erica gonzalez will show us how it all works. it aa new form of innovation is taking shape, bringing media and technology together for more people. together is more wi-fi access in more places. it's a home you control with the touch of a finger. it's reimaging tv to give more people more choices. it's bringing technology and people together in ways you never thought possible. comcast and time warner cable. together is better for more people. >> credit card is are chipped, phones that double as credit cards. consumer reporter erica gonzalez shows us the newest payment options to keep you safe and secure. >> then i don't feel safe swiping my card at department stores these days. i don't know what to do these days. >> jeff norman of d.c. is one of millions of americans undecided about how they'll approach the register these season. big breaches are making skeptics out of shoppers. >> it makes me want to go back to using cash, actually. >> cash is always king, but you do have secure payment options, largely in part because of technol

. >> and consumer reporter erica gonzalez this morning shows us four ways to beat the crowds on black friday. don't let the sunshine fool you out there this morning. it is freezing. coming up, we'll tell you about the arctic blast coming our way next >>> staying safe while shopping for the holidays involves more than just protecting your wallet. retailers work around the clock to keep you safe. >> but the stores aren't the only ones with a plan. consumer reporter erica gonzales has four things you can expect, whether you're a rookie or if .ou've been shopping on black >> and they're off. tents, clouds and deals, lots of deals, all add up to one thing. black friday. >> for us, it's worth it because you definitely get the deals. >> these two have been shopping friday friday sales together for the past eight year. >> anybody that sits here and is watches this and goes, they're crazy -- happens all t time. >> yes. >> but before they head out, they'll plan. >> and it's quite the strategy. >> our running joke is that i am the spreadsheet queen. >> and they aren't alone. the stores are ready

erica gonzalez. news 4. >>> consumer reports says head to the back the store first.out to coach, j crew for this story. of t most of the stores declined to comment. >>> now, coming up, while some of you are busy stealing those deals today, others are just stealing period. the tactic thieves all over are using to get the goods fast and make a not so clean getaway. and how you give the gift of and how you give the gift of plastic surgery. down the chimney?it wait, how does he fit up the chimney? how does he keep down all that milk? how much does 7 billion presents weigh? i just don't get it. why don't you ask him yourself? santa! join us at busch gardens christmas town, where christmas shines brightest. celebrate beneath the glow of 8 million twinkling lights. get up-close to penguins, and experience spectacular shows, all at busch gardens. for the best ticket offers, visit christmastown.com today. >>> black friday sales causing chaos across the pond. look at this, stores in london adopted the american holiday tradition because it's one of the busiest shopping days of

as we approach the holiday shopping season, consumer reporter erica gonzalez is looking out for you.'s going to be doing stories all week long that keep you safe and secure. >>> well, if you are looking to do some saturday shopping, you may want to check out alexandria. the city was just selected as a top shop small city as part of a nonprofit campaign. alexandria was chosen because most of the city's retailers are independently or regionally owned. shoppers can take advantage of special promotions, free gifts, small saturday which happens november 29th. to find out how to get freebies, visit our home page and search shop small. alexandria is so small and quaint. the eating is really good out here, as well. >> probably going to need a jacket. >> oh, yeah. >> you're going to take a water taxi from georgetown on down there today, you better be bundled up. a lot of neighborhoods dropped well below the freezing mark early this morning. for some places, even, the first breeze of the season. outside, this is the way it looks from our city camera, though. a bright blue sky is overhead. and

erica gonzalez sat down to find out what is done to protect themselves when shopping online. >> i useingle credit card for all my online shopping. that way if something goes wrong, i have one card i can focus on. often times, i look at the statement two or three times a day. >> he also says having visual privacy is key. always be aware if someone is looking over your shoulder at the office or on an airplane. >>> tonight, learn other ways cyber safety expert plays it safe. also send your holiday shopping questions on facebook or tweet us your question using #safeandsecure. >>> as the crowds build on the national mall, experts say the crowds are building on metro as well. coming up, the other events taking place that could add to the problems. >>> plus stress-related skin conditions. stay with us. >>> i mentioned you shared a woman with my husband. >> i don't have a clue what you're talking about. >> later today, meredith explains a connection with her husband and chef daniels. >>> a philadelphia police officer is thanking the high schooler who pulled him from his cruiser after it burst

. >> reporter: erica gonzalez, news 4. >>> dulles expects to get a second in-line system installed in coming year. as we head into the holiday season, don't wrap your gifts. the tsa will likely unwrap them for security reasons. >>> time now for a final check on our forecast. >> lots of snow, especially the higher elevations. here's cumberland, maryland. interstate 68. snow covered side streets and slushy highways. that picture could be almost anywhere on i-81 as well. so take it slow, everybody. there's a perfect example of why this is such a tricky area to forecast for. the rain/snow line. so again southern maryland won't see a flake. northern maryland anywhere from 4 tore maybe as much as 9 inches of snow out towards the higher elevations. far western fairfax, the high spots, and loudoun county, again, that 2 to 4, maybe a little more than 4 inches. in and around the immediate d.c. area within a couple miles of the beltway, generally 2 inches or less. seven-day forecast, 40s to 30s today. 20s tomorrow morning. a cold day tomorrow. maybe a passing flurry. that's about it. then dry th

watch news 4 tonight's consumer reporter erica gonzalez will go in depth with all the rankings for you. >>> no fee atms are showing up in stores and shops in new york now. here's the catch, you have to watch a ten-second ad while waiting for the money to be dispensed. that's because advertisers pay for the processing fees. while there's no fee at the machine, banks could potentially charge their own fees after the fact. >>> well, starbucks is apologizing to can nucleacannuc bringing back a popular item. customers weren't so happy and they revolted online. so now starbucks is bringing it back. they hope to have it available in all stores by november the 17th. >>> the u.s. postal service is also getting ready for the holidays. being stas of packages and cars will be going out in just weeks. new advice for the post master general this morning. plus, what we know about a newborn baby found abandoned in our area. and after a very well morning, will we see any sunshine today? storm team 4 meteorologist amelia segal is back with that. and a look at y >>> take a look at the radar. we are seein

let's start with erica gonzalez. >> its being called a recall showdown for the ex-spanneded airbags that shoot shrapnel when they deploy on impact. but dekata refusing and drawing the line, agreeing only to regional recalls limited to areas of high heat and humidity. just last night, the highway safety administration demanded dekata recall the driver's side airbags nationwide. tomorrow morning, a hearing is scheduled on the hill to examine the da kata defects and entire airbag process. meanwhile, chris gordon joins us with local reaction. how are customers handling this? >> reporter: we are reporting from a honda dealership which assures us their department is ready for airbag recall however warning drivers may face delays because the replacement part has to be special ordered. airbags are supposed to save lives in a crash. millions made by the tokyo manufacturera are now the target of a nationwide recall because of a defect that can be dangerous. 26-year-old cory buer dberdict and eye because of a crash that happened in florida. >> i thought i was going to die. my boys, my life, my job,

well, all this week, consumer reporter erica gonzalez has been showing us how to stay safe and securitytoday, she's answering your questions about how to keep your personal information safe. >> it's great to see you. it's been wonderful to be with you this week. nice to know i have an open invitation. we have received phone calls, e-mails, tweets and facebook p. posts with your questions. we want to answer one right now. tweeted at us and wanted to know, do prepare cards affect your credit score? we've been talking about this. we asked the experts. it tells us that no prepaid cards do not typically affect your credit rating. prepaid card companies do not report to the credit reporting agencies. and they're not tied to your credit. some prepaid cards, once upon a time, promised to help build your credit. but those are no longer on the market. so if you're looking to build credit history, consumer reports says consider a secured credit card. and with that, you can make a deposit and get a line of credit for that same amount as well. >> that's great. >> that's good to know. >> so you're go

consumer reporter erica gonzalez joins us with shopping tips. >> it's nice to work with you during midday. all this week, we have been highlighting stories on how to stay safe and secure while shopping. today, we are focusing on how to brave the crowds and how you can make the most of your black friday shopping experience. we visited two local black friday veterans, friends who have been shopping black friday sales for eight years. they say the deals are worth the time and all of the effort that you're going to see that they put into this. >> we're going to be a consumer either way, so we can either be a smart consumer and purchase during a time when we know we're going to get the best deal or we can just buy when we know we need it, but then we're going to end up spending more money. >> now, is there any way to beat the crowds? do you have a tip for that? >> so, most people would think that it's an electronic, they've got to go to the electronic section. one way to avoid getting trampled, that's another thing we'll talk about, the wording that's used on black friday. you don't want to ru

. >> consumer reporter erica gonzalez is here with a warning about cooking grease and the cost to clean it up. >> if you're hosting thanks giving dinner, the last thing you want to be forced to call a plumber because the kitchen sink is overflowing. but it does happen. because people stuff their drains with big no-noes. this is what drains can look like whether grease is pure poured and later hard ens. that's why necessity recommend that you can it, cool it, and then throw it away. problems can also arise if you put uncooked rice, vegetable peels and turkey bones down the drain. there will be plumbers on do you think dwroi undo the damage, but at what cost? emergency pricing, holiday hours, you can care less what they call it. you just want to know how much. washington's consumer's checkbook, a nontrost organization that rates companies based on consumer reviews recommends you call around because it can save you big. >> replacing exactly the same garbage disposal, we found rices ranging from 200 to $650. that is for exactly the same job. and some of those plumbing companies that have th

our own erica gonzalez helped out. there is the safeway feast for sharing. residents also got free health screenings, flu shots, and warm clothes for the winter. >> members of the business community, members of the washington, d.c. community to come forward and help those neighbors in need. >> this is the 14th year for the feast of sharing. great stuff down there. >> trading in your phone for cash? >> that's a real offer you can take advantage of. but you might be surprised to hear who is behind it. also, more fallout in ferguson. will the thanksgiving holiday be enough to quell the fears and calm the tensions in a divided town? >> and it's our big story of the day. look out your window or at our radar, safer place. snow showers across our region. we're tracking the every move right here first at 4:00. >>> and we're back first at 4:00 with the blast of winter that's hitting right as we get set for the thanksgiving holiday. >> the storm team four by four is out there on i-270 now just outside of frederick. we've seen some slush covering the on and off ramp. l

. >> i'm erica gonzalez. that thanksgiving day shooting happened at lunchtime in columbia, maryland. news 4's shamari stone has the details. >> i'm upset. >> reporter: yvonne moody is disappointed on thanksgiving, a day she's supposed to be filled with joy. >> everybody's supposed to be getting together with family. it's supposed to be about family. why are people shoot something. >> reporter: detectives say a masked man knocked on her neighbors' apartment in columbia, maryland. the masked man opened fire, shooting a 29-year-old man several times in the apartment. take a look at the shattered front window, blinds hanging out. med tlics air lift it had 29-year-old to the hospital in critical condition. the shooter got away. i'm a couple blocks away from where the shooting happened. howard county police stopped that black suv right there. they say a man stepped out and he was bleeding. medics rushed him to the hospital. police are questioning the man. they haven't told us how he hurt his hand forhe's connected

that was amelia siegel and also erica gonzalez.were among the hundreds of people who volunteered there today. >> we have a lot more news coming up tonight on "nightly news." >> a look now at what brian williams is working on. >> coming up tonight, the great get away is under way. and mother nature is playing a big bad role. a truly heart warming story of thanksgiving as a heart recipient meets the donor's family. we'll have that for you tonight and the airline captain that told folks to prepare for pushoff and takeoff only he ment they all had to get out to do the pushing off. that and more when we join you tonight on this thanksgiving eve. >> wow. and right here, diana has the word on this craziness out at the park. >> quarterback carousel we go. it's in constant motion. rg-3 benched. has he gotten worse since jay gruden took over the team? the head coach hard pressed to give us an answer. stay right h >>> we always have some of the most fun on this team. >> what a day at redskins park. right before the holiday, too. we have somet

change safety standards for erika gonzalez sits down with a maryland mother whose toddler died after being entangled in the cord of a windo >> reporter: deployed for months, ericamas' husband wa but last march, preparations erica was making breakfast with her baby was a bit of a sleeper. >> when he woke up, you knew he was awake because he was lou >> reporter: erica is a fierce protector of her family. but never thought what would transpire next would erica ran u the stairs to his .oom, surely the noise woul nothing. >> i listened at the door. i paused for a second. and i just -- i knew. i knew something wasn't right. >> reporte she opened the door and found mac lying under his window at some point in the night, the 2-year-old's brilliant blue eyes had dimmed. >> at that point, it was almost like my mind and my body were had become entangled in the cord behind a roman shade, a weight f of his little body eventually caused e blind to snap. >> as i lifted him, i saw this dark mark. >> reporter: chairman of the consumer products safety commission, elliott kay. >> the rooms that parents think are the safest are the most likely where these incidents occur. >> rep th

. >> thanks erica that's wrapping thanks up i am marty gonzalez. >> and i am anne hong we are back withmore later tonight join us for kron for news at 8 and before that we have highlights of the giants parade at kron 4 at 7 tonight. >>> we are tawing about dental implants discover the champion in you! . (applause) well, god bless you. it's always a joy to come into your homes. if you're ever in our area, please stop by and be a part of one of our services. i promise you we'll make you feel right at home. but thanks so much for tuning in. thank you again for coming out. i like to start with something funny. i heard about this scientist. he said to god, "we've decided we no longer need you. we can clone people, transplant hearts and do all kinds of things once considered miraculous." god said, "well, that's fine but to prove that you don't need me let's have a man making contest. the only requirement is you have to make man out of dirt." the scientist said, "great!" he reached down quickly to get a handful of dirt. god said, "not so quick. go get your own dirt."

gonzalez. >> i wish i can get 2 more, though, all right, time now it's 8:00 and here is a look at your sunny forecast with ericaawake just yet, all you have to do is head outside that cool air will definitely get things going. temperatures have dropped into the upper 30s, widespread 40s around the bay area, so clear, cool conditions, take a look here, livermore 44 like i mentioned. milder weather along the coastline. daily city, 51. as we head into the afternoon, we are going to enjoy mild weather. we'll see low 60s and upper 60s for the bay shoreline and inland spots. gradually temperatures will warm as we head into next week temperatures well above average by the middle of the week, i'll have the few details on what to expect coming up in 15 minutes. >> in developing news, tragedy strikes near the bay, 4 people are dead after their boat capsized off the county coast, a 5th person is recovering in the hospital this morning. kron4 news has the story. >> he was very confused, hypothermic. their mental capacity isn't the greatest. he was very confused. >> group of 5 was out crabbing early saturday morning on a pr