good morning, new evidence investigators remove blood-stained items from a storage unit rented by josh powell. latest development comes as his sons will be laid to rest today. new york giant basketball star jeremy lin has fans asking, kobe who? his 38 points led the any to a resounding victory over the los angeles lakers, the 6'3" point guard has seemingly come out of nowhere to become the most talked about player in the nba. who is that girl? her mom and dad are the music industry's most famous duo, now her daughter is getting her first shot at fame.

today's saturday february 11th, 2012. saturday, february 11th, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good morning, everyone. welcome to "today" on a saturday morning pipe lester holt. >> i'm amy robach. that beautiful bundle of joy with all of that hair, last name's carter. but that might not mean anything to anybody. >> beyonce and jay-z's daughter blue ivy, almost a month old. pictures released for free. we see celebrities who sell these. >> put it online. >> they sell photo to one of the big magazine. >> i don't think they need the money. >> looks like jay-z. >> i think so. adorable. >> a lot to talk about, including politics, republican candidates clearly want that conservative vote. so what's called the super bowl of conservative voter is going

on the conservative political action conference, cpac, in washington. friday they heard from mitt romney, newt gingrich, and rick santorum. today sarah palin addresses a crowd. that could shape the direction of the race for president. live from the campaign trail with more. the trial of george hughley, accused of killing his college girlfriend, yeardley love. that trial got under way about testimony of a tumultuous relationship filled with violence and heavy drinkers. mimi had an 18-month long affair with president kennedy as a white house intern. all week she's been telling her story and facing harsh criticism bringing it to light in her new book. she brings it live to address critics and that's why telling her story is to important. let's begin with the check of the day's top news stories. let's head over to the newsdesk where nbc's janet shamlian is

standing by. new video reportedly shows confusion among the captain and crew of the costa concordia in the hour after the cruise ship hit a reef and capsized. the video shot on the bridge command appears to show captain francesco schettino being pressured by other officers to a aevacuate that ship. when he told passengers taking lifeboats by themselves, the captain relies, okay, fine, let's let them go to land. least 17 people died in last month's disaster. 15 are still missing. and the captain is under house arrest. as president assad tries to hold on to power in syria, satellite images released friday appear to show syrian army tanks and armored vehicles moving into the city of homs which has been under air siege for several days now. fighting in homs has reportedly kills hundreds of people over the past week and the violence reaching the capital of damas s damascus. american officials are closing the embassy there. activists in egypt plan to

mark the anniversary with anti-army protests. aimen, good morning. >> reporter: good morning, janet. that unity we saw in egypt february 11th last year, calling for the mubarak, marked by sharp differences by political parties. today a nationwide strike called for by various revolutionary groups seems to have not gotten that much tractions. others calling on the military to hand over power quickly but that not has galvanized the street protests we saw last year. there are thosed led by islamic parties and others who feel the strikes are affecting the economy and the egyptian economy is in bad enough shape it does not need anymore. divisions emerging one year after the departure of president mubarak. >> thank you very much. europe is suffering from bone-crunching cold temperatures and snowstorms today. heavy snow hit the mountainous

area of central italy also on friday covering roads with snow and ice. national guard was called in to get things moving again. in sports, the knicks' jeremy lin undrafted harvard graduate outplayed kobe ending the lakers' dom main of the rivalry. he proved he's no one-week wonder and he's got a real nba career 0 a. head-him averaging more than 25 points per game. and a sensation since she was born. blue ivy has made her public debut. five photos of the month old are posted on her superstars' parent web page. the first child of beyonce and jay-z and welcome fans to share in their joy. 7:05, that's the news. let's head back to amy and lester. >> all right. janet, thanks very much. >> thank you very much. in fact, let's get a check of the weather with the weather channel's mike bettis. >> it's a little ugly for a lot

of people. winter has arrived, including around the great lakes. take you to the great lakes state and michigan. did you see what happens along i-75. snow got so bad, people abandoned their cars and started walking. these are hardy folks in michigan. takes a lot to slow them down, doesn't it? not to be outdone, we take you to europe. the snow so high in romania, it's over the tops of their cars. it's up to the rooftops. no, thank you. an opposite winter for them europe than what we've had in the united states. i tell you what, it is back. winter's very cold for us now. we've got some snow to deal with as well. winter weather advisories, warnings from pittsburgh, erie down toward the mountains of erstern north carolina. e's the snow for you. get it in cleveland, inth pittsburgh, west virginia, more than a foot of snow. into the northeast as well, light snow for you around philadelphia and new york. it will mix. won't add up to much. but for many of you, it's going to be significant accumulation through the weekend with the lake-effect snow. some of you a foot to a foot and

a half of snow. you'll see it in maine as well. low moves out, improving conditions later in the day. chilly, even across the south, including in state of florida. that's a look at the weather all across the and saturday morning starting off with some drizzle and a few light rain showers around parts of the bay area this morning around the peninsula, you see that towards oakland and down the peninsula. you'll find a few light showers for the morning. temperatures start off in the 40s and 50s around lunch time. the south bay is lagging around temperatures. highs today upper 50s to low 60s. we'll dry out a bit late this afternoon into about noon sunday and then more rain sunday night. eather update comes your way in a half hour. amy? >> thank you. this evening the maine republican party will announce the result of its week-long caucus and while three of the four remaining candidates have chalked up one victory, we can see a first-time win for ron

paul. nbc's ron allen joins us from portland. good morning, ron. >> reporter: good morning, amy. we're outside one of the many caucus sites here senate of maine. we expect candidates to be stopping by during the day. yes, it is a two-man race between ron paul and mitt romney, and you're right, it is ron paul perhaps his best chance to win state. he has a big following here. mitt romney arrived in the town last night and held a town hall meeting, very warm welcome. he's also added two events today to seal the deal here in maine where he's expected to win. hopefully, of course, a big day for him because he wants to try to end the four-contest losing streak. the voting here in maine following a big day in washington, d.c. where candidates spoked to annual gathering of conservative activists known as cpac. rick santorum spoke first, took a couple of swipes at romney, got a warm reception and romney had a chance to push back. >> we talk about how are we going to get moderates? why would an undecided voter vote for a candidate of a party

who the party's not excited about? >> i fought against long odds in a deep blue state but i was a severely conservative republican governor. >> reporter: that term severely conservative governor's going to be repeated many times, quite a turn of phrases. back here in maine, votes counted by early this evening. 5,000, 6,000 kaushg cuss caucus participating. a big day on the political calendar especially mitt romney who needs a win to get things back on track. >> ron allen, thanks so much. the obama administration announced a compromise of the controversial contraception mandate. the new man would allow employees of religious institutions to get free contraception directly from health insurance companies. nbc's kristin welkers has the latest. >> reporter: under fire from catholic bishops, republicans,

and some members of his own paer parties president obama backtracked on the contraception mandate. >> after the many genuine concerns raises over the last few weeks as awell as, frankly, the more cynical desire on the part of some to make this into a political football, it became clear that spending months hammering out a solution was not going to be an option. >> reporter: three weeks ago the administration announced that all religiously affiliated institutions would have to cover contraception at no cost to their employees. but now, an about-face. >> religious organizations won't have to pay for these services and no religious institution will have to provide these services directly. >> reporter: instead, the insurance companies providing coverage for those groups will be required to reach out to women directly, and offer contraception coverage without charge. administration officials maintain the insurance companies will ultimately save money through preventive care. some republicans say the president missed the point.

>> this is not about cost. it's about faith principles that those institutions hold dear. >> reporter: archbishop dolan, one of the president's most outspoken critics this past week -- >> that's a foul ball, by any standard. >> reporter: -- released a statement friday that read, today's decision to revise how individuals obtain services that are morally objectionable to religious entities and people of faith is a first step in the right direction. the president's supporters say it's case closed. >> i feel like it was a total reaffirmation of his belief that all women, regardless of where they work, deserve access to with control without any deductible or any expensive co-pays. >> reporter: many catholic women were also cheering the news. >> it resolves the issue, gives women the ability to get the contraception they need and it gives the churches the ability to continue with their strong beliefs. >> reporter: republican candidates have been hammering the president on this issue for days. so now the obama campaign is

preparing to deal with it all the way to november. for "today," kristin welker, nbc news, the white house. >> 11 minutes past the hour. amy? >> thank you. former penn state assistant coach back in court friday. his attorneys requested leniency in his bail restrictions. one of the main issues could sandusky visit his grandchild n grandchildren? michael isikoff has details. >> reporter: accused child molest ter jerry sandusky on the courthouse steps makes an appeal to see his grandchildren. >> one of them said that the only thing i want for my birthday is to be able to see pop. >> reporter: accuses his neighbors of betraying him after complaining he's been sitting out on his deck with his dog and frightening their children. >> now i can't take our dog on my deck and throw out biscuits to him? all of a sudden these people turn on me when they've been in

my home with their kids. >> reporter: the former penn state defensive coach showed up for a court hearing friday on the terms his house arrest while he awaits trial on more than 50 counts of child sex abuse. his lawyer asked a judge to grant sandusky more freedom to see grandchildren, meet with old friends and leave his home to accompany a private investigator to help identify potential witnesses in his case. prosecutors oppose the motion, and want him confined inside the walls of his house. they say his repeated visits to his porch, directly overlooking an elementary school playground, is unnerving his neighbors. >> it's the whole back of his house faces the elementary school. to think that he's up there watching our kids and that's his new outlet, it's just creepy. >> reporter: at friday court hear, an agent testified that a teacher reported that students could see sandusky out on the deck from inside the classroom. one of them crying out, that man

is out there! >> neighbors are very concerned about mr. sandusky. there's a discomfort level out there in the community. >> reporter: the judge will rule on the question of where sandusky can go, who he can see early next week, along with other issues in the case. but he did make clear he wants to move the case quickly to a trial which he's scheduled for may 14th. for "today," michael isikoff, nbc news, bellefonte, pennsylvania. as mitt romney continues to battle for the republican nomination, the question of faith continues to be in focus. whether americans are becoming more accepting of his religion, mormonism. here nbc's kristin dahlgren. ♪ america ♪ ♪ >> reporter: the mormon tab ber knackle choir, until now the best-known voice of an unusual that for many remains a mystery. >> they see themselves as an embattled minority. >> reporter: in a recent pew

study of 1,000 mormons nearly half face discrimination. >> when you are referred to as a cult, it is -- it is disappointeding. >> reporter: 62% say they feel other americans are uninformed about their beliefs. but is all that about to change? >> i believe in america and i'm running for president of the united states. >> reporter: with very high-profile members of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints in the spotlight many are calling this the mormon moment. there's the musical" the book of mormon" the twilight series written by mormon stephenie meyer and the most famous church member now, mitt romney. >> romney has been part of the vanguard of moving the mormon faith into kind of mainstream american culture. >> reporter: when he ran for the white house in 2008, romney addressed his religion. >> no candidate should become the spokesman for his faith. if he becomes president, he will need the preyers of the people

of all faith. >> reporter: in a 2011 public religion research institute survey 42% of voters said a mormon president would make them somewhat or very uncomfortable perhaps because of misconceptions like this. >> we present ourselves unto theee. >> reporter: big love is about polygamy associate with the mormon church but abandons by the religion back in the 1890s. >> we don't believe in polygamy, there are not active mormons that practice polygamy and so that's just -- that's a perfect example of just a misunderstanding that comes from the show. >> reporter: to combat notions the church has started an ad campaign depicting everyday mormons. >> i'm a father, a husband, and a musician, and i'm a mormon. >> reporter: but for many, even high-profile misperceptions can offer opportunity. >> a do appreciate that good people will come forth and say, really, that is what you believe? and it gives us a chance to say,

no, let me explain. >> reporter: a mormon moment that many church members hope will lead to a lifetime of greater understanding. for "today," kristin dahlgren, nbc news, los angeles. now to a virus that is so strong, cruise ships have been forced to return to port early because many passengers have become ill. it's called the norovirus, second only to the common cold in terms of numbers of people affected by the virus each year in the u.s. here's nbc's chief medical editor, dr. nancy snyderman. >> reporter: this seven-day cruise was anything but a pleasure. hundreds of sick passengers and crew members aboard the luxury crown princess were hit by a most unwelcomed party guest, the norovirus. >> it's been a nightmare. we lost two full days of our cruise. >> reporter: another ship "ruby princess" docks early after more than 100 of its passengers and crew became too ill to leave their cabins. >> the captain made a few announcements about a sickness on the ship. >> they didn't want us to touch

anything that somebody else might touch. >> reporter: here's the norovirus under a microscope. it thrives in moist environments and medical experts say its easiest round of transmission, close quarters. >> because everyone is jammed up so tightly together it's so easy for that virus to spread one person to another, those people spread it to four others, those four spread to to 18 others. >> reporter: and it's not just cruise ships. in new jersey, more than 150 students contracted norovirus at nearby princeton university. dozens taken to the hospital after being gripped by painful stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. both universities stepped up cleaning, scrubbing and sanitizing common areas like cafeterias and rest rooms while urging students to take precautions. >> it's important for us to do what we can to make sure it doesn't spread, by washing our hands, making sure that we sanitize and scrub the halls and the bathrooms and places where

this can spread. >> reporter: dr. nancy snyderman, nbc news, new york. >> once again, here's lester. this morning on "today"'s health, preventing the onset of alzheimer's, memory loss and forgetfulness may be a normal part of the aging process but new signs show we can prevent the symptoms that can lead to alzheimer's. dr. gary small author of "alzheimer's prevention program". a lot of people fear as they get older they're going to lose their memory through alzheimer's or the aging process. is it inevitable our memory begins to slip? >> that's a midmyth it's inevit. lifestyle choices we make every day have a greater impact on how well our brain ages. what is exciting and unique about the alzheimer's prevention program is that it provides people with a seven-day jump

start program so they can really see change right way. it makes it easy and it helps them create new brain healthy lifestyle habits they can continue for the rest of their life. >> to be clear, are we talking delaying the onset or preventing alzheimer's? >> we're talking about delaying the onset of symptoms and if people can keep up these brain healthy lifestyle habits for one, two, three or more years, they can delay that onset long enough so that they may never get the symptoms through their lifetime. >> one of most important things you advocate in this book is physical exercise goes a long way towards helping us keep our memory. >> taking a brink daily walk lowers your risk for alzheimer's by 40%. your heart is pumping nutrients and oxygen to your brain cells so they're sprouting branches, communicating more effectively and strengthening themselves for the long haul. >> you also point out the fact there are certain foods we should be eating.

>> the alzheimer's prevention diet includes antioxidant fruits and vegetables, protect our brain cells from the aging process. also omega 3 fats from fish and nuts flight inflammation which can attack our brain cells as they age. we want to get healthy, whole grains. together this kind of diet helps us manage our weight which is critically important because overweight and obesity is strongly linked to alzheimer's disease. >> how about stress in our lives? does that affect other able to retain memory? >> stress is the enemy of memory and it literally shrinks the memory centers of the brain. but we can manage stress better, and when we do that we lower our risk for depression, we increase our mental focus, and improve our memory rather quickly. >> give me an exercise, something we can do that will make us sharper. >> i like to teach look, snap, connect. look reminder to focus attention. snap, create a mental snapshot or picture. finally, connect is a way to

link up those mental snapshots so they have meaning. >> dr. small, thanks very much. good to see you again. >> we'll be right back. >> t hank you. >> we'll b e right back. you know wgraduation.ing, when i look up into my student's faces, i see pride. you know, i have done something worthwhile. when i earned my doctorate through university of phoenix, that pride, that was on my face. i am jocelyn taylor, i am committed to making a difference in peoples lives and i am a phoenix.

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and lexus' dynamic handling, the next generation of lexus will not be contained. the all-new 2013 lexus gs. there's no going back. ♪ good saturday morning to you. looking live at the golden gate bridge it's a slick roadway, we expect heavier rain for tomorrow. i'm kris sanchez aamong with meteorologist rob mayeda. >> san francisco toward oakland a little light showers or heavy drizzle and more as you move down the peninsula into the south bay. the weather system is crossing over the central coast, adding extra lift to the low cloud cover so we veeom s areas of light rain for the morning and

as we go towards the afternoon notice temperaturesom today staying kind of in the name range we saw yesterday. upper 50s and low 60s around the trivalley. cooler in the south bay where the low clouds linger into the afternoon. 58 san francisco, 63 in santa rosa. the trend later today should be less drizzle. first half looks dry and mostly cloudy and heavier rain we think by sunday evening into monday and look at the highs, now looking like winter. we'll see highs in the upper 40s to mid-50s some monday. >> thank you, rob. be careful where you do your buying and selling today. police are investigators a craigslist robbery with a fiery end. suspected thieves caused an entire s.w.a.t. team to swarm in. six armed men were traced to a house on castlewood when the occupants refused orders to come out s.w.a.t. officers tossed

nonflammable tear gas canisters into the house. flames broke out minutes later but investigators say they don't know how that fire started. >> shortly thereafter the officers entered the residence and determined that there was no one inside the residence other than a couple of dogs. >> where did they go in. >> at this point we don't know where the residents had gone. >> police believe the suspects were in the house when they arrived on the scene. they recovered the getaway car. state officials shut down a massive construction project under way at san jose medical center. representatives from the state office of health, planning and development went to the job site wednesday and stopped the work. published report cites two problems, the contractor changed building plans without state approval and the county replaced a top inspector responsible for ensuring that approved plans and building codes were followed. the hospital is undergoing a multimillion-dollar remodel and

seismic upgrade. coming up this morning on "today in the bay" what will happen to the little squirrel monkey stolen from the san francisco zoo. that in 30 minutes and all of the day's news coming up for you here at 7:00. hey guys, breakfast! ♪ [ female announcer ] if whole grain isn't the first ingredient in your breakfast cereal, what is? now, in every box of general mills big g cereal, there's more whole grain than any other ingredient. that's why it's listed first on the side. from honey nut cheerios

to cinnamon toast crunch to lucky charms, get more whole grain than any other ingredient... without question. just look for the white check. we're back on this saturday morning, february 11th. look at that crowd. so many of them so excited. we're happy to have them with us on a wet winter morning here in new york city. we were expecting some snow, but this morning, it was very disappointing because it was just rain and it hasn't stopped these great folks from coming out on the zpla this morning. we're going to join them in just a bit and say hi. first i'm amy robach along with lester holt. first a story about pom-pom mom.

>> she was charged in a murder for hire plot when she tried to kill the mother of her daughter's school rival. now her daughter is speaking out about how her life was affected by this sensational story. we're going to bring it to you. and then the duchess effect. she's one of the most photographed women in the world. kate middleton has proved she's not only a trendsetter but a fashion icon. how she's had an effect on the fashion industry all around the world. and who says love grows oil. with valentine's day just a fwu days ago, we'll introduce you to a couple who found love a second time around and at 90 years old. it's a very sweet story. you don't want to miss it. >> i love it. we have to make a hard turn here because first we're going to have to talk about violence, infidelity, and excessive drinking. that's what the jury in the yeardley love trial heard. love's 24-year-old boyfriend george huguely is charged with killing her two years ago. nc's mike viqueira has more on

the dramatic testimony. >> reporter: it was the most wrenching tay yet in the murder trial of george huguely. jurors heard an account from huguely himself when prosecutors played a recorded statement he made to police just hours after yeardley love was found dead in her apartment. waving his right to lawyer huguely told police after a day of heavy drinking he went to love's apartment late at night to talk, he says, about their troubled relationship. under questioning huguely reveals kicking the hole in her door and choke her but denies that she died. he says he shook her a little, they wrestled on the floor and she may have had a bloody nose. after tossing love onto her bed, he says he left her apartment claiming that love never lost consciousness during the altercation. the defense claims he did not intention ally kill love and medication love was taking may have trinted to her death. three days of testimony have

revealed a pattern of mutual infidelity, mental abused on the part of huguely and love during the course of their fiery two-year relationship. he appeared to think he was under suspicion of assault, not murder. 45 minutes in the detective reeves drops a bombshell. she's dead. you killed her. at this point he drops into his stairings. i didn't hurd her. i didn't. there's no way she died. later, i never did anything that would do that to her. tell me she's not dead as it played out, one member of the family and he could be seen wiping away tears. >> beth caras is a former prosecutor and trutv correspondent. beth, good morning. >> good morning. >> what a tough week of testimony in this trial. i want to go back to what mike first was talking about in terms of the tape recorder and what

was heard by huguely. he said he kicked open ya yeardley's door, wrestled with her, he may have grabbed her neck but he didn't strangle her. how damaging is that? >> it's an admission that he's there and he had a physical altercation with her. so it's pretty darn damaging. now, the issue in this case, though, isn't is he innocent or guilty. it's what is this? is this murder or manslaughter? the defense is looking for man slaught sneer right. when he told the police, he sounded genuinely distraught and shocked. does that help him? >> well, it can help. it can -- maybe some jurors will feel, you know what? he djts go in there with the intention to kill here. there are a couple theories of murder. one is premeditated murder. the other is felony murder. he busted into the place. he commit add burglary. and you commit a felony while you're committing this burkley. if you commit the murder rather while you're committing the felony, that could be murder,

the same level, as premeditated murder. that's really a stronger theory for the prosecution. >> speaking to that, what about the notion by the defense that he was so drunk he couldn't have planned to murder her? >> well, i don't know. there's an e-mail two or three days earlier that said i should have killed you when i found out you were with that unc lacrosse player. >> is that not intent to kill? it is some evidence and then he throws her computer away. it's a question of what do you call this. >> right. well, then, to complicate things further you have a lot of witnesses who took the stand who describe a very physically violent relationship between both of them. how will that weigh in the minds of the jurors? she would hit him. he would hit her. this was a long-standing violent relationship. >> right. so their past is relevant, but what happened in that room is what is the issue for the jury. it's not like she invited him in. he busted his way in. the evidence was introduced in the courtroom with the hole in the door. he forced his way in there.

and if she fought with him in the room, she had a right to defend herself. she was a mess. she had an eye that was swollen shut. she was all bloody. her injuries are not consistent with what he told police he said. that's the problem for him. >> what can we expect next week? >> there'll be more forensic evidence next week. >> all right. beth caras, thanks so much. we appreciate it. >> my pleasure. let's head over to mike beit is for another check of the weather. good morning, mike. >> good morning, amy. there's a look at your forecast today. very chilly across the north in places like chicago, just 19 degrees. minneapolis, 13. we we've got snow in the east, pittsburgh, philadelphia, new york, and boston. getting cold across the south. temperature along the gulf coast will only be in the 50s today. that's a look at t good saturday morning to you.

we're seeing 40s and l 50s outside, a lot of clouds and some drizzle. you're going to wake up to this morning, we're at 52 in san jose and temperatures only climbing about eight degrees headed into the afternoon. the reason why we have the drizzle, we have this little weather system crossing the coast to our south, adding extra lift to the low clouds and we'll see a few light showers early in the day, should dry out in the evening. first half of tomorrow looks dry, rain sunday night on into your monday morning commute. and remember you can keep track of weather by tuning into the weather channel or weather.com. amy? >> thanks, mike. still ahead, overcoming abuse and grief. taylor armstrong of the "real housewives of beverly hill" talks about her tumultuous life on and off the screen. a former white house aide who says she cared on an 18-month relationship with the president. first these messages. s jewelry designs are uniquely beautiful. one look, and it's easy to see why his rings are worn by hollywood's biggest stars.

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>> how are you doing? it's been over a week? >> iemt doing incredibly well, i'm so surprised. i think it has to do with finding my voice and feeling confident about that and also understanding that other people have their voice, and it's -- whatever criticism i've had, i feel that in a way i almost welcome it. it's making me understand what it is to have a voice. i feel actually liberated. >> i mean it's an understatement to say people have their voice. i've been priv yo to a number of water cooler conversations this week. everybody wants to talk about this and talk about you, and many of the characterizations are harsh to put it quite bluntly. are you such prized -- in this book you almost invite people to judge you. is it a surprise people are judging you? >> i'm not sure it's -- no, it's not surprising to me. it would have been in 2003 when i was outed by robert dollack. what i've had to do is silence

myself again, even though i admitted the truth. but i really silenced myself. this is very different and it's been very interesting to me because the writing of the book was one piece and having to relive all those memories and now talking about it is a whole other step. i think that's what really -- the importance of my story is. that's what it's called. >> of course, the big part of the story is the first time you slept with the president, it was in jackie's bedroom. at that moment had you decided this was a one-time thing, never again in. >> in that moment in mrs. kennedy's bedroom, i don't think after that i decided anything. i think i was just in way wondering what had happened. >> was this an affair? was this an assault? what was it? >> i don't think it was either of those. i didn't feel that it was an assault, and i wasn't really sure what it was or what it turned into. >> in the fall of 1962 you said that there with us a pregnancy

scare and the president basically said take care of it, didn't want to deal with the idea of a baby. and the next year his son patrick dies prematurely. in the book you write about watching him grieve and the first time you had seen anybody grieve on that level. >> right. >> so when you're thinking back to your pregnancy scare, were you surprised at the different president kennedy in those situations? >> no, because the pregnancy scare, i didn't feel that it was sort of you take care of it. it was, this is how we would help you. so i think that being with him -- >> go see this doctor. >> when he was grieving for his lost child, that's what i focused on as a good part of him. >> you said you originally were supposed to go to dallas with the president in november of '63. at the last minute jackie goes instead. you were at the gas station when you hear the news about his assassination. >> yeah. >> what was your reaction? >> it was probably like everybody's reaction.

i was absolutely stunned. >> but the stunned feeling that most people felt was the loss of a president. >> that's right. it was a docombination. >> but you'd lost a lover? >> yes. i lost someone i'd had a relationship with for 18 months. it with us shocking. >> and you could not grieve publicly at the loss of a lover. >> no. >> you could grieve at the loss of a president like everyone else. >> i couldn't even grieve at the loss of a president because shortly after that, i really accepted the demand to be silent, never discuss it, never tell anybody. so i actually never got to grieve, even for the loss of a president. >> this was the end of the relationship obviously. where in your mind was it going up until that point? >> i probably didn't think too much about where the relationship was going because i was engaged to be married at that time. >> were you going to continue the relationship even as a married woman? >> no, i don't think so. and the president also knew that i was getting married. i think the relationship had

come to an end. >> as we look at this story and inevitably we're going to judge, who's the injured party here? you or the presidentso? >> i've been the injured party if you look at what the story's done to me, leaving me with this secret i've lived with for so long and not be able to resolve those issues and really have my voice. that's where the injury is. i think a piece of me was shut down and silenced, and it's really taken this long for me to understand what it is to be opeopen and to have a voice. >> lastly, back to those water cooler conversations we've all been having about this book, the question i keep asking in this discussion is what does she want us to do with this? read this? what are we as the reader -- >> i think it's an interesting question. thing a lot of people are doing different things with it. i've actually heard from a

number of young women who heard my story and my book has opened a conversation for them to deal with secrets in their life in situations of being silenced and not being open. so that's a way that people look at their own lives. >> mimi alford, thanks for stopping by. it was good to talk with you. we're going to take a break. we'll be back with more after these messages. a long term struggle needs long term relief. eucerin calming creme. used every day, its triple ingredient formula is clinically proven to relieve dry, itchy skin, with 92% of people reporting improved overall skin condition over time. eucerin calming creme. and the gentle cleansing formula of calming body wash. calm, healthy skin starts with eucerin. have 46 grams of whole grains... mmmm. ...and a touch of sweetness. you'll be delighted to discover how good they taste.

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traditional wedding, reception, and honeymoon. what makes this unique? the combined age of the bride and groom is 182. like most gentlemen, colonel william thomas doesn't like to kiss and tell, but he just can't help himself when it comes to his wife. >> part of her hasn't aged bee beyond 40 years, her lessing, her bosoms, her face, her hair. >> you're going to say that on tv? >> he's allowed because he's a new lie wed. >> congratulations. it's never too age. >> at the mutual age of 91 william and margaret tied the knot in december. the bride and groom certainly didn't let age get in the way of tradition. marking the occasion with a church service followed by a reception and, of course, a honeymoon. >> we had a very good family

gathering for the wedding. >> both were recently widowed and had been friends years ago. >> margaret was the best friend of my wife's. >> the comes lost touch, but then fate stepped in last fall when margaret moved next door to watermelon at this retirement community in charleston, south carolina. >> it was a pleasant feeling to know that there's someone there for you, and that's what we missed when we lost our spouses. >> both lived full lives before retiring here. margaret ran an antique story and william was president eisenhower's pilot. >> there aren't too many men like this in the world. >> they still have their own apartments but these days they're only an arm's length or kiss away from each other. >> it was meant to happen.

>> it will make the last ten years of our life great. >> proving it's never too late to find true love. >> does that make you feel good or what? >> they do. they look great for walking down the aisle. i love that. >> they're very happy. we're happy for them. we're back in a moment, but first this is "today" on nbc. when you combine wht the home depot with this weekend? the cure for cabin fever. because with... get-it-done savings on everything we need... ...we can turn this weekend into a fresh floor... ...or an updated bathroom... ...or a brand new look. so let's hit those orange aisles - and make today the day - we make a big difference - no matter how big our budget. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. get more project for your money - like this valencia vanity, now just 199 bucks.

still to come on "today," new evidence police in washington state find new clues in a storage unit rented by josh powell. and the duchess effect. how one of the most photographed women of the world has a billion-dollar effect on the fashion industry. we'll talk about that and much more, but first these messages. who thinks it might be time to listen to her heart. so she talked to her walgreens pharmacist who gave her a free blood pressure test and showed her how easy it is to do it herself at home. get a free blood pressure test any day in february at any walgreens pharmacy

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scattered showers early in the day. temperatures will be running n as war as the last couple of days, upper 50s to low 60s. parts of the south bay probably going to get stuck with lingering clouds even as we go through the afternoon so kind of mild temperatures, mild start to the morning and low temperature as we go through the afternoon today. tomorrow increasing clouds through the day and as we're talking about kris, tomorrow night into monday, colder system, perhaps snow near 4,000 feet so maybe mt. hamilton, we'll keep a close eye on that. >> a lot after so much hot weather. thanks, rob. puppy beater and puppy stealers, san francisco police are out there and need your help to catch them. the sfpd says this litter of 3-week-old puppies you see was forcefully stolen from a home in the 100 block of cameron way in the bay view district on tuesday. the suspects forced their way into the house, attacked the two parent dogs with a blunt object, then made off with the puppies.

police say because of the puppies' young age it is vital they be returned to their mother. >> we're hoping the suspects return the dogs to the victims, to the victim's home and/or to an w animal care facility so th the puppies can survive. >> if you know anything about the puppy theft you are asked to call the san francisco police. san francisco's chinatown will light up tonight for the chinese new year parade, a tradition that spanned more than 150 years. it starts on five and second streets and gary boulevard down post and finish at kearney and columbus. this year features a 250-foot-long dragon honoring the year of the dragon. parade organizers say for the best spot seek out your space as early as 4:30. i don't know, some folks say earlier than that. down on the peninsula, families can enjoy chinese knew year's celebration as well, a live

dance werance in los altos at state street near second street. the mayors will also be there. coming up this morning on "today in the bay" he is the buzz of the nba, palo alto's own jeremy lin. we'll show you what this lin-sanity is about, in case you were living under a rock. more local news in 30 minutes and all of the day's news coming up at 7:00.

welcome back to "today" saturday morning 11th day of february, 2012. a nice crowd out here. remember that rain we mentioned a bit earlier? it is now turning to snow flurries here. >> yeah! >> it's all right. it's all right. event seen a lot of that around here. lester holt along with amy roba robach. the duchess effect. >> that's right. kate middleton's impact on fashion. dresses, jewelry lines and shoes sellout because she wears them once. as the duchess moves up the fashion list, wait until you hear who she replaced for the top spot. we'll talk about the sobering reality for reality

star from "real housewives of beverly hills" taylor armstrong a cast member of the bravo show. when the cameras weren't rolling she dealt with an abusive marriage and her husband's suicide. the pom-pom mom 20 years later. 1991, want do da holloway tried to hire a hitman to kill the rival of her daughter's cheerleader rival. how the scand al affected her. more on that coming up. before we get to all of that, let's head back over to the newsdesk and nbc's janet chambleen there with the top stories of the day. good morning to you. good morning, everyone. the nation's roman catholic bush sho bishops are expressing doubts the changed rule. he was backing off. >> religious organizations won't have to pay for these services

and no religious institution will have to provide these services directly. >> instead, employees of those institutions will be able to get free contraceptives directly from health insurance companies. powerball dreams are sweeping nation. jackpot $310 million, powerba powerball's fifth largest jackpot ever, the 12th largest for any u.s. lottery. records could fall if the jackpot rolls over tone. greece might be able to use the money. voting on $170 billion bailout which includes slashing minimum wage and firing thousands of civil workers. protests against at anti-alwa anti-austerity measures turned violent. police fired tear gas at demonstrators as thousands of striking workers marched to parliament in protests of tax increases and government cuts. u.s. navy honoring former arizona congresswoman gabrielle giffords by naming a ship after

her. a wombat ship it comes a week after giffords resigns from congress to focus on her recovery. she was critically injured in tucson last year. music's first couple beyonce and jay-z just like any proud parents who had a baby. er this 'posting a series of intimate portraits with their new bundle of joy on their website. blue ivy was born a month ago. beyonce and jay-z welcome their fans to share in their joy and speaking of joy, wedding bells are ringing for a penguin coupling at the shanghai aquarium. this time of year just before valentine's day has become a hugely popular festival in china, a sign of the influence of western customs on chinese culture. the humble penguins were selected because of their monogamous nature. how you figure that out but that's what they say.

amy? >> i'm with you. good morning. thanks so much. the weather channel's mike bettis with us with snow falling. >> you were disappointed. it was raining now we've got the snow. great crowd joining us pennsylvania, delaware, oklahoma. you're sing at carnegie hall. you've got the vocal cords warmed up because this snow can't be good for them. >> no it can't. >> excited about singing there? >> yes. >> congratulations on the great nor. talk about your weather. for many, it is very, very chilly. take a look at numbers. it's 11 be low at international falls, single digits in minneapolis and green bay. 11 now in the motor city, factor in the wind, bone-chilling. look at those windchills, 29 below in international falls. 22 below up towards glass go, montana. temperatures below what you've been experiencing ine all winte. numbers, chilly for so many of you. th

and good morning to you. we're seeing 40s and 50s outside, a mild start with some clouds and here is a a look at the next three days of weather. drizzle and light rain in a few spots, should turn drier later on today and tomorrow night into monday the stronger system will bring us more than just a drizzle around parts of the bay area, you can see a little bit around san francisco, passing by to the south right now giving us this brief taste of scattered showers, i think we'll see some drying towards the evening into tomorrow morning but round two rolls in sunday evening. e to lester. >> mike, thanks. washington state where investigators have found new evidence against josh powell who killed himself and his two young sons on sunday. a bloody comforter was found. mickell almaguer, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. a large crowd's expected here in a few hours.

family, friends, strangers grieving together for charlie and braden, this as we learn more about their father who murdered them and the evidence police have collected against him. >> reporter: in the days following josh powell's double murder-suicide, police continue to make shocking discoveries. just yesterday, they announced they found a blood-soaked comforter in the storage shed rented by josh powell. foen potential evidence that will undergo further testing too early to tell if it could belong to his missing wife susan who me may have murdered in 2009. also this week, police released this picture, josh powell withdrawing $7,000 from a bank, 24 hours before he set his home on fire with boys inside. the mounting evidence which including dis-turk image found on his home compute. >> what that was, was pornography in that it was animated, it was cartoons, but it's still kind of hinted at

enses tuous kids and adults but animation cartoons. >> reporter: the images, say investigators, one of the reasons powell would lose supervised visits with his boys. >> he blew up the house and the kids. >> reporter: a social worker bro brought charlie and braden to their home, he took their lives in the well-planned and calculated fire. the social worker says powell told his boys, i have a surprise for you after slamming the front door shut. after hearing the scream from braden, the social worker dialed 911. >> they have to respond to emergency life-threatening situations first. >> reporter: >> well, this could be life threatening. >> reporter: on the initial emergency call, confusion. a deputy wasn't dispatched for eight minutes. by the time police arrived, 22 minutes after the call, there was nothing they could do. >> i just wish that i had understood better what -- what the circumstances were and the lethal quality of this call and all of the dangerous potential

that was there. >> reporter: though never charged with a crime, josh powell was nameded a person of interest in his wife susan's 2009 disappearance. but police now call his double murder-suicide an admission of guilt in his wife's suspected murder. >> and it's not over. our daughter's still missing. we don't know where she is. >> reporter: josh powell's father, steven powell, arrested on a count of fpornography, ple ghoil guilty, a person of from in susan's disappearance. later the focus on charlie and braden, his grandparents remember the two young boys and their daughter. >> incredibly sad tale. we're back in a moment. first these messages. guel, thano . we're back in a moment. but first these messages. it's going to be a great day today. this is harvest day, the time where all the hard work is paying off.

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>> reporter: taylor armstrong's husband russell, also a cast member, committed suicide after their marriage unraveled as cameras rolled on their reality tv show airing on bravo, a cable network of nbc universal. >> i think she's having a nervous breakdown. >> reporter: taylor, whose behavior on the show became more erratic each week was in the midst of divorcing russell when his body was found hanging inside their hollywood hills home. taylor was there when the 911 call was made. >> it's all right. it's all right. >> it's not all right. oh my god! >> although armstrong's death was ruled a suicide, his sister has her doubts. >> from the meant i got the call, i knew that it was not suicide. he loves his kids too much. and there was no -- no nothing, and i just -- i feel it in my bones. i know he didn't do it. >> reporter: police found no evidence of foul play, but the show's producers faced criticism when they went ahead to air season two weeks after the suicide.

>> did the producers ever having consider not having the show continue because of this strategy? >> we along with the network took a hard look at the show and looked at it very thoroughly, and we decided to make some adjustments where appropriate in light of the circumstances. >> reporter: offcamera, taylor repeatedly told cast members that she was the victim of physical abuse at the hands of her husband. on camera they confronted her about her doubts of the claim. >> we don't say he broke your jaw or he beat you up and he hit you. we don't know if it's true. >> you come observe, you don't have any signs of physical bus on your body. >> this is really uncool. >> taylor armstrong is with us now. taylor, good morning. >> good morning. >> we should mention, we spoke to your husband's sister, russell armstrong's sister, and she said her husband denied ever abusing you, and that is

obviously a large part of what you write about in this book. she said, why is she doing this when he's dead and can't defend himself? it's only been six months. >> right. >> since russell died. do you feel like enough time has passed where you have perspective on what happened and how you got to this point? >> no. i don't think i'll ever have perspective. i think years from now i'll still have sleepless nights and wonder how did i ever get here. i miss him terribly every day and i loved him so much, but i can't bring him back. but what i can do is try to tell the story in order to help other women out there that could potentially be in this situation or could get into this situation. one in four women is going to be abused in their lifetime. so if you're a mother, sister, brother, friend of someone who could be in a dangerous situation, this book is really for them. >> and that is your purpose for writing this book because a lot of people might say, okay, taylor, your life is already on full display with cameras following you and all of the incredibly difficult moments we've seen have already been seen on camera.

why write this book? why do we need to know more? >> absolutely. i have struggled with self-esteem issues my whole life. you see me fall completely to pieces on "housewives." our lives are already all over the place, so really just putting it into print, it gives other people a little bit more perspective on how i got here. i loved this man with all of my heart and it was probably more of a love addiction than a real love because it was like that lightning bolt kind of love where you just see each other and you can't be away from each other. it was a blast sometimes, and it was the most dangerous thing i'd ever done, but it was -- the fact that i was broken and he was broken and those two broken pieces just fit together in a really dynamic way. >> you started your book tour this week. >> yes. >> and it stirred up a lot of public emotion. were you prepared for the backlash that has ensued since you wrote this book? >> no. i mean you really can't be. even being on reality television, you're not prepared for the criticism that comes along with it. but you know what?

the critics, i get it. i get everything that people feel and think. this is a really difficult story to tell. it's difficult to hear, but it's my story. it's my journey, and i'm willing to put myself out there in order to see if we can make a difference. and it's going to make it a conversation. and unless we start talking about it, we're not going to put an end to it. >> right. let's talk a little bit about what you wrote specifically. >> okay. >> you say your ex-husband russell physically and mentally abused you. you say he screamed at you, forced to take a lie detector test, fingerprints, and he hit you. >> you have a daughter together. >> correct. >> kennedy. and you tried to shield her from the abuse when russell was alive. you had a story similar when you were 2. now that you've written about it, she'll be able to read the details as she gets older. are you worried about the impact that might have on her? >> of course. i experienced it as a child. we brushed it under the carpet.

you see the end result. i mean i'm a psychology 101 textbook. you have it as a child and you marry it. again, as much as i loved him i can't let that happen to kennedy. we're going to talk about it. even though her daddy loved her so much and i loved him, it wasn't right. our marriage wasn't healthy. >> and i know that you say or you credit being on the show with your ability to being able to leave russell in the first place. looking back, any regrets as far as getting involved with the housewives series and how your life has dramatically changed since then? >> you know, if i could -- if i had a crystal ball and i could look back and it would have made a difference in the fate of my husband, if i could have him here, i'd give up everything. but i have no way of knowing that. i do thing by the grace of god i'm sitting here today. typically these things happen in mur/suicide as just happened in the news with this gentleman who took his children's lives. you know, i'm thankful to be here and i'm going keep talking about it until something changes. >> taylor armstrong, we appreciate you stopping by.

thanks so much. once again the book is called "hiding from reality." we're back in a moment. first this is "today" on nbc.

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we make a big difference - no matter how big our budget. more saving. more doing. that's the power of the home depot. get more project for your money - like this valencia vanity, now just 199 bucks. welcome back. the duchess of cambridge, formerly kate middleton is known for her fashion as most of her outfits have become instant sellouts. it's a phenomenon known as the duchess effect. we have the details. >> reporter: she is one of the most photographed women in the world. those who admire the duchess of cambridge say her look is classy, understated and elegant. for those who don't, she's conservative, safe, and simple. but women the world over agree they love the kate look and they want it for themselves. it's been called the duchess

effect, words that have topped the list of the most powerful fashion buzzwords of the year. >> it has been said that kate has a billion-dollar effect on the british economy and that's because she's helped to promote not only british luxury brands but brands across the world. >> reporter: it all started with this dress at the announcement of her engagement to prince william. royal blue for the royal-to-be. nearly $800 and sold out in the flash of a camera. from alexander mcqueen to diane von furstenberg, designers only hope kate picks their clothes. but kate also likes off the rack. she wore this dress from a london store to meet the obamas at buckingham palace. she wore the same label for her engagement photo. profits have doubled. they thank the duchess effect. >> we've had so much interest in the dress, presswise, customerwise. >> reporter: and the shoes. kate's nude pumps starting a footwear frenzy.

>> all of a sudden all of the girls are wearing nude pumps on the feet. now you see them in the winter with black tights which doesn't necessarily work. >> reporter: no. kate favors nude panty hose which she is credited for bringing back into fashion. this dress only 100 bucks and you guessed it -- sold in a few hours. kate is the first person to top the fashion list two years in a row. it's compiled by global language monitor in texas, and this year lady gaga has fallen off. but the duchess does have competition from her sister. a number five on the fashion buzz word list is pippa's bum. the middleton sisters are proving they are a fashion force to be reckoned with. nbc news, london. still ahead on "today," one woman's bizarre plot to kill a cheerleader's mother so her teenage daughter could win a spot on the squad. two decades later, the wanna be cheerleader speaks out plus, las vegas surveillance, if you think no one is watching you in a casino, think again. a casino.

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good morning. looking live at the golden gate bridge, probably some windshield wipers swishing with just a little bit of annoying drizzle. the real rain is coming ahead. rob mayeda knows the timing on that one. i'm kris sanchez, thanks so much for joining us this morning. rob, afternoon or for the day? >> just a little bit this morning, takes hair spray and turns it into wet cotton candy. >> why areou looking at me when you say that? >> no, you look fine. this morning you'll find drizzle and a few light showers outside and you see that little spin to the clouds moving across the central coast, that's adding extra lift this morning. it should start to get out of

here during the afternoon so our futurecast hour by hour looking at isolated showers in the hilltops and as the sun se a,ts, the clouds starting to push out of the bay area. today should see highs in the 50s to just about 60 in san jose, low 60s maybe around pleasantton, earlier clearing toward santa rosa. the south bay clouds linger today. round two comes in tomorrow evening that will be more rain and colder air which could mean snow as low as 8,000 feet. great news for the sierra towards monday. >> you said hamilton. >> near 4,000. >> thank you, rob. be careful where you do your shopping, your buying and selling today. police are investigating another craigslist robbery which had a fiery end. suspected thieves caused aen entire s.w.a.t. team to swarm a house on castle wood drive off springs road in vallejo. a buyer who answered a craigslist ad was beaten and robbed by six armed men who were traced to that house on castlewood. when the people inside the home

refused orders to come out s.w.a.t. officers tossed in tear gas canisters into the house. though they say the canisters were non-flammable there were flames a few minutes later. investigators don't know how that fire started >> shortly thereafter the officers entered the residence and determined that there was no one inside the residence other than a couple of dogs. >> where did they go? >> at this point we don't know where the suspects have gone but the residence was empty. >> one of the daugogs inside th home was killed in the fire. police believe the suspects were in the house when they arrived on the scene and recovered the suspects' getaway car but the six armed robbers are still at large. state officials shut down the massive construction fronlg under way at san jose's valley medical center. representatives from the state office of health, planning and development went to the job site wednesday to shut down the work. published reports say the site, rather the state cited two problems. the contractor changing the

building plans without state approval and the county replacing a top inspector responsible for making sure that the approved plans and building codes were followed. the hospital is undergoing a multimillion-dollar remodel and seismic upgrade coming up this morning on "today in the bay," the new phase in banana sam's life. he was stolen and then stole our hearts. what happened to the squirrel monkey stolen from the san francisco zoo. all the day's news coming up for you and more on that rainy forecast coming up in 30 minutes, right here on nbc bay area. [ 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 cheese crescents. with just a few ingredients, you have an easy dinner. pillsbury ham and cheese crescents. school night ideas made easy. we're back on this saturday morning, february 11th, 2012. it's a cold morning with some snow here in new york city. we have a great crowd, which i noticed is shrinking, let's be honest. we want to thank them for joining us and keeping us warm this morning. i'm amy robach along with lester holt. still to come this half hour, the secrets of a las vegas casino. >> you talk about your reality tv, they've got more cameras anded monitors than we do in our studio, watching every move the gamblers do and trying to make sure everybody plays by the

rules. >> if you walk into any casino in las vegas, know that you're being recorded. >> just smile. >> yes, exactly. and then the call of the wild. we're getting you don't know too much about these. look aet this colorful bird. he's giving a little flying demonstration. he ooh going to fly on your head later on, right, lester? >> i hope he isn't going to do what he did in the studio a few moments ago. >> he should be wearing a diaper, let's say that. and a kangaroo with a pouch. first mike bettes is with us outside. he's got another check of the weather. >> good morning out here. we've got faithful out here. enjoy the lid. that's a nice warm lid. >> have you been expecting the snow? >> quite cold. bee 've en expecting it since 5:00 this morning. >> you've got to go inside and get some hot chocolate. for a lot of you,t' is the cold. it's happening across the ohio valley right into the east, right down into mountains of

east tennessee and western north carolina. it's is that pesky front coming on through, even in the mountains of west virginia. we're talking a foot of snow. light accumulations for you including here in new york city. it gets cold as we go through the weekend across mump of the country, including the south. if you want showers, snow, ant don't forget, away from

your tv you can always check the forecast at weather.com. now here's amy. >> mike, thank you. now to the case of the texas cheerleader mom. 20 years ago wanda tried to kill the mother of her daughter's cheerleading rival. we'll hear more about that in just a moment. but first nbc'smy shell franzen takes a look back at the saga that captured the nation's attention. >> at the end of the day, what's worth fighting over -- >> reporter: before reality tv celebrities gone bad was the headlines around the nation. the trial of texas cheerleader mom wanda holloway charged in a murder-for-hire plot to kill the mother of her daughter's junior high school rival. the bizarre case became the inspiration for two tv movies including this one for hbo, starting holy hunter as the so-called pom-pom mom. >> i'm going downhill, aren't i?

the things do you for your kids. >> reporter: holloway was determined to have her daughter wince a team continued spot on the cheerleading squad. and her neighbor and daughter were standing in the way. >> we, the jury, find the defendant wanda a. holloway guilty. >> reporter: she was convicted of solicitation of capital murder in 1991 but her case was overturned after it was discovered that one of the jurors was on probation. once charged again, holloway pleaded no contest and served six months of a ten-year sentence. a deadly scheme that shattered a family and stunned a small texas community. for "today," michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. >> nancy jeffrey is a senior editor for "people" magazine. she joins us this morning. good morning, nancy. >> good morning. >> so it's been 20 years since this all happened. and jenna's now a teacher. she's a wife, a mother as well. you spoke with her. why did she choose to tell her story now?

>> well, we had been curious about what had happened to her, and people reached out to her. and after many years of suffering in silence, she had begun journaling to deal with her painful feelings and finally was ready to tell her story. >> and i know that obviously we showed there, there was a media firestorm surrounding her, her mother, her family when this all happened. two movies made, the one we saw with holy hunter starring as her mother, wanda. is telling her story a way to respond to that, to tell it from her side? >> it is a way to set the record straight. one thing that would surprise people, she and amber had been friends. they used to play as children. and she did not feel a great rivalry toward amber. it was her mother's obsession, not hers? and hue did her mother's reactions affect her emotionally. i cannot imagine how you process that as a teen girl. >> well, as you can imagine,

teens are affected by the slieftest embarrassment. when she felt at the center of the drama, it made her world fall apart. she was devastated. >> there was an interesting response she had to it all? fwha would you say was her most interesting way to reacting to it? >> there were several interesting things. one thing was that she and her mother never spoke of ichlt she put on a happy face for family, but inside she was suffering. she began to have intense stomach pains, she would break out in rashes, she would lock herself in the bathroom and cry. and nothing interesting thing is she and amber remained at the same school. >> oh, my gosh. >> in the same school, in the same honors classes, and while shanna tells people that kids were not outright cruel to her, there were these painful moments. for example, when she could. be invited to a party because amber was there. and friends who knew her at the time tell people she went from being an outgoing lively bubbly school girl to a withdrawn sad person.

>> i mean it's only imaginable just to see how you would deal with that as a teenager going back to the same school. okay. so her mom -- they never spoke about it. let's fast forward now 20 year. do they talk about it now? do they talk to each other? what's their relationship like? >> right. so for years they never talked about it. there has been healing because wanda and shanna do live near each other, and wanda, shanna tells "people" has become a real active and helpful grandmother to her own young sons. that's brought them closer. and she tells us recently she did ask her mother, why, why did you do this. and shanna tells "people" that her mother says i don't know. i wish i didn't. i just doan know. and shanna tells "people" eventually you have to accept that and move on. >> and change how you raise your children and learn from what happened. >> she said she never pushes. >> makes sense. nancy jeffrey, thanks so much. we appreciate it. fascinating article.

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this morning on secrets of las vegas casinos. when it comes to losing money, casinos leave little to luck. they won't gamble when it comes to security, and surveillance is the name of the game when it comes to catching a cheat. ♪ >> for as long as there have been casinos in las vegas, there have been attempts to turn the tables on the house and leave the casino a few dollars or even millions poorer. >> the day after tomorrow, gentlemen, we'll be in las vegas. >> the most famous heist in the history of vegas casinos were perpetrated by frank sinatra and george clooney. >> but hollywood version is far different from reality. >> the reality is it's mostly very anonymous-looking people who manage to skirt around the cameras. >> security is the first line of defense at any casino, but it's high-tech cameras like this one

that can catch anyone anywhere on the casino floor. >> we want to protect these games like they've never been protected before. >> ted whiting is the head of surveillance at the aura hotel and casino. >> there's a lot of security going on. >> we have over 1,100 just on this casino floor. >> opened in 2009, it boasts one of the most state-of-the-art surveillance systems in the world. >> these cameras are capable of 18 times zoom. we also have hd cameras, 360-degree cameras. >> the floor is monitored in aurilia's bunker like camera room. >> if somebody's hand never moves off the table and he puts a hand in it, that's suspicious because it's called card mucking. >> the surveillance operators who must be well versed in every game work in eight-hour shifts around the clock. and use pan-tilt zoom cameras to hone in on suspicious activity. >> what the operators do here is

they respond to calls both from the pit and things they're looking for. if they finding a person walking too quickly through a casino, they follow them. >> what is that exactly? >> every place the casino thorough fairs, walkways get skinny, we put a camera there. the idea is we catch people's faces as they come through. >> so if you leave a table, you going to have to walk down one of these choke points and you'll get caught on camera. >> exactly. for a regular guest it means nothing. but if you're a cheat, it means everything, because we're going to identify you. >> aurilia's system is so state of the art the u.s. government is keeping a close eye. >> i have a lot of government agents come through here and look at what we've done from secret service to homeland security. >> one of the reasons why th they've upped the surveillance is because of this guy. >> we've had a real effect on las vegas. >> he was a on a card counting

team that scored millions at the blackjack tables during the 1990s. >> here's the mgm grand. this was our favorite casino to play. we won our most money here, well over a million dollars. >> how long did it take you to make that kind of money? >> we had a really good run for six years playing at all the different properties, and i guess by the time it was all done, we had won -- i don't like to give out too detailed information, but we had won well over $10 million. >> but the casinos caught onto him and his teammates and under nebras nevada law they have the right to ban player thansd did that to the m.i.t. gamblers. >> see this palace? i was escorted out. >> we create add procedure to stop them. >> that procedure, information sharing. >> all these people who trespassed over the years, we know who they are.

>> nowadays they have databases filled with thousands of faces of people who are no longer welcome to gamble there and that information is shared. but you don't have to be the newest or biggest casino on the strip to catch a cheat. this historic el cortez, a smaller property, is a good example. >> the smaller casino might be perceived as easy pickings, but the challenges are similar. >> the el cortez has more than 500 cameras on floor as well as a holding cell for possible offenders. but regardless of how much surveillance is in place, insiders agree, nothing beats a good eye. >> all the cameras aren't as good as smart people working on the floor. >> who are making sure that what happens at the casino stays at the casino. and the hardest game they say to surveil is back ler raut. good thing. i don't know how to play it. do you? we should mention mike aponte is

on the other side of the blackjack table. he's a coach and a consultant for the gaming industry. if his story sounds familiar you might remember the best-selling book "bringing down the house," and it was made into a movie called "21." he's not allowed to step into casinos. >> they didn't break the law but they were too smart. but when they find people that they suspect do they kick them out or arrest them? >> they arrest them. they have a holding cell, call police and they usually press charges. . going up next, today's call of the wild. look at that. we're up close and personal with unusual creatures from around the world. but [ mom ] hey guys.

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never seen or heard from. >> that right. julia is here to tell us about them. good morning. >> you have a long way to to top the 600-pound bear. >> i know, but everybody's heard of bear. we have animal this morn ing. i'm going go ahead and pick him up. you will see an animal that very few people have seen. >> julie, where's the face on that animal? >> i know. isn't that strange? he's out here in front. he's kind of looking down in front. >> that's his eye. >> yeah, and his nose. there you go. he's got an adorable face. this little guile is about a year old right now, and what makes him most unusual is the fact that they're one of egg ling mammal. >> they go into a pouch then? >> that's exactly right. the female creates kind of a fold in her skin where she has

the place, more of a reptilian-like egg, very small like the size of grape. she places it kapd of like the fold of her skin and in the next ten days until it happens and she takes care of it down there. her mammary glands are very different as well. >> i hear they have an unusual mating writual as well. >> that's right. >> dare we ask? >> it's not very often that these guys go through their season, so to speak, but when it happens, the males have to follow the fee mail around for up to six weeks. any male that senses it, oh, there's a female, i'm going to get in line. >> the love train. >> she only picks one. >> lou vandross playing in the background. by the way, i saw you touching ichlt it looks like a porcupine. >> they're still a little bit different. they're still pokey and i would -- i put this here, too, to show he does find spots where he knows if he goes in there and hunkers down, not too many other

animals will know. >> let's bring in our next animal. i was saying the other day we haven't had a hyrex on this show. >> i know. we've robbed the unusual animals because most people don't get a chance to see animal loosic this. and at busch gardens, all of our guests actually do. >> he's like a big groundhog. >> do not touch the front of him. >> okay. >> he's a jump sneer what did we do with his food? we've got it around here somewhere. >> he wants it, we know that. you say they have a difficult time hiding from predator. he looks like he's a fast one. >> he is. but he lives on rocky outcroppings in africa, so they basically are on the sheer rock cliff. they can scale almost vertically up rocks and all that, but it does allow them to be or make them a little bit vulnerable because they're on these rock cliffs and there's birds and prey and snakes. >> are they on the endangered

species list? >> no. there are many of them in afr a africa. they all have warning cries as well which actually sounds like a screaming woman if they're doing the warnings. they're vegetarian, so he's eating a lot of vegetables there. we're going go ahead and give him a few more. >> in the meantime we have someone who's very excited about being on tv because he's been listening to them all morning. >> that's exactly right. we're going to go ahead and introduce him to you guys by having him fly to one of you, all right? >> all right. >> who warns to catch a horn bell. come on over here. amy, all right. what i'm going to do is have you put this -- leave your hand open like that, and we're going to have tufts come over here. tufts. good job. that's awesome. >> oh, my god. that feels so scary. >> we're going to let you feed him. keep your hand open like that. don't make him reach for it otherwise amy has to pay for it.

>> i already did. thanks, lester. >> he looks prehistoric. what's the deal? >> you know what? they are just amazing birds. you know what? they're so intelligent as well. we have a bowl of food on the floor to try to keep him satisfied. why don't we put him down on the table? >> okay. i'm all right about that. all righty, there. >> glad you wore sleeveless. >> oh, yeah, that was lucky. >> we actually do this with gifts. >> thanks so much for being here. >> everybody can have fun. >> we'll be back. >> great job. >> thank you. >> we'll be back right after these messages. our new ocean spray cran-cherry juice drinks are made with sweet cherries and the crisp, clean taste of our cranberries. i cannot tell a lie. 'tis tasty. okay, george washington, did you take my truck out last night? 'tis tasty. new ocean spray cherry juice drinks, like cran-cherry, made with sweet cherries

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wheel for a lesson at a top racing school. we'll see you then. i'll see you back here tonight for "nbc nightly news." have a great day. good morning. i'm kris sanchez. coming up next on "today in the bay" listen to your heart, the advice from a peninsula father who says his son was abused at his own school. he says administrators brushed him off. what he did next. plus, a new chapter for banana sam, what's in store for that monkey that was snatched from the san francisco zoo. and palo alto's jeremy lin is the buzz of the nba and the l.a. lakers get a taste of the . you have two minutes to get coffee. "today in the bay" starts at 7:00.

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good morning to you. looking live at the golden gate bridge, you can see the roadway is a little bit slick out there, but not the bulk of the rain that we expect this weekend. that's coming later on. thanks for joining us on this saturday morning, i'm kris sanchez along with m