try to find it right here for you. i'm jim cramer and i'll see you tomorrow. this morning on " today," hot holiday. it's a frustrating fourth for more than a million americans still without power in the stifling heat. america's favorite sheriff, remembering an american icon, tv legend andy griffith. and hot dog. speed eaters weigh in for a and hot dog. speed eaters weigh in for a famous fourth of july tradition. captions paid for by nbc-universal television hello and good morning. welcome to our viewers across the nation, including the pacific time zone. i'm lynn berry, and today we begin with this holiday heat in seven states and the district of columbia, more than a million families are waking up to a

fifth day without power or electricity on this independence day. fireworks displays are being canceled to let police and fire crews continue relief efforts in regions where the weather will not only get hotter throughout the holiday. nbc's steve handelsman has more. >> reporter: it's miserable on margaret drive, in takoma park, maryland. a tree that tore down wires friday has not been touched. some homes got power back and then lost it. and the pets are sweltering in lynn quarel's home. >> first of all, i'm definitely worried about my cats because -- i mean heat isn't good for any animal, and a lot of them are suffering right now. i'm more worried about myself. >> reporter: maggie sterner, blacked out since friday, got power from neighbors until theirs went off again. >> i feel outraged and totally beside myself about this. >> reporter: she's furious at the power company. >> i've called pepco every day about my situation, the tree down around the corner, the downed wires across the street. every time i've called them over the last four days, they act

like it's the first time they've heard this information. >> reporter: pepco regional president thomas graham. >> you know, we do take responsibility. we know there are things that had to be changed. we're just working through it as best we can. >> reporter: power companies in the mid-atlantic had to bring in power crews from as far away as florida. they're working 16-hour days, but the job's gigantic. this car charred by downed wires in bethesda, maryland, is a reminder. dangers remain, and first responders are overworked. fourth of july fireworks have been canceled by many municipalities. i'm steve handelsman, nbc news, washington. while elsewhere fire crews are still battling more than 40 wildfires in western states. in colorado firefighters made progress against the two most destructive fires that had forced tens of thousands out of their homes. near colorado springs 346 homes were destroyed and 28 square miles burned. six of the air force c-130s are

back in the fire fight after being grounded because of sunday's fatal crash that killed four crew members. the dry conditions and risk of fire has prompted dozens of cities and towns in the west to cancel their independence day fireworks displays as well. well, president obama is remembering actor andy griffith as someone who warmed the hearts of americans everywhere. the man known as sheriff andy taylor of mayberry died in his native north carolina yesterday at the age of 86. nbc's mark barger takes a look back at his life and career. ♪ >> reporter: for many millions of tv viewers, andy griffith was the american south personified. for eight seasons griffith played the laid back sheriff of the fictional north carolina town of mayberry and aside the inept but loveable deputy barney fife. the show's combination of homespun humor and wholesome story-telling created a ratings hit.

eventually, though, griffith moved on screen to the big city. the drama "matlock" cast griffith as a folksy atlanta defense attorney. >> country people will sometimes fool you. there are an awful lot of bright people in the south. >> reporter: griffith himself grew up in the small north carolina town of mt. airy. his first career success came in 1958 with a hit record. >> both bunches full of them men wanted this funny-looking little pumpkin to play with. >> reporter: what it was was "football!" led griffith to acting. >> oh, heck, no, sir. i'm plo. >> you're what? >> permanent latrine orderly. >> reporter: "no time for sergeants" was a hit for griffith on broadway, tv, and film. but for most of us, andy griffith will always be remembered as sheriff of mayberry and opie's pa. >> that was a good idea. >> you know it was. >> reporter: mark barger, nbc news.

well, now, here's a look at some other stories making news early today in america. in wisconsin, just incredible video that shows a car turned into a rocket. imagine being inside there. it launched into midair after slamming into a section of road that buckled from the heat. the driver can be seen losing control and heading the wrong way into oncoming traffic. amazingly no injuries were reported though. in illinois, even professionals trying to demonstrate the dangers of messing around with fireworks can learn the hard way. a woman suffered minor burns on her foot after the canisters used to shoot the fireworks in the air tipped over, causing the pyrotechnics to go out of control. organizers said the mishap just proves their point about fireworks safety this holiday. and, finally, in chicago it was canine chaos as a fugitive fido was able to stay one paw ahead of the law. not for long though.

>> police hounded the dog as he ran along interstate 55, but they were no match for the fast-footed four-legger who even had time to stop for a sip of water, but he was no match for the expert dog rescuer who finally caught up to him. he had a small cut and he had a small cut and he was dehydrated, but he will be fine. and he's adorable. and now for a look at your national and regional weather, here's nbc meteorologist bill karins with the weather channel forecast. happy fourth to you. the dog was grinning. >> he's like, i got them. >> he was a little smug. good morning, everyone. we are watching incredible heat across the hartland. we'll see all time temperatures broken all the way from minneapolis to chicago. probably some of the worst of it. these high temperatures could easily get up into the 100s. excessive heat warnings widespread. minneapolis, chicago, st. louis, indianapolis, louisville, detroit. this is where the worst of it will be. what's different today than it has been the last four or five days, there's a lot of humidity

in the air. that's where the heat index is 110, 115. we're expecting 105 for the actual temperature in the shade in st. louis. chicago 101. you get the gist of it in the middle of the country. the cool spot is the mired west. the big storm from yesterday is long gone. high pressure will continue to build. this frontal system is weakening. it's separating the warm air from the hot air that still exists over portions of utah. we'll get those southerly winds. the monsoon season has begun. the monsoonal wind and added humidity. you can see on the radar, hit or miss right now. we'll see increasing especially late in the afternoon and a few thunderstorms around areas like phoenix, tucson, albuquerque. everyone else, you look dry and nice for your fourth. that's a100.

in nevada, a lot of areas in the 90s 100s. arizona, they'll be hit or miss. most of the fireworks shows should get in. coming up, crude creeps up, auto sales impress, and england's soccer team sets a lofty goal on wall street. your early morning business headlines are straight ahead. plus, who's on the top of this year's list of hollywood's highest paid actors? serena unloads at wimbledon, a pair of walk-offs, and the nets get their guy, you're watching "early today."

good morning and welcome back to "early today." i'm lynn berry, and here are some of your top headlines this morning. secretary of state hillary clinton officially expressed regret yesterday for the accidental killing of 24 pakistani troops last fall. pakistan has reopened supply

routes into afghanistan now that the u.s. has offered that apology. the food and drug administration has approved the first over-the-counter oral home hiv test. the test made by orasure provides results in 20 to 40 minutes. california prosecutors will not file charges against former commerce secretary john bryson for his role in two car crashes. bryson was found unconscious behind the wheel of his car last month after suffering a seizure. clayton osbun, the jetblue pilot who left the cockpit during a march flight who screamed about religion and terrorists, was found not guilty of interfering with the flight crew by reason of insanity. he will be sent to a federal mental health facility for further examination. and what do you think of this? the national oceanic and atmospheric administration has issued an official statement denying the existence of mermaids. did we really need to clear this up?

the denial reportedly came after a recent "animal planet" show on mermaids which fooled some viewers with computer imagery to depict the mythical creatures. i hope you can sleep better tonight. well, u.s. markets will are closed for the fourth of july market, but here's how they ended yesterday. the dow closed at 12,943 after adding 72 points. the s&p was up 8. the nasdaq gained 24. taking a look at overseas trading this morning, in tokyo the nikkei nudged up 37 points, but in hong kong, the hang seng lost 25. well, stocks closed near session highs tuesday on a holiday shortened trading session. a better than expected rise in factory orders cheered investors who were disappointed by monday's weak manufacturing report. caterpillar, alcoa, and boeing all got a boost from the encouraging news. the price of crude rose to its highest level since may after iran renewed threats to block a key shipping route in

the persian gulf in response to a european embargo. oil shot up nearly 5% to settle just under $88 a barrel. apple shares briefly touched $600 a share after a u.s. judge rejected samsung's request to lift a ban on sales of its galaxy tablet. barclays chief operating officer became the bank's third casualty in the wake of an interest rate-rigging scandal, which already claimed its ceo and chairman. england's storied manchester united soccer club filed paperwork for a $100 million ipo on the new york stock exchange. better than expected monthly auto sales drove ford and general motors higher yesterday. toyota also got a boost from its improving sales. and, finally, speaking of cars, check out this little guy. a tiny ultra compact electric model. it's only about 8 feet long and 3 1/2 feet wide. the single-seater goes for about $8,400. that would come handy in the city. well, coming up, one o's

pitcher nears perfection, and big serves pave the path for wimbledon semifinals. plus, a milwaukee brewer crashes his way to extras. your early morning sports headlines are straight ahead. in this fourth of july forecast, record heat in many areas. it's going to continue too. your forecast is coming up. you're watching "early today."

good morning. if you're just waking up, this is "early today." and in sports it appears the nets collected the right pieces for all-star point guard deron williams who agreed to re-sign with brooklyn yesterday. here's nbc's mario solis with an early look at all your sports headlines. good morning. the fourth of july celebration came a day early in brooklyn. deron williams made his decision and he's sticking with the nets. a day after pulling off a monster deal with joe johnson, brooklyn re-signed deron williams to a five-year, $98 million deal, and according to sources, they're still not done. they could still pull off a trade for dwight howard. to hockey, after playing his entire nhl career on the east coast, jaromir jagr is heading to the wild west. he signed a one-year $4.5 million deal with the dallas stars. the eighth leading scorer in nhl history had 54 points with the flyers last season. to baseball now, the sausage

race wasn't the only thing that went down to the wire in milwaukee. the marlins and brewers, needing extra innings, top of the tenth, jose reyes with a rare home run, just his third of the season, puts miami up 12-11. the lead is short-lived. bottom of the inning. one on for aramis ramirez. he ends it with one big swing, a two-run walk-off homer. brewers win a barn burner, 13-12 in ten. more late-inning heroics, this time in pittsburgh. after the astros tied it in the ninth, the pirates' drew sutton wins it in the bottom of the inning. his first homer of the year. pirates walk off with a 9-8 win. to seattle where wei-yin chen was pitching a perfect game until the seventh inning when this happened. casper wells spoiled everything with a bomb to left. all was not lost. orioles held on to beat the mariners. and, finally, as the nation celebrates independence day, serena was in england launching a barrage of fireworks at petra kvitova. serving up 13 aces, she advances to the semis at wimbledon with a

straight set win. and that's your look at sports on "early today." i'm mario solis. well, which movie does r. kelly claim broke up his marriage? your early morning entertainment headlines are straight ahead. plus, preparations are under way for a fourth of july tradition as patriotic as flags, parades, and fireworks. you're watching "early today."

welcome back, a great fourth of july if you're just joining us. dry weather just about everywhere. we do have some wet weather. we'll have scattered hit and miss showers and storms. a little rainy weather, kind of cool? southern alaska. fairbanks not bad. also in hawaii, you look good. you have a slight chance of a shower. you're used to that. lynn loves that. if you're watching us on knd 5 in washington. celebrate independence day with crafts, culinary lights at fourth of july in the park. pioneer park. >> that sounds like fun, bill. and now here's an early look at this morning's headlines in entertainment. a new spidey casting a web on moviegoers this holiday is making some big news this morning. "the amazing spider-man" starring andrew garfield and emma stone pulled in $7.5 million in midnight shows alone on monday.

analysts say it could debut with $120 million for the six-day holiday stretch. some good news for tom cruise who's facing the wreckage of his marriage. thanks to mission "impossible:ghost protocol," cruise has regained the top spot on forbes' list of hollywood's highest paid actors, earning $75 million. >> maybe his lawyer doesn't want that released. >> last year's top earner leonardo dicaprio tied for second place with adam sandler, both with $37 million. dwayne "the rock" johnson came in fourth with $36 million, and comedian ben stiller in fifth with $33 million. and, finally, r. kelly reveals in his new memoir that the movie "the notebook" inspired him to divorce his wife of 12 years in 2009. the r&b singer says he realized his marriage couldn't stand up to ryan gosling and rachael mcadams' romance.

it's a movie, people. >> silly. >> it is. and this comes to us from wnbc 4 new york where on coney island it is the holiday battle of meat versus man and women. ah, we love this every year, right? the defending champions of nathan's famous fourth of july international hot dog eating contest had their weigh-in ahead of today's annual showdown. record holder joey "jaws" chestnut came in at 210 pounds. while sonya "the black widow" thomas tipped the scales at a mere 100 pounds. she last time ate her way through 41 dogs. very impressive. i'm lynn berry, and this is "early today," just your first stop of the day, today on your nbc station.

in brazil a few penguins apparently refused to stop and ask for directions. instead of of swimming in the much colder waters of patagonia, they were spotted along the beaches of rio de janeiro. dozens of flightless birds were rescued and returned to their natural habitat. experts say it is common for young penguins to lose their way while searching for food. >> that's the right way to get lost. >> no kidding. well, in england the olympic torch has reached new heights. on the 46th day of the olympic torch relay, the fiery beacon was flown by a professional stuntman on a jet pack at the england's national space center. the daredevil aptly known as jet pack man took the torch over the building before making his way back down. the relay will continue for 20 24 more days.

>> and, finally, in israel, some clothes hopefully come with washing instructions. a fashion student has developed bioprints, unique patterns formed by bacteria. that's right. she grew bacteria in a petri dish and dried and dyed it to fabric. she said the prints are truly one of a kind since, you see, bill, each time bacteria grows, it grows in a different way. so every time you show up at a party -- >> bacteria gets a bad rap. there's some good bacteria. >> is there? >> yeah. it's what helps us digest all the food in our stomachs. >> really? i think that's kind of inappropriate talk for 4:00 in the morning. keep it basic. thank you, bill. >> think of what that bacteria is doing to that yogurt this morning. it's time for now for an early look at some of the stories we'll follow throughout the day on nbc. in washington the president and the first lady will celebrate the fourth of july by hosting military heroes and their families for a barbecue, concert, and fireworks on the white house south lawn. the 36th annual macy's fireworks spectacular will be held tonight in new york city.

they'll have exclusive performances by katy perry and kenny chesney beginning at 9:00, 8:00 central time right here on this nbc station. and happy birthday to presidential daughter malia obama who turns 14 today. all day long you can stay on top of the very latest developments in those stories and more as they break on msnbc. and tonight be sure to watch brian williams with "nbc nightly news." and, finally, here's a look at what's coming up later this morning on the "today" show. details at one man's cause of death after suddenly collapsing in a courtroom after being found guilty of arson. and a single dad who survived a terrible accident finds a special way to thank the neighbors who saved his life. now keep it on this channel for continuing local news, weather, sports, and more. i'm lynn berry. thanks for watching "early today," just your first stop of the day, today on your nbc station. the day, today on your nbc station. happy fourth of july. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com