we get the latest from nbc's ron mott. >> reporter: for the second day in a row, potentially millions of americans dialing 911 would not have gotten this. >> 911, what's address of the emergency? >> reporter: an extensive outage at telecommunications company century link knocked some emergency call centers offline for certain callers around the country highlighted in this map from the website down detector. in a series of tweets beginning late said its engineers quote identified a network element and that the problem would be restored within four hours, but today more than 14 hours later, the company reported technicians were still working to restore services announcing a fix an hour later. the head of the fcc announced an investigation calling the outage completely unacceptable, it's breadth and duration particularly troubling. centurylink has not provided details on what caused the disruption and it's not clear if it prevented anyone from receiving emergency assistance. many of the affected emergency response agencies suggested people call the local police department's ten-digit pho

ron mott, nbc news. >>> what happens when those we depend on for medical care need care themselves? studies show that doctors have a dramatically higher risk for burnout. as kate snow reports, that can pose a danger to patients. >> hey, bud. good morning. >> reporter: up before dawn. >> i'm going to make it. >> reporter: making breakfast for her two sons and daughter who has special needs. >> have a good day. i'll see you tonight. >> reporter: that's before she starts her shift in the stanford emergency department. >> busiest time in the e.r., afternoon? >> evening, yeah. >> reporter: she's teaching medical students today. on busy days, she'll see 15 to 20 patients and do hours of paperwork. >> if i work an eight-hour shift, i might spend two, three hours in front of a computer rather than at the bedside talking to my patients. >> reporter: i imagine you did not get into the medical field to look at a computer. >> no. >> reporter: at night she's still catching up on patient charts. are there days you feel like i don't know how i'll keep doing this? >> uh-huh, yeah, quite regularly.

two people are dead after a school bus collided on the highway with a semi that had been as our ron mottdly crashes involving buses and students this week. >> it happened right in front of me. yeah, this driver almost hit me. >> reporter: the wreckage gut-wrenching, the school bus unrecognizable after colliding head on driving the wrong way down an illinois highway two hours southwest of chicago. the bus was carrying a high schoolgirls' basketball team home from a game. the 34-year-old semi driver was killed, charles crabtree, a 72-year-old volunteer with the team also died. >> charlie was a bus driver for unified for many years, and just had a special way of connecting with students. >> reporter: eight of the players were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries. police are investigating why the tractor trailer ended up on the wrong side of interstate 74. >> it's a sad day today but it's also a thankful day. a crash of that magnitude could certainly have much worse outcomes. >> reporter: it's at least the second fatal school bus accident this week. tonight the team intends

nbc's ron mott has more on the community on edge there tonight. >> reporter: jaclyn smith and her husband, keith, were driving home from a night out dancing. >> it was just a beautiful night. >> reporter: celebrating their daughter's birthday, when they saw a woman in need, carrying what looked to be an infant in her arms, in the rain holding a sign that said please help me feed my baby. to give her money. >> reporter: when she rolled down the window to give the woman money, a man approached to thank her, but then stabbed the 54-year-old mother and engiero ath, stealing her necklace and wallet before the pair ran away. >> i'm from baltimore. the last thing i thought they were going to take my wife's life. and so now i've got to live with that. i've got to live with that every day. >> reporter: the brazen attack prompting a response from oprah, a former anchor in baltimore, tweeting this story struck my heart. i've done this a thousand times, but will think twice before ever doing again. police have not caught the couple. >> we also want to caution the public about engaging with panhandler

>> ron mott, thanks. let's check in with dylan dreyer. what's the situation across the country? >> the storm is still mass ive and we have a snowy side to the north and west of minneapolis. this is an area where the snow is accumulating six to 12 inches and blowing around, too. that's reduced visibility. on the southern side of this storm, we've had a line of severe storms slowly moving from west to east today. we do still have tornado watches in effect and you can see by the reds and oranges and yellows just how intense this eastward through the night. tomorrow morning across the mid-atlantic and up across the northeast, we're looking for heavy rain in the morning. we will see improvements in the afternoon. across the southeast that line of severe storms will move in late in the afternoon and then continue to produce that severe weather threat. we are looking for about three to four inches of rain. if you're traveling tomorrow, it is going to be a very slow go all up and down the east coast. along 95 the roads will be slow going and will likely see a significant airport delay,

nbc's ron mott has more on how a community rallied behind them to send message of inclusion. >> reporters couple are getting married next week. so when someone recently stole their pride flag from their backyard and replaced tt with an american flagy not only felt violated but under attack for their erove. >> the of someone to trespass on someone's property and take something and then replace it with something thas making a statement. >> reporter: casey shared news of the caper with neighbors online. >> something very disturbing and scary happened last night. >> reporter: and the neighborhood's true colors came shining th ugh. one by one, neighbors started flying pride flags too, a message of solidarity with the couple and a message to thehieves. >> families came in all shapes and sizes and it's not right to judge. >> reporter: the daughterton and reese thought someone stole the flag because they liked it so much. >> then it was tough process that someone took the flag because they didn't like it. it was difficult to have that conversation with them. >> reporter: on ckhristmas, the smile

ron mott, nbc news, chicago. >>> and coming up, the magic of christmas.e'll go to the nutcracker performed in a whole new way. >>> as one news story put it, there's no skating on mars, not yet anyway. but if there were a skating rink on the red planet, this might be it. she's stunning new photographs show an ice-filled crater. 51 miles wide. and we're told the ice never melts since the crater is very close to the planet's polar ice cap. >>> and an update tonight on an off-duty fbi agent whose gun went off after he did a backflip at a colorado bar last june. as chase bishop performed the move, his gun fell to the ground, then went off as he tried to pick it up, injuring a bystander. yesterday bishop pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and was ordered to pay a fine but was spared jail time. >>> when we come back, a new spin on a holiday classic. a performance you will not want to miss. >>> perhaps nothing in music and dance invokes the spirit of the holiday season like "the nutcracker" with its timeless message of goodwill. tonight a new twist on the bal

ron mott, nbc news, chicago. >>> just ahead, aquaman makes waves at the holiday box office.d honoring those who spend the holidays serving the nation. we'll take a look at the day in the life aboard a u.s. navy destroyer, next. yeah, it's pretty stressful. this music is supposed to relax me, though. ♪ maybe you'd mellow out a bit if you got geico to help you with your renters insurance. oh, geico helps with renters insurance? good to know. yeah, and they could save you a lot of money. wow, suddenly i feel so relieved. you guys are fired. get to know geico and see how much you could save on renters insurance. 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. huseventy five percent off andthe entire store, with last minute gifts from three, four, and five dollars! you still have time for last minute gifts! buy online and pick up in store. the entire store is on sale, with

nbc's ron mott has more. >> reporter: annette diver's morning routine hasn't changed all that much over the years. d > good morning. >> goorning. >> reporter: get her boys up from bed, pack lunches, kiss her family good-bye for the day, now she's leaving the house, too. heading back to work at gm as an enginee after taking 15 years off to be a mom. it's part of gm's re-hiringnitiative called take two, aimed largely at women just like aboth in have technical expertise. how would you say take two has changed your life here since you've decided to take the plunge? >> i would have never lieved that years ago when i was going to stay home, did i ever even have any idea that i was g to return in my 40s, doing the same type of role when i was in my 20s, with a completely different >> i've learned a tremendous amount. >> reporter: take two ly is essential 12-week paid tryout giving prospective employees a chance to see if th timing is right for them to return, giving the company a chance to see if their skills are good fi >> i sacrificed ten years of my career, but the seed that was plant is bl

ron mott, nbc news, chicago. >> we'll let you know what happens with that. >>> all right, let's get our christmas eve forecast. good morning, bonnie. >> good morning, phillip and he lie storm syssleet, troublesome fore driving. across the southeast, we'll look for rain and snow, mainly i'd say towards areas further to the south. generally speaking, though, the snow will be working its way northward. so as we look towards later on in the week, a lot of these cities that will be dealing with a beautiful white christmas will get even more snow as a second storm will come into the forecast on wednesday and thursday. that's a look at the and southern california today with highs in the 60s. so, a white christmas for parts of our areas to the west and a little bit in the northeast and great lakes. most of the country not experiencing that this year. >> thanks so much, bonnie. >> sure. >>> well, colorado police are out looking for a woman who disguised herself as one of santa's reindeer during a burglary. the woman allegedly broke into a business early in the morning and stuffed several items i

ron mott, nbc news. >> so sweet. is a good son. >> it seems like something every son or daughter would like to do for their parent. but hey, if you're in a position like that that's amazing. inspires others to do the same. >> definitely. >>> well, the associateds med i the year. for the fifth time it's tennis superstar serena williams. williams reached the finals at wimbledon and the u.sen short e. now 37 and a new mother, she returned to tennis and accomplished these feats after developing blood clots and undergoing four surgeries. while serena has won the a.p. honor in the past for her dominance in the sport, this year was about her perseverance. i say it's well deserved. >> female athlete of the year, of the decade, of the century. it all goes to her. i don't see anyone more deserving. all right. have you got the moves like jagger? according to page six, iconic rolling stone mick jagger has choreographed a collaboration with his prima gal reina girlfriend melanie hamrick. tun of the rolling stones. how about that?

ron mott, nbc news, warren, michigan. >>> still ahead tonight, how some trendsetters are getting big bucks to give the fashion industry its own makeover, and the eagle has landed. right in the stands of eagle has landed. right in the stands of this week ♪ she's doing it again no cover up spray here... it's the irresistibly fresh scent of febreze air effects. cheaper aerosols can cover up odors, burying the smell in a flowery fog. switch to febreze air effects! febreze eliminates even the toughest odors from the air. and it uses an all-natural propellant to leave behind a pleasant scent you'll love. use anywhere odors can spread. freshen up, don't cover up. febreze air effects. (boy) got it. nooooooo... (dad) nooooooo... (vo) quick, the quicker picker upper! bounty picks up messes quicker and is two times more absorbent. bounty, the quicker picker upper. but prevagen helps your brain with an ingredient originally discovered... in jellyfish. in clinical trials, prevagen has been shown to improve short-term memory. prevagen. healthier brain. better life. hi susan!hs) honey? i respect th

nbc's ron mott has that. >> reporter: annette diver's morning routine hasn't changed much over the years. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> reporter: get her boys up and fed, pack lunches, kiss her family goodbye for the day. and 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 gm's rehiring initiative, called take two, aimed largely at women just like annette who have technical expertise. >> how would you say take two has changed your life since you decided to take the plunge? >> i would have never believed that years ago when i was going to stay home, did i ever even have any idea that i was going to return in my 40s doing the same type of role when i was in my 20s, with a completely different outlook. >> i've learned a tremendous amount. >> reporter: take two essentially is a 12-week paid tryout, giving prospective employees a chance to see if it's right for them to return and their skills are a good fit. >> i sacrificed ten years of my career, but the seed that was planted is blossoming now in my life.

ron mott, nbc news, illinois >> celebrating all families this holiday season.hen we come back, a moment of thanks from the people who bring you this broadcast every night. >>> as we end our broadcast on this christmas night, we want to thank you for spending your time with us throughout the ightly news" broadcast is called "the mission." all of us here at nbc news take our mission very serious and the world, hundreds of men and women spend every hour of every day serving you and the truth. all of them an important part of the story told nightly. ♪ a barrage of bullets. an officer involved shooting leaves o >>> right now at 6:00, a brar raj of bullets. officer involved shootings. >> people who had a tough 2018 receiving a helping hand in the south bay. all in hopes ofetnghe n year started on the right foot. >>> how dozens of families from the butte county celebrated here in the bay area. >> i am terry mcsweeney. >> and a many vianey arana. >>> got more than just presents under the tree. nbc bay area shows us their christmas. >> reporter: people come here to the

ron mott, nbc news. >> that is love. >>> we're back in a moment with a warning for netflix users and why you shouldn't click on any e-mails from the company until you see our repo. >>> and those who serve. a story on the power of mentoring. the unlikely friendships making a big difference in one u.s. city. >>> some breaking news out of indiana tonight. there's been an explosion at carmel high school just north of indianapolis, reportedly injuring at least two people, one with severe burns. officials say the fire may have started in a mechanical room. parents have been directed to the school stadium locker rooms to pick up their kids. >>> double trouble on the italian island of sicily today as mt. etna's eruption caused an earthquakenihede of 4.8. the quake damaged structures throughout the area and injured at least ten people. >>> supreme court justice ruth bader ginsburg is out of the hospital. the nation's highest court confirming today that she was discharged from a new york hospital on tuesday after cancerous nodules were removed from her lung. she's resting at home. >>> the fede

nbc's ron mott has more on how a communitydhem to send a message of inclusion. >> reporter: casey handeladette rosado are getting married last week so when someone stole their pride flag from their backyard and replaced it with an american flag, they felt violated and under attack for their love. >> the nerve of someone to trespass on someone's property and take something and then replace it with something that's making a statement. >> reporter: casey shared news of the caper with neighbors online. >> something very disturbing and scary happened last night. >> reporter: and the neighborhood's true colors came shining through. one by one, neighbors started flying pride flags too. a message of solidarity with casey and zadette, but also a message to the thief. >> families come in all shapes and right to judge. rees originally thought someone stole the flag because they liked it so much. >> it was tough to watch them then process the fact that maybe difficult conversation to have with them. >> reporter: on christmas, howe neighborhood support, te pde ev. ad lib live picture golden gate brid

as ron mott reports, it involves a young democrat taking on another democrat with powerful backers. >> hey, how are you. r-> reporter: 19-yead college freshman david krupa decided to run for y hicago's c council. >> i would appreciate it out and support me. >> reporter: he collected signatures from 1,700 people, more than four times the amount needed and the first to get one allot in 27 years in his homeward setting up a face-off against incumbent matter quinn. quinn is backed by one of the state's most powerful political figures, house saker mike madigan who lives in the 15th ward so when his signares were contested it was to be expected. what wasn't. his lawyer found out the party that sheen had submitted 2,800 from swan affidavits who wanted to withdraw their support from krupa, 1,000 more signatures than he smilted. >> this is a case where it went way past rough and tumble politics and across the line into are the criminal behavior. >> this was a clown car of. feloni >> reporter: only 187 of the signatures matched meaning 2,600 of a gasts filed with the election board may prove fr

let's start with nbc's ron mott. ron is in snowy saint cloud, minnesota near minneapolis. ron, good morning to you. >> reporter: hey, craig, good morning to you. the snow came down last night in aint clouda pretty good clip. we moved to a wintry mix rightw in 13 states there are winter weather advisories or storm warnings that is affecting tens of millions of people. theovernor of kansas declared a disaster emergency because of this system. if you are traveling today through the storm zone you can expect snow and/or rain. youan expect strong winds. ln some places some hail. overnight a power winter storm making its way across the u.s. affectingillions from new mexico. >> skis and snowshoes required at high point tennis tonight. >> reporter: all theay to minnesota. travelers heading home from the holidays facing dangerous conditions on the road. >> we have been in forever. we would start to move a little bit and then it stopped again. >> reporter: and in thein air. for s, a flight headi dallas was diverted to austin after severe turb rens injured two people on board. >> saf

ron mott has more.to watch. >> reporter: he was an nfl star running back. >> the show goes on. for kareem hunt. >> reporter: but this morning, hunt is starring in what many see as a horror film. hotel video obtained by tmz sports showing him shoving a woman who then took a swing at him, later charging at her. she's knocked to the floor and then finally hunt kicks her before being pulled away. >> i was assaulted and i need help. >> reporter: the disturbing footage captured at cleveland hotel in february. police were called but no charges filed. late friday, hunt's team the kansas city chiefs said he was not truthful when they spoke to him about the incident earlier this year and that they were releasing him immediately. fired. >> it's a shame that it takes seeing a video to get kind of that reaction when you hear about violence against women. >> reporter: the video reminiscent of another incident of a star player getting violent on camera. in 2014, ray rice knocked out his fiancee, now wife, in a casino

back to you. >> ron mott starting us out in minnesota. on, thank you. >>> let's check in with dylan dreyer for more on where the storms might hit. >> this is a huge storm. look at the weather alerts. we have the flood warnings in the south. the flood watches. we also have winter storm warnings. we have blizzard warnings in effect as well. now, the swath of snow producing snowfall rates of about 1 to 2 inches per hour. but winds are gusting up to 30 to 45 miles per hour. we're seeing reduced visibility across northern minnesota stretching back through the plains. on the southern side we have a huge threat of tornadoes and dangerous cloud to ground lightning. this squall line is moving across south eastern texas and approaching louisiana. this will move east and produce weather through the day today. we'll see several delays and cancellations in major airports from chicago because of the rain, st. louis because of the rain, atlanta especially later today because of the rain. but also up across minneapolis/st. paul, omaha, because of the rain

nbc's ron mott is in st. cloud, minnesota, with the latest. t's a pretty picture where you are but it looks like a white christmas is too late, huh? >> white christmas a little too late. when i got up here it started snowing at a good clip. we probably accumulated between 3 and 4 inches of snow overnight. we are right at that line between the heavier snow well to our north and to our south is a bunch of rain. we're right at that line at 32 glee degrees. there are 13 states with severe weather warnings or storm advisories in effect, affecting tens of millions of people. if you're traveling, especially flying, always a good idea to call the airline. i did check a little while ago. things are looking pretty good, largely because most of this heavier snow is well to the north, away from major airports, minneapolis, st. paul, was doing very well here this morning. we do anticipate as the afternoon goes on, as the snow continues to fall, you might start to see some delays pick up. always a good idea to call ahead. this system is headed your way, this