on this saturday night, state of emergency. the massive wildfire threatening yosemite doubles in size overnight. we're on the front lines as hot shot crews battle this fast-moving blaze, now threatening san francisco's power supply. searching for a serious strategy. with u.s. warships on alert in the mediterranean, the president looks for options after doctors inside syria confirm thousands were treated for symptoms of a chemical attack. a manhunt is under way for the teen who allegedly killed a beloved world war ii veteran. marching again, hundreds of thousands rally for jobs and justice today in washington, just as they did 50 years ago to hear dr. king's historic "i have a dream" address. and a mayor's mission to

revitalize gary, indiana, a town that has long been down on its luck, now signs of hope and healing are everywhere. good evening. that huge wildfire burning in central california is growing virtually unchecked tonight as its impact is being felt more than 100 miles away. far from the firefight, the city of san francisco is under a state of emergency tonight because its water supply and hydroelectric power come from a reservoir near the fire zone. 2,700 firefighters are now on the lines backed by a relentless air assault, but working again to rugged landscape and exhaustion. they have managed to contain only a tie knee piece of this fire. nbc's tom costello is in

groveland, california, to bring us the very latest. tom, good evening. >> reporter: hi, lester. public utility crews say that they are confident they can maintain water and power to san francisco. this fire station behind me is serving as an information point so residents can get real time uptates on exactly what the fire's status is now. 5,500 homes remain threatened and this fire is in very steep terrain. >> still holding out. >> reporter: from the cockpit of a national guard c-130. >> got you in sight, coming in position behind you. >> reporter: to black hawk helicopters, the view of the down-to-dusk aerial mission to attack a fire that has grown into one the country's most serious, the challenge getting the water drop from so-called bambi buckets on just the right spot to give the ground crews a quick advantage. meanwhile on the ground, homeowners like careen and matt are on the edge, leaving on their own when the flames get too close, and returning home when the winds seem to be in their favor.

>> twice we went with friends and we got back to pine mountain lake and then back again. >> reporter: this family visiting from germany didn't understand the radio reports until they got here. >> we headed out and asked somebody and they told us that in the north i think there is a forest fire. >> reporter: thick smoke has now drifted all the way to reno, nevada, forcing the cancellation of some outdoor events. at 200 square miles, the rim fire is mostly centered in the standis lass national forest and a remote corner of yosemite national park. highway 120 into and out of the park is closed. the burn area so large, it's visible from space. this fire is moving through these forests at about 2,000 degrees, incinerating all the vegetation and turning the ground into this white-gray ash. it will take decades for this forest to grow back. >> there's a lot of heat on that road -- >> reporter: at 3:00 a.m., we caught up with sacramento firefighters, 14 hours into a 24-hour shift.

frank black was exhausted. >> the anxiety level is just up, so it's just hard to sleep, at least for me it is. >> reporter: while base camp offers hot food, showers and beds 24/7, firefighters are tonight wondering how long it will take to contain a 200 square mile fire. at the moment this fire is only 5% contained. fire commanders continue to tell us they are confident that they will keep this fire away from the tourist areas of yosemite, that and yosemite valley. the fire line is about 20 miles from that area. lester, back to you. >> tom costello tonight, thanks. to the crisis in syria now. the white house is weighing its options against the assad regime after reports that syria's army used chemical weapons on its citizens. doctors without borders, which has teams in syria, confirms that thousands have been treated for symptoms of exposure to a chemical agent. tonight as the obama administration considers its response, u.s. warships are on

alert in the mediterranean near syria. we have two reports beginning with nbc's eamon mohyeldin in cairo. >> reporter: doctors treated more than 3,600 patients wednesday, the day of the chemicals weapons attack, out of which more than 350 died as a result. now all of them they say displayed symptoms of neurotoxicity, an indication that perhaps chemical weapons were actually used. the syrian government has denied any responsibility and denied that it used chemical weapons, more importantly today on syrian state television they showed images of chemical weapons that were allegedly found in areas that were controlled by syrian rebels, an indication that perhaps it was the rebels that were responsible for launching these weapons. meanwhile, the top u.n. disarmament chief, the undersecretary-general for the united nations arrived today in damascus. she's been trying to press the syrian government to give u.n. inspectors access to the site of attacks so that they can determine exactly what happened.

as the u.s. and other countries weigh a possible military option against syria, a senior iranian lawmaker today warned that any military intervention inside syria would result in a regional war that would not end favorably to the united states or to allies across the region. lester? >> eamon mohyeldin in cairo, thanks. we turn to nbc's david gregory in washington. the president met with his national security advisers today, david, what are we learning? >> what's clear, lester, there is a new sense of urgency in the white house after this attack. the human costs in syria have become just too high to bear. despite that, there is disagreement i can tell you among the president's advisers about what should come next. among the questions, what is the legal justification for military action and what would an attack accomplish? the intelligence community is trying to verify facts on the ground and at this point the white house is saying little, only stressing that while the u.s. has a range of options available, the president will

make an informed decision in a deliberate way rather than pursue quick action before all the facts are known. the president described this week's alleged chemical attack as a "big event with grave concern." right now the u.s. navy has four guided missile destroyers in the mediterranean, two well within firing range of any targets in syria. defense secretary hagel declined to discuss any specific forced movements, but he left little doubt he thinks chemical weapons were involved saying, "it appears to be what happened, use of chemical weapons." on the table limited air strikes, most likely cruise missiles launched from those destroyers, targeting key assad military command posts. government officials telling us the case for military action is taking shape. military officials are warning that extremist figures like al qaeda are being drawn to the chaos in syria like "moths to a flame." you add chemical weapons to the picture, and that's why you hear the president talk about core national interests being at stake here. lester?

>> david gregory, david, thanks. now to spokane where folks are shaking their heads in disgust and sadness after the brutal killing this week of a man who served his country in world war ii, and was always there for his neighbors, too. as much as they tried to, there is just no making sense of what two teenaged boys would allegedly beat the elderly man, who was beloved by nearly everyone he met. nbc's michelle franzen has the story. >> reporter: during his 88 years, friends and family say delbert "shorty" belton, always embraced life, whether as a world war ii veteran, family man, or friend. >> any time i needed anything, he was always there. >> reporter: in spokane, washington, this past week, belton was robbed of his life in what police say was a brutal and random beating at the hands of two 16-year-olds. >> they robbed him, they beat him and they killed him. >> reporter: one of the teen suspects turned himself in thursday and is being charged as an adult with first-degree murder and robbery. the search is still on for the second suspect.

friend natalie fiom says belton was waiting for her outside the eagles lodge when he was attacked. >> the reason he was in the car was because he was waiting for me, because he's a respectful gentleman. >> reporter: at 18, belton was drafted. family and friends say he was injured in the battle for okinawa. >> he's always helped people. he's fought for our country. there's no excuse for the way he died. >> reporter: nephew alan hills remembers how belton helped him. >> he wasn't just my great uncle. he was a great person. >> reporter: a great person, hill says, who loved to restore old cars and gave him a car when he was unemployed. >> it seems trivial but he really did save my life. he made it possible for me to go get a job, find work. >> reporter: acts of kindness and bravery that defined belton's life. friday night, a vigil was held in his honor and a makeshift memorial grows as this community mourns the loss of a hero.

michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. 50 years ago, a quarter of a million people streamed onto the national mall for a march that would energize the passage of the 1964 civil rights act and the voting rights act one year later. they heard the reverend dr. martin luther king deliver one of the most famous speeches in american history. today those who were there converged again to galvanize a new generation. nbc's kristen welker is on the mall for this dramatic day. kristen, good evening. >> reporter: lester, good evening to you. today the mall was filled with more than 200,000 people, all here to remember and to continue the fight that gained new ground here a half a century ago. marching in unity, another step these folks say in the nation's long journey toward civil rights. >> we do still care about our rights and our civil rights. >> reporter: today a sea of people came from all across the country, including russell grady who boarded a bus early this morning in patterson, new jersey. >> i'm energized.

>> reporter: the 82-year-old took part in the march on z washington nearly 50 years ago. >> my gut feeling then it, we didn't know if we could make the progress that we've made. but today i can say that we've made a lot of progress. >> free at last. free at last! >> reporter: on that day dr. martin luther king jr. delivered words that made history. >> because i have a dream. >> reporter: and together, these americans, 250,000 strong, forced action. >> a year later, of course, congress passed in 1964 the civil rights right. >> reporter: d.c. delegate eleanor holmes norton was a law student in her 20s at the time, a nonviolent activist and one of the march's few female organizers. >> this was a march in the spirit of non-violence in every sense of the word. it was full of joy and exaltation. finally this was happening. >> reporter: david blaha was

among a quarter of the marchers who were white. today he came back with his family including his granddaughter, who is 11 years old, the same age he was on that historic day. what is that like for you as a grandfather? >> well, i'm -- it's very emotional. because i'm thinking when she's my age, she'll have her grandchildren at the 100th. >> while the country has made progress, these marchers say there is more work to do in the wake of trayvon martin, the supreme court's decision to scale back the voting rights act and with the black unemployment rate soaring. msnbc host reverend al sharpton organized today's event along with dr. king's son. >> they came to washington so we could come today. >> we know that the dream is far from being realized. >> you've got to stand up, speak up, speak out, and get in the way! make some noise!

>> reporter: and now in the shadow of america's complicated racial history, new dreams are giving way. >> i have a dream that one day 16-year-old kids don't have to worry about being killed when they're walking home from 7-eleven. >> i have a dream that the african-american story will become a story of the world. >> that dr. king's dream, his legacy will never be forgotten. >> reporter: now the actual anniversary is on wednesday. on that day, president obama will deliver a speech from the steps of the lincoln memorial, the same exact spot that dr. martin luther king delivered his "i have a dream" speech 50 years ago. lester? >> nbc's kristen welker in washington, thanks. nbc wants to hear from you share your dream with your fellow americans. simply record a short video saying "i have a dream that," and fill in the blank. post it on twitter and facebook using #dreamday, and let your voice be heard. and this program note tomorrow, "meet the press" will rebroadcast an hour-long

interview with dr. king recorded august 25th, 1963, three days before the "i have a dream" speech. a second hour with host david gregory will address where that dream is today. when "nbc nightly news" continues for this saturday, the can do spirit of gary, indiana's mayor on a mission. a city on the ropes now poised for a rebound. and you might be surprised what's waiting for you at your local library these days.

today, gary, indiana, is a far cry from its glory days when it was a thriving steel town. today the official unemployment number is close to 10%. continuing our series "in plain sight" which focuses on poverty in america, supported by the ford foundation, harry smith introduces us to its inspirational mayor, who is on a mission to save her citizens. >> reporter: gary, indiana, one of the first notches on america's rust belt, a town so long past its prime the demolition of one of its thousands of abandoned buildings is actually a small sign of progress. gary's population is less than half of what it once was. some of its neighborhoods are riddled with crime and the people who are left here have heard every political promise in the book. if ever there was a city in need of a savior, it's gary. >> hey, what's up? good morning, how are you doing? >> reporter: and it might just be this one, mayor karen freeman-wilson.

>> i grew up here, went to public schools and then went to harvard college and harvard law school. couldn't wait to get back. >> reporter: couldn't wait to get back? >> i could not wait to get back to gary, indiana. >> reporter: her father and grandfather both worked in the steel mills and she herself seems unafraid of putting a little elbow grease into cleaning up her town. madam mayor, you picking up trash, is this going to help save the city of gary? >> absolutely. it's because it's -- you know, sometimes you have to lead by example. >> reporter: it seems simple, maybe even simplistic, but by example, the mayor is trying to show the people of gary they have something worth saving. what's the biggest problem you've got? >> really getting people to believe again. people have seen gary in a certain way for so long that it's hard for them to understand that it can get better, that it will get better. >> reporter: the mayor believes gary has assets worth investing

in, so the airport's getting a new runway, millions have been spent spiffing up gary's glorious lakefront, and to fill gary's empty houses, the city will be happy to sell one to you for $1. yep, one buck. >> i see you working on your flowers there. >> reporter: the former high school and college point guard seems to have a knack for running gary's offense. you don't seem like a politician to me. >> that's because i'm not. i'm a public servant. there is a difference. >> reporter: and maybe it's the little things that will end up making a big difference. >> the pickup's gotten better, cleanup's gotten better. >> you can see a lot of things being renovated, a lot of houses being torn down, things that's supposed to be done is being done now. >> reporter: green grass and impatiens on the porch. in gary, those are signs of rebirth. harry smith, nbc news, gary, indiana. when we come back, the beach along florida's atlantic coast, anybody got any sand to spare?

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florida's atlantic coast, famous for its surf and sandy beaches, but tonight the sands of time are working against the state's famous beaches. here's kerry sanders. >> reporter: florida's coastline, 663 miles of signature beaches, but in south florida, a crisis. thanks to storms and development, the sand is disappearing. >> it is quite a concept, but unfortunately it's true. >> reporter: and unlike before, pumping sand from offshore back on to the beaches here is no longer an option. >> the problem is we're running out of sand offshore. we pretty much vacuumed everything up. >> reporter: officially miami-dade runs out of offshore

sand next month. in government meetings, one option discussed is shipping sand in from the bahamas or the turks and caicos islands but shipping sand from the islands is not cheap. one other idea begins with a bottle. when they're empty, this glass can be crushed and what does crushed glass looks like? looks and feels like sand. >> it's fine. it's homogenous. it's not sticky or anything. >> reporter: eric myers said it would not only work but be the ultimate recycling effort. >> it's recycling in its purist. >> reporter: because glass comes from? >> glass comes from sand. >> reporter: beach goers can barely tell the difference. >> doesn't feel like glass. >> if you want to say it's glass or something, i really thought it was sand. i think that's great. >> reporter: florida's beaches perhaps giving new meaning to

walking on broken glass. kerry sanders, nbc news, ft. lauderdale. when we come back, some libraries showing a new kind of book smarts.

finally tonight, kindles and ipads have given us new ways to read books and that's got some local libraries having to reinvent themselves. tonight john yang with changes at the checkout desk. >> reporter: when ralph mandarino goes to the grosse point public library outside of

detroit it's not always for a book. >> i have a tool that's on reserve. >> reporter: that's right. tool, a tree trimmer. he says it's a better tool than owning one. if i bought that how often would you use it. >> that's the point. you'd only use it maybe once a year. >> reporter: here at the grosse point library there are 285 tools to borrow, everything from "a" on adjustable wrench to "x" an xacto knife. they're still looking for "y" and "z." libraries aren't just for books anymore. dvds are common on library shelves but the skokie, illinois, library, has things to make digital videos, flip cams, laptops and small video cameras. >> so i can put it on my head. >> reporter: that you can wear. >> we have people using a go pro camera for extreme stuff. >> reporter: librarians say it's all about meeting the needs of their communities in a world that's shifting from the printed

world to digital content. in ann arbor, michigan, it means offering things that can't be downloaded, like telescopes and steel drums. ♪ kids are drawn to the musical tools like electronic synthesizers. some chicago public libraries offer a quieter attraction for kids, fishing poles. at the sherman park branch on the city's south side, cameron and jeremiah cook don't have to go far to use them. the lagoon behind the library is stocked with catfish and blue gill. >> i like coming to fish here because it's quiet and nice and relaxing. >> reporter: but at the same time, exciting. >> it's like a rush through your blood. it's like you don't know what's going to happen next. >> reporter: just like reading a good book. >> come on, you got a bite. >> i got a bite! >> reporter: john yang, nbc news, grosse point farms, michigan. that's "nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'm lester holt.

we leave you with more images from today's historic events in washington, d.c. for all of us at nbc news, good night. good evening, i'm diane dwyer. developing story in the south bay. police searching for a gunman who shot and kald man in downtown san jose 1:00, near third and julian street, not far from st. james park.

people who live nearby say it was disturbing to hear gunfire, especially in the middle of the day. >> it's just crazy that this can happen in downtown san jose in broad daylight. i live on the corner. a friend was walking back this direction as i was going toward downtown when the shooting occurred. while i was reading about it, i was wondering if that person got hurt or not. >> the man shot was rushed to the hospital and pronounced dead a short time later. investigates don't know what led up to the shooting or whether it's gang related. they are working on putting together a description of the gunman. this is san jose's 33rd killing of the year. san jose had 46 in all of last year. we have breaking news out of eldorado county. new fire burning in georgetown,