on the broadcast here tonight, outbreak. contaminated fruit, over a dozen people are dead. tons of recalled beef. we'll go through the warnings here tonight. pressure point. a new look at blood pressure numbers and the folks who may be at higher risk for stroke than they think. is this the man who can defeat the incumbent president? he could have ended the talk about running but he didn't. and, really? can sneakers really shape up your figure while you walk just like the ads say? if so, then why are so many customers getting money back? if so, then why are so many customers getting money back? "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

good evening. we want to begin here tonight with the deadliest food outbreak of its kind in this country in over ten years. as of tonight, at least 13 people have died, perhaps more. 72 more people have been infected across 18 states and it's all because of a listeria outbreak. the bacteria are being found on the outside of cantaloupes. they are spread by cutting unwashed fruit that is then consumed. they have all been traced back to a single distributor in colorado. there is another unrelated recall tonight of beef, but this cantaloupe outbreak may cause greater numbers of consumers to get sick. we begin here tonight with nbc's miguel almaguer in los angeles. >> reporter: the contaminated melons were shipped across the country and are now responsible for the deadliest listeria outbreak in more than a decade. at least 13 people have died from the bacteria so far.

the center for disease control says the melons came from jensen farms in holly, colorado. >> there is an investigation ongoing about how the contamination occurred. >> reporter: today the cdc said they are unsure how or even why the outbreak began, but because listeria has a long incubation period, doctors believe the number of those infected will grow. >> it's very likely that we will continue to hear about new cases and perhaps additional deaths that are linked to the outbreak over the coming weeks and months. >> reporter: though the outbreak started in colorado, illnesses have been reported in at least 18 states nationwide. some 72 people have been sick. the 13 listeria deaths have come in eight different states. the bacteria especially dangerous for the elderly and pregnant women. among the victims, 48-year-old mother of three, shelly occhipinti-krout. her daughter tiffany still in disbelief. >> there's got to be some

answers to this and how this could happen. it's happening to other people. >> reporter: the contaminated cantaloupe was shipped during a six-week period, but the cdc is worried some of the tainted fruit may still be inside refrigerators. they say when in doubt, throw it out. listeria outbreaks have been deadly before. in 1985, contaminated cheese killed 48. listeria is more deadly than other well known pathogens like salmonella and e. coli. one weapon against it -- wash your fruit. tonight the cdc says colorado cantaloupes have been pulled off the grocery store shelves, but the number who could get sick could still rise. miguel almaguer, nbc news, los angeles. >> we mentioned this earlier. tyson foods has recalled more than 131,000 pounds of fresh ground beef after an e. coli outbreak in ohio. the affected products include kroger brand and butcher's brand ground beef with a use or freeze-by date of september 12th, which means most of it has probably already been consumed.

tyson urged customers to check their freezer and return any of the affected products that might still be around. and there is new information tonight about the risk of stroke. turns out a blood pressure reading that's just above the normal range could still point to a higher risk. our report on this tonight from our chief science correspondent robert bazell. >> reporter: emily flores had high blood pressure. she got it down but her doctor said not low enough. >> i decided i do want to live a better life. i needed to do this now. >> reporter: a blood pressure reading of 120 over 80 or lower is considered normal. anything above 140 over 90 is high. several years ago doctors created a third category -- prehypertension -- for everyone in between. how dangerous is prehypertension, especially the range just below high blood

pressure? >> the study out today suggests that slightly lower blood pressure numbers may be incredibly harmful for your health. >> reporter: people at the low end of the prehypertension range have a 22% higher risk of stroke. those at the higher end of the range are 79% more at risk. specialists say that blood pressure is a continuous line with no magic point where it becomes dangerous. other factors including smoking, weight, exercise and diet influence how dangerous it is. the latest study is one more reason for caution. >> when your patients hear about this, how would you like them to respond? >> i would call it an orange light, not a red flag. but it means keep an eye on how you are taking care of yourself. >> reporter: elevated blood pressure is so common that one-third of adult americans have hypertension and one-third have prehypertension. doctors emphasize it can be controlled. emily flores with a combination of medications, diet and exercise now has blood pressure way down into the normal range and looks forward to a healthier life. robert bazell, nbc news, new york.

now to the latest example of what the fbi tonight is calling a home grown terrorist plot. listen to the details of the story. a massachusetts grad student is in federal custody tonight accused of scheming to fly large scale model aircraft filled with explosives into federal buildings. our justice correspondent pete williams in our washington bureau tonight with more on this. pete, good evening. >> reporter: brian, he's 26, a u.s. citizen, rezwan ferdaus, arrested today in framingham, massachusetts. tonight, fbi agents are searching his house, accusing him of plotting to bomb the u.s. capitol and the pentagon, then to shoot people fleeing from the buildings. they say he planned to use six-foot-long model planes like this one filled with plastic explosives. investigators say he came to washington last may and took surveillance pictures including this one. the fbi said he had a strong desire to be a terrorist and thought he was meeting here with

al qaeda recruiters, but they turned out to be fbi undercover operatives. he had to borrow money from them to buy the model plane and travel to washington. he never had any explosives. so while he had strong aspirations, the fbi said he lacked the means to carry out any attack, brian. >> pete williams from washington tonight. pete, thanks for that. we learned today the north anna nuclear power plant in virginia which shut down during the east coast earthquake in august shut down because of the vibrations from the quake and not a loss of the electrical power as plant operators first thought. this was the first time an earthquake has automatically shut down an operating nuke plant in this country. the regulatory commission tells nbc news that's how the systems should have reacted. the plant is 12 miles from the epicenter of that quake. look at this in washington today. looked like a scene out of a movie. a team of inspectors rappelling

down the side of the washington monument looking for damage done by that same earthquake. lowering themselves with ropes and harnesses. as we saw they were carrying ipads that contained data from the 1999 restoration of the monument and they tapped the various stones with mallets, listening for signs of damage, looking for new cracks and they took photos of all of it with digital cameras. this daring mission could go on now for several more days. we turn now to presidential politics tonight and the man whose every word is being watched and listened to so very carefully. new jersey's republican governor chris christie is getting pressure, as you may know, to join the gop race and so when he was asked about it last night more than once his answers drew a lot of attention. our chief white house correspondent political director chuck todd with us from our d.c.

newsroom tonight. chuck, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. last night we told you there were some twists and turns ready to go in the presidential race. well, we have our first twist. chris christie opened the door a crack to running for president. advisers tell me a final decision will likely come in a matter of weeks and perhaps days. it's what new jersey governor chris christie did not say at the reagan library tuesday night that froze the republican presidential race in place. he didn't say no. >> are you reconsidering or standing firm? [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: at first he had fun. everyone go to politico.com. it's on the front page. i'm not going to bore you with it now. click on it. those are the answers. >> i'm not running. >> i'm 100% certain i'm not going to run. >> i don't want to run. i don't feel like i'm ready to run. >> reporter: when an audience member pleaded with him -- >> i mean this with all my heart. we can't wait another four years to 2016. [ applause ] >> we need you. your country needs you to run for president.

>> reporter: chris christie stopped joking and left an opening. >> i thank you for what you're saying and i take it in and i'm listening to every word of it and feeling it, too. >> reporter: everything about christie's speech screamed national campaign. >> president obama prepares to divide our nation to achieve re-election. >> reporter: today, the declared republican candidates treated the potential christie candidacy with kid gloves. >> great guy. colorful character. >> i think he's marvelous. >> reporter: but romney's senior adviser began drawing a distinction. >> whether he gets in or stays out won't change the fact that mitt romney is the only major candidate in this race who's had a career in the private economy. >> reporter: christie drew his own contrast with rick perry who labeled opponents of giving in-state tuition to the children of illegal immigrants heartless. >> from my perspective that is not a heartless position. that is a common sense position. >> reporter: the other republican still testing the waters, sarah palin, seemed to

hint tuesday night she's leaning against it. >> does a title take away my freedom to call it like i see it. >> reporter: and a sign late today that christie's first foray into running has had an effect. and in an interview perry said he chose the wrong word when he used heartless to describe opponents of his immigration position. >> all right. and so it goes. chuck todd from our d.c. newsroom. we'll stay on it all. thanks. here at our nbc news headquarters in new york we have been hosting our annual education nation gathering. so much of the talk this year has been about all the good people working across the country to even up the playing field between advantaged kids and disadvantaged kids and then along comes a story like this. it's about the s.a.t.s, the annual ritual this time of year. several students from a wealthy new york community have been arrested for cheating, accused of buying a high score by having a college student take the test for them for a fee. our report tonight from nbc's

ron allen. >> reporter: the six students left court in shame. 19-year-old sam eshaghoff allegedly took the s.a.t.s for them. a graduate of the same high school, now a college sophomore. the exam's top score is 2400. >> scores for 2220, 2210, 2140, 2180. what these six kids did was they took an opportunity away from every other child. >> reporter: four already are in college. two still enrolled at great neck north high school. one of the country's top 100 in recent years where students say the pressure to get into college is intense. >> if they had the money on hand and they can, they had the opportunity it's not that surprising. >> reporter: prosecutors say eshaghoff charged up to $2,500, used fake i.d.s to impersonate the students, including one female, at a testing center where they would not be known. he pleaded not guilty.

his lawyer said this is not a matter for the courts. >> the issue should be handled administratively within the school. >> reporter: authorities say rumors of cheating within the school led to an investigation. it found some students performed much better on a recent exam than their grades would have predicted and the written part of some exams all had the same handwriting. >> it does say something about our times that kids feel intense pressure to get into the right school or to get into a college. they are willing to utilize something like this. >> reporter: hundreds of thousands of students plan to take the test this weekend. as school officials prepare themselves with a crash course in security. ron allen, nbc news, new york. >> still ahead here tonight one of the success stories for american high school students who really are out there earning it. a program that's working to find and develop the doctors we're going to need. and we have all seen the ads. wear these sneakers, get your body into better shape while you walk during the day. well, there is something you should know.

the federal trade commission announced today reebok is settling false claims, charges related to sneakers that are supposed to help tone your legs and backside while you walk. the government says that's not true, but reebok, defending a half billion dollar business says, yes, it is. the story tonight from nbc's tom costello. >> reebok easy tone shoes -- >> reporter: those reebok ads on tv certainly promised good results. >> they will help make your legs and butt look great, too. >> reporter: just by walking in their toning shoes, customers would see 11% improved muscle tone in the calves and hamstrings, 28% in the buttocks. but today the federal trade commission said that was never proven and the ads were deceptive. >> reebok's claims didn't withstand scrutiny. their consumers expected to get a workout, not to get worked over. >> reporter: the models include the easy tone walking shoes, the

run tone running shoes and easy tone flip-flops with customers paying $60 to $100 per pair. now reebok will pay $25 million in refunds to customers who bought the shoes. >> reebok invited us to their secret testing lab to show us the science behind their design. >> reporter: on "today" in 2009 janice lieberman reported that reebok uses balance ball technology to make its shoes. >> air pods under the ball of the shoe. >> reporter: the american council on exercise studied the shoes with the university of wisconsin at lacrosse and found no advantage. >> there was no difference between wearing normal running shoes or a toning shoe. >> reporter: reebok stood by the easy tone technology saying, settling does not mean we agree with the ftc's allegations. we do not. consumer advocates say many companies are targeting consumers who want to lose weight and stay in shape. >> they are trying to sell people products that make it seem like losing weight can happen in an instant.

>> reporter: reebok has now agreed to stop claiming that the shoes can improve muscle tone, but the shoes will remain part of the reebok brand. the ftc won't say if it is investigating others but the safety commission has 42 claims of injuries from a variety of toning shoe brands including sprains and fractures. tom costello, nbc news, washington. >> just ahead tonight, speaking of products, a new challenge to the ipad and how this one compares in terms of bells, whistles and price.

well, we mentioned the new product in the tech world today, the unveiling of amazon's answer to the apple ipad. the tablet they are calling the kindle fire -- get it? revealed to the world today by ceo jeff bezos. the price is $199, half of the lowest priced ipad, but in your

bells and whistles area, this lacks the camera, microphone, 3g service of the ipad. in their defense, the yankees already handily clinched the a.l. east, but props go out to the rays for last night's triple play. after jorge pasada loaded them up, russell martin grounds into the triple play. here's the call. >> chops it to third. out there. out at second. over to first. they get the triple play! >> you don't see many of those. for those scoring at home that was 5-4-3. wilson greatbatch has died and he deserves the thanks of millions of americans for the invention that has kept so many of our loved ones alive. the world war ii navy vet was tinkering in his barn in 1958 when he came up with what later became known as the pacemaker. the first models were implanted in dogs. later the medtronic company made them for humans and made them part of routine medicine these days. wilson greatbatch was 92 years old.

well, we have proof in the form of video tonight that our national parks are still the place for a spectacular vacation. where else are you going to see this and by the way when is someone going to do something about the scourge of bear cub wrestling in this country? jeff molyneaux was coming back from a hike in yosemite and saw these two guys going at it. two siblings. notice mom watching from not far away. two siblings going to town in the middle of the road. 20 minutes it went on until they walked away with mom. it's a great thing to watch. we posted the entire video on our website. up next here tonight, giving young people those first moments of discovery that may set them on the path of their dreams.

education nation is sponsored in part by the university of phoenix which believes an educated world is a better world. finally tonight, as we continue our special focus on education here at nbc news, a story about an out and out success, a program that opens a much needed path to careers in science and medicine for

students before they get down the road to college. nbc's anne thompson has our education nation report. >> reporter: at boston's brigham & women's hospital where every day is a matter of life and death, devine williams makes rounds in the trauma burn unit. >> do you remember feeling pain or anything at all? >> reporter: titi separates cells for research and raju prepares supply carts for life-saving surgery. >> we are going to room 36. >> reporter: typical tasks at one of the nation's top hospitals, until you consider these three are in high school. participants in the student success jobs program recruiting future medical professionals from boston's inner city schools at a time when we trail the world in math and science. >> this program has opened lots of doors. i'm meeting people that i wouldn't meet otherwise. >> reporter: titi is doing

things that most teenagers never can -- lab work that earned her credit on a published medical report. >> i think it's that i'm part of real research. that was really cool to me, i guess. >> reporter: the students are paid for their work, but money is not the lure. >> if i can do this without getting paid, i would still do it. it's nothing about the money. it's all about the experience. >> reporter: to get here to radiology or anywhere in the hospital the students need more than good grades though grades do help. they need passion. enthusiasm that can't wait until college to be nurtured. >> if we can catch them five, six years earlier so they have hands-on experience their passion multiplies. >> reporter: since 1999, 85% of the program's alumni went on to study science, health or medicine in college. today, 60% work in the health care field. titi, devine and raju all plan medical careers driven by the desire to save lives. they are helping others now and helping themselves. >> it gives me confidence to say

there is not much out there that i can't do. >> reporter: building doctors for the future by building better students today. anne thompson, nbc news, boston. >> that's our broadcast for this wednesday night. thank you, as always, for being here with us. we thought we'd leave you tonight on a beautiful evening shot of the washington monument in d.c., which while shaken a bit, is going to be around longer than any of us. that's our broadcast. see you here tomorrow night. good night. right now at 6:00, the serenity of a bay area college shattered by the rapes of two female students. the danger on campus that has many wondering is it happening again? good evening, everyone, and thanks for joining us. >> more on that campus rape story in just a few minutes, but first off the streets. more than 100 undocumented immigrants cct