. with humira, remission is possible. that's an aggressive yellow. pretty great, huh? if you're a banana. i find it very... appealing. kellogg's raisin bran with bananas. two scoops meet real banana slices. i've done a good job of raisin ya.

two scoops meet real banana slices. whether you were borne for more dance-offs... more travels... or more touchdowns. get the immune support that gives you more. airborne gummies have 50% more vitamin-c than emergen-c... plus our crafted blend of vitamins, minerals and herbs. airborne. leading the news a new l takes effect in california tomoow that puts restriction on pet shop owners. here's nbc's cathy par. >> congratulations, you guys. >> reporter: they just adopted a kitten they choseero rescue rahan buy. >> i think it's better to rescue ese animals than having a puppy mill. >> reporter: california becomes the first state in the it country wheredogs, cats and

rabbits can be purchased from pet storesnl if they come from rescue groups or shelters. >> when they go in the pet store and see t cute puppy or kitton for sale, they're not seeing what's behinds that. >> reporter: they say the new law puts the welfare of pets er profit. puppy mills supply 99% to pet stores every year and animals are euthanized every year for poor breeding. >> if pet stores would partner with breeders who are like minded, then you're gng to have healthy dogs going out to the public. >> reporter: nevertheless similar crack downs are being coidered in parts of minnesota and florida and third-party les will eventually be banned in britain. but the goltan setting a golden rule for the treatment of animals. >> don't you just want them all?

>> they're all so cute. just ahead feeling good about 2019? then you may want to pick up a memillions ticket. and how general motors isgi ng a chance to stay-at-home parents ready to switch gears. r. but did you know that 98% of us don't get enough of them? into just one small softgel. that's why megared advanced 4in1 packs more omega-3 power it supports four vital areas of your body. your heart... your brain... your eyes... and your joints. give your body the omega-3s it's missing. mered advanced 4in1. one pill. more power. mered advanced 4in1. pain from a headache whcan make this...ld,

...feel like this. all-in-one cold symptom relief from tylenol®, the #1 doctor recommended pain relief brand. tylenol®. it detects two hormones and then the data goes on to my phone and tells me my fertile days. (man) how many days? (woman) four or more. (man) nice. (vo) proven to double your chances of getting pregnant. clearblue connected. a great dishwasher needs a great detergent. so ge appliances tested finish on over 5000 dishes proving dish after sparking dish that it's not just clean, it's finished. switch to finish quantum. recommended by ge appliances.

thank you. >> there was no big winner in friday's megamillions.

igat means. it's $415 milli theh largest in its history. the plant thousands of all ofs. one key piece of news may have slipped under your radar. it shift focus to autonomous vehicle and tenologies. here with more. >> reporter: anet morning routine hasn'tha changt much over the years. get her boys up and fed, pack lunches, kis for the day.goodbye d now she's leaving the house too. heading back to work at gm as an engineer after taking 15 years off to be a mom. it's part of an initiative called take two aimed largely at

women just like annette. > i would have never believed that years ago when i was going to stay home did i ever even have any idea i was going to return in my 40s doing the same type of role whe i was in my 20s with a completely different outlook. >> i've learned tremendous amount. >> reporter: it's a 12-week pay tryout, a chance for them to see if the timing is returned and r the company to see if their skills fit. >> the seed that was plant is blossoming now in my life. >> there's no way someone who's been out of the workforce for 18 years to reengage without a program like this.te >> repr: 87% were offered full-time jobs at gm. all but one acsuspected. >> into stem space and engiering.

we've expand under to it, finance, customer care and after sales. >> reporter: for annette, her professional passion may have been on hiatus but hadn't disappeared. a career act two at gm, the intermission as long b it needs toe. wow, that's an aggressive yellow. pretty great, huh? if you're a banana. i find it very... appealing. kellogg's raisin bran with bananas.

two scoops meet real banana slices. i've done a good job of raisin ya. two scoops meet real banana slices. (gasps) for real cold and flu protection. with lysol, you can help protect them from a real cold. lysol disinfectant spray kills the #1 cause of the cold and clorox wipes don't. lysol. what it takes to protect. (danny)'s voice) of course you don'te because you didn't!? your job isn't doing hard work... ...it's making them do hard work... ...and getting paid for it. (vo) snap and sort your expenses to save over $4,600 at tax time. quickbooks. backing you. ♪ before i head ♪ it's what i'm lookin' for ♪ today's the daisy i do ♪ daisy it's true

♪ before i get on the move ♪ i grab my special food ♪ today's the daisy i see ♪ the difference in me ♪ today's the daisy for cottage cheese (cottage cheese) ♪ ♪ today's the daisy for cottage cheese (cottage cheese) ♪ ♪ today's the daisy! ok, i...is it...? clearblue digital pregnancy test... ...with smart countdown, gives unmistakably clear... ...results written in words. over 99% accurate. lu ab clarity, when you need it most. how's your cough? i'm good. i took 12-hour mucinex and sent it far away. hey buddy, have you seen a nice woman with a cough? woahhh! mucinex dm releases fast and lasts 12-hours, not 4. send coughs far away all day. all the pieces are in place for the nfl playoffs.

the colts punch tiricket to the post seasonnk thato a huge gain from andrew luck. three touchdowns in tir prime time showdown with the titans and wins it 33-17. and a brutal end to the season for e packers. quarterback aaron rodgers was pulled out with a concussion following a hard hit in thr. first quarte it was lights out a lambo.th lions win it 31-0. the bears locked inhe number three seed in the nfc a ruined the vikings dream of a post season run. out efense kept minnesota of the end zone until the 3rd but that would be the vikings only touchdown of the day. bears win it 24-10. the s eagles.thng for the got the break they needed. they shut out the redskins to sdhus re the sixth and final plaufr spot.

the chis earning much-needed inrest sg the by week with an easy win over the raiders. patrick muhomes becoming the cond player to ever throw for 50 touchdowns and 5,000 yards in a single season. they o ever quarterback to pull that off was peyton manning. eniefs win it. the ravs clinch the afc north with a huge win over the browns. ravens picked off baker may field in the final minutes of the game, wining it 26-24. and it might have been the most exciting inkaungwwauns ksal gam of the day. ezekiel elliott sat out. dak prescott threw for four touchdowns including an unbelievable bullet to coal beasley on fourth and longs th enough to knock off new york. cowboys win 36-35. and it's that time of year for the coaching carousel.

the jets fired head coach todd boles. it was his fourth season with he team and the buccaneers announced its parting ways with head coach caughter after missing the playoffs for three seasons. michelle is back now with new year's eve forecast. t we're mild in the northeast although we're goihave rain. all that cold air continues to be bottled up. we're lookingmp at atures well below. just 13 in billings. one below zero in bismark and 13 in pierre. thininge northeast and frigid in the northern plains. t still come she dreams of e coming a doctor, then she became the patient. one. clean grease on more than dishes? using multiple cleaners on grease can be expensive,me and someineffective.

for better value,ta le grease with dawn ultra. dawn is for more than just dishes. it provides 3x more grease cleaning per per drop, which cuts through tough kitchen messes, s,pre-treats laundry sta and even tackles grease build-up on car rims. tackle tough greasy mees around your home, and save money with dawn ultra. brand power. helping you better. brushing only reaches 25% of your mouth. listerine® cleans virtually 100%. helping to prevent gum disease and bad breath. never settle for 25%. always go for 100. bring out the bold™ i am not for just treating my symptoms... (ah-choo) i am for shortening colds when i'm sick. with zicam. zicam is completely different. unlike most other cold medicines... ...zicam is clinically proven to shorten colds. i am a zifan for zicam. oral or nasal.

about the colonial penn program0 here to tell you if you're ag5 and looking to buy life insurance b on a fixget, remember the three p's. the three what? the three p's?re whathe three p's? the three p's of life insurance on a fixed budget are price, price, and price. a price you can afford, a price that can't increase, and a price that fits your budget. i'm 54 and i was a smoker but quit. alex, what's my price? you can get coverage for $9.95 a month. i'm 65, retired, and take medications. what's my price?. ialso $9.95 a mon and take medications. i just turned 80 and i'm on a fixed income. what's my price? $9.95 a month for you, too.o if you're age 50, call now about the number one most popular

whole life insurance plan available through the colonial penn program. it has an affordable rate starting at $9.95 a month. that's less than 35 cents a day. you cannot be turned down because of your health. h medical exam, no heaestions. your acceptance is guaranteed, and this plan has a guaranteed lifetime rate lock, so your rate can never go up for any reason. and with this plan, you can pick your payment date, so you can time your premium due date to work with your budget. options start at $9.95 a month, plus, you get a 30-day money back guarantee so call now for free information. and you'll also get this free beneficiary planner, and it's yours just for callin so call now.

>> the wettest year on record. tracking the road conditions for us this morning. >> we're going to have rain movingn between9:00 and 11:00 a.m. you can see