STEVEN: AN EMOTIONAL SENTENCING HEARING IS UNDERWAY IN THE PIKE COUNTY MURDER TRIAL. THE PAIN THE RHODEN FAMILY EXPRESSED AFTER GEORGE WAGNER WAS FOUND GUILTY OF KILLING EIGHT OF THEIR LOVED ONES. KATIE: GET YOUR LAST MINUTE HOLIDAY PREPS IN NOW, BECAUSE A HIGH IMPACT WINTER STORM IS HEADING OUR DIRECTION. I’M BREAKING DOWN OUR THREAT FOR RAIN, WIND, SNOW AND SUB ZERO WIND CHILLS, COMING UP. KELLY: THE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO CAUSE HOLIDAY TRAVEL HEADACHES. WE BREAK DOWN THE BEST AND WORST TIMES TO TRAVEL, AND WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT ON THE ROADS AND IN THE AIR. [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY WLWT-TV] >> YOU ARE WATCCHING WLWT NEWS 5, LEADING THE WAY. KELLY: HAPPENING NOW, GEORGE WAGNER IS BACK IN COURT FOR SENTENCING IN HIS ROLE IN THE PIKE COUNTY MASSACRE. THANKS FOR JOINING US AT NOON. I’M KELLY RIPPIN. STEVEN: AND I’M STEVEN ALBRITTON. LOVED ONES OF THE EIGHT PEOPLE KILLED ARE PROVIDING EMOTIONAL TESTIMONY ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THE MURDERS. WAGNER FACES UP TO LIFE IN PRISON AFTER A JURY CONVICTED HIM ON ALL CHARGES, INCLUDING EIGHT COUNTS OF MURDER. HIS BROTHER, JAKE WAGNER, ACCEPTED A PLEA DEAL TO TAKE THE DEATH PENALTY OFF THE TABLE FOR HIS FAMILY. BUT THE RHODENS’ RELATIVES STILL WISHED DEATH ON THEM IN COURT TODAY. >> THE LOVE YOU HAD FOR YOUR BABY GIRL AS WELL AS YOUR TWO SONS, THE BIRTHDAYS, CHRISTMAS, ALL THE SPORTS AND HOLIDAYS THAT WERE TAKEN FROM YOU. HOW MY HEART ACHES TO SEE YOU, TO HUG YOU, TO HAVE YOU PESTER ME. TO HAVE YOUR EAT ALL OF WHAT I COOK FOR DINNER AND LUNCH. HE MOURNS FOR HIS DAD SO BAD! AND THAT IS SOMETHING HE WILL DO THE REST OF HIS LIFE IS WHAT HIS DADDY! >> I’VE BEEN SCARED SINCE THAT NIGHT KNOWING THAT BAD GUYS CAME INTO MY HOUSE WHILE I WAS SLEEPING. I’M SCARED I WILL LOSE MY MOMMY. YOU DID THAT TO ME. STEVEN: YOUR HEART BREAKS FOR THAT FAMILY, LAYING THEIR EMOTIONS OUT FOR THE COURT TO HEAR, PARTICULARLY GEORGE WAGONER. WLWT NEWS 5’S TODD DYKES IS INSIDE THE COURTROOM THIS AFTERNOON. HE’LL HAVE THE LATEST ON THE HEARING, COMING UP ON WLWT NEWS 5 STARTING AT 4:00. YOU CAN WATCH THE LIVESTREAM OF THE HEARING RIGHT NOW ON WLWT.COM. KELLY: WE DO WANT TO TURN TO THE WEATHER, ALL EYES ON THIS HOLIDAY FORECAST. WE ARE IN THE THICK OF HANUKKAH, AND CHRISTMAS ABOUT A WEEK AWAY. KATIE: THE WEATHER IS GOING TO BE HIGH IMPACT THE LAST PART OF THE WEEK, SO GET HOLIDAY PREPARATIONS DONE. IT IS THE ONLY WINDOW OF TIME BEFORE THE STORM MOVES IN. RIGHT NOW, CLOUD COVER OVER THE CITY CAM IN CINCINNATI, THAT WILL BE THE PICTURE FOR THE REST OF TODAY. WE HAD SUNSHINE TO START, CLOUD STARTING TO BUILD BACK IN FROM THE WEST. WE WILL SEE OVERCAST SKIES AS WE HAD THROUGH TODAY. TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW 20’S TO MID 20’S, DEPENDING WHERE YOU LIVE. MOST OF THE COOLER READINGS OR INVERSE SALES AND BROOKVILLE, 26 IN CINCINNATI. -- ARE IN VERSAILLES. FOR THE REST OF THE DAY, PLAN ON HIGHS IN THE MID 30’S UNDER THE CLOUD COVER. JUST ABOVE FREEZING, SLIGHTLY WARMER THAN YESTERDAY. A VERY CHILLY DAY, WE STAY COLD AS WE HAD THROUGH TONIGHT. WE ARE WATCHING THE WINTER STORM, ALL EYES ON THIS SYSTEM. IT WILL BE HIGH IMPACT FOR THE MIDWEST AND EVEN HERE IN CINCINNATI. IT WILL ARRIVE THURSDAY, LASTING THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING. WE ARE LOOKING AT ALL FORMS OF WINTRY WEATHER. RAIN, SNOW, STRONG WIND AND FEELS LIKE TEMPERATURES AS LOW AS -20. WE WILL HAVE AN EARLY LOOK AT THE SYSTEM AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT TRAVEL, COMING UP. STEVEN: MORE THAN 110 MILLION AMERICANS ARE EXPECTED TO TRAVEL AT LEAST 50 MILES FROM HOME BETWEEN NOW AND NEW YEAR’S. KELLY: AAA IS CALLING THIS YEAR THE THIRD BUSIEST FOR HOLIDAY TRAVEL SINCE IT STARTED TRACKING TRAVEL BACK IN 2000. WLWT NEWS 5’S BRIAN HAMRICK IS LIVE AT CVG WITH THE BEST AND WORST DAYS TO TRAVEL. YOU PROBABLY HAVE THE FLIGHTS BOOKED, I DO NOT KNOW THERE IS MUCH YOU CAN DO TO CHANGE IT. BRIAN: [LAUGHTER] YOU CAN KEEP AN EYE ON THINGS. PASSENGERS ARE PICKING UP TODAY, THAT IS GOING THROUGH. IT IS REALLY EXPECTED TO GET THE TRAVEL STORM A LITTLE LATER IN THE WEEK. THAT COINCIDES WITH THE OTHER STORM, WHICH COULD CREATE THE PERFECT STORM. AAA IS SAYING THIS IS GOING TO BE A BIG TRAVEL HOLIDAY, WE ARE GOING TO BE CLOSE TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS. THEY ARE PREDICTING THIS TO BE THE THIRD BUSIEST WHEN IT COMES TO THE END OF YOUR HOLIDAY TRAVEL SINCE 2000. -- YEAR HOLIDAY TRAVEL SINCE 2000. THIS YEAR, CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S FALLS ON A SUNDAY, THAT COULD HELP. PEOPLE ARE EXTENDING TRAVEL PLANS, SO WE WILL LIKELY SEE THE CROWDS SPREAD OUT OVER WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY INSTEAD OF ONE MASSIVE DAY. THE OTHER FACTOR WILL BE THE WEATHER, WITH THE STORM HITTING AT THE END OF THE WEEK, THAT COULD BE THE WILD CARD IN YOUR TRAVEL PLANS. IF YOU ARE LEAVING, LOOK AT THE WEATHER HERE, BUT ALSO WHERE YOU ARE GOING. JUST BECAUSE THE WEATHER MIGHT LOOK GOOD IN THOSE AIRPORTS DOES NOT MEAN THE WHOLE NETWORK IS NOT IMPACTED SOMEWHERE ELSE. BRIAN: SO THE BEST ADVICE TO KEEP UP TO DATE, IF YOU HAVE A FLIGHT, IS DOWNLOAD THE APP FOR YOUR AIRLINE. THAT WILL TELL YOU WHETHER THERE ARE ANY DELAYS OR CANCELLATIONS, IT COMES RIGHT TO YOUR PHONE. THAT IS THE EASIEST WAY TO KNOW HOW YOU WILL BE IMPACTED, IF AT ALL, BY THE STORM. WLWT NEWS 5. KELLY: THE PEAK DAYS FOR TRAVELING, YOU PROBABLY HAVE THE PLANS MADE, BUT WE ARE WATCHING THE STORMS AND SYSTEM CLOSELY. DAYS WILL BE THE BUSIEST? -- WHAT TODAY’S BE THE BUSIEST? BRIAN: THEY’RE LOOKING AT AIRLINE TRAVEL TO BE THURSDAY, IT IS NOT PEAK BY A LOT, BY A FEW THOUSAND PEOPLE. KEEP THAT IN MIND. THE OTHER DAYS, WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY, ARE ALL GOING TO BE BIG. IF YOU ARE DRIVING, INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, FRIDAY IS GOING TO BE THE PEAK DAY. ANYWAY YOU LOOK AT IT, BE SURE AND KEEP A CHECK ON THE WEATHER TO MAKE SURE HOW THAT WILL AFFECT WHERE YOU ARE GOING. KELL