bay area news at 5:00, we've got "nbc nightly news" coming up and we'll see you at 6:00. on this saturday night, unrelenting as the brutal and deadly heat wave brings another day of record temperatures and misery to millions, tonight when those in the hot zone might finally catch a break. high speed chase, drug traffickers along the u.s. border. tonight we are there as one state cracks down hard. what lies beneath. great white sharks are sighted in the same water that became famous in the movie "jaws." . tonight a warning to beach goers about what is driving them closer and closer to shore. and making a difference. they come from tough streets. a man has made it his mission to offer them a field of dreams. from nbc news world headquarters

in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >> good evening. we can tell you the end is in sight to the heat wave, but it can't come soon enough after another afternoon of scorching and in many places record-setting temperatures in the mid-atlantic coast. millions of people are living in areas under warnings today. at least 18 cities have reached record highs today. st. louis reached 107, washington d.c. and indianapolis 105. tonight, forecasters warrant a cool down could come at a price as we look at the radar now, experts warn we may see severe and damaging storms in parts of the northeast. more on the forecast in a moment, but first, michelle franzen in central park. >> reporter: temperatures reached 97 here today, but the heat index made it feel more like 100.

the big apple just the latest place caught up in this deadly heat wave. the heat wave gripping much of the midwest added more misery today. >> i'd rather have it 20 below zero than 102 degrees. because 102 just drains you. >> extreme heat extended to the east coast and mid atlantic. >> in washington, d.c., triple digit temperatures left parks and playgrounds empty. experts issued a warning now blamed for deaths nationwide. >> it is important that everyone is at risk. heat-related deaths do not discriminate. >> reporter: in new york city, central park runners took precautions to work out early to beat the heat. >> it is harder, trying to drink water and go slow. >> reporter: more than 33 states

have seen triple digit temperatures. when you factor in the heat index, how it feels, it is more painful. >> you can look at it in the records. 3,000 plus records have been broken this week alone. >> 200,000 people still without power. in hard hit west virginia and the d.c. area, utility crews worked over time trying to restore power after more than a week of being in the dark following the destructive storm. >> it's unbearable. we can't live like this. the midwest, which has suffered the longest, got a bit of a break today but farmers are still in desperate need of rain. lost acres that could cost you at the grocery store. estimated 75% of products that consumers use include corn. back in new york city, you would think the heat would be good for iced cream sales.

one vendor says it's driving away business. >> right now it is too hot. >> reporter: and people are still out tonight despite all of this heat. experts are reminding people to stay hydrated and that goes for making sure your pets get enough water too. lester? >> thank you. let's find out more about that storm threat and when relief is expected from the heat. kelly cast joins us now. >> reporter: millions of people sweating it out. we're talking about oppressive humidity. you can see the area shaded in the darker orange that is dangerous heat to be outdoors make sure you stay hydrated. but there is some relief in sight. we have a cold front sagging to the south. new york city will get a cool wind cooling us back to average we are talking the mid 80s. but still south of that front, very oppressive. severe weather a threat with that cool down. severe thunderstorm watches are in effect for the entire state

of new jersey. right now philadelphia under a severe thunderstorm warning, we are talking winds that could be in excess of 60 miles-an-hour. dangerous lightening. this storm has a history of downing trees and power lines. >> kelly cast, thank you. and this country not the only one dealing with extreme weather this weekend. and torrential rains in europe have caused major flooding from britain to russia where more than 100 people were killed during the night. we get the latest. >> reporter: a town submerged this is a town in southern russia. roads under a sea of muddy flood water. houses are cut off, vehicles marooned. two months worth of rain fell in just a few hours. this man says it all happened in ten minutes, we left the house through the windows the waters rose at night not everyone could escape in particular the elderly were trapped. more than 130 bodies have been

found. in turkey they are surveying the destruction and counting the dead. heavy rain storms have lashed europe disrupting travel and uprooting trees. huge hail stones smashed windshields in the czech republic. rivers have burst their banks killing people. >> we have had over a month as rain in less than 24 hours overnight here, and the river has been as high as anyone has seen it. >> april, may and june have been the wettest since records began more than 100 years ago. >> and we can't hear the river usually from here. and i looked out the window and it was it. >> yesterday prince charles toured affected areas it is bad for the summer sporting season. formula one under water, covers on the courts at wimbledon. the ladies singles finals here were interrupted by the rain.

the olympics, forecasters say the bad weather could still be causing problems when the opening ceremony takes place in three week's time. if these downpours continue during the game, the whole world will get to share what is shaping up to be britain' s wettest summer ever. nbc news london. >> secretary of state hillary clinton made a visit to afghanistan giving that country a show of support as the american war winds down there. clinton designated it a major non nato ally of the united states. afghanistan will get special privileges. including access to u.s. military training and equipment. other countries with that status include japan, israel and egypt. >> this was a historic are day in libya. libyans voted for a new parliament. the vote was a milestone after the bitter civil war that ended

four decades of war in libya. protesters closed the polling stations and at least one person was killed in election-related violence. the parliament will be asked to form a new government. >> here at home president obama wrapped up a campaign bus tour. ron mott is in concord, new hampshire with more than that. >> reporter: today in florida, and new hampshire republicans and democrats knocked on doors for votes. a day after his bus tour rolled to a stop, mr. obama sought to move the conversation beyond the jobs report describing a bill he just signed into law. >> first, it will keep thousands of construction workers on the job. rebuilding our nation's infrastructure. >> mitt romney has been out of

view this week. >> good to see you. >> though emerged long enough to criticize the data. >> it is another kick in the gutt to middle-class families. >> photos show him with his campaign manager and head of his vp search. >> it is being done in an internal way. you don't hear about a rush to judgement. >> -- ohio senator is among the hope fulls. >> i'm truly concerned about what is happening with the economy and what direction we are headed. >> and his colleague another possible running mate was at romney's side on the 4th. but others including louisiana governor bobby jindal.

former minnesota governor tim pawlenty. >> the most important quality in selecting a vice presentational candidate is someone who is ready on day one. >> the candidate that most excites the republican base. >> and wisconsin congressman paul ryan architect of the gop budget plan. republicans are hopeful he will get it right. >> he needs to find someone that he agrees with and can work with but is going to like the conservative base in the fall. >> the romney campaign telling nbc news it raised more than $100 million in the month of june. on sunday governor romney is off to the hamptons for more fund raising. >> thank you. >> the economy continues to be a huge issue in california and that state's severe budget crisis has taken another big toll with stockton, california declaring bankruptcy. stockton is the largest american city to seek protection from it's creditors. nbc's ron allen has more

tonight. >> reporter: at a city council meeting residents berated the city council leaders. >> the decisions that you are making tonight are throwing a grenade in my life. >> many why city retirees. >> reporter: cuts to pensions and health insurance. >> the world is watching so they can see we are victims of a society that is failing us. >> stockton officials say bankruptcy was the only option left to deep with tens of thousands of dollars of debt. 300,000 live in the city which that has cut 25% of police, 30% of fire and 30% of staff. >> there aren't enough fingers on your hand to count the people to blame for this. >> reporter: during better times a housing boom attracted investors from as far as san francisco, 80 miles away. stockton borrowed heavily and built up the downtown and then the bust.

so many foreclosures the city ran bust tours to attract buyers. the police warned of soaring crime rates. forbes magazine declared it the most miserable city in america. ironically, california just passed a law setting up a new mediation process to help cities avoid bankruptcy. stockton was the first to use it but it failed. it is not alone. at least 13 government entities including cities and counties across the country files for bankruptcy last year. >> it was the toughest decision we have had to make. >> reporter: the leaders must now hammer out a bankruptcy budget with creditors and put a rescue plan in place for better days ahead. ron allen, nbc news. los angeles. >> when "nbc nightly news" continues why swimmers are being

told to stay away from the seals. something far more menacing could be lurking nearby. and later how some high school athletes from a tough town are having a summer they will never forget.

it is beach weather of course, but on cape cod this week, some temporary swimming bans were imposed after great white sharks were spotted not far from shore. while the return of the sharks may be menacing to some, it is a welcome sign to others. our story tonight from chief environmental affairs correspondent, anne thompson. >> reporter: they are the cape cod residents tourists love to see. gray seals in the atlantic off of chatham, massachusetts. providing picture-perfect moments. but these seals are the bait for the cape's most elusive visitor, the great white shark. there have been several sightings and a few photos. the curious and the brave going on seal watch tours hoping to see something more. >> are they good for business? >> they are very good for business. >> like many local boat captains, burt daily has a shark

tale. >> it got 15 feet from the boat and dove under the boat and surfaced on the starboard side. it was pretty darn exciting. >> it is the only shark he's seen in ten years on these waters. >> you probably have a better chance of getting truck by lightening than you do seeing a great white shark. that may be true, but it is that music -- ♪ and that movie that still stirs up fear. >> everybody out! ♪ >> among some. >> so once you heard about t sharks what did you decide to do? >> not go in the water. >> others are more philosophical. >> are you worried about the shark? >> you got to die from something. >> scientists say more sharks and seals are signs of a recovering ecosystem. both are protected species. when choosing a meal, they say

sharks prefer seals to people. >> if they wanted to make us part of their natural food chain we would be doing these interviews every day instead of once a year. >> they say to avoid the sharks keep your distance from the seals. >> anne thompson, nbc news, chatham, massachusetts. >> when we come back, a brilliant comeback at wimbledon today.

today on the center court at wimbledon, serena williams won the title over agnieszka radwanska. williams became the first woman over 30 to win a singles title more than two decades ago. five weeks ago williams lost in the first round of the french open. tonight she and her sister went onto women the women's double title at wimbledon. in spain today, one of the world's most famous mad dashes. thousands turned out for the annual running of the bulls. trying to stay ahead of a half a dozen of the animals in the streets. six people were injured. >> a major weapon is being deployed. >> gun boats patrolling the waters of the rio grande. to catch drug smugglers. we got a look at the boats in action.

>> reporter: you are watching a drug smuggler trying to get away from police in south texas. the suv is loaded with what police believe is thousands of pounds of marijuana. >> bam, we have a splash down in the river. the driver with nowhere to go splashes into the riogrande. in a desperate attempt to get back to mexico. it is a scene that is repeated day and night along the border. >> splash down. >> and even though the smugglers are sometimes followed by a state police helicopter and dozens of officers on the ground, if they make it to the river, they can make their escape with waiting accomplices who use boats to hall drugs back to mexico. >> we're done here, there is nothing else we can do. all police on the u.s. side can

do is watch them paddle away. but now, texas state troopers are taking to the water with a fleet of six 34-foot armored gun boats with automatic whips. >> lieutenant charlie goble says this is needed. >> they are automatic machine guns. that will stop at nothing to move their product. they will stop at nothing to move their poison into the united states. >> he recognizes the center of the river as the international boundary. >> our goal is to make the arrest prior to them getting back to their base. >> some are calling it the texas navy. but for police who have seen countless drug runners swim away, it is a navy that is long overdue. nbc news, mccallen, texas >> up next here tonight making a difference finding strength on the field and in life.

finally tonight, for 12 seasons, he faced off against the nfl's toughest. now this former pro bowler has turned his talents to high schooler s helping them to reach their personal goals. jenna wolfe has the story from camden, new jersey. >> sean chandler has an exit strategy from camden, new jersey.

>> i want to go to college and then try to make it to the league. >> far easier said than done for this football star and teammate. part of the reason, geography. >> some days, i mean, easier to get in trouble. >> reporter: for the last decade the fbi has ranked camden as one of the most violent cities in the country. in two out of every five residents live below the poverty line. and the high school drop out addition to a high crime rate, rate is nearly 70%. >> they are fighting through real life. but now there is someone else fighting for them. former nfl star tra thomas. he wanted to help the camden high football team. instead of writing a check he is giving them a greater gift. strength. >> run it, run it, run it. last week he kicked off a intensive eight week football camp. free for these athletes at a nearby suburb.

>> why are you doing this. >> because they need it. the community needs somebody to push these kids to be better than what they are seeing. >> with an advanced work out regime, the players on the field to pave a goal is to help athletes become better better road off it. >> reporter: what was the lesson that tra wanted you to walk away with? >> keep going. no matter how hard it hurts. whatever breaks you down makes you stronger. >> reporter: and his generosity doesn't stop there. after seeing the school's run-down gym, he offered to build them a new one. >> it gives them a safe haven where they can come into. and eventually, pay it forward. >> i want my little brothers to see how hard i'm working. >> reporter: for a better life beyond the city. >> nbc news camden, new jersey. >> and that is nbc "nbc nightly

news" for this saturday. i'll see you tomorrow morning on "today". good night everyone. good evening, i'm diane dwyer. the farmer's market was shut down and a dozen stores evacuated in san jose today and that's because police were concerned about a possible bomb in the willow glen