i hate the show ab tell item for the evening news cast. i'm sorry. >> direct from brooklyn. on our friday night broadcast, threat level. from approaching weather as tonight 35 million americans are under the threat of severe storms rumbling east. another tornado today in alabama as we hear from survivors of a violent night in texas. under fire. congress bores in on the man on his way out as head of the irs. tonight what we have learned about what broke this scandal wide open. brave new world. the amazing way doctors are offering hope to couples who never thought they would be able to have a child. tonight incredible results. and class act. the graduates who just earned a medical degree free of charge, no loans, no debt. one school's revolutionary idea. no loans, no debt. one school's revolutionary idea. "nightly news" begins now. captions paid for by nbc-universal television

good evening. as we head into this weekend, a powerful weather system with an awful history it left behind in the state of texas is tonight now crawling east. it means a lot of people -- 35 million americans in all -- are living in a region where they need to be watching the skies and aware of things in the days to come. because of the threat of severe weather. the system moving east but cutting the eastern third of the country from north to south contains embedded severe weather. we want to begin with weather channel meteorologist mike seidel in granbury, texas, a town demolished by the same system two days ago. mike, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. that system which spawned those tornadoes, that ef-4 wednesday night killing six has moved east it's a weaker system. take a look at what it did this afternoon. late this afternoon in northern alabama near athens a twister on the ground. this is not a big one. it did take out trees and power

lines and caused structural damage around athens and ardmore. the threat level there will be low for the evening into north georgia. but that's going to change this weekend. we are expecting the largest severe weather and tornado outbreak of the season. it will last into next week. saturday's forecast, the red area will fire up in the central plains in fairly rural areas. still dangerous. sunday is shaping up to be the most dangerous day of the weekend. the storm shifts east into the bigger cities, more populated areas. minneapolis to oklahoma city. the highest threat includes des moines and k.c. and monday the risk of tornadoes including chicago and st. louis. one thing we have been missing through the spring is warm, sticky, tropical air, fuel for the fire for these storms. now we have the spin in the atmosphere, the hot sticky air. tonight in granbury, heat index values at 99 degrees. that's going to sweep up through the plains and midwest. those are the areas 35 million americans need to be on alert for dangerous storms tomorrow

through monday. brian? >> mike seidel, thanks. a lot of folks in for a sporty weekend weatherwise. as for the situation on the ground in granbury, texas, officially the search for the missing is over. all are accounted for. the focus is on the devastation and the far-off recovery for the town and the region to the west of ft. worth in texas. nbc's gabe gutierrez part of our team on the ground. gabe, geechblgt -- good evening. >> reporter: brian, good evening. some of the neighborhoods hardest hit are still off limits but the local sheriff plans to open up streets tomorrow. this community is mourning the six people who died. in the rubble of his mother's trailer in granbury, david davis is struggling to cope. >> she's a loving mother. you know, there's six of us. there's six kids. >> reporter: the tornado with winds up to 200 miles per hour launched his mother's home more than 200 yards.

marjorie ann davis leaves behind 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. also inside the home that night, his brother-in-law tommy martin who did not survive. and his sister, betty martin, who is in the hospital. betsy who is in the hospital. >> it's unbelievable. >> reporter: two days after the storm system roared through here the search for the missing is over. the last seven have been found safe. the community is in shock. people walking around dazed. one neighbor trying to track down the owner of a 50-year-old love letter she found in the debris outside her home as volunteers pour in to help. >> it's really devastating. i just don't even have the words to express how everybody is just at a loss. >> reporter: the national weather service confirms 16 tornadoes touched down that night. >> 911. state your emergency.

>> i live on lakeshore drive. we have had a tornado here and it's blown the roof off of our house. >> reporter: in cleburne the cleanup is under way as reality sinks in for survivors of all ages. >> i was scared. i heard and then i saw it. it blew off the roof. >> reporter: today a clearer picture of the destruction in granbury as texas governor rick perry toured the area. >> the houses will be rebuilt. there is no replacing the loved ones who were lost. >> reporter: also among the dead, leo stepanski. his son is devastated. much like david davis. >> you walk out here and it's devastating. >> reporter: a clock in the rubble of his mother's home remains frozen around 8:00 p.m., the time the twister struck. in a sign of how close this part of texas is, relief supplies are coming from west, texas, the site of that deadly plant explosion last month.

there is no shortage of volunteers here. >> gabe gutierrez, granbury, texas. gabe, thanks. switching our attention now to washington and a grilling today for the acting irs commissioner. he's leaving his job after the irs was discovered to be targeting conservative political groups looking for tax-free status. he told the house committee the targeting was not based on politics, but not many people in the room were having any of it. lisa myers with us tonight from our washington newsroom. good evening. >> reporter: brian, good evening. the hearing was contentious with the usual partisan showboating. the irs commissioner apologized for what he called foolish mistakes by people trying to appear more efficient. he didn't appear contrite and provided few answers. the house committee made steven miller testify under oath. >> nothing but the truth so help you god. >> i do. >> reporter: claiming he and his

agency misled congress in not revealing for the last year that tea party and other conservative groups applying for tax exempt status had been targeted for extra scrutiny. >> why did you mislead congress and the american people on this? >> mr. chairman, i did not mislead congress nor the american people. i answered the questions as they were asked. >> who is responsible for targeting these groups? >> i'm going to take exception to the concept of targeting. it's a loaded term. >> reporter: miller said groups with tea party or patriot names were improperly singled out as a bureaucratic shortcut not out of partisanship. >> we provided horrible customer service here. i will admit that. we did. horrible -- but politically motivated is a different question. >> reporter: republicans didn't buy it. >> if the targeting wasn't targeting. if the targeting wasn't based on philosophy, how come only conservatives got snagged? >> they didn't, sir. >> reporter: miller acknowledged the irs planted a question at a

conference last week so a senior official, lois lerner, could break the news that conservative groups were singled out and apologize before even telling congress. today the committee's senior democrat said lerner should be relieved of her duties. there was frustration with the irs from both parties. >> this outrage is not democrat and republican. >> we are all outraged. we are all upset about this. i don't believe nor do my colleagues believe any organization, political organization should be targeted solely because of their thought. that's on both sides of the spectrum. >> reporter: at times republicans became so agitated they wouldn't let miller answer the question. >> do you not thing congress has a right to know the information you knew? >> so, look -- >> did the -- >> congress was going to find out -- >> mr. miller, does the committee -- mr. miller? >> reporter: a continuing question, brian, is what did the obama administration know and when. today the inspector general said he told senior treasury officials last june he was

conducting an investigation but didn't provide any details. he informed secretary jack lew of the review in march. lew said he learned of the findings only last week. brian? >> lisa myers in our washington newsroom tonight. lisa, thanks. also joining us from washington tonight, moderator of "meet the press," david gregory. tough to sort out here. any profiles in courage, and can you separate heat from light? how much real damage and how long does this go on? >> i think it goes on for a while. republicans understand how politically powerful this scandal is. democrats agree as well. but i still think there is a lot more to be learned and lisa's reporting speaks to it. why wasn't there better oversight particularly in the treasury department. people in the white house are concerned even as the president takes heat for this.

you had congress misinformed about this when they were asking questions about this last june. why didn't somebody in the administration do more about it in an election year, after all, when only conservatives were targeted? this question will keep on coming up. don't forget the 2014 elections are not that far away. >> david gregory in washington tonight. we want you to know there will be much more on all of this. senate republican leader mitch mcconnell and dan pfeiffer will be among david's guests sunday morning on "meet the press." first lady michelle obama had a few things to say about the importance of getting a good education and living a productive life today. she gave the commencement speech at bowie state in maryland, one of the oldest historically black universities, founded a few months before the end of the civil war. it was clear the first lady was e her not just to inspir

audience but to deliver a message and challenge those graduates. >> when it comes to getting an education, too many of our young people just can't be bothered. today, instead of walking miles every day to school they are sitting on couches for hours playing video games, watching tv. instead of dreaming of being a teacher, a lawyer, a business leader, they are fantasizing about being a baller or a rapper. [ applause ] right now -- right now one in three african-american students are dropping out of high school. only one in five african-americans between 25 and 29 has a college degree. one in five. let's be very clear. today, getting an education is as important, if not more important, than it was back when this university was founded. as my husband has said often, please stand up and reject the slander that says a black child

with a book is trying to act white. reject that. [ cheers and applause ] in short, be an example of excellence for the next generation. and do everything you can to help them understand the power and purpose of a good education. >> a portion of the first lady's powerful message to the graduates at bowie state in maryland today. still ahead for us tonight, doctors are giving new hope to women who never thought they would have a baby. and they are reporting positive results. later, without warning, the spectacular show now taking place 20,000 feet in the air.

in medical news tonight what could be a dramatic breakthrough for ivf, in vitro fertilization which helps tens of thousands of couples struggling with infertility every year in this country. we brought you the story of the technique in february. now british researchers are out with a new study about just how effective it can be in the real world. our chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman has our report. >> reporter: for ed and caroline marx, getting pregnant wasn't as easy as they had hoped. >> we knew we wanted to settle down in the midwest and raise a family. >> reporter: they turned to this cleveland clinic for in vitro fertilization. they were among the first to use a remarkable new technology called an embryoscope that allows researchers to monitor the development of fertilized eggs around the clock. >> the embryo is dynamic. it changes all the time.

so there is a lot going on behind the scenes. if you had a single static observation per day you would miss it. >> reporter: it takes constant high resolution pictures for almost a real-time look at the cells as they divide and grow allowing doctors to see which embryos might have the best chance of becoming healthy babies. today's news from a clinic in england that reported dramatic results might bring even more hope to families trying to have children. the study says the new imaging technique used could raise live birthrates by 50% or more by taking thousands of digital pictures from the moment of fertilization to the day the embryos are implanted. >> it's extraordinarily significant. for the first time we have an objective tool to enable us to find the embryo that has the highest potential for live birth. >> reporter: the technique, while called a breakthrough by some, is not performed by most clinics in the united states. it will likely soon become the

gold standard for in vitro fertilization. dr. nancy snyderman, nbc news, new york. we're back in a moment with what americans are telling surveyors they fear most about their seatmate on an airplane. for our families...

our neighbors... and our communities... america's beverage companies have created... a wide range of new choices. developing smaller portion sizes and more..

low and no-calorie beverages... adding clear calorie labels so you know... exactly what you're choosing... and in schools, replacing full-calorie soft drinks... with lower-calorie options. with more choices and fewer calories... america's beverage companies are delivering. keep an eye on the aleutian islands chain. this is a story we may hear more about over the weekend. not one but two alaskan volcanos are active. in fact, they are at the highest alert level tonight for what officials call, quote, sudden explosions with little or no warning. lava has already spewed. it can be seen glowing at night from the top of one of them. and an ash cloud has already formed although it's well off the alaskan mainland, closer to russia than seattle. it is noted on air charts for pilots. if it continues above its present 20,000-foot altitude, flights will be diverted around it, as it will become a hazard

to aviation. a final reunion of the surviving crew members from one of the most storied military vessels in all of world war ii. the great flat top franklin known as big ben, hit from the air near the japanese mainland, march of 1945. 807 americans were killed. almost 500 wounded. today in charleston, a reunion of the men, 24 of them survive today. but because of their advanced age and dwindling numbers, today's event hosted on the deck of the retired u.s.s. yorktown was likely their last time together. chances are somebody in america won't be showing up for work on monday because they will be $600 million richer. that's how high the powerball has soared. now the second largest lottery jackpot in u.s. history. 43 states participate in this. the drawing takes place tomorrow night. the cicadas are coming just

as folks up and down the east coast have been warned. we have seen the first insects now emerging from their holes in the ground. mostly in southern states including virginia. this is the year the 17-year cicadas emerge. one new york entomologist says it will be so bad around here, so crunchy under foot, so noisy overhead folks with outdoor commencement exercises ought to keep that in mind. might also be nice to circle may 31 on the calendar to be on the safe side. a huge asteroid called 1998 qe2 will pass by us at the relatively safe distance of 3.6 million miles. that's about 15 times the distance between the earth and the moon. while scientists think it's a safe distance -- in other words, what could go wrong? probably best to stock up on canned goods nonetheless. the hurtling rock almost two miles long. they believe it is a remnant of

a former comet. it's a heck of a choice but a show of hands. you're on an airplane. would you rather sit next to a crying baby or -- shall we say -- an aromatic adult passenger? most chose crying baby. perhaps because a lot of us have kids and regard a good set of head phones as a critical investment if you fly a lot. most passengers said the greatest amenity is seat choice. close to 60% of people said they would happily pay for more leg room. when we come back on a friday night, an extraordinary graduating class this graduation season because they are debt-free on their way to becoming doctors thanks to one school's very big idea.

as you may know in your family it's graduation season. today was graduation day for medical students who took a chance four years ago and tonight it's paying off big time. nbc's kerry sanders was with them today in orlando where they say they have an extra reason to celebrate. >> reporter: the class of 2013, but unlike most medical students the 36 who graduated at the university of central florida

today are debt-free. >> i'm much more relieved than other medical students. i don't have hundreds of thousands of dollars hanging over my head as soon as i graduate. >> reporter: it was a gamble four years ago. ucf had just broken ground on the med school. it had no accreditation, no faculty, no students. how best to lure the nation's best and brightest to an unknown school? give each medical student free tuition and cover all their living expenses. >> if we didn't have the scholarships we would be likely to attract students who couldn't get in anywhere else because we are an untested medical school. >> reporter: romeo joseph could have gone just about anywhere. but being debt-free was a strong lure. the american medical association says the average medical student in the united states leaves college $200,000 in debt. >> normally if you look at the repayment for that, say you owe a quarter million, you pay

$1700, $1800 a month for 30 years. >> reporter: on match day recently -- that med school tradition where students find out where they will begin their residency, confirmation. the $8 million it cost the university was money well spent. >> congratulations. >> reporter: graduates are going to some of the most prestigious medical institutions in the nation. with the gift of a free education they say comes the responsibility to donate their newly earned skills. >> each one of us has been instilled with a sense of wanting to be able to give back. >> reporter: operation debt free. the rarest of medical school procedures. kerry sanders, nbc news, orlando. >> on that note that is our broadcast for this friday night and for this week. thank you for being here with us. don't forget.

we are back on the air tonight for an all new "rock center" at 10:00/9:00 central. tonight includes our profile of the elusive zach galifianakis, the most dangerous man in comedy who appears to be visiting us from the witness protection program. that's tonight. i'm brian williams. lester holt will be with you this weekend. we will look for you monday night. in the meantime, have a good weekend. good night. good evening. g478news in the south san jose g neighborhood where the bomb squad has just detonated a grenade found inside a home. >> happening off i-85 near the elementary school. george is live at that scene with the latest. what's the update? >> well, just few short minutes ago, we're going to roll some tape and you can hear how loud it was.

it was a explosion, so loud the neighbors who gathers around here jumps up. the san jose bomb squad treated this as a live grenade. public works showed up about a half an hour ago and put 50 sandbags around a hole in a front yard to contain this explosion. police are telling us an elderly woman was cleaning out her garage when she found a grenade on her workbench. the bomb squad came out and determined it could be a live grenade and we found out this is an old american made grenade and the fire department was called out just in case to put out any flames. police say the woman did not know why the grenade was in her garage, but say everyone is okay and the grenade is history. >> thankfully, no further incident in that neighborhood. as the war this afghanistan winds down, thousands of troops will beom