6:13- Bill Zimpfer- Thanksgiving is taking on a special meaning in California this year, as thousands of firefighters remain on duty, and tens of thousands more are dislocated from their homes. Bill Zimpfer will have the latest on the fires, and what's being done to try and make Thanksgiving special for those affected.
6:43- Dr Carly Brown Wellness Wednesday- Don’t be a Turkey: Holiday Wellness Tips
7:13- Ken Boone WX
7:23- Trans-Siberian Orchestra Ticket Drop
7:43- Michael Bower- CNBC is highlighting the 6 mistakes you should avoid to take advantage of cyber Monday sales. What are those 6 mistakes to avoid - and what should shoppers do instead?
8:13- Secretary of Veterans Affairs Robery Wilkie
About SECRETARY WILKIE
Secretary Robert Wilkie is serving as the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Prior to becoming the VA Secretary, Wilkie served as the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness from November 30, 2017 to July 30, 2018. President Trump recently secured a record $73.1 billion in funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to ensure our veterans receive the medical care they have earned.
- This legislation signed by the President included $8.6 billion for mental health services, $400 million for opioid abuse prevention, and much more.- Earlier this year, the President signed the VA MISSION Act, revolutionizing the VA healthcare system and raising the standard of service for our veterans.
- The VA MISSION Act consolidates and reforms existing programs to give eligible veterans access to care right in their own communities.
- Eligible veterans will also have access to walk-in community clinics that offer immediate, local care.
- In January, the President ordered the Secretaries of Defense, Homeland Security, and VA to improve access to mental health treatment and suicide prevention resources for veterans.
- President Trump has expanded access to telehealth services for veterans, including through the “Anywhere to Anywhere VA Health Care Initiative.”BRINGING ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE VA: The Trump Administration is strengthening accountability and transparency at the VA.
- President Trump has signed the VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act, making it easier to discipline bad actors at the VA, including senior executives. - The Act strengthened protections for individuals who come forward and identify problems occurring within the VA.
- VA employees are being held accountable for poor performance, with more than 4,300 VA employees removed, demoted, and suspended.- The President Trump kept his promise to create a 24/7 White House VA Hotline.- The VA has increased transparency and accountability by launching an online “Access and Quality Tool,” providing veterans with access to wait time and quality care data.
- The President signed the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act, overhauling the VA’s complicated appeals system and offering veterans faster appeals decisions. - This legislation helped put the VA on track to deliver a record number of decisions to veterans by the end of fiscal year 2018.
8:23- Todd Williams Legal Eagle
WHITE HOUSE SAYS THERE ARE NEW 'RULES' FOR REPORTERS, BUT PRESS MEMBERS HAVEN'T AGREED
Sarah Sanders and Bill Shine sent a letter to Acosta on Monday and said his hard pass had been "restored." They called this a "final determination." The letter from Sanders and Shine asserted that reporters may only ask "a single question" at a press conference. Follow-ups will only be permitted "at the discretion of the President or other White House officials." And reporters must "physically surrender" the mic when directed. Violations of "any" of these rules "may result in suspension or revocation." The press corps has not agreed to any new set of "rules." The correspondents' association said it had "no role" in crafting what the White House sent out.
8:43- BLACK FRIDAY IS THIS FRIDAY...HOLIDAY SHOPPING IS OFFICIALLY HERE
The annual tradition of Black Friday shopping is the kick off to the holiday shopping season. Many stores like Wal-Mart and Best Buy released their deals early giving a sneak peak into what consumers can expect to see. Some retailers are opening their doors on Thanksgiving night in order to let shoppers get a head start, but many are also pushing back to give their employees the holiday off.
Will fighting the crowds after your Thanksgiving feast be worth it?
Where might your money be better spent?
Editor and Chief of the NEXPERT Report and Trends Specialist KATLEAN DE MONCHY