Transcripts For WCBS CBS 2 News At 6 20151215

Housing and social and Health Services for the homeless. It will be a long battle, but we believe with hard work, we will increasingly turn the tide. The review of the department of Homeless Services is already under way and mayor de blasio says they are currently looking for a new commissioner. Live outside city hall, hazel sanchez, cbs 2 news. Now to a developing story on long island. A big scare for more than 1300 students at west Babylon High School from something described as caustic in the air. 35 students had to be taken to the hospital. Dozens more treated on the schools front lawn. 60 students complained they were having trouble breathing after first smelling a strong gas or some kind of chemical odor. Everybody was, like, you have to get out. Everybody was coughing and there was like a bad smell. And my throat was getting strapped. Everybodys throat was scratched. Investigators are checking to find out and figure out where that unidentified odor came from. Tonight whether to open tomorrow. A threat that has since been determined a hoax shut down los angeles schools today. New york city received the same threat but saw right through it and didnt flinch. Why such drastically different responses . Cbs 2s dick brennan here now to explain. Dick. Reporter it appears to be a lot of explaining to do. We are learning now that when los angeles closed its schools, it didnt know that new york had received the same threat. But regardless, l. A. City officials are on the defensive having to explain its reaction to what appears to be an amateurish hoax. There was nothing credible about the threat. It was so generic, so outlandish. Reporter mayor de blasio dismissed the email that was also sent to los angeles and Police Commissioner bratton says it seems straight out of a tv show. I think the initiated the instigator of the threat may be a homeland fan watching episodes that it mirrors a lot of recent episodes. Took the email seriously shutting down its school system. We are closing all district campuses today due to a threat that has come. Reporter authorities were reacting to an email from someone who claimed, my last four years at one of the district high schools has been absolute hell. Im a muslim and i have teamed up with a local jihadist cell. Me and my 32 comrades will die tomorrow. The threat was explosive devices that the specific threat was attack with assault rifles and pistols. Reporter authorities in new york were surprised by the l. A. Decision and concerned it will trigger more threats. Well stay aware and stay involved. But at all costs we cannot start overreacting to what will probably be a series of copycat types of initiatives. Reporter so what should cities do Going Forward . In los angeles, as i understand it i understand their concern but before they make a decision to shut down the schools they should consult with the police and the fbi because they can look beyond the threat itself and not they believe its a hoax. Reporter an l. A. School district spokesman said it had asked for 13 Law Enforcement agencies to help search some 1,000 cam buses including 187 charter schools. The search is said to be more than 80 complete. Maurice, right now we still dont know if they will be open tomorrow. They have more work to do. Thank you, dick brennan. We have more information for you now. New york city of course has the Largest School system in the country. 1. 1million students. 1800 schools. Los angeles has 640,000 students, 900 schools coming in at number 2. And a twist tonight on the national campaign. If you see something Say Something to fight terrorism. Law enforcement on long island is using high technology. Cbs 2s Jennifer Mclogan shows us how from mineola. Reporter electronic threats like those into los angeles and new york city schools, the impetus behind a new move to partner with the public. Today we deputize social take a screen shot of possible social media threats. Reporter Police Leaders say this recently posted disturbing threat against the president is a prime example of how we can get involved anonymously and for free. Type in Nassau County crimestoppers. Press get on the icon then install. Screen shot the threat and text. Some threats on facebook, dont assume we know about that. Provide that screen shot. Send that to the tips line and give us the opportunity to investigate. Reporter they call it a 2015 social Media Version of civil defense. That was launched by fdr during world war ii to keep an eye out for espionage and sabotage. If they are extreme i wases radicalized let us know about those people so we can stop them so we can intercept tweets. We can set up a geo fence. We can filter it to code words and then we can go into these communities and pull out those people who have extreme views. Threats were aimed at courthouses, malls, railroads, and schools on long island. They are all hoboken. Will this new counter they were all hoaxes. Will this new Counter Terrorism thing work . I would do it. Seems like a quicker way. Reporter lawyers say no one has a right to make terroristic threats so exposing them is not an infringement on freedom of speech. On long island, Jennifer Mclogan, cbs 2 news. If someone texts a tip to Nassau County police and its a real credible threat they could receive a reward of 5,000. In the bronx, a hunted is on for a robber who held up an armored truck. It happened in the morning as the truck picked up money from a checkcashing outlet in soundview. Police say the suspect put a gun to the guards neck as he walked out with two bags full of cash. Security video shows the suspect racing across the street shooting at the armored truck guard who fires back. A witness says her husband was narrowly missed by the bullets that hit his car. A little bit higher and he when he heard the first shot then he looked and he turned and he saw that they were shooting from the bridges car. The suspect ran off with 70,000 in cash. And 4 people are now under arrest accused of scamming a harrison grandmother out of more than 300,000. Investigators say the victim was tricked into depositing the money into various accounts after getting a call from a phony police officer. The caller claimed the victims grandson was in jail and told her to deposit the money to free him. Police say this is a common type of scam and several variations of it have been carried out around the country. We have been enjoying record mild temperatures so far in december and we could get the warmest christmas on record. Not everybody thrilled about it. Its been bad for business on the ski slopes. Cbs 2s meg baker has the story. Reporter december usually looks like this on the ski slopes. Ski gear locked up, locker room empty. No white in sight up at Mountain Creek in vernon, new jersey. There seem to be more people on the golf course this december. This has happened before. Winter will always arrive. Reporter a major delay in business for ski resorts in the area. Its all green as far as the eye can see. These slopes will stay green not only because its not cold enough to make snow, but because we need a few cold nights of frost to harden this ground. Most people think at 32, when it freezes, thats good snow making. The best snowmaking temperatures are 12 to 22. Reporter humidity also needs to be low. Its the same story at mahwah where christmas week is a profitable week. Its nature. Nature has a way of paying us back and i think this is going to be a nice long end of the season like last year was. Reporter last year, people were still in ski jackets on easter. How much money would you say that you are losing . Oh. Thanks to Mother Nature . Its a bummer. Usually have a couple of thousand people a day during winter break and at 38 a day pass, it adds up. But the east coast loss is the wests gain. Clients this that were originally going to book on the east coast whether it be killing ton or stratton are starting to fly out west. Reporter both new jersey ski spots say they are praying to the snow gods that come the new year, they will be open. Keep checking the forecast. The snow machines are tuned up and ready to go once the springlike weather passes. In mahwah, meg baker, cbs 2 news. Mountain creek says it is hoping to draw in people during the holidays with golf and ziplining. Lonnie quinn is here. Golf and ziplining. Nothing like it in december, my friend. Imagine that. I will say i was skiing this past weekend at okemo in vermont. Not a natural flake within probably 200 miles but look, snowmaking has begun up there and they skid 19 trails what we see out there now, no snow notice a little sleet mixed in with sprinkles up around the northern fringes of Ulster County. Not going to amount to much of anything. We are going to talk about the warm weather. How long it continues and when the real cold snap will arrive a little later. Okay, lonnie. Also ahead, millions of dollars in lost revenue. The mta is going after drivers to try to get it back. Plus, mr. And mrs. Met join santa for a special party at citi field. And its a story that might bring a tear to your eye. Two sisters Christmas Wish comes true and a disabled dog finds a home for the holidays. And coming up tonight on the cbs evening news, republican candidates debate again tonight. Scott pelley here now looking ahead to that. [ chuckling ] reporter maurice, they are going at it tonight in las vegas just at the time that donald trump may be seeing serious trouble in iowa well have that story and the rest of the world news all coming up for you on the cbs evening news. Hi, im specialist williams i wanted to wish a Merry Christmas and happy new year to my family at mount vernon, new york. In five month. The mta is losing millions of dollars from unpaid tolls. Now its looking to collect the agency says that if people dont pay, they could lose registration. Reporter bridges and tunnels across new york city used by 800,000 drivers on average every day. At least four times a day. I pay every time. Reporter but a lot of people have been abusing the system. The mta says most offenders are on the hudson bridge that has new gateless and cashless tolls. Most here use ezpass and those who dont have it get a bill in the mail for 5. 50. An Agency Spokesman says, one third of those users have not paid the bill since 2012 when the system was installed. Since then, 6 million has been uncollected and even though theres a penalty for evaders the mta has not seen the money. You dont want a significant portion of those people not paying. Reporter now the mta wants to crackdown on violators. The idea, if you dont pay 5 tolls in 18 month your car registration gets revoked. The proposal goes to vote tomorrow. I think thats appropriate. Yeah. You have to pay if you are going to use it. You have to pay. Reporter the mta is also telling us its moving forward cash loss tolls on the marine parkway cashless tolls on the marine parkway in the rockaways. We are asking why the mta is going ahead with this when they cant collect on the henry hudson. He says most are paying when billed and the system is more efficient than tolltakers. Aaa agrees. A lot of systems are doing it on the east coast. Reporter they say if the proposal on this evasion crackdown gets approved the new rules go into effect in the spring. At the midtown tunnel, ilana gold hazel sanchez, cbs 2 news. The entire state may adopt these penalties which would include the tappan zee and new york state thruway. Two sisters wish made a time for christmas. Cbs 2s Christine Sloan reports from wayne. Reporter 10yearold twins tiana and Gianna Johnson are legally blind. Gianna also autistic. This christmas, they had just here she is with them. What did you say to your mom . I wanted a dog for christmas. Reporter their present coming early wrapped in a red outfit this affectionate pit bull named carmella with the prettiest eyes. Why her . Simple. Bus [ indiscernible ] reporter carmellas front legs are not normal probably from being kept in a kuralt until Sandy Roberto rescued her. She is giving this sweet tempered pit bull to the girls. This is my christmas present. I dont need anything else. Reporter how they met just 24 hours after the wish pretty amazing. The girls mom came to robertos dog grueling salon in wayne, new jersey grooming salon in wayne, new jersey to get the other dogs nails clipped. Wish and on cue carmella walked over. She was disabled. We spoke about carmella. Reporter receives in this grooming salon for more than a year and nobody wanted to adopt her until her mom walked to the door. Until getting carmella, gianna rarely spoke. Now she cant stop talking about her neukom pan john. Tell me new companion. Tell me about what its like to have this dog. Reporter amazing. They are no different from a regular dog. Reporter now doubt she is in the perfect home for christmas. In wayne, new jersey Christine Sloan, cbs2 news. Thats perfect. Jeanne and tiana are asking everyone to consider adopting a disabled pet for the holidays or a pet who is differently abled just like them. Lonnie quinn is here to talk about the weather. Its special. Did you know, you and i both have kids in the same ballpark agewise and i was wanted and she said, i want a dogie. Whoa. Thats a Big Christmas gift. And my wife says, honey, she said dolly. [ laughter ] oh, bear with me again. Lonnie. [ laughter ] hey, what did you say there . [ laughter ] heres what we have for you right now. Inside joke here at the studio. All right. Weatherwise temperatures all around the area, boy they are mild. They have been mild all day long. 56 is the lowest reading of the day in brooklyn. Temperatures just dropping. But your high temperatures were around 2 a. M. They were way up there. Taking a look at what the sky looks like, we have a few clouds out there. You can see them, starting to see the clouds out there. 58 degrees as of right now. You take a look back, thursday we started this run because thursday we hit the 60degree mark. Friday we were 61. Saturday 66. Sunday 67. Monday, yesterday, 67 degrees as well. Those are all temperatures that are normal from that time take a look at where we were today. We hit 68. The warmest of them automatic. Thats a record. The record was 67 which goes back to 2008. 68 degrees. We have had six 60degree days in a row a mini heat wave here in december. The vortex satellite and radar showing us a little bit of trace moisture all associated with an exiting low pressure system. Not going to do too much of anything. But i will say some of our northern suburbs had i think the northerning fringes of Ulster County had sleet with the rain. Bigger picture shows you theres a big snowstorm around, say, nebraska, Salt Lake City or so. This low is not necessarily coming to town. Its going to go north of our area. But as it pushes that way and counterclockwise circulation will draw up some of this little moisture that you see developing offshore so thursday looks to be a wet weather day. Heres how we see all those numbers coming together. 53 degrees for your day tomorrow. So we will not see seven 60 degree days in a row here in december. 57 on thursday. Then you get to friday. Some rain could linger a bit but a front makes it way through the area and cold air saturday and sunday. Saturday 41. Sunday 44. Then youre back to the 50 degree mark for monday and tuesday. And it looks like it will be 50s or more for next week. Strange. But well take it. Very strange. Thank you, lonnie. Otis livingston now looking ahead to your sports tonight. Hey, otis. Hey, denied once again. We hear from a disappointed and yet still gambling pete rose. Plus, the combination of eli manning, odell beckham, jr. Came up big for big blue last night keeping their division hopes alive with three games left in the regular season. Im not a fan of putting my personal info in these Online Shopping forms. Hellloooo . . . I dont have time to be filling out my address, thats why i use masterpass. Less typing, more dancing. Sfx tango music como te llamas . Yo soy camarones. Dip me. The easier way to shop online. Masterpass from mastercard and your bank. Time for sports with office. The giants needed that one last night. They did as they move forward to this playoff hunt. The giants beat the dolphins last night in miami keeping the division hopes alive with three regular games left and they shake off that emotional loss to the jets last week. Eli manning was surgical all evening nearly perfect. 27 for 31. 337 yards and 4 touchdowns. Continues to make highlight reel material on a daily basis. First that gravity defying toe drag and then the wide open 84 yard td that gave them the lead for good. They hadnt practiced that way for a long while but monday watching film for the last time eli saw something and said be prepared to run that route. His mind is special to be able to see some stuff like that something we hadnt practiced completely on the fly and to be able to connect at a crucial time. I was thinking it would be a big play or had a chance to be that open. Still a threeway tie for first. Jennings made a surprise appearance at roosevelt high in long island to give star Football Player [ nonenglish language ] the usa football award presented by hospital for special sergery and the giants. He earned a surgery and the giants. He earned a monetary award for not only have you made changes in the community but you have been chosen amongst tristate area Football Players as one of the hardest workers. That is something ill be able to hold with my for the rest of my life. Going to be a bear one day. Making a big difference. He has the heart of a giant. A day after Major League Baseball commissioner upheld the initial ruling banning pete rose from baseball we heard from charlie hustle himself. At least he joked that he should be commissioner because he watches and promotes so much baseball. He also admitted that he still gambles but still can help others. Im the one that screwed up and made the mistake. I only hope i can prevent other people from making the kind of mistakes that i made in the game of baseball. You cant rewrite something thats already happened. You have to live with it. But you have to try to become still hopes to get in the hall of fame. Jerry blevins resigned. He broke his arm and missed part of the season. And it was mets annual Holiday Party at city failed today. Kirk nieuwenhuis dressed up like a santa helper and santa looks like mets pitcher steve matz. 135 kids from schools in queens went home with a present and spent quality time with mr. And mrs. Met and santa claus. Nice. Very nice. Thank you. Well be right back. News is brought to you by youd be surprised how easy it is to get a good lowcost health plan you might even get help paying for it go to nystateofhealth. Ny. Gov or call 18553555777 coming up on cbs 2 news at 6 00, hundreds of women say a popular hair product has a frightening side effect i had started to get a bald spot and i found another one in the back. And thats when i kind of started to get worried. Its a celebrity endorsed beauty treatment that could be causing hair loss. Plus, could your Christmas Party end up getting you fired . That and more at 11. Meantime, coming up next on the cbs evening news with scott pelley, the psychology of terrorism and how its affecting our lives. Have a good night