winter wakeup call. parts of the midwest are digging out after a major storm wallops the region leaving drivers stranded and leaving dangerous conditions across a lot of parts of the country. we've got reports across the region and how the weather will be affecting your weekend. incredible bravery. a 9-year-old gets a step ahead of her kidnapper and call 911 and is reunited with her fam rye li. polls are open up as mitt romney and newt gingrich appears pretty close in the polls.

we're live in that state that could determine who faces president obama election day. today's saturday, january 21st, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on saturday. i'm lester holt. >> and i'm amy robach. i have to say i felt like a little kid when i woke up and saw the snow falling. i got excited. >> it's not exactly a snowmaggedon but we haven't had any snow since around halloween, that weird one. but it's been unusually dry and warm. but no longer. snow is here. >> just enough to go sledding. >> sledding if you're not careful the way you walk down the streets. we have a lot to get to. also we're going to have more on

the cruise in italy. it's a delicate maneuver as divers have justifiable concerns the ship could plunge deeper into the sea. later on we'll hear from an industry expert on whether the deadly accident will lead to changes in the cruiseline industry. plus, we're seeing new video released of michelle parker just hours before she vanished. no arrests have been made so far. her family hopes this new footage could lead to a break in the case. later, we're going to meet a woman who was almost married to the mob, but she walked away from the life of a mobster and the secrets that come with it. she's going to share her stories coming up. first we share the stories of the wintry weather and it's coming down. bill karins is out on the plaza with the first look. >> if you're going to get a snow event, this is the kind of snow you want. saturday morning, light and fluffy. i'm sure millions of kids will have plans throughout the day.

we're looking at a light fluffy snow, so far an inch or so in new york city. pennsylvania has picked up three or full. the bull's eye was yesterday. we'll watch it clearing out as we go throughout the afternoon. so the roads will improve dramatically. if you're in southern new england, if you could wait until later today, that would be much better. snow accumulations. again, it's not a blockbuster event but for most it's a first snow of the season, which is ridiculous since we're in the heart of winter right now. 3 to 6 inches in southern new england. heavy snow came down yesterday. lester, the chicago rush hour was a nightmare yesterday and they picked up as much as 9 inches around the midway, back to you. >> speaking of chicago, they're waking up to a lot of snow there. mike seidel is in the windy city for us this morning. mike? >> reporter: hey, good morning, lester. yesterday was a nightmare across chicagoland, three to four-hour

commutes versus a one-hour drive home on a friday. and at a airports, more than 850 flights were canceled between the two city airports. a major winter storm walloping cities in the midwest. it's chicago's second one in two weeks. already drivers are seeing havoc on the road. >> they're not too good so far. they haven't been plowed much. >> reporter: the first real blast of winter started later this year. it's already january, and workers at the chicago home depot say shovels and salt have been flying off the shelves. >> we expect to have a lot of snow. we're all geared up. >> reporter: the snow system dumped snow across the entire region with snow up to 7 inches in iowa, 6 in illinois, 3 in minnesota, causing massive delays at area airports. the dry fluffy snow adds up quickly and is severely reducing visibility. >> one lane is open, one is closed up. sometimes you can see. sometimes you can't. >> reporter: a similar system pounded the pacific northwest with snow, ice, and rain, and

they're still recovering. 250,000 homes around seattle, tacoma, and olympia were without power. downed power lines blanketed the region. >> you know, i've never seen this before and it's pretty frightening, very scary. >> reporter: and today the airports will be ramping back up. the airlines getting their planes back in, clearing out the backlog of parkers who didn't get out yesterday and the locals will be digging out from the biggest snowstorm this system. they eat get a big help from the atmosphere not so much today but tomorrow. it's a winter that has not seen much persistent snow and cold but it's happening right now with a few flurries on lake shore drive. lester? >> i'm sure the 40 will feel like august for them. thanks very much. now here's amy. >> thank you. now to politics in the southwest in the primary. the other two candidates say, hey, don't count them out yet. nbc's peter alexander is in

columbia, south carolina, with the latest. good morning, peter. >> reporter: good morning, amy. the polls are open in south carolina. really this is going down to the wire. after the wild week it's only fitting we're expecting another intense day of campaigning. the front-runner for much of this race, mitt romney is hoping to put the republican primary field to bed but his campaign has been trying to lower expectations in recent days. governor romney even telling nbc news late yesterday it's always been an uphill batter in the state of south carolina. meanwhile newt gingrich, a little closer to his home turf, remember he's from georgia, trying to get his first win for the primary season. the best metaphor is the fact that both romney and gingrich are expected to campaign in the same place at the same time today. you can call this the showdown at tommy's country ham house in greenville. the question, amy, is which candidate will blink first. >> and, peter, obviously the latest poll shows gingrich could win tonight.

what are the analysts saying? >> reporter: it's a good question. it was only monday this week importantly before the last debate where we noticed the fact that newt gingrich was behind by about 15 percentage points. and then just in the last couple of days since the most recent debate where newt gingrich really went on the defensive, targeting the media where they said some reports were false about his ex-wife. the poll shows he has roughly a 6 percentage rate. mark halperin is a senior analyst for "time" magazine and msnbc. mark, good morning. >> good morning, amy. >> let's talk about this latest surge in the most recent polls. do you expect the surge to actually become a reality in the voting booth? >> i leveft the ouiji board bac

in the hotel. it's hard to say. one campaign -- both campaigns will say the same thing. we're going to win, it will project confidence, or who knows, it could go either way. in this case, most people associated with newt gingrich's campaign say newt's going to win. most associated with romney's campaign say, well, we think mitt is going to win. if you go by the body language ombudsman points of view, it seems newt will win the race and that will shape up the race. >> speaking of that, mark, if newt wins today, will that win carry into florida ten days from now? >> i think that's one miscalculation the romney campaign may be thinking. florida's a big state. it's hard to compete if you're not well funded, but i think if gingrich wins here today, he'll go into florida with a big-headed scheme.

i think gingrich could win -- take south carolina, springboard into florida. that could be the decisive battle as it's been so many time over the years. >> and, mark, if what you believe will happen does happen it will, in fact, with historic because never before have three different republican candidates won the first three republican contests. what d us that mean for the race? >> it's pretty fitting given we have five or six people who won't afford any of them. they were ahead in follows, but it's fitting we have three different people winning in the end in the first three. it means things are unsettled. it means mitt romney, who's further ahead than newt is not a strong frount runner. he's going to have fight for this nomination hard. >> many say he handled his controversy with his ex-wife far better than mountain romney has been handling his issue with his tax return.

why has he not released them and put this issue to rest and how is it hurting him? >> it's a big mystery. even if he wants to wait as he said to release all of them, however many years he goes back, he could prepare this year's return more quickly. you don't need to wait till april, although most of us do. is it hurting him? it's certainly hurting him with the press. it's certainly giving newt gingrich something to talk about. my hunch is real voters aren't all that concerned. but it is keeping mitt romney from driving a positive message or negative message about newt gingrich. i think it has hurt him. it will hurt him going forward. if gingrich goes ford i'm sure he'll continue to talk about it. >> sithe white house sitting ba and enjoying the view? >> i think they're loving it. i think it will be a good moment for him and a contrast between a guy who is working and has got

the party nominations sewed up, versus what's going on on the republican side here. definitely looked at very favorably by both the white house and the president's re-election campaign in chicago. that can all change when there's a republican nominee, but for now, they like the chaos, they like the debate. >> all right. mark halperin, thanks so much. >> as the gop presidential race heats up, the wives are under the microscope. >> reporter: they've been constant companions and vigorous advocates for their husbands on the campaign trail, but while ann romney has escaped fire, carol santorum, former nurse and mother of seven and callista gingrich, fully. maker and accomplished musician,

their husbands slug it out. at a recent gathers, dr. james dobson stunned colleagues asking who they wanted as their first next lady. karen santorum who had given up here career to care for their family including their special needs daughter bella. as for calista gingrich, he added, just remember, she was his mistress for eight years. gingrich supporters were furious. >> it was completely and totally out of bounds and uncalled for. i was profoundly disappointed in dr. dobson. >> reporter: dobson said to the nbc news said his remarks withet not intended to be cruel or hurtful but just fachlkt but the very next day karen was under scrutiny herself. before she met santorum, she had a six-year relationship with a pittsburgh former abortion doctor. >> it's ugly and has no relation

to the issues at hand. >> reporter: but the wife attacks only intensified when gingrich's second wife went public blaming them for the collapse of their marriage. >> no, no. >> let me be quite clear. the story is false. >> reporter: all this, political analysts say, is unusual, even by the rough and tumble standards of southern politics. >> this is the nas tiest race in south carolina i've seen in 25 years. it's never been this personal. >> reporter: with polls pointing to a close result, personal attacks show know sign of abating. for today, michael izikoff. the search has resumed for the 21 missing after the ship crass add week ago. the immention operation is

difficult and dangerous as it is urgent. michelle, good morning. >> reporter: hi, amy, this morning searches blasted more holes into the hull. you look at e it and you think, what could be more solidly stuck than a 100,000-ton cruise ship on rock. it's moving constantly. we're only talking 1 millimeter per hour but that can put divers at risk themselves. quiet around the concordia is not a good sign. they want to get in there, find the 21 people still missing, but they're frustrated by a ship still risking lives here. what they have been able to do is approach the best from above, sending down searchers. and on the sea floor, robotic cameras, which have also picked up the eerie images of a single

boot, a pillow, personal effects that a sinking ship has left behind. more video from onboard that night shows a crew member urging passengers to kindly go back to your cabin until we resolve the electrical problem, everything is under control. now the families of victims are here supporting one another, yesterday placed flowers on the sea. the family website for barbara and jerry heil, the minnesota retirees who couldn't wait for the cruise come mend the heroic surfers and pray for their safety. on this tiny island where it's become sort of a town hall, engineer george owe kemente demonstrates how the ship is teetering on rocks to a 200-foot drop-off. a big risk of the ship flipping

deeper. the fuel tanks caught rupture under more pressure. but the real possibility being urgently discussed right now by a commission, an idea to texter th -- tether the hull with huge chains to shore and prevent even a bigger a disaster than this. the plan now is to accomplish what they've been trying to do for days. get this area called deck number 4. that would have been a gathering place for passengers with life jackets on. that's on the submerged side. they expect to find more, and that's where several have been found. amy. >> thank you. what cruise passengers need to know before saying bon foye auj. we'll say good morning to tom. good morning, amy, good morning lester and everyone. police say an extremely remorseful elderly man admits he

accidently started the fire when he improperly discarded hot fireplace ashes from his home in reno. it caused thousands to flee their homes and burn over 3,000 acres. fans are mourning the death of etta james. she passed away friday in los angeles from complications of luke. she was 73. elizabeth smart is getting married. smart was proposed to last week and is planning on being a summer bride. her husband to be has not been described. the 24-year-old utah woman was kidnapped in 2001 when she was 14 and held captive for nine months. property records show v vanessa bryant will keep the three california maxes as part of the divorce settlement. they're valued at almost $19 million total. speaking of real estate now,

home sales prices were up 5% last month to the highest rate in almost a year. economists say sales are being helped by record low mortgage rates. home sales were up as they might consider buying a home this year. federal safety officials have closed their investigation into reports of chevy volt battery fires. they said they don't have any identifiable safety defects. general motors had modified the car to protect it from side impact crashes that could cause a puncture or leak in the battery pack. and finally, a large solar flair sending particles hurtling toward earth at 600 miles a second and will hit our atmosphere today. it's erupted on the surface of the sun on thursday. a spectacular sight caught by camera from nasa. it could cause brief radio blackouts and disruptions. stargazers may see super charged

norj lights. that's the news. let's head back to lester and amy. >> but no extra heat. tom, thank you. >> falling snow and falling sunshine. let's go to bill karins inton play za. we know we've got snow in the meftd. what about the rest of the country? >> reporter: as we go to the south, we have another issue to deal with. people trying to get toirhe t primary voting sites.he we have a tornado watch in northern alabama and northern georgia. eventually these thunderstorms will roll into the upstate of south carolina. keep that in mind. it's not going to rain all day. there will be a period of an hour or two where you won't want to be outside. also, more wet weather and rain heading through the west. mountain snows. it looks like another system coming in tomorrow. good morning to you. rob mayeda here in the nbc bay area weather center. wild night of weather for you. still seeing showers pushi away from the south bay. you can see irethe t inhe san i

jo . a break in the action from san francisco to the trivalley. we will transition from rain at times this morning to decreasing showers this after-nan. upper 50s today. tomorrow, here comes round three. just in time for the championship game with showers lingering on into monday morning. rature of 24 degrees out here, windchill about 10, out here, the hat was necessary eventually. back to you. >> got you, bill. thank you. a member of the famed tuskegee airmen was buried at arlington national cemetery the same day "red tail" was featured. >> i hit the left router, brought it down -- >> reporter: like every fighter pilot, roscoe brown talks with his hands at 90, talking about war stories like they were yesterday. >> boom. that was it. we bailed out.

>> reporter: that's brown in 1945 in the cockpit of a p-51. now the real-life war stories of brown and his squadron inmates, members of a legendary tuskegee airmen very the basis of the new movie "redtails," an action flick about battling the nazrs or europe and racism at home. >> we have a right to fight for our country as does every other american. so you shut us down or let us fly. >> we were isolated. people don't understand how rigid selling agreegation was. >> ironically the film faced its own battles. producer george lucas fronted $58 million of his own money. terrance howard is one of its stars. >> why? just market it. it's an action movie. well, it's all black cast. the white guys are the back o

bad guys. you just market it. >> reporter: they know wait's like to want to prove their detractors wrong. in this case hollywood and its doubts about a black action film. >> we all knew what we were doing was a statement. we knew the spotlight was on us, and, you know, we couldn't fail. >> reporter: the success of the tuskegee airmen helped end segregation in the military and ross skoe brown who spoke to kid this week hopes the story now on the big screen can continue to enlighten. >> in the black community we need to begin to talk about it's cool to be smart, and i'd like to say the tuskegee airmen were cool, and the tuskegee airmen were smart, and you can do it as well. >> doctor brown was a consultant on the film and what he did was sit the actors down in the chairs and had the right movements, that their uniforms were buttoned up. >> i can't wait to see the movie and take my kids to the movie.

still to come, a brash little girl stands up against her alleged kidnapper. we'll tell you how she managed to get away. but first this is "today" on nbc.

homicide of young people in america has an impact on all of us. how can we save these young people's lives? as a police chief i have an opportunity to affect what happens in a major city. i learned early on if you want to make a difference you have to have the right education. university of phoenix opened the door.

my name is james craig, i'm committed to making a difference and i am a phoenix. . still to come, good fellows. what it took a woman to get out of that life. plus cruise ship safety. it puts vacations at sea on the ght. will it also change the way cruise ships operate? we'll talk about it, but first these messages.

this is "today in the bay." looking live at the golden gate bridge as it is a slick and soggy start to the day. it's still raining in the east bay. tapering off for the south bay. thanks so much for joining us this morning, i'm krp krp alokr sanchez along with rob mayeda. >> it's muggy outside, low 50s to start your morning off. you can see the rain starting to push away from san jose. still good downpours near morgan hill as we head up towards san

francisco. you get towards the east bay hill tops we are seeing the showers starting to leave danville but still kind of hanging out there around livermore. brent wood, pretty good downpours there. north bay, catching a break for now. you can see how much of the moisture diving into central and southern california today, we'll go from the rain at times this morning, changing over to a mix of showers and sunshine later today. in fact, the showers should start to shut down as we head towards the evening. just in time for the nfc championship game tomorrow. looks like we'll see more rain coming in. and then, trending drier as it gets towards monday and tuesday in the new week. >> that's news for theç player and tailgaters. >> a little soggy this morning. that's right. after a brief hibernation, occupy sf retook their aim. they smashed up a bentley dealership in their attempt to target the 1%.

there is a large crack in one of those windows there and just down the block, demonstrators surrounded an abandoned hotel. police say about 20 to 30 protesters were inside cathedral hill yesterday. they broke into the back entrance of the hotel, got on to the roof and hung an occupy sign on that building. by 11:15 last night, officers were able to take control of the building. three protesters were arrested for trespassing and we understand at least one person was pepper sprayed. earlier in the day, at least 19 people were arrested at other occupy protests. a marine county judge will likely make a ruling monday morning on the suspected serial killer of naso. they'll determine whether he will be held over for trial for allegedly killing four prostitutes during a 22-year span, beginning in 1977 the marin county district attorney

summed up the evidence. prosecutors also presented evidence of dna of his ex-wife and that was found on a pair of panty hose used to strangle the first victim in 1977. yesterday, he said he only had contact with one of the victims, pamela parsons. he said he picked up parsons who was hitchhiking. the bay area gets hammered with rain. we'll have a look at the overnight damage for you. all of that and more coming up at 7:00. more local news coming up in 30 minutes. [ female announcer ] back to school means back to busy mornings. that's why i got them pillsbury toaster strudel. warm flaky pastry with delicious sweet filling my kids will love. plus i get two boxtops for their school. toaster strudel. the one kids want to eat.

and these are the ones you'll love on a school night. pillsbury ham and eese crescents. with just a few ingredients, you have an easy dinner. pillsbury ham and cheese crescents. school night ideas made easy. and we're back on saturday, january 21st. take a look at this. we've got snow. we're expecting 3 to 6 inches before it's all over. bill karins will join us with your forecast in just a few moments. everyone is standing outside on this snowy saturday to spend part of their morning with us. back inside, a much warmer studio 1a. i'm amy robach along with lester holt. coming up in this half hour, abducted. 9-year-old girl is a hero

taking action to save her own life. her bravery led her to be reunited with her parents and send her kidnapper behind bars. then from the godfather and good fellows to the sopranos, coming up we'll meet one woman who could have been a mob wife but escaped the clutches of a gangster when she had a chance. she'll take us inside coming up. this lucky cat has only eight lives left. he was shot with an arrow. he's alive. his name is cupid. we'll check in with him and see how he's doing coming up. first, there's a very happy ending to the story of 59-year-old girl who was abducted in pueblo, colorado. from sheer spunk he got away from her kidnapper by running to gas station, called 911, and then standing her ground. nbc's george lewis has the

story. >> reporter: 9-year-old callista cordova showed amazing grit in getting away from the man who kidnapped her. her mom first reported her ms.ing when she failed to come home from school thursday afternoon. >> this is everyone's worst nightmare to have a child an ducted, never knowing if it's going to be bad news. >> reporter: an amber alert went out. then a break in the case. police say calista and her alleged abductor were picked up in colorado springs by a motorist at the scene of an aparjts traffic accident. he dropped them off at this convenience store. she ran inside and dialed 911. >> it was when she was on the phone that he came in looking for her. >> witnesses say then the little girl stood her ground. >> she looked at me, pointed in my eyes and said i'm not going nowhere. i'm waiting for my mama. >> reporter: police identified him as jose garcia, a suspect in an alleged molestation of another girl. when she refused to go with him,

he fled. >> the guy looked at me, spun around and spun it out of there. >> reporter: calista's mom was overjoyed when she found her daughter was alive. calista was taken to the hospital with two black eyes, a cut on her lip and a bruise on her face and a short time later police took the suspected kidnapper garcia into custody. he has not yet been charged. police are praising calista for her courage and her smarts. >> for her to have done whatever she did to stay alive was wonderful. and then today to seek help, save heard life. >> reporter: and the whole community is thankful that she's back safe with her family. for "today," george lewis, nbc new, los angeles. clint van zandt is a former fbi criminal profiler and an nbc analyst. hi, clint. >> hi, amy. great story, isn't it? >> it is. it's a rare one. when you talk about child kidnapping cases this is rarely the outcome, correct? >> it is correct.

when we have these cases statistics unfortunately show that one in five children get back. we lose a child about every three days in the united states to kidnap, assault, and murder. so in a case like this, you've got to do what you've got to do to survive. >> and the alleged kidnapper jose garcia is currently in custody. what will investigators be doing next and what possible charges could he be facing? >> one of the things is this womt woent be the first time this guy has done stuff like this. he's going have situations in the past. the authorities will obviously put their case together concerned the current victim. he'll look at him as a suspect in any other similar-type case that's happened across the entire state. this is a guy when you have a predator like this, you want to make sure you've about got a good case and that he doesn't have a chance to get out and reoh fend. >> we know the police reported he may have been a suspect in specifically another alleged molestation case involving a

different girl, but i think they all went to the same school. what do police know? how do they connect the dots? >> they're going to be working with this particular witness, they're going to be working with the vehicle. again, this is an amazing story. 20 hours she's back again. but she's back because she was brave. as you say, just the tenacity that she exhibited because even though she was victimized, she wasn't going to be a victim. >> right. and, clint, it's interesting. calista really chose her moment. she was picked up by another motorist. she didn't say anything then. when she ran into the convenience store, she asked the store clerk to call her uncle and then she called 911. she was really smart in choosing her moment. >> sometimes in these cases, amy, you get one chance to survive, and at 9 years old to have the wisdom to look for the opportunity, you know, there are things that children can do to escape a predator, but many times you get that a deer in the headlight look. this little girl didn't do it. she used her head.

she's alive today. >> parents at home, i know, watching the story could be a good jumping off point to talk to my kids about what to do if this were to ever happen and how to avoid this happening in the first place. what would you say to therm in terms of vice? >> a number of quick points. never lehtonen take youlingly. always fight. always yell. number two, when somebody pulls up in a car and they're trying to get you to get in the car, if the car's pointing left, you run right. that makes that car turn around 180 degrees to go after you. number, 3, if somebody's got you in the custody and control, don't yell. don't yell and scream. yell, this is not my father, this is not my mother. if you're in a grocery store or convenience store and the subjects are there, start knocking things off the shelf. draw as much attention as you can. don't let yourself be a willing victim. amy, even on a website live request secure.org we give away a free dvd proaffecting children from predators. every children need to know what

to share with our children so when that terrible time might come, they know what to do. they're not frozen in fear, but you and i have taught our children how to react. and as long as they're able to do that, as long as they're able to react like this little girl did, choose the right moment, we're going to get our children back, and we're going to have success stories instead of the ones that you and lester and i talk about so many times where we don't get a child back. >> clint, great tips. thank you so much. we appreciate it. >> thank you, amy. and now for another check of your saturday forecast, let's turn to bill karins who i think is going to stay on the plaza all morning long. >> no problem , guys. they love it. that i deserve to be on tv for sitting out here. temperatures, 23, 24 degrees out. you guy are from where? texas? >> texas. >> what part? >> dallas. >> it snows there. >> we have a little bit. >> it's not earth-shattering for you. on the west coast, that's where we're dealing with the worst

weather, the most life-threatening weather. at least the northwest is dealing mostly with rain in the low elevations. we love all the rain and the snow finally in central california. best time. the sierra has been without snow for weeks. we're going to get dumped on today and tomorrow. some people are interested in the football game in san francisco tomorrow. looks like rain's in the forecast for that also. another thing we're watching, a tornado watch in the southeast. that possibly could be a serious situation. no tornados and while the widespread rain has moved on, we're still seeing scattered showers pushing out of the south bay right now. you can see towards the east bay, east livermore, showers heading off to the east. all this action is great news for the sierra, upper 50s around the bay area, decreasing showers but snow levels may be down to 4,000 feet this afternoon. so plan on winter-like conditions if you're heading up to the sierra today. we'll see round three tomorrow afternoon, then the showers

start to wind down, heading into monday morning. middle of winter now. there's interesting changeable weather out there. if you want to get any of your hour-by-hour weather, you can get that at weather.com. amy, lester? >> thank you. cruise ship safety. in the wake of the disaster in italy, we'll tell you what you need to know before you hit the high seas. >> there's new video of michelle parker, the mom who vanished after appearing on "the people's court." first these messages. for shippi. and i've got to pick someone. tough decision. [ thinking ] okay, you can be a rising star, or... but you just ordered a crispy mcchicken and a fresh-brewed sweet tea for only a buck each off mcdonald's dollar menu, so you're smart, right? nah, i got nothing. smart man. two 7s. oh, oh, ho! oh, wow. the fox strikes again! the fox strikes again! he's always striking! [ male announcer ] the simple joy of being smart.

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with thermacare heatwraps. thermacare works differently. it's the only wrap with patented heat cells that penetrate deep to relax, soothe, and unlock tight muscles. for up to 16 hours of relief, try thermacare. so fresh and delicious? is it the perfect blend of sunshine, rain and temperature? maybe it's the fact that our juice is always 100% florida and never imported. florida's natural. this morning on "today's" travels, staying safe when you sail the seas. the capsized ""costa concordia."" travelzoo.com senior editor is telling us how to pick a trustworthy cruise line and stay safe on board. what is your early thinking as to how this might change the cruise industry?

>> i'm thinking its will be two-fold. one, i think there's going to be plenty of self-auditing going on. carnival has aennounced they're going to be doing a lot. showing the public that's what they're undertaking is going to be important for them. really it's going to be about comforting the avid cruiser. it's going be business as usual for them. it's the occasional cruiser, the individual who thought, maybe i'll do a cruise for the first time this year. that's the section of the population that the cruise industry will have to woo all over again in many case. >> let's face it. when selecting a cruise, they go online. we may not think of the safety. is there a way of going online and getting at least a thumbnail glimpse of the safety of a particular ship? >> you're finding most of it will be on sanitary issues. the cdc has a vessel sanitation program. they'll update report cards on

things like food preparation, wat water quality, pest control. you can find that relatively easy on the cdc website and then it's about doing your own diligent research, looking at history, review, news items and news critics. >> i think one thing that is disturbing is members of the cruise ship giving faulty instructions. what do we know about the training of cruise staff? >> well, you know, basic training of crew personnel is governed by an international body which was put in place in 1978. these rule were updated a few days ago. basically it's a five-day course updated every five years. fire drills, first aid, that kind of a thing. captains undergo a much more rigorous training. a bachelor's degree for an

entry-level job. the rules vary from country to country and that may be lapses the industry has tais taking a look now. >> i never have take an cruise but a life boat drill takes place early. this wasn't done because they had just set sail. when is it done? >> every cruise will have a safety drill, sort of a prep course. here in the states it happens before you set sail. internationally the regulation is it's got to happen 24 hours after you set sail. the "costa concordia" had set sail for two hours. these cruise ships are huge, floating cities. you may be at the bar, the pool.

>> you'll want to put your life jacket on when you get into your cabin and if it doesn't fit, let them know. if you're an avid cruiser, because no two ships are alike, how do i get to the life boat from the cabin, bar, pool, and even when there's obscured sight. this happened at night. >> great to have you here. thanks so much. still to come. nine lives. we're going to meet a lucky cat who survive and accident. find out what happened and how he's doing and why they're calling es. messages. cu [ sniffs ] bacon?! gotta get that bacon! bacon?! bacon! smokey bacon, meaty bacon, tasty bacon! bacon? ohh, la, la... oh, i say, is that bacon?! oh, good heavens! bacon! bacon! bacon! bacon! who wants a beggin' strip? meee! i'd get it myself but i don't have thumbs! yum, yum, yum, yum, yum... it's bacon!!!

mmmmm...i love you. i love bacon. i love you. i love bacon. i love you. [ male announcer ] beggin' strips! made with real bacon. there's no time like beggin' time. [ dogs] bacon...bacon... bacon...bacon... beautiful furnishings from the romance and explorer lifestyles. with 10% savings or 36-month financing, your design aspirations are delightfully attainable. the drawer closes on these offers january 31st. [ laughs ] [ laughs ] [ laughs ] that's awesome. you can read that? ♪ [ female announcer ] the accufit digital system, exclusively at lenscrafters... is about 5 times more precise than manual measurement techniques. lenscrafters. than manual measurement techniques. i have copd. if you have it, you know how hard it can be to breathe and what that feels like. copd includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. spiriva helps control my copd symptoms... by keeping my airways open a full 24 hours. plus, it reduces copd flare-ups. spiriva is the only

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through his body. amanda joins us along with cupid the cat at britmore animal hospital. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> it's really hard to take a look at cupid with the arrow pierced through his body. i known we he was brought to you to the hospital, he was a stray, what were your biggest concerns. >> well, initially we got a photo before he was in and i was a little afraid the arrow was piercing something vital, but when he arrived at the hospital, i could tell by his condition that he was stable and he was going to be just fine. >> the x-rays confirmed -- there we see an x-ray -- he was one lucky cat because the injuries could have been much, much worse, correct? >> yes, definitely. if that arrow had pierced just, you know, a few inches lower, it would have been through lungs. the spinal cord runs very close to where it was and the heart's pretty close too. >> you were able to extract an arrow and after a few, i'm

imagining, a few very traumatic days, how is cupid recovery? >> he is recovery great. he acts like nothing ever happened. he's a happy cat. >> he looks very content there with you rubbing his neck there. you believe, though, what happened to cupid was no accident, correct? you think this was deliberate? >> yeah, i do. you know, i don't know who did it. it was a pretty dull arrow, so it may have been a practice arrow or a children's arrow, but i can't imagine anybody could hit him on purpose -- i mean on accident. >> i know he's currently with a foster family and a local shelter there in houston will be looking for a new permanent home for cupid. do you expect a full recovery, and i'm sure there's a waiting list to bring him home. >> yeah, i'm sure there's a pretty lengthy waiting list and, yes, he's going to make a full

recovery and live a normal life. >> and he has eight more lives, right? >> yeah. >> he just used up one of them. amanda and cupid, thank you so much. we're so glad he's doing well. just ahead, the 911 tape of the texas model who walked into a spinning airplane propeller have been released. what do they reveal? we're going to tell you. what do they reveal? we're going to tell you. first this is "today" we're gonna erase breast cancer once and for all. once and for all. walking 60 miles... in three days. join us. join us. (woman) we're united. (woman) a family. (man) a movement. (woman) a coming together of thousands. (woman) thousands... (man) with one goal. join us. we're committed. relentless. (woman) we've refused to surrender. (woman) refuse to give up. (woman) we will never give up. (woman) never. never. never. join us. so that no one's life is cut short. no one has to suffer the agony of a loss. the agony of my loss. no one should have to experience what my family went through... go through what i went through.

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. still to come on "today," a cold case. a cloud of suspicion that followed one mother for 25 years is finally lifted in dramatic fashion. she joins us with her story coming up. plus, new video of the florida mother who went missing after appearing on the "people's court." it w akenust ours before she vanished. we'll show it to you, but first these messages. this bowl of strawberries is loaded with vitamin c. and now, b vitamins to boot.

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it progressively got worse. my rheumatologist told me about enbrel. i'm surprised how quickly my symptoms have been managed. [ male announcer ] because enbrel suppresses your immune system, it may lower your ability to fight infections. serious, sometimes fatal events including infections, tuberculis, lymphoma, other cancers, and nervous system and blood disorders have occurred. before starting enbrel, your doctor should test you for tuberculosis and discuss whether you've been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. don't start enbrel if you have an infection like the flu. tell your doctor if you're prone to infections, have cuts or sores, have had hepatitis b, have been treated for heart failure, or if, while on enbrel, you experience persistent fever, bruising, bleeding, or paleness. get back to the things that matter most. ask your rheumatologist if enbrel is right for you. [ male announcer ] enbrel. the #1 biologic medicine prescribed by rheumatologists. and it hasn't been going exactly as planned. cut. cut! [ monica ] i thought we'd be on location for 3 days -- it's been 3 weeks. so i had to pick up some more things.

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are you done sweetie? yea [ male announcer ] fiber beyond recognition. fiber one. hey, i love your cereal there-- it's got that sweet honey taste. but no way it's 80 calories, right? no way. lady, i just drive the truck. right, there's no way right, right? have a nice day. [ male announcer ] 80 delicious calories. fiber one. this is "today in the bay." good morning. looking live at downtown san jose. we can see the palm trees there not feeling very tropical this morning. a very rainy start and not freezing cold but certainly cold enough. more rain to come. i'm kris sanchez along with meteorologist rob mayeda. you've been a very busy man. >> round two, just about done. we have scattered showers rolling actually into the south bay right now. we're watching another cell near mountainview, that is crossing in. you can see it right there, over the top of the santa cruz mountains. trivalley, 680, 580, the rain

moves to the east. today, we go from some rain off and on at times at 8:00 andç transition to more showers mixed with sunshine. decreasing showers by 4:00. highs, upper 50s today. eventually cooler temperatures, dropping snow levels in the sierra down to 4,000 feet. take the snow cables and chains if you're heading there. tomorrow, just in time for the nfc championship game, round three. looks like more rain coming in. we dry out once again monday morning and heading back into the new week. a san jose girl is reunited with her family after a harrowing ordeal where she was kidnapped at gunpoint. the incident started thursday night at a san jose home. the suspect forced his way into the house, attacked a family member, then kidnapped the 11-year-old from her bedroom. the kidnapping triggered a statewide amber alert. the suspect, a 42-year-old, took her into an apartment nearby. he allegedly threatened the girl and opened fire on police.

>> at that point, it became obvious that the victim's life was in imminent danger and the s.w.a.t. officers decided to make a crisis entry. they went to the front of the house, forced entry and encountered the suspect again inside the residence. the suspect, again, opened fire on the firearm and one of our s.w.a.t. officers was able to get a shot off and hit the suspect. >> the sus headquarter wpect wa dead at the scene. the white house is in the bay area this morning, white house officials along with officials from president obama's cabinet will sprpresent a hispa community action meeting this morning. they will meet at the summit which is designed to facilitate in-depth discussions on jobs, education and the economy along with health care and immigration. the summit will be held in the gullo ii building at evergreen

valley college at yerba buena road. coming up this morning on "today in the bay," no ordinary january. we finally get pelted with rain and we have damage to prove it. we have a look at scenes from around the bay area overnight. all the day's news coming up at 7:00, more local news coming up for you in 30 minutes. ♪ beth! hi! looking good. you've lost some weight. thanks. you noticed. these clothes are too big, so i'm donating them. how'd you do it? eating right -- whole grain. [ female announcer ] people who choose more whole grain tend to weigh less than those who don't. multi-grain cheerios -- 5 whole grains, 110 calories.

creamy, dreamy peanut butter taste in a tempting new cereal. mmm! [ female announcer ] new multi-grain cheerios peanut butter. welcome back to "today," saturday morning, the 21st day of january 2012. say hello to our snow bunnies. you're looking at them. we thank them for brarching the weather. we thank you at home for staying outside. outside the plaza, i'm lester holt along with amy robach. coming up, we're going to hear the chilling moments immediately after model lauren skrugs walked into an airplane propeller. we'll hear the dramatic 911 call and how people scrambled to come

to her rescue. and then we're going to be talking about closing a cold case after 25 years. a 6-year-old north carolina boy was killed back in 1997. his mother was considered a person of interest. we'll talk live exclusively with his mom who has finally been cleared after 25 years. >> there is a new piece of video we haven't seen before. an orlando mother who went missing two months aftering a she appeared on the "people's court." it's a bit of new information released by authorities in this case in weeks. michelle parker was reported missing just hours after it was taken. so we're going to find out how this may help them in their search for her. plus, are you trying to sell your house on line? you have only one chance to make a good first impression. contributor barbara couric ran has tips for marketings your house on the internet. chef and author andrew zimmer is the hoefts of "bizarre

foods america." he's got dishes off the eaten path, shall we say. raccoons anybody? >> we're going eat it too. >> interesting. >> i want you the think of one thing. taste like chicken. >> is this going to be a competition between us? >> no, because i think i would win it. >> he wins. >> i think you'll let me win that one anyway. a lot coming up. let's get the morning headlines. nbc's tom llamas is at the nbc news desk. we begin in south carolina where republicans are going to to polls today to pick the person they want to match up against president obama. nbc's peter alexander is following the first primary gop primary. they're already at the polls, correct? >> reporter: yeah, they are already casting their voting today, tom. this is really coming down to the wire between newt gingrich and mitt romney it's becoming increasingly clear. mitt romney has a large

15-percentage point lead. now things have flipped. newt gingrich by leading roughly 6% as the voters begin casting their ballots. fueled by a fiery debate performance and surging poll numbers, newt gingrich greeted an overflow crowd friday insisting he can win south carolina. >> if every conservative in the state decided to vote for newt gingrich tomorrow, that would be goon. >> reporter: with the help of south carolina governor nikki haley, celebrating her birthday. still they're trying to lower expectations it's always an uphill batter for me in south carolina. came in fourth last time. i'd love dom in first, but we're making progress. we'll keep battling. >> reporter: rick santorum continued to emphasize the differences between him and his

republican rival. >> the love and intellectualism as a professor of bouncing around different ideas. but you're not a professor when you're a commander in chief of the country. >> reporter: meanwhile ron paul is going the distance, already buys ads. but grabbing the spotlight friday, former candidate herman cain and comedian stephen colbert, who ridicules the republican field. >> i would say the only difference between mitd romney and statue of mitt romney is the statue never changes its position. that's not positive? >> reporter: and perhaps the best metaphor for what's going on in the state of south carolina is they both have an event scheduled at the same time, same place. you can call it the showdown at tommy's country ham house. by the way, if you ever stop by, e-mail indulge of the southern

grits. the northeast is getting its first real blast of winter. the storm started out west. we're live in chicago with the weather channel's mike seidel. mike, cold and snow. winter is definitely back. >> reporter: you may thing so. it is for a couple of days, but this is not a persistent trend like we've seen all winter, tom. by monday and tuesday temperatures warm up. rain in chicago and rain for most of the east coast. first let's take you back to yesterday here in the chicago area, heavy snow coming down just in time for the afternoon and early evening rush hour. three and four-hour come munts which normally take an hour, up to 9 inches of snow. the airport had over 7, doubling their seasonal snow fought in a season that's featured a snow drought. 850 flights were canceled. this morning they're ramping back up and trying to catch up on the backlog of passengers as we're left over with a few flake this morning. tom? >> mike seidel, live for us in chicago. mike, thanks so much. rescuers are making a new effort to find 21 people still missing

in the grounding of a cruise ship off italy a week ago. michelle kosinski is live. michelle? >> reporter: good news. they were able to get back on ship, blasted more holes in the hull. it's been nonstop since the beginning. it's as moveable. it's actually moving constantly. we're talking millimeters per hour, but that's enough to put divers at risk in their race against time to find the victims and remove all the fuel before the ship potentially slips deeper. that irgoal today is to get to an area called deck four. that would be a meeting point where passengers would have gone in life jackets. it's a way to be rescued. but it's on the submerged side. it's where divers recovered several victim over the past few days and it's where they expect to find more today. >> okay, michelle kosinski live for us in italy. thanks so much. that's the news.

let's head back out to amy on the plaza. >> tom, thanks so much. we want to head over to bill karins who's been busy making a snowman on the plaza. >> it's a mini me. it's got lined a mono brow going on. it's got an arm, nose out of proportion. but it's fun out here. a saturday snow event in new york city. for a lot of kids out here, they'll be grabbing the sleds and having fun outside. this morning we'll have some issues but once the clouds get out there, the afternoon and evening should be fine. object 3 to 6 inches. most areas of southern new england will probably pick up about 3 to 6. that will be about it. yesterday we had significant snow. chicago, definitely probably saw one of the highest totals we're going to get. we'll call it a mini snowstorm. by normal winter standards, not we'll show you some of the

rainfall totals the last 24 hours around the bay area. very impressive. long at ben lomand. anywhere from an inc i or two from the peninsula to the east bay. scattered showers rolling out of the south bay. most the action is heading into central and southern california. expect high today in the upper 50s with scattered showers but just in time for tomorrow after-nene into monday morning, round three of the rain to kick off the new week. >> not a huge event. too many problems out here in the northeast. as we said, a saturday morning, no school delays, no business delays. more fun than anything else. back to you, lester. >> thank you. it's been 65 days since a young mother went missing in orlando on the zam she was seen on the "people's court." authorities in florida have release add new surveillance video of michelle parker while her family keeps her memory alive. here's nbc's lilia luciano.

>> reporter: this newly released camera video from a fast food restaurant captured the last images of michelle parker on the day she disappeared. >> i've been doing pretty good, you know, but when i saw that, it made me cry. >> reporter: police released the image os on friday, her 34th birthday. her family hopes this video will help find her. >> it may. you never know what tips will come in when people see that. you always have to have hope that somebody knows something and somebody will remember and call. hypothey do. >> reporter: it's been over two months since michelle appeared in a taped episode of the "people's court," arguing her ex-fiance dale smith of an engagement ring. >> he get pretty malicious. >> reporter: smith hasn't comment and his lawyers say he's not involved in michelle's

disappearance. >> if he's so inoh sent, take the lie detector test. what's the big deal. what do you have to live? >> reporter: three hours earlier this camera recorded her at a drive through showing michelle paying for her meal and driving offer. you can see the decals from her tanning salon. you see the vehicle in the parking lot. the decals were removed. no one has seen or heard from her again. this week the judge agreed to suspend monthly child support payments that were still going from his account into hers. >> upon michelle's reappearance, without any further court order or rehearing the court can reinstate child support. >> reporter: a faint dream for a family who spend the holidays and now michelle's birthday praying for a miracle. for today, lilia luciano, nbc, atlanta. up next we're going to tell you a dark cloud of suspicion

around a north carolina woman. t. this is mary. who has a million things to pick up each month on top of her prescriptions. thankfully, her walgreens pharmacist recommended a 3-month supply. now, mary gets 3 refills in one and for 3 months she's done. ask your pharmacist about a 90 day supply and how to save with the prescription savings club. individual memberships are just 5 dollars. enroll today. walgreens. there's a way to stay well.

a deep, throbbing, persistent ache. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia -- thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and for some people, it can work in as early as the first week of treatment. so now, i can do more of the things i enjoy. lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior, or any swelling or affected breathing or skin, or changes in eyesight including blurry vision, for today, lilia luciano, nbc, common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs, and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. with less pain, i'm feeling better now that i found lyrica.

ask your doctor if lyrica is right for your fibromyalgia pain. gotta get that bacon! bacon?! bacon! smokey bacon, meaty bacon, tasty bacon! bacon? ohh, la, la... oh, i say, is that bacon?! oh, good heavens! bacon! bacon! bacon! bacon! who wants a beggin' strip? meee! i'd get it myself but i don't have thumbs! yum, yum, yum, yum, yum... it's bacon!!! mmmmm...i love you. i love bacon. i love you. i love bacon. i love you. [ male announcer ] beggin' strips! made with real bacon. there's no time like beggin' time. [ dogs] bacon...bacon... bacon...bacon... it's every person parents worth nightmare. for one north carolina mother, the tragedy was made expo anybody nalley worse. for 25 years she was the only suspect in the case until recently. in a moment, that mother, elizabeth watkins, will join us in an exclusive interview. but first here's nbc's michelle

franzen. >> reporter: for nearly 25 years elizabeth watkins lived under a cloud of suspicion, the prime suspect in the death of her own sun, nicholas. please say the 6-year-old's body was discovered by a neighbor this this wooded area in north carolina not far from the family's home nguyenston salem. the medical examiner's office conclude it was a homicide by strangulation. now investigators say a new look at the evidence shows the boy's marks on his neck were consistent with a dog attack, finally clearing watt kins's name, but thornts offered no apologies. >> we did not apologize. our purpose was not to apologize. we have nothing to apologize for. >> reporter: sheriff william shotman reopened the cold case seven years ago. police hat never made an arrest but considered watkins their only suspect. watkins told authorities she last saw her son leave to walk the pet collie and another dog.

they were asked to reexamine the evidence using the latest photo graphic technology. >> they decided that it was possible that dogs actually grabbed ahold of the boy's clothing so tight that he was strangled. >> reporter: they concluded the boy's pet was in heat and attacked by other dogs, a case closed. but for watkins, there is little closure. last year she attended a memorial for nicholas, and for years her older son believed she was responsible for his death. her attorney says now thanks to investigators, she has a chance to reunite with him. >> this sheriff's department did more than say i'm sorry. they went to him to show him all the evidence to explain his mother had no involvement with his brother's death. >> reporter: for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. >> elizabeth watkins and her attorney david freeman are with us this morning. good morning to both of you. >> good morning. >> good morning.

>> and, elizabeth, i know you were never formally charged, but as we mentioned you were the only suspect for so long hochl u are you feeling today now that you've been officially cleared. i imagine this moment is still bittersweet though. >> it certainly is bittersweet, but i am very, very happy to finally be cleared of my son's death. >> we mentioned the cause add real rift in your family. you recently reunited with your other son who for nearly 25 years thought you were involved in his younger brother's death. tell us about that reunion. >> it was the highlight of the day. we had not seen each other in almost 17 years. and all was forgotten in the past, and we're moving from this day forward for a new relationship. it was one of the best days of our lives. >> and, elizabeth, i understand that you found out this week

that you're a grandmother. >> yes, i am. i have two grandsons, 11 and 4, and i'm very excited about meeting them. we're just so happy to have alex back in our family. it was mostly his side of the family, his biological father's side of the family that estranged from us. my family has been behind me 100% in their support. this is how i've been able to get through this. and my friends. but to have alex back with the family is -- i just can't tell you how happy we are about that. >> you lost two sons that day. >> yes, i did. we've never had any more christmases with our oldest son alex. no more birthdays for 25 years. and now i think a christmas won't go by and a birthday won't

go by that we won't be together. >> that is an unbelievable great outcome. david, i understand that over the years police have from time too time followed up on leads and theories, but did you know that the fbi had gotten involved and were coming close to a conclusion? >> we had no idea. we found out last week, last tuesday when we received a phone call. coincidentally enough i was receiving a phone call from the sheriff's department when elizabeth and her husband were in my office, and i called them back and i said, have her come down in the following weekend. i've been talking to the fbi. we're going to show there's no involvement at all and she's to be exonerated of this horrible ee fence. >> elizabeth, did you ever think you'd hear of those words, you're exonerated? >> i've dreamed of it for many, many years because i've always known that was the truth. it just -- i was so happy.

we're all so happy that i've been cleared. it makes our lives easier to live and we're just looking forward to moving on and having a wonderful relationship with alex, our oldest son and the two grandchildren. >> and elizabeth, i know you want people to see this as a story of hopeful and what do you want people at home watching to walk away with? >> i know there are other parents that are suspected of the murder of their child or the disappearance of their child. i would like to see the investigators look more into what the parents are saying. parents love their children more than anything else, and to have a parent have to go through any length of time of being suspected of wrongful doing in their child's death or disappearance is wrong.

i think new things ought to beit in place to prevent this from happening to anyone else. i don't want to have to see anyone else go through 25 years of being a suspect and knowing you're not. >> well, elizabeth watkins, we're so happy that you were able to reunite with your son alex. we are excited that you're going to be enjoying those grandkids. david freeman, thanks as well for joining us. >> you're welcome. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> and we're back. but first this is "today" on nbc. [ male announcer ] how'd you learn to do that?

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[ crunching, sipping ] be happy. be healthy. can i try yours? still to come on "today," almost married to the mob. we'll hear from an insider about life as a gangster's girlfriend. plus, from raccoons to deep flied turtle, andrew zimmer, host of "bizarre foods america" takes us on an unusual culinary

journey brks but first these messages. announcer ] how'd you learn to do that? when did you start that project? every new year comes with a few stories waiting to be built. it's when our brand-new to-do lists become "you did that yourself?" so when we can save more on the projects that let us fix, make, and do more, that just makes the stories even better. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. get this glacier bay vanity for the new lower price of just 39 bucks. and then treats day after day...

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yeah but honey, i love you and... is that what i think it is...it is... it's bacon. honey look. [ male announcer ] progresso rich and hearty... 4 new flavors, you can lose yourself in. what's that? big piece of potato. [ male announcer ] progresso. you gotta taste this soup. this is "today in the bay." good morning to you. a nice calm weather pattern over theç golden gate bridge right w but not what we had last night. clearly it's been a very busy weather night and weather day. thanks so much for joining us this morning, i'm kris sanchez along with meteorologist rob mayeda. it's kind of settling down but it will kick up again in time for kickoff. >> it does look like that. it was pretty busy last night. the rain that hits the windows sideways. >> i did notice that. >> we did have that a bill earlier. rain moving out of san jose. san francisco catching a break. around petaluma, santa rosa,

some scatters showers. snow in the sierras. the heavier rain for the rest of today will head into central and southern california. look for decreasing showers today. highs in the mid to upper 50s but round three will come in right around midafternoon tomorrow. expecting more rain, breezy conditions, right around game time tomorrow for the 49ers/giants with rain into monday morning. but then it looks like another potential dry pattern setting up monday into tuesday. enjoy the rain and snow for now. it looks like we catch a break monday afternoon. >> thank you very much, rob. after a brief hibernation, occupy sf reunited their movement taking aim at a car dealership. two protesters smashed up a bentley dealership in their attempt to target 1%. there's a large crack in one of the windows. just down the block, demonstrators surrounded an abandoned hotel. 20 to 30 protesters went inside

cathedral hill hotel. they got on to the roof and hung an occupy sign on the building. by 11:15 last night, officers were able to take control of the building. three protesters were arrested for trespassing and we understand at least one person was pepper sprayed. earlier in the day, at least 19 people were arrested at other occupy protests. a marin county judge will likely mack a ruling monday morning on the trial of suspected serial killer joseph naso. the judge will decide whether he'll be held over for trial for allegedly killing four prostitutes during a 22-year span which began in 1977. yesterday, the marin county district attorney summed up the evidence brought against nasoduring the last two weeks of his preliminary hearing. prosecutors also presented evidence that the dna of naso's ex-wife was found on a pair of panty hose which was used to strangle the first victim in 1977. yesterday nasosaid he only had contact with one of those victims, pamela parsons but none of others. he said he picked parsons up who

was hitchhiking. coming up this morning on "today in the bay," the bay area gets hammered with rain and gusty winds and that sideways rain that rob was talking about. it did cause some damage. we'll look at that and show you what you can expect for the rest the day and, of course, for kickoff tomorrow. more local news in fact all of the day's news coming up for you in 30 minutes at 7:00, "today in the bay."ç the best approach to food is to keep it whole for better nutrition. that's what they do with great grains cereal. they steam and bake the actual whole grain while the other guy's flake is more processed. mmm. great grains. the whole whole grain cereal.

we're back on this saturday morning, january 21st, 2012. the snow is falling here in new york. that hasn't stopped this great crowd. the few that they are, they're hardy folks out here. >> you say great crowd. that's it. one side to the other. ky recognize their names. >> all 15 of them. thank you for watching us this morning. i'm amy robach along with lester holt. still to come in this thereafter hour, the picture of hope. >> earlier this week we showed you pictures of the texas model who had walked into a spinning

airplane propeller seen in public for the first time since her accident. now, the 911 call placed moment as f the accident. here are the intense and emotional efforts to save her life. we eelg bring that to you coming up. is life in the mob as glam ruz as portrayed as it is on television? coming up, we're going to meet a woman who lived inside that world for years. she shared the good, the bad, the ugly, and the gang sters and the life they lead. >> have you ever had gooey duck? >> no, i have not. >> it's not poultry. it's shellfish. we're take on a culinary tour of bizarre foods from around the world. i don't know whether to be excited or scared. raccoon, turtle -- >> i don't know. will it me know how it all tastes. >> we'll do a segment together and taste together. >> and we're going to puke together too. >> well. >> if i have to eat that stuff,

that's what we'll do. better you than me. good morning, everyone. i'm going to get nice and close. this is as close as i'm going get to florida this winter. i'm surprised you have all the winter gear. it's nice. >> we had to go get some before we came. >> the old shopping trip in the snow, very nice. happy 60th to you. wonderful. let's talk about what's happening, especially in the t west. we had this mini snowstorm in the east. we're excited about it. in the west, they're not excited, especially in the northwest. the ice and the snow. now, the mountains need it for your the water supply and we're going some of that rain to california which has gotten into a drought situation. san francisco down the coast is where we're going to be dealing with most of the rain. we're still watching in the southeast. a possibility of severe weather that does include south carolina. remember, we've got the primary voting taking place. be careful and keep an eye to the sky. some of the storms could be on the strong side. by the time we get to sunday, still looking at weather in the tennessee valley. this winter, all of a sudden we've got one storm after

another hitting the good morning. while the main rain event is done, we're sllre dealing with l the leftovers from storm number two. scattered showers there ih san jose. a littleliit i of tgh rain moving away from san francisco and more stttered shors in the north bay. great news for the sierra. snow levels dropping close to 4,000 feet. expect highs in the upper 50s around the bay area today. decreasing showers in the afternoon. increasing again tomorrow as storm three rolls in for the afternoon and it does look like a rainy start to your monday morning commute. you know, i for one, it finally feels like winter. looks like it, too, out there. back to you, lis ter. >> thank you, bill. now for a difficult recovery for a texas model when she walked into a plane's still spinning propeller. this week's video surfaced of lauren scruggs for the first time since her accident and the 911 call. we must warn you, some of what

you're about to hear is disturbing. more now from nbc's janet sham lean leanne. >> reporter: the first pictures of lauren scruggs shows just how far this young woman has kilometer. the 23-year-old is with her family but she walks without help and seems relaxed. a patch covers her left side of her face where she lost an eye and a jacket sleeve is pulled down over her left arm. lauren's hand was severed in the early december accident. now the 911 call and the frantic moments afterhave been released. a girl walked into an airplane prop. i need an ambulance immediately. >> where are you at, ma'am? >> reporter: the dispatcher presses for details. >> was it moving when it happened? >> yes. i think it cut her hand off. >> reporter: as an ambulance heads to the scene, more questions on lauren's condition. >> is she conscious? >> yes. >> she is. is she breathing?

>> yes. >> reporter: the unidentified man says lauren is somewhat responsive but he can't tell how badly or where exactly she's hurt because she's face down, but he adds she's trying to turn other. >> do you want me to let her turn over? >> is she trying to? >> she's trying to. >> okay. we don't want to hurt her any further than she is. >> i agree. >> reporter: moments later the ambulance arrives and the call is other. lauren's mother cheryl has been blogging about her daughter's row coverry on a site that has more than a million hits. despite these pictures showing a healthy looking lauren, cheryl wrote thursday, i thought deeply about lo, especially after the toughest week we've had yet. a strong road to recovery still ahead taken by lauren and her family a step at a time. now here's amy. thank you, lester. hollywood has long been infatuated by the mob.

audiences can't seem to get enough of wise guys. the focus has turned to the wives tied to the mob. we spoke with one woman who once date add gangster and managed to get out. joe el, fascinating. >> it is. i caught up with a woman who had a taste of the mob life. feeling trapped with no one to go to, she turned to her pen and paper and began writing. well, some 21 years and 21 drafts later, her story "brooklyn'sstore" was born. keep in mind names and situations have changed. the personal stories she tells are very real. >> reporter: for decades the mob has captured america's fascination. hollywood has cashed in on the krarksz glam orrizing gangsters. now vh1's hit reality series

"mob wives kwgs is pulling back the curtain. >> this is very accurate. this is how they live all the time. it's exactly what you see in the movies, so to speak. >> reporter: suzanne corso knows a thing about mobsters. at the age of 16 she was seduced into the arms of a notorious gangster. >> they were thriving. the mobs ruled the entire area. >> reporter: for those people who have this crazy fascination with the mob and they just want to know what is it like, just tell us what it's like. >> you know, you feel like you're with someone who's protecting you all the time and you have all sorts of money and power to do whatever you want and say whatever you want and go wherever you want, but at the end of the day, i think the power comes with a price. >> reporter: a hefty price tag in her case. >> it's this bad boy image that so many of us women live. >> reporter: the skprav gant gifts were followed by lies,

cheating, and abuse. by the time she realized what was going on, it seems to be too late. >> once you date a man from organized crime, you can't get out of the relationship. you think it's this whole glamorous world. it's really not. >> reporter: but after about five years her nightmare would come to an end. >> a murder occurred. i think when murders occur, everything changed. >> reporter: tony's wrap sheet of robberies, felonies and other crimes eventually landed him in a new york city's courtroom. a judge best known for convicting countless mobsters. >> this was really a trial out of a movie. one of his relatives jumped over the rail when the jurors said guilty and threatened the jurors and me. >> reporter: she was there and credits the very judge for saving her sflief i was in the back of the courtroom and it was one of these moments were everything was just lifted from my shoulders. >> i said to her, you don't have to be afraid anymore or words to that effect because he's going o

away for a long time. >> reporter: i could have been a mob wife if tony hadn't gone to jail. i left that courtroom and i just turned away and i never looked back. i am extremely blessed to be where i am today and i wouldn't have choose anywhere else to be. >> suzanne is shopping her book around and hopes to turn it into a movie. as for tony, he's been released from prison, and amy, i don't know where he is and i don't want to know where he is. >> it's probably best that that's the way it ended. >> exactly. suzanne doesn't know either. i'm sticking to that. >> thank you far that. we appreciate it. coming up next, help for homeowners, what not to do when selling your house online.ra sn useful tips but first these messages. really need to do something with it... i'm just not sure what... what is it? oh just return it. returning gifts is easier than ever with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service. if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate.

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this morning on "today's" open house, marketing your house on line. nearly all start the selling of their home on the internet. here are some of the major mick stacic mistakes when listing online. here's barbara corcoran. good morning. >> good morn, lester. >> existing home sales rose 5% in the year. that's the highest. the average rate is 3.88%. does this mean sellers are back in the driver's seat? >> no, we've got a long way to

go. it's very good news and optimistic, what it means is you're going to have a lot less competition selling your home because there are a lot fewer for sale but it does not mean that you should raise the price on your house or get excited. sellers get excite and it takes buyers at least a year to catch up and believe in it. you really ought to take it with a grain of salt and be happy. >> it mean use have to find new and innovative ways to market your house. one of the way, the internet. it's a no-brainer. >> it's where the battle to sell a house is fought every day. you're either going to fail on the internet or win. >> what places do you want to post it? >> there are five websites that drive almost all of the traffic into the home and they are yahoo! real estate, realtor.com, zillo daurjs trulia and msn real estate. the reason is you should ask your broker if every one of them are posted on the sites.

not everyone are. we have a great exam ples of good and bad. there's a picture of wife lighting is best. on the left you have an expensive room with light. every piece of furniture is black or gray. the wood is dark. it sucks up that light. that room does not sell. on the rightside you have very inexpensive white slip covers but you have one little window but it's flooded with sunshine and buyers always buy the sunny home. you can't afford to have the photo on the left. >> one thing you talk about is clutter. we'll see how that plays. >> it's amazing to me how the roomsly see online. take a look at this room right here. this is a bedroom that's loaded with clutter right there on the left. it's not even so bad shlg but look at that little rug in the corner. that grabs your attention. it's a room that can hold five. on the right it's almost equally bad. no furniture.

it makes it look small, miniature. make use think you're caught in a doll house. not good looking. >> you talk about curb appeal. >> there's no curb appeal that you drive up to anymore. no one does it. that i do their driving online. two almost identical homes, one with poor appeal. it needs clims, no sidewalk edging. the other is freshly painted, bushes. it looks like someone took scissors and chopped it up. that's phenomenally neat. >> you talk about things like cozy, charming, convenient yemtly located, efficient kitchen. those are bad words in your world. >> they're bad words. >> put that up again. i love your definitions. >> well, cozy always means to the buyer too small. charming too old. convenienty le located, deaf

ni nosy, efficient kitchen, kitchen is small, usable land means no tries. you don't want them to hook in. >> give me some words that work. >> in headlines. there are two ways. one you could knock the buyer right between the eyes with a great benefit like no closing costs or close within seven days or you could go the other way and paint a gorgeous picture like mid-sebtry modern with mountain views. i could live there. >> i like cozy. now you're telling me that's too small. >> keep that with your wife. keep that with her. >> okay. barbara corcoran, nice to see you. thank anniversary much. up next, bizarre foots across america. deep fried turtle, braised raccoon. you're not going to want to miss this. don't touch that dial. first this is "today" on nbc. never in my lifetime did i think i could walk 60 miles in 3 days.

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this morning on "today's" taste test it's a segment amy and i have been looking forward to all morning. >> don't lie. >> chef and author andrew zimmer has eaten strange foods from all over the world. >> before the new season which startsmond night, he's staying here in the usa in search of bizarre and quirky foods. lucky us, he's brought us samplingi sampli samplings. andr andrew, have we said how happy we are to have you with us. >> why did you decide to stay in the country? >> after traveling around the world, and we have hundreds of episodes, i wanted to come back to the united states and see if everything we saw was troor ott not true. we make the familiar unfamiliar. there's nothing strength a half a world away that shocks you but

when you see it in your own backyard that will touch a lot of americans and we're obsessoe with seeing pictures of ourselves. here's one of the most popular items in the whole united states. turtle. >> when you say popular -- >> we've had it in four or five different states. everywhere there's a popped, people trap turtle. >> which is the dark meet or the light. >> you can tell. dark, lighter meat chunks. >> it tastes like turtle. >> it doesn't taste like chicken? it tastes like turtle. >> no way. what is that? >> i touched it. >> we're going to blanch it in a little bit of hot water. >> what is that called? >> a gooey duck clam from the pacific northwest. all we do is balance it in the water for 30 seconds to peel the snout ought of it.

>> it has a snout. >> mm-hmm. these two slices will cost you about $12 in a very high end sushi bar. i know you're allergic to shellfish, but this is very sweet. >> it is. it's a little -- it's a little tougher than most sushi. >> well, if it's pounded, it's pretty tender. this snout comes right off of the am mall and you can see that it uses that snout to breathe and it extends its snout -- this and the shell are not edible but e' every other part of the clam is if you love the great delicacy? i think that's an oxy more ron, but i think that's just me. >> critter is making a comeback. >> what is critter. >> raccoon, possum. we don't call it roadky. this is one of the country's great meats. >> that's what i heard -- just

now. >> this is fresh raccoon. it's now being sold commercially all over the country. and you know, amy, there are communities all over the country who still hunt for their breakfast in the morning and hunt for their dinner in the evening. >> i'm one of those lucky few who doesn't have to. i e-mail totally faking it. >> i know. you should try it. it's barbecued, very mild i e-mail going to try just a little bit. >> i need your opinion. >> all right. it's actually not bad. >> it's like pork shoulder. >> all right. i will try one tiny -- >> step around here. >> i ate raccoon. >> one of the truly great dishes in the cajun repertoire, this is a big stomach that's been stuffed with cajun sausage. if you go down to bubba's fries in mowahta, you will have hog

ponce that will absolutely blow your mind. >> yeah, i'm sure. >> or your stomach. >> just a little? >> no, no, no. >> i'm not going to eat that. >> really? >> no. >> have you always been an adventurous eater? >> yeah, my whole life. >> as i staalll, stall, stall. >> this is not fear factor. with can have fun with this. for everything we eat, it's one less feed lot or commodity piece of cow -- >> what is that? >> this is big intestine, great restaurant in chinatown. >> i've got to run. bizarre foods premieres heon t tra veon the travel channel. we're back. >> vegetables. for just a little money? let's start with a paint we know can do the job. new glidden duo paint plus primer. ♪ one coat does double duty.

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andrei drew zimmer, thanks. tomorrow we'll have the results of the south carolina primary. >> we'll see you then. have a great day, everybody, and pet. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com up next on "today in the bay," the bay area gets pounded with rain, leaving people around the bay dark, roads closed. what you can expect to see when you head out today and tomorrow. occupy protesters damage a car dealership and take over an abandoned hotel. the chaos demonstrators caused in one bay area city. and come game day tomorrow, undercover officers will be even harder to spot. violence.ns to tackle fan "today in the bay" starts in two minutes. ce

[ male announcer ] how'd you learn to do that? when did you start that project? every new year comes with a few stories waiting to be built. it's when our brand-new to-do lists become "you did that yourself?" so when we can save more on the projects that let us fix, make, and do more, that just makes the stories even better. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. get this glacier bay vanity for the new lower price of just 39 bucks.

report be what happens to you, you're watching "today in the bay" with kris sanchez and weather with rob mayeda. good morning to you. looking live at a very pretty picture of the embarcadero. you can see the trees moving in the wind but not the kind of wind we