CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell, 12/24/24
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It was like a movie. I said evacuate. Tonight, the major storm pounding the West causing at least one death in the collapse of a famous wharf in California. What is coming towards us is more serious. And the snowstorm that hit the East. We are tracking where you'll see a white Christmas.

We will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States of America. The president-elect says he wants to expand America on the world map. Why Trump is eyeing Greenland and the Panama Canal. I'm right here. You don't have to worry. And a special experience with Santa Claus, whose mission goes beyond giving gifts. All they want is just the attention and the love. The CBS Evening News starts now. ♪

Good evening, everyone. I'm Jerika Duncan in for Nora. Thanks so much for joining us on this busy Christmas Eve. We begin with the impactful weather on both coasts tonight in California. One person is dead and four are missing in these gigantic waves in the central part of the state. Santa Cruz County warned of life threatening ocean conditions and told people

to stay away from the coast after part of a wharf collapsed on Monday. In the east, it was a white Christmas Eve, at least, as a band of snow moved through. But who will see snow on Christmas Day? Well, we have coverage from the east to the west tonight, starting with CBS meteorologist Bill Kelly in Philadelphia. Bill, good evening.

Good evening, Jerica. The snow that came through the Northeast and mid Atlantic this morning. Nice sight for those of you that love the snow, but that is now gone to be replaced by some chilly air, but not too bad for this time of year. Tracking some showers and storms here through parts of the Deep South. We're all through sections of Texas over to Arkansas.

But the big story this week certainly is what's going to be happening out west. And tonight we have these showers in the form of rain and snow for the mountains working on through. Let me show you from tonight at 7 o'clock through your Christmas morning at 7 a.m. Notice the blue. That is the snow working across parts of Utah, the Four Corners region. Not a big storm, but enough that for your Christmas we are going to see the rain and snow there in this part of the country. Rain and wind up for the Pacific Northwest. Fairly comfortable temperatures tonight.

Around, say, Houston, 70 degrees, 58 for Dallas with some showers rolling from the Gulf right up through the Midwest. As I mentioned, in the Northeast, it's going to be dry but a little chilly with a temperature on Christmas Day in the 30s. Jerika? All right, Bill, thank you so much. And as you just mentioned, the danger in the central California area is far from over as people on the Pacific Coast face threats of floods, mudslides, and dangerous waves through the end of the week. We get more now and the latest from CBS's Elyse Preston.

This wharf in Santa Cruz was built more than a century ago, but after a series of relentless waves, some up to 40 feet high,

What the heck? It partially collapsed yesterday. A restaurant, construction equipment, piles of heavy debris were swept into the Pacific Ocean, along with three workers inspecting the wharf. They know the environment. They know the wharf well. Again, good news is that they're all safe. At least one death was caused by the dangerous surf.

two other people are still missing. Over the past two days, there have been high surf conditions up and down the California coast. Matt Fockler is a lifeguard supervisor in Southern California. You said that some of the waves are going as high as 12 feet in this area. Yeah. So an eight to 12 foot wave, you're looking at, you know, a wave height of about a two story building. So that's a lot of energy.

behind that wave to the Coast Guard believes weather may have caused this fishing boat to run aground near Los Angeles early today. High surf and fog have hampered the search for the two crew members. It has been a season filled with weather extremes. Los Angeles has been dry. Rainfall is just 4% of normal, contributing to months of extreme fire conditions.

While San Francisco has been inundated with rainfall well above normal. This most recent incident was another testament to the power of our changing climate. Our coastline is wild, it's unpredictable, and we continue to see that winter season over winter season.

Now rescue crews are on standby warning beachgoers just how dangerous these waves can be. Meanwhile, lifeguards say there is a concern that Christmas presents like surfboards and boogie boards can bring even more people out to the water

Tomorrow, Jerika. Yeah, hopefully they stay safe. Elise Preston, thank you. President-elect Donald Trump spent part of his Christmas Eve criticizing President Biden for commuting the sentences of nearly all federal death row inmates. And Trump says when he returns to the White House, he'll direct the Justice Department to vigorously pursue capital punishment. That's just one prong of his agenda that he's previewing ahead of Inauguration Day.

Another idea he's considering, expanding America. CBS's Kelly O'Grady reports on why Trump wants to buy Greenland and regain control of the Panama Canal. President-elect Trump is threatening to take over the Panama Canal unless it cuts the price it charges for passage through the vital shipping lane. The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, highly unfair. This

This complete ripoff of our country will immediately stop. Panamanian President Jose Molino swung back, saying every square meter of the Panama Canal and its adjacent area belong to Panama, which brought this response from Trump.

Welcome to the United States Canal. Let's recognize that we signed a treaty back a number of years ago. That treaty, says former Pentagon official Sherry Goodman, transferred control of the canal to Panama 25 years ago. Today, over $270 billion worth of cargo travels through the waterway every year, including 40% of all U.S. container traffic.

Meanwhile, Chinese companies are investing in the canal infrastructure and manage control of two of its five ports. It was solely for Panama to manage and

Not for China. How valid is the concern about China's influence on the Panama Canal? Well, I think we need to combat growing Chinese economic and political influence. We've long had very deep relations with the Panamanian government, and we should continue and deepen our relations. Trump is also floating the idea of buying Greenland, a Denmark territory, the world's largest island rich in oil and minerals, and located near the Arctic, another area of strategic competition.

Trump said he wanted to buy Greenland during his first term. Its prime minister shut down Trump's new proposal, saying, we are not for sale. And tonight, Denmark announced a major $1.5 billion increase in defense spending to secure Greenland, but did not say that move was in response to Trump's idea of buying the island, Tarika. All right, we will see what happens. Kelly O'Grady, thank you.

Well, former President Bill Clinton is out of the hospital in time for Christmas after being treated for the flu. Clinton's deputy chief of staff in a post on X said the 78-year-old was discharged from MedStar Georgetown University Hospital this morning. Clinton was admitted yesterday with a fever for testing and observation.

Well, one man is dead and several others are injured after a boat exploded in Southern California, Southern Florida, rather yesterday. Tonight, several law enforcement agencies are investigating the cause. CBS is Christian Benavidez with an eyewitness account. The dramatic explosion was captured on video. People on fire right there.

The 37-foot boat with seven people on board was sitting at this marina in Fort Lauderdale when it was ripped in half by the powerful blast. I saw the boat, literally the top half of the boat, fly up about probably 10 feet and come right back down. The fire quickly spread to another boat. First responders and Good Samaritans immediately rushed in trying to help the injured who were seen lying on the dock. Six people were taken to an area hospital. Three of them suffered traumatic injuries.

I did see the guy on the boat that was still on the boat while it was on fire and the fire was getting bigger and he was stumbling while he was trying to get off. He was bleeding from his mouth and he was bleeding from his arm. Rescue crews searched the waters for a missing man who was later found dead. Police say he was Sebastian Gauthier, a 41-year-old man from Quebec. We do believe the boat was at the fuel docks near the fuel pumps. We're still determining was it actively fueling. That is unknown.

Investigators are still on scene, including a group of divers. At least one of the boats that caught fire is still underwater. Jerica? Christian Benavides, thank you so much.

Pope Francis's Christmas Eve message focused on the hope that anyone can change the world and the courage needed to do it. He's also kicking off a once-in-a-quarter-century holy year known as a Jubilee. It dates back centuries, and as CBS's Chris Livesay reports, the Vatican and Rome have been preparing for this moment.

With a few knocks, the doors of St. Peter's Basilica swung open for Pope Francis this evening, ushering the world's Roman Catholics into Christmas and the start of a Jubilee year, a once-every-25-year tradition when the faithful make pilgrimages to this church. Soaring 450 feet into the sky, it is the tallest in the world. And with roots dating back more than 1,600 years, it's also one of the oldest.

What better time to dust it off with renovations on the outside meant to reflect spiritual renewal on the inside, says Father Enzo Fortunato.

But it's sort of a metaphor. Yes, metaphor. It's exactly what you use. - For the kind of internal restoration. - Yes, metaphor. Yes. One of the biggest restorations was of Bernini's masterpiece, the Baldacchino. So for the first time in 250 years, it's been restored to its original splendor. Restored completely, yes. Before, you have the image, I think, was very black. And now we can admire the gold.

The canopy sits atop the tomb of none other than the first pope ever. This is the center of the altar. It's so stunning. It's the center where is the tomb of St. Peter. Right beneath our feet. Yes, yes. If you can't come in person, the Vatican has recreated St. Peter's digitally with the help of AI.

But if you can, brace yourself. You'll be joined by more than 30 million visitors to Rome over the course of 2025. But the main event is at St. Peter's, where Pope Francis is praying for renewal for the Catholic Church both inside and out. Chris Livesay, CBS News, Rome.

Well, they say hard work pays off, but so too could a couple of dollars. Well, that's if you're playing for tonight's billion-dollar lotto jackpot. That's next. Merry and bright days could be ahead well after Christmas for the winner of tonight's Mega Millions jackpot. It has soared to a billion dollars. So the question is, what would you buy if you had that kind of cash? Well, CBS's Dave Malkoff has some big ideas.

Twas the night before Christmas and in every store, dreamers lined up for a chance to score. Someone has to win it sometime. And it's going to be you. It's going to be me. I'm going to win it. I'm going to win it. It's only the seventh time in Mega Millions history the jackpot has passed the billion dollar mark.

Well, it's a pretty big drawing and you got to play to win, right? Say if you were to buy this $450,000 Ferrari, also this $250,000 Ferrari, and here at Atlanta Autos, I'm going to throw in the $370,000 Lambo. Thanks, Chauncey. You would barely be getting into your first one one-thousandth of your winnings.

And with the rest, how about 22 Gulfstream 500s or a trip on the SpaceX flight to the International Space Station for you and 17 of your closest friends? Believe me, when you got a billion dollars, friends show up. The odds of winning are only about one in 302 million, meaning you've got a better chance of taking home an Olympic gold medal than a golden ticket.

But that's not stopping people from trying. - Biggest thing I would get, of course, would be the family house, the big house. - Probably retire and go around the world. That would be great. - Sure would. Now, Jerika, if you won and you took the lump sum, it would be somewhere in the range of $450 million. That's before taxes. And let me show you something right here. I just paid $2 for this one shot.

But coming up in April, you're actually going to have to pay $5 for every ticket. Jerika, that could mean bigger jackpots in the future, bigger than a billion dollars and slightly, slightly better odds. You look good in that Lambo. Very nice. I'll give it to you if I win this one. I'm going to hold you to it. Thank you so much. In tonight's Eye on America, AM radio comes to the rescue in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. That's next.

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When Hurricane Helene roared through western North Carolina, it left more than a million people with no water, no power, and spotty cell service. But as Skyler Henry reports in tonight's Eye on America, what they did have was the radio. Coley Duffy isn't a full-time tree trimmer by trade. Neither are most of these men.

But when Helene's floodwaters destroyed western North Carolina, they jumped in to lend a hand, or in this case, a chainsaw. We just started listening to the radio, and the radio was our only way of communication. We had no cell phone service. Nobody did. And what service there was was spotty at best. When people were able to make a call, they got word to the best megaphone in western North Carolina. Welcome back to our continuing coverage of the Rescue, Recovery, and Relief Operation.

In the middle of this modern climate change disaster, the calls for help were answered old school. Well, I'm trying to get a hold of my aunt and uncle out in Weaverville, but I can't get a hold of them. For days, WWNC's AM radio host Mark Starling and his producer Tank Spencer served as a proxy dispatch service

helping to coordinate wellness checks and connect the stranded with nearby resources. Want to put you back on hold so that tank can get your phone number? We didn't have any connection to the outside world except our radio stations, and we were the only two here, so we kind of had a mission of like, okay, well, we've got to walk these people through the storm. You all must have been inundated with phone calls.

We were, and the phone calls got progressively scarier and scarier. Which meant dealing with the widest range of emotions you could possibly imagine. We got the call from a guy that was on the second floor of his house. Our first floor is flooded up to about four feet, and we're upstairs. We're safe, but my ramp truck is underwater. Listen, do us a favor and keep our phone number handy, okay? And when we hung up, he's going to be there. Everything's going to be fine. It's going to be fine.

Everything wasn't fine. The caller, his wife, and their seven-year-old grandson were all swept away. That was a hard one. It's still a hard one. I can hear this phone call in my head. And then, well, at the other end of the spectrum, there was this reunion for Starling. Brandy? Yes. Are you okay?

Yeah, I'm okay. This is my wife for anybody that's listening. We just left. It's so good hearing your voice.

These guys have been a guiding light on top of the radio tower for so many in the mountains of North Carolina. One of the memorable phone calls that we had was when a guy called in and he says, you know, today's the first day that I've gone and checked on all my neighbors and I didn't even ask who they voted for first. This is the realest radio has ever been.

And we're connecting with people in a way that most people don't ever get to connect with their audience because this is our family. Our good buddy Coley from the Chainsaw Brothers. Hey, hey, Coley. Coley, what's going on? And like many families, knit tighter through trauma. For Eye on America, Skyler Henry in Asheville, North Carolina. Next, a picture-perfect Santa.

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Credit Karma is your evolved financial assistant, making managing your finances simpler and more tailored to you. Join us at CreditKarma.com to start your personalized financial journey today and continue to grow with our innovations. Credit Karma, evolve your finances. We all know that Santa sees you when you're sleeping and he knows when you're awake, but he also knows when a child may need a calmer Santa experience. We caught up with the man in red himself.

So Daniel, how good have you been this year? Very good. Very good. I'm glad. Oh, I love Santa hugs.

This sensory friendly experience brings Santa to kids in a jolly yet mindful environment. Each December, Simon Property Group hosts private photo adventures like these nationwide. There are no long lines, lights are dimmed and there are quiet areas for children who have unique physical or emotional needs.

We do it before the center opens specifically to create an environment that allows families and children to visit Santa at their own pace. There's no commotion for him. It's quiet so he can really just relax and enjoy getting to see Santa.

The mother of 12-year-old Justin says one part of Santa's magic is knowing how to speak just the right language. I'm right here. You don't have to worry. Justin does know some of the signs, like all done and more and everything. So it's great because Justin can sign when he's all done or if he wants more time with him. I've been on this earth for 1,755 years. I had to learn how to be patient quite a while back. Oh, there she is.

Among the families and their traditions we saw Santa form a bond while playing peekaboo with Savannah. There she is. Proving every child wants a special gift in a season that's all about seeing and cherishing everyone. She wished for a friend. I told her I said she could always have Santa as a friend. I love you too. I love you too.

Well, that is tonight's CBS Evening News. We thank you for watching. Have a great night.

Hi, I'm Lindsey Graham, the host of Wondery Show American Scandal. We bring to light some of the biggest controversies in U.S. history. Presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our latest series, NASA embarks on an ambitious program to reinvent space exploration with the launch of its first reusable vehicle, the Space Shuttle. And in 1985, they announced they're sending teacher Krista McAuliffe into space aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, along with six other astronauts, but less than two minutes after liftoff.

The Challenger explodes. And in the tragedy's aftermath, investigators uncover a series of preventable failures by NASA and its contractors that led to the disaster. Follow American Scandal on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season only on Wondery+. You can join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial today.

They say Hollywood is where dreams are made, a seductive city where many flock to get rich, be adored, and capture America's heart. But when the spotlight turns off, fame, fortune, and lives can disappear in an instant.

When TV producer Roy Radin was found dead in a canyon near L.A. in 1983, there were many questions surrounding his death. The last person seen with him was Laney Jacobs, a seductive cocaine dealer who desperately wanted to be part of the Hollywood elite. Together, they were trying to break into the movie industry. But things took a dark turn when a million dollars worth of cocaine and cash went missing.

From Wondery comes a new season of the hit show Hollywood and Crime, The Cotton Club Murder. Follow Hollywood and Crime, The Cotton Club Murder on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of The Cotton Club Murder early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+.