what do i see in peter dixon? i see my husband... the father of our girls. i see a public servant. a man who served under secretary clinton in the state department... where he took on the epidemic of violence against women in the congo. i see a fighter, a tenacious problem-solver... who will go to congress and protect abortion rights and our democracy. because he sees a better future for all of us. i'm peter dixon and i approved this message. kicked off the ballot again. an illinois judge ruling donald trump ineligible to run for president over his role in the january 6 attack all while the supreme court decides to take up his immunity case we bring you the details mitch mcconnell's stepping

down the longest-serving senate leader in u.s. history announcing he is leaving that role at the end of the year. what this means for the republican caucus. the real school duel a new lawsuit alleging a teacher allowed students to square off with actual swords a teenaged girl left permanently injured. wendy's frosty no-no and history unearthed. how one woman is giving a new chance to a little-known piece of black history in pittsburgh it's leap year, thursday, february 29. "early today" starts right now good morning, glad you're with me. i'm frances rivera we begin with new developments in trump's legal battles illinois has been the latest state to have deemed trump ineligible to be on the ballot the illinois ruling is paused to

allow the trump campaign to appeal, and they say they intend to the supreme court recently heard arguments over a similar ruling in colorado. now the justices say they will hear arguments in an another critical case involving mr. trump. >> reporter: the u.s. supreme court deciding to weigh in on a critical issue that could make or break the special counsel's case against former president trump. agreeing to decide whether mr. trump must be shielded from prosecution by claiming presidential immunity for the acts he took leading up to january 6. those acts, the basis for the criminal election interference case he's now facing in ferdera court. the move further delaying the case for months. if he wins, the case would be dismissed. arguments now set for the week of april 22nd. an appeals court had ruled against him, saying former president trump has become citizen trump with all of the defenses of any other criminal

defendant. but mr. trump hoped the supreme court with put that on pause, saying he was being wrongly prosecuted for official acts that happened while he was still in office. >> if you have a president that doesn't have immunity, he's never going to be free to do anything because the opposing party will always indict him as soon as he leaves the white house >> reporter: the high court already set to decide another legal battle for the republican frontrunner, hearing arguments last month over colorado's move to ban him from the ballot the justices sounding skeptical of colorado's ability to disqualify him there with a ruling expected any time >> and our thanks to laura for that report. it has been a very busy 24 hours on capitol hill, including a surprise in the senate senator mitch mcconnell announcing he will be stepping down from his loaderseadership i november he served in the position for 17 years. >> father time remains

undefeated i'm no longer the young man sitting in the back, hoping colleagues would remember my name it's time for the next generation of leadership >> mcconnell suggested i mcconnd she would stay in his seat until january 2027 two funding deadlines that were rapidly approaching will be extended to march 8 and march 22nd the house and senate need to pass the stopgap measure by the end of tomorrow to avert a partial shutdown a house vote is set for today, senate rules require consent from all 100 senators, which means it's far from certain that it will pass in time this morning, russian president vladimir putin is set to hold his annual state of the nation speech in moscow. elections are slated for a little over two weeks from now

and looming large over the event is the war in ukraine and the death of alexei navalny. for the latest, let's go to matt what should we be looking for in putin's speak this morning . >> reporter: thank you, frances. a big day for president putin. an eventful year for him so far with everything going on in the war in ukraine, and in the past few weeks, russian troops claiming one of their first victories in quite a while and you mention the the death of navalny. and the arrest of yet another american citizen in russia this speech is essentially an analog to the state of the yoyo union. we see putin give it every year. this is likely to be the biggest, perhaps final large scale appearance by president putin before elections in about two weeks time we're going to see putin setting

the stage for the state messaging over the next few week we're really looking at two core messages from president putin to the russian public, again, looking at this as kind of a campaign speech. that will be the economy, i would say first and foremost russian voters care far more about the economy than they do about the war. the war of course is on the russian voter's mind the economy is very strong it is growing. it has weathered western sanctions. they can't do anything to us and the other will be a very similar message about the state of the war, probably leaning on that battlefield victory that they've been claiming recently one thing i'd say that we're probably not going to hear on the point of ksenia karelina it who has been detained in the past few weeks, i don't think we'll hear very much about it this is for a domestic audience but her first court appearance in russian court is due today. we'll be keeping an eye on that. >> we'll be watching to see if he sticks to that messaging. thank you.

pope francis is back in the vatican this morning after a week of flu symptoms sent him to the hospital he underwent diagnostic testing in rome. he left about a ln hour later pope francis held his weekly audience where he was seen greeting the faithful from a wheelchair back here at home, at least one person has died in wildfires raging across the texas panhandle. the blazes have burned over 1 million acres so far it's devoured more than 850,000 acres. it's only 3% contained the flames now overtaking cars, homes and businesses as many residents flee for their safety strong winds, higher than normal temperatures and dry grass have fueled that massive inferno. some possible rain and snow may bring relief today, this as the mid west is grappling with a tornado outbreak

>> right there, funnel, funnel >> reporter: in the mid wrwest,t least 11 reported tornados ripped through michigan, illinois at chicago o'hare, hundreds huddled in the airport's emergency shelter. 40 miles outside the city, a confirmed tornado destroyed this apartment complex. more than 50 people now homeless >> one of the residents did state that when they were laying in bed they did see the roof raise up and come back down. >> reporter: incredibly, no fatalities >> it was going in a circle. and all of a sudden peace. >> reporter: resident and first responders getting a true scope of nature's wrath. the dangerous storm dropping heavy rain, golf ball sized hail and winds across the rheegion. >> it was howling. >> reporter: the unforgiving conditions now moving east, all part of a wild weather week for

millions nationwide. more than 100 cities hitting daily record highs this week >> to have this kind of dramatic swing that we're having with tornados and hail and then immediately snow and single-ding wind chills, that's what makes this really unique >> reporter: a w win lash weath sywhiplash weather system >> they could use a break with all of that, angie >> we've got a whole lot going on this week now we're turning our attention to the west thrwhere the next sm system has started to move in. we've got the rain, the snow, all on the table here as we go through the day today. i think the heavy snow is finally going to start to reach parts of northern california here as the day goes on. but we're going to see difficult travel strong winds on top of the rain and snow as well as limited visibility

just a heads up for folks there. we see another push of the system working close to shore here as we get into tomorrow that's where we really start to ramp up the snowfall rates one to two inches per hour we could see incredible amounts by the time this is all said and done and not to mention the more heavy rain across the coast. across the mountains, we'll pick up some really good amounts of snow maybe five to ten feet in some spots. rainfall amounts anywhere from 8 to 10 inches cover from jackson and mobile. 55 degrees in shreveport and that's a look at your forecast, frances, back to you comedy fans are remembering a legend this morning. richard lewis has died

>> i have better news for you. i'm leaving you in my will i'm tweaking you, and you're in it >> no, no, don't do that >> the beloved comedian was best known for his long-running role on "curb your enthusiasm." he suffered a heart attack at his l.a. home. larry david writing he had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also the sweetest but today he made me sob, and for that i'll never forgive him. richard lewis was 76 still to come, a recall alert for jeep drivers but first, controversy in a chemistry class. a teacher facing legal action, accused of letting students fighting with swords in the classroom. ting with swords in t classroom. ooo, yum. hey! ♪ bum bum bum bum bum ♪ i feel good. when you smell the amazing scent of gain flings... time stops. (♪♪)

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>> reporter: shocking video showing albuquerque high school students sparring with real swords in the middle of chemistry class. and this wasn't teens going rogue. according to a new lawsuit filed by one student who was injured their teacher announcing earlier on this tday in june of 2022 tht she had a surprise for the class, telling them to arrange their desks into a circle, handing one student a rapier-style sword then, instructing the students to fight as a two-minute timer counted down shortly after this video was taken, one student allegedly slicing another student's wrist with a sword, severing multiple nerves and tendons >> the surgeon says when he was in there doing the repair he could feel where the sword had actually indented in the bone. >> reporter: that student's

family now suing the school district, assistant principal and mitchell, alleging as she bled in the classroom the teacher did not seek immediate medical attention, telling students i'm in trouble, ordering them to delete any video recordings they had taken and then attempted to call the school's medical office. >> the response was not what you would expect it took about 30 minutes before any one called 911 >> reporter: an accident report written by the assistant principal saying the teacher brought a prop to school for a lesson on metal and melding. almost two years later, the lawsuit alleging the student is still struggling to perform normal tasks after surgery and physical therapy >> she's lot a lot of mobility, strength and sensation in her right hand and thumb i think those will be permanent effects. >> reporter: that teacher, mrs. mitchell, could not immediately be reached for comment

while albuquerque public schools known locally as aps, declining to comment now the student and her attorney seeking more information and damages. >> we want to know what aps actually did to investigate this, and whether that report looks like it's trying to sweep this under the rug without a full investigation p >> our thanks to steven for that report > still to come, nothing to see here the modern day update of the naked gun. modern day update of naked gun. emerge as you. with tremfya®, most people saw 90% clearer skin at 4 months... ...and the majority stayed clearer, at 5 years. serious allergic reactions may occur. tremfya® may increase your risk of infections and lower your ability to fight them. tell your doctor if you have an infection or symptoms or if you had a vaccine or plan to. emerge as you. emerge tremfyant®. ask you doctor about tremfya®.

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to -- oh, she left a while ago, cool >> sydney sweeney is saying anyone but you in the first promo for this week's snl so she, as we've all seen, has exploded her career, she's everywhere she's like a red carpet darling in all these shows and awards. can we not see her in anything else she's everywhere >> she has more coming up. we'll see how she is on snl. i can't wait to see that we've got josh brolin next week. we know liam neeson can do comedy the long-awaited reboot of the "naked gun" franchise will hit theaters next july he will star as the son of

leslie neil sson's character. it's always when they're beloved, what happens when they make a remake? i'm sure it will be great. >> there's a whole new generation who don't know leslie neilson. some of the originals are so fun to watch justin timberlake isn't finished telling his former band mates "i want you back." he responded to a fan comment about whether there would be a 'n sync reunion. he confirmed that they would make an appearance on the track paradise it's the latest in a series of recent collaborations between the one-time 'n sync members they reunited for "better place" for "the trolls band together. hopefully we'll see them together everybody had high hopes for them when they came out with the

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knew glorious days, historic days where are we now >> we are sitting on the third floor of the first black opera company in america >> reporter: danay sullivan was driving past the abandoned house 20 years ago for reasons unexplainable she bought it and climbed aboard an incredible learning curve. >> she was completely erase the from history >> reporter: classically trained, dawson was turned away from the pittsburgh opera, so she formed her own company the national negro opera company toured through america's bopera houses we wondered what her voice might sound like jasmine is an artist in residence now with the pittsburgh opera ♪ ♪ the words of langston hughes

>> everything i learned surprised me people that started here went all the way to the metropolitan opera and started right here on an apple street this entire floor is where people stayed. this was the residence of the house. >> reporter: lena horne, joe lewis, cab callaway, duke ellington. early black and brown members of the pirates and steelers were said to be welcome here. >> i can't even imagine. >> reporter: maybe you're going to recreate some of that >> we will we will. >> reporter: solomon wants to rush th return this house to its former glory. not easy does all of this have to be replaced >> no, it's actually going to be restored and preserved what makes preservation

construction so expensive is that it's not being replaced we are rae sestoring it and preserving it. >> reporter: millions have been raised millions more are required while much of the history has been lost, the legacy of mary ka cardwell dawson lives on there's much to learn from the old house on apple street. >> hope to see it back alive again. our thanks to harry for that thanks to you for watching "early today." see you tomorrow ." see you torrow. mo

right now at 5:00, getting to know the next possible police chief of oakland. we are live in the public forum residents can take part of today as the frontrunners are presented for the next chief. i am jay gray.