Good friday morning, everybody. Im rob nelson. Im sunny hostin in for paula faris. We begin with the arctic blast, bringing snow instead of sunshine to Southern California. This morning, that powerful system is stretching all the way to michigan, with winter warnings and watches posted, now, in more than a dozen states. Abcs michael barr has the latest. Reporter the arctic blast is dumping snow on Southern California, shutting down interstate 5, north of los angeles. Roads in Higher Elevations quickly turned icy. Its very, very icy up there. Kind of dangerous roads. Making sure to chain up before i head up there. Reporter along with snow and ice, the storm is bringing 45mileperhour to 60mileperhour winds to the west. The blustery weather triggered mudslides near seattle. Its a cold front, sending a chill to the middle of the country. Would notice that chill after getting Severe Weather more common in summer. Our patio floor is actually over here in the neighbors yard. We got outside. And we walked out to this. Reporter this weeks storm damage, of downpours and tornadoes are bad enough where louisianas governor declared a statewide emergency. Michael barr, abc news. And for the very latest on exactly when and where the snow will hit and just how much it will get, we turn, now, to accuweather. Meteorologist jim dickey is tracking the storm. Good morning, rob and sunny. A mess in the northern west and the upper plains. An icy mix into minnesota, with winddriven snow into the dakotas. Blizzard conditions tonight. Travel conditions will be dangerous if not impossible. A foot of snow when its all said and done. The pattern for this weekend, quite warm into the east. Many spots challenging record highs saturday and sunday. Rob and sunny, back to you. Thanks a lot, jim. And sam champion will be tracking the storm and will have the latest information coming up on good morning america. And now, turning to washington, where the forecast for ending the epidemic of gun violence is still cloudy. The outline of the Vice President s proposal is beginning to emerge. But so is the plan to oppose it. Abcs Jonathan Karl has more. Reporter on the day Vice President biden met with the National Rifle association, he made it clear hes pushing for the biggest expansion of gun control in two decades. Theres got to be some Common Ground here. Reporter bidens proposals will likely include mandatory background checks on virtually every gun sale, and a ban on semiautomatic weapons and those ammo clips that hold dozens of bullets. That will pit him squarely against the nra. Everything thats been proposed impinges on people who have every right to own firearms. Reporter the nra has long been a lobbying force like no other. Its unwavering opposition to gun control immortalized by its late president , charlton heston. From my cold, dead hands. Reporter recent polls suggest an opening for some gun control. A majority now favoring a ban on semiautomatic handguns. But it would be a mistake to think the nras influence has waned. In the three weeks after the shooting in newtown, connecticut, the nra added more than 100,000 new members. Jonathan karl, abc news, the white house. And even as the Vice President was holding those meetings in washington, another School Shooting was taking place. This time, in california. Police say a student snuck a shotgun into school and then struck one classmate in the chest and fired on another. Fortunately, a heroic Science Teacher was able to talk him down and disarm him. A sheriff said that the 16yearold gunman told investigators he targeted the two students because they had bullied him. A colorado judge has given the go ahead to the trial of james holmes for the Movie Theater massacre last july. He will be back in court today, where he will officially be charged. Abcs Clayton Sandell reports from aurora, colorado. Reporter the judges ruling is not a surprise. After prosecutors spent three days laying out a mountain of evidence, including how holmes allegedly amassed guns and ammo, boobytrapped his apartment with explosives. Even scoped out the theater weeks before the attack. They say holmes took eerie selfportraits just hours before the shooting started. He had black contact lenses on. And he sat in the courtroom delighted. Reporter holmes is charged with 166 counts, including murder and attempted murder, for last summers massacre that left 12 people dead and dozens wounded. His attorneys say he is mentally ill. Families of the victims dont buy it. Had all that time to plan it, write it, talk about it. No. Youre not mentally ill. Reporter the courtroom drama is unfolding as this community is still struggling to heal. And next week, for the First Time Since the shooting, the theater where the massacre took place, will reopen its doors. Next in the legal fight, holmes must decide how he will plead to the charges. And prosecutors will decide if they will seek the death penalty. Clayton sandell, abc news, aurora, colorado. Also, new details this morning about the secret Service Prostitution scandal ahead of president obamas visit to colombia last year. A Justice Department report found three Drug Enforcement Administration Agents had paid for sexual services. Now, two of those agents hired a prostitute for a visiting secret service supervisor. The agents used their d. E. A. Blackberries to arrange the encounters and later tried to delete the information. And after a voft visit to the pentagon yesterday, hamid karzai meets at the white house today with president obama. The u. S. Drawdown in afghanistan through next year is on the top of the agenda in all of karzais meetings. Leon panetta said, the u. S. Is in, quote, the last chapter of the afghan war. Heres something you dont see every day, snow blanketing the holy land. It was the biggest snowstorm in jerusalem in 20 years. All of the citys holiest sites were covered with several inches. Eight people were killed this week as the storm battered the region. Rare scene. The children were having fun. When we come back this morning, a missing child case is finally over after 19 years. Then, whale watch. Fear, relief. Now, fear again about the fate of a pod of icebound killer whales. And where is samuel l. Jackson when you need him . The big snake that was found, thats right, on a plane. Welcome back, everybody. Wall street will have a close eye on the worlds thirdbiggest economy this morning. The japanese government has just approved a 117 billion economic stimulus plan aimed at creating 600,000 jobs and adding 2 to the countrys gdp. The nikkei ended the day at its highest level in almost two years. The ax is swinging at american express. The credit card and Financial Firm is slashing 5,400 jobs. Amex says most of the cuts will be in its travel services, which has been hammered by corporate cutbacks and clients booking online. Boeing 787 was supposed to be the next big thing in travel. But reports say federal Officials Say theyre going to review the crime liners power system. A threefoot crack was found in the cockpit window of a dreamliner an hour after takeof. The faa will hold a News Conference following recent 787 incidents. United airlines, which operates six dreamliners, says it has no plans to ground the plane. And news for anyone hoping to save a few bucks on an iphone. Apple is knocking down reports its planning a cheaper version of an iphone. An apple executive is quoted as saying, the company will not sell a less expensive version just for the sake of growing market share. Walmarts big sale of iphone 5s for 157 ends tomorrow, replaced by a walmartonly nocontract version. Thats a great price. I get it. All right. When we come back, a wakeup call about ambien. New warnings about too many people taking too much of the popular sleep drug. And vaccine alert. As the severe flu season spikes, supplies of the vaccine to d i, africa, 2004. The battle of bataan, 1942. [ all ] fort benning, georgia, in 1999. [ male announcer ] usaa Auto Insurance is often handed down from generation to generation because it offers a superior level of protection and because usaas commitment to serve the military, veterans, and their families is without equal. Begin your legacy. Get an autoinsurance quote. Usaa. We know what it means to serve. In the middle of the night it can be frustrating. Its hard to turn off and go back to sleep. Intermezzo is the first and only prescription sleep aid approved for use as needed in the middle of the night when you cant get back to sleep. Its an effective sleep medicine you dont take before bedtime. Take it in bed only when you need it and have at least four hours left for sleep. Do not take intermezzo if you have had an allergic reaction to drugs containing zolpidem, such as ambien. Allergic reactions such as shortness of breath or swelling of your tongue or throat may occur and may be fatal. Intermezzo should not be taken if you have taken another sleep medicine at bedtime or in the middle of the night or drank alcohol that day. Do not drive or operate machinery until at least 4 hours after taking intermezzo and youre fully awake. Driving, eating, or engaging in other activities while not fully awake without remembering the event the next day have been reported. Abnormal behaviors may include aggressiveness, agitation, hallucinations, or confusion. Alcohol or taking other medicines that make you sleepy may increase these risks. In depressed patients, worsening of depression, including risk of suicide, may occur. Intermezzo, like most sleep medicines, has some risk of dependency. Common side effects are headache, nausea, and fatigue. So if you suffer from middleofthenight insomnia, ask your doctor about intermezzo and return to sleep again. Theres new concern this morning for those killer whales that broke free from the ice in canada. Search planes have yet to find any signs of the whales. Officials say theres a lot more ice. And they fear the orcas may be trapped again. The whales may need to swim under the ice for miles or wait for it to melt in warmer weather. And with that, we take a look at your morning Road Conditions on this friday. Slick passes in the cascades and sier sierras. Heavy snow could make for a treacherous commute in the Northern Rockies and the midwest. If youre flying, airport delays are possible in Salt Lake City, minneapolis, chicago, atlanta, new orleans, charlotte, detroit, and new york. And now, to the story everybody around the country is talking about. A perfect storm of sickness is blowing across america this flu season. But its not just the flu thats sending people to the hospital. Thats right. Theres a nasty stomach virus and whooping cough, too. And doctors are having a tough time keeping up. Abcs Tahman Bradley has the latest. Reporter from coasttocoast, americans are waging a losing battle against the nasty flu strain. Doctors overrun with patients are running low on flu shots and tests, as the virus spreads. Were a little overwhelmed. Not only the practitioners. But the caregivers in general. Reporter more than 128 million vaccine doses have already been distributed nationwide. But krclinics cant keep up wit demand. Its tamiflu capsules that were getting 40 or 50 prescriptions for them every day. Reporter its allhands on deck in the fight against the flu. Its going to take you probably two or three weeks to feel really good again. Reporter at Holy Name Hospital in new jersey, one doctor isnt even administering flu tests. Hes just handing out treatment. This morning, schools across the country are reporting hundreds of students out sick. One School District in oklahoma, even canceled class after a quarter of the students became ill. It came pretty fast. When it hits you, it knocks you quick. Reporter the flu season hasnt it its peak, but its been deadly. Amelia perry was diagnosed with the virus and passed away. No clannic medical conditions. Didnt take any medications. She was a healthy 22yearold. Reporter its not just the flu. A nasty stomach bug called norovirus is on the move throughout the country. Doctors say its extremely contagious and a serious concern for hospitals. Tahman bradley, abc news. Now, if you get sick, abc news medical editor Richard Besser says stay home if you can. If you have trouble breathing or youre Getting Better and take a turn for the worse, thats when you should head for the hospital. Big news for the millions of americans who take sleeping pills. The fda is ordering Drug Companies that make ambien and similar medications to cut the dosage in half for women. New Research Shows the sleep aids stay in the body longer than initially thought. And women, in particular, process it more slowly. The study found eight hours after taking ambien, many women are too impaired and drowsy to drive. A boy abducted by his grandparents 19 years ago in indiana has been found, living under a different name in minnesota. This is Richard Wayne landers jr. , as a 5yearold. He is now 24. Landers was taken away by his grandparents who were upset over a custody fight. No word yet whether those grandparents will be prosecuted. And in sports this morning, nhl players have until tomorrow morning to approve a new labor deal that would end the current lockout. As for last nights hoops highlights, heres espn. Doug kezirian with your sportscenter update. We start in the nba, with the knicks playing without the suspended carmelo anthony. Colt coach chuck pagano, standing ovation. Chuck strong in the nfl. J. R. Smith, monster jam. 2 of his 25. Although, the knicks muster just 34 points in the first half. Later, amare stoudamire, the lefthanded scoop to go. Knicks are down one. Now, its a ninepoint deficit in the third quarter. Paul george, one of his six steals. Monster throwdown. Indiana up double digits. Later, more from george. 24 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists. Pacers have won ninestraight at home. Go to college ranks. Oregon, riding a tengame home win streak, hosting number four, arizona, undefeated this year. Good oregon d, to t. J. Singler in transition. Hes the younger brother of kyle singlen. 7 of 11 behind the arch. 54 . Singler. Chip kelly liking what he sees. A threepoint game. Closing seconds. Arizona rebound. Nick johnson has a chance for the wildcats. His pocket is picked by jonathan lloyd. Arizona gives the oregon. The duck dating back to last season, its 17straight. Have a great day. Coming up, the pulse. And an oscar name thats hard to remember. But one that you wont want to forget. Forge[ ma r ] this is bob, a regular guy with an irregular heartbeat. The usual, bob . Not today. [ male announcer ] bob has afib Atrial Fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem, a condition that puts him at greater risk for a stroke. [ gps ] turn left. I dont think so. [ male announcer ] for years, bob took warfarin, and made a monthly trip to the clinic to get his blood tested. But not anymore. Bobs doctor recommended a different option onceaday xarelto®. Xarelto® is the first and only onceaday prescription blood thinner for patients with afib not caused by a heart valve problem, that doesnt require routine blood monitoring. Like warfarin, xarelto® is proven effective to reduce the risk of an afibrelated stroke. There is limited data on how these drugs compare when warfarin is well managed. No routine blood monitoring means bob can spend his extra time however he likes. New zealand xarelto® is just one pill a day, taken with the evening meal. And with no dietary restrictions, bob can eat the Healthy Foods he likes. Do not stop taking xarelto® rivaroxaban without talking to the doctor who prescribes it for you. Stopping may increase your risk of having a stroke. Get medical help right away if you develop any signs or symptoms of bleeding, like unusual bruising or tingling. You may have a higher risk of bleeding if you take xarelto® with aspirin products, nsaids or blood thinners. Talk to your doctor before taking xarelto® if you currently have abnormal bleeding. Xarelto® can cause bleeding, which can be serious, and rarely may lead to death. You are likely to bruise more easily on xarelto®, and it may take longer for bleeding to stop. Tell your doctors you are taking xarelto® before any planned medical or dental procedures. Before starting xarelto®, tell your doctor about any conditions, such as kidney, liver or bleeding problems. Ready to change your routine . Ask your doctor about onceaday xarelto®. For more information including cost support options, call 1888xarelto or visit goxarelto. Com. All right. Time to check the pulse, now, the stories youll be talking about today. And here is a young actress everybody will be talking about, between now and the oscars next month. Thats right. Shes 9yearold quvenzhane wallis, a best actress nominee for her role in the movie beast of the southern wild. And quvenzhane, thats quvenzhane, is taking hollywood by storm, winning a Critics Choice Award last night. Thanks. Hello. First, i would like to thank as for the oscars, quvenzhane is the youngest lead actress nominee ever. But justin henry, the kid in kramer versus kramer, is the alltime youngest actor nominee. He was 8 years old. Despite being snubbed in the Oscar Nominations, ben affleck took home best director at the Critics Choice Awards. Argo won best picture. And after winning, he sarcastically thanked the academy. And passengers taking off from australia yesterday could have used a little help from samuel jackson. Enough is enough. I have had it with these [ bleep ] snakes on this [ bleep ] plane. How did he not win the oscar . Thats all im saying. 20 minutes into a qantas flight, passengers noticed a huge snake dangling from the wing of the wing. Its the largest species of snake in australia. The snake managed to hang on for the trip. But it did not survive the ordeal. The snake slipped into the landing bay. Theyre known for hiding in confined spaces, to lie in wait for prey. Can you imagine seeing that out of your window . And it didnt die, it was still there for a long, long time. That is pretty its impressive. That is pretty impressive. So, lets get samuel l. Jackson on that plane. For some of you, now, your local news is coming up next. For everyone else, well be back with the early oscar score for everyone else, well be back with the early oscar score card. Sh of coffee in and then fill the rest up with cream and it mommy, whats going on . What are you doing . So when we did the blonde roast, she finally went from a splash of coffee to only a splash of cream. And i thought that was so cool, i said well shes enjoying this. Starts with arthritis pain and a choice. Take tylenol or take aleve, the 1 recommended pain reliever by orthopedic doctors. Just two aleve can keep pain away all day. Back to the news. Just two aleve can keep pain away all day. Lets say you want to get ahead how do you get from here. To here . At university of phoenix were moving Career Planning forward so you can start figuring that out sooner. Ln fact, by thinking about where want your education to lead, while youre still in school, you might find the best route. Leads somewhere you werent even looking. Lets get to work. Do you really think brushing is enough to keep it clean . While brushing misses germs in 75 of your mouth, listerine® cleans virtually your entire mouth. So take your oral health to a whole new level. Listerine®. Power to your mouth™. Updating the top stories. James holmes will be back in court today to be charged in the Movie Theater massacre. But his lawyers say they are not prepared to enter a plea. A 16yearold student is in custody after shooting at his High School California school. A sheriff says he targeted at least two classmates who bullied him, shooting one of them in the chest. The storm that left parts of Southern California covered in white is now moving across the country. Heavy snow is coming down for Salt Lake City and the dakotas and northwestern minnesota. And the rest of your weather now. Freezing rain from minneapolis to duluth. Thunderstorms across the south. Showers from knoxville to pittsburgh. Shifting to the eastern seaboard by this afternoon. And finally this morning, the campaigning is already under way, campaigning for oscar, that is. The Academy Awards are handed out six weeks from sunday. And if the winners are as surprising as some of the nominations, it should be a very exciting night. Abcs david wright is in hollywood. Reporter directors, voting on this years Oscar Nominations for best director, may not have appreciated this line from argo. You teach somebody to be a director in a day . You could teach a rhesus monkey how to be a director in a day. Reporter they snubbed Kathryn Bigelows zero dark thirty. The director category was a shock to, i think, everybody in hollywood. The fact that both of them were off the list is shocking. And you have tom hooper, who directed les miserables, which a lot of people loved. Reporter Tom Hoopers Les mis shut out for best director. So, too, tarantinos django unchained. But all four movies are up for best picture. Two small, independent pictures got in the final five. Benh zeitlins beast of the southern wild. And Michael Hanekes amour. A film showing in just three theaters here in the u. S. Reporter 85yearold Emmanuelle Riva is the oldest ever for best actress. But two off the list, both from django unchained not slouches. No nomination for jamie foxx for for leonardo dicaprio. Leonardo dicaprio is always the bridesmaid when it comes to the oscar. Hes been nominated four times in the past. Hes never won. This year, he didnt even get nominated. Reporter as expected, lincoln took home a dozen nominations, the most of any movie. Im david wright, in hollywood. Always a few
comparemela.com © 2020. All Rights Reserved.