>> did we mention it's friday? >> you did a few times. >> go out and have a great one. >> don't you like working with us? >> i love it. >> you're excited. all right. thanks so much. and have a great weekend. if you can't join us for the rest of the day's news. good morning. accidental drowning. that's the official cause of whitney houston's death. and the coroner says cocaine and other drugs used shortly before the tragedy played a role. this morning, houston's family reacts. enough is enough. thousands of people fill a florida park at the largest rally yet over the death of trayvon martin. this as the police chief who was overseeing the case temporarily stepped down. but where is the shooter, george zimmerman? and flour bomb. kim kardashian walking the red carpet one moment.

then this. her assailant detained at the scene and the reality star is laughing the whole thing off, "today," friday, march 23rd, laughing the whole thing off, "today," friday, march 23rd, 2012. captions paid for by nbc-universal television and good morning today on this friday morning. i'm ann curry. >> and i'm willie geist in this morning for matt. good to be with you, ann. happy spring day for you. after nearly six weeks of speculation, we now know how whitney houston died in a hotel bathtub in beverly hills on the eve of the grammy awards. >> that's right. the los angeles coroner's office has ruled it a drowning, citing heart disease and cocaine use as contributing factors, and the coroner said the death should serve as a warning. we'll talk about that and the findings with dr. nancy

snyderman straight ahead this morning. >> also new details in the search for california teen sierra lamar who disappeared one week ago. a team from the fbi searched her family's home last night. so what were they looking for? and did they find anything that can help them locate the 15-year-old. sierra lamar's parents speak out in a live interview. plus, at the start of republican presidential race, of course, we all know michele bachmann was an early front-runner. her campaign eventually lost steam. she's yet to endorse a candidate, but that's not stopping her from calling on her party to unify quickly. she is in the house. we'll ask her about that coming up. and let the games begin. "the hunger games" officially hit theaters overnight. excited fans coast to coast waiting in line and packing theaters. so, was it worth the wait? we will have some early reviews. >> we're going to find out. i'm interested in that because i have a teenager in the house who i think wants to see that movie tonight. let's now begin with this serious news, the official cause of whitney houston's death. nbc's craig melvin is in beverly hills with this update. hey, craig, good morning. >> reporter: ann, good morning to you.

here at the beverly hills hilton, where whitney houston drowned in her bathtub on february 11th, thursday, the coroner's office told houston's family what killed her. the coroner also released this one-page preliminary report. the report confirms what many suspected and feared. drugs helped kill the superstar. toxicology reports show whitney houston used cocaine before she collapsed and drowned in her hotel bathtub. >> it appeared that the cocaine had been used in the time period just probably immediately prior to her collapse in the bathtub at the hotel. we know that when she slipped under the water, she was stil alive. >> reporter: although the official cause of houston's death is accidental drowning, a spokesman for l.a. county's coroner says cocaine, combined with a heart condition, played a key role. >> chances are had she not had the pre-existing heart disease and cocaine use, she may not have drowned. >> reporter: other drugs were found in houston's body including marijuana, xanax,

benadryl, and a muscle relaxer, but these are not believed to have played a role in her death. the coroner's office did not say how much cocaine was found in the 48-year-old's body, but said there was evidence of quote, chronic usage. >> you don't have to take a certain amount or a minimum amount of cocaine to actually die from an arrhythmia, a cardiac irregularity. >> reporter: dr. michael fishbein is the chief of autopsy at ucla medical center. >> i think what's unusual and what complicated this case was that whitney houston happened to die in a bathtub. but she might have died, you know, even if she weren't in a bathtub. >> reporter: houston's soaring mezzo-soprano propelled her from church choir to international superstar, but her admitted drug use had long been cause for concern. her family released a short statement saying, "we are saddened to learn of the toxicology results, although we are glad to now have closure." in 2010, during her comeback tour, houston struggled to hit

those notes that she used to nail with ease. ♪ >> reporter: houston's daughter bobbi kristina talked about her mother's legacy in a recent interview with oprah winfrey. >> everything that people are saying about her, you know, all that, all that negativity, it -- it's garbage. that's not my mother. that's not who she is. >> reporter: we should note here that no illegal drugs were found inside the hotel room in the beverly hilton back in february. there was a report swirling around yesterday that someone removed cocaine from the room and the same person that removed the cocaine was also supplying it to whitney houston. i talked to a spokesperson with the beverly hills pd. he would not confirm or deny report but did tell me the investigation remains open. willie? >> all right, craig melvin, thank you.

dr. nancy snyderman is nbc's chief medical editor. good morning. >> good morning. >> okay so the coroner tells us the official explanation, accidental drowning. >> right. >> when you combine that with all the drugs we know were in slipped under the water and her respiratory rate was so depressed that she wasn't able to overcome it. i think if you peel away the layers of the artichoke you have underlying heart disease, probably from years of cigarette smoking and maybe family history and on top of that cocaine. so that puts the heart in distress. then there's this sort of laundry list of stuff, everything from over-the-counters like benadryl, prescription xanax, maybe sleeping pills, alcohol, marijuana, those are all depressants. and those really sort of allow you to get sort of sleepy. and so everything started fighting with each other, but they allow you to not be able to rescue yourself when you fall under the water. >> you mention that cocktail of drugs. the medical examiner said they didn't directly contribute to her dress, xanax, marijuana, as you said benadryl. >> i love how they start hedging

their words, they're saying it didn't cause her death. but if you or i slipped under the water of our bathtub we would have this natural need because our body would tell us to get above the water. she had enough medication that there was this drug interaction. and i think it's a real cry to remind ourselves. you can have an overdose of medication and die of something else and it doesn't have to be one drug in a whopping amount. it can be a lot of little things, and when you compound that, it can be enough to cause death. look, we saw it with heath ledger. he suffocated but it was on drug-drug interaction and his head being in a pillow that allowed minimum to dry. this was drug-drug interaction and a bathtub. >> she's been battling cocaine for so long. >> right. >> she's been very honest about that. it's been a public fight. what reminder does this serve to us? how difficult it is, "a," to get clean, but "b," to stay clean. >> it's hard to get clean. it's really hard to get clean. but obviously she was able to get access to the medication. a drug addict will try to find it. surrounded by doctors to

prescribe. family and friends who enabled on some level. it is a phenomenal reminder that if you have an addict in the family, there has to be a zero tolerance. and any medication, even a prescription sleeping pill, combined with alcohol, can mean that you're at risk for an early death. >> yet in her final moments she was surrounded by all those drugs. dr. nancy synderman, thank you so much. >> you bet. >> now here's ann. >> willie, thank you. a new prosecutor is now overseeing the investigation into the shooting death of trayvon martin. that news coming after the embattled police chief who was handling the case temporarily stepped down. and thousands gathered for a massive rally. we've got nbc's ron allen now with the latest on this story. ron, good morning. >> good morning to you, ann. the anger and outrage about the death of trayvon martin reached a huge, emotional crescendo here last night. thousands protested and demanded justice here at a park on the edge of town. and organizers said all this is

just the beginning until george zimmerman is arrested, charged, and brought to justice. >> i am trayvon martin. >> reporter: the crowd stretched as far as the eye could see. in a park on the edge of this city that's become the epicenter for what they call a new movement. for justice for trayvon martin and his family. >> we will not rest until they can sleep at night knowing that the murderer of heir son is in jail. >> reporter: it was a who's who of african-american leaders from across the country. elected officials, activists, relatives of civil rights icons like martin luther king. >> trayvon martin -- >> reporter: all with a single, unifying demand, the arrest of george zimmerman. the crime watch volunteer who police say shot and killed the unarmed 17-year-old teenager in self-defense. >> zimmerman should have been arrested that night. you cannot defend yourself

against a pack of skittles and iced tea. we love our children like you love yours. lock him up. >> reporter: many said it was inconsequence kwul that police chief bill lee, under enormous pressure, stepped down temporarily earlier in the day. >> i do this in the hopes of restoring some semblance of calm to the city, which has been in turmoil for several weeks. >> reporter: he's been on the job less than a year, brought in after a scandal involving the beating of a homeless black man by a police officer's son, caught on videotape. lee said he stands by the department's conclusion that zimmerman acted in self-defense under florida law. based in part on zimmerman's claims that martin approached him as he was headed back to his truck. zimmerman remains in hiding. he's been told by neighbors in his community, and administrators at the community college where he's a student, to stay away because of the

controversy. all of it continues to overwhelm martin's parents, who could barely speak when they finally addressed thousands of supporters, there for them. >> i stand before you today not knowing how i'm walking right now. because my heart hurts for my son. >> i pledge i will not let my son die in vain. >> reporter: and there are new developments in the investigation. florida's governor has appointed a special task force and he's also appointed a new state prosecutor that convene aid grand jury and lawmakers here said they will demand hearings at the florida state house and at the u.s. congress next week into the death of trayvon martin. ann? >> all right, ron allen, thank you so much. we'll turn now to politics and the gop presidential race. minnesota congresswoman michele bachmann has kept a low profile since she dropped out of the iowa caucuses. now she's calling for party unity. congresswoman bachmann, good morning and welcome. >> good morning. nice to be here with you. >> you have said, in fact,

earlier this week, you put it this way that the party needs to unify quickly around the candidate. okay, you can help by saying, which candidate, how quickly? >> well, it's not up to me to say which one. that's up to the people. and the people are making their choice. and we don't yet know who that candidate will be. but i think that it's very important that we do unify and we come around one candidate quickly, because the point is, we need to face -- we need to win in november. because there's so much at stake. and we need to unify. >> do you think that if this goes to a contested convention, that the republicans -- party can defeat barack obama in november? >> i think that the math is going to dictate which way we go and i think that we will have a decision sooner rather than later. i don't think we'll have a brokered convention. that's something that people talk about. but i think that people want to make the decision. as i go all over the country, people are telling me they want us to make the choice. they want us to choose and have our nominee. >> you know, you've looked at

the math, and according to political experts who looked at the math, they say it's virtually impossible for anyone but mitt romney to win enough delegates to get the nomination at this point. so by saying we need to unify quickly, we need to get this show on the road, are you not inferring that maybe we need to rally around mitt romney? >> no. what i'm saying is that there are more elections coming up yet in the primaries. and it could be that the voters will go to another candidate. if they do, we need to get behind that. but that's what i want my voice to be. i want to unify the party because i want to bring together the tea party, the evangelical, the mainstream and reach out to independents and disaffected democrats. that's what we have to do to be victorious. >> are you on the phone with any of these candidates, discussing, encouraging, discouraging, trying to get this party to coalesce? >> well, i like the candidates. i've known them. we were in 15 debates to the and i do talk to them. and i have not gone in any of

the camps. i really think the people need to have their say. and so what i want people to know is i'm the only presidential candidate who hasn't endorsed yet. but i will get behind whoever the people choose. >> meantime, you know a lot of people had a lot to say about this etch asketch controversy when a person who works for mitt romney came out and talked about how there is a possibility of setting a reset button once the general election begins. this seems to be in line with some of the things that you've said during the time that you were running when you questioned whether romney was a consistent conservative. what's your reaction to this etch-a-sketch controversy? is this an indication that's he's not changed in his way in your view? >> well, what i see is that yesterday i just got a ticket to be a part of the supreme court, to be in the audience, to hear the supreme court decision. today is the two-year anniversary that obama care was signed into law. it is the signature piece of legislation in president obama's term. our nominee, whoever that will

be, this will be the piece of legislation that they'll have to go on offense, and they'll have to -- and president obama will have to answer this legislation. this is going to be the story. and i think that's what our nominee will be focusing on. >> so you don't want to comment on the etch-a-sketch controversy. >> well, i think, again, this will be the core. whichever of our candidates comes forward, this will be the issue that they take forward. next week that's all we'll be talking about is the obama care legislation. because, unfortunately, now health care costs have spiked through the roof. we were told that our health care costs would go down. instead, just the opposite is happening. and so the american people want us to come up with a positive solution so people can have access to health care, but they don't want to go broke in the meantime. that would be the story. >> clearly you want to make sure a republican wins in november. >> sure. of course. >> are we talking about months, two months before you give an endorsement? how many months do you think the party has until a decision has to be made? >> well, i think there's going to be a natural progression.

i just -- all i'm saying, ann, is that i feel that there's kind of a fatigue among our party. there's a fatigue with the inner party fighting, and people tell me they want to come to a resolution. obviously some are in one candidate's camp, and some are in other candidate's camp and i'm not coming out now and saying which camp i think that we should go in. but we've got to unify. it's got to come together. because there's so mh at stake. especially with obama care. >> all right. we'll find out your endorsement i think at another time. michele bachmann, a real measure. >> thank you, ann. >> and you can get much more on the presidential race this sunday on "meet the press" when david gregory's guests will include president obama's senior adviser david plouffe. now let's get a check of the other top stories of the morning and for that we go to natalie morales who's at the news desk. >> good morning, ann. good morning, everyone. army staff sergeant robert bales will be charged with 17 counts of murder today for allegedly gunning down afghan civilians in their homes. nbc's pentagon correspondent jim

miklaszewski has the latest. mik, good morning. >> good morning, natalie. u.s. military officials say that stop sergeant robert bales has indeed been charged with 17 counts of murder. and also, six counts of attempted murder in connection with that massacre in the afghan village there in afghanistan earlier this month. now, in addition to that, we're told that bales will be presented the charges where the charges where he is being held in the prison prison there at fort leavenworth, kansas. at the same time there are new reports while on leave in 2008, bales allegedly assaulted a man after molesting the man's girlfriend and that same year, faced charges of a hit and run driving case in florida and in 2002, allegedly assaulted a casino security guard and in all three cases, witnesses reported that at the time, bales appeared to be extremely drunk. now, according to u.s. military officials on the night of that massacre there in afghanistan,

bales had been drinking with other soldiers. natalie? >> jim miklaszewski at the pentagon. thank you, jim. the gunman suspected of killing seven people in southwestern france had been on the u.s. no-fly list since 2010. u.s. counterterrorism officials reportedly had 23-year-old mow ma'amed me mer rah's name on the noen in fly list because in 2010 he had been in u.s. custody in afghanistan then sent back to france. french officials say he had also uploaded a video to the internet allegedly showing him executing an 8-year-old girl at a jewish school on monday. mer rah was killed yesterday after a 32-hour standoff with french special forces. bank of america's testing a new program that gives homeowners facing foreclosure a new option. the mortgage-to-lease program would allow customers to stay in their homes by becoming rents, transferring their home's title to the bank. the program will only be available to about 1,000 customers while in its early

test phase. this morning, president obama is nominating jim young kim to head the world bank. he's a physician with broad experience in global health circles, known for his work fighting aids and tuberculosis. the world bank focus on fighting poverty and promoting development. fourth graders in bozeman, montana, snapped dozens of new pictures of the moon remotely directing a nasa spacecraft in orbit to take some new images, including this stunning shot of the far side of a lunar surface with earth way off there in the distance, as you see. that is remarkable. kim kardashian got a nasty surprise on the red carpet, as we showed you last night when a woman threw white pounder on the starlet. paramedics were called to the hotel but kardashian refused treatment. instead she took the incident in stride, dusting herself off, getting cleaned up and returning to the event. the woman who allegedly threw the so-called flour bomb was detained but eventually released.

kardashian told deputies she did not want to press charges. joking about the incident, she said i told my makeup artist i needed more powder. it's 7:19 now. back over to ann, willie and al. still very scary. >> because you don't know what it is at first. you don't know if someone let her know it was flour at the beginning. >> easy to laugh after the fact. but in the moment that's kind of scary. >> exactly. anyway -- >> good work on the weather this week. >> well, thank you very much, sir. i appreciate it. thank you very much. unfortunately, our friends in the gulf coast on into the mississippi river valley are getting dumped on again. we've got the risk of strong storms from mobile all the way up into peoria, illinois. chance of some tornadoes, the east central gulf. it's going to be a mess. look at this. we've got a big low pressure system, upper levels of the atmosphere, it's not going anywhere. it's bringing rain from minneapolis all the way down to new orleans. some of the rain not quite as heavy as it's been. but still, down in parts of the panhandle of florida, we're talking one to two inches of rain. generally though, about a half an inch to an inch between there and cincinnati.

well, we're going to see a pretty nice finish to the workweek and then we get a very active weekend. a lot of rain on the way. good morning, i'm christina loren, so enjoy the 60s and limited sunshine we have out there for you today. 60 in san jose, about 63 degrees in livermore. tomorrow we drop you off to the low 50s. periods of rain just about all day long. another wave of rain moves through sunday into monday. then we get a little bit of break for the second half of monday. p pesky showers tuesday into wednesday. thank you very much. coming up here, disturbing new clues emerge as authorities search for missing 15-year-old sierra lamar. we will talk to her family in a live interview. but first, this is "today" on nbc. yes.

yes. yes. noooo!

[ male announcer ] yep, subway broke the 200-calorie breakfast barrier. with delicious fresh fit mornin' melt breakfast sandwiches. subway. eat fresh. look! here she comes! ♪ she'll be comin' 'round the mountain when she comes... ♪ ♪ when she comes. ♪ it'll be spinning new chrome wheels when it comes. ♪ ♪ when it comes. ♪ custom spoiler, race grade pistons, ♪ ♪ gt35 turbo charger. ♪ and they'll all know that it's kevin's awesome car. ♪ bought em! ( clears throat ) sorry. when it's on your mind, it's on ebay. just ahead, more on the celebrity co and "the hunger g hits theaters.

c! three, four... [ guy 1 ] oh man. eight hours building swedish furniture! yes! use available entune with bing to find ready-made media cabinets! yeah, it's good. yeah. my dolphin tattoo isn't even cool in an ironic way! what? use available nav to get to a laser clinic. ooh! nice! yeah! [ male announcer ] be a winner with the all-new prius c from toyota. ♪ [ chuckles ] isn't easter fun, red? [ grunts ] not from my perspective! ♪ this one's for all us lawn smiths. grass gurus. doers. here's to more saturdays in the sun. and budgets better spent. here's to turning rookies into experts, and shoppers into savers. here's to picking up. trading up.

mixing it up. to well-earned muddy boots and a lot more spring per dollar. more saving. more doing. that the power of the home depot. break out the gardening gloves. miracle-gro garden soil is now 3 bags for 10 bucks. ♪ sunlight says get up and go ♪ mountain-grown aroma coming through ♪ ♪ a new challenge waits for you ♪ ♪ ♪ jumpin' into something new ♪ you really see all you can do ♪ ♪ ♪ the best part of wakin' up ♪ is folgers in your cup

good morning, everyone. the time now is 7:26, i'm john kelly. investigators stepping up their search this morning for the missing teenage girl in morgan hill. the santa clara county sheriff's office setting up a road block near sierra lamar's bus stop. they're planning to ask drivers if they happen to see anything strange last friday morning around the time that sierra disappeared. this morning, her mother pleading for her daughter to come home. >> and if somebody's holding her, please, please find it in your hearts to release her. i just want her back. >> on sunday, investigators found sierra's purse out in a

field with her clothes neatly folded inside. her mother says the very same clothes her daughter left the house with on the day that she disappeared. time now to check on the weather forecast this weekend. looks like it'll be a little wet. meteorologist christina loren here to tell us about it. >> good morning. taking a live look at alcatraz where we are seeing choppy conditions on the bay. the winds are picking up in dicktive of a storm system on the way. enjoy the sunshine while it lasts. 60 degrees in san jose, 62 up in santa rosa, don't forget, you can catch the giants right here tonight in the bay area, preseason game against the rangers right here on nbc. rain on the way as we head through the weekend, area of low pressure tracks right over the bay area, that's going to produce maybe 2 to 3 inches of rain, especially in the south bay where we're expecting the most moisture. outlook works out like this, monday, a political bit of break, pesky showers tuesday into wednesday of next week, and finally a dry pattern resumes thursday into next weekend.

>> a pretty pleasant one right now, folks, friday, lighter volume of traffic. bay bridge toll plaza just slowing for emeryville. eastbound at 24 toward the tunnel, reports of some debris. someone hit something, it must have been something in the roadway. so chp's going to check it out. no slowing there. south bay, an easy drive, 101 and 87, slowing in the typical northbound directions. southbound at 17, laurel curve, striping work starts at 8:00. >> for now, easy like friday morning. thanks, mike. for the latest traffic, news, and updates, check out nbc bay area on facebook.

well take a look at that. the long lines that have been forming at movie theaters all across the country. these lines from last night as fans for this movie called "the hunger games." camped out to be the first to see the most-anticipated movie of the year. apparently some of them dressed up for the movie. my teenager want please to go tonight so i know all about this craze. so we'll get to that coming up. meantime, inside studio 1a at 7:30 on this friday morning it is march 23rd, 2012. and as you can notice, i'm sitting alongside willie geist who is in for matt this morning. he's taking a day off. and maybe he wanted to go see

"the hunger games." >> he wouldn't be alone. was he in one of those lines? you're right, though, my wife has read the books. she's excited about these mov movies. it's no exaggeration to call this a phenomenon. but does it live up to the book the fans first fell in love with. >> did your wife love the book? >> loved the book and can't wait to see the movies. >> also we're going to be talking about prince william. he's now back with the duchess of cambridge after being away on a tour of duty for six weeks. we're going to be live at buckingham palace, of course, with how they're spending their newfound time together. i don't know how we'll get all the details about that but darn it we're going to have them. >> we're also going to let two famous chefs, including bobby flay, weigh in on claims that some well-known cooks used ghost writers on their cookbooks. >> a controversy. we want to begin this half hour with a disturbing new finding -- found in the search for a missing california teenager named sierra lamar. we're going to talk to sierra lamar's family in just a moment. first nbc's kristen dahlgren has

the latest. kristen, good morning. what can you tell us? >> good morning, ann. well, it was exactly now one week ago, 7:15 pacific time last friday, when sierra lamar left from here for school. she hasn't been seen since. and now that troubling discovery. investigators say about two miles from here they found the teen's bag with her clothes inside. >> the fact that her family and friends love her, and they miss her -- >> reporter: her mother has prayed for any sign of 15-year-old sierra lamar. but when word came searchers found sierra's bag -- >> my gut sank. it was terrifying. it really was. and i don't know what to think. >> reporter: -- the teen's t-shirt, pants and undergarments were neatly folded in the bag. investigators say it may be the same shirt sierra was wearing in this photo she posted online the morning she disappeared. >> it was things that she would have kept with her. and it was her schoolbooks.

we believe she was on her way to school. it definitely el gates our concern. >> reporter: on thursday night a huge team from the fbi combed sierra's house. while dogs and volunteers spent the day scouring the region. but this is san area that presents a lot of challenges for searchers. all of these wide open fields, and dozens of abandoned buildings. they have already found sierra's cell phone, apparently tossed on the side of the road less than a mile from her mom's house. the bag was found about another mile away. both in the opposite direction she would have taken to the school bus. investigators are interviewing registered sex offenders in the area, and while sierra's father is also a registered sex offender, authorities have emphasized he is not a person of interest. >> she had a very good relationship with her mom, the mom's boyfriend and her biological father. we have no information that would lead us to believe otherwise that there was any problems at home. >> reporter: at a vigil this week, sierra's family was joined

by mitzi sanchez. back in 2000 when sanchez was just 8 she escaped and returned to her family after being kidnapped. >> a lot of kids do get to come back home. and it could be her. and, you know, it's not too often. but who's to say that she can't do it. >> reporter: a small flicker of hope for a family that's now gone one week with no sign of sierra. >> i just want to be able to hug her again and tell her i love her. i just want her back. >> now last night investigators say they went through every single house on sierra's block here. they've also expanded their search to area waterways and reservoirs, and, ann, another vigil for sierra is planned tonight. >> all right, kristen dahlgren. thank you so much. sierra lamar's parents marlene and steve, and her sister danielle, are now joining us, along with lori smith, the santa claire are county sheriff. good morning to all of you.

>> good morning. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> i know that as hard as it is to be on our television this morning, you are here because you want to do everything possible to help find sierra. so, marlene, you know, knowing your daughter, knowing what these new details that the police are now releasing, what does your gut tell you about what happened to sierra? >> well, as every -- each day goes on i just have this gut feeling that she's not willfully choosing to be away. she loved her family. and she loved her friends. and i just know that she wouldn't -- wouldn't intentionally be away as the day goes on, my heart aches for her. i know she's out there. you know, i keep praying and i have faith that she's going to find her way back to us.

and we're all going to embrace her. we loved her so much. we're praying for you, honey, we just want you back. we want you coming back. i can't wait to see you again. >> i know a lot of people listening are hoping you get that wish come true, marlene. i -- can either of you or steve explain why she was carrying a bag of clothing to school? have you ruled out in your minds that she might have been thinking about running away? >> no. but i haven't thought of that. but i know that frequently she would borrow clothes from her friends, and they would -- she would bring things to her friends to, you know, wear, and she would borrow -- and borrow things that she really liked that they were wearing. you know, she's done that in the past quite a few times. >> steve, you also -- go ahead, steve.

>> i was just going to say, there's no reason why we would think she would have a bag -- pack a bag of clothes like that. it's just -- >> you released a statement, steve, on wednesday to address the fact that you are a registered sex offender, and you were trying to remind people, you said, that police say that, you know, that you are not a person of interest in this case. yet, you leave concerns about whether or not your history could shape public opinion about sierra. could distract people from the case. what do you want to say about that this morning? >> yeah. the only thing i'm going to say, as i stated, you know, i wanted the focus to be on sierra. we've got to find sierra. i'm not a suspect or a person of interest so i just want that, you know, removed. we've been cooperating, you know, with authorities, and i --

they've stated that also, and i just want that out of the way so that we can focus on sierra, finding sierra. >> sheriff, last night you brought in the fbi brought in actually search dogs and equipment into the house where sierra lived. why did that happen? do you know what they were looking for? >> what we know is that sierra probably -- >> go ahead. >> probably didn't leave -- what we know is sierra probably didn't leave the court. no one sees her that morning. she did actually consensual searches on all the houses in the cul-de-sac. we wanted to rule out that any of the people here had anything to do with her disappearance. >> i see. and how -- so what will the focus then be on today, and in the coming days, as the clock as you know well is ticking? >> we're going to be continuing our investigation. we're doing hundreds of

interviews. we're continuing to talk to kids. today, since it is the one-week anniversary, we're going to be doing roadblocks this morning, actually talking with all the cars that go past, see if that's their normal place to be on friday. but we have a tremendous number of people assigned to it doing many different things today. >> marlene, since you said at the beginning of this interview that you are increasingly concerned that sierra's being held against her will, what -- do you have a message this morning to anyone who may be preventing her from coming home? >> please, please find it in your heart to release her. we love her so much. and we ache for her and we're anxious to see her again. please find it in your heart to let her go. if you could see, the public is concerned about her, and we all are, as each day -- as each day comes, it just gets more

difficult. sierra, if you're out there, please, be strong. i know you could survive this. i know you can. you're a strong individual and you're going to -- you're going to make it back to us. >> i know a lot of people are praying for your family. marlene, steve and danielle, i know you're there to support your parents. thank you so much, all of you. and also sheriff smith, thank you. we wish you every luck in finding sierra. and if you have any information on sierra's disappearance you should call the santa clara county sheriff's office. the number is 408-299-2311. now let's get a check of the weather from al. >> ann, thank you so much. and as we look at these afternoon temperatures for today, again, fairly warm. i mean it's going to be chilly up in northern new england. otherwise, 70s all the way up into the plains where we'll see some more records today. 80 down through the gulf coast. 80s and 90s through southern texas. risk of strong storms from the gulf coast up into the mid and upper mississippi river valleys.

well, it's the calm before the storm. temperatures today will be able to climb into the 60s. good morning, i'm meteorologist christina loren. clear skies out there right now making for a cold morning. bring that jacket with you. you can leave your a at a home today. showers start to move into the north bay and along the coastline as we hit 3:00 a.m. and once it starts raining, we've got steady rain in the forecast all the way throughout the upcoming weekend. hope you have a fantastic friday and great weekend. >> and that's your latest weather. ann? >> all right, al, thank you. coming up we're going to switch gears and talk about the wait being finally over for this movie called "the hunger games." it is hitting theaters, or hit it overnight, and so the question is, is it living up to the hype? we're going to find out. i'm here at walmart with tiffany who drives around town looking for low prices. that burns a lot of gas. yep. want to see if this walmart low price guarantee can help you out with that? ok! every week they lower thousands of prices

and check over 30,000 competitor prices. check out that low price. you want to grab one? grab two. what happens if she does find a lower advertised price somewhere else? i'll match it right here. so what did you learn today? every dollar counts and now i get to bring more home to my family. [ male announcer ] that's the walmart low price guarantee! see for yourself how much it can save you. you... colorful... soft...s the walmart low price guarantee! and totally irresistible. your lip butter? likewise. new revlon® colorburst™ lip butter. a hydrating buttery balm for baby soft lips in 20 shiny colors. but the chemicals that can end up on your face may not be so beautiful. ♪

that's why there's new puristics totally ageless powered by a naturally derived collagen builder, puristics measurably reduced the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in 100% of women after just 3 weeks. beautiful, younger looking skin. that's puristics, the power of pure. is non-stop to seattle? just carry preparation h totables. discreet, little tubes packed with big relief. from the brand doctors recommend most by name. preparation h totables. the anywhere preparation h. the doctor leaned over and said to me, "you just beat the widow-maker." i was put on an aspirin, and it's part of my regimen now. [ male announcer ] be sure to talk to your doctor before you begin an aspirin regimen. go see your doctor now. you squashed my willpower like a fly. you looked so innocent and so sweet. convinced my lips that we should meet. you were a relentless flirt.

oh no we had indecent dessert. twinkle twinkle hope appears. a stevia leaf erased my fears. it made my willpower a super hero. as for calories, it has zero. twinkle twinkle truvia® star natural sweetness, i love just what you are. truvia. honestly sweet. [ female announcer ] kleenex® brand tissues are america's softest. no wonder people want to share them on and on. ♪ start your own chain of sharing. ♪ now when you send a free kleenex® brand share package, you'll get a sample of new kleenex cool touch™ tissues. just go to kleenex.com. kleenex®. softness worth sharing. have 46 grams of whole grains... mmmm. ...and a touch of sweetness.

you'll be delighted to discover how good they taste. back now at 7:44 with the highly anticipated movie that could very well set a box office record this weekend. "the hunger games" opened at midnight to big crowds. nbc's gabe gutierrez is at a theater here in new york city. gabe, good morning. >> good morning, willie. to have any idea of how big this movie is, at one point customers were buying ten tickets a second. overnight their hunger was finally satisfied. >> it was awesome. i'm so excited i'm going to see it again tomorrow. >> the movie was great. it was awesome. i really enjoyed it. >> reporter: fans across the country have lined up for hours to see the midnight premiere of "the hunger games." >> happy "the hunger games." >> reporter: the most anticipated movie of 2012. fandango reports it's the third

highest selling film in the company's history. accounting for 96% of daily ticket sales. more than the first twilight movie. "the hunger games" is a science fiction drama based on the first of the three-book series published in,000 eight, it tells the story of a post apocalyptic world, and 24 teenagers compete in a televised battle to the death. >> listen to me. you're stronger than they are. >> reporter: it's a tale of romance and revolution. attracting not just teenagers, but many of their parents. >> it's our mothers and our dads into saying you have to read this. i don't know that we thought it would be the phenomenon that it's become. but we knew we had something great on our hands. >> reporter: but some critics worry the film is too violent for its intended audience. after all, the plot involves teens trying to kill each other. >> the biggest challenge of turning this book into a movie was dealing with the violence. i mean you're talking about a lot of kids being killed.

there's nothing gratuitous or gory about the violence. and i think that's how they got around the "r" rating and got a "pg-13." >> "the hunger games"! >> reporter: fans say the story is much more complicated. and intriguing. >> i volunteer. >> reporter: jen irlawrence plays the movie's young heroine. co-star new found heart throb josh hutcherson are drawing huge crowds. >> we waited for 15 hours. >> reporter: with sales for "the hunger games" expected to top $100 million during its first box office weekend, the sequel is already in the works for next year. leaving fans hungry for more. >> so excited. november 2013. >> i'm ready. i'm ready. >> counting down the days already. >> yes. >> reporter: the movie just opened at more than 10,000 screens across the country. next showing here is at 10:00.

we expect a big crowd. willie? >> a full house. gabe gutierrez in new york. thanks so much. up next here, how william and kate are spending their first weekend together after a long time apart. [ female announcer ] it's 9 pm... and the chocolate cravings begin...

again. ♪ for nights like these... there's special k chocolatey delight cereal. so you can get your chocolatey fix... without undoing your whole day. ♪ an unguilty pleasure. what will youai when you lose? that's 50% off lenses, including bifocals, no-lines, even sunglasses made with your prescription. so hurry in. sale ends april 1st. lenscrafters.

ocean spray cranberry juice versus vegetable juice. first the cranberry. mm! tasty. now, the vegetable juice, with more than 10 times the sodium of cranberry juice. we have a winner! 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. prince william is taking some time to catch up with his bride now that he's just returned from a six-week tour of duty in the falkland islands. nbc's michelle kosinski is in buckingham palace with more on this story. hey, michelle, good morning. >> hi, ann.

we haven't seen any photos yet of william with kate. which is great for them now that they finally have some time together believed to be at their cottage at kensington palace. we did, though, get an early glimpse of kate's parenting skills with her new puppy. while william was away, kate could play. in the park behind kensington palace, with a cute little cocker spaniel puppy. kate appeared to be instructing her fluffy friend. he, as puppies are, seemed to be thoroughly preoccupied with a lovely piece of garbage. an empty bag of chips. no indication that kate had eaten them. but what a whirlwind six weeks she's had. while her husband was on helicopter duty 8,000 miles away. for kate it was appearance after appearance. letting the public see her personality and humor shine on her own. getting rave reviews. with natural poise. her very personal approach to charity.

and, of course, her style. sect the bar for elegance, whether she was accepting valentine's, getting to know her grandmother in law the queen a little better traveling at her side, or on a solo mission, wearing a dress she bought secondhand. she celebrated a very chic st. patrick's day, played some olympic field hockey, helped prince charles learn some chores and here in a dress borrowed from her mother made her first shy, public speech. >>ers of all i'd like to say thank you. >> but couldn't help adding this. >> i'm really sorry that william can't be here today. he would love it here. >> reporter: when a tiny girl gave her a special flag she made decorated with photos of kate, she told her -- >> i'm going to save it. >> reporter: i'll give it to william. and when her prince arrived back in england wednesday morning, catherine reportedly drove herself at 4:00 a.m. to meet him. no doubt they both have lots of

stories to catch up on from their long time apart. and they haven't been seen since. this is the queen's here. her diamond jubilee. though william and catherine have done this enormous job of generating worldwide excitement surrounding the monarchy here and they'll play a suppose role in the queen's procession in june and once again get to ride in a fancy carriage. ann? >> all right, michelle, thank you so much. coming up, we're going to get into the controversy over cooking with bobby flay and anne borel weighing in. you know, those farmers, those foragers, those fishermen... for me, it's really about building this extraordinary community. american express is passionate about the same thing. they're one of those partners that i would really rely on whether it's finding new customers, or, a new location for my next restaurant. when we all come together, my restaurants, my partners, and the community amazing things happen. to me, that's the membership effect. the dryer goes, then the washer breaks.

so tomorrow we're gonna check out some deals at the warehouse stores. (phone ring) hello? warehouse stores? consider this your wakeup call! only sears has all top ten brands. so they're the only experts on all ten. and only sears can guarantee the best price on all ten. it's called the top ten advantage. you can call me the bus driver because i'm taking everybody to school. thinking about buying appliances somewhere else? think again. sears. i ain't eating that! a cup of johan is a 600 horsepower sports coupe that likes to hug curves. ♪ your curves. meet me in the coffee aisle. are choosing advil. i'm keith baraka and i'm a firefighter. and it's very physically demanding. if i'm sore i'm not at my best. advil is my go-to. it's my number one pain reliever. [ male announcer ] make the switch. take action. take advil.

[ male announcer ] make the switch. (belhi.ings) good morning. big news. we're spreading the word about new honey bunches of oats fruit blends and their unique taste combinations. like peach/raspberry... and banana/blueberry. we're telling everyone. with one flavor in the granola bunch and one on the flake. try some. mmm! two flavors. in harmony. yummy. four nutritious grains and two big fruit flavors to make your day bunches better.

good morning, everybody. the time is 7:56. i'm john kelly. three people rushed to the hospital this morning after a violent car crash in san francisco. this all happened early this morning on brotherhood way. police telling us three people were riding in the car when the driver somehow lost control, skidded right into a tree. the car spun around, eventual lip ended up on a sidewalk. police say the driver and his two passengers were both taken to the hospital. two of them with life-threatening injuries. at this point, there is no word if alcohol was a factor. well, on a much brighter note, let's check your weekend forecast with christina loren. >> yeah, we're getting sunshine out there right now. it's cold enough for a jacket, though temperatures were in the 30s this morning, now we're in the low 40s. the next few days, major changes

on the way, as of tonight, those clouds will increase and tomorrow morning we're talking about heavy, steady rain, over the great bay area. lighter afternoon showers especially in the south bay and sunday, heavy rain returns, isolated thunderstorms, as well. so it all works out like this. for today, we're going to see the 60s, 60 in san jose, by tomorrow, we're down to the low 50s. we'll hold on to the mid-50s for sunday with more rain in the forecast. then monday, a sunny afternoon, tuesday and wednesday, pesky showers. >> few pesky slow zones. right now, friday, lighter volume for the south bay, northbound 101, 880, 280, all the northbound commute routes show your typical pattern as far as through the areas where you would find slowing, just lighter volume. that makes things more pleasant. slowing southbound also coming off of the san mateo bridge and heading toward union city. 880, though, not a problem, northbound off of the caster valley y and continuing up to the coliseum. a smooth drive to the bay bridge toll plaza, about 15 minutes, the metering lights are on,

though. a wait there. >> thank you very much for the update. and of course for the latest traffic and news updates, check out nbc bay area on facebook. back in one-half hour with more. ♪ [ male announcer ] to hold a patent that has changed the modern world... would define you as an innovator.

to hold more than one patent of this caliber... would define you as a true leader. ♪ to hold over 80,000... well that would make you... the creators of the 2012 mercedes-benz e-class... quite possibly the most advanced luxury sedan ever. starting at $50,490. the largest class size in the nation. 47th out of 50 in per-student funding. but right now, we can make history with a ballot measure to send every k-through-12 dollar straight to our schools. to every school and every child. not to sacramento. it's the only initiative that can say all that.

check out our online calculator and find out how your school would benefit. visit ourchildrenourfuture2012.com today. 8:00 >> 8:00 now on this friday 23rd of march, 2012, a picture-perfect morning here. 63 degrees and -- the rain will move in this weekend. al, say it's not so! >> it's so. >> we'll get to his forecast coming up in just a moment. meantime, i'm ann curry in with -- >> and also with al roker and coming up we'll get a food fight. >> a big food fight for this big

crowd. gwyneth paltrow and rachael ray, firing back that they use ghost writers on their cookbooks and they'll be doing that. all of the recipes you read really from the chefs themselves? what exactly is the world of ghost writers when it comes to cookbooks. we'll ask people who know, bobby play and ann burrell. >> when you go shopping, do you pay attention when you buy your groceries? do you pay attention to the serving size? >> no. >> and you probably don't have a good idea of what the real serving size is. dave sisenko says if you're not careful you could be consuming far more calories than you want to consume. they'll be here to clear it up and you will have large numbers of tacos and things like that to explain. >> that's what i'm having today. >> i love tacos. anyway, meantime, let's get to this, the least expensive cars on the market when you consider everything from the asking price to insurance and repairs and more.

we'll give you that list coming up this morning, but first let's get a check of the morning's top stories and natalie is at the news desk. hi, natalie. >> good morning. accidental drowning has been ruled the official cause of whit thee houston's death. toxicology reports has revealed cocaine was involved. recent and chronic cocaine use along with heart disease contributed to the singer's accidental drowning in a hotel bathtub. the reports also reveal that marijuana and prescription drugs were found in her system, but did not play a role in her death. florida's governor has appointed a new prosecutor to investigate the trayvon martin shooting case. last night thousands rallied in sanford, florida, demanding the arrest of george zimmerman. the neighborhood watch captain who shot and killed the unarmed 17-year-old. embattled police chief bill lee stepped down temporarily on thursday and this morning president obama spoke about the tragedy from the rose garden. >> i think every parent in

america should be able to understand why it is absolutely imperative that we investigate every aspect of this, and that everybody pulls together federal, state and local to figure out exactly how this tragedy happened. >> two more supermarket chains said thursday they will stop selling beef products containing the ammonia treated filler known as pink slime. kroger, the nation's largest tradition traditional grocer reversed itself and it would stop selling the beef because of customer concerns. now for a look at what is trending today, a quick round-up of what has you talking online. "the hunger games" and the names of the movies main karics all trending topics on twitter. midnight screenings have fans lining up for the highly anticipated sci-fi release. the online ticket site fandango sold ten tickets per second on tuesday and it's based on the

best-selling book about the futuristic book where young people are forced to fight to the death on live television. mystery solved, sort of. there may be an explanation for the booming noises in a small wisconsin town generating conspiracy theories online. a small magnitude 1.5 earthquake this week could have caused the loud rumbling sounds. at least one scientist is openly skeptical, so the mystery lives on. >> and a video spiking now on youtube shows how a military father became a real superhero when he returned home to greet his sons dressed as captain america. >> where's daddy at? is your daddy here? >> where's daddy? >> in afghanistan. >> in afghanistan? >> it took a while before the boys realized the masked man was not just any superhero, but their hero. >> is that your daddy? >> daddy! >> oh, yeah! >> daddy!

>> very cute! thousands of u.s. troops are expected to leave afghanistan by this fall which should mean hopefully many, many more happy reunions. >> it's 8:05 right now. >> let's go back outside to ann and willie. >> also this week, natalie, they're having a baby and their family just found out this morning. >> breaking news. they're having a baby. >> congratulations to both of you. >> meantime, al knows all about that, having babies. >> i do. not for a while. we have a huge crowd from enterprise, alabama. enterprise also the home of the first commercially developed radar used on atvs. a big group of kids here. there are more enterprise folks over there. let's check it out. greenville, south carolina,

showers andthunderstorms, 78 degrees, big low pressure system spinning now over missouri and that's bringing rain from louisiana all of the way up into minnesota. we have another big storm coming onshore in the next 24 hours in the pacific northwest and record highs continue in the plains and cooler in new england with plenty of sunshine up and and that's your latest weather. willie? >> al, thank you very much. there is say growing food fight going on right now over who's

really writing celebrity cookbooks. we'll talk about it with notedrn man, i'm glad aflac pays cash. aflac! ha! isn't major medical enough? huh! no! who's gonna help cover the holes in their plans? aflac! quack! like medical bills they don't pay for? aflac! or help pay the mortgage? quack! or child care? quack! aflaaac! and everyday expenses? huh?! blurlbrlblrlbr!!! [ thlurp! ] aflac! [ male announcer ] help your family stay afloat at aflac.com. plegh! a big lunch doesn't mean a big price. start with a savory soup or a fresh salad. then choose a texas toast half sandwich,

like our classic turkey, served with fries, all for just 6 bucks at chili's. [ male announcer ] aggressive new styling. a more fuel-efficient turbocharged engine. and a completely redesigned interior. ♪ the new c-class with over 2,000 refinements. it's amazing...inside and out. see your authorized mercedes-benz dealer for exceptional offers through mercedes-benz financial services.

looking for low prices. that burns a lot of gas. yep. want to see if this walmart low price guarantee can help you out with that? ok! every week they lower thousands of prices and check over 30,000 competitor prices. check out that low price. you want to grab one? grab two. what happens if she does find a lower advertised price somewhere else? i'll match it right here. so what did you learn today? every dollar counts and now i get to bring more home to my family. [ male announcer ] that's the walmart low price guarantee! see for yourself how much it can save you. ♪ sunlight says get up and go ♪ mountain-grown aroma coming through ♪ ♪ a new challenge waits for you ♪ ♪ ♪ jumpin' into something new ♪ you really see all you can do ♪ ♪ ♪ the best part of wakin' up

♪ is folgers in your cup new extended moisture body lotion. extremely dry skin can hold you back. uncover more touchable skin with a nivea breakthrough. the first 48-hour moisturizing relief formula with hydraiq and provitamin b5 in a light, non-greasy lotion. love your skin. show it. share it. new extended moisture from nivea. touch and be touched. now bring the world a touch closer. join our million moments of touch movement and be entered in nivea's daily date night sweepstakes. back now at 8:10 with the cookbook controversy that keeps sirming. some celebrity cooks are fighting back against these claims that they don't actually write their own recipes. we're going to talk about it with noted chefs bobby flay and anne borel in just a moment. but first here's nbc's mara schiavocampo. >> reporter: it's the latest

blow in an ongoing food fight. >> normally, i don't respond to gossip or anything, but, you know, this is my professional life, and i am writing more cookbooks. >> reporter: on a pretaped segment of the rachael ratio airing today, actress gwyneth paltrow skyped in to the program, responding to a "new york times" article claiming she used a ghost writer on her cookbook "my father's daughter." >> i feel like it's important for people who have responded so positively and interact with me about my book that they know that this is my book and i wrote my book and it's all mine. >> reporter: ray was also named in the article and said the "times" got it wrong. she writes all of her own cookbooks. >> this is how i spend a lot of my time at home, the little bit of time i have with my family i spend in front of these little notebooks in front of the computer. >> excuse me, everyone. >> reporter: so what got them steaming mad? this "new york times" article, i was a cookbook ghost writer, claiming many of today's top chefs don't write a word of their own recipes. >> by and large a food personality will either have

recipes that need to be scaled down and adapted for home use or they'll have recipe ideas that other people will help realize and put on the page. >> reporter: "the new york times" ran a follow-up article on the topic and tells nbc news our story was accurate and fair. it did not say that someone else wrote rachael ray's, jamie oliver's or gwyneth paltrow's cookbooks. it said that they, like many other chef #authors had help. insiders say when it comes to creating a book there are often many cooks in the kitchen. a team of writers, recipe developers and taste testers. >> i think the only question is where the chef or personality ends and where the rest of the team begins. >> i think it is really important you taste your food. >> reporter: still these celebrities say while they do have help, the writing is all theirs. >> it doesn't mean you don't value the people that write the glossary or that help organize the pantry or work on a project, but a writer is still a writer. >> reporter: stirring the pot in a simmering feud. for "today," mara schiavocampo, nbc news, new york.

>> and we're now joined by two celebrity chefs, they are bobby flay, the author of "bobby flay's bar american cook wook". and anne borel who is the author of "cook like a rock star." bobby, i know you're champing at the bit. you want to put this thing to rest. you've written 11 cookbooks? >> yes. >> two of them with the writer of this "new york times" article that's caused all of this. >> right. julia moss kin was my collaborator and i think that's a really important word. i think ghost writer is sort of the issue in terms of the terminology. we have collaborators. they help us reduce the book. but i want to get the gossip out of the way first. i know for a fact that rachael ray writes her own recipes. i've seen her do it in between her shows, in the segments in the corner writing her recipes away. and also on the other side of it, i don't think that julia moskin who is the writer of "the new york times" story started this article in sort of the gotcha form. she wasn't looking to un, you know, to unveil the chef cookbook. i think she was trying to write a story about her prior career

before she started writing about "the new york times." and lots of names got thrown in there and some people got their feelings hurt. >> let's understand, though, what she's talking about. >> sure. >> this is a dilemma. this has raised big questions about the credibility of these cookbooks. whether these are really representing you. so, so when we talk about the word ghost writer, which is what she's talking about, what is actually really happening? >> i really think that ghost writer is the wrong term. i think most chefs have writers with their books. i mean, my writer is credited right on the title of my book. >> and so is yours. exactly it says bobby flay with stephanie bennett and salary jackson. they're collaborators >> and suzanne munger helped me write my book. i wrote my recipes, she helped me clean them up and helped me write the stories or cleaned up or put the framework around my recipes to tell the story about my recipes. >> so you're saying that they're more like an editor? >> they're collaborators. a cookbook is like is -- is say huge production. it's not like somebody is writing their memoirs, and

they're a ghost writer meaning they're invisible. there's lots of things that go into writing a cookbook. i think the most important thing that the consumer needs to know is that for the most part, and there are exceptions to every rule, that the cookbook that you want to be buying from chefs like anne and the like, you are getting those chef's recipes. they're just being produced in a cookbook. because, look, when you do a deal with a publisher there are rules about how to write cookbooks and the manuscript gets handed in and somebody known as a copy editor goes through it with a fine tooth comb. most professional chefs are watching their sauces reduced in their kitchen, they're not taking the manuscript and going over every punctuation, every proper use of grammar, and proper prose. it's not what we do. >> and it goes back and forth many times. it's a huge production to write a book. it's not to say here's my recipes, put them in a book and bind them and send them out. >> the public needs to know in terms about how the process works, in terms of writing a book, are you concerned,

however, about this leaving a block eye on the cookbook industry, giving the -- the industry a sense of -- raising questions about the credibility of these books? >> that's why i wanted to come on. i want the consumer to make sure that they understand that they are getting the chef's recipes. it's just we have collaborators who make it look really nice and pretty in terms of what it looks like on the page. they get the food, they get the recipes from the pan to the page and that's the most important thing they should understand. >> i feel like sweeping comments were made and a blanket statement and that is incorrect. most chefs, you know, i would like to believe that most chefs do write their own recipes. and it's their voice and it's their story being told. with the help of someone else. >> all right. anne borel, bobby flay. i'm not sure this is going to put an end to this. >> no. we just want to talk about spring menus. >> coming up next, the out-of-control serving sizes of some of your favorite supermarket favorites. we're going to find out what you need to know before digging in. living with the pain of moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis... ...could mean living with joint damage.

help stop the damage before it stops you... ...with humira. for many adults with moderate to severe ra,... ...humira's proven to help relieve pain and stop joint damage. humira can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal events can occur, such as infections, lymphoma, or other types of cancer, blood, liver, and nervous system problems,... ...serious allergic reactions, and new or worsening heart failure. before starting humira, your doctor should test you for tb. ask your doctor if you live or have been to a region where certain fungal infections are common. tell your doctor if you have had tb, hepatitis b, are prone to infections, or have symptoms such as fever, fatigue, cough, or sores. you should not start humira if you have any kind of infection. ask your rheumatologist how you can defend against... ...and help stop further joint damage with humira.

what are you lookin' at? i wasn't... not looking at anything... we're not good enough for you. must be supermodels? what do you model gloves? brad, eat a snickers. why? 'cause you get a little angry when you're hungry. better? [ male announcer ] you're not you when you're hungry™. better. [ male announcer ] snickers satisfies. have 46 grams of whole grains... mmmm. ...and a touch of sweetness. you'll be delighted to discover how good they taste. this one's for all us lawn smiths. grass gurus.

doers. here's to more saturdays in the sun. and budgets better spent. here's to turning rookies into experts, and shoppers into savers. here's to picking up. trading up. mixing it up. to well-earned muddy boots and a lot more spring per dollar. more saving. more doing. that the power of the home depot. break out the gardening gloves. miracle-gro garden soil is now 3 bags for 10 bucks. we are back at 8:19. this morning on "eat this, not that" serving size. over the last 20 years the diameter of the typical bagel has doubled. the size of a cheeseburger has increased by 77%, if you can believe it. and sodas have ballooned by more than 200%. as a result americans are spending more money, eating more food, and packing on the pounds. david zinczenko is the author of "eat this, not that," supermarket survival guide. david, good morning.

>> great to see you, willie. >> let's be very clear what we're talking about here. serving sizes, which can often be very deceptive on packaging. >> right. we have been trained to basically see gee gantic servings as individual portions. like if you look in an nba locker room, after awhile seven footers would look perfectly average to you. this is what's happening to our food. food companies are trying to find a new normal and get you to believe that this is a typical serving, when it's not. and you need to know the score, because otherwise, you're going to, you know, pack on a lot of pounds without knowing it. >> all right. let's start with pop tarts. a lot of people probably this morning sent their kids out the door with a package like this. what should they know? >> apparently this has to be a tag-team effort because you open the package and there are two pop tarts in there. so -- and 40% of the calories that children get are empty calories. so, they -- you've got to be careful. if you eat both of those you think it's 200 calories because that's what the label says so it's two servings. so you're actually getting 400

calories. >> oh, i'm worried about this. >> you do at every week it's becoming ten packages of starburst candies over the course of a week. you've got to know to eat one, share the other one with a friend, or let it go stale. >> or throw the other one out. >> this one we're looking at right here is boston market chicken pot pie. i think pot pie, i'm eating the whole thing. >> well, and look, we never negotiate a pie, the word pie, with a slimming food choice. but in this case, you know, this is half a serving, so what are you going to do say oh, i'm just going to heat up the left side of a pot pie? i mean, if you -- you're going to eat the whole pot pie and be getting 1,080 calories. so over the course of a week, you do this a couple times a week and even twice a week and it ends up being the equivalent of these 11 krispy kreme doughnuts. so, you've got to, again, be very careful. understand what you're eating. because it's often two, three times more than you think. in which case you've got to look

at the label and double the number of calories, double the sodium, double the fat. and -- >> eat half the pot pie. uno chicago grill classic deep dish pizza. they bill this as an individual pizza which seems to me eat the whole thing. >> and then you go and check out on the website the listed calories and it says it's three servings. you think you're getting 770 calories but you're getting 2300. where does their accountant come from lehman brothers? >> oh, boom! >> it doesn't make any sense. you do that. even twice a week, you go there and you eat lunch, and it's the equivalent of 26 taco bell tacos. >> so what they want you to do is to eat a third of that? >> they want you to eat a pound and a half of this, rather than the half pound slice that's right here. that's 770 calories. >> i'm going for the 26 tacos. this is the campbell's new england clam chowder microwavable soup cup.

it comes in a small serving size. >> again, are you supposed to heat up one size of the cup? it's 400 calories. that's what you're getting. the cup runneth over. if you eat this, five times a week, really, willie, this is what the equivalent is. this is the calorie equivalent. >> a little bowl of popcorn. >> wait, there's more. let's head back to the picture. so this is what you're doing to your body over the course of a week. but they're going to say oh, no, that's two servings. i mean, look, it's an election year we're used to being lied to. but this is say little bit over the top. >> all right quickly before we go, this is the sobi beverage. a lot of people pick this up, little pick me up. >> right. you grab one of these. it looks like one serving. you're supposed to invite five guys over and then split this because this, they say is 2 1/2 servings. so, -- >> that sounds like an awful party. invite five guys over and drink one bottle of this. david zinczenko, let's see real quick what you have. >> over the course of a week.

right here. all those calories. >> dave zinczenko, thanks so much. i'm not hungry anymore. thank you anyway. now here's ann. >> i could eat those in two minutes. thank you so much. now let's head down to florida and say hello to mr. willard scott. hey, willard? >> i'm in fort myers, florida, at the shell point retirement community. one of the nicest retirement communities in the whole country. and that's the truth. and we're having a birthday party. take a look. suberla bradley is 109. longevity is surrounding herself with people who love to laugh. hang out with people that can laugh. nora, that's a lovely old name, nora turner, brookfield wisconsin is 105. worked as a nurse for many, many years, and she loves to cook. i like to eat. we'd make a good team. and i'm available. and naomi dennard, 107 years old today. enjoys staying active and she likes to go out with her friends

and she loves nursery rhymes. itsy bitsy spider. she can do better than that. willie miller, hazelhurst, mississippi, is 100 years old today and loves being outdoors. and spending time, of course, with his good family. and we have another smucker's birthday guest, take a look, helen fisher, new york, new york, a wonderful town, 108 years old today. she's a huge dog lover. i bet she watches the westminster dog show. i do. one of my favorites. every year look forward to it. dorothy, little dorothy poppen, you know, the one that flies with the umbrella, orange city, iowa is 105. and enjoys taking long walks and getting her hair done. and so from the shell point retirement community in fort myers, florida -- >> back to new york! >> all right, willard, thank you so much. just ahead, how you can katey m kateiddl mon's setse of stylene. .

good friday morning to you. it is 8:26 right now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. sheriff's deputies hope a roadblock will help them find leads in the disappearance of a morgan hill teenager. they set up a roadblock near ciara lamar's bus stop. they are stopping drivers to ask if they saw anything unusual in the area at the same time last week. that's when she disappeared. her mother says she last saw her

daughter a week ago. the 15-year-old left to go to her school bus stop. sunday, investigators found sierra's purse in a field. it is friday. a light volume of traffic. speeds in the 50s through oakland. no big drama, meter lights are on and you have backup at the toll plaza. 101 and san mateo. disabled truck and an accident clearing 280 around the 92 interchange. we have a big backup, looks like they're trying to move that.

8:00 now on this friday morning, the 23rd of march, 2012. and we have a large crowd. on our plaza this morning to start their weekend plans, and to stop here on rockefeller plaza. meantime, i'm ann curry along with willie geist, who is in for matt this morning. and al and natalie morales.

coming up just ahead, we've been talking about kate middleton's style influence. so many of us are affected by it, want to look like her and -- and all of that. we'll be talk about that. how you can get some of her signature looks. >> al and i will be very -- >> absolutely. >> i know. >> and the matching la ining has well. another thing, ann, they're going to try to squeeze me into some of these cars down here. getting the most car for your buck. a new look at the least expensive cars to own, everything from price to gas mileage, repairs. >> where are the hamsters? >> all right. also coming up, i think it's a rather unusual way that couples are staying together by actually living apart. how does it work? and can a relationship really thrive when you don't live under the same roof? we're going to take a closer look at that. >> there's a real trend these days. >> if you're thinking about

getting a new roof you're in luck. barbara corcoran is here to give us a tour of some fantastic homes all for under $300,000. >> we'll tell you all about them. you have a check of the weather. is it really going to rain this weekend here? >> yes, it is. okay there you go, i'm done. let's show you what we've got for your weekend. no matter where you are. risk of strong storms along the mid-atlantic and southeastern atlantic coast. rain in the northeast. some more rain moving into the pacific northwest, northern california. record highs in the plains. sunday, sunday, more rain along the mid-atlantic and northeast coast. heavy rain moving into southern california. all the way up to oregon's coastline. we're looking at plenty of sunshine. warm, mild conditions all the way up into the plains. a little cooler as you get into the northern plains. good morning to you. well, it is going to be a mild but dry day. then rain arrives through tonight. we have heavy rain in the forecast for tomorrow morning, with lighter afternoon showers in the greater bay area. sunday, another wave of cold air, heavy rain returns.

in addition to that, we expect isolated thunderstorms sunday afternoon. 60 degrees in san jose today. much cooler tomorrow, in the low 50s. 53 sunday with periods of rain. have a great weekend. >> and you want to keep track of your weather all weekend long, go to the weather channel on cable or weather.com. >> meantime let's say hello to lindsey vonn, she just won her fourth overall world class title. the most points in the season. lindsey, good morning. how does that feel? >> thank you. yeah, it was an amazing season. i'm so excited. a little bit -- the men's. 20 points. next year i'm going to be after the men's record. >> ah. okay. well watch out, guys. >> 1980 points just off the

men's record. any thoughts about ditching the ladies and competing against the men? >> there you go. >> i'm not going to hang with the guys all the time. you know, what the penalty going to be if i beat them and i had some guys cleaning dishes for awhile. >> well, taking a little bit of a turn professionally, personally, also you got divorced, filed for divorce from your husband, thomas vonn who is also your coach so you did have to adjust to a new coach. did that present any additional challenges for you? >> yeah, it was definitely tough. i mean, personally whenever you get divorced it's tough. but having it be your coach, and having it right at the beginning of the season. i had a lot of support from my u.s. coaches, from my teammates. everyone stood behind me and i had a lot of friends and family coming to help me out. i made it through, and you know, i think that being on the slopes was great therapy, you know. clear your mind, and enjoy it. >> looking ahead 2014, kosochi,

russia, what are your goals? >> i'm excited. we had the first world cup on the olympic track this year. it's an amazing track. i love it. i'm really excited about it. and yes, i'm looking forward to the olympics. >> lindsey vonn, congratulations. >> thank you. >> you've got the guys. >> great to see you. >> you can hang out with us in london. >> i will. i'm coming. >> yeah. we'll come watch you in sochi. lindsey, thanks. coming up next, dressing like the duchess. how to adopt kate middleton's sense of style. but first, this is "today" on nbc. [spring boing...boing

(sir can-a-lot) excuse me, madame. [giggles] i only intended to punch up your potatoes with the flavor of glorious spam! (woman) oh... i never thought of that. (sir can-a-lot) i wouldn't be here if you had, madame. (ancr) break the monotony. for more fun ideas visit spam.com. and we're back at 8:37. the duchess of cambridge has quickly become a fashion icon. when she wears a certain dress

or shirt, sales of that particular item tend to skyrocket. it's called the kate middleton effect. and we should see more of it tomorrow when one of her favorite places to shop, which is called lk bennett opens a flagship store here in new york. suzannah is a "today" fashion contributor. good morning to you. >> hi. >> first of all, can you tell us how kate's style and influence has changed over the years? >> it's evolved slightly in the fact she's wearing a lot more designers now. when she first hit the scene she was wearing a lot more just regular jeans, nameless blazers. now she's wearing a lot more bigger brands but she's still relatable, but she's still the achievable and relatable princess. >> the point is she almost never misses a beat. just like diana's tone, as well. is it fair to say that people in the royal family, that the women get stylists, get people who shop for them? >> they reportedly, kate does have a personal shopper, at

various stores, however she doesn't have a stylist per se. >> she is her own stylist. >> she is her own stylist. >> nevertheless, being a duchess, i would think that you're -- the pressure is to look very lady-like. like there's a certain pressure to look a certain way. so can we credit her with this new wave, this lady-like look that's happening all across the country today? >> it's funny. there was a trend on the runway this spring, much lady-like looks. chanel, dior, was that inspired by kate or is kate inspired by the runway. certainly, the amazing lk bennett teal dress which is kind of like a '40s feel to it. she swapped the belt out, put a leather belt with it. >> you mentioned that department store, is that some place that she frequents a great deal? >> lk bennett she shops like 50% of her closet is from there. she definitely is a big fan of the shoes. the nude shoes we have here. >> these are the shoes that i'm touching here. these are the shoes that she's

purchased herself? not the very shoes, but she wears this type of shoes? >> yes. this is the style. and she definitely put the nude shoe back on the map. before she came on, she wore this shoe, i think it was six times out of nine days. >> hmm. >> so she's definitely very comfortable shoe. >> so for women then who are interested in sort of getting some of this look, classy, lady-like look, what would be the best advice you would give as a senior editor of a fashion magazine? >> i think keep it very polished. keep it buttoned up. keep it very nipped at the waist. keep length appropriate. and just extremely chic and effortless at the same time. >> giving how much fashion changes, and the dramatic shifts are sometimes, you know, how long do you think kate middleton, the pressure that she's under to look lady-like can maintain her influence on the industry? >> i think she can maintain it throughout. just like diana. >> all right. well thank you so much. >> my pleasure. >> it's really a pleasure to get

to see you again. and coming up next, in the market for a new car? we're going to reveal a new list of the least expensive cars to own. but first, this is "today" on nbc. [ female announcer ] here in california, our schools need help. the largest class size in the nation. 47th out of 50 in per-student funding. but right now, we can make history with a ballot measure to send every k-through-12 dollar straight to our schools. to every school and every child. not to sacramento. it's the only initiative that can say all that. check out our online calculator and find out how your school would benefit. visit ourchildrenourfuture2012.com today.

this morning on "today's consumer," the cheapest cars to own. the sticker price not the only thing to consider. we're talking about insurance, repairs, and, of course, the rising cost of gas. so, how do you decide on a vehicle that is right for you? the folks at kiplinger's personal finance have created a new list of the best, least expensive cars to own. jessica anderson is kiplinger.com's associate editor. jessica, good morning. >> good morning. >> let's look at the criteria, first. safety factors, gas mileage, service and repair costs, insurance costs, and depreciation rate of vehicle. which one or two should we focus on? >> i think the very first one

should be always safety. thanks to federal mandates for 2012, every vehicle now has standards. you're going to want to look for number of air bags, six is pretty standard. anything above that is great. and of course gas mileage. >> let's go car shopping. we've got the nissan versa, four door, sticker price under $20,000. >> the best thing about this vehicle is in addition to a very low sticker price it's got very high resale values. sorry about that. and so when you go to sell the car, after three or five years you're going to be getting a lot of your initial investment back. and also point out about this vehicle, it has great rear leg room. >> let's take a look at that. you say there's leg room even for a guy like me. i'm 6'4". >> i think you can get in this one. >> let's see if i can do it. yeah, that's pretty good. >> you could. your knows don't even such the back of the seat. got a little bit of head room. >> plenty of head room. let's move on to the ford fee east to.

the sticker price about $14,000. >> yes. >> what do you like about the fiesta? >> well, the fiesta is really big on safety. so it is a top safety pick by the insurance institute for high way safety. and it has a standard driver's knee air bag, which is one of the only vehicles in this class to have that feature. >> not all the cars have the knee air bag which is important. >> right. >> also something i love about this you've got an iphone or telephone you can sync it up in the car with voice commands. >> yes. that's another good safety feature. you can say something like call mom, or play artist adele and it will do that for you without you having to take your eyes off the road. which is one of the number one things for safety now with all the driver distractions available in your vehicle. >> pay a little extra for it but probably worth it. the next one if we go over this way, the kia soul, which my children call the hamster car because of that great commercial with the dancing hamsters. >> they were so fun. >> what do you like about the kia soul? >> one of the best things, if we

come around to the back is the cargo area. we've had them put some stuff in this vehicle. look how much stuff we managed to fit in the back of here. and it's got 19 cubic feet of cargo space. most hatchbacks don't have this much so that's really awesome. >> this could be a family car. >> totally. $14,650 is the sticker price on this one. okay. now this one, you're going to try to convince me that we can get four people in to this car. how on earth are you going to do that? >> the car is only 10 feet long bumper to bumper which makes it only a foot longer than a smart car. but it has a 3 plus one configuration. you've got the driver seat. the passenger sits a little bit in front of the driver to allow for full adult leg room. you can feet three adults and behind the driver you can fit a child or other cargo. >> this one a little more expensive at $15,995. you say safety say big selling point on this. some people might be concerned about a small car like this keeping the family safe.

>> absolutely. going back to the air bag thing. we talked about the six standard one. this has two knee air bags for both front passengers and also seat cushion air bags and the world's very first rear window air bag. it has 11. that is more air bags than any vehicle i've ever seen. >> before you went on the air here you said i would even be able to fit in the back seat of this car. >> we're going to call. >> i'm not iraverage size man. in the scion hq. move it up. it's close. >> oh, boy. >> let's see. i'm in. >> and there's still room. >> i may never get out. but at least i'm in. we'll have to call the new york fair department to get me out of here. it's a great look at these cars. yes, you can, it turns out, get a family in some of these. jessica from kiplinger.com, thank you so much. >> thank you. >> great to see you. >> coming up next, will it work for you? this is "today" on nbc. whatcha ?

ah, these new jeans i want. i've been looking everywhere. new blue jeans? oh, don't be crazy, i've got tons of blue jeans. frank! frank! get my jean bin, susie wants my jeans. no she doesn't.

here we go. nice and loose. ohhh. those are loose, but i actually just ordered three pairs of this kind. ooooohhhh. oh. when it's on your mind, it's on ebay. back now at 8:49. this morning on "today's relationships" an unexpected way some couples are staying together. instead of sharing a home, there are some who choose to live apart. here is one couple's story. simon friedman and judy hess have been together for nearly 14

years. >> it was just a good match. he matched up to all the things that i was looking for. ♪ so happy together >> reporter: their in love and happy. but after all of these years simon and judy say they don't want to get married. in fact they choose to live in separate homes just a block apart. >> what worked for us just because of our own personalities. >> it meets both of our needs. i think we'd be in each other's hair. it's kind of like if it's not broken, don't fix it. >> hi, sweetie. >> hi! >> reporter: it may seem odd to some, but more committed couples are choosing what's going called a stayover relationship. a recent study shows adult couples ages 18 to 29 spend three or four nights a week staying at the home of their partner. rather than moving in together. >> okay. if you insist. >> we're both very fussy about how we like things to be. once i started to live alone i

thought oh, my god, this is fabulous. i can't believe it. i have control over everything. >> it would just drive each other crazy living together, and being in each other's spaces all the time. we're just not really well-suited for that. >> reporter: living apart works for celebrity couple tim burton and helena bonham carter. they live next door to one another in london. and with so many marriages ending badly, some couples believe living apart is the key to staying together. >> one advantage of not living to the is that we get to miss each other, you know. absence makes the heart grow fonder. >> so kate is say contributing editor for "the atlantic." good morning to you. >> hi. >> help us understand. what are the social and economic factors that are redefining these kinds of committed relationships today? >> first of all, marriage is changing before our eyes. we're getting married later than ever before. we're marrying less.

and meanwhile women are making more money than they ever have and are better educated than ever. because of these factors, we are changing our romantic and domestic arrangements. we're not doing things according to the social norms that we always have. >> so you sometimes use the words, describing this as a new kind of monogamy? >> oh, yes, exactly. yes. >> what is that? >> so, it's a term that sociologists use, lifting apart together, l.a.t. for short. and it applies to married or long-term committed couples who choose to live in separate houses because that's what suits them as a couple. >> even as a married couple? >> yeah. >> because the couple we just saw, i don't think, had gotten married. even as a married couple this happens. now it doesn't seem that this would make a lot of economic sense. >> well, that depends. you know, i think we live in a day and age when people are living in huge houses and beyond their means. and who's to say that two small studio apartments aren't, you know, even more economically

viable than one huge place. >> the numbers of people actually doing this are still relatively small. so how do you know if this is actually a trend. >> well, some studies have been done. and so it looks like there are 6% to 7% of people in america are doing this. in europe it's higher. where 10% in europe. also in canada more people are doing it. >> hmm. i wonder why in canada. >> i don't know. >> uh-huh, that's a good question. something more for you to write about. so i guess the question is -- every time something is new, there's always going to be sort of a pushback. and i think one argument might be, how can this possibly be good for a relationship, when you really want the kind of daily intimacy in a marriage that we've all come to expect. >> exactly. well, it also, you know, what comes with intimacy, the drudgery, your life together becomes being about chores, being exhausted after work, running a tiny, nonprofit business that is a family unit. what these people are finding is that they have more time to

themselves. they can, you know, come back together at their best selves more than just, you know, all the craziness of life. >> yeah, but something about crankiness is also kind of what we start to learn from. >> yes. >> and it sort of helps us become better people, and more connected because we're honest about the hard stuff, as well as the easy stuff. >> exactly. i don't think that's avoided. people who do it are still spending three, four, five nights together a week. it's not that they're never seeing each other. they're just seeing each other differently. >> mm-hmm. and so, in terms of who can do this. how would you define the person who's got the kind of personality traits that would be able to succeed at something like this and so the sort of fall victims to the risks that must be inherent? >> you certainly have to be independent minded and very confident in your relationship. and i'm saying independent minded because you get a lot of flak. a lot of people i've talked to who are in these kind of relationships say that they're always having to explain themselves to other people who

are saying oh, your guy's just not committed to you. you guys have to move in. and explaining, no, this is what works for us. this is what we want. >> you have to be very strong. >> yeah. >> kate, thank you so much. it's interesting. something new. all right. just ahead,

it is 8:56 right now. i'm laura garcia-cannon. another bridge closure will impact weekend drivers, socal tran is sending an early warning. did you know bart enbridge will be closed to all traffic for the entire memorial day weekend. they shut down friday night, may 25th, reopen tuesday morning,

may 29th at 5:00. crews will be working on seismic repairs. let's check the forecast with christina loren. >> good morning, lawyer a beautiful skies in san jose. everything changes later on. a lot of rain on the way starting tonight, lasting through the weekend. a few showers early monday, then tuesday and wednesday spring like showers. they will clear out by thursday. have a fantastic weekend.

black on this friday morning, the 23rd day of march, 2012. another summerlike day here in manhattan, and we have got a happy friday morning crowd hanging out here just starting the weekend off early. meantime, i'm ann curry, out here on the plaza. willie geist is in for matt. great to have you here. >> great to be here. >> we've got savannah guthrie and we're all here to tell you good morning and also tell you that coming up after six weeks of speculation we've got some very serious news to get to. which is, reports have come back to tell us how whitney houston has died. >> that's right. we've heard now from the medical

examiner. the coroner released an official cause of death on thursday, an accidental drowning. he did say heart disease was a contributing factor and that cocaine and other drugs were found in houston's system. we'll have more on that and hear from her family just ahead this morning. >> all right. and also ahead, if you are in the market for a new home, we will show you what you can get for less than $300,000. barbara corcoran is here. she's got homes in texas, minnesota, down south. some really good deals. >> and we've all seen the long lines, the teenage girls screaming and swooning, willie included, for "the hunger games." we're going to show you how to trace the steps of its stars on the set. or how about going and visiting the lush hawaiian views from the descendents or walk the banks of the seine like they did in midnight in paris. how we can live the hollywood lush life. >> wow, that sounds like fun. >> or walk the seine like midnight in paris, that would be cool. >> i know. we can talk about it.

i love the guy who played in that movie. also back inside and find out what's in the news from natalie morales. >> good morning to you guys once again. good morning, everyone. we do begin with the official cause of whitney houston's death. nbc's craig melvin has the latest on that coroner's report. craig, good morning to you. >> natalie, good morning to you, as well. this is the beverly hilton where whitney houston was found drowned in her bathtub back on february 11th. yesterday the coroner told houston's family how she died. he also released this preliminary one-page report. this report confirms what so many feared and so many suspected. drugs helped kill the superstar. toxicology reports show whitney houston used cocaine before she collapsed and drowned in her hotel bathtub. >> it appears that the cocaine had been used in the time period just probably immediately prior to her collapse in the bathtub at the hotel. we know that when she slipped under the water she was stale

live. >> reporter: although the official cause of houston's death is accidental drowning, a spokesman for l.a. county's coroner says cocaine combined with a heart condition played a key role. >> chances are had she not had the pre-existing heart disease and cocaine use, she may not have drowned. >> reporter: other drugs were found in houston's body including marijuana, xanax, benadryl, and a muscle relaxer. but these are not believed to have played a role in her death. the coroner's office did not say how much cocaine was found in the 48-year-old's body, but said there was evidence of quote, chronic usage. >> you don't have to take a certain amount or a minimum amount of cocaine to actually die from an arrhythmia, cardiac irregularity. >> reporter: the doctor is the chief of autopsy at ucla medical center. >> i think what's unusual and what complicated this case was that whitney houston happened to die in a bathtub. but she might have died, you know, even if she weren't in a

bathtub. >> reporter: houston's soaring mezzo-soprano propelled her from church choir to international superstar. but her admitted drug use had long been cause for concern. her family released a short statement saying we are saddened to learn of the toxicology results, although we are glad to now have closure. in 2010, during her comeback tour houston struggled to hit those notes that she used to nail with ease. ♪ houston's daughter bobbi kristina talked about her mother's legacy in a recent interview with oprah winfrey. >> everything that people are saying about her, you know, all that, all that negativity, it -- that's not my mother. that's not who she is. >> reporter: now investigators did not find any traces of illegal drugs at the crime scene back in february. there was a report swirling

yesterday that someone had removed drugs, illegal drugs, from the hotel room, and that that same person was supplying whitney houston with the cocaine. i asked a spokesperson for the beverly hills police department about that report. all he would tell me was that he could neither confirm nor deny the report but said that the investigation was still open. natalie? >> all right, craig melvin in beverly hills. thank you, craig. florida's governor is appointing a new task force to investigate the shooting death of unarmed teen trayvon martin. nationwide outrage at martin's death has prompted thousands to rally, calling for the arrest of neighborhood watch captain george zimmerman, who says he shot martin in self-defense. meantime, the local police chief is standing by his agency's decision not to arrest zimmerman. but says he is temporarily stepping down a move martin's parents say is not enough. army staff sergeant robert bales will be charged with 17 counts of murder for allegedly going on a shooting rampage in two afghan villages earlier this month. this according to a u.s.

official. this as another assault case surfaces from bales' past. a washington state police report from 2008 describes the quote extremely intoxicated bales forcing a woman to grope him then punching and kicking the woman's boyfriend. charges were not filed at that time. bank of america is testing a new program that gives homeowners facing foreclosure a new option. the mortgage-to-lease program would allow customers to stay in their homes by becoming renters, transferring their home's title to the bank. the program will only be available to about 1,000 customers while in its early testing phase. a florida man will plead guilty to hacking into the e-mail accounts of scarlett johansson, mila kunis, christina aguilera and other celebrities. christopher cheney could face up to 60 years in prison. he gained access to private information and naked photos some of which were leaked to the internet. the heir to the british throne is a good sport, but he is no king of the court. prince charles visited a youth center on thursday during his first official visit to sweden.

after watching skate borders do their tricks, charles hit the basketball court. he did make at least one foul shot, but let's just say the prince is probably better at polo. it is now seven minutes past the hour. you're up to date right now. let's go back out to al with a check of the weather. >> thank you so much, natalie. we've got a lot of wet weather down south. a risk of strong storms, large hail, damaging wind gusts in the ohio and tennessee river valley. looking at tornadoes, as well. into the central gulf. you can see we've got a deep low back over oklahoma. that is spinning around, and bringing all that moisture up out of the gulf, where we're talking about anywhere from 3 to 4 inches of rain. we've got talk of flooding right now in parts of southeastern mississippi, and on into louisiana. also, one to three inches of rain making its way all the way up into indiana over the next 24 hours.

this friday art to morning. we end up in upper 50s and t lo 60s. i'm chris teep a loren. 63 in san jose. sunshine for the first part of the day and increasing clouds the second half ahead of a front that's bringing heavy periods of rain throughout the weekend. if you are making plans, early sunday is the best chance. monday and tuesday, more showers. by thursday, mild, spring like conditions in the bay. and that's your latest weather. savannah? this morning on "today's real estate," what you can get for under $300,000. today's real estate contributor barbara corcoran is here with some great homes on the market from new york to texas. barbara, good morning. >> good morning. >> we're going to start down south near new orleans. >> we sure are. this is a custom one level nome a gated golf community. nice enough that even if you don't play golf you're going to one to live here. neat as a pin facade out front, desperately in need of a tree, i

think. but it also has a leaded glass entrance door. the open floor plan makes the whole interior light and airy. the living room has gleaming wood floors. i don't know how the heck they make them shine like that and high ceilings. the kitchen is painted tiffany blue with corian counters, breakfast bar and an open breakfast area. the formal dining room has a trayed ceiling, chair rail and wide base boards. the charming office is probably my favorite room in the house, clever use of a little window nook. you could write the next great novel there. and there's a private backyard with a brick patio planted for really easy maintenance. >> that looks very beautiful. next how is in bainbridge, new york. 1.2 acres of land. >> you're not going to believe it's only $249,000. it looks like a million dollar house. it was built in 1927. has only two owners, which simply means that there's less wear and tear on this pretty house. the parlor has built-in, hand crafted oak shelves and

cupboards and a brick fireplace. who gets a parlor anymore? it's been substituted with a little foyer today. the huge eat-in kitchen has a window sink overlooking the big backyard. the formal dining room has a double set of french doors and long windows. the oak paneled office has a sturdy desk with built-ins and book shelves surrounded everything. and the house sits on beautifully kept ground with a simple brick patio out break. only $250. unbelievable. >> very picturesque. next one is in st. paul, minnesota. twin cities. >> what's wrong with twin cities? it's often called the arts and culture capital because of the midwest because of the festivals, museums and performances that are everywhere in this town. this is a town home that has a big bay window out front and dormer windows gracing that roof up top. the living room is full of light from the bay windows and has blonde wood floors, dove gray walls. seems just right for the space. the all-white kitchen looks spic and span with its great counters and glass front cabinets.

the open dining room has big, sunny windows. the family room has a gas fireplace, wet bar and lots of natural light. looks like a great room for dancing. the master bedroom is huge enough to roller skate yourself right into that bed and has a big picture window overlooking the backyard. >> looks great. calvert, texas, this next house has a little bit of history. >> it has a lot of good history. calvert is like a sleepy old town. most of the homes are old. it's only 30 minutes from texas famous a&m university. very popular area to live. the home has a big, welcoming porch and jinter bread trim. it's a flawless split wood staircase in the front entry which gives the whole house a lot of character. there's a long galley kitchen with cherry wood custom cabinets and a ten foot long granite island. the formal dining room has glossy wood floors, fancy millwork and leads to one of two first floor parlors that come with the home. the master bedroom has high ceilings and an elegant

wood-burning fireplace and this frite covered porch is made for sipping lemonade on a hot, texas afternoon. what's wrong with that one? >> that looks idyllic. our last one is in lexington, south carolina. you say they've got a special deal in addition to a low price. >> these are very clever owners and people should be more like them. they're offering a $10,000 cash incentive to buy this house. kind of like a take my house and take my money. you could use it for your down payment or closing costs or i'd just pop it in my pocket. this home has an open floor plan. a cathedral seeing and hardwood floors. the kitchen has a granite top breakfast bar and counters. you just get a peek of the dining room, hardwood floors, extra wide crown moldings and a single column on the left side sets the room apart. the back of the house has a pergola and stone pavers. there's a stone firepit and seating area and the house comes with access to the nearby lake murray for the whole family. >> all those homes under

$300,000. >> what a deal! why aren't people snapping these up? >> i don't know. barbara corcoran, thank you so much. we are back right after this. [ female announcer ] granola thins. from nature valley. crispy granola, layered with creamy peanut butter or rich dark chocolate flavor. 90 calories. 100% natural. and nature...approves. granola thins. from nature valley. nature at its most delicious.

but what about your wrinkles. neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair. it has the fastest retinol formula available. it's clinically proven to visibly reduce wrinkles in just one week. "why wait if you don't have to." rapid wrinkle repair. neutrogena®. recommended most by dermatologists. i've dealt with all types of tax problems. people want to know their taxes have been done right. to help, you can use our free, one-on-one, expert tax advice. man: go to turbotax.com.

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. that's 8 hours while you wear it, plus an additional 8 hours of relief after you take it off. can your patch, wrap, cream or rub say that? so if you've got pain... get up to 16 hours of pain relief with thermacare. in a delicious special k protein shake. with 10 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber, it helps satisfy your hunger longer. [ telephone rings ] satisfaction. what will you gain when you lose?

satisfaction. we're as passionate about cheese as you are. so inspired by the popularity of italy's most famous cheese, we've created three new parmesan dishes. new grilled chicken parmesan, featuring chicken fresh off the grill as well as grilled shrimp or grilled steak. all with a savory parmesan crust. for a limited time only, it's our passion for parmesan for people who really like parmesan. olive garden. when you're here, you're family. now for just $6.95 you can create your own lunch. with one of six choices, like a half panini. plus unlimited soup or salad. this morning on "today's travel," mini get aways. if you're trying to figure out where to take your next

vacation, why not trace the steps like some of your favorite actors. a star unto herself is here with some great destinations that serve as backdrops for popular films. >> good to see you. >> it's funny. this never even dawned on me that you go and visit these places where they film these movies. >> it's a great way to see a destination that you're almost kind of familiar with. >> so "the hunger games." big, big movie. >> opening today. people are i'm sure standing in line somewhere right now. >> oh, yes. >> so the area around asheville, north carolina is home to where the film was done, and so, they've done a really interesting thing. they've put together 12 places to experience "the hunger games." so you can go around and go to the du pont state forest where some of the arena scenes are done. and the trail where some of the bloodiest action takes place. >> oh, good. yeah. >> of course they're not there anymore so you're safe. >> that's pretty cool. >> the cool part is that you can stay at the hotel indigo which

under $200 a night. that's where the cast stayed. you really will be tracing their foot steps. they do a lot of stuff with activities in the area like ziplining and water rafting. >> let's go to hawaii. everybody loved seeing george clooney in "the descendants" running down that hill. >> there's a lot of running in that movie. a lot of anxiety. i think hawaii was just as much of a main scene stealer as george clooney. they're both good to look at. so it's a win-win. >> down girl. >> they shot that movie for eleven weeks in kauai and oahu. the cast stayed at the saint regis, a beautiful resort. another running scene where he's running on the beach was at that hotel. a great, affordable place is the waimea plantation house, under $200. >> we like that. >> it's a great look, a way for you to go wandering around. it's a former plantation house,

and they've transformed into a place to stay. >> good family place? >> great family place. under $200. great value place. >> oscars. another great movie. viola davis and octavia spencer. >> they're both fantastic and they both were in greensboro -- i'm sorry in greenwood, mississippi, which is where the film was shot. 160 cast and crew members descended on this town and took over basically running the joint for awhile. and they were -- they stayed, a lot of them stayed for $195 a night at the regis. and what i love about this town is it has the feel you would expect. >> are they kind of pointing out where they shot the movie? >> just about $40 more than the $195 a night they will give you a dvd, a poster, a self-guided tour and will leave a snack

turndown. i love any kind of snack. >> okay. a little more exotic, twilight, but it was supposedly in the pacific northwest. you're not taking us to the pacific northwest. >> this is the dramatic honeymoon, breaki ining dawn pa one they went to paraty in brazil. it's a beautiful, incredibly preserved colonial destination. and this is the house you can actually stay in for a lot of money. but we chose something a little bit more affordable but also very charming. for $191 a night an 18th century colonial house that has a spa, a courtyard. it's beautiful fruit for breakfast. and no vampires. >> woody allen. >> oh, dreamy. woody allen is known for doing movies like manhattan where he

celebrates a place like manhattan. same thing for midnight in paris. this is like a love letter to paris. >> where do you get to stay? >> you'll be well located and welcome to do everything you want to do. $245 a night. >> okay. coming up, what you should do to get a better night's rest. before heading thome a party we've got some smart snacking s lona.acky a good price? pretty sure... sfx: truth phone rings hello? pretty sure? consider this yor wake-up call. everybody has a price guarantee. but only sears guarantees the best price on all top 10 brands, because only sears carries them all. with experts who know them all. it's called the top 10 advantage. boom! what was that? me dropping some knowledge on you.

thinking about buying appliances somewhere else? think again. sears. [ female announcer ] weak, damaged hair needs new aveeno nourish+ strengthen. active naturals wheat formulas restore strength for up to 90% less breakage in three washes. for strong, healthy hair with life, new aveeno nourish+ strengthen. from centrum. its unique assessment tool... helps you find the multivitamin and supplements... that are right for you. so visit nutritionpossible.com. better nutrition... is within reach. centrum. nutrition possible. beeveryone wants to be the cadbury bunny. cause only he brings delicious cadbury crème eggs, while others may keep trying. nobunny knows easter better than cadbury!

i'm here with carol, flo, and karen for a girls night out talking about activia. i tried it and my body felt so right, for a change. and then there's you... why should i try it? my system gets out of sorts but that comes with age, right? wouldn't you like to feel great? just because we're in that over 50... what does that mean? are we done? activia helps regulate your digestive system

when eaten daily. these could be our best years yet. activia ♪ ...romance... ♪ ...documentaries... or whatever else, then you'll love netflix. netflix lets you watch unlimited movies and tv episodes over the internet, on your pc or tv via game console or other devices. and best of all: it's instant. watch as many movies and tv episodes as you want for only 8 bucks a month. start your free trial today. >> coming up, smart snacking ideas. >>

>> coming up, smart snacking ideas. avoid bad.fats. don't go over 2000... 1500... 1200 calories a day. carbs are bad. carbs are good. the story keeps changing. so i'm not listening... to anyone but myself. (laughs) i know better nutrition when i see it: great grains. great grains cereal starts whole and stays whole. see the seam? more processed flakes look nothing like natural grains. you can't argue with nutrition you can see. mmmm. great grains. great grains. search great grains and see for yourself. you can't argue with me. [ male announcer ] nyquil cold and flu relieves your cough 50% longer than tylenol cold multi-symptom nighttime. [ snoring continues ] [ male announcer ] because snoring sounds better than coughing. if you can't take a sick day, here's a cold hard fact. alka-seltzer plus cold & cough

may cause marked drowsiness. try dayquil cold and flu for non-drowsy relief of these symptoms. ugh! [ male announcer ] so you can save the day, not worry about falling asleep. ♪ good friday morning, everybody. the time is 9:26. i'm jon kelley. investigators are stepping up the search for the missing teenager from morgan hill. the sheriff's office is setting a roadblock near sierra's bus stop. they plan to ask drivers if they saw anything strange last friday morning around the time she disappeared. this morning, her mother pleading for her daughter to come home. >> if somebody is holding her, find it in your heart to release her. i just want her back. >> on sunday, investigators found sierra's purse in a field

with her clothes neatly folded inside. her mother says they're the same clothes her daughter was wearing the day she disappeared. another candlelight vigil tonight in free month at washington high school where sierra attended school as a freshman before moving to torn hill. we will have a look at the weather and traffic after this break.

welcome back. 9:28. we will see dry conditions today. cold enough for a jacket. 60 in san jose, 68 in napa. temperatures on the warm side before the clouds start to roll in. we have a strong system on the way for the weekend. heavy rain between 3:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. by sunday, another wave of strong, strong winds. looks like we could pick up two inches of rain even in the south bay. you want to be careful traveling through coastal mountains through the weekend. by sunday, we get a little break

second half of the day. more rain tuesday and wednesday. finally spring like conditions thursday next week into the weekend. let's check the drive with mike. friends on the peninsula, take note. 101 very slow in the last half hour because 101 southbound before you get to willow, truck carrying a lot of gravel is carrying less gravel, it is on the roadway. a disabled truck and couple of accidents in the area. both sides are effected by spectator slowing. jammed mountain view south to redwood city. 880, very clear, no major problems past the coliseum. a nice drive. jon, back to you. >> thanks, mike. join us in a half hour for more local updates. the "today" show rolls on.

♪ i bet you want me back now >> don't you don't you ♪ >> the savannah guthrie theme song. kelly pickler was on "american idol" six years ago and she got a recording contract right away and she is just putting out hit records, and more importantly, co-ho co-hosting with hoda kotb on the fourth hour of today as they wrap up country week. >> it's been fun. meanwhile in this half hour the best states for women. ivillage conducted some interesting research about the

quality of life for women across the united states for affordable health care and quality health care and job opportunities. which states ranked the highest? we've got the top five. >> and also ahead what you should eat before some of your everyday activities, like before a workout or before a job interview. or even before a snack. well we've got some snacking ideas. >> oh, hey now! >> joy is going to tell us -- well we're going to find out in just a few minutes. >> but first -- >> lester hold and amy robach are going to be here with a very quick preview. >> yes. >> well let me tell you we got a busy weekend. the trayvon martin investigation. it's been nearly a month since the unarmed teen was shot and killed in florida. since then there have been rallies from coast to coast. the police chief has temporarily stepped down. ear going to have an update in the case. then lionel richie's greatest hits with a new twist. he goes a little bit country for his latest album. he rerecords some of his best known songs as duets.

i talked with him about this new project. >> and then we'll look at "mad men." the highly anticipated drama set in the 1960s is back this weekend after a 17-month break. you're going to hear from the stars and the show's creator about what fans can expect. and the office fridge can range from overcrowded to completely gross. we're going to have tips on keeping your workplace refrigerator clean and lay out the rules for fridge etiquette. that and more when we see you this weekend here on "today." i guess people steal other people's things. you have to put your name on it. >> stays in there for quite awhile. >> lester and amy say wow, we've got a quick check of the weekend forecast for us. >> thought that was apple juice. >> oh! >> what? what? >> oh. >> anyway -- >> for the weekend -- slight risk of strong storms in the southeastern atlantic coast. rain in the pacific northwest. record highs in the plains. plenty of sunshine in new england and sunday, sunday, more

rain alone the northeastern and mid-atlantic coast. heavy rain moves into southern california all the way into the pacific northwest coast. we're looking at plenty of sunshine, mild conditions from the plains all the way down through texas. good morning to you. it is cold out there. temperatures are in the 40s, but mostly sunny at this point. clouds increase later on today ahead of a poet ept winter storm slated to bring two inches of rain over the course of the weekend. 60 in san jose with increasing clouds. there's that system. stop the clock at 3:00 a.m. on future cast, it makes it on shore, then we deal with a rainy pattern that lasts well into sunday. monday, a little break the second half of the day, then more rain tuesday into wednesday. have a great weekend. >> and that's your latest weather. >> all right, al, thanks. up next from finances to family the top states for women. -hold up. -why are we stopping? just need to refill my walgreens prescription. [ speaking native language ] i don't know what he's saying right now.

he says you're gonna get frostbite in under 30 seconds. won't take me that long. honey, is this really necessary? it'll bug me if i wait. [ female announcer ] walgreens free mobile app. refill by scan. receive a text when it's ready. we're good. wanna call anyone or anything? your mom? a little more altitude... a little less attitude. [ female announcer ] download the free walgreens mobile app to refill prescriptions, print photos and see the new weekly ad anywhere. walgreens. there's a way to keep life moving. [ female announcer ] with depression, simple pleasures can simply hurt.

the sadness, anxiety, the loss of interest. the aches and pains and fatigue. depression hurts. cymbalta can help with many symptoms of depression. tell your doctor right away f iyour depression worsens, you have unusual changes in behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk. severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing skin or eyes. tell your doctor about all your medicines, including those for migraine and while on cymbalta, call right away if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles or serious allergic skin reactions like blisters, peeling rash, hives, or mouth sores to address possible life-threatening conditions. talk about your alcohol use, liver disease and before you reduce or stop cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. simple pleasures shouldn't hurt.

talk to your doctor about cymbalta. depression hurts. ltcurbayma can help. and the cravings begin... again. for nights like these there's special k chocolatey delight cereal. an unguilty pleasure. what will you gain when you lose? "today's woman" is brought to you by neutrogena naturals, pure, natural skin care. real results. >> this morning on "today's woman," the best states for women.

from health care to child care, education and economics,ated to ares at ivillage.com examined every state to come up with a list of the top female friendly states. and kelly wallace is chief correspondent at ivillage and she's here to reveal the list. >> good morning. >> what criteria were you using? >> we looked at a range of factors. the most important issues for women, health care, the economy, how many women have health insurance, what's their median income, what's the poverty rate. we also look at what laws were on the books supporting parenting, parental leave, breast feeding. costs of child care, politics. representation at the state level. in the governor's mansion. in the congress. we looked at what laws were on the book supporting access to abortion and contraception coverage and also education. how many women in the state have a college degree. >> took you all a couple of months. very busy over there. let's get right to it. the top five and they are first off, the first state is connecticut. >> right. drum roll. >> number one. and why did you find it to be

the highest ranking? >> our rankings here it ranked in the top five in more categories than any other state. 90% of women in connecticut had health insurance. more than a third have college degrees. that's above the national average. >> great. >> it also has one of the highest median incomes in the country, of $46,000. for all those reasons, all those top rankings, it earned the number one spot. >> where could it do better? >> it has some more to do, connecticut. when it comes to representation because it has a seven-member congressional delegation. only one woman, so it has some work to do there. >> also child care. expensive. >> yes, it's expensive. >> second highest honors went to hawaii. and i understand nearly a third of all businesses there are owned by women. >> exactly. just saw a report yesterday, in fact, that women-owned businesses in hawaii grew 55% over the past 15 years. women are in owning businesses from construction to tourism, to employment. and they're probably now getting some help from their lawmakers.

the state's two congressional members are women and more than a third of the legislature is made up of women. so more women in office, more women supporting businesses. >> one of the areas of improvement is the cost of child care there. >> exactly. what we found across the board, we found states with some of the highest median incomes and highest college graduation rates had some of the highest costs of child care. low median income, low graduation, had low child care costs. we want child care costs to be low. but it does seem to be that the costs are a factor of how much people are willing and able to pay. >> third on the list is maryland. why is maryland attractive for women? >> a lot of things going for it. 36% of women in this state are college graduates. it has the highest median income for women, more than $47,000. one of the lowest poverty rates. also ranks number one in the category of women's owned businesses. one-third of the businesses in maryland are owned by women. >> next up, is massachusetts. and here, 96% of women have

health care. and health care being the reason because governor romney. >> exactly, it's a law, it's a retirement. you're required to have health insurance. it's ironic former governor romney doesn't want to talk about it but it's because of this that puts women in the state in a really good spot. nearly 85% of women in the state are getting their regular mammograms and pap smears. it's the highest screening rate in the country. obviously makes them healthier. also has one of the highest median incomes in the country. more than $46,000. >> child care i understand is also one of the most expensive in the nation. >> one of the most expensive. again, that does come to a factor that we sort of need to do, don't we all agree, moms with kids. >> that's right. >> and in new york we need to do more to bring those costs down. fifth on the list is california, and what laws have been created there to support women? >> gets sort of an a-plus from abortion rights groups when it comes to laws providing access to family planning services. victims of sexual saturday it's

a requirement that they get emergency contraception when they go to the emergency room. also right to choose is part of the state constitution. interesting thing we found, states where they had great representation in office, california, two senators are women, and sent more women to congress than any other state and had some of the best laws on the books when it comes to reproductive rights. >> put more women in congress. kelly wallace, thanks so much. and still to come this morning if you're looking for a food that will put you in the mood we're going to tell you what to eat before hiking into the bedroom. go joy bauer. i'mbut sometimes i wonder...ce.

what's left behind? [ female announcer ] purifying facial cleanser from neutrogena® naturals. removes 99% of dirt and toxins without dyes, parabens or harsh sulfates. so skin feels pure and healthy. [ female announcer ] from neutrogena® naturals. you should know that just one dose of children's advil® gives up to eight hours of fever relief. allowing your little one to get back to building a better afternoon. children's advil.® relief you can trust. you know who you are. you can part a crowd, without saying a word. you have yet to master the quiet sneeze. you stash tissues like a squirrel stashes nuts. well, muddlers, muddle no more. try zyrtec®. it gives you powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec® is different than claritin® because zyrtec® starts working at hour 1 on the first day you take it. claritin® doesn't start working until hour 3.

zyrtec®. love the air. claritin® doesn't start working until hour 3. hershey's drops. a lot of hershey's happiness in little drops of milk chocolate. and cookies n creme. pure hershey's. i like yoplait. it is yoplait. but you said it was greek. mmhmm. so is it greek or is it yoplait? exactly. okay...

[ female announcer ] yoplait. it is so greek. progressive saved me so much money on car insurance, this baggage fee is on me. did you check that bag? houston? well, welcome to savingsville. did you pay $25 for that bag fee? -yeah. -you did? with all the money i saved on progressive car insurance, i'll take care of that bag fee. you're so kind! thank you! you guys just landed in savingsville. [laughs] yes, we did! you made my day. do you want to pay our college tuition, too? back now with the school shooting in washington state last month that sent a third grader to the hospital in critical condition. >> amina corner bowman was hit

by a single shot when a classmate brought a gun to school. >> nbc's miguel al figure spent time with amina and her parents in seattle. >> what do you really want for your birthday, honey? >> reporter: amina kosher bowman turned 9 years old monday and though she remains hospitalized there's reason to celebrate. just last month the third grader was sitting inside a bremerton, elementary classroom when she was critically shot. >> it's heart wrenching. >> reporter: her parents, terry and john bowman were told their baby, their little girl, was close to death. >> when we saw her, i was like she's going to get through this. i know she is. and then i told her, i was like you're not going to quit. you're a bowman. we never, ever quit. >> reporter: amina's classmate, a 9-year-old boy brought the loaded .45 caliber handgun from his mother's home to school. when the gun accidentally discharged in his back pack amina was hit by a single shot. the campus went into lockdown as

amaina was life flighted to harbor view medical center. how close was this to being a fatal gunshot? >> extremely close. >> reporter: the bullet shattered her elbow, went into her abdomen, penetrated her liver, pancreas and entest ien. >> it's a very high risk of injury. >> reporter: today the shell casing is still lodged near her spine. >> she's looking at several months of problems with this intestine. eventually she should get back to a relatively normal life. >> reporter: she pulled through six surgeries in less than a week. the 9-year-old knows she was shot, but like her parents, doesn't understand how this could have happened. so how you feeling, sweetie? >> i was shot. >> reporter: the third grader who brought the gun to class pled guilty to three criminal charges and agreed to testify against his mother and her boyfriend. both felons, they pled not guilty to assault charges. the boy's lawyer says he's no village. prosecutors argue the adults must be held accountable for allowing easy access to the gun. >> we still want to see --

>> reporter: the day amina was shot she was wearing her father's dog tags. the navy veteran who was deployed to iraq, has cried himself to sleep some nights. >> i've seen some stuff out there, you know. and this, i mean, that never prepared me for seeing my daughter laying there, you know, just so helpless. it hurt. >> reporter: though she's still weak and still suffering today, doctors hope amina will soon be back on her feet. and back on the basketball court she loves. like her father, amina hopes to join the military. and like her mother, she's proven she'll never give up. >> and she's still here. and we're so happy that she's still here. >> reporter: for "today," miguel almaguer, nbc news, seattle. >> such a tragedy on so many levels. thank goodness she's doing better. her family has set up the amina bowman trust fund with the bank of america.

all donations will go forward the medical expenses and recovery costs. if you want to find out more logon to our website at today.com. we're back in a moment. first, this is "today" on nbc.

this morning on eat smart today, smart snacking. planning what you eat before you head to the gym or jump into the car for a long ride could save you a lot of time, a lot of calories, too. nutritional joy bauer is here. >> hi, savannah. >> i guess with a little planning you can save yourself some calories. >> but also catapult yourself to the top of your game and increase performance depending on what activities you're going for. >> our first activity is exercising. so should you eat before you exercise? >> joy, i think this is going to surprise a lot of people. really the truth is, if you're moderately exercising, that's about an hour or less, your body doesn't need to fuel up beforehand. >> it's my favorite excuse.

better eat that pizza. >> especially if you're exercising in order to lose weight. very counterproductive. but if you like to have something small before and you feel energized i would say go for a banana. it's totable. you can pop it in your bag in the morning. it's light. about 100 calories and loaded in potassium. potassium is something we tend to become depleted in but we sweat a lot from physical exertion. also think about a coffee or a tea. because caffeine if you have it about 30 minutes before you work out helps us to push our bodies longer and stronger during a workout. >> drink that water, too. because doesn't the caffeine dehydrate you? >> a little bit. >> for the late night snackers. >> so the best natural mild sedative is going to be tryptophan. that's an amino acid that helps to produce the brain chemical that makes us drowsy. the trick is you want to combine it with carbs. so a rice cake has carbs. and the cheese has the tryptophan. >> okay. >> so this is a perfect p.m.

snack. >> that just looks delicious, joy. i've got to tell you. >> i have one of these. this has a little bit of cinnamon on it. it's really good. >> okay. >> or you can have part skim ricotta with strawberries and this one is just reduced fat cheddar. also consider a soothing cup of chamomile tea. relaxes you. great for slumber. >> does make you a little bit sleepy, right? >> yes. >> the next activity is going to a cocktail party. i thought you're supposed to go to the cocktail party to eat and drink. >> the tip here is to eat before you eat so that you sort of squelch hunger pains, take the edge off and you don't show up at the party and gobble down all of the delicious appetizers. so i'm showing hummus with a whole tray of vegetables. because the combination of fiber and water starts to expand in your stomach and it's going to give you more resolve to say, maybe not. not so many when you get to the party. >> a little snack before you go. >> right. >> our next one we're talking about what you should do before a long car ride. to stay awake i guess. >> right. so you're going to go for that

high octane fuel. i'm showing a skim latte, because again it's about the caffeine. you want to wake up. if you don't want coffee you could also go for tea and the longer you steep your tea bag the more caffeine is going to end up in your cup. a couple of handfuls of nuts or roasted edamame because it helps to stabilize your blood sugar which is going to keep you alert and up for that long drive. >> you've got almonds. are all nuts created equal? >> all nuts are great. but those unsalted almonds are unbelievable. try one. >> really? >> mm-hmm. >> let me see. mm-hmm. >> i keep them in the freezer. >> i could just drive forever. >> really delicious. >> all right, joy, let's get to it. what you should have before sex. the joy of sex, with joy bauer. >> to get new the mood i am choosing soft chocolate covered strawberries first because they are luxurious and decadent and romantic. but they also have libido boosting compounds called flavonoids which help -- >> ooh, flavonoids.

>> flavonoids. okay. and they help you -- >> and drink heavily. >> and it's going to increase blood flow to all parts of the body. of course a glass of champagne always helps. >> let's change the subject. what to eat before a job interview. nice transition. >> when you're looking to enhance your concentration you want to stick to protein. protein helps you sort of activate and wake up all of your brain cells. so i'm showing first a protein smoothie. i'm using nonfat free yogurt because it has more protein than traditional yogurt. i mixed it with berries and skim milk. and protein packed scrambled eggs and i threw in some smoked salmon because salmon has more protein but also the omega-3 fats. >> they're supposed to make you short. >> they don't help instantaneously but they help with long-term brain power. so if you score the job you'll be ready for your first day on the job. >> love it.

i'm going to bring in some strawberries -- >> that's one way to get the job. >> coming up, kelly pickler sit something in for kathie lee. >> and adorable easter fashion show for two. >> have a great weekend.

(sir can-a-lot) good day, ma' lady. [muffled] i am sir can-a-lot. i am sir can-a-lot, here to save you from another breakfast bore. wake up those eggs with glorious spam! (woman) hmmm... that's actually a good idea. [nervous giggle] (ancr) break the monotony. for more fun ideas visit spam.com. good morning to you. it is 9:56. i'm laura garcia-cannon. sheriff's deputies hope a roadblock will help find leads

in the missing morgan hill teenager. they set up a roadblock near sierra lamar's bus stop. they have been stopping drivers, asking if they saw anything unusual in the area this time last week. her mother last says she saw her daughter a week ago as the 15-year-old left to go to her school bus stop. on sunday, investigators found her purse in a field with clothes neatly folded inside. three people rushed to the hospital after a violent crash in san francisco early this morning on brotherhood way. police tell us three people were riding in the car when the driver somehow lost control, skidding into a tree. the car spun around and wound up on the sidewalk. look at the damage there. police say the driver and two passengers were all taken to the hospital. two of them with life threatening injury. no word if alcohol was possibly a factor. let's look at the forecast now with meteorologist christina loren. >> you need the umbrella this week. take a look at this beautiful shot of the golden gate bridge, getting a nice, clear start this

morning in the city by the bay. everything changes this afternoon. clouds thicken up, get first showers in the bay 9:00 p.m. tonight. then overcast conditions and periods of rain all weekend. enjoy the sunshine and 60s while it lasts. 63 in san hose. rain on the way saturday and sunday. monday a few showers early. tuesday, wednesday, light spring showers, finally a dry pattern thursday. let's check the drive with mike. no rain on the roads but gravel, 101 southbound two right lanes near willow. i have word they may like to get a sweeper as well. we don't have updates on whether anyone is on scene for the cleanup. the accident on the other side of the freeway cleared approaching marshall, northbound side covering 280 is a good alternate route. thank you for joining us. the latest traffic and news updates, check out nbc bay area on facebook.

another local news update coming up in a half hour. have a great friday morning. at progressive, you can bundle your home and auto policies and save. don't worry, tiny people. flo is a gentle giant. bundle home and auto at progressive.com.

captions paid for by nbc-universal television

i love this song. it is all about impowerment and being tough. mentally and emotionally and i'm a little physical tough, too. >> i like it. you are the last country celeb we've had all week. most of the country stars who have wanted a drink have wanted jack. >> really. >> what is the story with the jack straight just like that? >> i mean have you had it? >> no. >> cheers, by the way. cheers. >> there's something about it? just your drink of choice? >> apparently. >> it is smooth? >> it is smooth. little tennessee whiskey. >> is it? okay. now a lot of people know you from "american idol." that must seem like a lifetime ago. >> it does seem like forever ago. >> people still connect you. >> which is fine by me. i'm so blessed to have been part of the show. >> that was something that really obviously propelled your career. if you don't remember. >> oh, my gosh. ♪ since you've been gone

♪ i can breathe for the first time ♪ ♪ i'm so moving on yeah yeah ♪ thanks to you >> look at simon. ♪ with a broken wing she carries her dreams ♪ ♪ >> what do you think when you look back at that girl who's singing in front of those judges? were you scared that day? >> oh, my gosh, that was so intimidating. any time you go to audition in front of simon cowell, it was intimidating and scary i think for everyone. but i just -- i do remember walking in that coliseum in greensburg, north carolina with thousands of other people. all there for the same dream. you know? we're all there wanting to be the next "american idol." and, wow, just to look at that just takes me back. >> the song everybody knows you for now i think is one that a lot of people love. it's called "red high heels." >> oh, yeah.

>> this will put you in a good mood. >> this is my very first song to country radio. >> was it? >> yeah. ♪ so i'm going out tonight in my red high heels ♪ >> um-hmm. speaking of red high heels, you don't have red high heels on today but i got to tell you something, you are known -- i've heard from sources, you're known for your shoes. >> i love shoes. >> let's take a peek. >> don't look at my toe nails though. >> they look unwalkable. b bobbi thomas is doing her buzz on shoes. >> how do you balance without the bottom part of the heel? >> yes, you have to kind of walk like this -- no. i don't know. >> try again? >> you just kind of walk like this. very carefully. >> those are cute. >> i mean i don't -- you know. i knew we'd hopefully be sitting

down today so i wouldn't do a lot of walking. >> here's the thing. i interviewed taylor swift for a "dateline" special we did a while ago and she talked about how the two of you, you were talking about some ex-boyfriend or something that wasn't working out quite right at the time. >> probably. >> and you guys decided you were going to pow wow on a song. were you talking about something, she said, you know what? forget about talking about it, let's put it in a song and let's make something of this. >> it feels like forever ago, too, when we wrote that. we were both on tour with brad paisley opening up for him. yep, this is the one. i was going through a rough time with a boy, and i guess we did what we do best -- and we just wrote a song about it. thought, wow, at least we can make a little money off of this heartbreak. >> was this a real bad one? >> yeah, because that was my first love, we'd been together for a while. obviously we've both moved on in our lives and i'm so happily married and i have a good man now. i did get hitched. >> i got to say,

congratulations! now tell me how you met this guy. >> we actually met through mutual friends in nashville. >> let's put that picture up again. i need to look a little bit more. wow! >> yeah. we went to the caribbean, we just -- we got married in the water on a sandbar. it was the most amazing thing ever. it was the most incredible -- >> how did you know that this was going to be the guy for you, kelly? >> you know, it's funny, because i was never the girl that was going to get married. i didn't believe in it. i had never seen the right marriage. and so i just didn't know that it was out there. and god placed kyle in my life and completely just swept me off my feet and i just -- i fell head over heels for him. i did. and he's a keeper. >> how did he propose to you? >> he proposed down in -- we were at a friend's place in rosemary beach. actually, at that time he had got -- we had got our own little

place down there and he proposed on the beach in rosemary. it was so beautiful. >> is married life what you expected? is it kind of -- >> it's so much better. it's so much better. >> yeah? >> you know, i think it's so important when you get married that you marry your best friend. and that's the thing. i know people say that all the time, but it's so true. you have to marry your best friend. and i did. and so it's really, really a beautiful thing and i never -- i never knew this kind of love existed until i met him. and he totally changed my whole -- my whole outlook on marriage and love and what we can have and what we have. so beautiful. he's great. i'll have to bring him next time. >> we have to meet him. he just seems so sweet. so if you guys are all -- i know you've got your cell phone here. >> i do. >> i got my cell phone here. today is national unplug today. you're supposed to -- >> unplug your -- >> are you one of those crazy tweeter, texter?

>> i do like to tweet but i'm really electronically ignorant, to be honest. >> what's your ring tone? >> my ring tone. >> when i call you, what would it be? >> let's see. ♪ >> what is that? who is that? >> ernest. >> >> ernest who? >> tub! country's come to town, y'all. yaw! ee ha! >> country's come to town. when you're away from your husband, like i don't know, you're here on the show -- is he in town or somewhere else? >> lord only knows. >> so do you keep in touch? do you guys call every now and then? >> we talk every now and then. we try to -- we talk all the time. i'm honestly not a big phone person. >> you're not.

>> i'm not. i much rather talk to someone in person and make eye contact with them. >> me, too. the texting -- we're going to do a segment coming up talking about how we're a little disconnected but i think that is something like this, we're losing this part. >> we're losing communication skills. people don't know how to talk to people anymore. they're used to texting and e mails and they're not used to verbal communication at all. zblfrg's zblf >> everything's in 140 characters. i fom you. >> you follow you, too. where we going? >> we're doing "today's voice contest," with kids 6 to 18 and they submit their -- 8 to 16. i'm sorry. they submit their videos. we're going to judge them. we're not allowed to see them. you don't have to put it up, just cover up your eyes. let's listen to one of our young kiddies. ♪

>> okay. >> is that the "phantom of the opera"? >> what did you think? >> i thought it was good. i mean i can't sing opera music obviously. but -- yeah. >> you thought it was good? >> what do you think? >> i thought it was fine. let's listen to one more. ♪ >> what do you think? >> i couldn't really hear it. >> you couldn't hear it that well? okay. >> what are y'all laughing at? no. go ahead.

next? it was good. hey, it takes a lot of guts to send in something like that. >> it really does. >> to put yourself out there for people to pick apart and whatnot. >> you're right. courage. >> i give them props. i read an article recently -- a willie nelson interview and he talks about what he does to keep his voice. sing all the time. if you don't use it, you lose it. sing all the time. >> what do you sing in the shower? >> i mean -- whatever's in my head that day. you know. i kind of go all over the place. >> anything special lately? >> i've been rockin' some kitty wells and some loretta lynn and tammy winette. i like old-school country. ♪ it wasn't god who made honky-tonk angels ♪ ♪ as you sing the words of your song ♪ ♪ too many times married men

think they're still single ♪ ♪ that has made a many good girl too go wrong ♪ >> wow! you can rock it! it is time for a thing we love to do here called bobbi's buzz. >> you look beautiful! >> thank you. i have a girl crush. i want to take you home and put you in a bird cage or something. so we're clearly best friends because i also think that the feet are to display art. i love shoes. so i do love your shoes. i brought you a little gift. i'm going to explain this. >> thank you! >> there's a really sandalista for $24 will let you upload a picture and create your own flip-flops. kathie lee always complains my picture looks airbrushed so i picked the worst picture of myself and put our pictures just to show you -- >> look at our little faces. look at you. >> flip-flop season is around the corner so everyone can get

in on this, even dad for father's day. i know have you tweeted pictures of your blinged-out shoes. this is called bling is the new black. they send you a strip can you attach to the bottom of your shoe so when you are look you have a little flick of bling and don't have to pay hundreds of dollars. then if someone's getting married, like yourself, if you want a little something blue, you can get "i do" on the bottom of your shoes and he can do "me too" or "why me?" or help me" -- but there's also, last but not least, everyone who does love heels and wants to wear them three times longer more comfortable, this is a shift insert that shifts your weight and helps you be more comfortable. you take that home. >> thanks! >> bobbie thomas! now usually kath does the friday funny. we'd like for you to pinch-hit so you're here and it is friday.

you got your jokes? >> are you ready? >> girl, give them to me. what do you got? >> why did the blonde stare at the orange juice. >> why did the blonde stare at the orange juice. >> i don't know. why? >> you really don't know? because it said concentrate! woo! >> go for another one. i'm ready. >> how do you get a blonde to climb on the roof? >> i don't know. how do you get a blonde to climb on the roof. >> i can't believe you don't know this. >> what's the answer? >> tell her that the drinks are on the house. it works for me. >> you got one more? >> i got one more for you. how do you get a blonde to stay in the shower all day? >> how do you get a blonde to stay in the shower all day? >> lend her your body of shampoo that says lear, rinse, repeat.

>> you rocked it, girl! all right, thank you. we've got a big, big show. if you can't remember anybody's phone number without checking your cell, you're going to need to get your head out of the clouds and come chat with us. we'll be right back after this. i remember the day my doctor told me i have an irregular heartbeat, and that it put me at 5-times greater risk of a stroke. i was worried. i worried about my wife, and my family. bill has the most common type of atrial fibrillation, or afib. it's not caused by a heart valve problem. he was taking warfarin, but i've put him on pradaxa instead. in a clinical trial, pradaxa 150 mgs reduced stroke risk 35% more than warfarin without the need for regular blood tests. i sure was glad to hear that. pradaxa can cause serious, sometimes fatal, bleeding. don't take pradaxa if you have abnormal bleeding, and seek immediate medical care for unexpected signs of bleeding, like unusual bruising. pradaxa may increase your bleeding risk if you're 75 or older, have a bleeding condition like stomach ulcers,

or take aspirin, nsaids, or bloodthinners, or if you have kidney problems, especially if you take certain medicines. tell your doctor about all medicines you take, any planned medical or dental procedures, and don't stop taking pradaxa without your doctor's approval, as stopping may increase your stroke risk. other side effects include indigestion, stomach pain, upset, or burning. pradaxa is progress. if you have afib not caused by a heart valve problem, ask your doctor if you can reduce your risk of stroke with pradaxa. but the chemicals that can end up on your face may not be so beautiful. ♪ that's why there's new puristics totally ageless powered by a naturally derived collagen builder, puristics measurably reduced the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles in 100% of women after just 3 weeks. beautiful, younger looking skin. that's puristics, the power of pure.

new extended moisture body lotion. the first 48-hour moisturizing relief formula with hydraiq and provitamin b5 love your skin. show it. share it. new extended moisture from nivea. touch and be touched. new extended moisture from nivea. i'm here with carol, flo, and karen for a girls night out talking about activia. i tried it and my body felt so right, for a change. and then there's you... why should i try it? my system gets out of sorts but that comes with age, right? wouldn't you like to feel great? just because we're in that over 50... what does that mean? are we done? activia helps regulate your digestive system when eaten daily. these could be our best years yet. activia do you remember back in the day when we actually had to memorize somebody's phone number and we couldn't just hit speed dial on our cell phones? >> not really. >> don't make me feel old. >> from iphones to e-mail, we

are outsourcing our memory expecting that anything we need to know will be saved online. >> so how tied up are we with technology? "time" magazine recently tackled the topic in the article "your head is in the clouds." "time's" senior editor is here, and dr. janet taylor is a psychiatrist. hello, everybody. it happens to me with the dialling thing. because i know probably now five phone numbers by heart but all the rest that i used to -- i remember my phone number from when i was 6 years old but i don't remember people's phone numbers now. there's something happening, isn't there? >> there is. we've become completely dependent on our machines and the reason is, when we know information is stored, the brain takes the path of least resistance and says, all right, i've got that on a post-it note, on my computer, in my iphone, i don't have to remember it anymore. now that's great in terms of conserving brain energy. it is not so good in terms of building a fund of knowledge. >> absolutely. you think about it, that's what computers do or phones in

storage but you miss the face to face, the emotional connection that's really key for memory, is the experience. >> it's almost the way we used to do with -- used to add numbers up and multiply them. then when calculators were out you didn't have to know how to divide. >> you don't have to do any of the work. >> what kind of harm is happening to us? why is it such a terrible thing? >> well, the worst thing about it is that we lose critical skills, we lose analytical skills. our writer in this story wonderfully phrased it, she said you can't google context. so simply because you have -- you build this sort of trivial pursuit sort of fund of knowledge but it is a mile wide and inch deep. what you really need is to practice your reasoning skills. >> it is reasoning an learning also. because there's something in the brain called plasticity that we know the brain continues to make connections but that what happens when you are learning something new, reading a novel that's richly descriptive which you miss when you just google something for five minutes. >> because i think when we were kids, you had to look something up in an encyclopedia kind of

thing. >> you don't even have to buy a book anymore. >> you really don't. are young kids now -- we always say how do they not know that? are they at a real disadvantage going up in the future or since all kids are kind of in the same boat is it a so-what factor? >> they're certainly at a disadvantage compared to oldsters like me -- i won't say "like us." because when you had to look at an encyclopedia you had a lot of sar dip tus knowledge, you flipped through, stumbled on to other pages. if you just go straight to the detail you want on google, you get none of the secondary stuff. >> technology is here to say, it will get bigger and quicker. as parents we have to remind kids to look at us face to face, eye contact. >> eye contact. >> really, even when they're texting, how did you feel about it? you think about good times with a girlfriend. it wasn't like that text you sent me was great, it was like when we were hanging out, we saw this and had so much fun. >> i do feel like we're missing out. >> people don't know how to communicate anymore. you know, even now going and

sitting in a job interview, just having the skill and the ability to have a conversation with a person and not a screen. >> i have to tell you i was in starbucks and ordering coffee, the kids don't look at you in the eye they're like can i help you. they're down here. but i'm up here. because they're so used to a screen. they read books on a screen. >> life becomes transactional instead of relational. suddenly we do things with clicks and we do things with returns and there's no give and take. >> but the article in "time" is fascinating. thanks for coming. up next, get ready for this -- fans are going to ask you whatever they want. they're all across the street with sara. >> look at them. >> right after this. [ male announcer ] it's simple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain

so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies, celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. and celebrex is not a narcotic. when it comes to relieving your arthritis pain, you and your doctor need to balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids, like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen, and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex, increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems, such as bleeding and ulcers, which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives, or other allergies to aspirin, nsaids or sulfonamides.

get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat, or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. [ doorbell rings ] ♪ you're a pizza delivery guy? ♪ well come on in man, what you waitin' on? ♪ [ male announcer ] for fresh delivery taste without the delivery price. it's digiorno. not anymore. fiber one is bringing brownies back. at 90 calories, you can have brownies again. ♪ fiber one 90 calorie brownies. in the granola bar aisle.

time for our weekly installment of "3-2-1 live with sara haines." >> sara's across the street with a great crowd of fans ready to ask their most pressing questions. >> we saw them dancing. >> we found a southerner for you guys to start you off. this is ellen from south carolina. >> hi, hoda and kelly. >> hey, honey. >> we know you're both from the south and we're also from columbia, south carolina visiting -- most of us for the first time. >> oh, great! >> just want to know what your favorite thing do in new york is. >> oh, my gosh -- the shopping, the food, the food's amazing here. i love italian food. i love flosnew york pizza. >> also, it's always great just

to make sure you poke into central park and do a little loop. it is a beautiful time. >> the shows. there's always amazing broadway shows going on. >> if you can see one show today, one of the best ones we've seen is called "once." it is a 10, a home run. you'll love it. thanks. >> next up, we've got suzanne from michigan. >> hi, guys. hoda, i just wanted to ask you, my kids and i just spent two years in cairo and we loved it. we were wondering, we know your parents are from there originally. have you been able to get back there and if you have, what's your favorite thing do there in egypt? >> i went several years ago. i have a lot of relatives who still live there and i just love it. it is one of those places that's always felt like home because my relatives are there. when we go we do the traditional stuff. we always go by the piyramids ad we do all the basic stuff. it is a beautiful place. i'm sorry it's undergoing so much political turmoil right now but it is a great spot. sara, thanks, guys.

still to come -- i think you're going to be interested in this next story because the hot blonde half of the dukes of hazzard john nye dsnyder. then if your doorbell isn't giving you the ring you're looking for, we have fixes for that and other pesky house problems. >> we are hopping on the trend train with easter fashions after your local news. you know who you are. you can part a crowd, without saying a word. you have yet to master the quiet sneeze. you stash tissues like a squirrel stashes nuts. well, muddlers, muddle no more. try zyrtec®. it gives you powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec® is different than claritin® because zyrtec® starts working at hour 1 on the first day you take it. claritin® doesn't start working until hour 3. zyrtec®. love the air. wanna see what's in it? yeah! whoagasp! whoagasp! whoagasp! you put it in here? yeah. and then you wanna take this...

are you making them for the easter bunny? no, you. ahhhhh. [ female announcer ] this easter...bring a tradition... out of its shell. [ cheering ] out of its shell. call on me brother when you need a hand, we all need somebody to lean on. brawny holds up to even your toughest messes. brawny. for a job done right, anchts 10:26, following breaking news in san francisco. police at the scene where

multiple people have been found dead. we're told there are five bodies in a home near ocean, near city college. the san francisco city college. police say the discovery happened after police received a report shortly before 8:00 this morning. we're also hearing that police have closed off streets in the city city's ingleside district. we will have more in 30 minutes. also covering the search foresee era lamar who disappeared a week ago today. police are stopping drivers today to see if they had seen anything. there's a search going on at a pond three miles from sierra's home. more otha t coming up as well. more for you after the break. ha

[grunting] (sir can-a-lot) whoa! hello, madame. sir can-a-lot. crusader of flavor.

i wanted to make your mac 'n cheese more delicious by adding glorious spam! (woman) that does sound good. glorious. (ancr) break the monotony. for more fun ideas visit spam.com. welcome back. first, the update on the peninsula. southbound 101, reduced to one lane of traffic as you approach willow. continued cleanup after the gravel spill over an hour and a half ago. slow out of redwood city. the north park is lighten. you can get to city college, ocean avenue and geneva avenue clear from 280 to the campus. keep in mind all of this activity. back to you. and coming up on the bay area news at 11:00, the latest on breaking news that we're following now out of san

francisco where police say multiple people were found dead inside a home at 16th house street near ocean, again near city college. also, the latest on the search for sierra lamar out of morgan hill. jon kelley and i will see you soon. this try-day, friday. we are rounding out our country music well with country star kelly pickler, doing a fine job filling in for kathie lee. >> thank you very much. i'm so honored to be here. >> you are rockin' it. you probably remember this icon from the '80s from the dukes of hazzard. >> but in real life john went on to start the children's miracle network charity. >> in his latest role he plays the father of an adopted teen searching for her birth mother in "adopted baby." >> i said stay out of it. >> i know how you must feel. >> have you no idea how you must

feel about this and you have no idea until you have a daughter of your own so stay out of it. >> she's not your daughter. and she has every right to find out who she is. >> i'm going to make this very simple. you stay away from my daughter. you don't call her, you make no contact whatsoever. you understand me? >> woo. are you a tough dad. >> you got to be a tough dad. especially when you have daughters. you got to be. >> this is an interesting movie called "october baby." what drew you to the role? what was it about it? >> it is about a segment of the population that i'd never even heard of before. there are two words that i got to on page 10 that i had never heard put forth -- it was abortion survivor. i didn't know. because that's what our daughter is. we adopted her because she's a survivor of a failed abortion attempt. i had never heard of that. when i got there i had to reread it because my mind said, wait a minute, that doesn't make any sense. but, yes, it does.

now it makes a whole lot of sense. >> we were talking about there are a lot of big movies out that are coming out right around now, "the hunger games" is big and "lorax" has been huge for many weeks. this is a small budget movie. >> micro. micro. i just heard that on fandango, number three must-see, "october baby." unbelievable. >> this a pg move? >> pg-13 because of the content. what it is really about is healing and forgiveness. it is a movie that talks about what everybody really needs. if you're harboring something against somebody, it is a tremendous burden you're carrying and it is killing you. someone this morning said it was great quote, "why would i continue to drink a poison waiting for you to die?" that's what that is. >> when i'm looking at you and i know are you talking about this movie, i can't stop thinking about the dukes of hazzard. >> i know!

>> it's a little weird. >> i'm a little weird. i'm from not fr far from here. i'm from new york. >> what do people ask you about the most? >> honestly it depends upon the age. because little kids will, but there's a whole other group that talk to me about smallville all the time. but, yeah. people will talk about that and so many people saw "october baby" during the test. you don't get in 400 screens unless you test it really well. they said, that's not -- is that the guy from -- no. that's not really him, is it? so it's actually a wonderful thing. "dukes" is still doing great. >> we wish you great luck with this movie. again sounds great. >> "october baby" in a theater near you and if it's not there, ask them to bring it in. >> it will open up today. up next, your little ones will make a big statement with easter fashions. these kids are so cute. right after this. ♪

[ male announcer ] what if we could keep enough plastic waste to cover all of manhattan out of landfills each year? the equivalent of 140 million trash bags, gone. by using new glad trash bags, designed with reinforcing bands to be stronger with less plastic waste, we can. ♪ it's a small change that can make a big difference. ♪ it's a small change that can make a big difference. your mood and your makeup. makeup like you've never seen before. new revlon® photoready airbrush™ mousse make up. unique air-infused mousse formula blends easily for a smooth, poreless, airbrushed finish. time to deploy the chex mix boring potato chip decoy bag. now no one will want to steal the deliciousness. with a variety of tastes and textures, only chex mix is a bag of interesting.

[ female announcer ] gross -- i'll tell you what's really gross: used dishcloths. they can have a history that they drag around with them. for a cleaner way to clean try bounty extra soft. in this lab demo, one sheet of bounty extra soft leaves this surface 3 times cleaner than a dishcloth. it's super durable too. it's the cleaner way to clean. bring it with bounty extra soft. in the pink pack. and try bounty napkins.

it's an amazing service that lets you watch unlimited movies and tv episodes instantly over the internet. you watch netflix on your pc or on your tv. best of all, netflix is only eight bucks a month. ♪ looking for low prices. that burns a lot of gas. yep. want to see if this walmart low price guarantee can help you out with that? ok! every week they lower thousands of prices and check over 30,000 competitor prices. check out that low price. you want to grab one? grab two. what happens if she does find a lower advertised price somewhere else? i'll match it right here. so what did you learn today? every dollar counts and now i get to bring more home to my family. [ male announcer ] that's the walmart low price guarantee! see for yourself how much it can save you.

wanna see what's in it? yeah! whoagasp! whoagasp! whoagasp! you put it in here? yeah. and then you wanna take this... are you making them for the easter bunny? no, you. ahhhhh. [ female announcer ] this easter...bring a tradition... out of its shell. [ cheering ] it is time for "today's style." easter is just a couple of weeks ago. whether your tot loved to get dolled up or hates it, there are

lots of outfits to help them dress with success. >> amy goodman author of "wear this toss that." >> hey, girl. you got some trends popping out there? >> we do. still ventrends you can still g in time for easter and wear beyond the holiday as well. >> pay very close attention to the models out there because there is an nbc connection to almost every single one. first out we have rhea, and 3-year-old matthew. >> oh, hi! >> they're wearing our bright diane von furstenberg collection from gap kids. she's got daisies in her hair as well. i love fresh flowers, incorporating it for easter. actually the little gorgeous espadrilles are also part of the collection. >> quit it. look at the shoes. >> matthew here, i love bright colors on boys. don't be afraid to put boys in

brights. these are from h&m. we have a great fed dora hat to balance it out with a neutral. >> and a sucker to accessorize. >> okay, kids, thank you! bye! bye, matthew. grab his hand. coming up now, jechltmma and do. >> i love the fact that jemma is very on trend wearing the polka dots. the dress and jacket is on sale at kohl's for $36. i love doing the unexpected with the headband which i got for old navy for under a dollar. our little purse substitutes in for the easter basket. she can put her toys in there. dashing dorian. let me tell you a story -- >> dashing, very smokin' hot. >> he's so handsome in head-to-toe jcpenney.

but the key is they're all separates. you can add the seasonal vest for $20. if you have the vest, add a pop of color with the turquoise shirt and tie together, all $20. >> you guys look great. >> nice job, jemma and dorian. >> everybody's loving their close-ups today. >> florals are next. come on, girls. >> notice the first look here is fresh tropical floral. that's really in this season. she's wearing a look from bloomingdale's. i love adding a blazer on top of a dress because with the spring weather you don't know if it will be hot or cold. she will stay warm, with alexa, this is a look from nordstrom. i love the floral ruffle skirt. neon colors are really in but they're not age appropriate for all but for tweens they are. we put a nice dash of a neon belt there. notice both the girls are wearing sandals or thongs here. i say no to the flip-flops but

elevated and updated thong is a very appropriate for easter. you don't get the pancake slapping sound of the heels. >> look how cute you two are. >> best friends. sweet! >> did you guys plan that? that was cute. next out we have one of our favorite producers with her cute little baby. >> her brand-new baby boy making his "today" show debut. >> he's zonked out! >> he's actually wearing an adorable complete ensemble from burlington coat factory for under $15. i just want to say, looks absolutely gorgeous. lace, overlay and tangerine tango from lord & taylor. shoes from t.j. maxx. >> dad's looking pretty good himself. >> the khaki pants but the unexpected touch here is the marshall shirt and mint green tie from lord & taylor. i didn't want to make him look like an easter egg but i did want to bring in those citrus

tones using greens and orange that matches his gorgeous wife. the shoes? $40 for him. >> quit it. >> suede loafers, marshall. as a family we did the color blocking theme here but they don't seem overly matchy matchy. >> we miss you. come back. are all of our models going to cam back? let's see everybody. come on in. you guys, that was terrific. you pulled it off. thank you. thanks to everybody. you guys look really cute. next, don't waste your money on a professional. we'll ask lou some questions. he our answers right after this. time, my lashes thinned. after 40, i didn't have enough lashes. time, my lashes thinned. my doctor said...latisse® is the only fda approved prescription treatment...for inadequate or not enough lashes. now with latisse®...my lashes are longer...darker, with more than double the fullness in 16 weeks. if you are using or have used, prescription products for eye pressure problems, use latisse® under close doctor care. latisse® use may cause increased brown pigmentation of

the colored part of the eye which is likely permanent. eyelid skin darkening may occur which may be reversible. if you experience eye problems or have eye surgery, consult your doctor. common side effects include itchy eyes and eye redness. my lashes changed as i got older. now i use latisse®. find a doctor at latisse.com today. new extended moisture body lotion. the first 48-hour moisturizing relief formula with hydraiq and provitamin b5 love your skin. show it. share it. new extended moisture from nivea. touch and be touched. and who ordered the yummy cereal? yummy. [ woman ] lower cholesterol. [ man 2 ] yummy. i got that wrong didn't i?

[ male announcer ] want great taste and whole grain oats that can help lower cholesterol? honey nut cheerios.

it's time for a new series we're calling "ask lou." we have all have those pesky problems around the house we don't know how to handle. >> we've enlisted the help of house smart's "lou mwho is here.

>> our first question is from john. what is the best way to hang a heavy mirror on the wall if i can't find a stud? >> that's a good question. >> i really would prefer if you find a stud but if you can't and they're just not there, you want to find some really high-quality hollow wall anchors. these are by a company called itw. these in particular, these toggle locks, can hold up to 100 pounds. if i show you on the back, i'll flip this around, this toggle lock goes in there and once this goes through and you put the screw there, this gets tightened up against the back of the drywall and will hold up to 100 pounds. mirror is not going to be that heavy but you put a couple of those and you can really get great long strength and it goes in just with a phillip's screwdriver. >> next a question from monica. seems like a simple question -- how do i install a doorbell? wireless doorbell.

doorbells are problematic because you have to do wires. battery operated, city of stick button. hang it inside the house, you're done. less than $20. >> i think that's our doorbell! actually. >> here's a question. >> from kat. how do i replace or fix the grout in my shower tile? >> if the grout is rough and you need to remove a lot of it, you use this tool. this thing with this blade, it won't hurt me if i grab it but i can go on there, it moves at 10,000 revolutions a minute. this thing is about $99. if you have a small one, this is by a company called home max. if you just have a couple tiles. you just use something called elbow grease. you remember that? you go back and forth like this. the key with any of this is remove the grout so you have that gap inside there. so then if you mix some up, you take a thing called a grout float like this. work it back and forth to put the grout back inside. okay? this can be kind of messy.

but then once you go from there, i have a sponge right here real quick and a little bit of water. wipe it down and regrout it and you're done. >> next one, samantha has a problem with water spots. she says water spots on the ceiling. i've painted over and over but as soon as the paint dries, she sees those pesky water spots again. she's used different paints. what should we do? >> she needs a better primer. when there are fires and smoke damage like crazy, what the professionals go for is bin. this is bull's-eye primer. there is an alcohol base which i like better than the water base, even though it is a chemical, have you to be very careful. it is very pungent to use but this seals up those stains. as long as no more whaert is co water is coming in. you get even more priming out of it with the paint and primers in one. >> joe wants to know -- how do you remove scratches from a stainless steel sink? >> that's a good question.

>> with elbow grease. this is a kit by a company called siege. all it is is a little pad like this that you use with the grain of the sink. i'm doing this so the camera can see. nice and gently. you'll go back and forth and remove all of the scratches from your sink. it will look brand-new. when you pull it out, it pulls that dirt and debris and you can bring the sink back to life. less than $10 and it is made in the usa. >> all right. real quick, dishwasher has a bad smell. this comes from brenda. it will go away for weeks but what should she do? >> you need to cycle this through, get everything out of it, put it on sanitize. there is a product called dishwasher magic that you put into the sishgle and go through. another one that i really like is clr, calcium, lime and rust remover. mix that in a couple of cycles, then a risk cycle, the smell will be gone. less than $10. >> this is a recurri inring seg lou. next, some california cooking in the kitchen.

but first, this is "today" on nbc. gorgeous! her smile's amazing.

is it a treatment? no! it's a toothpaste! [ female announcer ] colgate optic white toothpaste. it has the same whitening ingredient as strips. it's the hottest thing in whitening. [ female announcer ] colgate optic white. whiter teeth in one week.

in "today's kitchen," what's cookin', the best of california coastal cuisine from brian malarkey. >> thanks for having me. >> brian was a finalist on bravo's "top chef miami" and is the owner of seersucker restaurant. >> we've got five different restaurants in san diego. most importantly our tip for the home viewers is how to cook fish with skin on it and how to make it extra good and extra crispy. we'll do a little scoring right there. >> what kind of fish do have you there? >> some nice southern california black rock cod. we're going to go down on that. this side, little salt and pepper right here. >> wow, look at your style. >> the idea behind here su want to keep the skin tight and we don't want to cook it too fast. it is the old idea of the brick

oven roasted chicken. we'll do saute pan. >> you stick the pan on top of the -- >> i'm not trying to squeeze the moisture out, just trying to squeeze the skin down. can you come it almost entirely all the way right here on the stove pot. >> yeah! there we go. >> come on, fancy. >> then we're going to do a little butter right here, turn up the heat. i love your burners you got going on there. we just want to coat this fish with just a little bit of that butter. see that skin right there? >> what's cooking in the other pan? >> right there, mushrooms, beautiful hedgehogs with black trumpets, oysters, we have a little spring onion, a little bit of garlic. now the idea is to get some great caramelization. this is what it's going to look like. >> how long you cooking that for? >> until i get that nice brown rich, natural sugars. that's what's cooking in this. >> smells delicious. >> wine from the beautiful state of california.

is >> of course you do. >> of course you do. >> we like wine. >> we'll make a little pan sauce. turn up my heat a little bit more. put the wine in there, burn off the alcohol. you have the skills. i see you sauteing those mushrooms. >> burn out the alcohol? >> burn out the alcohol. you just put a little bit of the bot until there so you have plenty to drink with it. >> we stir that in right there. absolutely gorgeous. >> so that becomes what you stick on the fish? >> we're kind of going to put it around the fish because we have that beautiful nice crispy skin. that looks great. we going to be able to try that? >> yes, we are. >> tell us about the other dishes you've got real quick. >> also we have cauliflower brown butter, kalamata olives on that just cooked on the stovetop. >> let me try a little bite. we want to say, it is our good friend nameless' birthday this weekend. one of our producers. we would like to wish miss jop

ann la marca a happy birthday. come all the way in. we have a little cake. jo ann -- >> it says nameless on it. >> we tease you, revooe reviiere you. >> oh! >> give her another one. >> you guys, don't smell the cake. don't smell it. i want to thank kelly pickler for being an a-1 co-host. thank you for rounding out the week. >> i'm just glad i didn't burn the kitchen down. >> kathie lee's coming back. see you next week. >> cheers.