rope. speaking about their harrowing experience right here this morning. crushing defeat. ronda rousey's failed comeback attempt. a bruising knockout in just 48 seconds. >> i know the girls can't take my punches. i know that. >> what's ahead for rousey now? hey, good morning, happy new year's eve. paula is off today. excited as always to have cecilia vega right on the desk here. >> great to be here this last saturday of 2016. thank you, good morning to everybody. we are just hours away from 2017, a look right now at times square completely empty, you can see it there, security at an all time high ahead of the millions expected to pour in for the big celebration. and at the center of that party, there it is, a live look at the ball which, of course, drops promptly at midnight. >> and rob is right there. he'll have your new year's forecast. we start with the latest twists and turns in the russian hacking scandal. >> president-elect donald trump making the extraordinary move praising russian president vladimir putin for not retaliating against american sanctions. this as dozens of russian diplomats are being kicked out of the u.s., payback for russia's alleged interference in the presidential election. >> so what is behind putin's decision not to retaliate and what about these new reports that the russians may have hacked into a power company in vermont? abc's mary bruce is on the story from washington. mary, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. yeah, this was a shocking 180 from russia. experts say putin's restrained response is likely a sign he's playing the long game hoping a president trump will be more receptive and trump as you mentioned this morning is praising his decision not to fight back, all this as we're now learning a vermont utility has discovered a code in its system linked to russian hackers. this morning, new concerns that russia may be targeting american utility systems. a code linked with russian hacking found on a laptop associated with a vermont electrical company. the apparent hack by the russians did not disrupt operations but it raises questions about the security of the u.s. power grid. the discovery comes as president-elect trump is praising the russian president for defying calls to retaliate against american sanctions. trump calling it a great move tweeting, i always knew he was very smart. but some members of congress disagree. >> i am frankly very, very scared that our next president hasn't a clue about what russia is actually up to. [ speaking russian ] >> reporter: the russian has promised to counterpunch. the foreign minister threatening to kick u.s. diplomats out of russia but then president putin announced there will be no retaliation saying we will not create any problems for u.s. diplomats. we will not expel anyone. instead, putin welcoming children of u.s. diplomats to a new year and christmas children's show at the kremlin. experts say it's likely not a magnanimous message for obama but a practical one for trump. >> mr. putin likely has an expectation that mr. trump may put into play policies that will be beneficial to russian interests. >> reporter: questioned if russia interfered in the u.s. election but u.s. intelligence says there's no question. and now this morning, russian diplomats are packing up and getting ready to ship out. after president obama expelled 35 russian officials and shut down two of their lavish diplomatic compounds. these decadent rooms used for meetings, parties and allegedly gathering intelligence, now all off limits. >> they have to leave within hours and it's just not human. >> reporter: and this morning another new year's clock is ticking, those 35 diplomats and their families, almost 100 people in all, now have until noon tomorrow to leave the u.s. dan. >> mary, thank you. this hacking controversy is going to go down as a key story line in what has been an extremely tumultuous year but 2016 is now as we've said almost over so let's get out to rob who is in times square, the focus of the world's attention tonight as we usher in 2017. hey, rob. >> hi, dan, good morning to you. there it is, the big ball behind me iconic raised and dropped promptly at midnight to usher in 2017. let's take a look at the weather forecast for times square and around the country. seasonable temperatures, cold now but windchills tonight right around the freezing mark. a chance of a brief rain shower but i think it holds off until after midnight. a clipper system through parts of the northeast and new england. rain across atlanta, back through new orleans and showers out west, not only across the northwest but southern california, as well, maybe some rain showers in through the hollywood celebrations. that's a quick check of your forecast. dan and cecilia, back to you. >> hey, rob, don't touch that switch behind you, please. >> hands off. >> as we ring in 2017, security is tight all across the country, here in new york especially ahead of tonight's big celebration in times square. and that is where we also find abc's eva pilgrim. eva, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, cecilia. the countdown is on tonight. this area will be packed full of people. you can see the barriers are up, the stages are set and this year, there will be more security than ever before. this morning, cities all across the world, big and small beefing up patrols. bomb-sniffing dogs and critical response officers poured into times square overnight, an unprecedented level of security now in place for the 2 million people expected to watch the ball drop. authorities putting up 65 viewer pens from times square to 59th street each holding up to 3,000 people. all will pass through multiple checkpoints. >> this is a significant challenge for law enforcement. the type of attack we've seen in europe, driving a truck into a crowd, it's really hard to stop every one of those attacks. >> reporter: 65 sand trucks and 100 blocker vehicles will form a ring of steel from times square to central park. to prevent tragedies like in berlin and nice. there will be 7,000 extra police officers from highly visible special ops units to rooftop surveillance teams. inside the command center, teams will monitor 9,000 video feeds and track license plates. >> in places like new york, the police are very well prepared for any type of activity. >> reporter: in baltimore and philadelphia, fences put in place to make sure ringing in the new year is done the safe way. and authorities say there's no direct threat. no specific threat against times square or any new year's celebration in general but doing all of this to make sure everyone who celebrates is safe. dan. >> eva, thank you. we're going to turn now to a major new development this morning in a murder case that has spanned more than 40 years. a court in connecticut has reinstated the murder conviction of michael skakel. he is a cousin to the kennedy family and abc's gloria gloria is on the story from washington. gloria, good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning, dan. that's right, michael skakel whose aunt ethel kennedy lived next door to martha moxley has been a free man for three years after posting a $1.2 million bail in 2013. now a 4-3 majority has rejected the argument his trial for murder was tainted by bad lawyering sending him back behind bars. this morning, troubled kennedy cousin michael skakel is a convicted murderer again. the connecticut supreme court reinstating his conviction for the 1975 murder of martha moxley. the 15-year-old girl killed in her backyard the night before halloween brutally beaten with a golf club belonging to the skakel family. skakel, who is ethel kennedy's nephew was first found guilty for the decades old crime back in 2002 but after serving over ten years in prison, skakel's conviction was thrown out in 2013. skakel a free man, his family claiming the lawyer botched the defense. >> he had a terrible lawyer. he didn't get a fair trial and he's not guilty. >> reporter: now in a new twist, skakel will be back on his way to prison. his team failing to prove the attorney actually mishandled the case. >> it's very difficult for a defendant to establish ineffective counsel. there has to be a major defect in the way that the defense was presented. >> reporter: the victim's mother agreeing with the initial ruling. >> michael skakel got a fair trial. i really believe it. >> reporter: while skakel plans to comply with the new court order, he will continue to fight the decision. his cousin, robert kennedy jr. telling abc news overnight, right now we just want to concentrate on the legal process. now, in that 2013 appeal that set him free, skakel's attorney successfully argued his initial defense team failed to pursue an alibi witness or look at possible other suspects including skakel's own brother thomas. it's not clear when skakel will return to prison. he has ten days to ask the court to reconsider. if that fails his attorneys say he could take this case to the supreme court. dan, cecilia. >> more to come on this. gloria, thank you. a lot of other news this morning and for that as always it's over to ron for that. >> good morning to you, dan and cecilia, diane, we begin with breaking news overnight from pennsylvania. a pennsylvania state trooper gunned down in the line of duty while responding to a domestic dispute. this morning police are looking for the suspect, 32-year-old jason robison who is believed to be armed and dangerous. state trooper landon weaver on the force just a year was fatally shot answering that call of a domestic violence issue in a rural town. in connecticut two people dead and another two wounded after shots rang out following a concert by rapper meek mill in wallingford. the shooting took place outside in the parking lot around 11:00 last night while the concert venue was being shut down for the evening. and lawyers for bill cosby have filed a motion for a change of venue in the comedian's sexual assault case. they are arguing that cosby cannot get a fair trial in montgomery county, pennsylvania, because of the negative media coverage they say that has tainted the jury pool asking for a move to a a larger venue but did not specify where. now, cosby is charged with sexually assaulting a former temple university employee and he has pleaded, of course, not guilty. investigators in england say more tests will be needed to determine what caused the death of george michael. this after initial autopsy results came back inconclusive. michael's manager saying the 53-year-old singer apparently died of heart failure at his home outside of london on christmas day. police do not suspect foul play. and from indonesia, disturbing video of a pilot who appears to be impaired as he's boarding his flight. watch as he stumbles past security, barely able to retrieve his bag off the x-ray belt making his way to the plane packed with more than 150 passengers. a passenger recording this video out of concern claiming the pilot slurred his speech during the overhead announcement. that pilot though was removed from the plane before it took off and fired. finally it's the end of an era for a new york city institution famous for its gigantic sandwiches and gigantic prices. after 79 years the carnegie deli shutting its doors for good. the owner of the famed eatery featured in woody allen's "broadway danny rose" and a number of television series is calling it quits because of rising costs. i was there yesterday. had a sample of their corned beef on rye. it was past tense now great. >> you did not bring us said little sample. >> you didn't get it? >> of corned beef on rye. >> i left it in your office. >> what a way to end this year. >> he's been worried about your cholesterol level. >> it's up there somewhere. >> thank you, sir. >> unless someone took it. imagine this one being trapped on an amusement park ride for hours, more than 100 feet in the air. this happened overnight in california. firefighters had to use ropes to get the riders down one by one. no thank you. abc's erielle reshef joins us with more. tell us the details, erielle. >> reporter: cecilia, that slow moving ride at a california theme park turned terrifying a day of fun coming to a grinding halt. a night at the amusement park proving not so amusing for more than a dozen riders of the sky cabin at buena vista's knott's berry farm. the sky cabin stalling out around 2:00 p.m. leaving 21 people including seven children stuck more than 100 feet in the air for hours. >> i'm ready to go into tears. >> reporter: the fire department arriving on scene just before 5:00 p.m. but their ladders too short to reach park goers and the ride operator stranded in the sky. after numerous attempts to bring the tram down, rescuers forced to lower the passengers by rope one by one. >> being up there knowing that you're going to be coming down tethered is fearful. >> reporter: by 10:00 p.m. after spending eight hours suspended in the air, everyone on board the sky cabin made it safely to solid ground. knott's berry farm releasing this statement friday night saying the ride will remain closed during the investigation, adding the park's number one priority is the safety of all its guests and employees. and, again, thankfully no reports of any injuries but certainly a very scary situation in the sky. cecilia, dan. >> erielle, thank you. wild story. now to what will hopefully be a safer form of entertainment today at least for the spectators, college football. >> yeah, we are down to the final four and the semifinals are kicking off in just a few hours. jesse palmer is here spending your new year's eve with us with these match-ups. what are you looking for today? >> we have two awesome games today. it'll start with alabama versus washington. the key in that game will be washington's quarterback jake browning. he's been sensational this year, accurate throwing deep down the field. but you look in recent history the quarterbacks that have given 'bama's defense issue have been mobile quarterbacks. jake browning is not overly mobile so he has to be great anticipating throws in this game today. the next game ohio state versus clemson is a toss-up. clemson's offense has so many weapons at wide receiver and quarterback, but ohio state's defense probably matches up with them probably than most have this year. this will probably be the toughest defense the tigers have faced since their week one opponent back when they played against auburn earlier in the season. >> if we had to push you out on a limb here can you pick who is going to win? >> don't shove me too far. dan, i would say i will take 'bama early because of their defense. they've given up 15 touchdowns all season long, outstanding on that side of the ball. so much talent and i like clemson. deshaun watson will have a big game. i think he's motivated after not winning the heisman and i think he will try to make a statement tonight. >> all eyes really are on 'bama. can anybody beat this team? >> a lot are calling them the greatest team of all time. i think the other three teams i think could beat them. i think they're all very balanced and play well on offense and defense and have good quarterback play. alabama has just looked so good, especially on the defensive side of the football. they could beat them but they're going to have to bring their "a" game. >> calling the sugar bowl monday. any predictions. >> it's going to be a good one. oklahoma/auburn. i'm not allowed to call -- >> oh, you're not? >> that's what happens in that industry when you call the game. you have to be neutral. >> objectivity. >> looking forward to it. >> happy new year. >> happy new year to you. you can catch all the action from college football semifinals starting at 3:00 eastern at espn. time now for the weather and let's go back to rob in times square. rob does not have to be objective about the weather. how is it looking out there? >> i try but i'm threatening to turn this off and off and shut of broadway but i'll leave it on for now. big doings happening tonight in times square. want to talk look at what happened there, they are having a hard time unloading some of the snow, tens of thousands of people without power. western new york seeing upwards of 12 to 18 inches of snow. more lake-effect snowshowers are streaming in. there's the radar, you will see that with a clipper system that will see a shot of moisture, hartford and boston, drier air coming in. for the new year, 2017. louisiana, mississippi, alabama, flood watch is posted for moisture that will dump 3 to 5-plus rainfall down there. flooding possible through monday. severe storms possible across parts of texas. that's a check on the weather headlines. here's what's shaking where you live. >> reporter: good morning, everyone, i'm meteorologist chris sowers with this accuweather update. all that weather across the country. here in the delaware and lehigh valleys. we're dry, lots of sunshine. let's get you outside and show you what's going on. it is rather chilly out there this morning. you need to bundle up in layers that will do the trick as we have a few clouds upstairs, the exclusive accuweather seven-day forecast, mild this afternoon, 47. temperatures around 40 by midnight. 50 tomorrow, and 60 by the time we get into tuesday. the ball. 12 foot in diameter and it is a doozy, guys. we're going to talk more about the history of why times square is so important to the new year's celebration in the sex half hour. i invite you to come down here. it's chilly but invigorating. >> was that dance move? is that a dance move we just witnessed or was that like it's so cold out here i'm shaking? >> no, that's the bouncing trying to get the body heat move. you don't want to see my dance moves. >> i've seen rob do the stanky leg. it's really impressive. love you, rob. thank you. >> stanky. >> talk to you in the next half hour. by the way, there's another big sports story this morning and it involves ronda rousey. >> yeah, it sure does, the ufc star was hoping to mount a big comeback after losing her belt in a stunning loss last year but she had another tough night and diane macedo has much more. ron wants you to say something. >> i know. i'm not going to. i like my job. i intend to keep it. but this fight was no doubt painful for ronda rousey but it was also just painful to watch. after disappearing for a year, she came out seemingly in the best shape of her life and more focused than ever. all the more reason fans were completely shocked when it ended with one of the fastest losses in ufc history. overnight what was meant to be a superstar comeback ended in another crippling defeat. watch as ronda rousey falls just 48 seconds into the first round. reigning champion amanda nunes, aka, the lioness lived up to her nickname pummeling the former champ with one vicious blow after another. >> i know the girls can't take my punches, i know that, and it happened tonight. >> reporter: it's been a tough year for rousey who fell from grace after her first loss last november to then challenger holly holm. the knockout ruined her undefeated record but as she told ellen degeneres back in february, it also left her incredibly depressed. >> i was literally sitting there and like thinking about killing myself. in the exact second i'm like, i'm nothing. what do i do anymore? >> reporter: the big question is what's next for the once seemingly unbeatable fighting star who stunned the masses both in the cage and on the red carpet. some are now calling rousey a sore loser like after last time she left without addressing the crowd or press. nunes seems to be poking fun at that on twitter with this image showing her pushing rousey in a stroller as she holds her belt. you can say a big ouch to that one. >> yeah. >> ooh. >> but the president of the ufc also reminded us that it is only because of ronda rousey that women were allowed in the ufc. he said they never would be until she convinced them. >> i think that's a great point. whether you want to call her a sore loser or not, she's been a pioneer. >> absolutely and so all her pretty series at the very least owe her that. >> the big question i have, how long dan would last in the ring with -- >> i can answer that. 0.00001 seconds. >> someone said you could beat rousey. no, i'm good just watching from the couch. i'll just analyze from right here. yeah, obviously. >> thanks. >> good. there's more. >> coming up on "gma" this saturday morning, an abc news exclusive. todd fisher opens up about the final moments he shared with his sister carrie fisher and mom debbie reynolds and their strange but unbreakable bond. gearing up for "dick clark's new year's rockin' eve with ryan seacrest 2017," say that title twice. co-host jenny mccarthy tells me who she will be kissing at midnight. 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>> will be buried next to each other. their life is high class stuff. and these were high class broads, very high class. >> reporter: his mother america's sweetheart best known for "singin' in the rain." ♪ singin' in the rain ♪ just singin' in the rain >> reporter: and her oscar nominated performance in "the unsinkable molly brown." >> that ship may be down but not me. i'm unsinkable. >> reporter: her daughter a fierce on-screen princess. >> somebody has save our skins. >> reporter: and best-selling author. their relationship, though, not always picture perfect. >> there was this friction there, but you -- >> a lot of friction. >> no one is running away from it. >> reporter: their last tender years together the mother/daughter duo living as next-door neighbors. >> mommy, mommy, i'm home. >> reporter: that closeness featured in the upcoming hbo documentary "bright lights" out next month giving fans one last look at their happiest days. ♪ happy days are here again >> reporter: for "good morning america," phillip mena, abc news, los angeles. >> i'm really looking forward to seeing that documentary about the two of them. such an interesting pair. time now for the weather once again as promised. let's get it back out to rob in times square. now doing the dougie. >> no, not yet but you never celebrating out west, there may be rain across southern california. that's where we start the weather cast, a couple of systems moving through, i5, i 15, another shot coming across the pacific northwest, great great snow for the skiers in 2017. an arctic blast coming in for the new year. that's a look at the headlines, here's what's shaking where you live. >> reporter: good morning, everyone, i'm meteorologist chris sowers with this accuweather update. radars are clear, piece of the arctic air arrives next weekend, 47 degrees today, 40 around midnight. 50 tomorrow, 60 by tuesday. ashl stores. i have with me now jeff straus president of countdown entertainment. you are in charge of most of this shebang. just an incredible setup we have for tonight. how many people will be watching here and at home? >> it's amazing. we'll have over a million people here tonight but what's magical is over 198 million americans will be watching tonight at home and as we count down, we'll all be counting down together those final seconds with hope for the future. there's no other moment like it. >> i've always been wondering why has times square been the epicenter of the countdown for america? >> it all dates back to "the new york times" built their headquarters right here in one times square where we're standing and they wanted to celebrate their new headquarters and took a maritime tradition where they drop a ball at noon so the navigators at sea can adjust their timepieces and lit this up. >> what was the ball like back then, the first time? >> six feet with only 125 watt lights in it, this ball is 12 feet in diameter and weighs nearly 6 tons and over 32,000 phillips l.e.d.s. that illuminates it as we see it come down at night. >> this is one of those waterford crystals. i don't want to drop it. pretty pricey operation for sure and, of course, the show has gotten to be huge as well. what kind of surprises? what's on the lineup tonight? >> amazing lineup, mariah carey, we've got gloria estefan, we've got dnce and so much more entertainment. we actually have silento coming, we'll be doing the whip and nae nae and rachel platten singing "imagine" as we ring in the new year. i can't wait. >> it'll be magical. you're an expert on counting down so if you don't mind, five, four, three, two, one. >> happy new year. >> i love it. we're ready. dan and cecilia, back inside to you. >> i didn't see that countdown coming. thank you, robert. coming up my interview with the hosts of "dick clark's new year's rockin' eve with ryan seacrest 2017." what ryan and his co-pilot are cooking up for the biggest party on earth. >> we'll be watching. and a sneak peek at disney's avatar-themed park opening up next summer. what does james cameron think about this whole thing? stay with us. i have tried so hard to forget what it felt like when someone told me i had colon cancer. we had a follow up cat scan that showed it had gone to her liver. it was pretty intense and we had to move pretty quickly. we needed a second opinion. that's when our journey began with cancer treatment centers of america. one of our questions was, how are we going to address my liver? 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>> oh, my god. well, i think tonight i'm looking forward to i brought my son who is 14 years old and he wants to be on camera for the first time to say like happy new year and i think that's a big deal. he's always been camera shy. >> a huge deal. evan, right? >> he's 14 and wants to look good for his chicks at school and that was his big request all year long, he said this year is the year i want to say hi on camera. looking forward to that so i'll kiss him at midnight. >> you'll kiss him at midnight. that's phenomenal and donnie is coming. >> it's true that everybody asks to come to this. this is the one thing -- sick of seeing me but one thing they want to come to because it's an incredible experience. >> family members, everyone. >> who should we look forward to? >> well, we're going to have mariah here live in times square. demi lovato is on the show. lionel richie in las vegas and fergie in hollywood with a ton of people. >> she'll be performing too in hollywood. >> two songs. >> two practical questions. how do you deal with the cold all night and how do you keep your energy up for that many hours? >> the energy is not a problem. >> correct. >> there's such incredible energy in times square so that's not an issue. the cold, i don't really feel it until we go to commercial then i freeze. >> that's true. you know what, there's a big breeze, our face is frozen and you -- >> you can't move your face. >> and people will tweet me and say you have so much botox and i go, my face is frozen. i swear it's not the botox. we can't move our faces. >> you can't move and sometimes doesn't sound totally normal. >> you'll be doing a george michael tribute, i understand. can you tell me about that? >> i was listening to his music on the flight out here. we all talk about the body of work that he has had but when you think of all the different genres he played in it as well it's incredible and it deserves to be celebrated. >> i will be watching you at work, very, very excited for it. >> thank you very much. >> happy new year. >> "dick clark's new year's rockin' eve with ryan seacrest 2017" starts tonight at 8:00, 7:00 central right here on abc. >> i will be watching that too. >> cool. >> coming up on "gma," we are breaking out the champagne, some important tips from a wine expert. that's the job i'm getting in my next life. that is coming up on our "weekend down." >> i'll be an interpretative dancer in my next life. how long will it take to get rid of that weight? it may take a while. coming up in "pop news." there's a twister. for every crash... an even bigger collision. and for every tailspin... well, tailspins. state farm understands that getting the most out of life doesn't just mean being there when things go wrong. it's about being here... in all of life's moments. when things go perfectly... right. ♪ life's bleachable moments need clorox bleach. ♪ just want to make you feel good tell me all your problems ♪ that is the sound of new year's right there. in today's "weekend download," you can practically hear those. those popping corks, and joining us with some tips and tricks is wine writer the guy whose job we want here, david white, the author of "but champagne first." okay, we're hours away. they'll be popping bottles. you say champagne not everything has to be really expensive. people think it's going to cost a lot of money. >> people ask for advice, what to open. if you have $15, look to cava, a region and a wine from spain. for about $15 you can get fantastic wine made from indigenous spanish grapes and $20, anderson valley, california launched by louis roederer in 1982. they make delicious wine, pinot noir and chardonnay like a lot of champagne. >> you can go high end. up to the far over there. >> you can. >> 150? >> 150 so you'll notice then we have the real champagne. this is from a wine growing region in france 45 minutes east of paris and it's a grower's champagne which means the same farmer who grew the grapes also made the wine. it's families like these that i fell in love with champagne in the first place. reel people making real wine. deserves to be enjoyed. >> 20 to 40 a great bottle of champagne. >> yes. >> what i don't see here champagne flutes. >> we don't have them. i always know new year's eve party hosts stress out if they don't have enough flutes for their party. don't stress. flutes were designed to show off the bubbles. hard to stick your nose in the flute. hard to drink a lot from a flute so flutes are not great for champagne. i recommend the traditional -- serious wine deserves a serious glass so that's why i always drink champagne out of a white wine glass. >> seriously quick demonstration on how to open. >> sure. people open a bottle carefully. a flying cork is dangerous. 50 miles per hour. so you want to keep your hand on the cage and you want to keep the cage on the bottle when you open it. >> cover our eyes. >> so you got to twist the bottle in the opposite direction from the cork. hopefully it's soft. that wasn't too bad. >> that's my favorite sound. because it always means you're celebrating. >> it does mean you're celebrating. >> he's too eager. he wants to drink straight from the bottle. straight from the bottle. so, let's toast with these six glasses, guys. >> cheers, guys, happy new year to everybody and -- >> happy new year. >> no pun intended. 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"good morning america" is brought to you by state farm. here to help life go right. final "pop news" of 2016. diane macedo, make it a good one. >> ooh. no pressure. >> well, i have good news for you, dan. you said you were looking forward to seeing that documentary. well, the documentary "bright lights" starring carrie fisher and debbie reynolds has actually moved up its release date so you don't have to wait too long. hbo was set to air that project in march. now we'll get to see it in a week, january 7th. the special will feature vintage family movies and extensive real-life footage and tells their lives but also their ex-centric relationship. it has already garnered critical acclaim as well but how amazing that after essentially passing together that one of the last projects they worked on is all about their life. >> yeah. >> it was a roller coaster relationship, i'm really looking forward to learning more. >> a very special one as we hear. everyone says it's just such a beautiful love for one another and you realize the amount of affection they had for one another. >> certainly. we also have a behind-the-scenes look at the new disney animal kingdom attraction called pandora the world of avatar. take a look. >> the na'vi river journey is a beautiful, lyrical ride into the bioluminescent forest. >> something pretty amazing at the end of that river ride. you've never seen anything like it in your life. >> amazing is right. a team of dijtality design artists, structural engineers and robotics technicians work to bring this amazing pandora universe to life and "avatar" fans will be happy to hear james cameron said he's working on three sequels to the movie and just in case they're looking for extra cast members i want to remind james of my halloween costume. >> true. >> james, i'm available just in case you need it. >> she looks good in blue. >> i went all out with this crazy avatar costume this year and had fun with that one. i can't decide whether to call this next story the best story or worst story. a new study warns against overindulging saying it can take up to five months to lose that holiday weight. whoops. the school studied the year-round weight persons of of 3,000 people. their takeaway. better starting off their diet in october instead of the new year so i'm taking that as good news that now the diet has to start in october instead of tomorrow. >> that means you can't indulge during the holidays. >> too late now so might as well continue it and don't start or have to worry about it until next october. a dating app is revealing the most popular first date sites. i gave you guys a little clue here. can you guess what came in as number one. >> yeah. >> i'm surprised. >> starbucks. >> thank you. >> i guess it's not really a romantic spot but a place where you can meet people and there's not too much pressure. >> here's the thing, in-n-out burger comes in at number two. >> in-n-out burger? >> chick-fil-a. followed by, central park and panera round out the top five. the app analyzed data from 1.5 million users across the country and clover says, this is interesting, actually women who favor fast food chains over formal restaurants so they can quickly screen the dates. >> i think that makes a lot of sense. >> we are the smarter gender, i'm just saying. >> no time for that. >> you can get in and out at in-n-out burger and starbucks much quicker. very quickly before we go just going to if you'll indulge me i just want to wish happy new year to a couple of people. first to all the police officers who will be out there in the cold tonight. keeping all of us safe, you know this as your husband is a former officer himself. also very specifically to the patients and staff at the residence, which is a hospice in new york and particularly one named ronnie, happy new year to you and much love to all of you guys and happy new year. pleasure to work with you every week. >> honored to be with you. thanks so much. >> thanks for watching, guys. have a great day. ♪ ♪ >> i'm alicia vitarelli, next on "action news" this saturday morning rat 9:00 a.m., a massive manhunt is underway for a man suspected shooting and killing a state trooper. we're counting down the hours to 2017. philly is preparing to ring in the new year in style. those stories and the exclusive accuweather seven-day forecast holiday weekend next on "action news." we just moved into this house and didn't realize how difficult it was going to be to tie all that space together. with an open floor plan, you need to separate it with furniture. bassett had everything that we needed. fabric combinations marry the rooms together. having someone with bassett has been invaluable. we could've never dreamed up this room without bassett. >> good evening, good morning, hey, look i'm looking ahead to tonight, new year's eve. it is saturday, gray hall is off, i'm alicia vitarelli. here's some of the stories we're following on "action news," this is breaking news all morning, have you seen this man. the search for the suspected gunman in the death of a pennsylvania state trooper is on going at this hour. and i meant is building as we prepare to ring in the new year, philly style, the celebrations going on throughout the city. plus, will the weather cooperate with the new year's eve plans, the exclusive accuweather seven-day forecast, with what you can expect. i'm getting silly sitting here with chris sowers. feeling a little festive it's new year's eve, it's early you can -- but. >> reporter: temperatures will be close to 40 degrees when we ring in the new year, that's not too bad. sky6 live hd take a look at that, we have the milky white cirrus clouds overspreading the sky. the numbers will start to climb again. 33 degrees in philadelphia. trenton, 30. millville, 35. cape may, 38. and atlantic city, che