YOU'LL STREAMING "ABC NEWS LIVE". >> AND HAPPY FRIDAY, EVERYONE. I'M KYRA PHILLIPS TODAY ON "ABC NEWS LIVE". A POWERFUL STORM PUMMELING CALIFORNIA WITH RELENTLESS RAIN, BRUTAL WINDS, EVEN MORE SNOW. THE GROWING SAFETY CONCERNS AS ANOTHER WINTER BLAST STRIKES THE MIDWEST AND THE NORTHEAST. FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP FACING MORE LEGAL TROUBLE. PROSECUTORS AND THEIR NEW PROBE IN THE STORMY DANIELS HUSH MONEY INVESTIGATION. AND NEW DETAILS ON THAT DEADLY SHOOTING RAMPAGE AT A RELIGIOUS HALL IN GERMANY. WHAT WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT THE GUNMAN AS INVESTIGATORS SEARCH FOR MOTIVE. >> BUT WE DO BEGIN WITH MULTIPLE STORMS SPREADING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. NOW, A TWENTY THREE STATES ON ALERT FROM CALIFORNIA TO CONNECTICUT. MORE THAN 70 MILLION PEOPLE UNDER FLOOD. HEAVY SNOW, BLIZZARD AND HIGH WIND ALERTS. SENIOR METEOROLOGIST ROB MARCIANO IS IN CALIFORNIA WHERE RECORD BREAKING AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE CREATING DANGEROUS CONDITIONS. HEY, ROB . TAKE CARE OF THE RAIN HERE IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA HAS ENDED AT LEAST FOR NOW. WE GET ANOTHER PULSE COMING IN TOMORROW AND ANOTHER ATMOSPHERIC RIVER COMING IN ON TUESDAY. AND WE USE THAT TERM BECAUSE THIS STORM IN THE NEXT ONE COMING IN IS MUCH DIFFERENT THAN THE STORMS WE HAD LAST MONTH, WHICH PILED UP ALL THAT SNOW. THIS IS A WAR THAT'S BEEN A WARM CORE SYSTEM. WE SAW THE SNOW LEVELS JUMPED TO EIGHT, NINE THOUSAND FEET OF RAINFALL ON TOP THAT. SO THAT CREATED A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER ISSUES ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS. THE SNOWPACK. MEANWHILE, THE COAST RANGE TODAY, EARLY MORNING, GOT SLAMMED WITH FLASH FLOODING. THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT GOT FLOODED OVER A MONTH AGO, GOT FLOODED AGAIN ALONG THE SAN LORENZO RIVER. WE HAD WIND GUSTS WIDESPREAD ACROSS MULTIPLE COUNTIES TO HURRICANE FORCE. EVEN A COUPLE OF REPORTS, MEASURED REPORTS ON SOME OF THE SKI RESORT PEAKS OF OVER ONE 50 MILES PER HOUR. AND THEY SHUT DOWN A LOT OF THESE SKI RESORTS BECAUSE OF SNOW LEVELS JUMP. WE GOT SOME RAIN AVALANCHE DANGER. AND OF COURSE, THOSE SORT OF WINDS. SO THIS IS VERY, VERY IMPRESSIVE. STORM IS NOW SLIDING DOWN TO THE SOUTH AND TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, WHERE THE STATE IS INVESTIGATING UP TO 13 STORM RELATED DEATHS FROM ALL THE SNOW THAT THEY HAD IN THE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. SO THEY JUST KEEP COMING IN. WE'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE COMING IN ON TUESDAY. THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS IS PUTTING A MASSIVE DENT IN THE DROUGHT. AND I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED BY THE TIME WE RELEASE A DROUGHT MONITOR NEXT WEEK. THEY'VE NEARLY COMPLETELY ELIMINATED IT, AT LEAST FOR NOW OR IN A MEGA DROUGHT, WHICH MEANS THAT NEXT YEAR COULD CERTAINLY COME BACK . BUT THIS HAS BEEN A HUGE TURN OF EVENTS. UNFORTUNATELY, BIG TIME HEADACHES IN THE WAY OF FLOODING. THEY'VE HAD TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE AMOUNT OF WATER AND RELEASE SOME OF THE WATER FROM THE DAMS, THE RESERVOIR. I NEVER THOUGHT I'D HEARD OF THAT, HE SAID . THIS TIME LAST YEAR WITH THIS DROUGHT GOING ON . SO THERE IS SOME PLUSES, BUT CERTAINLY TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING HERE IN CALIFORNIA KYRA. ALL RIGHT, ROB MARCIANO, THANKS SO MUCH. >> AND FOR MORE , LET'S BRING IN ABC METEOROLOGIST MELISSA GRIFFIN. SO, MELISSA, WITH THAT STORM CONTINUING TONIGHT, AND ANOTHER ONE HITTING OVER THE WEEKEND, WHAT WILL CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS BE FACING? KYRA, OVER THE NEXT TWENTY FOUR HOURS, HEAVY RAIN STILL STRICTLY IN THE FORECAST. THE WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A HIGH RISK FOR SEVERE FLOODING. PLACES LIKE JUST SOUTH OF SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, MONTEREY, DOWN TO SANTA BARBARA IN THAT HIGH RISK, AS WELL AS THE FOOTHILLS OF THE SIERRA MOUNTAINS. >> YOU COULD SEE THAT HEAVY RAIN, ANOTHER BATCH OF IT MAKING ITS WAY JUST BETWEEN FRESNO AND BAKERSFIELD. THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE A FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY IN EFFECT RIGHT NOW. RIGHT THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR SPRINGVILLE, CALIFORNIA. AND YOU CAN SEE THE HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES TO STREAM ALL THE WAY DOWN INTO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, ALREADY OVER FOUR TO FIVE INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN AND SEVERAL MORE INCHES ON THE WAY INTO THE MOUNTAINS UP THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. MUDSLIDES AND FLASH FLOODING REMAINS A HUGE CONCERN RIGHT THROUGH THE WEEKEND. I THINK SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WILL DRY OUT BY TOMORROW. BUT NORTHERN CENTRAL IS JUST NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET. AND , OF COURSE, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE SNOW AS WELL. THE SIERRA MOUNTAINS STILL GETTING HAMMERED BY SNOW, ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGHER LEVELS ,6000, 7000 FEET. THAT'S WHERE WE COULD SEE ANOTHER THREE TO FOUR FEET OF SNOW. AND THAT SNOW MAKES ITS WAY TO THE ROCKIES OVER THE WEEKEND AS WELL. SO CALIFORNIA STILL GOING TO BE SEEING MORE IN THE WAY OF STORMS AS WE HEAD INTO NEXT WEEK KYRA. >> MAJOR CITIES ARE WE TALKING ABOUT AS IT HEADS TO THE NORTHEAST AND EVERYONE ON THE EAST COAST IS PROBABLY LOOKING AT CALIFORNIA. WHERE IS OUR SNOW? SO MANY SNOW START PEOPLE IN THE NORTHEAST. BUT BUT TAKE A LOOK AT THIS MAP. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT FOR PARTS NEW JERSEY UP THROUGH PENNSYLVANIA. >> AND THAT'S WHERE WE COULD SEE ONE TO TWO INCHES OF SNOW POSSIBLE. IT'S SOMETHING PLACES LIKE NEW YORK CITY, TWO FEET BELOW NORMAL. FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR, WE'VE ONLY SEEN TWO INCHES OF SNOW. BUT BY TOMORROW, MORNING, THERE COULD BE SOME IN THE AREA TO START OFF OUR WEEKEND. AND THAT STORM SYSTEM THAT WE'RE WATCHING, THE ATMOSPHERIC STORM , A PART OF THAT TO MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL US WITH HEAVY SNOW AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS IN THE MIDWEST FOR SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY. POTENTIALLY SEVERE WEATHER. AND THEN ALL EYES ARE ON THAT SYSTEM YET AGAIN. FOR OUR SNOWLESS PEOPLE IN THE NORTHEAST. COULD IT POTENTIALLY BRING SNOW AS YOU HEAD INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK? I MEAN, WE'RE STARTING OFF A METEOROLOGICAL SPRING. SPRING IS 10 DAYS AWAY. WE SPRING FORWARD THIS WEEKEND, BUT WINTER'S NOT OVER UNTIL IT'S OVER HERE. THAT'S RIGHT. MELISSA, THANK YOU SO MUCH. APPRECIATE IT. WELL, FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP, THE HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS AND NOW NEW POTENTIAL LEGAL TROUBLE. NEW YORK PROSECUTORS ARE SIGNALING THAT THEY'VE INVITED TRUMP TO TESTIFY BEFORE A GRAND JURY AS PART OF THE INVESTIGATION INTO THOSE SECRET PAYMENTS TO STAR STORMY DANIELS. IT WAS SEVEN YEARS AGO THAT PROSECUTORS SAY TRUMP PAID HER ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY THOUSAND TO KEEP HER QUIET AND FROM GOING PUBLIC ABOUT HER SEXUAL ENCOUNTER. SHE SAYS THEY HAD EVEN WRITING A MEMOIR ABOUT IT. DETAILING EVENTS THAT, WELL, TRUMP STILL DENIES ABC NEWS INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER AARON KATERSKY HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE STORY FROM THE BEGINNING. JOINS ME NOW FOR MORE . THE STORY THAT JUST WILL NOT GO AWAY. >> ERIN, COMPUTING IS SEVEN YEARS AGO, RIGHT, WITH THIS HUSH PAYMENT OF ONE HUNDRED THIRTY THOUSAND DOLLARS AND NOW, KYRA, IT MAY ALL BE COMING TO SOME KIND OF RESOLUTION BECAUSE THE MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY HAS INFORMED FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP OF HIS RIGHT TO TESTIFY BEFORE THE GRAND JURY. THAT'S BEEN HEARING EVIDENCE IN THIS CASE. AND THE CASE INVOLVES THE HUSH PAYMENT AND HOW IT WAS ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION. THE GRAND JURY HAS SEEN MICHAEL COHEN AND HOPE HICKS AND OTHERS, AND THEY'VE ALL BEEN COMING IN AND OUT OF THE MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IN RECENT DAYS. >> BUT ONE SIGN THAT A CHARGING DECISION IS LIKELY IS THIS REQUIREMENT THAT TRUMP HIMSELF BE NOTIFIED THAT HE HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO TELL HIS SIDE THE STORY TO THE GRAND JURY. IT WOULD BE STUNNING IF HE ACTUALLY TOOK THE D.A. UP ON IT. >> YEAH, I MEAN, HE'S BEEN ASKED TO TESTIFY BEFORE AND EVEN. WELL, WE'VE SEEN WHAT HAPPENS. HE DOESN'T SHOW. SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE SPECIFIC CHARGES THAT COULD BE CONSIDERED IN THIS CASE. AND EXACTLY WHAT'S ILLEGAL HERE. WELL, THE WHOLE ISSUE IS HOW THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION RECORDED THE PAYMENT TO STORMY DANIELS. THE MONEY WAS ACTUALLY GIVEN TO HER BY MICHAEL COHEN AND THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION REIMBURSED HIM AND BOOKED IT AS A LEGAL EXPENSE. WE KNOW FROM COHEN'S TRIAL THE PAYMENT AMOUNTED TO A VIOLATION OF CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAW. AND SO THE MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY HERE IS CONSIDERING A CHARGE OF FALSIFYING A BUSINESS RECORD . ORDINARILY, THAT'S A MISDEMEANOR IN NEW YORK . BUT THE D.A.'S OFFICE MAY BELIEVE IT CAN RAISE TO THE LEVEL OF A FELONY BECAUSE IT WAS DONE IN FURTHERANCE OF ANOTHER CRIME. CAMPAIGN FINANCE VIOLATIONS. THAT'S A FEDERAL CRIME. SO THERE'S NO GUARANTEE THAT A JUDGE IN NEW YORK WOULD NECESSARILY SEE IT THE WAY THE D.A.'S OFFICE DOES. BUT AS WE UNDERSTAND IT FROM FROM SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH THIS CASE, THAT'S HOW THE D.A. IS PREPARED TO TO GO FORWARD IF ,IN FACT, HE DECIDES TO CHARGE TRUMP CRIMINALLY. >> WELL, AND IT'S TALKED ABOUT THE CHARGING OF FORMER PRESIDENT IS UNPRECEDENTED. >> SO HOW COULD THAT IMPACT THE DECISION MAKING HERE FROM THE D.A.? NO QUESTION. THAT TRUMP WOULD BE THE FIRST FORMER AMERICAN PRESIDENT TO FACE CRIMINAL CHARGES IF THE MANHATTAN D.A. GOES FORWARD OR IF ANOTHER DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN GEORGIA OR THE SPECIAL COUNSEL IN WASHINGTON, D.C., IF THEY GO FORWARD. BUT THE MANHATTAN D.A. HAS BEEN LOOKING AT THIS CASE FOR THE BETTER PART OF THREE YEARS NOW. AND THE ISSUE IS WHETHER THESE BUSINESS RECORDS WERE FALSIFIED, WHICH MAY NOT SEEM LIKE A BIG DEAL . NOW, BUT IF YOU REMEMBER WHEN THE PAYMENT WAS ACTUALLY MADE AND THE IMPACT THAT THAT IT POTENTIALLY HAD ON THE TWENTY SIXTEEN CASE, THE MANHATTAN D.A. BELIEVES THERE'S STILL ACCOUNTABILITY ROOM FOR ACCOUNTABILITY. >> AND MEANWHILE, WE'RE ALSO GETTING MORE NEWS. >> AND THE OTHER TRUMP LEGAL CASE, WHAT'S THE LATEST THERE? THIS INVOLVES A DEFAMATION LAWSUIT BROUGHT BY CAROL, THE FORMER COLUMNIST FOR ELLE MAGAZINE WHO ALLEGED THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT ASSAULTED HER BACK IN THE 1990S. AND THEN DEFAMED HER IN MORE RECENT YEARS BY CALLING HER A LIAR. THE CASE IS SCHEDULED FOR TRIAL IN APRIL. AND ONE OF THE PIECES OF EVIDENCE THAT CAROL WANTS TO USE TO SHOW THAT TRUMP HAD A PROPENSITY OF COMMITTING SEXUAL ASSAULT IS THE INFAMOUS ACCESS HOLLYWOOD TAPE WHERE TRUMP IS HEARD TALKING TO THEN HOST BILLY BUSH ABOUT THE THINGS HE DOES WITH WOMEN AND BEING A CELEBRITY AND HOW HE CAN GET AWAY WITH IT WITHOUT ASKING FOR FOR PERMISSION. TRUMP HAS SAID THE EVIDENCE IS IMPROPER, BUT BUT JUST TODAY, THE JUDGE OVERSEEING THE CASE SAID THE EVIDENCE COULD BE ALLOWED KYRA. BE INTERESTING TO FOLLOW. ERIN, THANKS. WELL, COMING UP, GUNMEN OPENED FIRE ON A JEHOVAH'S WITNESS HALL IN GERMANY. WE'RE HEADED TO HAMBURG NEXT ON "ABC NEWS LIVE". MY FAVORITE. THANK THANKS FOR STREAMING US . WELL, AT LEAST SIX PEOPLE ARE DEAD AFTER A SHOOTING INSIDE A JEHOVAH'S WITNESS HALL IN HAMBURG, GERMANY. GERMAN POLICE ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR 35 YEAR OLD GUNMAN'S LAPTOP AND PHONE TO TRY AND DECIPHER A MOTIVE FOR THE ATTACK. THE GUNMAN APPARENTLY HAS NO TERRORIST BACKGROUND, BUT WAS A MEMBER OF THE CONGREGATION. >> MARCUS MOORE IS IN HAMBURG WITH MORE. SEVEN PEOPLE ARE DEAD AND SEVERAL WOUNDED AFTER A MASS SHOOTING AT A JEHOVAH'S WITNESS CENTER IN NORTHERN GERMANY. POLICE SAY THE GUNMAN WHO TOOK HIS OWN LIFE AT THE SCENE ACTED ALONE AND IS A FORMER MEMBER OF THE CONGREGATION. THOSE KILLED INCLUDE FOUR MEN, TWO WOMEN AND AN UNBORN CHILD. TERRORISM IS NOT CONSIDERED A MOTIVE. >> THE CHAOS STARTED AROUND NINE P.M. THURSDAY NIGHT AFTER A CITY ALERT OF SHOTS FIRED. >> A SPECIAL POLICE FORCE HAPPENED TO BE IN THE AREA WHEN THE SHOOTING HAPPENED. AND QUICKLY ENTERED THE BUILDING TO EVACUATE PEOPLE POTENTIALLY PREVENTING MORE CASUALTIES. HAMBURG POLICE SAY INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE BACKGROUND TO THE CRIME ARE ONGOING AND HERE, THIS IS WHAT THE SCENE LOOKS LIKE NOW, OR ALMOST A TWENTY FOUR HOURS AFTER THE SHOOTING. YOU CAN SEE THE THE SHATTERED GLASS ON THE DOOR. THAT IS THE DOOR THAT POLICE OFFICERS BRAVELY WENT THROUGH TO INTERRUPT THIS ATTACK ON INNOCENT PEOPLE AND OFFICIALS. IT WAS IT WAS THOSE ACTS THAT LIKELY SAVED A NUMBER OF LIVES. SADLY, WE KNOW THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES AND THERE ARE OTHERS WHO ARE RECOVERING FROM THEIR INJURIES. AND ONE OFFICIAL AT A NEWS CONFERENCE SAID TODAY THAT THEY NEVER THOUGHT SOMETHING LIKE THIS COULD HAPPEN HERE. IN THIS CITY. >> AND SADLY, NOW IT HAS KYRA. MARCUS MOORE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ALSO AHEAD, AN INSIDE LOOK AT HOW THOSE STUNNING STATUETTES ARE MADE. WE'RE ON THE ROAD TO THE OSCARS WHEN WE COME BACK . >> I'M TOM SOUFI BURRIDGE WHEREVER THE STORY IS , WE'LL TAKE YOU AT YOUR STREAMING NEWS "ABC NEWS LIVE". THANKS FOR STREAMING WITH US FOR SOME OTHER HEADLINES WE'RE FOLLOWING AT THIS HOUR, IRAN AND SAUDI ARABIA AGREEING TO REESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC TIES AND REOPEN EMBASSIES AFTER SEVEN YEARS OF TENSIONS OVER ISSUES INCLUDING THE WAR IN YEMEN. CHINA HELPING NEGOTIATE A DEAL WITH IRANIAN AND SAUDI OFFICIALS IN BEIJING, MARKING A MAJOR DIPLOMATIC VICTORY FOR THE COMMUNIST COUNTRY. SOURCES TELLING ABC NEWS FOR THE REPUBLICAN GOVERNOR , RON DESANTIS HAS BEEN PRIVATELY TELLING ALLIES THAT HE INTENDS TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT AND THAT HIS TEAM HAS BEEN WORKING UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT AN ANNOUNCEMENT COULD COME AS EARLY AS MAY AFTER THE FLORIDA LEGISLATURE FINISHES ITS SESSION. STANTIS IS IN IOWA THIS WEEKEND TO PROMOTE HIS NEW BOOK. AS POLITICAL PUNDITS SAY HE COULD BE FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TOP RIVAL FOR THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION NEXT YEAR. AND SKIER MIKAELA SHIFFRIN HAS TIED THE WORLD RECORD FOR MOST WORLD CUP WINS. THE TWENTY SEVEN YEAR OLD AMERICAN WON HER 86 RACE EARLIER TODAY, TYING SWEDISH GREAT INGMAR STENMARK. SHIFFRIN SAYS IN AN INTERVIEW THAT SHE'LL NEVER COMPARE TO THE SIXTY SIX YEAR OLD, BUT SHE HAS A CHANCE TO BREAK HIS RECORD TOMORROW. AND WE ARE GETTING AN INSIDE LOOK AT HOW THOSE GILDED OSCAR STATUETTES ARE MADE. THE ICONIC STATUE HAS BEEN MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE SINCE NINETEEN TWENTY NINE ARE PHIL LIPOF ACTUALLY GOT A LOOK AT THE LOVE AND TALENT THAT GOES INTO GETTING EACH ONE READY. >> IT'S ONE OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS IN THE WORLD. THE OSCAR. SINCE 1929, MORE THAN 3000 STATUETTES HAVE BEEN DOLED OUT, INCLUDING HISTORIC WINS LIKE THE FIRST BLACK ACTOR TO RECEIVE AN OSCAR. >> THE ACADEMY AWARD FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR HAPPY WITH GAME OR THE FIRST LATINO TO WIN FOR BEST DIRECTOR ALFONSO KERN. AND WHO CAN FORGET PARASITE'S GROUNDBREAKING VICTORY FOR BEST PICTURE. >> AND THE OSCAR GOES TO PARACEL. BUT WHAT GOES INTO MAKING THE STATUETTE SINCE 2016? JAKE JOICE FROM THE FINE ART CASTING FOUNDRY UAP HAS LED A TEAM OF HIGHLY SKILLED CRAFTSPEOPLE WHO MAKE THESE OSCARS FOR HOLLYWOOD'S BIGGEST NIGHT OVER SEVERAL MONTHS. >> OUR TEAM CREATES ROUGHLY 60 STATUES FOR THE ACADEMY. MANY HOURS OF CAREFUL LABOR GO INTO THE PRODUCTION OF EACH STATUE . IN 2016, WE BEGAN A COLLABORATION WITH THE ACADEMY TO PRODUCE THE ACADEMY AWARD STATUES. THE ACADEMY WISH TO RETURN BACK TO THE ORIGINAL METHOD OF MANUFACTURE. >> THE OSCARS ARE CREATED USING AN OLD TECHNIQUE CALLED THE LOST WAX PROCESS. >> HUMANS HAVE BEEN PRACTICING THIS ART FORM FOR THE LAST SIXTY FIVE HUNDRED YEARS. WE STARTED OUT WITH THE ORIGINAL GEORGE STANLEY OSCAR WEEK. 3-D SCANNED THAT WE MAKE A SILICONE RUBBER MOLD INSIDE THAT MOLD IS WHERE WE CAST LIQUID WAX TO THE WAX TAKES THE EXACT SHAPE OF THE STATUE. ONCE THE CERAMIC SHELL IS FINISHED, WE CAN PLACE IT INSIDE A KILN AND MELT OUT THE WAX THAT IS THE NEGATIVE IMAGE OF THE OSCAR. BRONZE IS MELTED AND POURED INTO THE SHELL. THAT CERAMIC SHELL IS REMOVED AND WE ARE LEFT WITH A BRONZE COPY OF THE OSCAR STATUE . SOMETIMES WHEN OUR STAFF IN THE FINISHING DEPARTMENT ARE POLISHING BRONZE SCULPTURES, THE BRONZE DUST GETS ON YOUR SKIN AND IT CAN TURN YOU GREEN . >> AND ALTHOUGH THEY DON'T GET TO KEEP THE OSCARS, JAKE SAYS MAKING THEM IS THE GREATEST HONOR IT FEELS VERY SPECIAL TO BE A PART OF THE MAKING OF THESE STATUES. WE UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF ENSURING THAT THESE STATUES ARE MADE TO PERFECTION AND ONTIME. >> AND OUR THANKS TO PHIL LIPOF FOR THAT. WELL, AS THE COUNTDOWN TO THE 2020 THREE OSCARS HEATS UP, ALL THE PREPARATIONS ARE IN FULL SWING AND THAT'S WHERE WE FIND OUR ABC NEWS REENA ROY. SHE IS AT THE PRESTIGIOUS DOLBY THEATER. I SAW HER TAKING THOSE SELFIES THERE AS SHE WAS HANGING OUT, I GUESS NOT ON THE RED CARPET RIDE SINCE NINETEEN SIXTY ONE . THERE ISN'T GOING TO BE ONE . WHAT'S GOING ON . YEAH. HERE I . CAN YOU BLAME ME FOR THIS BECAUSE IT IS SO EXCITING TO BE HERE. BUT LOOK, I AM WEARING RED TODAY AND THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S NO RED CARPET. RIGHT. THIS IS CHAMPAGNE COLORED. THEY'RE CALLING IT. BUT I WOULD ARGUE IT MIGHT BE CLOSER TO BEIGE OR SAND OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. AND LET ME TELL YOU, THIS IS GETTING A LOT OF MIXED OPINIONS. A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE TALKING IN THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS. AS YOU SAID , THIS IS A BREAK FOR MORE THAN SIXTY YEAR TRADITION. AND THIS WAS A DECISION MADE BY THE SHOW'S CREATIVE DIRECTOR . AND APPARENTLY, SURPRISINGLY, THERE WAS NO INTERNAL DEBATE ABOUT THIS. THEY KNEW THAT THEY HAD THE FREEDOM TO BREAK FROM TRADITION. AND SO THEY DID. HERE IT IS , THE ACADEMY CEO APPROVING THIS COLOR AND SOMETHING THAT'S ALSO DIFFERENT THIS YEAR. THE CARPET IS COVER. YOU'LL TAKE A LOOK OUTSIDE. THAT IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE. IT IS POURING RAIN HERE TODAY. SO WE'RE ACTUALLY PRETTY THANKFUL FOR THIS CARPET BEING COVERED , THIS RAIN, HOPEFULLY MOVING OUT BY SUNDAY WHEN THOSE RED CARPET ARRIVALS START TO TAKE PLACE AROUND 3:30 LOCAL TIME. SO CREATIVE PRODUCERS, THEY ALSO WANTED TO GIVE IT MORE OF AN EVENING FEEL ON THE CARPET HERE BECAUSE IT WILL BE BROAD DAYLIGHT WHEN THE STARS START TO ARRIVE. SO WHAT'S THIS ABOUT? OKAY, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL THESE CHANGES, BREAKING TRADITION. WHAT'S THIS CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM? YEAH. SO THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT FROM THE ACADEMY. THE FIRST TIME WE'RE REALLY SEEING SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU CAN IMAGINE WHY. RIGHT? WE ALL WATCHED THAT WILL SMITH FLAP UNFOLD ON LIVE TELEVISION. MILLIONS WATCHING AS THAT ALL UNFOLDED. AND SOME ACADEMY OFFICIALS HAVE ACTUALLY EXPRESSED REGRET ABOUT THE WAY THAT IT WAS HANDLED. THEY WANTED TO SEE A QUICKER RESPONSE. AND SO THAT IS WHAT THE CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM IS TASKED WITH . THEY ARE TASKED WITH KIND OF JUST PREPARING FOR SOMETHING IN CASE SOMETHING DOES GO AWRY AND HOPEFULLY A FASTER RESPONSE. YOU. >> THAT'S JUST SO SAD THAT WE EVEN HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. I MEAN, LAST YEAR REALLY, REALLY CHANGED THINGS FOR THE OSCARS. SO LET'S JUST KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED. EVERYTHING WILL GO SMOOTHLY. THERE WON'T BE ANY DRAMA, JUST THE DRAMA FROM THE MOVIES. RIGHT. OKAY, SO WHAT FILMS ARE WE EXPECTING TO MAKE THE BIGGEST SPLASH AND TELL ME WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT, WHAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN, WHAT YOU'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT. I MEAN, YOU'RE LUCKY TO BE THERE AND BE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THINGS. YEAH, WELL, THERE'S SO MANY GOOD MOVIES THIS YEAR, RIGHT? IT'S REALLY TOUGH. COMPETITION. SOME OF THE MOVIES THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN TALKING ABOUT, ELVIS, AVATAR, THE WAY OF WATER, EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE, ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT. THOSE ARE SOME OF THE BIG ONES, ALONG WITH MARCEL THE SHELL. THAT WAS A REALLY ONE THAT I LOVE FROM THAT VIRAL VIDEO FROM YEARS AGO. BUT EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE, IS SOMETHING THAT I PERSONALLY LOVE. I KNOW ALL MY FRIENDS ARE BIG FANS OF JUST SUCH AN INCREDIBLE STORY AND ADVENTURE ACTION WITH SO MANY LAYERS TO IT AND ABSURDIST FILM THAT REALLY HAS A LOT OF MEANING TO IT. AND WE LOVE TO SEE THE ASIAN REPRESENTATION FROM THAT FILM AS WELL. IT'S UP FOR 11 AWARDS THIS YEAR ,SO IT'S A LOT AND IT'S REALLY BEEN CLEANING UP THIS AWARD SHOW SEASON. IT'S UP AGAINST ELVIS FOR BEST PICTURE, BUT IT IS THE FAVORITE TO WIN THAT CATEGORY. SO I'M HOPING TO SEE THAT ONE WIN. ALL RIGHT. SO LET MORE PICTURES, REENA ROY. THANK YOU SO MUCH. HAVE FUN. AND ABC NEWS, OF COURSE, HAS YOU COVERED FOR ALL THINGS OSCARS. BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE PRESHOW SPECIAL ON THE RED CARPET. LIVE COUNTDOWN TO THE OSCARS. NINETY FIVE . THAT'S SUNDAY, MARCH TWELVE . STARTING 1:30 PM EASTERN RIGHT HERE ON ABC. ALSO, BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE 95% QABBANI AWARDS THAT SAME NIGHT, 8:00 P.M. EASTERN, 5:00 P.M. PACIFIC ON ABC. BOTH WILL ALSO BE STREAMING ON HULU. SO I SURE HOPE YOU'LL JOIN OUR PARTIES. WELL, FINALLY, IT'S HARRIET TUBMAN DAY OR SHALL WE SAY GENERAL TUBMAN DAY AND MOSES OF HER PEOPLE DAY. BOTTOM LINE, SHE'S A HISTORICAL ICON AND BRAVELY LED DOZENS OF ENSLAVED BLACK PEOPLE TO FREEDOM IN THE EIGHTEEN HUNDREDS WITHOUT EVER GETTING CAUGHT. SHE WAS ALSO A CIVIL WAR SPY AND SCOUT, A DEVOUT CHRISTIAN , A NURSE, A SUFFRAGIST AND A WIFE AND MOTHER. AND AS WE RECOGNIZE THIS DAY, WE WANT TO ALSO TAKE YOU TO NEW JERSEY, WHERE THEY ARE RECOGNIZING HER AND UNVEILING QUITE A TRIBUTE TO THIS WOMAN WHO ESCAPED SLAVERY TO BECOME ONE OF THE GREATEST CONDUCTORS OF THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD. THE LEGENDARY AMERICAN ABOLITIONIST NOW STANDS TALL IN DOWNTOWN NEWARK. THE NEW STATUE NOW A PERMANENT FIXTURE AT HARRIET TUBMAN SQUARE AND HER GREAT, GREAT, GREAT GRAND NIECES WERE THERE FOR THE SPECIAL MOMENT. AND HERE IT ALSO HAS TRANSCENDED NOT JUST TO OUR FAMILY, BUT THROUGH ALL OF HUMANITY. >> WE NEED THE SPIRIT OF HARRIET TUBMAN. I KNOW THAT THE MONUMENT THAT WE ARE ABOUT TO UNVEIL WILL MEMORIALIZE HER HEROISM, WILL INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS TO TAKE ACTION WHEN THEY SEE INJUSTICE. >> HMM. HARRIET TUBMAN WAS BARELY FIVE FEET TALL, BUT HAD THE POWER OF A GIANT. THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US. I'M KYRA PHILLIPS "ABC NEWS LIVE" HERE FOR YOU. ANY TIME WITH THE LATEST NEWS, CONTEXT AND ANALYSIS, YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND US ON HULU, THE ABC NEWS APP, AND OF COURSE, ON ABCNEWS.COM. THE NEWS NEVER STOPS HERE AT "ABC NEWS LIVE". WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK WITH A LOT