[ voice breaking ] so that's -- that's a really amazing feeling. [ sniffles ] right here as covid delta surges in parts of the as covid delta surges in parts of the country, a new warning tonight about the new variant. i am shaepard smith. this is the news on cnbc bracing for a covid explosion. the new study just out on omicron. >> it is raepd rapidly becoming the more predominant strain. >> the mutation s resistance to vaccine and the severity of infection. there is just so much destruction. >> trying to rebuild after friday daefbs stating tornado outbreak. >> houses are destroyed. >> and thousands are homeless. the long road to recovery begins

the parents of the michigan school shooter in court today for the first time since arraignment. the charges, and what prosecutors disclosed about the case ahead the house voting tonight on criminal contempt charges against mark meadows plus, what's revealed in a series of january 6th text mes message regarding president trump. >> the president needs to stop this asap. another one fix this now >> the nfl mandates booster shots. the boy scouts of america reaches an $800 million sexual abuse settlement agreement. and protests break out in china. why these young workers are lying flat live from cnbc the facts, the truth, "the news with shepard smith." >> good evening. one year ago today, the first american got a covid vaccine dose a modern miracle, no doubt yet, today the reality we'd all

hoped to avoid covid is surging, yet again, and the white house warns of an imminent covid explosion axios quoting a senior biden administration official as saying a large wave is coming. it will be fast. it won't be as severe but regrettably, there will be plenty of hospitalizations all 21 states you see here in red are reporting increases in average daily cases. that's according to johns hopkins. nationwide, we're, once again, averaging nearly 120,000 infections a day hospitalizations up 45% over the past two weeks, alone. right now, delta still accounts for the majority of new infections across the united states but omicron is causing new concerns tonight this afternoon, the world health organization called it the fastest-spreading variant, yet and it appears to be gaining ground in some states. the cdc director says omicron accounts for about 13% of cases

in the new york and new jersey region. >> the science is still evolving it's still early but what we are seeing in some of these other countries is doubling times of about every two days or so so, really rapid increase in the amount of omicron that's out there. but i want to emphasize that we have the tools now. >> we have the tools and one of them may soon be a bill. pfizer reaffirming its treatment cost -- cuts the risk of hospitalization and death by 89% among high-risk covid patients that's a huge number and pfizer says the lab data shows it also stacks up well against covid omicron. cnbc's meg tirrell on our top story tonight. meg, what could americans get this pill? >> well, shep, pfizer says potentially this month depending on how quickly the fda acts. the company's ceo told us last week the agency was waiting on this update, specifically, before potentially clearing the drug because another covid pill from merck showed dramatically

different results between an interim look at the final one. it wasn't so oh for pfizer's pill the results remained the same from what we saw last night. even the president weighed in on it today in a rare statement on a yet-to-be approved drug, saying quote if this treatment is indeed authorized and once the pills are widely available, it will mark a significant step forward in our path out of the pandemic u.s. has purchased 10 million courses of the drug for more than $5 billion. a key question is how widely the fda will clear it just for people with severe risk factors like age and health conditions or more broadly. pfizer presented results from a second study today in lore-risk people who weren't vaccinated and some high-risk folks who were and showed a 70% reduction in hospitalization for them. the key for the drug's success will be getting it early, within three to five days of symptoms that means realizing you have got covid, and getting a test quickly. shep. >> meg, the cdc warning just

today that omicron might not be the only thing we have to worry about this winter. >> yeah. the agency telling public health leaders today that in a worst-case scenario, an omicron wave could layer on top of delta and flu. and what one official described to "the washington post" as a quote triple whammy that could overwhelm health systems this winter another less drastic looking model predicts a smaller surge from omicron in the spring "the post" reports. and it's not clear which one of those scenarios is more likely what is clear is that cases of flu, almost nonexistent last year, and still low this year, have begun to tick up. the public health message for both is the same get vaccinated shep. >> meg tirrell, thanks so much covid is hitting professional sports very hard. the leagues test so much that throughout the pandemic, they have been a good-early warning of what's to come for the rest of american society. coming up on the news tonight. what covid's doing to the nfl, nba, and nhl right now and what they're doing in response.

president biden today declaring emergencies in both illinois and tennessee after deadly tornados tore through the midwest on friday and surrounding regions. more than 100 people are still missing four days after the twisters hit the governor of kentucky says at least 74 people died in the state. that number unchanged since yesterday. he made the announcement before touring some of the storm damage in mullinberg county he said members of his own family died in the storms there. we are also learning more about some of the victims. the youngest, oaklynn koon just two months old her father said the tornado picked up their entire family and dropped them on the other side of their neighbor's home. cnn's perry russom spoke to some of the survivors of the storm today. >> reporter: 15 minutes southwest of mayfield, a church is a shelter the youngest person staying here is 4 months old. michael. >> every day that i wake up next

to him, i'm fine you know >> reporter: anthony vasquez, his wife, and michael were huddled in their home hiding in a closet. >> i held my son michael really tight. told him daddy wasn't going to let him go and we just stood there until after it all passed by >> reporter: this is 11th street in mayfield. some of the worst destruction we have seen so far there are homes taken down to their foundation, trees splitting houses in half there is the faint smell of rotting in the air on 11th street, richard todd is with his wife mary picking through his brother's house. >> he was in here sleep, sound asleep, and it sucked him out of the house. broke his neck and back. lucky it was just -- the good lord that he is still here. >> at the shelter, karen and her dog are headed to their fifth place to live in three days. >> leaving was okay. knowing you have to go somewhere. you got nowhere else to go but down here, everywhere we've been is fantastic for us >> reporter: megan ralph is running the shelter.

how many people do you have here >> we have 67 people here as of 8:00 last night. >> reporter: she says people are slowly finding a more permanent home than a cot in a church. >> you see great sadness and great compassion, all in one room at the end of the day, emotions can get high you know, when you lay your head down, you can, um, really start feeling for the people in the room but while you're here, it's go >> reporter: as ralph works nonstop, vasquez says he can't stop thinking about his son. he says it's a miracle they are alive. a miracle, he still has michael. >> life-changing experience but we'll get through it, huh, son we'll get through it. >> our perry russom in kentucky tonight, where many people across the commonwealth are still without the most basic services neighbors helping to fill those gaps we are live in one town destroyed but coming together. ahead tonight on the news. just minutes from now, the house is set to vote on whether

mark may eadows should be refer to the justice department for criminal contempt of con fwres the former white house chief of staff is refusing to answer questions in congress about the january 6th insurrection at the capitol. if the house votes to refer meadows for contempt, justice department officials will decide whether to judge and prosecute him. last night, we reported on some of the information that the january 6th committee released ahead of their vote to hold meadows in contempt. the information included e-mails and text messages from republican lawmakers, members of the media, and president trump's own family the republican congresswoman liz cheney -- the committee vice chair as one of two gop committee members -- read some of the messages from fox news hosts. all, urging the president to take action. >> mark, the president needs to tell people in the capitol to go home this is hurting all of us. he is destroying his legacy, laura ingram wrote

please, get him on tv destroying everything you have accomplished brian kilmead texted quote, can he make a statement ask people to leave the capitol, sean hannity urged. >> she went on to read one from the president's own son. >> he's got to condemn this shit asap. the capitol police tweet is not enough donald trump jr. texted. meadows responded quote, i'm pushing it hard. i agree. >> the tweet to which he was referring told people at the capitol to remain peaceful it was too late. and to support the capitol police today, representative cheney read a few more from republican members of congress during a rules committee meeting. >> it is really bad up here on the hill another one the president needs to stop this asap.

another one, fix this now. >> representative cheney says the messages leave no doubt that the white house knew exactly what was happening, but that hours passed before the then-president did anything. meadows defied a congressional subpoena to testify. he said he can't because former-president trump has claimed executive privilege. he said he turned over the documents because they're not covered by that privilege. nbc's leigh anne caldwell live on capitol hill for us tonight leigh anne >> shepherd, that vote is going to start any minute now. we are just waiting for that to happen and as you ran through a lot of these text messages that have been read by committee members over the past 24 hours, on the floor debate that just took place, we are hearing about more text messages that meadows turned over, including from lawmakers -- unnamed republican lawmakers who were trying to get involved in helping meadows overturn the election, including one lawmaker who texted meadows,

quote, an aggressive strategy that suggested republican-controlled state legislatures to spend -- send their own electors representative jamie raskin read that one on the house floor. now, we do know this vote is going to take place. it is expected to pass with the support of all democrats i am going to be watching to see how many republicans vote for it we know that nine republicans voted for this contempt referral for steve bannon so, will it be different but jim jordan -- one of trump and meadows' biggest allies say he is a good man, he is a friend, do not send him down this path. shep. >> the vote up and coming. leigh anne caldwell, we will be back to you for it thank you. late today, a legal defeat for former-president trump a federal district court in washington, whom president trump appointed to the bench, dismissed the lawsuit he filed to keep his tax returns out of the hands of the house of representatives. the judge said the former president was wrong on the law the house ways and means

committee requested the documents saying it wanted to see how the irs was auditing mr. trump's lawyers argued it was a fishing expedition meant to embarrass the former president. they will have 14 days to appeal. they are accused of giving their 15-year-old son access to a deadly weapon, and failing to intervene despite troubling warning signs. the parents of the alleged michigan school shooter in shackles in front of a judge today. fighting for over-the-counter birth control pills. an inside look at the years-long battle trying to make access to the pill easier. and amtrak making a major change in vaccine policy today the impact on plans to pump the brakes in 2022 ♪ ♪ remember when no dream was too big? ♪ ♪ and you could fearlessly face the unknown. (kids playing)

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james and jennifer crumbley sat at the table with their attorneys at one point when the lawyers got up to speak to the judge, james crumbley appeared to mouth "i love you" to his wife the couple accused of contributing to their son's actions, ignoring what prosecutors say were glaring warning signs of dangerous behavior while allowing him to access a gun one, he allegedly used to kill four students at oxford high school james and jennifer crumbley each face four counts of involuntary manslaughter if found guilty, they could spend up to 60 years in prison they have pleaded not guilty here's nbc's mara barrett. >> this is the first time they have seen each other since they were arrested. they ever been in the same jail jail but they have been isolated from one another and today was supposed to be a probable cause hearing to set the tone and the timeline for an upcoming trial but actually the

preliminary examination was postponed until the new year the prosecution arguing bo that both them and the defense for that matter have a lot of discovery evidence to go through. they have already submitted 500 pages of discovery to the court and they say that is just a third of the surveillance video, witness interviews, and victim interviews, that they anticipate having they say they are going to have 15 to 20 witnesses they intend to bring forward and they want to give victims time to grieve before bringing them back in for the interview process. so the crumbleys -- the parents -- their next hearing won't be until february. now, ethan crumbley, the accused school shooter, had a similar hearing yesterday. his was also postponed until the new year because of similar reason, in terms of so much dis disd discovery evidence when it comes to witnesses and his past with the school and so, this case -- both cases won't see much movement until the new year and as everything was going on here today, i also want to point out that oxford schools were out of session yet again today kids not in school because of yet another threat on social media. it's been plaguing the area

there in michigan since the school shooting at oxford high school just two weeks ago. shep >> mara barrette for us from chicago. civil rights attorney, cnbc contributor, david, it's unusual for parents to be charged in connection with a shooting done we thby their kid, especially wt a charge as serious as manslaughter could the ruling have major repercussions on how we prosecute school shootings or is this a special case? >> no, shep, i think this will have far-reaching implications for other school shooting cases which is why this prosecutor is doing it what she is trying to do is send the message that, hey, when there are early warning signs, you'd better take action and your point that this doesn't happen very often is part of what's influencing these hearings right now because she has to present an overwhelming amount of evidence to substantiate the claims she's trying to bring. >> the prosecutor said they need more time to look at all the discovery evidence what else are they looking to learn here >> you know, shep, i think what they are leak looking to learn is whatever they think they are going to need to get past the

requirement at this probable cause hearing. we typically think of this as a hearing to substantiate charges that have been brought this is more like a grand jury spreeding. michigan law allows for a one-person grand jury which is maintained by the judge. but you got to keep in mind, they are not accusing the parents of doing anything illegal or unlawful so they have to have a lot of evidence to substantiate these claims for that reason. >> what about the school officials -- at least some of whom clearly knew about ethan crumbley's behavior, is there legal trouble for them possible or no? >> in theory, yes, it's possible but part of what broadcast prosecutors look at is what the law allows them to to and what practical constraints are. it is going to be really hard to get a jury to convict school officials. i think it is going to be an easier case against the parents but still going to be a active one to make in court. >> david henderson, thank you. managing your own health risks. it's at the center of a debate over birth control pills and whether they should be available without a prescription tonight, the two companies pushing the fda to make the

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oh oh so true. and now, the moon christmas special. gotta go! take the savings challenge at xfinitymobile.com/mysavings or visit an xfinity store to learn how our switch squad makes switching fast and easy this holiday season. a birth control battle is going on behind the scenes of the food and drug administration the question is simple will millions of women who take birth control pills be allowed to purchase them over the counter? "the new york times" reports at least two drug companies want to apply to the fda to switch their birth control medication from prescription to otc. but after years of complicated preliminary trials, neither company has yet reached the stage of actually applying supporters argue that an over-the-counter birth control pill reduces barriers to healthcare for millions of women. but critics warn the pills can interact with certain medical conditions in ways that a doctor should really oversee.

"the times" kate kelly wrote an article on the subject out today. she is also a cnbc contributor kate, how big of an impact could over-the-counter birth control have here in the u.s.? >> shep, first of all, thank you for having me to discuss what i think is a really important and relevant issue going on that many viewers probably haven't heard about. i had not heard about until i started looking into it. um, i think it could help millions of people or -- or, i should say, it could affect millions of people um, the argument here -- and i think there is good data to support it -- is that if you have folks who are rurally located, who are in historically marginalized communities, that may not have equal access to healthcare, whose ability to access healthcare has been affected by the pandemic, people of color, all of these people who have trouble getting access to birth control right now where a prescription is needed would be able, theoretically, to get over-the-counter birth control pills through their pharmacy possibly through mail order without a doctor's intervention. so we have millions of people who take that pill with the

prescription and the barriers that exist today there are some pharmacist prescriptions that are available in certain states, although not the majority of states but one would think that the over-the-counter market opportunity is much, much larger. >> where does the battle go from here, kate >> so right now, we're at a technically sensitive point in the fda process. the fda has an office actually that oversees what they call the rx to the otc switch and that application process you mentioned in your intro tends to take ten months. that is their goal from when you officially apply to when they decide on whether you can go otc or not but the preapplication dialogue, which is quite significant as well, that's where you design your drug label for a mass audience that does not have a doctor's oversight and that's where you actually test your drug even if it's well established and the birth control pill has 60 years of history. the pills involved here have quite a few years of history and good safety records. you test those with the

directions you have given on the new label to a group of consumers and present those to the fda. so those are the processes that are still in various stages of completion and the application hasn't happened yet. although, both companies have been in there for five-plus years. >> wow kate kelly, long time. thank you. once again, congress is staring down the barrel of default, again unable to pay its bills. we are live on capitol hill with a vote count on the debt limit you can't see it or smell it tonight, the threat of toxic mold in your home and what to do about it and the worst of mother nature bringing out the best in humanity as neighbors in kentucky who lost everything when the tornados hit still manage to help each other. their stories as we approach the bottom of the hour and the top of the news on cnbc. i thought i was managing my moderate to severe crohn's disease. then i realized something was missing...

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that helps you build a future for those you love. vanguard. become an owner. welcome to allstate. ( phone notification ) where you can pay a little less and enjoy the ride a little more. now, get new lower auto rates. you're in good hands with allstate. click or call for a lower rate today. the senate just voted to raise the national debt limit as the clock ticks down on the united states' ability to pay its bills. after months of debate on the hill, the bill passed exactly along party lines, 50-49 senate democrats raised the debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion, pushing it to more than 31 trillion now, the house must pass that same bill before it fws to president biden's desk the treasury secretary, janet yellen, said lawmakers have until tomorrow to raise the debt limit or risk an economically devastating default.

cnbc senior congressional correspondent live in washington tonight. can they get this done, elon >> shep, disaster is almost averted. the house is preparing a bill for a vote on the floor potentially later tonight it could spill over into tomorrow but it is all but certain to pass so, this drama over the debt limit is thankfully done the two parties already cut a deal in which republicans agreed not to block it from moving forward. but democrats had to pass the actual bill all on their own today, senate majority leader chuck schumer thanked republicans for compromising. >> no brinksmanship. no default on the debt no risk of another recession responsible governing has won on this exceedingly important issue. >> now, of course, republicans still veereserve the right to criticize the debt ceiling arguing that raising it just paves the way for a massive increase in the deficit.

>> more printing and borrowing to set up more reckless spending to cause more inflation, to hurt working families even more what the american people need is a break. >> both sides have a point here. the bill would raise the debt limit by $2.5 trillion that covers prior spending that both parties signed off on but it also gives democrats enough room to pass build back better importantly, democrats believe this increase is enough to last through the mid-terms and into 2023 shep, this fight will come back around but both parties are hoping they will be the ones in power when it does. >> ylan, thank you. amtrak reversing course on its vaccine mandate. that's what's topping cnbc's "on the money. amtrak, america's railroad temporarily suspending its vaccine mandate for its employees. that's according to an internal memo seen by reuters

amtrak's ceo said it has fewer than 500 unvaccinated employees, and no longer expects to have to pull the brakes on service as planned next month the memo cited a recent court decision to hold a white house mandate for federal contractors as a reason to re-evaluate the policy bitcoin in your stocking cash app rolled out a new feature today just in time for the holidays the peer-to-peer app owned by block, which used to be square, will now allow users in the united states to send bitcoin or traditional stocks as gifts to other users. and apple giving iphone users one less thing to worry about when they die. do we worry when we die? the tech giant introducing a digital legacy in their latest update no pass code no problem now, you can choose who gets the access to all of your phone secrets when you go. on wall street, the dow down 107. s&p off 35

the nasdaq, down 176 the market slide age head of the fed's decision tomorrow on rate hikes. i'm shepard smith on cnbc. it's the bottom of the hour. time for the top of the news dream home turned nightmare. meet a family that discovered toxic mold pushing their health and finances to the brink. the warning signs for your place. practices cancelled, games postponed. covid cases spiking across pro sports now, new rules to slow the spread and keep players healthy. but first, the long road to recovery in kentucky after the deadly tornados. state and local officials say it could take years for some of the hardest-hit areas of the commonwealth to fully recover. they say they are having trouble even tallying the damage because of the sheer level of destruction. one of the most devastated areas, dawson springs. people there say it looks to

them like a bomb went off and destroyed their town nbc's ellison barber is live there for us tonight ellison? >> reporter: shep, we met the woman who used to call this home she told us that when the storm came through, everything collapsed. i will show you some with my flashlight she was here, underneath this mattress, trapped beneath all of this rubble. she had to push a wall off of her legs to get out, and then crawled her way through this area all the way over here passing this car that she said she had never seen before. when she got out of this rubble, she said she heard all of the cries for help listen to how she described what happened that night. >> i just crawled my way out and i come out right here at the end of that truck. and i just don't even know looking at this, i don't know how i come out of this alive

>> reporter: at least 13 people have died in this community, dawson springs there are only about 2,700 people who live in this community. the search-and-recovery efforts -- those are ongoing we watched as a team from ohio dispatched into the wooded areas all around us here looking wit cameras, anything they could underneath rubble to try and see if they could find some of the many people who were still unaccounted for. for a lot of people like that woman you heard from, they are lookin look at all of this and don't really know where to begin as she looked at this rubble and spoke to us, she said i am 52 years old. i am a single mother this is everything i own but i'm alive. president biden is expected to come here tomorrow, and everyone we have spoken to -- they say they hope he sees this and realizes how much help they truly need shep >> ellison barber, live, dawson springs, kentucky. the air force has discharged

27 troops who refused to get vaccinated against covid they appear to be among the first military service members removed for defying the pentagon's vaccine mandate the air force ordered troops to get vaccinated by early-last month. the data shows 97% of all active-duty airmen are fully vaccinated more than 1,000 active-duty troops refused vaccinations and about 4,700 asked for religious exemptions airports' officials are still reviewing those requests an air force spokeswoman says they discharged 27 airmen for failing to obey a lawful order adding that refusing to get vaccinated contributed to their removal but that other misconduct may have also played a role a covid outbreak at cornell university forcing that university to shut down its main campus to all students cornell reported more than 900 new cases among students this week alone in a statement today, university officials wrote they identified a substantial number of omicron

cases. meantime, new today, nyu will require all of its students and staff to get a booster shot before the upcoming-spring semester that, from an internal memo obtained by our station nbc 4 new york covid cases are mounting really across professional sports now with strong vaccine and testing protocols, the teams have managed to mostly remain on the field and court for many months but now, the tide appears to be turning. the nba boasts a 97% vaccination rate but how have dozens of cases now turned up as breakthroughs? today, the lakers cancelled practice after a player tested positive testing for everyone is ahead of a long road trip earlier, the league postponed two upcoming games for the first time this season ten chicago bulls players and some staff entered covid protocols. the nfl -- the nfl says at least 62 players tested positive for

covid over the past two days the 37 positive tests announced yesterday were the highest single total since the pandemic began. and the nhl forced to postpone games this week after six players and a staff member of the calgary flames tested positive that's the third time that the league has postponed games because of covid this season so, what's the big picture dr. robbie is with us now, anesthesiologist, health consultant and former vice president for the minnesota timber wolves. doctor, thanks so much when the world shut down back in march of last year, outbreaks on sports' teams really served as an early-warning sign and helped us identify the spread then, the lockdowns. at least the identification. is that sort of what is playing out now? >> i think it's -- you are absolutely right, shepherd, and thanks for having me and happy holidays sports test more than anyone else they test individuals who are vaccinated, they test people who aren't vaccinated and when you test as much as sports does, you are going to find more cases and i think this is a really bad

sign for our country for the next few weeks that we are seeing this many cases in sports this is really, really bad news for the rest of the country. the leagues have led the way and i think that this is going to portend a lot more cases in the next few weeks as we get into the christmas and new years holidays. >> doctor, you advised on testing protocols during the start of covid for teens do they need to be updated for everyone >> well, i think we probably need to be in situations where we get the right tests into the right situations and we deploy more tests we still don't have a national testing strategy and it's worth asking offiurselves should we b testing fans routinely or mandating masks at sporting events like we did last year and is that a strategy to mitigate outbreaks? and it's something we should really strongly consider and probably think about how we are going to ennforce. >> i hear what you say and then i think about those voices, political, who will say, oh, there they go. stealing your rights and it's -- it's a ridiculous argument, obviously, on the face of it. but it's one that's working. it's -- it's working politically

in some areas of the country >> yeah. i think that, you know, as we look at it, we need to have layers of protection so, testing, masking, vaksz vaccination. they are all layers. and you discussed that we have got a large percentage of athletes that are vaccinated the good news is that we have individuals who are not getting significant sick that is the good news. the unfortunate news is hospitals are full across the country. that's why this pandemic can't change because hospitals are full. >> the nfl, doctor, now mandating boosters over the next month for staff and coaches who interact with players at all but they are not requiring booster mandates for players yet. is that a mistake? >> you know, look, this is a good first step on boosting by getting staff boosted. the nba's seen a large percentage of their players already get boosted and i think we are going to see more and more players who take that initiative to get boosted because it's going to help them maintain a competitive advantage on the field it's going to help keep them on the field. and i think at some point, shepherd, we are going to stop calling this a booster and calling it what it is, which is

a three-dose vaccination. >> dr. robby sikka, thanks so much. investigators in south carolina announced this shocking discovery today. an autopsy revealed former-nfl player phillip adams had severe brain trauma when he went on an alleged shooting spree earlier-this year. the 32-year-old accused of gunning down six people, including four members of the same family before killing himself in april after learning adams played for the nfl for six years, the coroner in the case listed boston university's cte center to determine whether adams suffered from the disease. cte, of course, is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head trauma a boston university researcher said today adams' case was stage two cte and unusually severe in both frontal lobes she said it may have contributed to what she called his behavioral abnormalities officials have not yet announced a motive for those shootings communities across the

country are still recovering from a series of natural disasters this year. that deep freeze last winter in texas. hurricane ida. wildfires in the west. and now, the deadly tornados they all caused widespread destruction but in some cases, the real extent of the damage isn't realized for months or even years after these disasters strike, toxic mold can grow and spread throughout homes left unchecked, it can create a disaster of its own. here's cnbc's contessa brewer. >> reporter: a walk in the park is a blessing for the bear family who survived a house of horrors. >> i started getting my migraines that i didn't understand and if i look back, i was telling doctors i feel like i have been hit by a truck >> reporter: christina bear, an attorney, says she felt all kinds of weird symptoms over the last few years rashes, dizziness, forgetfulness. >> i wasn't supersympathetic i sort of said, hey, we run hard, we have careers, we have young kids at home just deal with it.

which is not a great -- not a great response >> reporter: but then, christina fainted and doctors found a tumor. their children were having tantrums, mood swings, and even developmental delays teachers began asking questions about an autism diagnosis for their youngest son. >> he was melting down for at least an hour a day, every day >> reporter: the bears consulted so many doctors and therapists and experts looking for answers. >> when we started getting these test results back, just the light bulb was going off that, oh, we're all in this house that is making us sick. and literally, was killing me. >> reporter: doctors concluded the bear family was suffering devastating effects of toxic mold made even worse during the pandemic working and studying at home >> the entire time that the bears lived here, due to improper flashing around the chimney stack. and so, it -- it was leaking

water into the wall that no one could see. >> reporter: experts determined improper construction and a faulty roof repair on the bears' austin home led to moisture in the house. that fed the poisonous mold, sporing blowing through their vents. after those mold tests, the bears immediately fled this house. little knowing the financial hell they were about to enter. so far, mold has cost them a million bucks and counting >> almost none of those things are covered by insurance >> reporter: and every year, thousands of americans find out they are living with toxic mold. often, the exposure making them very sick. experts find it in public housing, in schools, and even in the homes provided to military families. >> there's no documented safe amount of mold what is clear is all of these health consequences seem to be an interaction between molds and other things that grow after water damage >> reporter: the bears feel fortunate they had the money to

move and to get treatment, though it has cost them their life savings and it could take the rest of their lives to recover physically from years of mold exposure. >> so, the long-term question that all six of us have to wrestle with is given that we were in this house, exposed to this for eight ears, for the twins, for their entire lives, what is the long-term impact on our brain? and we just don't know >> reporter: when christina bear couldn't find lawyers experienced enough with mold to take on her case, she decided to start a law firm devoted to just this kind of mission she launched it this week and, shep, she tells us her phone has been ringing off the hook. >> not surprised you know, if people suspect they might have mold in their own homes, what do they do >> look. we talked to expert after expert who said, first, you have to find an inspector who is independent from the contractors. in other words, they don't have a vested financial interest in

whether diagnosing mold in your home and then, you hire another contractor who is certified in mold mitigation, meaning they have lots of experience in going out and cleaning this stuff up to come in and look at your house. shep. >> contessa brewer, thank you. one of the boy scouts of america's primary insurers says it will contribute $800 million in part to settle of the thousands of sexual abuse claims the move brings the total pot of money available to resolve abuse claims to more than $2.7 billion the money is to be used to settle more than 82,000 claims from those who say troop leaders sexually abused them when they were children. in a statement, the boy scouts of america wrote this is an extremely important step forward in the boy scouts of america's efforts to equitably compensate survivors and our hope is that this will lead to further settlement agreements from other parties. the deal still subject to court

approval. the hits keep coming for andrew cuomo the disgraced-former governor ordered today to turn over millions of dollars to new york state. the reason and his response. plus, work a little and rest a lot. the new movement called "lie flat" in china the millennials who are well onboard and why their communist government is none too pleased welcome to allstate. where everything just seems to go your way. ♪ ♪ you're in good hands with allstate. click or call for a lower auto rate today. at vanguard, you're more than just an investor, you're an owner with access to financial advice, tools and a personalized plan that helps you build a future for those you love. vanguard. become an owner.

this is called momentum. and there's no off-season. just work that builds on itself over and over and over again... becuase the only way is through.

the disgraced former governor andrew cuomo now owes state of new york more than $5 million it's money he made from his pandemic memoir that came out last year. the state ethics commission ruled that andrew cuomo broke new york's ethics laws after new reports show that, among other things, he had state workers help with projects related to his book cuomo's lawyer issued a statement today saying we'll see them in court. attorney jim mcguire said the commission's actions today are

unconstitutional, exceed its own authority, and appear to be driven by political interests, rather than the facts and the law. a new economic report out today confirms what millions of americans already know well. prices are surging according to the labor department, wholesale prices increased by 9.6% from last november to this november. that is the biggest increase on record it's the same story for gas. aaa reports the national average for gas hit about $3.40 per gallon last month, the most since 2014 inflation forcing businesses to pass the rising costs onto customers. and for now, people seem willing to pay up. cnbc's live in el paso, texas, with one business owner's story. christina? >> almost everything we consume is helpled by the transportation networks like the semis right behind me but you have many smaller or private businesses across america, like this trucking terminal here in el paso, that are faced with higher

costs from fuel, as well as higher wages and higher employee benefits. >> throughout '21, we have been constantly increasing prices as fuel has gone up, equipment has gone up with the shortage of steel and aluminum i mean, truck trailer prices are through the roof >> reporter: take for example, diesel prices that have climbed almost 46% in the past year but when you compare it to pre-pandemic 2019, prices are up 6% while private workers' hourly pay increased almost 5% just this past year alone, a recent survey finds that companies still plan to set aside another 3.9% of their total payroll for wage increases next year that's the biggest bump since the great financial crisis as fuel and wages continue to climb, private businessowners are faced with a dilemma do they lose money absorbing costs? or pass it onto consumers? >> what they would ideally do is absorb the cost, but then reduce their costs by -- by becoming more productive. by training their labor better,

by increasing the efficiency of the machinery they use, investing in better machinery, and so on. they can pass it on to their consumers. >> many companies like valley transportation here in el paso have actually passed on the cost to the consumers but you will have a lot of economists right now that are saying inflation's going to taper off in the later half of 2022 but consumer prices are expected to remain elevated. so that means you and i and these corporations across the country are going to feel the pinch. shep and while prices rise, the great resignation accelerates. we have reported on the growing trend of workers quitting their jobs during the pandemic but in china, some employees are taking a different approach. they are calling it the lying flat movement. chinese slang for slacking instead of working hard to climb the corporate ladder like they always have, young workers are embracing the bare minimum and doing just enough to get by. and now, the chinese president

xi jinping is criticizing the movement, insisting that people not lie flat with the story of one worker protesting the rat race, here's cnbc's eunice yoon in beijing. >> reporter: getting up used to be a chore today, it is a blessing. i wake up not worrying about work, she says till this fall, tong worked at a tech firm part of china's rat race to put the country and herself ahead. but then, she decided to what the chinese call lie flat. lying flat is about not comparing with others but to yourself, she says it is about developing your own path and following your heart. tong's tech job promised to put her on a path of money, stature, and marriage a big reason, she delayed telling her parents she quit to carve out a life on china's slopes she had no income for two months i knew they would just worry, she says they aren't the only ones. the lying flat movement has

become popular even developing its own manifesto, pledging not to have children get married, buy a house, or luxury gifts the manifesto originated as a joke but the government determined that the phenomenon is a threat to china's future. the manifesto has been censored online i understand why the government is concerned because many young people can be lazy, she says but if someone doesn't enjoy their work, they eventually lie flat they should try something else tong now posts videos of her snowboarding on social media brands have asked her to advertise their clothing and gear as with skiing, everyone needs to decide what moves are right for themselves and not follow others she says. a thrilling thought for some a perhaps dangerous idea for others president xi recently wrote an essay about his plans to make china great again. in it, he specifically criticized lying flat saying that it could hurt china's innovation and its

competitiveness. he suggested that a return to socialist values and a redistribution of wealth would help motivate young chinese to get back to work shep. >> eunice yoon live in beijing thank you. every year, the library of congress adds 25 movies to the national film registry a sort of capsule to preserve the best films we've made. or in case aliens land, and quickly demand a list of our best films so, which ones made the cut this year plus, one man's love letter to his late wife written in christmas lights for the whole town to see. hey google. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪

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mom, hurry! our show's gonna start soon! i promised i wouldn't miss the show and mommy always keeps her promises. oh, no! seriously? hmm! it's not the same if she's not here. oh. -what the. oh my goodness! i don't suppose you can sing, can you? ♪ the snow's comin' down ♪ -mommy? ♪ i'm watching it fall ♪ watch the full story at www.xfinity.com/sing2 christmas eve ten nights away you will likely see lights and decorations most everywhere. but there is something special about the ones strung up at a senior apartment buildingin minnesota. they showed up last christmas during the pandemic and the display got even bigger this year an act of a self-admitted grinch, whose heart is no longer small.

local reporting now from our minneapolis nbc affiliate, kr 11, and their reporter boyd hooper >> >> reporter: as different as light and dark. >> we were total opposites >> reporter: darwin bond and his wife of 58 years, rosy. >> oh, swhhe went nuts for christmas. she -- october, dad get the lights on the house. yeah, yeah, we'll do that. dad, dad, she ragging on me. >> reporter: mrs. claus to his ebenezer how perspectives change when those closest to us -- >> god, i love that woman. >> reporter: -- are gone. >> tears come to your eyes and just like you have been cut in half >> reporter: alone, darwin moved to château waters senior living which, during covid, became a lonelier place itself. then, with christmas approaching -- >> try not to feel sorry for myself anymore

>> reporter: december gave light to darwin's theory. >> i thought god dang it, she was hounding me all the time now, maybe i can make up for it. >> reporter: and not just by lighting one home. >> every apartment >> reporter: every apartment, all four sides of the building 72 patios and balconies lit for rosy. >> sparkle in big brown eyes >> reporter: a big, sparkling new backdrop for the annual country lights festival. >> the residents are just on cloud nine about it. thank you, darwin, for your contribution >> reporter: lori reads darwin the thank-yous. >> i am glad rosy bugged you. >> his own aging eyes -- >> warmed my heart. >> the beautiful lights make this place look like a royal castle >> i hate to pull the blind shot 'cause it's so pretty.

>> reporter: mary's view made even prettier by the story behind it. >> it is an act of love that's for sure >> reporter: bob lewis knows, having lost his wife, too. >> if we can make these people smile a little bit and feel like they're back in the world a little bit, just so pleased. see, babe? it's done. it only took 60 years but i finally got it done on time. >> reporter: all christmas lights bring cheer but to folks here, rosies are riveting. >> i like to believe she is looking down and pleased >> reporter: for the new, i'm boyd hooper. >> so nice well, the library of congress announcing this year's picks for the national film registry 25 films deemed culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant, adding to the registry this year and some of

the most noteworthy. return of the jedi, the sixth episode of the "star wars" film franchise. the horror classic a nightmare on elm street. alfred hitchcock's strangers on a train. the first film in the lord of the rings trilogy, the fellowship of the ring and the disney pixar classic wall-e 35 seconds on a race to the finish pfizer reports its covid pill cuts the risk of hospitalization and death by 89% among high-risk covid patients. and lawmakers in the house set to vote tonight on whether to refer the justice department criminal contempt charges against mark meadows now, you know the news of this tuesday, december the 14th, 2021 i'm shepard smith. follow us on instagram and twitter at the thinks on cnbc and listen to the news podcast on apple, spotify, or your favorite podcast platform. ♪ things are getting clearer ♪ ♪ yeah i feel free ♪ ♪ to bare my skin, yeah that's all me. ♪ ♪ nothing and me go hand in hand ♪

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