good news is the authorities are also watching what's happening online and cracking down. plus, more of savannah guthrie's exclusive interview with cate edwards. this morning who she thinks her father really is and how she has been able to get through the tough times all in the public eye. on a very happy note you may have heard there is some good news around here. it's your news, not mine. you get to say it. >> i mentioned it in passing. really kind of a quiet week for me. i'm pregnant. and my girlfriend and i are expecting a little baby girl the end of august and we are very excited. stephanie, you guys know her. >> we do. >> and that's it. i feel fantastic. i feel wonderful. >> it's great. >> it's really great. you've done it. you understand. you've done it you understand. >> well i, yeah -- >> for all intents and purposes you've done it. >> i have a dog. >> so basically you've done it, too, dylan. >> yes. we're really excited for you. >> i'm seeking as much advice as possible. i'm going to marinate in

everybody's good words and advice. >> i've been sending name suggestions for the last couple weeks. >> i told you henrietta i'm not doing. i also told you that lesterella i'm also not doing. >> you didn't like lesterina? >> i have 14 names where it starts with lester. >> i have plenty more e-mails i'll be sending. >> i'm sure. >> we're so thrilled for you. >> we'll put our knowledge to the test a little later. >> yes we are. we want to begin with the new threats made this morning by north korea. nbc's ian williams has the latest and is near the border of north and south korea. good morning. >> reporter: lester, not only did north korea today declare what it calls a state of war, it said it will now deal with south korea according to war time regulations. now it's not exactly clear what that means, since this peninsula has been in a technical state of war for 60 years, there never having been a formal peace treaty after the korean war.

officials here in seoul dismissed the latest outburst as more of the same. it followed a massive rally in the northern capital friday where tens of thousands turned out in support of north korean leader kim jong un's call to arms, chanting "death to the u.s. imperialists." kim said earlier the time had come to, quote, settle accounts with the u.s. in response to a u.s. show of force, b-2 bombers in exercises over south korea. kim has also ordered his missiles on stand by to strike the u.s., south korea, guam, even hawaii. experts doubt he has the ability to hit u.s. targets and think it would be pretty suicidal to try. they believe a full scale conflict is unlikely but do worry about a more localized provocation, perhaps around disputed waters in the yellow sea. there have been several clashes there in recent years, and when i visited the area friday, i found the south most vulnerable

islands just ten miles from the north on a high state of alert. the big worry is that a local skirmish or miscalculation could quickly escalate, lester. >> ian williams in south korea for us this morning, thanks. kristen welker is at the white house with reaction this morning from the obama administration. what are you hearing at this point from the white house? >> reporter: well, erica, good morning. behind the scenes certainly officials are alarmed by this latest provocation but are also trying to reassure the allies in the region. this is a statement that was just released by a spokesperson. she says, quote, we've seen reports of a new and unconstructive statement from north korea. we take these threats seriously and remain in close contact with our south korean allies, but we would also note that north korea has a long history of bellicose rhetoric and threats and today's announcement follows that familiar pattern. so again, u.s. officials really trying to reassure allies in the region. top officials have been in

contact with their counterparts there. part of why this is so disconcerting is because it follows a series of provocations from north korea, including a number of nuclear tests, a missile launch, and also, of course, north korea called an end to the 1953 armistice with south korea. defense secretary chuck hagel saying that the latest provocations are disconcerting. they are quite concerned, monitoring the situation quite closely this morning, erica part of what is so disconcerting to many is of course kim jong un. not a lot known about this leader. how much does the obama administration know about him and how much power he really has? >> well, erica, you have touched on what is really one of the top concerns for this administration. kim jong un took over in december of 2011. he was in his late 20s at the time, not a lot known about him then, not a whole lot known about him now. i can tell you that u.s. officials were hoping that this new, young leader would help to lead his country out of its current state of isolationism,

rampant poverty, and that is not the case. in fact, the opposite seems to be the case. he seems to be more bellicose and more unstable and unpredictable than his father. that is one of the chief concerns for this administration moving closely. >> kristen welker at the white house this morning, thanks. now here's lester. thanks. now to a disturbing story out of oklahoma. today health officials there will begin testing as many as 7,000 patients for hiv and hepatitis. their dentist is accused of numerous health and safety violations. charles hadlock is in tulsa, oklahoma this morning. >> reporter: good morning. when state health officials inspected this dentist's office in tulsa they said they were sickened by what they found. as a result of what happened thousands of patients now have to be tested for infection. the dental office of dr. scott harrington remains closed this morning after he voluntarily surrendered his dental license and is now cooperating with

state health authorities. beginning today thousands of his patients will undergo blood tests at this public clinic to determine if they have contracted blood-borne illnesses such as hiv and hepatitis c. >> every patient assumes when they enter a dental office that things are being done per the standard and the law and, unfortunately, in this situation that was not the case. >> reporter: health inspectors called harrington's office the perfect storm for infection. in a 17-count complaint the state board of dentistry accuses dr. harrington, seen here in an earlier photo, of being a menace to public health after one of his patients tested positive for hepatitis c. inspectors say harrington's clinic had rusty equipment, illegally allowed dental assistants to perform i.v. sedation, and reused needles and drug vials. according to the complaint one of those vials expired 20 years ago, and a device used to sterilize instruments had not been tested in six years. >> he said, i don't handle that.

talk to my assistants. sterilization questions, i don't handle that. talk to my assistants. >> reporter: joyce baylor had her tooth pulled at the clinic a year and a half ago. now she wonders if she is somehow infected. >> it's scary. it's almost unreal in a sense that this could be happening. >> the likelihood that someone will actually become sick from this particular exposure in this dental office is very small. >> reporter: still, health officials want every patient of this clinic to get tested just to be sure. and the first of thousands of patients will begin the process of blood testing today. they'll know the results in about two weeks. lester? >> all right. thanks. boy, that's a long two weeks for some people to have to wait for those results. now we'll check some of the other top stories from jenna. good morning again. >> hey, guys. nice to see you again. we'll begin in georgia right now where dozens of teachers including a former school superintendent are facing criminal charges in a cheating scandal that rocked the atlanta

school district. get this. 35 people were indicted on friday including former superintendent beverly hall who is facing racketeering charges. the indictment comes after a 21-month investigation back in 2011. court documents allege there was a system in place whereby test answers were, quote, altered, fabricated, and falsely certified, unquote. the d.a. says hall had a contract set to pay her bonuses when her district got certain test results and says those results were achieved through cheating. she could not be reached for comment. a guilty plea in the case of the zumba instructor accused of running a prostitution ring out of her dance studio. on friday alexis wright pleaded guilty to 20 counts of prostitution. she had been facing more than 100 in the case that rocked the small seaside town of kennebunk, maine. prosecutors are expected to ask for a ten-month sentence. former south african president nelson mandela's family reassuring people he is

doing well after spending a third night in a hospital being treated for a lung infection. we'll go to johannesburg for an update. good morning. >> reporter: good morning, jenna. nelson mandela is sitting up in bed and talking according to his eldest grandson and he has told a british newspaper he is confident his granddad will soon return to his home here in johannesburg. meanwhile, mrs. mandela told reporters her former husband is doing well and thanked president obama for his words of support while meeting with african leaders at the white house yesterday. she said it is inspiring to have the world on their side at this difficult time. because, jenna, while news that mandela is doing better will be released to so many in south africa and around the world his family, his grandson said today, continue to cherish every moment with him. >> we'll be following the story. thanks very much. an oregon highway was buzzing after a truck overturned spilling millions of bees. the big rig had hundreds of bee hive boxes onboard.

luckily, the oregon beekeepers' association was nearby. seriously, what are the chances of that? oh, they got the situation under control and everybody ended okay. funnier in my head. finally, if you ever have your wisdom teeth pulled it's good wisdom to get the gas that the dentist offers. for one teenager the impact of what she had done to her teeth was too much to handle. >> he was just trying to help me, too. and i didn't accept him. >> luckily abby's family was able to stop her from putting her teeth back into her mouth, fully understandable, though. >> wait, those are her teeth she is looking at? >> yep. she tells us she is just fine now. this is hard to believe. does not remember making this video at all. i say, likely excuse. i'm only. same thing happened to me. i didn't try to put my teeth back in but i was so loopy i went from crying to laughing to

crying to laughing for hours after i had my wisdom teeth pulled. >> really? >> yeah. >> i don't remember it being like that. i do remember a chipmunk. >> really? i don't remember you being there. i really was out of it. because it was in high school. before i knew each other. >> we go way back. all right. dylan is here with our first check of the forecast. hey, good morning everyone. we're talking about the easter holiday weekend and the weather is finally going to take a turn for the better. we've got our warm temperatures though out in the pacific northwest. i've got a brother in seattle and a brother in oregon and i am very jealous of them with temperatures today almost 20 degrees above average. topping out in the 70s today. we are looking for rain, basically, from minnesota right down into eastern texas. we could see some stronger storms, though, down into oklahoma and northwestern louisiana later on temperatures in the mid to upper 50s and kind of muggy out

there. we've got patchy low clouds in a few spots. you can see that area of cloud cover rotating off to the west. that is going to spin bands of showers our day. not as warm as yesterday. the south bay, even if the clouds still manage low 70s today, look for showers to increase overnight into easter sunday. and then the showers shut down on monday morning. >> reporter: the verdict is clear, cleaner air is good. >> everyone wants cleaner air. >> reporter: high gas prices are bad. >> it's ridiculous. i drive for living so it's ridiculous for me. >> reporter: can drivers have

one without the other? a proposal would reduce emissions for 2017 cars and later. the federal agency says by 2030, the regulations would prevent as many as 2400 premature deaths and help 23,000 children avoid breathing issues per year. the proposal would also raise gas prices. by just 1 cent per gallon, says it is epa. >> those health benefits, that's going to amount to $23 billion of health benefits a year. and if you think about it, paying a penny a gallon for $23 billion in health benefits is a good deal. >> reporter: critic, put the increase at more like 9 cents. >> 9 cents doesn't sound like a lot. multiply that by the gallon, it's billions of dollars we're talking about. >> reporter: it could be difficult and expensive for refineries. >> the refineries will break down more often because of using using thislogy. technology, especially in the

beginning, and that's going to impact gasoline inventories driving prices higher. >> reporter: california has already gone through this debate. the state has been rolling in stricter standards for years. since 2003, smog levels have dropped 50%. california also has some of the most expensive gas in the country. >> i don't mind paying a little more if it's better for the air here. >> reporter: right now the average national price of gas is $3.64, down 28 cents from last year. but still high, say some drivers. >> it's quite a hit on the pocketbook. >> reporter: even without new emissions standards, gas under $ a gallon is a distant memory. for today, stephanie gosk, nbc news, secaucus, new jersey. once again here's lester. >> pope francis is set to celebrate his first easter mass tomorrow as head of the catholic church. on thursday he bathed the feet of two female offenders at a juvenile detention center. just the latest break in tradition by a pope who's presenting a new, humbler style at the vatican.

cardinal edward egon is the former archbishop of new york. your eminence, good morning. >> good morning, lester. great to be with you. >> the expression of washing feet is not new. but to wash the feet of women is. >> well, for a pope it is, certainly. i never did it here in new york. but, i do know that other bishops did, and so it's not that much of a separation from the old ways. >> but there are some who are looking at this and saying does this signal perhaps a new view on other things involving women, including the ordination of women as priests? >> well, of course, these are the guesses that we're all going to be having. everything he does kind of inspires another guess, you know. and i don't think we really know. he's been with us only about a dozen days, and his every motion has been kind of interpreted one way or the other. i don't think you can be sure of anything definite from that,

lester. >> but after easter we will get a little more read on where he wants to go in terms of church reform, and even what he thinks is church reform. >> yes. >> how much, given his humble style. >> yes. >> the way he lives and we've seen many expressions of this the past couple of weeks, what will that mean to the future leadership of the church and how he will shake things up? >> i think it's going to be a very change. i think that this personality, and this particular way of living and way of working is going to have a repercussion in every section of the church. especially in rome, and the curia, but i also think in the diocese. already here in new york, wherever i go, the priests want to talk about pope francis. what are the implications of his philosophy? his way of doing things? and so forth. and so he's being studied very closely. >> do you think that he will inspire young people the way john paul ii did? by his, his very accessible

style? >> i think he already has. i can see it already starting. he's really very much in line with the thinking of the young people of the world, i believe, and here in new york, i've been getting around quite a little, and everywhere i go, he is the discussion. i was at a parish, resurrection, for the dedication of the new gymnasium, i think about three days ago. the place was full of young people. it has the largest catholic youth organization in the arch die os ease. i forget how many hundreds. >> and they're talking about pope francis? >> that was the whole thing. what does this mean? what do you get out of him? how well do you know him? what did he say to you and so forth. never did i hear anything similar to that in my 56 years as a priest and bishop. >> we'll certainly hear a lot

from him we expect after easter in terms of the future of the curiae and the church. >> my pleasure to be with you. and you and your family, and all of your millions of viewers have a wonderful, blessed easter. that's my prayer for you. >> and to you, as well. thank you, sir. >> thanks, sir. >> lester, thanks. it is a strange prank that's gone viral. gallon smashing. teens smashing milk cartons and leaving juice on the floor of supermarkets. all the internet notoriety my inspire copycats. it's also leading to a crackdown by authorities. >> reporter: it starts like this. gallons of milk or juice smas d smashed. >> oh. >> reporter: and someone sprawled out on the floor after faking a fall. sometimes the pranksters pretend being hurt. it's called gallon smashing. and with the help of the internet and youtube, it's spreading. there's even gallon smashers in the uk. and it's got a lot of people

scratching their heads. >> oh, my gosh. this is ridiculous. >> very stupid. >> reporter: it's also criminal. police in olive branch, mississippi, arrested and charged four teenagers with disorderly conduct after gallon smashing at a walmart this month. in wildwood, new jersey, three teenage boys are charged with criminal mischief for their stunts at a walgreens three weeks ago. >> caused a lot of damage. over $500 in damage to all the stuff they had for sale in the aisles. >> it's vandalism for the stores that it's happening to. and we -- we are going to investigate them. >> reporter: in edmond, oklahoma, police expect to soon identify three gallon smashers at this walmart. caught on security camera. >> people forget with technology that your every move is being watched inside a store. and the cameras are better and better. we're getting clearer and clearer pictures. and this isn't just something you can get away with. >> reporter: ironically the self-promoting videos worked against attention seekers.

>> once it hit youtube, basically, people were running to us trying to tell us who it was. >> reporter: proof that pranks, no matter how foolish, come with a price. >> old onto this cart. >> reporter: for today, thanh truong, nbc news, atlanta. >> still to come on "today," more of savannah's exclusive conversation with cate edwards. who she thinks her father really is and what it was like for her to sit through his trial. first this is "today" on nbc.

gadgets to make sure you never lose your car in a parking lot still to come on today, gadgets to make sure you never lose your car in a parking lot again. >> incredible cinderella story and how they came out of nowhere to capture the imagination of fans across the country. that and a lot more but first these messages. es.

good morning to you. waking up on the peninsula, you will see some clouds there

squishing down. what does that mean for easter plans? let's find out. lots of folks have plans for easter. maybe not even for easter but at least for the weekend. what do you think? >> unfortunately, spring showers are going to be a part of the forecast this weekend. maybe not so much this morning. you can see we have 50s outside. it's muggy out there. we have subtropical moisture out of the south. which is making for the clouds we're seeing. you can see showers off shore. and that spin of moisture off of the west. that's going to be crossing over us. i think this time tomorrow morning. so today, which you'll notice, will be clouds coming in. easter egg hunts today are going to be okay. sun at times. some scattered showers today. notice towards tomorrow morning, heavier showers off shore. could get some predawn thunder for tomorrow morning. today, 60s to mid-70s. mild, kind muggy day. yes, a chance of some rain at times for sunday. so plastic easter eggs should be fine and maybe some easter bonnets out there too. they'll be waterproof. >> thank you very much. the family of a vta worker

killed on the job in san jose is speaking out. the employee died after he was hit by a bus driven by his co-worker. the vta says 62-year-old service worker raul aposto wallas clean a bus when he was struck by another bus. the man's family says they took him off life support on tuesday, saying he was just two months away from retirement. >> it definitely causes a lot of concern. regarding the company. and the safety measures that they do take or do not take at these places. and it's just so sudden, something like this, tragic could happen. >> nbc bay area obtained information on a number of accidents at that division yard. since 2002, in total, we've learned there have been at least 63. a vta spokesperson says that safety is their top priority and promise also a thorough

investigation. police are warning shoppers to be on alert after a series of thefts at the great mall this week. police say there were four thechts in three day also in the mall's parking lot. thieves stole about $1,000 worth of valuables from three different cars. in another incident, a car was stolen. police are urging drivers to double-check that their car doors are locked and to make sure you park in well lit areas. moen hill police say they have busted a huge marijuana grow operation hidden in an office park. 32-year-old danielle seagull was charged with felony marijuana cultivation. police say he was using more than 6,000 square feet of rental space on kaputo drive to grow marijuana. the operation was sophisticated with elaborate air filters and irrigation. police confiscated almost 3,000 plants and 30 pounds of processed marijuana. new this morning, fire investigators calling a fire that destroyed the home in the east foothills of san jose

suspicious. the fire wreck out at a home on migulito road just before 9 last night. crews say the home was fully engulfed in flames. one firefighter was hurt but is expected to be okay. the cause is now under investigation. we are back on this saturday morning the 30th day of march, 2013. and a big thanks to all of our friends out on the plaza.

we got a nice crowd working here on a saturday morning sharing part of their easter weekend maybe wrapping up their passover holiday right here with us. i'm erica hill alongside lester holt. coming up in this half hour it's tax time. we can't sugar coat that one. you may be spending this weekend getting your taxes ready, guilty. beware, though. there are criminals hard at work as well who are filing phony tax returns to collect your money. it is happening more frequently. the irs now cracking down. we'll talk to you about what they're doing and what you need to do to make sure you protect yourself. >> i hate this. >> isn't it awful? >> always someone trying to -- >> they brag about it, too. switching gears no pun intended to look at the technology coming to an auto show room near you. from turning your car into a hot spot on wheels to an app that helps you never lose your vehicle in a parking lot. we'll show you the latest tech trends coming up. >> that means you don't need to put the tennis ball on top of the antenna anymore. >> do you do that? >> i don't. no. now that spring is here it is crucial to start caring for

your lawn. just ahead, we'll show you how a little work now can pay off big time in the end. plus, kim kardashian getting blasted for her pregnancy fashion lately. we'll ask is the criticism unfair and damaging to women everywhere? >> yes. >> there you go. there is your answer. >> sorry. as a formerly pregnant woman i get a little testy about these things. we begin with cate edwards the eldest daughter of former presidential candidate john edwards. cate sat down with savannah guthrie recently for her first interview since her dad's trial for campaign fraud last year. she opened up about the trial and her family and how she is moving on. >> reporter: between the law office she opened last year in washington, and the foundation she established in raleigh to honor her late mother, cate edwards is moving on from all of the turmoil her family has experienced. how do you kind of process everything that's happened? >> i don't think i really

process it or reflect on it so much. i feel very lucky in a lot of ways, so i try not to question the good things so much and i try not to question the bad things too much because there's life going on. >> reporter: but life was put on hold last year when her father, john edwards, was charged with using campaign donations to cover up an affair with staffer rielle hunter. cate was by his side every day of the trial. i guess what some people -- what they are sympathetic to is that i think they imagine you kind of in the middle. you know, on the one hand you are incredibly loyal to your mom and on the other hand you're incredibly loyal to your dad. did you ever feel that kind of internal conflict? >> it came up occasionally there was some conflict, but i love both of my parents very much and i'm close with them in different ways, and they're different people. it just wasn't mutually exclusive for me.

>> reporter: cate's commitment to her parents has been one of the constants in a life filled with incredible highs and lows. >> today i have the honor of being the last to say, mom, i really, really love you more. >> reporter: you always seemed so strong and pretty amazing. how hard it was for you to see all this laid bare for everyone to see. >> everyone can be strong when they need to. and i've certainly had some tests. but i've had lots of moments where i didn't feel so strong. my mother taught me this more than anything. it's the people around you who sort of pick you up and keep carrying you when you can't do it yourself. >> reporter: the people around her now include her husband, trevor upham, her younger siblings anna clair and jack and her father who she still talks to regularly. who do you think the real john edwards is? because everybody probably thinks they know. >> yeah. they probably do. he really is -- he's been an

incredible father, incredibly loving and supportive and, you sometimes he'll just call me up to ask how my law career is going. he really is passionate about helping people. and in spite of his mistakes, trying to do something really positive with his life. >> cate edwards with savannah guthrie. to read a special post cate wrote exclusively for our website and to learn more about the elizabeth edwards foundation head to today.com. good morning, everyone. nice family from lancaster, pennsylvania. you're finishing up your muffin, huh? >> yes. >> okay. and then gets thrown right on tv. we are going to see some pretty nice temperatures, finally, in the northeast. we should be close to 60 degrees today. in the northwest, we should be close to 70 degrees this afternoon. we do have a line of rain with this cold front, though, from areas in minnesota over to wisconsin. a chance of stronger storms down

through oklahoma into southeastern kansas and also across parts of arkansas, too. then for easter sunday, the rain should hold off until later on in the evening for most areas in the northeast, but the southeast could see some heavier pockets of rain. also some thunderstorms right across the gulf coast states and one more blast of cold air will start to work into the plains. hopefully it won't l can't see much right now, mist and fog around parts of the bay area. 53 degrees in san francisco now. 55 in san jose. mild and muggy start. today, likely to be the drier of the two weekend days. the system offshore moves inland this time tomorrow morning. so expect 60s to mid-70s today. scattered showers, maybe thunder, for easter sunday, before showers shut down. for your forecast any time you can always check it out on weather.com. lester? >> thanks, dylan. if you thought cars were just

for getting you where you need to go, that's so last century. wait until you see the new innovations coming your way. we sent today's digital lifestyle contributor mario armstrong to the new york auto show to get a glimpse into the future. >> reporter: there is the sleek design and bold colors. >> this is jalapeno. >> reporter: like hot. >> absolutely. rncht but >> reporter: but it's the new smart technology. >> there are remote control capabilities like lock and unlock the door. you can start your car. it gives you a kind of health report so you can check on the car, get your mileage. it can give you your battery health. how is that doing? and then it gives you basically a diagnostic report. >> reporter: you'll never lose your car in a parking lot again. >> you don't know how many times i walk out and i'm like, where did i park again? >> exactly. all this technology just to find your car. >> reporter: your next dashboard will also look like a smart phone. >> this is a mock up of our

cadillac user experience. >> reporter: so you can drag and drop these icons to customize your screen. >> yep. >> reporter: with hands free voice controls no more reaching for the radio dial. >> playstation kings of leon radio. ♪ >> reporter: even apple's siri has found her way into the driver's seat. >> not only is it a unique feature but allows the customer to feel more connected to the vehicle and enhances the driving experience. thanks for the interview. see you later. >> been a pleasure. >> reporter: for the 82% of us who can't go a single day without our mobile device it isn't surprising that more carmakers like srt have turned the car into an internet connection on four wheels. so you don't need to carry your mobile hot spot with you while on the go because the car is the hot spot. it has this technology built into it giving you the opportunity to connect multiple devices to the internet. but the biggest hit at this auto

show, something that makes you say, why didn't they think of this before? >> we're really excited about the feature. it's the world's first in car vacuum. >> i'm going to channel my inner 3-year-old and get into the van and make a mess. wow. this is great. i'm starting to feel a little bad, though. shouldn't ib the one cleaning this up? >> probably. >> i'm going to clean up my own mess. >> okay. >> reporter: my mommy taught me good manners. >> that was our digital lifestyle contributor mario armstrong. that is a good idea. >> fantastic. i want that vacuum. >> i'm always eating and stuff is just flying. >> no matter how hard you try to keep it neat. we try with our kids not to eat in the car but there is always something that gets on the floor and after the winter bring on the vacuum. >> still ahead, tax refund fraud is one of america's fastest

growing crimes. when you expecting a check from the irs. up next we head to the plaza for tips on making your lawn and garden look great this spring. it all starts now. first, these messages. his single miles card blacked him out here and here. he should have used... the capital one venture card. he's coming to us from home. hey fellas... hey baby, you want mama to iron your undies? nice tightie whities. i didn't know mrs. barkley made quilts. really? looks like a circus tent. is that the best you got? now if you put this, with this, you have a sailboat. what's in your wallet? you have a sailboat. everyone 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! waiting for your wrinkle cream to work? neutrogena® rapid wrinkle repair

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today we are kicking off a special series called "do more with spring today" so this morning we'll help you do more with your lawn, get it ready for spring from watering to weed control. the work that we do now can last us well into the summer. here to help us do that, michael, nice to see you. >> nice to see you. >> i am excited about this because for the first time in years i have a lawn. >> we're ready. >> one of most important things to do is start watering now. >> yes. well, watering in general is important because of all the things that your lawn needs. water is probably the most important thing and the mistake most people make is they water often but not for long periods of time. what that means is the water tends to gather at the top of the soil. the roots are going to go where the water is. >> okay. >> you don't want that. >> because then you're -- >> it's not as resilient. just not as healthy. you want really deep roots. so the deep ert waer the water e more incentive there is for the roots to go down to get the water. >> you say about an inch of water a week. >> generally an arch of water a

week and in the summer a little more. you can do a lot of different things to measure the water with cans in the yard. the easiest thing is to know most sprinklers water about a quarter inch an hour. so to get that inch you would need to water for four hours. >> good enough. >> if you forget timers are great. these are really inexpensive. hook it to the spigot, and you can program that all different ways to water whenever you need it. >> this is good too. you get the water you need but you don't waste the water which is important in a lot of areas with the drought. and fertilizing also key. we should start doing that now. you say one type we should use now and another in two months. >> it depends on where you live but in general fertilizer does something for the grass. it's not a food source. a lot of people think it is. photosynthesis is where the grass gets its food from but the fertilizer provides the nutrients it needs. nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium. that enables the grass to do what it needs to do. do this in the spring regardless of where you live. if you live in a warmer climate focus on the spring and summer

when the grass is really stressed. in a cooler climate the spring and the fall is when that grass tends to grow. >> i know you recommend starting now with fertilizer that also has weed control in it. >> yes. >> mulching cannot only make things look a little better but also serves an important purpose. >> it's functional. it will lock in water. once you water it'll keep the water locked in. it prevents weeds from growing. it's also decorative. we have different types. this is red. there are browns and blacks. lots of colors. there are different sizes. this is good for a large area. >> and also you can use the old leaves. >> organic, straw, grass. >> what is this? >> this is actually rubber mulch. this is made from recycled tires so it's functional. it does what all the other mulches do but it keeps literally tons of tires out of landfills and always put weed block under it to help with the weeds. >> i like it. if you're doing a little planting now is a good time to start loosening up the soil. >> the more compact the soil is the harder it is for nutrients and water to get down to the

roots where they're needed. use all kinds of cultivating tools to do that. the same thing is important for your lawn. you want to aerate to loosen the soil and allow nutrients in. you want to add amendments. you can add peat moss, compost to help the soil and make it more robust. >> weeds, sort of everybody's favorite word if gardening. we need to stay on top of them and pull them out. what else? you also recommend some chemicals? >> the key to weeding is to get ahead of it. the more healthy your grass is the less likely you'll have a weed problem. use a preemerge ent to keep the weeds from growing in the first place. once they get out of hand obviously there are a lot of things you can do to attack those. the key is get ahead of them early. >> before you start mowing your lawn, change your oil, change the fuel, give the lawn mower a check. >> and sharpen the blade. >> very nice. thanks again. just ahead, we are facing off again with our bracketology. and probably like your brackets

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alamo. looks like your bags didn't make it. we'll send them to your hotel. [ sad music playing ] this is fun. [ sad music continues ] [ knock on door ] . . . . . . march madness is moving at full speed so after three rounds of action who's leading the pack? let's take a look. don't look at this one. look at dylan. >> woo hoo. >> i can't remember. was there a strategy or did you just throw darts at the board? >> no. i said i cooked a nice dinner and my husband filled out the brackets and i woke up this morning and found out i'm winner

of the week. >> look at you. you still have a championship, louisville champion. >> as far as i understand it, bracketology, as long as louisville wins i've done pretty good, right? >> yeah. well for me, georgetown somehow gets back in the game, i have a shot. no. i still have louisville. >> you have georgetown going all the way. >> yeah. that didn't work out so well. >> no. >> anyway, let's turn over to someone, let's turn over to erica. >> mine is not looking so hot either. i had indiana going all the way. they tried. it was a rough night the other night. i went to sleep and i heard my husband screaming downstairs in agony. indiana lost, unfortunately. you know, there's always next year. right? right, jenna? >> there's nothing i can say. this was far and away a pathetic display of sports knowledge at its absolute worst. there are far more xs than greens. unless they restart this and play all the games over i can't even see a situation where i may come close to third place much less winning for the week. >> i wish i'd put more work into

it now. >> really? >> yeah. >> i don't think it would have changed anything. >> i don't think it changes anything. it's not about the work. it's not like someone says i wish i put more work into picking those lottery numbers. you really never know with all the cinderella stories. >> good basketball. >> if you want to check out our brackets and vote on your favorite march madness moment just go to today.com. and just ahead as we continue this morning the school most people never heard of makes ncaa history with its unbelievable cinderella streak. a look back at the amazing run from florida gulf coast university. first, this is "today" on nbc.

still to come author stephanie minor out with her first movie since "twilight" and hear what she is saying about comparisons to her blockbuster hit. >> plus reality star kim kardashian used to harsh

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good morning. we see clouds and wonder what that means for the forecast. good morning. a lot of folks have plans for easter. >> the whole weekend's not going to be a complete washout. today will be the better of the two days. we had patchy fog this morning. maybe some mist with low clouds, which you can see here off shore, we have showers that will come in at times today. most of the moisture is going to come in later tonight, on into sunday. so today it's going to be muggy outside. we'll still manage 70s. not as warm as yesterday. but there will be an increasing chance of showers as we head into tonight. and yes, tomorrow morning, may have some isolated thunder with partly cloudy skies. rain off and on for monday. it's unfortunate we couldn't have the nice weather from yesterday tomorrow, but that's not the case. >> that is a bummer. thanks. now to a story you will only see on bay area news, a san jose firefighter who nearly died while battling a fire sev months ago is going back to work on

monday. frank ryan, a 17-year veteran of the department and a 20-year paramedic, suffered a heart attack while fighting a fire at st. patrick's cathedral. he says he remembers feeling extremely nauseous and tried to lay down in one of the trucks but doesn't remember anything after that. he says he is thankful his life was in the hands of his fellow firefighters. >> from what i understand, my heart stopped at least three to four time also. two at the scene, i believe, and two at the hospital. >> people acted very quickly andish in aipted care that really saved frank's life. >> a special welcome back breakfast will be hospitaled in ryan's honor at fire station one monday morn. you can see the full interview, the full report, at 7:00 this morning. also new this morning, san jose fire investigators say a fire that destroyed a home in the east foothills is suspicious. the fire started at a home on migalita road just before 9:00 last night. when crews arrived, they say the home was fully engulfed in

flames. one firefighter was hurt but is expected to be okay. the cause of the fire is now under investigation. officials say it appears no one was living in the home at the time. hundred of parents, neighbors and strangers came together in san jose to try to save the life of a 6-year-old boy who is battling leukemia. he attended a bone marrow drive at river glen school yesterday in hopes of finding a match for the first grader. finding a match is more challenging for him because he is hispanic and right now only 30% of the 11 million registered donors are minorities. one man says he went because a donor gave his family a second chance. >> i came because my grandmother in the past had a bone mario transplant and i felt that my payback may be one day can help someone else. >> eduardo's family says that they're hopeful because someone at -- was hopeful that someone

at the bone marrow match drive will be a match. we have more local news in just 30 minutes. good morning. it's saturday, march 30th, 2013. here is a look at top stories. breaking news.

north korea ratcheting up the tension now saying it's entered a state of war with south korea. this morning we'll take you right to the border region between the two nations. busted in one of the largest public education scandals ever. a grand jury indicts nearly three dozen teachers and administrators in atlanta, accusing them of inflating students' test scores to earn cash bonuses. and midnight for cinderella. florida gulf coast university's magical run to the ncaa basketball tourney finally comes to an end. again, i'm lester holt with erica hill. it's fun to watch. they brought a lot of fun to the tournament. that's why our brackets got torn apart. >> yeah. so much for the old brackets. i wasn't counting on mine much anyway. >> how about the tax bracket? >> unfortunately, criminals are

also hard at work, trying to rip you off. we're going to take a look at what the irs is doing to protect you. plus, the writer behind the blockbuster "twilight" series is out with a new movie. it's not about vampires. question is, will fans bite? and a little bit later, the treat that's synonymous with so many people for easter, peeps. dylan takes a look behind the making of the sweet confection. and baby 101, jenna is months away from being a mom. a little baby knowledge. >> your youngest is how old? >> he just turned 3. >> lester, your youngest is how old? 23. >> your knowledge is a little more fuzzy. >> i have no knowledge. >> neither do i. we're in the same boat. >> you were a student in biology. >> i get the gist of everything. >> dylan will have it all in our baby coverage. >> yeah. >> it will be fun.

let's start with those new threats by north korea. ian williams has the latest developments, near the border of north and south korea. ian, good morning. >> reporter: lester, officials here in seoul have dismissed the outbursts of more of the same. a rally in the northern capital on friday in support of the call to arms. tens of thousands turned out in support of north korean leader kim jong un's call to arms, chanting "death to the u.s. imperialists." kim jung un called thursday's u.s. show of force reckless. b-2 stealth bombers, exercises over south korea and that the time had come to, quote, settle accounts with the u.s. state television reported that kim had ordered his forces on standby, to strike the u.s.,

south korea, guam and hawaii. in one photo, targets appear to include austin, texas. experts doubt he has the ability to hit the u.s. but they fear a provocation here in the yellow sea, disputed waters where south korean ferries skirt around north korean territory. bangyong island is home to thousands of south korean islands and many soldiers. it sits just ten miles from the border. kim jung un, seen recently peering at this island through bin okayl binocul rachlt. s, has threatened to turn it to rubble. live lived here for 13 years. he has heard of threats before, but never like this. the island is a fortress, lined with fencing and mine fields. >> reporter: stretching all the way down the coast, 30-foot wide wall and on top, razor wire.

locals say the army is tense, network of underground bomb shelters is being made ready. these are all over the island and have been freshly stocked up with supplies. still, most islanders seem determined to stay while keeping a nervous eye on their neighbors to the north. in spite of the rhetoric against the u.s., it's places like that in the yellow sea which are most vulnerable. the danger is that in the current tense atmosphere, local skirmish or miscalculation could quickly escalate, lester. >> ian williams in south korea this morning. thanks. now here's erica. >> lester, thanks. it's being described as one of the largest cheating scandals to hit the nation's public education system. nearly three dozen teachers and administrators in georgia now facing serious charges involving standardized tests. abe gutierrez has more. >> reporter: cheating scandal now includes criminal charges.

former superintendent beverly hall led a corrupt organization that used students' test scores to earn cash bonuses, a grand jury decided. >> the whole purpose behind this is to vindicate the little children, who got jipped out of an education. >> reporter: in all, hall and 34 others were indicted. test answer sheets were altered, fabricated and falsely certified. >> dr. hall has had a contract that was set up to pay for bonuses when she achieved certain results. those results were caused by cheating. >> reporter: hall has been named national superintendent of the year in 2009. she now faces 45 years in prison if convicted. nbc news could not reach her attorney for comment, but the new superintendent says that the district is moving forward, after a scandal that's become a

national punch line. >> i was sweating like a school kid in atlanta trying to ps a te test on his own. >> we deserve to be embarrassed for the things that happened. the only solution to that is to produce. >> reporter: it couldn't come soon enough for some of the district's parents. >> i'm disappointed as a parent that wants the best for their child. i'm very disappointed. >> reporter: lawyers for some of the indicted teachers say they will vigorously fight those charges. their clients have until tuesday to turn themselves in. for today, gabe gutierrez, nbc news, atlanta. >> still such an unbelievable story. we want to get a check of the other top stories from jenna wolfe. good morning. >> god morning. we have a lot going on this morning. a horrible accident in tennessee. student pilot was thrown from his airplane thousands of feet in the air and he wasn't wearing a parachute, taking lessons from

another pilot when the plane took a nose dive and the canopy opened. the instructor was able to land the plane safely and is now working with rescuers to try to find him. testing begins today for thousands of dental patients in tulsa, oklahoma, who may have been exposed to and will be tested for hiv and hepatitis by their dentist. dr. scott harrington is accused of being a, quote, menace to public health after health officials say they found filthy conditions, including reused needles and drug viles. they started investigating after a patient came down with hep c. the dentist is cooperating with police. nelson mandela remains in the hospital this morning. his family is reassuring people that he's doing okay. mandela spent his third night in the hospital, being treated for a lung infection. his eldest grandson tells a newspaper that mandela is sitting up in bed, talking. he is confident that his

grandfather will be returning to johannesburg, his home, very soon. guilty plea from the zumba dance instructor accused of running a prostitution ring. alexis wright will avoid a trial after she agreed to plead guilty to 20 counts of prostitution. prosecutors are expected to ask for a 10-month sentence. epa is proposing new fuel standards. the proposal would raise gas prices, but exactly how much is still up for debate. if approved, it would not go into effect until 2017. finally, being five months pregnant, i now know enough about parenting to sarcastically pass along the following advice. when taking care of a baby gorilla, please be kind and gentle. baby gladys was brought to the cincinnati zoo after she was abandoned by her mother in texas, right? okay. for the next few months she will be raised by humans, playing the role of mommy gorilla. zoo volunteers are wearing black

suits and furry vests to mimic what gladys' mom would feel and look like. i don't have to do that. okay. double-checking. all of this so that one day soon gladys will be introduced to a gorilla surrogate mom and they will live happily ever after. if you have any spare gorilla suits laying around at home and you're near the stet cincinnati zoo, you may be called upon. >> you may assist. >> yes. >> look at me, already doling out advice like i've been doing this for years. >> gorilla advice no years. >> oh, i'm spanning across the species right now. what does that mean? >> quote of the day, spanning across the species. jenna, thanks. dylan dreyer is out on the plaza with a check of our forecast. good morning. >> good morning. we have annie out here. when you have a sign that says can i please help you with the weather, i will say yes. when the map comes up, you're going to tell me what it's doing

in the middle of the country. okay? a whole lot of green right in the country. what is that? >> rain. >> awesome. my job is at risk right now. we have rain from minneapolis right down into houston, texas, and thunderstorms could be strong later on today through arkansas and eastern texas and northwestern louisiana. we could even see some pretty big hail with those storms. that's why it is under that red slight risk area there. we are looking for pretty nice weather in new york city and in the northeast. 58 degrees, not bad. we should be in the 60s and lower 70s in the pacific northwest. little cooler in california where it will be cloudy with a few scattered showers. highs there in the mid there's some green on our radar as well. scattered showers mainly north of the golden gate. that is going to be moving our way. notice the trend here, partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies. a few scattered showers. should be a mild day temperaturewise with some mid-70s in parts of the south bay. heading into tomorrow morning,

you see the yellow showing up in the future cast. that would include increasing chances of rain into easter sunday morning. showers begin to shut down heading into the workweek. and that's your latest forecast. >> hey, lester, my grandmom says hi. >> well, tell your grandma i said hi back. what's your name? >> okay. >> what's your name? >> okay, i will. >> she said okay. annie says okay. >> say hi to annie, okay. if you're stressed out this weekend from doing your taxes, this next story may make you a little more anxious. it's about criminals who have made over $5 billion last year by ripping off taxpayers and fooling the irs. as rock center's kate snow reports, tax refund fraud is becoming one of america's fastest growing scams. >> reporter: when sheila above theaganis tried to file her refund for 2009 it was kicked back.

>> reporter:. if you had to describe what the past four years has been like for you -- >> hell. >> reporter: it had to be enormously frustrating. >> frustrating, scary, aggravating and time consuming. lot of calls. lot of letters. lot of forms. >> reporter: it's happened to nearly 1 million taxpayers across the country in the past year alone. first, a thief steals your identity sks get ahold of your name, date of birth, social security number. then they electronically file a fake return with the irs and obtain a refund. this detective says the crime is so easy and lucrative, criminals in tampa have given up drug dealing to steal from uncle sam. >> reporter: on a scale of one to ten, what was the risk of a perpetrator being caught for this kind of fraud? >> initially, zero. the reward far outweighed the risk. they would basically laugh at law enforcement. >> reporter: this woman bragged on facebook that she was the

queen of irs tax fraud. she and her boyfriend are accused of raking in more than $1 million, filing fraudulent returns and flaunting it, buying flashy jewelry, luxury cars. police seized this custom-made camaro, over the top sound system, tv in the back. every rim, police say, paid for at taxpayers' expense. the irs says it's made changes to stop criminals from filing fake returns. >> we stopped $20 billion from going out the door last filing season. we're constantly balancing how do we make sure we get the legitimate taxpayer their refund as quickly as possible without causing them undue burden, but at the same time stopping the bad return. >> reporter: but sheila is afraid she'll always be vulnerable, because her personal information is out there. >> it's frightening because i don't know how long it will continue. when it will come back at me. and that is something you lose

sleep over. >> reporter: for "today," kate snow, nbc news, ft. lauderdale. cinderella stories are what march madness are all about. florida gulf coast university, of course, was this season's story. >> with an unconventional head coach and an unorthodoxed style of playing. that wasn't enough to get the job done. jenna will tell us more about it. >> sadly. florida gulf coast basketball team seemed to come out of nowhere. they upset powerhouses like georgetown. they also showed us that unlike cinderella, not all fairy tales have happy endings. it wasn't supposed to turn into a pumpkin, but this fairy tale did not have a happy ending for florida gulf coast university. >> the eagles of florida gulf coast are headed back to ft. myers. >> reporter: the number 15 seeded team ended its impossible run last night against the number 3 florida gators. although the clock has struck midnight, fgcu.

>> we shocked the world. >> reporter: that's just what they did. after a bracket upset over georgetown, then dominating san diego state. to become the first number 15 seed to ever advance to the sweet 16. not bad for a school that admitted its first student during the clinton administration. >> we didn't know what florida gulf coast was before we came here. >> i never heard of florida gulf coast until actually i started to visit the school and to attend it. >> reporter: which is understandable. fgcu has only been eligible for ncaa division i basketball's march madness for two years. >> suddenly come out of nowhere and then to be so excite iing a to play with such kind of dazzling style for all the upsets that have come along over the years, this one takes the cake. >> reporter: even vegas didn't bet on the unknown team. instead, lumping their odds with all the other long shots. but how quickly things can change in a week.

once the southeast florida secret, fgcu seemed like a pretty good place to be. and head coach seemed like a pretty good person to be. a successful entrepreneur, who has made millions. he has a super model wife, a job near the beach and a refreshing coaching philosophy. >> should be an enjoyable experience. that's what college sports, to me, is all about. we run our program like that. >> reporter: even though the eagles didn't land directly on top, it's a story that dunked its way into america's heart. >> florida is the center of basketball right now. >> silver lining here, despite friday night's loss, the school could come out a winner. all the attention could lead to a spike in enrollment next year. >> what a refreshing take on sports from the coach. >> it works when you're winning, right? refreshing take when you're winning. >> but that's one game. >> you're right.

blah, blah -- >> everybody will be excited to watch them next year. >> yeah, they are. jenna, thanks. >> uh-huh. >> we'll see if we can stump jenna with some questions on babies and parenting. up next, will twilight fans take a bite out of stephanie meyers' new movie? we'll take a look at that, after these messages. after these messages. the way you want? can orencia help? [ woman ] i wanted to get up when i was ready, not my joints. [ female announcer ] could your "i want" become "i can"? talk to your doctor. orencia reduces many ra symptoms like pain, morning stiffness and progression of joint damage. it's helped new ra patients and those not helped enough by other treatments. do not take orencia with another biologic medicine for ra due to an increased risk of serious infection. serious side effects can occur including fatal infections. cases of lymphoma and lung cancer have been reported. tell your doctor if you are prone to or have any infection like an open sore or the flu or a history of copd, a chronic lung disease.

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"the host" hits theaters this weekend, but with no gorgeous weekend but with no gorgeous vampires on the screen will "twilight" fans take a bite? diana alvear reports from los angeles. >> reporter: if you were hoping "the host" would be just like "twilight" -- >> the world has never been more perfect. >> reporter: prepare to be surprised. from forests to deserts. in place of vampires, aliens. and you can forget sparkle. these other worldly beings glow. the question is, will "the host" come anywhere close to being the record-breaking blockbuster that was "twilight"? >> i don't think that ever happens twice. >> reporter: author stephanie meyers says "the host" is unlike anything she has ever done. >> what i really wanted was a movie that i really liked and i was proud of and it turned out so beautifully so i'm just really happy with it. >> reporter: let's be honest. bella and edward's love story was one for the ages and more importantly the box office. the five movies earned more than

$2 billion, yes, billion dollars worldwide. and that is a lot to live up to. >> "the host" is a young adult movie whereas "twilight" was a teenage movie. so i don't think you're going to see that insanity surrounding "the host" as you did with the "twilight" films. >> reporter: but don't worry. there's plenty of emotional drama. whereas "twilight" had a love triangle, "the host" ups the ante. >> it is a love rectangle, yeah, a quadrangle. >> reporter: so far at least one "twilight" fan likes what she sees. >> i loved it. it was perfect. >> reporter: no matter what happens at the box office, there is a happy ending. the second book in "the host" series is in the works. for "today," diana alvear, nbc news, los angeles. still ahead expectant mom kim kardashian criticizing her clothes is one thing but is ridiculing her weight going too far? this is "today" on nbc.

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through the fog. how long though? let's find out. with a look at the weekend forecast that won't be a total washo washout. >> no. >> but? >> you still need the umbrella. probably through tomorrow, especially this morning. you see the fog in san francisco. we got low clouds, high clouds and rain producing clouds. more of that moisture will continue to move towards us today. you see in the future cast, partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies, isolated showers today. tonight, into tomorrow morning, you can see that. into tomorrow morning, now you're starting to see yellow and orange showing up on the radar. that may indicate a slight chance of thunder or heavier showers by tomorrow morn. temperatures today in the 70s. mild and muggy. and then showers actually shutting down as we head into monday as we get into the beginning of the workweek. >> so maybe evening showers? >> perhaps. >> thanks. the family of a vta worker who was killed on the job in

san jose is speaking out. that employee died after he was hit by a bus driven by a co-worker. vta says the 62-year-old service worker was cleaning and refueling a bus when he was truck by another bus. this happened at the chaboyo yard on south seven street on tuesday night. his family took him off life support, tuesday. saying he was just two months away from retiring. >> it causes a lot of concern regarding the company and the safety measures that they do take or do not take at these places. and it's just so sudden, something like this, tragic, could happen. >> nbc bay area did obtain information on the number of accidents at that division yard since 2002. we learned there have been at least 63. a vta spokesperson says safety is the company's top priority. and promises a thorough investigation into what happened. police are warning shoppers everywhere to be on alert after a series of thefts this week at the great mall.

police say there were four thefts in three days in the mall's parking lot. thieves stole about $1,000 worth of valuables from three cars. in another incident, they just took the whole car. police are urging drivers to double check that the car doors are locked and make sure you park in well-lit areas. a grandmother facing legal action this morning after she left a 3-year-old locked in a car in san jose. a concerned citizen called police when she saw the child in the car at a shopping center. after police arrived, the child's grandmother returned a short time later. the child was okay and did not require any medical attention. the grandmother was not arrested there at the scene but the case will be forwarded to the district attorney for review. coming up this morning on "tod "tood day in the bay," a san jo firefighter who died on the job while battling a blaze is ready to go back to work. we'll hear from him on who he credits with saving it is life.

plus, the lock-in for the next nine years. what fans are saying about the block buster move this morning. all of the day's news and sports coming up at 7:00. right now, here's more of the "today" show. 8:30 on saturday morning, march 30th, 2013. we are expecting a much warmer day here in new york.

which is good news for all of our friends here with us on "the plaza" and thank you dylan for bringing the warmer weather. >> some people give her a hard time when it's cold. >> a little bit of grief. >> now we'll give you some props. >> thank you. >> before the next cold sets in. i'm erica hill with lester holt, jenna wolfe, and dylan, still to come in this half hour we are taking a look at one reality tv star who is expecting a baby. kim kardashian, used to dealing with criticism of course. but ever since she got pregnant, there's been some criticism of a different sort people criticizing not just what she chooses to wear during her pregnancy but the weight she is gaining. we're going to get into that. speaking of baby information we are going to put our baby knowledge to the test in a little quiz show atmosphere. we're going to talk parenting

and birthing and lactic. no. we're going to save that. >> we'll put all of our fun little baby knowledge to the test coming up. >> then when you go out for fast food do you limit yourself to just what's on the menu? if you are, you're missing out. there are some hidden things you don't know about. we'll tell you about the secret menu at some fast food places. >> what would your easter basket be without those sugar coated marshmallow candies, the peeps? well, i got to go inside the factory and see how they are all made. i'll have that for you coming up. >> quite a hairnet. >> amazing. >> and my coat went down to here. >> sort of an easter color that lovely mint green. >> i chose that. >> how about a final check of the weather? >> it is finally going to be pretty nice here for easter. temperatures should get close to 60 degrees in new york city today. we should be in the 60s down in washington, d.c. we are going to see a slight risk of stronger storms, though, especially across oklahoma and

parts of northern texas. we're going to see lighter showers in upper minnesota and wisconsin. in the pacific northwest we should see highs today topping out in the 60s and lower 70s. that's where all the warm air is hiding right now. then for easter sunday, the rain in the northeast isn't going to move in until late in the day like after easter dinner but down in the southeast we will see some of those showers and possibly stronger thunderstorms. we could end up with the chance of hail with some of those thunderstorms, too. and then one more shot of cold weather moves back into the plains and it will start to move into the northeast by tuesday. and then it should warm up for good look at the radar this morning. shows you some scattered showers across the north bay hilltops. you'll see more moisture from off the ocean moving in at times today. partly to mostly cloudy skies. we'll call for scattered showers. mild afternoon with highs mainly in the upper 60s to mid-70s. as we head towards tomorrow morning, that's when the heavier showers arrive and maybe some ice lated thunder for easter

sunday. then the showers shut down into monday. as skies clear. and we warm up some as we approach the middle part of the and a birthday is so special we get two signs. where are you from? >> frederick, maryland. >> awesome. celebrating your sweet 16. >> yes. >> what does this sign say since it's falling all over the place? hi mom and dad. madison, kerrigan, and monica. are they all here? awesome. we have all the signs and another 16th birthday over here. your birthday? from? >> harrisburg, pennsylvania. >> wonderful. lots of birthday celebrations out here today. >> great bunny ears, too. reality star kim kardashian is known for her fashion style. lately, though, her choice in maternity wear, well, those choices are coming under scrutiny. there's also criticism about her weight gain. it has plenty of people crying foul. here's michelle franzen.

>> reporter: kim kardashian is known for her voluptuous curves, but now they're grabbing headlines for all the wrong reasons. >> kim cannot get away from this controversy. >> reporter: ridiculed for her too tight maternity style, the nearly six months pregnant reality star has even been compared to a killer whale. maternity wear designer rosie pope thinks it's unfair. >> it's really healthy to put on between 25 and 35 pounds and i think it's one thing to comment on her clothing and her fashion because she is a fashion icon but completely another and totally inappropriate to comment on her weight. >> reporter: so, celebrity or not, does fat shaming a pregnant woman simply go too far? >> we saw it with jessica simpson. now we're seeing it with kim kardashian. just because somebody is a celebrity does into the mean it is okay to completely bash them. >> reporter: some worry it's sending women the wrong message. >> i think it's important to send a positive message that as long as, you know, she's comfortable and she's happy and healthy, that that's what's important.

>> reporter: the bullying culture goes way too far and it's becoming dangerous even with celebrities. >> kim kardashian! >> reporter: as for kim, she fired back this week on "the tonight show" with jay leno. >> i want the rest of my life -- i'll have the rest of my life to be skinny and lose weight and i'm not worried about it. if i have a craving i go for it. i obviously want to be healthy for the baby and myself so i'm not overdoing it. >> i think we have become so weight obsessed in society we are forgetting she is growing a human being in front of her and this is to be an incredibly celebratory time in her life. >> layoff the hate. up next how to spice up your fast food by ordering things that are not on the menu. first, these messages.

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advertise that can be the real treat, as katy tur reports. >> reporter: from burgers to tacos to time specific bites, secret menus or special meals for the ultimate insider have long been a staple at restaurants across the country. >> don't know where to go? don't know what to order? don't worry. we do. the first stop and really the only stop if you're in california, in-n-out. i have a big order. >> no problem. >> can i get a 4 x 4? >> okay. >> can i get a neopolitan shake? can i get a mustard grill? 4 x 4. four patties four slices of cheese. mustard grill. burger with mustard on one side. animal fries, cheese, special sauce, grilled onions and neopolitan shake, strawberry, chocolate, vanilla. >> so good. >> no in-n-out by you? no problem. see if you can get your hands on a mc1035 at mcdonald's.

>> this is hard to get. you can only order it at 10:35 in the morning when they switch out the men use. thank you very much. it is an egg mcmuffin and mcdouble. have you to combine them. people not me say it is good for the queasy weekend mornings. taco bell? the cool ranch dorito cheesy gordita crunch. >> actually really good. chipotle the burrito dilla. >> a burrito in a casadilla and it is supposed to be spectacular and it is. >> reporter: starbucks will make almost anything you ask for in frappucino form. >> i want to order off menu stuff. this is a sumatose crunch, a butter beer for hogwarts fans, harry potter fans. apple pie for fans of america. and twix for fans of, you know, twix. >> these will give you a crazy sugar high. what is the point if it's not in print? panera bread's jacob busso says it is the fun of being in on a secret. >> it does create a little bit of a buzz.

people kind of wonder what is the hidden menu? >> reporter: panera's hidden menu is all about luring in the carb free customers. if you're like me just go protein style at in-n-out. >> without the bread it's healthy right? for "today" katy tur, nbc news, los angeles. >> i hope she didn't shoot that story in one day. >> you know, that was three weeks ago. katy tur hasn't had a meal since. >> just a little thing too. great ideas. >> i like the twix thing from starbucks. never heard of that. >> i know where you're going right after the show. downstairs to starbucks. up next dylan takes us inside the peeps factory. to see how easter's most popular candy is made. first, this is "today" on nbc. ♪ happy easter happy easter ♪ alright, let's go.

♪ shimmy, shimmy chocolate. ♪ shimmy, shimmy chocolate. ♪ we, we chocolate cross over. ♪ yeah, we chocolate cross over. ♪ [ male announcer ] introducing fiber one 80 calorie chocolate cereal. ♪ chocolate. ♪ the one and only, cheerios

♪ hopping through the forest scooping up the field mice and scooping up the field mice and pop them on the head ♪ >> we'll teach nu the break.

the easter bunny very busy today of course because tomorrow a lot of baskets to be delivered. >> yep. >> and you can find peeps in probably almost every easter basket. >> and had it in my hand as well. how much do we really know about the marshmallow treats? dylan is here with more. >> it's hard to believe but peeps is celebrating their 60th anniversary and all of the little chicks are hatched in a factory in pennsylvania. i recently suited up and got a rare tour inside to see how they're made. ♪ sugar oh, honey honey >> so this is where it all begins. and, i mean, i got to be honest. this just smells like hot bubble gum right now. >> yes. this is one of our new items, a bubble gum flavored peeps chick. >> i taste sugar in the air. i'm assuming there is a lot of sugar. >> there is some sugar in our product, yes. we use a little gran laulated

sugar, corn syrup and just to be sure at the end might add a little more sugar. >> reporter: from there the liquid is piped over to get the signature peep texture. >> what we're doing is now that the marshmallow has been aerated before we place it on the conveyor belt we put white sugar on the belt to give us a bed to deposit the marshmallow. >> reporter: and behind here is where the magic happens. >> behind here is where all the magic happens. it is that one of a kind -- ah -- one of a kind piece of equipment. and then this is what the one of a kind piece of equipment will produce for us. >> reporter: this top-secret process has come a long way since the first peeps were made 60 years ago. >> originally it was over 24 hours because it was all done by hand. the marshmallow was put in a pastry bag. that pastry bag was squeezed into the chick shape. >> reporter: how many of these do you make a day? >> believe it or not we produce a little over 5 million every

day. >> reporter: this easter 1 billion peeps will be produced. enough to circle the globe and land in 70% of easter baskets across america. that's after they pass inspection of course. no crazy eyes, crooked beex, or improper peeps allowed. >> you need to be very attentive because you never know when something might happen. >> reporter: easter depends on this. >> reporter: absolutely. there's one. we don't want to miss that. >> what are the rules? i don't want to -- i mean -- >> well that,'s not exactly what you're supposed to do with them dishlgsan. they go into that little chute right there. i appreciate you wanting to help out and all but you can't eat everything. >> yeah. ♪ yummy yummy >> reporter: eating also slows down production. i can't help but notice the sign on the wall target 2100 actual 1400. how is today going? >> yes. well, it actually wasn't going too bad up until a little while ago when we had a new inspector working on the chick line. >> reporter: i redeemed myself with packaging. >> okay. now it's your turn.

slide it in the case. like a seasoned veteran. >> reporter: right? the easter bunny takes it from there. but some fans take it to a whole different level. ♪ sweet inspiration >> reporter: there is the diarama contest. peepal conclave was the one this year. and creative recipes like peep soup. that's peep fondue. after you dip, torture, and pose your peep, what's the proper way to actually eat it? we asked an expert, kathy mcdonald, who has worked here for 17 years. what is your favorite peep? >> the chocolate dipped. >> fresh or stale? >> fresh. >> tail or head first? >> if chocolate dipped the bottom first. >> bottom first. i never heard that before.

i should try that. they call it peeps-anality. that's how you eat it. what is your peeps-anality? >> i just, i don't know if i have a particular way. >> is this the new bubble gum one? >> i made that one. >> thanks. one of the few you didn't eat. >> i know. >> i didn't know they came chocolate covered. >> yes. >> good. >> delicious. >> not so bad. we'll be right back after our snack with a parenting quiz for jenna. >> yes. but first these snacks. >> don't feed these to babies. >> put it right here. [ male announcer ] every day, thousands of people are choosing advil® for their headaches.

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listen up. each year hundreds of promising research studies go unfunded. for breast cancer. for lung cancer. every cancer. the american cancer society has been behind nearly every breakthrough in resent history. but there is still more work to do. so let's make sure that no research is silenced. let's make noise. let's make noise. yeah! and let's finish the fight. as we mentioned earlier we are so excited for jenna expecting a baby girl this summer. to help her prep for this life changing adventure we decided to play a little game. ladies and gentlemen, are you ready to play oh, baby? our contestants, lester holt father of two boys. jenna wolfe expecting a baby girl. erica hill mother of two boys. if you need girl answers i don't know if they're going to help. first to buzz in with the

correct answer receives a point and the winner receives bragging rights. okay. we're going to start with the lightning round called what is this for. >> okay. >> okay. erica? >> you need this in new york city. >> what is it? >> it's soft and fluffy. >> a bundle me. you put it in your stroller. we call it the sleeping bag and when you're walking the streets of new york it keeps them soft and cozy and all you want to do is climb in. >> this is never going to be a fair contest. >> back in the horse and buggy days we didn't have those. >> lester used his coat. >> we'll give it to you. >> all right. >> the next one is kind of what i keep on the leash for my dog. what could this possibly be? >> i think it's, looks like poop bag. >> it's for the diaper genie. >> so you use diapers? >> you put the dip inner there. >> yi don't want to walk around the house and pick up from the kid. >> if you're in a restaurant you

put it in there. >> oh, okay. >> i am going to need one of those. >> okay. we have this other one. this is actually a door of a top. it's pretty light. jenna? >> i'm going to say for snacks. >> it's a wipes warmer. you don't need it. >> okay. >> wipes warmer. >> what do you do when you're out and it's cold and all of a sudden the kid needs his diaper changed. >> maybe he gets used to having a cold rear end. >> we figured that out. moving on to our next question a multiple choice. we all know that jenna is quite the jokester. at what age will jenna's baby be able to start laughing out loud if ever at those jokes? it was multiple choice. what do you think? i'll give awe hint. two months, three and a half months, four and a half months. >> four and a half months. >> no. >> two months. >> no. three and a half months. >> yay! >> really. >> process of elimination. >> are you sure they can laugh at three and a half months? >> i don't know. >> i don't remember them laughing. >> my dog started laughing --

that was so long ago. >> all right. here we go. >> really good at this. that wraps up this game of oh, baby. i'm sure we'll play again though. >> how did we do? bottom line i'm in no way ready to have this child. >> not true. you have a few months to get there. >> we thought you should win a prize anyway. >> we'll have a lot to celebrate when that time comes. >> in your prize you have rattles that look like weights. >> stop it. right now. >> she's ready to tweet. >> my gosh. >> and she knows how to tune to the "today" show thnchs is the most adorable gift basket literally of all time. is this a joke or can i really keep it? >> it is really yours. >> i love it. this is fantastic. also these aren't real diapers. >> those are the real things. that's wh they look like. >> we were once this small? wow. okay. >> we'll have a lot to celebrate in the coming months but we want to celebrate a good friend of ours, jim simmelman who has been part of this show for the last 13 years. come on out. >> come on, jimmy. all right. >> he is one of our stage managers here on "weekend today" and he's leaving us after this

weekend. we just wanted to celebrate. >> sad to see you go, jimmy. >> let you know how much we'll miss you. >> thank you. i'll miss you guys as well. >> it's been a real pleasure. >> very nice. >> sugar and alcohol for everyone. >> smell the cake? >> it's good. >> all good. jim, you've been amazing around here. we cannot thank you enough for everything. >> thank you, guys. >> and we just want to -- >> jim has one. >> sneak this one up. >> okay. yours is probably apple cider, jenna. >> thank you. >> congratulations. >> congratulations, jimmy. >> read the prompter. >> we're raising a glass to wish him good luck have a great day everybody. oh, yes. we're good i guess. >> that's the end of it. give it up for jimmy! >> thank you all. thank you. good morning. coming up next, a veteran firefighter finds himself in need of saving. >> from what i understand, my

heart stopped at least three times. >> this morning, he opens up for the first time with the moment his heart stopped. plus, how other firefighters managed to save at least ten bulldogs from inside a burning home. plus -- >> i'm excited to get to put on this uniform and go to work with all these guys. >> a deal of giant proportions. what fans are saying this morning about the biggest contract ever from the san francisco giants. "today in the bay" is next.

good morning to you. looking live at the bay bridge. the bay lights are out, but we have some fog squishing down on to the driving lights that we always see. thanks so much for joining us. it is an important mete meteorological weekend. no pressure, but there are some bunnies that want to know what's happening. >> you've got the fog out there and maybe a few sprinkles. 50s outside. it's going to be a muggy day. when the temperatures warm up into the 0s and 70s, you've got tropical moisture sweeping in

from the south. good enough for a few stray showers in the north bay this morning. most of the showers right now off shore. during the day today, you'll see partly to mostly cloudy skies. mild temperatures. we should hit the 70s in parts of the south bay for sure. as we head into the evening, notice what happens. the yellow and orange may show a chance of thundershowers getting into sunday. by temperatures, notice, by noorngs pretty warm outside. you're getting into the 70s. so despite the cloud cover today, not a complete washout this weekend. in fact, it will be these little bands of showers that come through. increasing chances for that. we'll have a complete look at the weekend forecast in just a few moments. >> one moment, he is respond to an emergency. the next moment, he finds himself right in his own emergency. a san jose firefighter is set to go back to work monday seven months after suffering a heart attack on the job. this morning, we are hearing

from him for the first time about what ultimately saved his life. today in the bay has a story you will only see here on nbc bay area. >> how you doing, buddy? welcome back. >> reporter: some of his colleagues have not seen him in seven months. that's when this building went up in smoke and his life changed. >> i remember a lot of smoke, a lot of heat. went outside and felt more than just exhausted. i felt like, you know, extreme nausea. something i've never felt. >> reporter: he says he thought he could walk it off. found out quickly he couldn't. >> i remember saying i was going to get up into the truck to lay down. i don't remember anything else. >> firefighter down, we need a truck. >> reporter: the 20-year paramedic had a heart attack. his colleague's attention quickly went from fighting a church fire to savin