good tuesday morning. coming up on "early today," high emotion. a hero teacher may have saved the day and paid the ultimate price when a student arrived at school with a loaded handgun. the clock is ticking. a visibly angry president obama wants healthcare.gov fixed now while those held accountable for the debacle will be dealt with down the road. a female suicide bomber in russia kills five and raises security concerns with the winter olympics just months away. plus, a worldwide search for the real relatives of this little girl. a potentially huge breakthrough in the battle against baldness. and kim kardashian and kanye west preparing to walk down the aisle? "early today" starts right now.

this is "early today" for tuesday, october 22. good morning. i'm richard lui. questions and the search for a motive after yet another school shooting. this time in nevada, leaving two dead, including the shooter and a math teacher being hailed as a hero. the scene unfolded at sparks middle school before classes started monday when a 12-year-old boy opened fire. the chaos is clear from the 911 calls. >> this is a student at sparks middle school. can you please send police out here? there's a kid with a gun. >> there's an armed gunman at sparks middle school. >> by the basketball courts? >> yes. >> somebody brought a gun to school that shot a teacher. >> the teacher's down? >> yes. >> that teacher was 45-year-old former marine mike lansbury, who served two tours in afghanistan with the nevada national guard. he put himself between the gunman and several students. he just celebrated his wedding

anniversary last friday. two students were also injured. one is listed in serious condition. the shooter ultimately turning the gun on himself. parents who rushed to the school were understandably shaken. >> i didn't know what to do. i didn't know what to think. i was just happy to have my son back with me. >> i was in a panic until we got here and we had to wait a long time to be able to see or know if she was okay. when i found out she was okay -- she's my life, you know. >> the school will remain closed for the rest of the week as officials try to piece together how and why this happened. now to those problems plaguing healthcare.gov. problems so big they're prompting promises of an overhaul from the president, but it still could be weeks before all the bugs are worked out there. nbc's tracie potts joins us live from washington. tracie, good morning to you. folks wondering what's next and when. >> reporter: right. and when are they going to fix this? they're throwing everything at it they can, including outside experts. the latest from the white house is that they really don't know

when this site will be fully functional. despite a slew of tech experts working 24/7, the obama administration's website to sign up for health insurance is still jammed. >> a lot of people are calling, well, we've tried this and keep getting error messages. >> there's no sugar coating it. the website has been too slow. >> reporter: president obama promises a fix, but the white house has no idea when. a spokesman hinted that the government may be flexible but would not say for sure if people who cannot sign up will still be penalized. >> the law is clear if you do not have access to affordable health insurance, then you will not be asked to pay a penalty because you haven't purchased affordable health insurance. >> they need to enroll by the middle of february so they can have their insurance in effect no latter than the 1st of march. so time is of the essence. >> reporter: one of the plan's

harshest critics, texas republican ted cruz, joked about the problem last night. >> you know the nigerian e-mail scammers? they've been a lot less active lately because they've all been hired to run the obama care website. >> reporter: and now there's word the woman in charge of that website, health and human services secretary kathleen sebelius, will testify before congress next week. and that's a change just from yesterday. sebelius said she had a scheduling problem and couldn't come to thursday's hearing. now it looks like they're going to hear from her next week. >> a lot of odds on that, no doubt. tracie, thank you. we've got new data out this morning that's not good news for members of congress. those fights over the budget and debt ceiling are not exactly sitting well with the publg. in a cnn opinion research poll, 75% of voters saying republicans in congress do not deserve re-election. just over half say the same for democrats.

if the midterms were held today, democrats edge out their gop colleagues. this poll fiepds nearly half of voters say congress would work better if nearly every member was replaced. it all relates to the shutdown. the gop bears the brunt of the blame, some 36% say both parties share blame, and 19% say it was the democrats fault. u.s.-french relations this morning could be at a tipping point. france is demanding an explanation over a report it calls shocking, allegations the nsa swept up 70 million french telephone records and texts. the fallout prompting a phone call from president obama to french president holland. the president assured holland that the u.s.s is reviewing the way it gathers intelligence. in paris, secretary of state john kerry saying protecting the security of our citizens is challenging. >> it is an every day, 24/7, 365

task, unfortunately, because there are lots of people out there seeking to do harm to other people. it's a small town rape case spurring outrage online. the suspect allegedly gave a girl alcohol and sexually assaulted her at his home when she was drunk last year. now a special prosecutor is assigned to reinvestigate the alleged rape of the 14-year-old marysville, missouri, girl. she and her mother recently went public saying the local prosecutor did not do enough before dropping the charges against the alleged attacker last year. the accused says the sex was consensual. scientists at columbia university may have good news for people with receding hairlines. researchers say they have discovered a new technique that can help the millions of men and women that are struggling with hair loss. the results of recent testing have been very positive. five of seven cases showed new hair growth on skin that was grafted to the back of a mouse.

the continued hair growth is making researchers very hopeful that their technique here, which involves transplanting cells, will work on humans as well. for now, the research is in its early stages. it could take years before the folicly challenged among us can be treated. it's a race against time in australia. firefighters desperately trying to contain a series of wildfires west of sydney before a hot and windy forecast hits tomorrow. the fires have destroyed over 200 homes since last thursday and have burned through more than 300,000 acres. and you've got this in china. smog is so dense, can you see anything there? >> a little. >> very little, bill. it's forced the schools to close, airports and roads aren't open. i don't know if those are people. the smog is being blamed on a lack of wind. the post-harvest burning of stocks and coal-heating plants. that does happen in other countries in asia. indonesia often has the same

problem. >> nothing you want to live in or walk in or bring your children to school in. >> no, sir. >> thankfully, we don't deal with a lot of -- some places like houston get a hard rep, but nothing like that. as far as the west coast, the beginning of october we were actually thinking maybe the rainy season is going to start a little early. had a couple storms go through the northwest. ever since then it has been bone dry. not a drip in the bucket in san francisco this month so far. in l.a., literally just a couple drips. yesterday was a dry day pretty much from the west all the way up to the pacific northwest. we're going to continue with that trend today. a little cooler yesterday in seattle than ever where else. the temperatures today in the 40s in the northwest. 50s in the desert southwest. as we go throughout the day today, we're not expecting many headlines out there. a nice afternoon. pretty much clear skies is the rule. temperature about 71 in portland. nice day. notice the cooler air still exists in still at 52. i'll take that 90 in phoenix and meet you there. that's your national foreca

fresno, 88. yuma one of the hottest spots in the country. seattle at 53 is kind of close to normal. a lot of other places continue to be warmer than they should. >> looking good. as you were saying, golf weather in a lot of places there. apple has a big announcement today. plus, the mystery girl, about 5 years old, blond hair, blue eyes, sticks out like a sore thumb among those around her. who is she, and where did she come from? "early today" back in two.

welcome back. public transit in san francisco should be running today. union leaders reached a tentative contract agreement overnight. the four-day walkout has been the second strike in four months. the u.s. has provided the united nations with armored

suburbans to aid in the effort to destroy syria's chemical weapons. the boy scouts who knocked over a rock formation in a state park has been kicked out of the organization. they're saying the men violated the principle of leave no trace and are no longer members. a deadly suicide bombing that killed at least six people aboard a bus in russia was caught on a dashboard camera. that blast is raising some fears of further attacks during the upcoming winter olympics. 10,000 clues so far, but the mystery still unsolved. young maria found in a roma camp in central greece continues to baffle investigators. greek authorities have gone public with photos of maria, who's believed to be between 5 and 6. the clues have come via e-mail and calls. casper was looking for a night cap. police have released video showing a man dressed as a ghost running up and down the aisles of a closed alabama liquor store. nothing was stolen by the ghostly burglar, who disappeared into the night. now for all the things money for you. stock futures are pointing up

right now. later today in san francisco, apple is expected to unveil thinner, lighter, full-sized new ipads with a ten-inch screen as well as a mini with an eight-inch screen. a new survey on spending by bankrate.com finds that nearly three-quarters of us out here will cut back on spending. more people are feeling less secure in their jobs, reaching the highest level in nearly two years. two of the three women held captive in a cleveland home have signed a book deal. amanda berry and gina dejesus will work with mary jordan on their tell-all book. release date is tbd. netflix continues a growth explosion, boasting 40 million subscribers worldwide with more than 30 million in the u.s. alone. netflix is also hoping to make a deal with comcast, the parent company of nbc universal, and other paid tv providers to offer netflix services through cable set-top boxes.

according to "usa today," the soaring stock market sent ceo pay through the roof this year by an average of 8.5%. the top ten payouts will hit a combined record $4.7 billion. sports is next, including monday night football action and a japanese tradition that'll keep you on your toes. but first, some halloween trivia. 90% of pumpkins sold in the u.s. are grown within 90 miles of this city. is it peoria, illinois, fresno, california, lancaster, pennsylvania, or rochester, new york? that answer when "early today" returns.

so before the break, we asked you, 90% of pumpkins sold in the u.s. are grown within 90 miles of this city. peoria, illinois. fresno, california. lancaster, pennsylvania. or rochester, new york. the answer is peoria. right there in illinois. the nearby town of morton is a self-proclaimed pumpkin capital of the world. more than 85% of the world's pumpkins are canned there each year. a lot of pumpkins. in sports, monday night football, vikings and giants to talk about. maybe this guy could turn their luck around. they were hoping. the new york giants calling in newly retired new york yankee mariano rivera to do the coin toss for last night's game. rivera wearing a number 10 eli manning jersey. the giants got some breaks going

their way. an interception of a vikings pass to start there. moments later, new york bulldozes into the end zone for a touchdown. the giants get their first win of the season, 23-7, over minnesota. finally. a fight following sunday's jets/patriots game is under investigation. video of the incident shows a man wearing a jets jersey punching a woman wearing a patriots jersey in the face. the jets said the matter is the hands of the new jersey state police. no charges have been filed yet. the owner of the tennessee titans has died at age 90. adams helping to create the afl and founding the houston oilers, which he moved to nashville in 1997. the gramabling state university football team will return to the field after a boycott. they were upset about poor conditions in their training facility and travel arrangements. zblrchs take you to baseball. detroit's jim leyland has decided to retire after eight

years as the tigers manager. previously, he managed pittsburgh and let the florida marlins to a world series title in 1997. the cincinnati reds will name their pitching coach brian price as their new manager today. price will become the 61st manager in reds history. they're getting the louisville slugger bats ready for the world series on wednesday. they have a new high-gloss finish bat this year. each boston and st. louis player gets a commemorative bat. and some amazing tricks at a log-rolling demonstration in japan. two lumber jacks bounced upside down on a floating log. and one expert was even able to keep his feet on a log while blindfolded. better things to do on a weekday. just ahead, exclusive details from e-entertainment on the romantic marriage proposal of kanye west to kim kardashian. will the third time be the charm for the 33-year-old mom? details next.

welcome back. another update on hurricane raymond. still a major hurricane but finally showing signs of weakening. it's drifted in the last 12 hours. it's been nearly stationary, just dropping a lot of rain there. thankfully the worst winds have been just off the coast. forecastwise today, another gorgeous day. looking at some of the extended forecasts for los angeles and san diego, maybe a bit of dense fog on the immediate coast. that's going to burn off quickly. we could go another week before we have any chance of any stormy weather. it will warm up in many spots

towards the weekend. >> october in the west, right, bill? >> yes. in pop news, wedding bells may be ringing for kimye. e! news is saying kim kardashian got the gift of a lifetime last night. kanye reportedly rented out the stadium and popped the question in front of family and friends. we're hoping that baby north was there as well. there were a couple seats for baby north. this past weekend, rihanna had an impromptu photo shoot in front of a mosque in abu dhabi. she was escorted off the grounds, deeming her photos inappropriate. after dolly parton tweaked and twerked her self-described wrecking balls on queen latifah's shows yesterday, she got into a fender bender in nashville. she tweets she's sore but otherwise fine. the crew of "dylan high" is

back together again. scott porter posted this photo to his instagram, proving the "friday night lights" crew is close again. >> were you into that? >> not really. were you? kelly clarkson got married over the weekend to be brandon backstock. and this man is the driving instructor to the british stars. he has taught niles of one direction, adele, who he did not recognize even when she sang in the car, and actor james mcvoi. this is "early today." we hope it's just your first stop of the day here on nbc.

leading the news in "the hartford current," seven women say they were failed to be protected. university officials showed, quote, deliberate indifference to sexual assault allegations. in "usa today," a rock veteran removed. kimberly walker's family says the cincinnati cemetery previously approved the design. cemetery officials say it's inappropriate. >> some stories you might have missed we're watching. florida officials say there have been at least seven cases where inmates have forged documents for early release. three of them were successful, including convicted killer charles walker and joseph jenkins, recaptured over the weekend. the third inmate was out for only one day before being caught. more arrests are imminent. heartwarming news for the

15-year-old orphan walked into a florida church last month during sunday services to ask for someone, anyone to adopt him. well, he's reportedly gotten 10,000 responses. good stuff. and one dad gets the last laugh and 1.6 million views when he lip syncs his daughter's tantrum from the other room. watch. [ screaming and crying ] pretty good there, bill. >> i don't know how i feel about that. i have a 2-year-old who screams a lot. i know it's funny. >> they're saying the kid is normally very well behaved and they were trying to make light because the other kids in the family are getting stressed about it. maybe it was okay. you could say this bike ride was grueling. key west hosted its fourth annual zombie ride with 70,000 participants all dressed up as

the undead. two women dressing up as a zombie diana nyad, famous for swimming from key west to cuba. another rider even carted prop body parts. take a look at that. i'll take that, please. time for a look ahead. the man charged with killing his young cousin baby hope is in court today. he admitted killing the child that now claims police coerced his confession. on this day in 1962, president john f. kennedy made the chilling announcement that there were soviet nuclear missiles in cuba. >> it shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launch from cuba against any nation in the western hemisphere as an attack by the soviet union on the united states, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the soviet union. happy birthday to actor jesse tyler ferguson, who's 38. i'm richard lui along with bill

karins.

the time now is 4:30. i'm jon kelley. we have breaking news to tell you about now. the b.a.r.t. trains though they have a collective bargaining agreement the trains are not running. >> yes. good morning. i'm marla tellez in for laura. we get to chase cain live at the walnut creek b.a.r.t. station where we understand that b.a.r.t.'s turning people away. good morning, chase. >> reporter: yes, good morning. a confusing morning so far because we were told last night the trains would be running on a limited basis. so after 4:00 a.m. they opened these gates here. about 10 or 15 minutes later they closed the gates, told everyone to leave because they were not able to staff the positions that they needed to get the t