coming up. kathy: the city of milwaukee unveils its plan to keep people safe during the dangerous cold. all warming shelters will remain open this weekend, including the library. the police department and its homeless outreach team are out looking to take people to warming locations. according to the city, there are 1400 people homeless in milwaukee on any given night. the mayor has a very stern message to all residents during this cold snap. >> do not leave your car this is the time of year, we see an increase in auto thefts because so many individuals leave their cars running to pick up their child, to run into get something -- this is something where we are asking for trouble. kathy: a new homeless shelter is scheduled to open tonight. called "feeding his flock," the overnight shelter is on 81st and lapham in west allis. you can also dial 211 if you need somewhere to go. the weather watch 12 app. download it for free to your smartphone or tablet. joyce: first he won. then he lost. tonight, police on the hunt for a trio of armed robbers who held up a man after leaving the casino. as wisn 12 news' colleen henry reports, the suspects apparently followed the gambler home from potawatomi to waukesha. colleen: at the casino, when you win big, everybody knows -- bells ring, lights flash. early tuesday morning, a waukesha man called police to report he'd been robbed of his casino winnings when he got home to waukesha. the victim was in his garage here, when 3 men approached, one with a gun. they made off with his $15,000 pot. it's not an isolated incident. just last month, an armed robber stole a shorewood man's winnings as he arrived home from the casino. in that case, the suspect ran to a waiting minivan. and a 12 news investigation uncovered surveillance video of crooks casing victims. past, where people wait by the cashout counter and follow people home, or rob them in the parking lot of potawatomi. colleen: waukesha sgt. jerry habanek says casino patrons beware. >> if you are the big winner at potawatomi, congratulations. however, just recognize that when you leave potawatomi and go to your car, use caution. colleen: in a written statement, potawatomi tells 12 news -- the safety of the guests is their highest priority. the casino says surveillance cameras monitor inside and out, security vehicles monitor parking areas, and off-duty milwaukee police officers patrol during peak hours. at potawatomi casino, colleen henry, wisn 12 news. joyce: colleen has investigated these kinds of crimes before. we learned, police don't specifically track casino-related crime, and potawatomi doesn't share its records. but there have been dozens of reports of robberies, both on casino property and people 12 news also learned potawatomi will issue checks if guests are worried about carrying cash, and casino guards will escort gamblers to their cars. kathy: new tonight, the state's top education leader throws his support behind milwaukee public schools' proposal to change its school calendar. mps wants to move the school year to begin in mid-august and end in late may. right now, state law requires all districts to begin september 1. mps needs special permission from the state to make the change. >> it may look like a small piece, but this is a big piece of the puzzle, making sure that this district has the ability to start school in a way that's going to impact student learning across the district. kathy: the mps school board will take up the new calendar during its meeting tomorrow night. and new tonight, a proposal to give random drug tests to wisconsin high school students participating in extracurricular activities. introduce the bill. the idea came out of a task force designed to fight heroin use. several wisconsin school districts already have similar policies including arrowhead, crivitz, and de pere. joyce: now to a developing story, a fire on the roof of milwaukee's luxurious pfister hotel. firefighters evacuated hundreds of people into the freezing cold, and thankfully, stopped the fire from spreading. wisn 12 news terry sater was there. terry: firefighters say someone spotted the fire on the roof of the pfister hotel, 24 stories high. a deputy fire chief says it appears a construction project and insulation could be to blame. >> we did find fire around an area that was under construction on the roof. terry: pictures from newschopper 12 show the area where construction is under way. it is on the roof of the hotel. >> they were using a torch for something. and i don't know if it was for some sort of roof work, something like that. terry: pfister's general manager rooms and restaurants. >> it appears we had a contractor on the roof that was working on an elevator modernization project that we're going through. and a piece of equipment had evidently started on fire , causing smoke. >> it should not hinder the operation of the hotel in any way. they should be able to secure that area relatively easily today. terry: the pfister reopened quickly and no one was hurt. firefighters continue to investigate. in milwaukee, terry sater, wisn 12 news. joyce: the pfister tells us the area and isn't impacting hotel guests. new tonight, milwaukee police are hoping someone recognizes two men wanted for an armed robbery at a south side mexican restaurant. it happened last night around 7:20. take a look at this surveillance video, you can see the men storm into el jalapeno at 21st and national, and point what appears to be a large weapon. anyone with information is asked to call police. kathy: new at 6:00, three state lawmakers call for milwaukee step down, following the deaths of four people in the county jail. state senator chris larson, state representative jonathan brostoff, and state representative christine sinicki released a statement accusing the sheriff of not properly supervising his department. this is the third group to call for clarke's resignation this month. 12 news reached out to the sheriff for comment. we received a statement back , slamming the 3 lawmakers. joyce: new tonight, wisconsin's presidential recount almost didn't happen. the wisconsin elections commission revealed today the 3 needed to trigger the recount came in just minutes before the deadline. election officials say the green party's money wired arrived at 4:26, just 4 minutes before the war 30 p.m. -- 4:30 p.m. deadline on november 29. they also reported the recount went smoothy and there were no security problems detected. kathy: governor scott walker says donald trump's presidential victory is pushing him towards running for re-election in 2018. 12 hours after attending a rally with trump in west allis, governor walker spoke to the walker wouldn't fully commit to running for governor again, but he called trump's win in wisconsin a quote, "shot in the arm." >> to me not just having a new , president and vice president but having a house and a senate , and now two thirds of all the states in america that have governors that share my same party affiliation. the ti possibilities of doing things we haven't been able to do before . kathy: walker says he will make a formal annoucement on his possible run in 2018 after the next budget is completed. wisconsin's new fiscal year begins july 1. joyce: we're following a developing story, packers quarterback aaron rodgers sits out practice. rodgers injured his calf on the third play of sunday's big win against the seahawks. wisn 12 sports stephanie sutton just spoke with rodgers, she joins us live. will we see him on the field sunday? reporter: we are a few feet from feeling better and hopes to be up to full speed as soon as possible. he plans to play against the bears on sunday. having an injury like this is nothing new for him. >> i have dealt with injuries over the years and you learn about pain management and how to get yourself in the best shape to play on sunday. i was hurt the game and had to get out through some very difficult pain. and that is some stuff i am good at -- it will be about pain medicine and getting out there sunday. i should be ready to go. reporter: he did not practice today and he may not practice tomorrow. chicago bears, who they will be facing in chicago on sunday. later in sports come i asked if he would practice at all this week. it is still up in the air. it lambeau field, back to you. joyce: we will be watching. what do you get for hosting the oscars? and we go behind the scenes as children hope to see santa. that will be at 10:00. reporter: and still ahead, the snow is coming. mark: i will tell you when to expect the heaviest snow. >> surprised me. world war ii veteran and his >> they called up and said, you won -- i said great, what did i and his wife of 72 years get a big christmas surprise. joyce: they did when it big. and wisn 12 news' mike anderson reports new tonight, they are both lit up with holiday joy. >> it's a tbn torpedo bomber. mike: chuck franzke is a decorated navy veteran of world war ii. >> world war ii was not like any other war, because the whole country was involved in world war ii. mike: and much of has been involved in honoring our world war ii vets over the years. but there is only one company that we know of that is involved with decorating homes for veterans like the franzke's for christmas. >> the swimming pool services is the company that we work for and in the off season, once the pools are closed, we do the christmas lights. mike: the franzke's are one of two families the company selected in southeastern wisconsin to honor with decorations this year. a surprise, if it's like an active member in the service and they come home and they see the christmas lights, and you know a lot of people like to decorate their house and sometimes when they get older, it's harder to do and we can come out and do it for you. mike: chuck and his wife beverly are in their early 90's all -- and all about they've done in recent years is put up a few candles so the free decorations is a blessing to them. >> and they come and take it down. so i have nothing to do with it. i like that part of it. mike: their home of 55 years will be lit up for the first time in a long time. mike anderson, wisn 12 news. joyce: swimming pool services has been decoraring homes at christmas for several years now. they say it's their way of giving back. kathy: nice things being done are nice people. i love it. it's our holiday gift to you, season to celebrate. our annual dose of christmas cheer promises to delight and entertain you. want to inspire you as well. we'll do that by introducing you to a woman who has given the gift of herself, and the gift of time. >> every adult in this community can make a difference in a child's life. this isn't even hard work. kathy: what she did didn't cost a thing and what she's gotten in return is worth so much more than money. it's just one of the bright and spirited stories that we've uncovered for you right here in milwaukee. this year's season to celebrate. you won't want to miss it when it airs a week from tonight, december 21, at 7:00. joyce: and if that does not get you into the holiday spirit, maybe more snow will. [laughter] mark: it will be quite a four-day stretch. we just need to get through those four days. we have snow friday and saturday. and even colder air moving in. seven-day. there is a glimmer of hope. a wind-chill advisory tonight, followed by a windchill warning probably on sunday night. temperatures on sunday may not even make it to zero. it will be supercold on sunday. it is really cold right now. one below in rochester. one in superior. we we usually like that at channel 12, but 12 degrees is not as nice. 20 degrees below zero is the windchill in minneapolis. and the wind is the issue. it is about 15-25 miles per hour and higher gusts outside and it is making it uncomfortable and a dangerous. and make sure that you are not -- length of time. check in on your neighbors. windchills going as low as -25. and it will start at 9:00 tonight, the advisory, and you could say it is in place already. it will go until 10:00 in the morning on thursday. we will warm up, but then we get snow. so far, 9.6 inches from is coming. here it is. it will start a little bit on thursday night as warmer air, relatively speaking, begins to move in. we get a little bit of snow on friday morning. and then we have a better chance of snow on friday afternoon, the heaviest on friday night. if you have plans on friday, be ready for that. i am not saying you cannot get there, you need to take your down. it will be fluffy snow. more snow on saturday and it will be blowing around. and a winter storm watch. the storm is shifting to the north and you will be getting some snow down here. still, we have questions on how much. 6-9 inches is the forecast right now. again, the heaviest will be on friday night and there will be blowing and the track is moving to the north. it continues, we would take these totals down. friday afternoon and through friday, there will be impacts on travel. leave plenty of time to get where you need to be. and after an overnight low of three below tonight, the high tomorrow will be 20. snow and breezy conditions. very cold on sunday, a high temperature of six degrees. that could be pushing it. that could be around midnight. then warming up for the seven day. we will get above freezing. joyce: ok. new tonight, a special holiday visit from some very tall santa stand-ins. >> 1, 2, 3. go! joyce: -- kathy: visit kids at children's hospital to spread a little holiday cheer. those kids who were well enough to attend the winter carnival in the lobby got to play games and decorate snowflakes with the players. >> even though they are going through a struggle, to spend time with them and note for that moment they are happy and feeling better, it means the world. kathy: today's visit was part of the 40 year relationship the bucks have with the macc fund, which helps kids with cancer. joyce: what a nice effort. it is so tall. mark: he is used to it. several were missing. dan: several players were not at packers practice today. but the one everybody is it's time to celebrate the seasons. all of 'em... hunting, fishing... you name it. so if your family loves to be out there... the only place to go for outdoor gis... is in here... at cabela's christmas sale. get 25% off select pac boots up to $130 off foxpro electronic calls find great deals for everything on their list, in-store and online... at cabelas.com ? >> i mean, aaron rodgers is as tough as anyone i've ever been around. it is great to have two guys that approach it the same way and play through the things that they play through, i think it speaks volumes about those guys dan: mike mccarthy today, praising the toughness of aaron rodgers, playing through pain in both legs. however, mccarthy held rodgers out of practice today, and probably will again tomorrow. 12 sports stephanie sutton joins us live from green bay with the latest on the packers, steph? stephanie: that is right. aaron rodgers may not practice again tomorrow, so i asked today during his media session, does it bother him not to be out no, i get my film and rehab in. at this point in the season, they are a comment opponent. -- common opponent. and practices are shorter and the reps become more mental. there is important put on the walk-through. and so, i am not suha if i am able to go out, i will. if not, i will rehab and look forward to saturday. stephanie: he was in a good mood at his locker today. he says he is optimistic and will do everything rehab wise to be ready on sunday against the bears on soldier field. while lambeau field, back to you. the 14th ranked badgers play their second game in 5 days against an in-state rival tonight, when they host the green bay phoenix wisconsin beat -- phoenix. wisconsin beat marquette saturday. golden eagles sophomore guard traci carter did not get off the bench in that game, and today, the school announced that carter is leaving the program immediately, and intends to transfer. carter started 23 of the 41 games he played in the past year and a half, averaging 4.3 points and 3.6 assists. he is the second player to leave the program this semester, sandy is transferring to green bay. and the brewers have signed former twins lefthanded starting pitcher, tommy milone. that is a one-year contract. kathy: holiday music with a legal twist. ? kathy: that is the group no strings attached leading a holiday sing-a-long in the rotunda of the milwaukee county courthouse. this is their 41st year of performing. they dedicated today's performance to one of their founding members who is dealing with breast cancer. a nice day to spread holiday spirit. mark: inside is a good place to be. windchills around 25 below ?? ? show me that smile again ? >> tonight we remember beloved tv dad alan thicke. >> to my dying day if that'sson my epic death is he was the dad on "growing pains," thank the collapse including his last words to his son. >> he had carter take a picture of him as they were taking him out of there. >> "e.t.'s" exclusive with the man who called 911 and his friendsswho knew his best. >> now he's gone. >> with alan at home, at a wedding on set. >> my dad's helping me out right now. >> mostly i stay out of his waa. >> ben affleck reveals christmas plans with his family and matt damon. >> it should be a lot of fun.

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