it's december 26th is in the red monday or whatever day it is. we say good morning on this monday. i'm kendis gibson. >> and i'm marci gonzalez in for diane. we begin with a swath of heavy snow blanketing several states canceling flights and causing problems on the roads. >> let's take a look at the radar. look how huge this thing is. that is a big storm system forcing weather alerts in 17 states over the past 24 hours, and it's not done yet. the snow moved east overnight making its way into new england. this morning, winter weather slamming states from the great lakes to the northeast. overnight, the storm reaching the boston area where a tricky morning commute is expected. the storm is dumping more than 6 inches of snow on at least 8 states causing major problems on the roads including this 33-car pileup in flint, michigan. in detroit, this passenger plane skidded off the snowy runway after landing. >> 724, we just went into the grass. >> reporter: all 70 on board are safe after an emergency evacuation from the plane's rear hatch. >> you know, they did a good job of keeping everyone calm and got us off the plane in an orderly fashion. people on the ground were awesome too helping you off the plane, on the bus, off the bus telling you exactly where to go. >> reporter: at chicago's airport more than a thousand flights canceled. this picture from the airport's parking lot showing row after row of snow-covered cars and the band one republic forced to cancel a concert and ride out the storm in new york city writing in a tweet, when you try to tour in the winter. it's not over yet. heavy snow still coming down in about 14 states as that storm moves east, but that may not be the worst of the weather this week. >> yeah, more extreme cold is on the way too. let's get the complete forecast now from accuweather's paul williams. good morning, paul. >> good morning to you as well, kendis and marci. we're looking for delays along the east coast because of the rain, but a mixture of freezing rain and snow throughout the northeast and a blast of cold air that's going to step its game up right into the ohio valley region. then brace for big-time arctic blasts that's going to come out of the northwest that will have flurries and showers throughout the great lakes, and we're looking for lake-effect snow in full effect. then this big-time blast of arctic air will reach all the way down to the deep south pushing temperatures well below the norm. kendis, marci. >> thanks, paul. turning to politics now, donald trump is shooting down allegations that russia interfered with the presidential election to swing it in his favor. >> this as trump prepares for another day of meetings to round out his cabinet. there are new questions emerging about a russian connection to the man he is expected to select as secretary of state. abc's lana zak is following the developments and joins us from washington. good morning, lana. >> reporter: good morning, kendis and marci. the president-elect is making some fresh international waves with his most recent comments about china. a foreign ministry spokesperson says he risks badly affecting the u.s./sino relationship. all of this is a lot to take on for the still unnamed next secretary of state. president-elect donald trump tells fox news that exxonmobil ceo rex tillerson would make a great secretary of state. >> to me a great advantage is he knows many of the players, and he knows them well. he does massive deals in russia. >> reporter: but it is exactly those ties tillerson has to russia that are worrying democrats and republicans. >> i have obviously concerns of reports of his relationship with vladimir putin, who is a thug and a murderer. >> reporter: in 2013 putin gave tillerson the order of friendship award. >> i've known him since 1999 and i have a very close relationship with him. >> reporter: mr. trump hasn't announced his pick for the top diplomatic position yet, but "the washington post" reports renewed concerns of the russians interfering in the u.s. election according to the cia. >> i think it's ridiculous. i think it's just another excuse. >> reporter: 17 known u.s. intelligence agencies concluded the russian government directed the hacking, but that's not the only issue on which the next president and the intelligence community don't see eye to eye. mr. trump says he'll decline daily intelligence briefings. >> i get it when i need it. i don't have to be told -- you know, i'm like a smart person. >> reporter: and just ten days after taking a call from the president of taiwan, mr. trump is again making waves with china. >> i don't know why we have to be bound by a one china policy unless we make a deal with china having to do with other things including trade. >> reporter: well, state-run chinese media have been responding to that point by mr. trump warning that the one china policy they say is not for sale and also hinting that if the u.s. further isolates china it may become friendlier with our foes. marci, kendis. >> that statement late this morning, they say they have serious concern about his comments on taiwan. lana zak, thank you. breaking overnight, a rare sunday night verdict in a trial that gripped new orleans. a jury has convicted the man who admittedly shot and killed former saints star and super bowl winner will smith. the trial of cardell hayes went through the weekend. hayes was found guilty of manslaughter for the shooting death of smith in a road rage incident in new orleans in april. hayes said it was self-defense, but the jury rejected that. hayes faces up to 40 years in prison and will be sentenced in february. quite a few developments overseas in turkey where they have observed a national day of mourning after a terror attack killed 38 people. a kurdish militant group has claimed responsibility for twin bombings outside a soccer stadium in istanbul. most of the victims were police officials. defense secretary ash carter says the u.s. stands shoulder to shoulder with turkey in battling terrorism. carter was there in iraq for a surprise visit. and there's been no claim of responsibility for a terror attack at a coptic christian church in egypt. 25 were killed and dozens injured when a bomb ripped through the church. most of the victims were women and children. it was one of the deadliest attacks on the country's christian minority in recent years. and while the syrian government is focused on aleppo, isis has scored a major victory. the militants have retaken palmyra, an ancient city that isis held until last march. during its occupation the extremists destroyed historic sites and artifacts and experts fear isis will do so again. well, still ahead back here, there's been black friday, cyber monday and now green monday. the deals rolling out today. and new this morning, the man accused in a stabbing outside a mosque. why investigators are calling it a hate crime. plus, a fire breaks out at a popular ski resort injuring several guests. the new video just in. martin luther king jr.: we hold these truths to be self-evident -- that all men are created equal. john f. kennedy: the torch has been passed to a new generation of americans. barbara jordan: the american dream need not forever be deferred. lyndon johnson: this is the richest and the most powerful country... where teams compete to make the right decisions about safe food preparations. our challenge in this round -- read and follow package cooking instructions, and use a food thermometer. let's see how our teams are doing so far -- team 1? we just got 100 points. we separated our raw food from our cooked food. team 2? we got a 100-point green card for proper hand washing before our meal prep. referee: we've reached a critical safety point in the challenge. okay, team 1, let's check this out. uh-oh, not a safe internal temperature for those hamburgers. that puts everyone at high risk for food-borne illness. you get a red card -- undercooked. always read and follow the package cooking instructions and use a food thermometer. let's see how our winning team cooked it safe and avoided problems. well, i just kept focus on the four food safety steps -- clean, separate, cook, and chill. and we followed the package cooking instructions and took the temperature. can you cook it safe? at least 12 guests were injured when fire broke out in the middle of the night at michigan's boyne highlands ski resort this weekend. the fire started on the third floor of the main lodge, and the entire resort is closed just as it enters its busiest season. the atf has wrapped up its investigation into the warehouse fire that killed 36 people in oakland. new details about the investigation are expected to be revealed tomorrow during a news conference with atf and other agencies. a refrigerator has been ruled out as the cause of the fire, but agents still suspect it was something electrical. also in california, a suspected hate crime outside a mosque in simi valley. now, police say john matteson confronted worshippers outside the mosque, and after a verbal altercation, he stabbed a man. police say the victim was targeted because of his religion. police are also looking for a second suspect who also may have been involved in that incident. well, boeing says it now has a deal to sell 80 jets to iran. the biggest deal with iran in nearly four decades. the $16 billion contract was finalized just this weekend in accordance with new u.s. rules about trade with iran, but congress and president-elect trump have been critical of increased trade with that country since the nuclear deal was signed, and they may scuttle or at least limit the boeing sale. boeing's dreamliner is helping airlines offer longer and longer nonstop flights. the latest will be an epic 17-hour journey from london to perth staring in 2018. qantas will fly the route using new 787 dreamliners. it is a 9,000-mile trip and is the first nonstop between australia and europe. when qantas first flew to europe 070 years ago, it took four days and included nine stops. >> so it's a slight improvement. >> what a difference. well, first there's black friday and then cyber monday, but now another shopping day to remember. green monday. retailers noticed an uptick in shopping on the second monday in december. it's now the third largest online shopping day of the year, so expect to see some major discounts on those big ticket items and perks like free shipping. so there you have it. the time is right now. you have some good deals out there. when we come back, a retrial under way for a woman accused of hiring a hit man to murder her husband. the new argument from her lawyers saying police staged the crime scene. and bill murray in the oval office putting with the president. >> a normal day. >> right. ♪ happy holidays from crayola. so when do i start? um, shouldn't it be "spokes-crayon?" can somebody turn on the a/c? i'm melting here. ♪air marker spraayer!!! chemistry, baby! so i just hold this part and spraaaaaay... i'm okay. the holidays just got more surprising. you can find these great gifts and more in the crayola aisle. aaaaaah! each sold separately. ♪ h♪ but they only see hisfrom farwrinkles. ♪ ♪ if only harry used some bounce, to dry.♪ ♪ he would be a less-wrinkly winning guy. ♪ i was energetic.gia, i was active. then the chronic, widespread pain drained my energy. my doctor said moving more helps ease fibromyalgia pain. he also prescribed lyrica. fibromyalgia is thought to be the result of overactive nerves. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. for some, lyrica can significantly relieve fibromyalgia pain and improve function, so i feel better. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior. or swelling, trouble breathing, rash, hives, blisters, muscle pain with fever, tired feeling, or blurry vision. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. those who have had a drug or alcohol problem may be more likely to misuse lyrica. with less pain, i can be more active. ask your doctor about lyrica. a risky rescue in the frigid waters of canada. firefighters venturing onto the ice to help a young moose which had become trapped. they used axed to open the path. they led the frightened animal to the shore. off she went. see her there, apparently no worse for the wear. >> good to see. now for a look at morning road conditions here in the u.s. roads will be wet in the northwest, and from the gulf coast to the carolinas, it'll be slippery in the northern rockies and around the great lakes for that matter. and later today roads in the northeast may be slick. if you're flying, airport delays are most likely in new york and boston. a florida woman at the center of a murder for hire trial may take the stand today in her own defense. >> she's accused of trying to hire a hit man to kill her husband, but the defense claims it was all entrapment by officers looking to become famous on a reality show. more now from abc's linsey davis. >> you definitely want to do this. >> i'm positive like 5,000% sure. >> reporter: dalia dippolito heads back to a courtroom. >> is your husband michael? okay, i'm sorry to tell you, ma'am, he's been killed. >> reporter: but in court dippolito's lawyers turned their eyes on the police department behind the videos arguing that the boynton beach police department staged this encounter and posted this online to impress the crew of the tv show "cops" and by doing so tainted it and put their quest for fame ahead of the integrity of the investigation. something the police department disputes. >> you post that on youtube for the whole world to see within six minutes. >> reporter: in an interview with our amy robach last december, dippolito maintained her innocence. >> did you hire a hit man to kill your husband? >> no. >> reporter: linsey davis, abc news, new york. violence reportedly erupted in louisville, kentucky, during a celebration after louisville quarterback lamar jackson won the heisman trophy. sources tell our station there that two university of louisville football players were shot at an off-campus apartment complex saturday night. their injuries are said to be nonlife-threatening. and there are new claims that 1994 heisman trophy winner rashaan salaam had symptoms of cte. the disease associated with concussions. salaam committed suicide last week at the age of 42. his brother tells "usa today" that salaam suffered from memory loss and depression. cte can only be diagnosed after death, and salaam's brain was not donated for evaluation because of his muslim faith. a former member of "the brady bunch" cast has been fired by a radio station after some anti-gay remarks. susan olsen was a co-host of a political talk show on a digital station based in los angeles. olsen played cindy brady, of course, and she was fired after an online altercation with an openly gay actor. her termination followed the online posting of a facebook message that included an offensive term for gay men. well, it is week 13 in the nfl just about to be in the books. and so far only one team has clinched a playoff berth. >> that's the cowboys, and they were in action last night. highlights now from espn. good morning, america. i'm john buccigross. while you were in bed late last night, the cowboys were playing football against the new york football giants in new jersey. dak prescott and the cowboys, ezekiel elliott trying to stay warm. first quarter, no score, looks good here, everyone pays attention to elliott, and no one pays attention to terrance williams. looks like the cowboys are going to roll again. third quarter, giants down 7-3. eli to odell beckham jr., and he does the rest. he is a home run hitter. sometimes all it takes is a three-run homer in baseball and hee, hee. sometimes it just takes a long football play to win the game. giants win, 10-7. meanwhile, yeah, that was the weather in buffalo on sunday. steelers and bills and le'veon bell, he was outstanding. touchdown and another touchdown. steelers lead. he had three touchdowns on the day. in fact, he had more rushing yards than any steeler running back has ever had in the history of the franchise. big game tonight on he anyone, "monday night football," new england patriots home to the baltimore ravens, should be more great football weather to watch and, of course, on espn. it will be a good one. i'm john buccigross. have a great day, america. all right. up next in "the pulse," a record ride. the longest uber trip ever. and the viral video, a special student's college dream is coming true on camera. ♪ eyes open? good. because it's here. cue the confetti. say hi to xiidra, lifitegrast ophthalmic solution. xiidra is the first prescription eye drop solution approved to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye. so give your eye doctor a ring, and your eyes just might thank you. one drop in each eye, twice a day. the most common side effects of xiidra include eye irritation, discomfort or blurred vision when the drops are applied to the eyes, and an unusual taste sensation. to help avoid eye injury or contamination of the solution, do not touch the container tip to your eye or any surface. if you wear contact lenses, remove them before using xiidra and wait for at least 15 minutes before placing them back in your eyes. are you ready to do something about your dry eyes? talk to your doctor about xiidra. jay knows how to keep nice shorts, dad...g. this is what the pros wear. uhhh... that's why he starts his day with those two scoops in heart healthy kellogg's raisin bran. ready to eat my dust? too bad i already filled up on raisins. kellogg's raisin bran. deliciously heart healthy. the things that i consume a lot of it is very acidic. the enamel on my teeth was actually weakening. the whiteness wasn't there as much. my teeth didn't look as healthy as others. my dentist said that pronamel would help fight against that erosion that foods and drinks were causing. so it was really important to start using the pronamel. it'll be one less thing you have to worry about. pronamel is now giving me the confidence to know that i'm doing the right thing. so it's nice to know that it's as simple as that. ♪ but...my doctor recommended prilosec otc 7 years ago, 5 years ago, last week. just 1 pill each morning. 24 hours and zero heartburn, it's been the number 1 doctor recommended brand for 10 straight years, and it's still recommended today. use as directed ♪ your monday morning "pulse" is going to start with a little bit of golf right now between friends in the oval office. those friends being president obama and a guy named bill murray. >> oh, that guy. >> yes. >> in a new video posted by the white house they're practicing their putting on the rug in the president's office. >> of course. >> just a casual place to putt. the conversation includes some good-natured ribbing centered on the chicago cubs winning the world series. >> generally i don't let cubs fans into the oval office. >> it's probably not a coincidence that your popularity is at an all-time high. so i would just stick with this if i were you. i would just ride this baby. >> it's not gonna happen. >> it's gonna happen long before you make this putt. >> i don't know. i'd say this is i little staged. the video shows murray hit three putts and then the president doesn't hit any. >> yeah, i'm saying it's a lot staged. after murray tells the president that he suffers from knee pain, the whole thing turns into a well-orchestrated pitch for obamacare. >> could it just be fun? >> exactly. >> that's behind it all. >> with the new sign-up deadline that was on the 15th. a driver in virginia apparently now holds the record for the longest uber ride ever. >> watch out. picked up a -- where is that coming from? from williamsburg, virginia and drove her nearly eight hours to brooklyn, new york, after making the 400-mile trip. the 64-year-old then turned around in her 2005 prius and drove all the way back to virginia. >> so the bill was just shy of $300. rogers said she did it for the adventure, not the money and she said she never stopped, not even once to use the bathroom. >> that's a little tmi. i didn't really need to know that. >> yes, of course. >> okay. >> it was a prius, she didn't even need to stop for fuel. >> yeah, exactly. christmas came early for one boy on new york's long island. employees at a best buy decided to chip in to buy a wii-u for a child after they noticed he was coming to the store daily to play the free display. >> this video posted by the store manager as the child appeared to question the gesture at first, but the employee assured him it wasn't a joke and gave him a ride home so no one would be tempted to steal the game from him. >> that is incredible. >> ah. >> but this is a tense time for many high school seniors not just because of the holidays but because they're awaiting early decisions from colleges. >> coming right about now. family and friends of brendon gauthier gathered around his computer. this is in louisiana awaiting the moment of truth and then -- [ cheers and applause ] >> -- the elation as the college prep student learned he had been admitted to cornell university. the ivy league school only admits about one in seven applicants and brendon was one. congratulations and good luck. >> congratulations. >> more news after this. should. no way. should. no. definitely not. ha ha, nay. you shouldn't give underwear to everybody. but for those you do, give them fruit of the loom. when are they leaving? grilled cheese and campbell's tomato soup go together like grandchildren and chaos. made for real, real life. [ cougshh. i have a cold with this annoying runny nose. better take something. dayquil liquid gels doesn't treat a runny nose. it doesn't? alka-seltzer plus cold and cough liquid gels fight your worst cold symptoms including your runny nose. oh, what a relief it is! for the thousands of wounded warriors returning from battle, wounded warrior project has developed the warriors to work program, a unique program that helps wounded warriors translate their military experience to the civilian workplace. the warriors to work program also works with employers to find the right job for the right warrior. contact wounded warrior project at findwwp.org. welcome home the brave. good morning, north bay are let's get going. >> welcome, 4:30 club. welcome to monday. i am natasha zouves. >> i am reggie aqui with jessica castro and meteorologist mike nicco and alexis smith, our traffic reporter. >> we will start with you, first, and then to alexis. >> okay, good morning, everyone. we will talk about the cloud cover. i have it on live doppler hd and the radar returns. a few sprinkles are possible. the big deal today, more sunshine in the afternoon. temperatures are in the mid-40s this morning. to mid-50s at noon. to mid or upper 50s at 4:00. we have chances of rain ahead. alexis? >> this is what reggie was talking about a problem in menlo park. a tree is down on the southbound 101 off ramp to westbound willow road. it is highway 114 in the area. it sounded like a big tree but the fire department is cutting it up. c.h.p. right now issued a sig-alert since the ramp is closed. it is a busy area. >> now the sig-alert in menlo park. matt? >> we have good news. the exit ramp from southbound 101 to westbound willow road is open. c.h.p. had the van towed away. c.h.p. is wrapping up the investigation. the ramp is open. the minivan ran into a tree. the tree came down on the ramp. two people were in the van. firefighters cut back the tree. caltran will have to take care it. c.h.p. said alcohol or drugs appear to be a factor. the good news is the exit ramp is open. it will not impact the the weather made for a messy weekend through the bay area. crews chop up two trees. hundreds of years old. one fell on top of a house. not just in alamo but downed trees in san francisco and berkeley and san mateo county. >> in oakland on saturday a tree fell across highway 13. it shut down traffic for several hours. it smashed a car. amazingly, the driver wasn't injured. >> look at that in the sierra the heaviest rain in decades causing flooding. this video from soda