on our broadcast tonight, natural disaster, the history making drought of 2012. now the deep impact way beyond the farm. tonight we'll detail how americans will pay the price. american dreams. tens of thousands of young undocumented immigrants lining up across the country today for a chance to live and work openly in the u.s. mean season. an ugly exchange of words. romney calls the president angry and desperate. team obama says romney has come unhinged. even rudy giuliani takes a whack at joe biden. trading places. a stunning and sobering new look at increasing challenges for millions of americans caring for aging parents. and making a difference. chelsea clinton with one woman's tireless mission on behalf of baby elephants that need help. "nightly news" begins need help. "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

good evening. it's being called a natural disaster and a national disaster now of epic proportion. we could be in it for the long haul. the drought of 2012 is shown to have far reaching effects. as you'll see in a moment. the numbers alone will get your attention. 65% of the u.s. population living in a state severely affected by the drought. one economist said the losses to farmers start at $18 billion. here is how it hits home. the usda is estimating a family of four in this country can expect to pay $615 more for groceries in the next year. we have seen the pictures of the corn crop. tonight some more fronts in the drought across the country where members of our team have fanned out and are standing by. we begin with nbc's kristen dahlgren in woodrow, colorado. kristen, good evening.

>> good evening, brian. we're at a ranch here that lost hundreds of acres to a wildfire earlier this year. things could have been much worse. take a look. you see just how dry this grass is here. that also gives you some idea of how hard it is to feed these cattle. at the ranch, scars from the fire still slice across the grassland. blazes have now destroyed more than 5 million acres out west, just one more blow to ranches already struggling to stay alive. >> short on grass anyways. then a fire comes and takes what you have. kind of a double whammy. >> reporter: like many ranches, they have had to reduce their herd. >> there's about 40% less cattle there than what we had before. >> reporter: since so many other ranchers have had to send livestock to market early, prices have plummeted. they are getting 150 less for every animal they sell. >> they have had other setbacks. certainly it can be the last

straw for farmers, yeah. >> reporter: this year the total number of cattle in the u.s. is already the smallest in 60 years. without rain to turn dusty land into new growth, ranchers can only worry about what the future might bring if it doesn't bring rain. keep in mind, brian, they can't just go out and buy more feed. because of the drought, the corn is scarce. those prices are skyrocketing as well. they are in a tough spot here. >> kristen dahlgren starting us off tonight from colorado. let's go east. the mississippi river. john yang standing by there. john, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. since the last time i reported from the mississippi river about three weeks ago, the water level in this area has dropped even more, another five feet, all along the lower mississippi. sand bars are being exposed, more of the sandy river banks are being exposed. that's making shipping more dangerous and more expensive for everything that moves on this

river. almost $180 billion of product a year is shipped on this river. 60% of u.s. grain, 22% of oil and gas. 20% coal. it's all more expensive. already about 20 times. the traffic has come to a halt because the water level is too shallow. every day a tow boat sits idle because of that, costs shipping companies $10,000 apiece for fuel and manpower. that's what makes work on the dredgers like this, this is u.s. army corps of engineers dredger, makes their work so port. essentially a big underwater vacuum, scoops up salt and silt into the water channel and spews it out in the river. this crew is working day and night to keep this important shipping channel open. brian. >> john, thanks. john yang on the mississippi river. we go further east tonight to north carolina. nbc's anne thompson is standing by there. ann, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian.

two short months ago chicken farmers thought corn would be a bargain, so much had been planted. then the drought hit. now it's hurting their bottom line. there are 5,100 new mouths to feed. not even a day old, these naked neck chicks eat feed that cost 40% more than the beginning of june, putting this poultry producer in a bind. >> we have no choice but to pass it onto the consumer. we have to raise prices or not produce the birds. >> corn makes up 70% of chicken feed. today corn is as good as gold. perry oversees feed mills in purdue for states. >> what are you paying for corn these days? >> in excess of $9 a bushel. >> have you ever paid that much before? >> never. >> reporter: this food staple is now such a precious commodity, purdue may cut the amount of corn in feed. >> it could be as low as 55% corn, some other alternative ingredients.

>> reporter: the challenges facing north carolina, the second largest producer of poultry meat, is a bellwether for the nation. >> as goes north carolina livestock production meat prices as goes national meat prices. >> reporter: now, it takes just six weeks to raise a commercial chicken, 11 to 12 weeks for ron joyce's chickens. so you're going to be seeing those price increases very soon. brian. >> anne thompson, north carolina tonight. thanks. thanks to all our correspondents from east to west. as we saw at the top of the broadcast, one of the most destructive aspects of this drought has been huge wildfires. it has been a tough day in california. one fire there grew to more than four square miles within hours. some homes were lost in riverside county. conditions were better today in new york state. firefighters are trying to contain a blaze that scorched 40 square miles and destroyed so far at least 70 homes. from the new york city area tonight, way too much water. there are rain totals of four inches plus in a very short

amount of time. look at this amateur video came in tonight. it meant flooding in parts of the new york city subway system. and places like brooklyn are flooded tonight. they are not accustomed to high water. in washington today, police say a man with a gun walked into the offices of the conservative lobbying group, family research council, and opened fire. he never made it past the lobby. he shot a security guard in the arm before the guard was able to subdue him. a big change today in this nation's immigration policy. this was the first day for young, undocumented immigrants to take advantage of that executive order signed by the president back in june allowing them to apply to avoid being deported for the next two years. the turnout at help centers and law offices all around the country today was big. our report tonight from nbc's mark potter. >> reporter: in chicago thousands of young, undocumented

immigrants stood in line for application toss avoid deportation. some of them had camped overnight. >> this is the first time they will be able to get a social security number to be able to work legally in the u.s., to be able to get a driver's license. >> applicants around the country say they are relieved to no longer fear being deported at least for now. >> we don't have to live in the shadows anymore. we don't have to be afraid. it's like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. >> this is the right thing to do for the american people. >> reporter: president obama announced the policy in june after congress failed to pass immigration reform. >> congress was unwilling to pass the dream act. the president decided to act unilaterally, and this is clearly courting the latino vote. >> reporter: more than a million immigrants 30 years old or younger who came to the u.s. illegally when they were children can apply for a two-year relief from deportation. to qualify applicants cannot be convicted of a serious crime, must be in school, have graduated or served honorably in the military.

they cannot pose a security threat. because this is only temporary relief, the applicants will not be granted citizenship. for lisa, an undocumented swedish immigrant in kentucky, who will file her application this week, there is new hope now. >> this will allow me to apply for medical school and hopefully actually become a doctor. >> reporter: opponents of the plan accuse the president of favoring immigrants over unemployed u.s. citizens and worry about potentially fraudulent applications as the fight over immigration reform is anything but over. mark potter, nbc news, miami. >> this was not the proudest day in the history of discourse in our democracy. if the tenor of the campaign stays this way, it's going to be an ugly 84 days until election day. this current round started yesterday with a joe biden comment that was immediately branded by some as race-baiting. it went downhill from there. our white house correspondent kristen welker is with us from davenport, iowa. kristen, good evening.

>> reporter: good evening to you, brian. it has been a remarkably ugly political week so far. while campaigning in iowa with his wife, president obama, at least for today, stepped away from the personal attack. the first lady struck a tone of civility today. >> because of you, barack and i will remember what this process can be at its very best. >> mr. obama still used strong language to refute claims about medicare. >> they are being pretty dishonest about my plan. they are throwing everything against the wall to see if it sticks. >> reporter: according to the congressional budget office, obama's reform medicare plan and vice presidential paul ryan both slow medicare growth by $700 billion but do not cut program benefits. meanwhile the ever outspoken vice president tried to stay on message a day after republicans reacted angrily to this.

>> romney wants to let -- he said in the first 100 days he's going to let the big banks once again write their own rules. unchain wall street. they are going to put y'all back in chains. >> reporter: romney said biden was out of line. >> an unfounded charge and a metaphor which is not uplifting, not uniting. >> reporter: and called the comment beneath the office of the white house. >> the president's campaign is all about division and attack and hatred. >> reporter: former new york mayor rudy giuliani chimed in. >> this guy just isn't bright. he's never been bright. he isn't bright. people think he really just talks too much. actually, he just isn't very smart. >> reporter: biden tried to clarify last night. >> the last time these guys unshackled the economy, to use their term, they put the middle class in shackles. >> reporter: and today doubled down on being the president's other best weapon, attack dog in chief.

>> i know i am sometimes criticizing for saying exactly what i mean. it's not going to change. >> reporter: the ugly tone continued today, vice president biden while talking about american leadership referred to the 20th century when he meant to say 21th century. within minutes the romney machine was mocking the mistake in campaign e-mails. and so it continues, brian. >> kristen welker traveling with the president. davenport, iowa. kristen, thanks. still ahead for us as we continue tonight, a stunning new look at the huge challenges facing more than 40 million of us taking care of aging parents. the question is who takes care of the caregivers. later, making a difference. chelsea clinton with one woman's mission to save some increasingly rare baby animals.

tonight we have a special report for you on the millions of americans who suddenly look around and find themselves in the role of caregiver. those caring not just for their own kids but also their parents. aarp is out with some new numbers and a new campaign to raise awareness of just how hard a job it is. our report from our chief medical editor, dr. nancy snyderman. >> reporter: five nights a week, in between helping her daughter with homework and managing her northern virginia household, 45-year-old debra and her husband b.g. bring dinner to his parents, carlos and sonia, who live nearby. >> i don't know how i juggle it all. >> reporter: it's one of the many ways debra and her family are helping provide them with care and company. according to today's aarp report, debra is one of 42 million americans, aged 40 to 60 caring for an older adult. those numbers are growing. 63%, most of them women, spend about nine hours a week caring

for a loved one, with one-third clocking 40 hours or more. many say the hardest part is the loneliness, the isolation. >> care giving can be incredibly stressful and really overwhelming sometimes. >> reporter: amy isn't just aarp's care giving expert, she commutes from washington, d.c. to phoenix to help her parents, robert and patricia, with medications, doctor's appointments and physical therapy. >> you're doing so great, mommy, i'm so proud of you. >> reporter: while she's grateful for this time with them, she says the comfort of community is essential for her own emotional well-being. >> the people who i converse with online, my facebook, online support groups on aarp.org, those are the things that keep me going. >> reporter: to help caregivers, aarp is releasing public service announcements urging them to seek support. >> for those dealing with the daily struggles of a loved one, we hear you. >> experts say support can come in many forms, from staying

physically fit to phoning a friend. most of all, debra and others facing similar challenges say it's important to recognize the everyday gift in caring for aging parents. >> you realize how precious life is. that's why it's so important to have the children spend time with their parents, for me to spend time with my parents. >> reporter: stress is a normal part of care giving, but there are ways to minimize expense. there are places can you turn to but they do vary from community to community. some senior centers have buses to take people to appointments, local churches provide community outreach. some animal shelters will bring dogs into a person's home, which is a known stress reliever both the patients and caregiver. purchase so many of us have been there and we'll keep reporting on this topic. we're going to do a lot more on this topic. nancy, thank you, as always. we're back in a moment with a post olympic games worry for the royal family.

the duke of edenburg is back in the hospital. he was taken from balmoral castle. precaution, it's a recurrence from back in june. he was in the hospital. prince philip is 91. he's been very active of late and attended a number of olympic events in london. melky cabrera has apologized to his team and his fans. he's been suspended 50 games without pay for testing positive for testosterone. the former yankee, now a giants was having a monstrous season, notably the mvp of the all-star game, which decides world series home field advantage. now he'll sit out the remainder of this season and the first five games of next.

>> 34 years, 119 games, finally happened. perfect game. >> on the upside felix hernandez threw the first perfect game in seattle mariners history. a win over the rays. the hypersonic plane we told you about, x-51a waverider. it's riding the wave somewhere in the pacific ocean tonight. it was supposed to reach a speed of mach 6 for five minutes. sadly after it was dropped beneath the wing of the b-52 carrying it aloft, it lost control before they could light the engine. boeing built four of the unmanned planes initially. only one survives intact. last night's flight, united airlines from washington, d.c. to london was one to remember. it was the last flight for a couple who have been flight attendants together for 40 years. tom and ula met during the pan am era back in '78. after they had two kids and lost

friends in the lockerbie bombing, they worked separate routes. they teamed up once again after the kids were in college, they had an empty nest back home. after untold millions of air miles flown, millions of seat belt reminders and service items collected throughout the cabin, they have a new destination, grandparenthood. their first is due in a few weeks. well done. up next chelsea clinton has tonight's making a difference report about a woman devoted to saving those who desperately need her help.

time now for our making a difference report and a woman who has devoted her life to protecting one of the world's most beloved and majestic creatures, the african elephant. according to one environmental group, last year was the worst year for elephant poaching and illegal ivory trading since the trade was officially banned back in the 1980s. nbc's chelsea clinton tonight on the fight to reverse that and a woman who is making a difference. >> reporter: a century ago, more than 3 million african elephants roamed the continent. today just less than 300,000. naturalist daphne sheldrick has spent 50 years living among elephants and fostering their

orphans. >> in a perfect world elephants wouldn't have any enemies. humans are the enemies. >> reporter: united nations banned the ivory trade in 1989, but african countries can now sell their stockpiles to china and japan. >> in china it's looked upon as currency. it's like gold. >> reporter: daphne's group working with the kenyan national wildlife service is trying to curb the killing. they patrol the skies over the country's vast reserve, while mobile vet units sent to wounded and orphaned elephants. here they rescue a two week old infant left behind by poachers. they coax this one-year-old to safety, after he spent days refusing to leave his dying mother's side. >> raising them is tough. we've rescued over the years over 400 elephants. sadly not all successfully. >> reporter: daphne's daughter

angela organizes supplies for a new rescue. experienced elephant handlers on board flying to the largest game reserve to retrieve the orphan, the 900 pound toddler, a handful to lift but comforted during the bumpy ride to nairobi. at his new home, he's agitated. but too weak to put up much of a fight. >> he's a one-year-old baby. he's longing for someone to be gentle and kind to him but he thinks we're the enemy. >> look at them greeting each other. >> reporter: the real key to the adjustment, other orphans come to soothe the newcomer. by the next morning, he appears remarkably better but daphne still worries. >> we've had elephants refuse to feed, refuse to even water. they want to die. >> reporter: orphans that didn't survive the trauma of losing their families. but daphne has saved more than she's lost. chelsea clinton, nbc news,

nairobi, kenya. that is our broadcast on wednesday night. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com rite -- right now at 6:00, mel ke cabrera gets suspended for using performance enhancing drugs. >> reporter: is low morale hurting police recruitment? we'll take a look coming up. and holding chevron accountable, the first legal action in the wake of that refinery fire. good wednesday evening, thank you for joining us, i'm janell wang. >> he's t,