overnight, march madness. southern california getting pounded with heavy rain overnight and more set to fall today in one day than the area sees in a year. threat of mud slides and floods while heavy snow gets set to pound the rest of the country and a huge avalanche slams into a residential neighborhood in montana. this morning, we're on top of it all. ukraine unraveling. russian troops pouring in as president obama warns there will be consequences. are we headed for a new cold war with russia? and countdown to the oscars. the movie awards are one day away and we're starting to party early with a look at the real

life scandal behind one of the oscar nominated movies but a quiz we can guarantee you have never seen before. our way in joining in the excitement for the biggest award show, today, saturday, march 1st 2014. >> from nbc news, this is "today" with lester holt and erica hill. live from studio 1-a in rockefeller plaza. >> good morning. welcome back to "today". >> welcome back. >> welcome back. >> welcome to the today show. i'm lester holt. >> you're lester holt. >> and erica hill along side jenna wolf and dylan dreyer and it's march 1st. >> you're having a hard time wrapping your head around this all morning. >> have you heard it's march 1st? all morning it's been going on. >> i thought winter was over. >> that's march, april, may, that's what we call spring.

>> wave your magic wand and make it happen. >> that would be amazing. >> it's nice to have the group back together. missed you guys. let's get to the top story. another day of misery for residents in southern california. the latest winter storm drenched the state that needs relief from a record drought, but not like this. now they're dealing with mud slides and expect to be soaked with a year's worth of rain in just 24 hours. miguel almaguer is standing by to tell us more. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this is the l.a. river behind me. just on thursday there was no water and it was fairly dry. today it is several feet high. it's a good example of how quickly the water level has risen here in california. we have our strongest storm over the last three years, over the last two days. we had over an inch an hour. there's too much rain for california. you know we're in an extreme drought here but we were not prepared for a storm of this

magnitude and this size t. storm triggered several warnings, flash flooding as well as mud slide warnings in the neighborhood 30 miles outside of los angeles, they had to issue mandatory evacuations for about 1,000 homes on the bottom of a mountainside burned by the colby fire in january. it's a sticky situation because all of the loose mud and debris could slide into the backyards of homes. yesterday we could see that beginning to happen. there were water rescues all across the region, up and down the state. there were back ups on freeways that lasted for up to 20 to 30 miles and delays everywhere. we had roofs that collapsed and had serious damage. it's certainly a very dangerous situation. we'll keep you updated as the day moves on because we expect more rain all across california today. >> miguel almaguer, thank you very much. >> that storm pounding southern california will be wreaking

havoc across the country for the neew days. dylan is here with a look at how bad this could get for folks. >> it's a classic too much too soon. it's going to continue to turn and bring all of the rain on shore. you can see the area of low pressure it almost -- it's just too big there. we are already looking at this huge storm system about to bring more rain and very gusty winds. we have reports in some of the higher elevations of wind gusts up around 90 miles per hour. but look at just how much rain we're going to see. already three inches on the ground but we will see another one to two inches along the coast and some of the foothills. that's four inches. all of the -- the parched land cannot absorb all the water. watch as it develops into a snowstorm as we go into especially sunday and monday. we could end with several inches of snow. kansas could end up with 10 inches and as it moves east ward, nine inches in columbus ohio and further east we could

see several inches of snow even in parts of philadelphia into new york city. ten inches possible but it's something we have to watch. it's still two days away and we have to contend with it. we'll keep an eye on it. >> thank you very much. russian forces are in control of the region of ukraine this morning with troops pouring in and the pro russian prime minister there claiming he is controlling them. this comes a day after president obama warned russia to stay out. bill is right in the middle of it all. good morning. >> yes, lester. crimea's crisis deepened overnight. armed troops have taken up position behind me outside crimea's parliament. ukraine is alleging that more russian troops arrived here overnight and that those russian troops are trying now to seize control of a missile base. from russia's president putin, silence. from president obama, a warning. a military air base now in

russian hands, troops manning the entrance. one of three airports now taken from ukrainian control. crimea's main airport is closed. armed pro-russian forces protecting it. russian troops arriving by the plane load. ten russian military transport planes arrived at this airport carrying men and ammunition. 11 attack helicopters. the defense minister says 6,000 additional russian troops have arrived here. all of this after president obama warned russia not to intervene in ukraine. >> the united states will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs for any military intervention in ukraine. >> in crimea's capitol, the pro-russi

pro-russian gathers pace. anyone that disagrees, says the prime minister, should leave. just along the boarders and frontier with ukraine, russia continues one of the biggest military enterprises since the fall of the soviet union. president putin is now to show their strength to the world. the streets of crimea are calm. the votes here to decide who should rule has been brought until the end of the month. within weeks, crimea, always pro-russian could be free of ukrainian rule for good. give in to what it calls russian provocation and it's troops are ready to head back if necessary. i don't think there's a strong chance of any clash with russian troops. but it's a focus of a battle of wills now between east and west.

>> bill for us this morning. time for a look at the rest of the top stories. >> good morning. hi, everyone. three people are alive this morning after being buried for hours under an avalanche. a massive slow slide demolished a house trapping an 8-year-old boy and an elderly couple in montana. it took more than three long frantic hour of digging to pull the victims to safety. the elderly couple are in critical condition. passengers and crew are safe on the ground today after a scare in the air. an american airlines flight hit a flock of birds from take off at dallas ft. worth last night. the plane made an emergency landing with a damaged engine. none of the passengers were injured. >> antigovernment protests plan to square off after a deadly protest friday. facial guardsmen returned fire with rubber bullets.

one guardsman was shot to death bringing the death toll to 18. finally this morning, the longest name ever for a very cool basketball shot. off the wall one bounce alley-oop can you believe i just did that dunk. unfortunately, yes, it happened during practice and did not count for more than zero points. >> lots of credibility. >> lots of credibility. also was he not wearing a shirt? >> lots of chest bumping going on. >> i was just going to say that leads to lots of chest bumping as well. that was good lester. >> dylan is back with the rest of the national forecast. >> good morning. good morning, everyone. we're talking about really cold temperatures. 21 below in international falls. fargo is at minus 13. your wind chill is minus 36 degrees. incredible numbers here. it's based on white out conditions recently. we're looking for high

temperatures today, about 40 to 50 degrees below average in some areas. minneapolis will only top out around 2 degrees today. green bay hits 14 but chicago 27 degrees. not too bad. we'll see icing going on with the next storm system moving into the plain states and the midwest as we good morning to you. christina loren live in the nbc bay area weather center where we are getting downpours this morning. the heavy downpours along the peninsula and south bay although we are starting to see the showers light up in the north bay. let me show your futurecast and we'll see clearing by 10:00 a.m. and a few spotty showers throughout the day but overall letting up by this evening. and that is your latest forecast. erica. >> all right. thanks. with former secretary of state hilary clinton pondering a

potential run for president, thousands of pages of previously confidential documents were released on friday offering a candid look at the role she played back then. so could that effect her future? kristen welker has the latest for us this morning. good morning. >> good morning. the national archives released about 4,000 pages of documents which include memos from the clinton white house on topics including health care, the u.s. economy and also the first lady's imagine. there's no doubt these documents will be heavily scrutinized as the former secretary of state hilary clinton considers running in 2016. >> reporter: known for her no nonsense attitude, hilary clinton's imagine was a source of political discussion during her husband's administration. according to the bill clinton era documents released friday, there was an effort by the then first lady's staff to soften her in the public's eye. the documents showed her press secretary suggested mrs. clinton

spend time celebrating former first ladies which may help round out her imagine. they proposed she appear on the popular 90s sitcom home improvement. the book was "hrc". >> they wanted her to warm up and show the softer side of hilary clinton. that's something they're still struggling with. >> the other is health care. >> health care reform and the need for it is bigger than any one person in our country. >> the former first lady shachad her husband's task force. and there was optimism. the first lady's months of meetings with the congress has produced a significant amount of trust. for her part, secretary clinton expressed serious concerns about a universal mandate requiring people to buy health insurance. telling congressional democrats in 1993 it could create shockwaves. >> people want to know what she

thinks about health care and certain issues. >> meanwhile, the clinton machine has begun to kick into a higher gear. bill clinton hit the campaign trial and hilary is making the rounds on the speaking circuit. when asked if she will change her twitter status from tbd, she didn't bite. >> i'd really like to. but i have no characters left. >> not surprisingly, republicans begin their campaign against clinton slamming her for opposing the universal mandate in the 90s and then proposing the president's health care law. the documents have been held despite past requests on exceptions. those expired last year and the papers have been cleared for release. they're part of a broader set of 33,000 pages that could be made public over the next two weeks. >> that is a lot to go through.

33,000 pages. >> of course there's speculation we could see a match up in 2016 between hilary clinton and new jersey governor chris christie. he has been in this whole bridge traffic jam controversy and on that point we're hearing for the first time some of the frustration from drivers stuck in that epic traffic jam after the governor's aids ordered the shutdowns of traffic lanes leading into the george washington bridge. 911 tapes have been released. >> the anger and confusion can be heard in their choices. anyone unlucky enough to get stuck at the foot of the george washington bridge those four days last september will likely not forget it. a nightmare we now know was deliberately created by a staffer for new jersey governor chris christie. friday they released 28 hours of 911 calls and police radio dispatches recorded when school

buses, emergency rk and thousands of drivers got stuck for hours. >> we're getting calls from irate motorists. >> emergency workers struggled to get to a school bus accident. dispatch warns them. >> brace for impact. port authority has a school bus and a car accident eastbound just on the side of the bridge. >> when the mayor of ft. lee complained about the traffic, christie's fired deputy chief of staff texted transportation official david. is it wrong that i'm smiling? i feel badly about the kids, i guess. emergency officials say no one's lives are in danger but people in need of help had to wait. like a woman that called for an ambulance and had to call again and again. >> it's an emergency and they're not still here. >> the investigation into what motivated the lane closures and who ordered them is still going on. multiple members of the staff

have been subpoenaed but nothing links back to the governor directly. >> some people are saying let's give the guy a chance. he's innocent until proven guilty. so let's not jump to conclusions, yet. the investigation isn't concluded. >> christie said he was in the dark until the story broke in the press. his political future may depend on whether or not the voters believe him. for today, stephanie gosk, nbc news, new york. >> a big weight is lifted off the shoulders of kerry kennedy this morning. she was acquitted on friday of charges of driving under the influence of a drug. as kennedy tries to put the case behind her, there's lingering questions about why prosecutors pursued the case in the first place. >> reporter: after four days of testimony and a quick acquittal, kerry kennedy, 54, human rights activist and author was grateful it was over. >> i want to say thank you to the jury for returning this

verdict. >> reporter: she is the daughter of rfk and ethel kennedy now 85 and with her through the trial. in july of 2012 on a suburban new york highway kennedy allegedly sideswiped a truck, blew out a tire on her suv while driving to her gym. police found her slumped over the wheel. at the time kennedy claimed she had mistaken by taken a sleeping pill instead of a thyroid medication. >> i have no memory until i was stopped at a traffic light and a police officer was at my car door. >> but prosecutors charged her with driving while impaired insisting that even though she had mixed up her medication she still had committed a crime. but the jury disagreed. >> but in this case, if, in fact, she made a mistake and was not aware and did not intentionally take the pill and get behind the wheel, then she's

not liable. she's not criminally liable. >> reporter: her lawyers accused prosecutors of taking the case to trial because she is aik a kennedy. >> we're grateful that the jury saw through it all. >> reporter: they prosecute 2500 impaired driving cases each year and this case was treated no differently from any of the others. for today, ron allen, nbc news, new york. this next story seems like something out of the movies but it was all too real. a rookie detective in rhode island going deep under cover to bring down the new england mafia. it happened and two decades later he can finally tell his story. >> reporter: from whitety bulger to the mob wives, even after the sopranos, america's fast nation with the mob is alive and well. for steven o'donnell, growing up

in a blue collar neighborhood in providence, rhode island, organized crime was a fact of life and he was top dog. >> i was fascinated with organized crime. >> reporter: fascinated but determined to stay on the right side of the law. he started as a maximum security prison guard learning the language of the mobsters. >> without question the work in the prison set me up for some type of success. >> reporter: on one faithful day in 1994 on the steps of the providence courthouse, o'donnell, now an undercover cop, found himself face to face with a mob hit man out on parole. >> you seized the moment. >> i saw him and hi to get rid of the warrants and talk to him. convincing him they had done time together. >> he bought everything? >> ic convinced him i was a

inmate. >> reporter: so began the big lie. he was steve foley now. living someone else's life. he was all in. >> i was a book maker. i was a drug dealer. they thought i was buying large amounts of cocaine and heroin and pot, marijuana. >> reporter: six years in the shadows moving with mobsters building a case. his brother jerry was the big fish. running his racquets from prison. at one point, jerry even protected steve foley from another mob family on the wiretaps in prison. >> from jerry's perspective he took full ownership that steve foley which is me, he's my guy. he pays me. if they have a problem with that come see me. >> reporter: the attorney general went after jerry and harold and other members of their mob family. >> he caught my brother

sleeping. >> reporter: in a twist of irony, even jerry had to respect what he pulled off. >> if the shoe was on the other foot, would do the same thing? probably. you know. >> reporter: that same year foley now back to steven o'donnell was honored by his piers and even the president. today a picture hangs as a reminder of those six years under cover in the office of colonel steven o'donnell. now the head of the entire rhode island state police. for today, andrea canning, nbc news providence, rhode island. >> up next, couldn't get gold medals but i was able to bring gifts from sochi. >> warm weather. warm weather. >> open it up and it will be 70. the big bag is for the person i love the most. that's up next. this is today -- now i got to figure it out. this is "today" on nbc. to. this is "today" on nbc. whoops!

♪ her in new york, but i

did a little bit of -- brought a little sochi along with me. >> you're kind of verklempt when you talk about it, too. >> i don't know why. i picked up a few special gifts for you while i was in russia. a lot of thought went into my -- what is wrong? >> are you nervous because you don't know who got the big present? >> no, because i made the big one and said it was my favorite person, but, anyway, this is for you. >> aww, i didn't get the big one. >> dylan. and this is for you, erica. and the size is not -- >> it's not about the size, yeah -- >> so, say it again, size is what? i didn't know. >> i stopped before it became a youtube clip. >> wow! >> anyway, let's see, so -- >> i can make cake and then cut it. >> dylan, yours is a commemorative cake spoon with a traditional russian design on it, because we know you like to cook. >> i do love to cook. >> and you got -- wait a minute, i have to catch up with what everybody's got. you've got the set here. it's also a tea set because you like tea, right? >> i love tea. >> this is your tea thing.

>> oh, i can't wait to -- ♪ i'm a little teacup, short and stout ♪ >> i love what you got. these are the most adorable things i've ever seen. >> baby booties. >> what are these made out of? is that bamboo? >> they look very comfortable. >> they're made of birch bark. birch is a symbol of money and these will bring wealth into your home. >> do they splinter? >> also, birch is the stuff that vodka i made was made of. >> the producer dee dee actually informed me you didn't actually get me a gift. you got my kid a gift -- >> but it brings wealth and you got a football, too. >> she's going to make money and then take care of you. >> anyway. >> thank you. thank you! ♪ [ man ] yo buzz! drop that beat! remix! ♪ hey! must be the honey! ♪ ♪ ♪ you got that medley crunch ♪ go! go! buzz! ♪ go! go! go! buzz! ♪ hey! must be the honey! ♪ ♪ clusters, flakes ♪ that medley crunch, crunch! ♪ clusters, flakes ♪ that medley crunch, crunch! go! ♪ ♪

♪ hey! must be the honey! ♪ ♪ you got that medley crunch ♪ go get that medley crunch! good morning to you looking live from the camera in san jose and the raindrops are not just on the lens there, they are on the windshield and the ground. still coming down in the south bay this morning. thanks so much for joining us, i'm kris sanchez along with christina loren with a look at the forecast all around the bay. >> all around the bay. we're still getting the showers this morning and we'll finally get a break from the heavier rainfall but you want to keep the umbrella with you wherever you go and tomorrow's looking much better for your outdoor plans if you are trying to get out and about this weekend. you'll notice the snowfall is coming down in tahoe and we're getting pretty heavy downpours in the south bay and east bay and a lot of it will continue as we head throughout the morning. the batch of rain is getting

ready to hit the peninsula the next 15 minutes. we'll track the showers as they move in morning but we are going to get a break from the rain a little bit later on today and there's more in your forecast. right now showers starting to let up in the north bay and looking good. let's take you to your futurecast and help you plan your day, if you want to get outdoors, 10:00 a.m., the heavier rain subsides and spottier cells by 3:00 p.m. but then you can start to get outdoors and a lot of clearing overnight and the wind will relax as well. but we're talking about snowfall in tahoe, we'll get to that coming up, but over to you, kris. the rain, wind, fog definitely leaving its mark on the bay area in the last 24 hours slowing things down all around the bay. it was hard to see the roadway on highway 17 at the summit where the fog joined the rain and the wind was definitely blowing the trees and the bushes just about everywhere. the gusts were so strong they even knocked down a highway sign. drivers taking notice of the

electronic billboards, though, urging everyone to slow down so this person did lose control on the wet road and ended up on the side of a muddy hill off northbound 101 near bailey avenue. others dreeveivers pulled to th side of the road because of dangerous conditions. >> like the highway patrol say we got to slow it down a little bit and it's better to be safe and get home than a speeded rush and get in an accident. >> flooding on some of the south bay highways from earlier in the day. b.a.r.t. officials confirmed yesterday's delays in the transbay tube were rain related. a spokesperson for the agency says the problem was caused by rain that seeped through a ventilation system and onto computer equipment. trains were operated manually so the systems could reboot. thankfully the computer problem was resolved in time for the evening commute but last night's commute still no fun if you were out on the roadways. >> it's been crazy out here.

the rain it causes people to drive crazy, you know, and we got to get through it especially during rush hour traffic. >> the highway patrol responded to dozens of accidents last night all across the bay area. the chp says most of those accidents could have been prevented had drivers slowed down. coming up this morning on "today in the bay" a new jet $82 million jet center founded by the folks at google breaking ground at san jose international airport. we'll show you where most of the planes will end up. that and all the day's news coming up for you at 7:00.

♪ it's a beautiful day and i can't stop myself ♪ we are back on a saturday morning. it is the first day of march 2014. nice crowd out there on the plaza. they're braving some bitterly cold temperatures this morning, but they're generating a lot of heat on their own. >> big crowd. >> tell them we're in the heart of winter or on the brink of spring. dylan tells us meteorological -- i have to say that slowly -- spring has arrived. she also has the details on what you can expect in the first few days of march, which is decidedly not springlike. >> and it won't feel spring like maybe for weeks. >> no, but it's not dylan's fault, everyone. it's not her fault. she's just the messenger. coming up in this half hour, it might win best picture tomorrow night at the oscars, "american hustle," the film about local corruption and double-dealing, was inspired by a real-life sting operation that

rocked washington to its core. so, we thought this would be a perfect morning to give you the real-life story behind that film. then, she is an 87-year-old food critic who unwittingly became an internet sensation two years ago with her earnest review of her local chain restaurant, olive garden. she's since turned from breadsticks to what she calls a well-stocked salad bar. marilyn haggerty is here with her latest review of ruby tuesday. >> i love this lady. plus, if old man winter won't give up on us, well, maybe we'll just give up on him. we have some last-minute vacation deals for you out there that could have you basking in the sun in no time. >> if the airport would only open up from the snow. >> minor detail. before that, we begin with the latest controversy worlding seaworld. the orlando-based company recently came under fire after the release of the documentary "blackfish." it was a critical film about killer whales in captivity. now seaworld is striking back, going after a government investigator who claims she was

too friendly with the documentary's producers. nbc's mark potter explains. >> reporter: the complaint filed by seaworld parks and entertainment is the latest twist in a battle between the company and the makers of "blackfish," a documentary film released last summer that raises critical questions about whether orcas or killer whales should be held in theme parks to perform for audiences. >> all whales in captivity are all psychologically traumatized. >> reporter: the film features the 2010 fatal attack at seaworld in orlando where a huge orca named tilikum grabbed his 40-year-old trainer, dawn brancheau, and dragged her under water, where she drowned. in its complaint to the u.s. labor department, seaworld alleges that laura padgett, the complaints officer assigned by osha to investigate the death was biased, had a "desire to damage seaworld as a viable business" and is an animal rights activist who "de lossed confidential seaworld documents" to the filmmakers.

laura padgett could not be reached for comment, but osha, her employer, told nbc news it referred the allegations to the inspector general's office back in january when they first surfaced. osha now awaits the results of that investigation. the director of "blackfish," gabriella cowperthwaite says "lara padgett didn't give me confidential documents for blackfish, no confident osha documents are used in blackfish," and the author of "death at seaworld" argues the company is off base attacking padgett. >> i think they're doing it out of self-defense. i think they're doing it out of trying to create a picture where they were unfairly treated. but i don't think that those allegations are fair or accurate. >> reporter: a heated controversy following a trainer's death four years ago, showing no signs of letting up. for "today," mark potter, nbc news, miami. all right, let's get outside now and talk to dylan about the latest forecast. dylan? >> hey, guys! and i am surrounded by blue

people. are you cold or is this for a special cause? >> both. >> both, all right. so, what's going on here? you're the only ones not blue. >> it's day one of colon cancer awareness month, and we would like you to visit our colonotron in rockefeller center and join us on march 23rd at citi field for the colon cancer fund. >> and we're launching a campaign to urge everybody to get screened. >> can i get one of those shirts? all right, i want one of those. we are looking at some very cold temperatures around here, but on the west coast, that's the big story. it's the radar. and you can see heavy rain just south of san francisco. this is a huge storm system that's not only bringing heavy rain, but it's also bringing very gusty winds. that is going to continue to bring mud slides and flooding concerns to that area. it will get icy through the plain states later on today, especially into late afternoon and evening, but after that, we're looking at snow. temperatures right now are well

down below zero with windchills even colder. it's actually about 40 to 50 degrees below average for this time of year. this is just the winter that yeah, meanwhile our winter just seemed to be getting started over the past few weeks and we've got a lot of rainfall still coming into the bay area this morning. if you are traveling out there over the next couple hours you want to take it easy especially along the peninsula and south bay, moderate to heavy rainfall in san francisco over the course of the next 15 minutes. continuing to see the showers decrease as we head throughout the day today. we'll keep you updated right here on nbc bay area. ♪ and let's head over to missouri for "today's top spot," where it's cold there, too. it comes from our affiliate. it's the true falls film festival. it's one of the country's few nonfiction film festivals. it features more than 40 films. there's also live music at every

screening and a tal with the filmmakers. so, sounds like a nice indoor event out there in columbia, missouri. erica? >> i like the emphasis on indoor. dylan, thanks. meantime, speaking of movies, the movie "american hustle" is certainly getting a lot of buzz these days, nominated for ten academy awards, including best picture. and while the film is billed as fiction, it is loosely based on a scandal that shook congress to its core back in 1980. chuck todd has the story of the real "american hustle." ♪ >> reporter: oscar hopeful, "american hustle," seems like a mad cap caper that only hollywood could invent. >> who's running this? i thought you were running this. >> i am, but you have to listen to him. he's the guy with the vision. >> reporter: in fact, it's based on a real american hustle, an fbi sting called abscam that engulfed congress in 1980. >> the biggest political scandal to hit washington since watergate. >> reporter: and it was the first made-for-tv scandal resulting in convictions of seven members of congress, including a senator and other politicians, all caught on state-of-the-art surveillance

taking thousands of dollars in bribes from phony arab sheikhs. one congressman actually stuffing cash in his suit with investigators claiming later he was hiding it from the mob. and like christian bale's irving rosenfeld, abscan's mastermind was also a con man. melvin weinberg, a flashy, bronx-born swindler turned paid fbi informant. we caught up with weinberg, now retired in florida. how'd you become a confidence man? >> oh, it was easy. you want to make a buck? i seen what was going on back in them days, and everybody was charging people points to get a construction loan or a mortgage. >> reporter: first targeting white-collar crime, weinberg and the fbi set up abdul enterprises, representing two mystical arab sheikhs eager to invest money in the united states. the fbi had set up stings up and down the east coast, from miami to new york, philadelphia and new jersey, and of course, here in washington, d.c., where two congressmen, frank thompson and john murphy, were caught on tape taking bribes in this very

house, a house that the fbi was renting from an unsuspecting "washington post" reporter. the tapes produced memorable moments, including congressman ozzie myers uttering these infamous words -- >> money talks in this business, and bull [ bleep ] talks. it's the same way in washington." >> reporter: to this day, myers says he and other lawmakers were entrapped by the fbi. >> no one was ever predisposed to any kind of criminal activity. >> reporter: the u.s. attorney in new jersey during abscam who worked on the case sort of agrees, calling the operation unsavory. >> the politicians disgraced themselves by going before the camera, but the justice department disgraced itself as well. they didn't control this investigation, and they let weinberg run rampant on it. >> reporter: today, anscam's not just another black mark on washington, now it's part of hollywood mythology. for "today," chuck todd, nbc news, washington. still ahead, just a rhetorical question for you -- are you sick of winter? >> yes. >> yeah. >> yeah. >> well, we're not sick of pictures like this.

let's get you to those places. we have some of the hottest travel deals at this very moment to help you thaw out without breaking the bank. >> where's my ticket? just waiting for my boarding pass. >> you have to wait for the next segment. plus, a straight shooter who's review of olive garden turned into a hit in the tv world. now marilyn haggerty is back in th [ woman ] i could see it in their faces. they weren't looking at me. ♪ i can't believe i still have acne at my age. i feel like it's my acne they see...not me. [ female announcer ] acne is a medical condition that can happen at any age. fortunately, a dermatologist can prescribe aczone® (dapsone) gel... fda approved for the topical treatment of acne, and proven in clinical studies with people 12 years and older. talk to your doctor about any medical conditions you have, including g6pd deficiency, and any medications you are using. use of benzoyl peroxide with aczone® gel

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1,000 times. your heart is amazing. take care of it with centrum silver. multivitamins with b vitamins and lycopene to help support your heart and packed with key nutrients to help support your eyes and brain, too. centrum silver. for the most amazing parts of you. ♪ richie incognito is believed to be in a psychiatric care senor in arizona this morning. according to reports, incognito, the player at the senor of the miami dolphins bullying scandal is receiving treatment for severe stress. >> reporter: miami dolphin's lineman richie incognito says he and jonathan martin were best friends. that is until martin quit the team last october amid whispers

he had been bullied into submission. earlier this week, incognito told phoenix's fox 10 station the whole incident was unfortunate. >> it's just time to move on, you know? words were said, things were done but we're all brothers and sisters. >> reporter: but the report concluded that incognito was the main instigator in a pattern of racist and vulgar abuse aimed at martin and even martin's sister and mother contributed to thoughts of suicide and then finally the decision to quit. incognito said it was just locker room banter and martin never let on he was hurt about it. but he said he was. >> it hurts you as a man to hear that. it weighs on you.

>> reporter: incognito took to twitter to say this is wearing on him too. he said this has all been so much on me and my family. i want everyone to know i'm in good spirits and looking forward to playing one day. martin might get the first chance to return to the game. andrew luck said he would welcome the lineman on his team. as for incognito, the website tmz said earlier this week he took a baseball bat to his ferrari. >> that's me venting. that's my self-expression. >> reporter: last november after he was suspended incognito told fox sports he made mistakes. >> i need to help get. i sought counseling. >> reporter: now ordered away from the game and with his football future in doubt, he's reportedly getting that help. for today, nbc news los angeles. >> up next, desperate for warm weather?

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editor gabe stagily is here with deals sure to warm you up. >> good to be here. >> i understand yesterday you found this tie. >> found this tie for 5 bucks, it reminded me of blue skies and sunshine, so i'm sporting it proudly this morning. >> i like it. the power of positive thinking. >> yeah. >> "travel" has seen a triple-digit increase in searches for mexican resort destinations? >> yeah, right after the first of the year when we were dealing with the polar vortex, all of a sudden, searches for cabo san lucas, puerto vallarta increased. people looking for sunshine and warmth. this is puerto vallarta, the forecast high today 82 degrees. >> sign me up. >> this resort and spa south of the airport, they're doing 50% special, four nights for $278. >> that's not per night, that's for all four nights? >> $278 for the four nights, oceanfront room. you get a dining credit, get some kayak rentals. they're on this beautiful private lagoon and beach. and again, it's outside of downtown puerta vallarta, a little bit more included and

just absolutely beautiful. and that rate is good throughout the rest of the year, by the way. >> the rest of the year? >> that's right. >> great! we can go more than once. we'll take one of those, please. if you maybe don't want to go to another country, there are great destinations here in the u.s., including l.a. a little soggy right now. >> okay, so, today, yeah, right. it's actually finally raining in southern california, but we've seen temperatures in the 70s and 80s. the long-range forecast after this storm is for 70s once again and mostly sunny skies. but southern california, springtime's a great time to get value ahead of the summer season. the loews santa monica beach hotel, literally on the bike path by the pier, up from venice beach, rates reduced almost in half to $299 a night. >> that is a nice, swanky hotel. >> great pool in front of the beach there. it's beautiful. >> also, if people are interested in a cruise, you have great last-minute cruise deals. >> if you're a procrastinator and want some warmth, the caribbean sues scene is on fire now. a lot of ships, thousands of cabins to sell over the next couple months, so you can find some great last-minute bargains.

the breakaway, based here in new york city, doing several seven-night sailings between now and may, starting at as little as $479. you're hitting up port canaveral and the bahamas as well. take your pick. some of the best values in southern florida, but again, even some of the mid-atlantic ports are offering some fantastic values. >> we'll take whatever we can get. i don't care where we have to leave from. okay, so, out of all of these deals, what would be your top pick for a warm getaway? >> so, my pick, if you're on the west coast, maui or mole kai if you want a secluded getaway. east coast or the midwest, puerto rico. accessibility and affordable, can't beat it, particularly the west coast of pouerto rico, gret beaches. this is the rincon beach resort, $149 a night, includes kayak rentals, good through may. you float in out of new york and you can find round-trip airfare $159, $150 out of ft.

lauderdale. and that western portion of puerto rico, white sand beaches and a little more elbow room on the beach. >> this all sounds good, but i feel like i should do some research for our viewers. >> you have to go. >> then i'll tell you whether or not it's a top pick. >> will you, please? all these deals on our website. >> great deals. >> and our free app, which we just launched. >> thanks for the hope, a little something to hang on to. let's head to the orange room where dylan is standing by with our "today plaza fan of the day," diane. good morning! >> good morning, erica, good morning, diane. our first plaza fan of the day from utica, new york, and it is your 60th birthday. >> yes, it is. >> you're looking lovely today. >> thank you. >> take us away to commercial. >> up next, the academy awards. have you ever wondered what the stars did before they were famous? we'll take a trip down memory lane. but first, this is "today" on nbc. >> nailed it!

♪ still to come on "today," an oscars top edition you'll have to see to believe.

it involves food and just might inspire your dinner party with your friends. plus, we are kicking off jenna's 30-day challenge to get everyone ♪ hey, hey, hey, hey

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good morning to you looking live at the bay bridge toll plaza and a very messy camera lens an indication that there, too, the rain has been coming in sideways because of the rain. thanks so much for joining us this morning, i'm kris sanchez, along with christina loren who has a look at the forecast forewhatever you have planned this weekend. >> finally we are going to see the showers subside, kris, just in time for you to get outdoors later on today. but this morning it's dangerous out there. we've got a lot of ponding and pulledling on your local roadways and highways, so take it easy for the next couple of hours. although we are starting to clear from the north bay to novato and san francisco starting to get hit again but what i can tell you right now marin county you're going to start to get a break as you head

througt t 15 to 20 minutes and we'll continue to see the showers trend drier a we head throughout the day today, that's the good news if you want to get outdoors and really impressive accumulations we'll talk all about that today at 7:00 a.m. but for today this is what you need to know. it will be on the breezy side. this is san francisco, you can see the camera shaking a little bit as the area of low pressure starts to move out of here and pushes into tahoe we could accumulate an additional foot of snowfall up today. the heavy rain subsides by 11:00 a.m. and we'll see a few spotty cells throughout the day but overall nice and dry throughout the bay area. the rain and the wind and the fog definitely leaving its mark in the last 24 hours slowing things down here in the bay area. it was hard to see on the road highway 17 at the summit where the fog joined the rain. you can see very difficult to see. the wind definitely blowing around trees and bushes just about everywhere. the gusts were so strong it even knocked down a highway sign.

drivers taking notice of those electronic billboards, however, causing everyone to slow down taking the message. however, programs not that driver. that driver lost control on a wet road ended up on the side of a muddy hill off northbound 101 near bailey avenue. other drivers pulled off on the side of the road because the situation was just too dangerous. >> like the highway patrol say, we just got to slow it down a little bit. it's better to be safe and get home than a speeded rush and end up in an accident. >> making things even nastier there was flooding on some of the south bay highways from earlier in the day. b.a.r.t. officials confirm that yesterday's delays in the transbay tube were rain related. a spokesperson for the agency sels the problem was caused by rain seeping through a ventilation system and onto computer equipment. trains were operated manually so the system could reboot. thankfully the computer problem was resolved in time for the evening commute so mass transit

commuters were okay but the commute was still no fun if you were driving on the roadways. >> it's crazy out here. it causes people to drive crazy, you know, and we got to get through especially during rush hour traffic. >> the highway patrol says it responded to dozens of accidents last night across the bay area. the chp says most of those could have been avoided if people had just slowed down. coming up this morning on "today in the bay" a new aid to million dollar jet center at mineta san jose funded by the founders of google. why you may not fly in one but it will still benefit you in the long run.

good morning. it's good morning. it's saturday march 1st, 2014. here's a look at today's top stories. march madness. drowning rain in southern california overnight. more set to fall today. mud slides and floods while heavy snow gets set to pound the rest of the country. this morning, we're covering it all. ukraine unravel. combat alert in the region after armed russian forces take control of a key airport in one part of the country and president obama warns there will be consequences critically to a new cold war. countdown to the oscars. the academy awards are a day away. we're starting the party early though with a look at how they got their start in the

spotlight. good morning. i'm lester holt. >> i'm erica hill along side jenna wolf and dylan dreyer. >> i don't miss this weather, though. >> why did you look at dylan? >> i felt bad because every day you were some place freezing. >> how bad. >> not real bad. >> he went to the winter olympics to warm up. >> last sunday it was a balcony in my hotel with my shirt off. it was 68 degrees. >> with your what? >> my shirt off. >> all right. >> all right. >> i didn't know what else was off. you're on the balcony. >> i'm going to just shut that one down. >> there's other things. a miracle out of montana to tell you about. an avalanche slammed into a neighborhood there burying several people for several hours but they all lived. we'll have that story of survival. >> she's tossing up her breadsticks at olive garden and

taking her critique to ruby tuesday. the 87-year-old foot critic is with us this morning. >> howell do you know the oscar contenders this year? we'll have a little trivia competition because we love a competition. that's coming up in this half hour. but it's done in a way like you've never seen it before. >> jenna is kicking off our 30 day health and fitness challenge with really specific helpful steps you can all take. >> easy steps that everybody can do. >> i like it. all right but we begin in california where that driving rain is leading to big fears of mud slides and floods. miguel almaguer has more from los angeles. good morning. >> reporter: lester, good morning. this is the l.a. river. on thursday it was dry. but today it is a surging current and like much of l.a. it feels like it's been hit with water. >> the strongest storm in three

years showing no mercy. >> until the low pressure passes there's still potential for heavy showers to exist. >> reporter: too much rain for the foothills outside los angeles. 1,000 homes evacuated and rise with the water and mud. >> we're evacuating. we're on our way right now. we're packed up getting in the car and driving off. >> reporter: amanda highland and her father ed got out friday as mud swallowed their backyard and kept closer to its kitchen. >> it's not a question. >> it's coming. it's a glacer. >> reporter: from space the eye of the monster storm looked like a hurricane. on the ground, it may have felt like one too. winds toppled trees and knocked out power. roofs caved in on homes and businesses. the highway so slick, this burning big rig nearly flew off a bridge. swift water rescue teams were busy across the state. no fatalities but plenty of

close calls. >> the water was pretty high up. it was moving 15 to 20 miles per hour. >> reporter: when the rain does stop, the clean up could take weeks. >> you lived here for 30 years. ever seen anything like this. >> no, this is the first time. >> that bad, huh? >> yeah, that bad. >> reporter: it isn't over yet. lowlands are flooded and the foothills are still in jeopardy of mud slides. >> we're told the water levels here will surge over the next 24 hours but the threat of mud slides may last a week or two. that fragile soil will have to harden before it's safe to return to those homes. >> miguel almaguer this morning. thank you. dylan as we know it's not just the rain that's still a threat for the west coast. but now more bad news including up to a foot of snow over the weekend and into early next week. you're not going to be in the studio for long my friend. >> i'm already planning my next trip. monday we're looking at pretty significant snowfall accumulation up and down the

east coast stretching to the midwest. but we are focused today on the stormy west. especially down through southern california where we could still deal with that mud slide danger. another several inches of rain is possible. obviously creating flooded roads and mountain snow as well. look at the rainfall totals we're still expected. after nearly three inches of rain fell yesterday. one to two inches of rain across the coast. the foothills could end up with four inches of rain. this stream of moisture off the pacific. heavy rain approaching san francisco. even reports of thunderstorms and very intense wind gusts too. this storm system will merge with the other one producing mostly ice and snow throughout parts of the midwest. this storm still needs to be watched. the track of the storm determined how much snowfall the east coast cease as opposed to mixing in with rain. that's something we'll keep an eye on. but right now, kansas, ten inches of snow possible. chicago with six inches. columbus ohio nine inches.

this area is in question. pittsburgh could get over a foot of snow and then new york city, philadelphia, baltimore could be under that foot mark with a little less in boston because the storm is moving right off the mid-atlantic coast. we'll have to watch it through the weekend and see just how much the snow totals change. >> thank you very much. we'll go now to montana and the sight oppenheim a terrifying avalanche burying three people alive. >> the snow slid right on top of a house in western montana sending debris flying and rescuers scrambling. it happened without warning. the avalanche came crashing down on to a western montana neighborhood. crushing one home and trapping three people including an 8-year-old boy. >> yeah, the other one still has to come in. >> reporter: rescuers rushed to the scene while residents did everything they could to get rid

of the snow so they could help get to the family inside. >> i looked outside and everyone was running with shovels. >> reporter: about an hour after the search started that young boy was pulled from the debris. he was rushed to the hospital, the frantic search continued for two elderly people still trapped inside. eventually, signs of life. both were found and brought to safety. residents stunned that something like this could happen in their backyards. >> i just can't believe there would be one that would do this much damage. i was really shocked. >> reporter: but grateful this morning for the kindness of strangers. >> i thought it was amazing how many people were out here to help. >> the elderly couple is said to be in critical condition this morning. we have no word on how the little boy is doing. residents that live in the neighborhood say they have never seen anything like this before and by the way, the avalanche is not related to the stormy weather making its way across the country. >> amazing to watch people pitch

in, though. thanks, ron. >> thanks. time for a look at the rest of the morning's top stories. for that we turn it over to jenna. >> good morning. so the crisis in the ukraine escalated and taken a new turn this morning. russian troops have taken control of airports in the pro-russian crimea region. russian transport planes and attack helicopters have crossed their border. the white house is watching these developments with concern and kristen welker is at the white house. good morning. >> good morning to you. it could be a tense weekend here at the white house as the president continues to monitor the developments out of ukraine. for days, this administration has attempted to convince the russians not to invade ukraine but when that seemed to fail friday night, a stern warning from president obama. take a listen. >> just days after the world came to russia for the olympic games it would invite the condemnation of nations around the world and, indeed, the

united states will stand with the international community in affirming that there will be costs planning military intervention in ukraine. >> the president was vague about what costs might actually mean. white house officials tell nbc news the u.s. and it's european allies are considering a possible boycott of the summit held in sochi later this year hosted by russia. the white house has said that ukraine is not a cold war dispute. secretary kerry said this. but it's clear as the situation remains unstable, tensions between the u.s. and russia are going to continue to mount. back to you. >> kristen, thank you. we now know that actor phillip seymour hoffman died from a cocktail of drugs including heroin, cocaine and an phetamines. he was found dead on february

2nd in his new york apartment. >> kerry kennedy is free and clear of drunk driving charges. a jury found her not guilty on friday. the 54-year-old daughter of the late robert kennedy was arrested in 2012 after crashing into a tractor trailer while under the influence of a sleeping pill. kennedy accidentally took the pill mixing it up with her daily thyroid medication. and finally, file this one under the most random reason ever a parent can give a kid to clean up a messy room. 26-year-old gregory jarrett found a lottery ticket worth $1 million while cleaning his room. gregory bought the ticket back in january. he had five correct numbers but he didn't know because the tick w -- ticket was lost in the room. he brought the ticket to his mom to check the numbers. which i'm sure she responded now that you finally cleaned your room, can you take out the garbage. >> maybe we should be friends with him.

>> let's head out to the plaza now where dylan has a check of our forecast. good morning. >> good morning. we're celebrating out here on the plaza. you two lovely ladies got accepted to college? >> yeah. >> who was more excited? mom? >> no. >> get them out of the house. let's take a look at the weather for you today. we're going to see the snow continue to spread through the rockies and then eventually into the plain states. you can see casper wyoming we have the snow coming down. winter storm warnings are in effect. and we are going to see accumulating snow through the day today. about 12 to 15 inches. in western wyoming, three to six inches. this is all part of the storm system that will continue to spread eastward. we'll see icing conditions possible, especially later on this afternoon and into this evening through parts of kansas and also into northern missouri. so something to keep an eye on. the

good saturday morning to you, taking a live look at the radar, you can still see heavy to moderate rainfall across much of the bay area, so take it easy out there. happy to report as we head throughout the day the area of low pressure will continue to trend to the south and as it does so our showers will subside, set this thing in motion and you can see as we head throughout the weekend we'll continue to see those showers clear out of here but you do want to keep the umbrella handy, temps in the 60s all weekend long. and we've we got to squeeze this in. we have a very important question for you. >> will you go to prom with me? >> i'm assuming that madeline knows which one she is. >> yes, she does. >> back to you. >> right now three madelines are going yes. we have a big problem. 87-year-old restaurant critic marilyn haggerty is back and telling it like it is. a review of her local olive garden went viral online. now she's back with a new review of ruby tuesday.

maril marilyn. good morning. great to see you. >> it's viral. it's on the internet. what do you think? >> i don't get it. >> it's like she is reviewing ruby tuesday and olive garden and not some fancy french restaurant? >> well, i think people who wonder about my eat beat don't understand what it is. >> it's a column. >> it's a column i do every week and i have done it for 30 or 40 years. i live in a town of 55,000 people. >> what's the name of the town? >> grand forks, north dakota. and i decided why couldn't we have a restaurant review. and i thought, well, we couldn't because we have about five fine restaurants and then we would be done. >> so you wanted to do all the restaurants and that includes the chains. >> yeah. and then i go to the truck stops. i've been to mcdonald's.

>> you review mcdonald's. >> yeah. you talk to the people that work there in the kitchen and you talk to the people that take the orders. i find it very interesting. i like to tell my readers how much things cost. how clean the place is. how the food tastes. >> well, you like the salad bar at ruby tuesday. you noticed the glass over the salad bar keeps the food protected. you also commented on the state of the lady's bathroom. your son says if you write more about the decor than the food you should eat somewhere else. >> my son is full of prunes. >> i've never heard that. >> he's a good guy. >> but that's not the case. >> he can say that. >> you're not a food critic p per se. >> no, that's where people think i'm a food critic and i should be writing about the very fine

points of cooking. i do know how to cook. >> but in general, you like ruby tuesday. >> oh, yeah. and it's a popular restaurant where you are. >> the salad bar is really -- it's a fine salad bar. >> great to have you on. >> thank you. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. >> still ahead, it isn't all glitz and glam. we'll take a look at where our stars got their start. but first, a little oscar trivia coming up after these messages. you've tried to forget your hepatitis c. it's slow moving, you tell yourself. i have time. after all there may be no symptoms for years. no wonder you try to push it to the back of your mind and forget it. but here's something you shouldn't forget. hepatitis c is a serious disease. if left untreated, it could lead to liver damage and potentially even liver cancer.

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it's the biggest night in hollywood. we're talking about the oscars, of course. >> that's right. and i actually get to get in a little bit of the fun tomorrow. looking forward to that. i'll be in l.a. for you guys tomorrow morning. but before we do that, we thought we'd get a little action going with some preoscars trivia, which jenna has for us in the orange room. >> all right, guys, here is the deal, how well do you know this year's nominees? or in other words, did you watch any of this year's nominees? don't answer that. we're going to find out right now. so, we've got a little quiz for you. just take your best shot here, whether you've seen the movie or not. first question -- which best picture nominee not based on a true story? "dallas buyers club," "wolf the wall street" -- >> "nebraska." >> you guys are all guessing. what'd you say it was? >> "nebraska." >> mr. know it all. nice, lester. keep it going, here we go. which best supporting actor nominee appeared in an episode of "sex and the city," bradley, jonah, michael or jared?

>> michael? >> you all think michael? guess what? mr. bradley cooper. >> is not bad on the eye. >> i think we have time for another one here. smarty pants, which best supporting actress nominee went to yale? sally hawkins, jennifer lawrence, lupita nyong'o or julia roberts? >> either sally or lupita, i think. >> jennifer lawrence. >> here we go. it is lupita. you guys, you're like 2 1/2 out of 3! >> yes! >> love that hat. >> that's very impressive! do we have time for one more? >> we're on a roll! >> which one of these act rests is not nominated for an oscar in the best actress category, jennifer, cate blanchett, amy andrews or meryl streep? >> jennifer lawrence. >> i'm going with lester. he's been right on all of them. >> dylan, answer them on your own there. >> meryl streep. >> meryl streep supporting? >> all right, here we go. >> i think it's jennifer lawrence. >> all right, the answer is, madam jennifer lawrence. >> that's why i have to go with lester. >> i only knew one. the others i guessed. >> listen, how do you think the man got three shows? he knows something.

>> he knows what he's talking about. >> a little back-stabbing, that's what you do. >> oh, is that all it is? the real lester. >> more oscar fun is still ahead, including a look at how the nominees for best actor started off in show business. and then which oscar-nominated films these foods represent. and we have buzzers for the next round. >> dylan and i just care about the food, let's be honest. >> but first, this is "today" on nbc. one of the best things about covered california

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♪ you're one in a million still to come on this saturday morning, are you up for a challenge? jenna's 30-day plan to build a better you starts today, and we're taking part. we'll tell you how you can, too. plus, alaska's annual sled dog [ ambient street noise ] ♪

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are endorsed by weight watchers. so many delicious flavors that taste outta sight. good morning to you, looking live at fremont and the flag still whipping around, though, probably not as hard as it has been in the last couple of days. it's good to have you with us this morning, i'm kris sanchez along with christina loren who is getting a bit of the break because of the weather. >> we're definitely done with the worst of it. good morning to you, kris. good morning to you at home. want to get you outdoors this weekend if the rain has kept you inside. at this point we're still getting heavy downpours especially along the peninsula and the south bay but all of this will clear out as we head throughout the day today. want to zoom in and show you what we're expecting. throughout the next two hours we'll continue to see the heavy rain showers move in. at 7:06 the big batch of yellow and orange is heading towards

mountain view. as we head t we'll be here talking about these showers all throughout 7:00, we'll tell you how much rain we accumulated and your mind just be blown by some of these whopper totals. now through about 11:00 a.m. periods of rain mostly to the south of the golden gate bridge and trending drier, on-and-off showers throughout the day and hit-or-miss showers and mostly cloudy conditions tonight, and temperatures will be in the 60s but we've got a slight chance for showers saturday and sunday. well, the wind, the rain, the fog definitely leaving their mark in the last 24 hours. slowing things down all around the bay area. this is how drivers were stuck behind the wheel at the summit on highway 17 where the fog joined the rain and the wind also a factor blowing trees and bushes everywhere. in fact, one gust so strong it blew the freeway sign over. drivers, though, did take notice of those warning signs over the freeway urging people to slow

down, although this driver seemed to lose control on the slippery roadway and ended up on the side of a muddy embankment off northbound 101 near bailey avenue. other drivers, though, thought the best strategy was to just put it in park. >> like the highway patrol say, we just got to slow it down a little bit and just better to be safe and get home than a speeded rush and end up in an accident. >> making for an even nastier drive flooding on some of the south bay roadways from earlier in the day. b.a.r.t. officials confirmed that yesterday's delays in the transbay tube were rain related. a spokesperson for the agency says the problem was caused by rain that seeped through a ventilation system and onto computer equipment. trains were operated manually so the system could reboot. thankfully for the mass transit commuters it was resolved in time for the evening rush hour, however the commute was still no fun for people on the roadways. >> it's been crazy. the rain causes people to drive

crazy, you know, and we got to get through it especially during rush hour traffic. >> the highway patrol responded to dozens of accidents all across the bay area. the chp says many of the accidents they saw could have been prevented if drivers had just slowed down. coming up this morning on "today in the bay" a new $82 million jet center funded by the founders of google broke ground at san jose mineta international airport. we'll show you why the planes that most of us will never ever get to fly on will still work to our benefit in the long run.

♪ because i'm happy, clap along if you feel like a room without a roof ♪ >> my 27th year! >> hi to our daughters in lancaster, pennsylvania! >> mom and dad! >> good morning! >> it's my 13th birthday, and i'm celebrating with the "today" show! >> happy birthday! ♪ >> and we are back on this saturday morning, march 1st, 2014. [ inaudible ] nice to have ava along with this brave child here with us on the plaza this morning. you may have seen our superfan from this morning, diane. she actually got to talk to us in the orange room. you may be the lucky ones on our

plaza if you come down to visit us on a weekend. >> we've got great crowds here. we've got newlyweds, we've got birthdays. nice crowd out here today. great to have everybody. still to come, they are hollywood royalty now, but everyone has to start somewhere, right? >> yes, indeed. >> we're going to look back at the road to fame for some of this year's oscar nominees. and then, i got a little challenge for you. all i need is 30 days to help you get healthy and fit. together we're going to spend the next month taking small steps that i guarantee will make a difference in your life. we are starting it today. so, sign up online. and we're going to have some fun with a month's worth. >> it's going to be great. we're all in. we're excited. >> thank you. >> also ahead, my challenge in alaska's outback of all places. i trained with the oldest musher ever to win the iditarod race. i'll tell you what that was like as we gear up for the first day of that dog sled list. >> i love that. that's on my bucket list. >> that was so much fun. >> actually do it or try to do

it? >> i want to try it! well, not the whole thing, but. >> it's long. plus, they are not quite square meals, so we are squaring off this morning. ha ha! oscar-nominated films have inspired the dishes that sunny anderson brought in this morning. she is going to see if we can figure out which movie inspired that. and she's going to save some bubbly, sunny. come on! >> that's "wolf of wall street" with those. >> exactly, wolf of wall street! first, though, dylan has a final check of the weather for us. and the cold continues. it might be march 1st, but it is going to stay extremely cold in most places. let's take a look at what's going on through parts of the upper midwest, where temperatures right now are running with those feels-like temperatures around 42 degrees below zero. your windchill in missoula is 20 below right now, and it is going to stay extremely cold. in fact, temperatures will be running about 40 to 50 degrees below normal for this time of year. so, this is exceptionally cold. but in chicago, finally getting up to 27 degrees! we are going to see some icy

conditions later today through kansas and parts of northern missouri and even stretching into west-central parts of illinois, so something to keep in mind as the roads could be very slick going later on today. and further north of that, we're looking at a very wind-swept snow, so there is a lot going on and that storm is heading east as we head into especially sunday night and then on monday, too. tomorrow, though, we could see a slight risk of severe storms out ahead of that cold front. that could bring us some very strong storms through eastern texas and parts of louisiana, but it's the ice and that snow that we'll be keeping an eye on. it's that rain-snow line that will really determine whether we get a couple inches in parts of the mid-atlantic or up to a foot of snow, which is still a possib hey, good saturday morning to you, i'm meteorologist christina loren and we still have a lot of rain on the radar especially to the south of the golden gate bridge so you want to travel kawrgely. the rain has continued overnight so we do have a lot of ponds and puddles out there on the roadways. please take it easy. all of this is slated to clear

as we head throughout the second half of the day today, but you'll want to keep your umbrella with you as we'll see thinking to drier. >> and that is your latest forecast. lester and erica? >> dylan, thanks. the awards season comes to a crescendo saturday night with the 86th academy awards. >> and while all eyes will be on the fashion and who walks away with the shiny gold statue, we're looking back at how far some of the no, ma'amies have come and for that, we turn to joelle garguilo. good morning. >> we've all got to start somewhere, right? good morning, guys. the votes are in, envelopes are sealed and statues are being polished. while this year's oscar nominees make it easy, for some, their road to gold has been a long one. yes, there will be glitz, there will be glamour, there will be a megawattage of star power at the 86th annual academy awards. but before the nominees saunter down the red carpet, let's take a stroll down memory lane. prior to best actress nominee,

amy adams getting her "american hustle" on. >> no, i said we shouldn't do any of it. you know i said that. >> it was a different tune she sang. ♪ stranger place to be >> reporter: nope, not that enchanted one, or this jingle -- ♪ got free checking >> the vault is unbelievable on these actors. >> amy adams got her start in dinner theater in minnesota. >> i'm thinking big, all right? this is going to be fantastic. >> reporter: bradley cooper had his own brush with fame in his 20s, as a bright-eyed drama student. >> how are you doing, mr. de niro? my name is bradley cooper. my question is about "awakenings." >> reporter: and doorman. yep, doorman. best actor. this has got to be the most exciting race in academy history. >> i think leonardo dicaprio and matthew mcconaughey are the nominees. mcconaughey has the edge. >> but judging them on how far they had come.

>> that's what i love about these high school girls, man. >> this is bubble yum bubble gum. >> i think leo wins the race. >> after all, his "growing pains" were documented for the world to see. jennifer lawrence may be the youngest actress to nab three oscar nominations, but who knew it was this "my super sweet 16" commercial that landed her a s.a.g. card at 14? she's not the only starlet who got a start on mtv. front-runner lupita nyong'o did, too, in the soap opera-like show "suga." but hey, that's the thing about show business, you've got to start somewhere. yeah, and there's so many other actors we didn't get to mention. it wasn't too long ago jonah hill was playing the silly sidekick. and who could forget about jordan catalano, aka, jared leto in "my so-called life"? guys, how far they have come. >> and they're not done yet, right? >> they're not done yet! that's the best part, more to

come. >> gives a lot of other actors hope out there. >> give us all hope. >> joelle, thanks. erica, you'll be heading to beverly hills after the show to be there for us tomorrow. >> i'll be in l.a. we're very excited about it. so, tomorrow i will be live from the red carpet for our show as we kick off "today's oscar party," so hope you'll be joining us. still to come, though, this morning, 30 days to a better you. we're taking off a little something else today. it's jenna's month-long challenge for all of us to help us lead healthier lives. that's after these messages. [ male announcer ] if your kitchen could study you, what would it learn? what improvements would it make? at ge, you've inspired us to reimagine the kitchen. with innovations like the first dishwasher featuring 102 spray jets. the kitchen is now thinking -- more like you. and...stop. no? nothing? [ male announcer ] ge. reimagining home.

you raise her spirits. we tackled your shoulder pain. you make him rookie of the year. we took care of your cold symptoms. you take him on an adventure. tylenol® has been the number 1 doctor recommended brand of pain reliever for over 20 years. but for everything we do, we know you do so much more. tylenol®. eat right. not less. [ woman ] hi, this looks interesting! what's going on here? would you like to try some hot cereal? [ female announcer ] special k nourish hot cereal. special k? wow! wow! [ female announcer ] made with superfoods... superfoods sound good to me.

there's quinoa, barley. i can definitely taste the quinoa. good! i can't believe that's less than 200 calories. [ female announcer ] ...to help you truly shine. this is a way to be good to me. [ female announcer ] nurturing yourself. what will you gain when you lose? ♪ today we're kicking off a series we're all very excited about called "30 days to a better you." >> and so, for the month of march, our fitness guru, newsperson and all-around -- [ inaudible ] jenna. >> i was just going to say, there's 31 days in march. >> i know, but 30's easier for people to grasp hold of. so, i'm really excited about this. here's what this is. i am challenging you to take some small steps, small ones to make a big change in your life right now. up, up. eight. last four. nice, marce. if getting fit and eating

healthy were easy, everybody would be doing it. so, starting today, i'm setting forth a challenge, a 30-day, 30-tip journey to a better you. you put effort into your job, you put effort into raising your kids. put a little effort into your health and fitness. the numbers are alarming -- 155 million american adults are overweight or obese. and compared to other developed nations, we fair worse in diabetes and heart and chronic lung diseases. it's part of the reason i got certified as a personal trainer. you didn't become somewhat unhealthy in a day. you're not going to become completely healthy in a day. this is a process. and all those small changes start at home. >> drum roll! >> in your refrigerator. >> i love that you have hard-boiled eggs in here. grapes. >> the girls love the grapes. >> here's a red flag. you've got a lot of white bread in here. >> yes. >> nutrition expert and registered dietician joy bauer says with a little bit of information, working mom kim

baccelo could shop smarter. >> most of the time, the biggest problem is the soda and fruit juices. a lot of what i also find is full-fat cheese and it's so easy to swap that out with a 2% reduced fat. >> reporter: swap out sodas for seltzer water and a splash of fruit juice. forget 2% milk because whole milk is 3%, so go skim or 1%. when you reach for the bread, read labels. if the first ingredient isn't whole wheat, skip it. like your condiments? that's okay, just switch them out for a lower fat alternative. and greek yogurts, hummus, apples and baby carrots all great for snacking. if you're looking for smarter snack choices at the office, and it's okay to snack, just snack wise wisely. oh, this double cheeseburger with french fries and chicken nuggets, not a smart option. we've got two snack drawers here. we've got your bad snacks and your good snacks. you have a sweet tooth, you want something? don't opt for the cupcake.

get yourself maybe a chocolate protein bar. have half of it. a change here and there may not make a noticeable difference to you today, but over the course of a few weeks or a few months, you'll definitely feel it. all i'm saying is you're going to understand what it means to be a little bit healthier and to make smarter choices, and those smarter choices will eventually lead to things that will make you healthier and happier. all right, so, to kick off the challenge, there are two small things i want you to do. first, i want you to start with a food diary. so, lester, erica and dylan and i do this every single day. i want you to write down everything you eat every day this month. no cheating. if you eat it, write it down. this is going to help make you accountable for your choices. second, i want you to get someone to do the challenge with you. having a friend to motivate you and keep you on track, i promise you will make a huge difference. so, every night, the four of us e-mail the group our food diary, so we're all accountable over time. then you stop making bad food

choices, because other people are reading your diary. worked for the three of us. lester lost 300 pounds. so, here's the deal. remember, guys, this is a journey towards a healthier you. it's not a sprint. so, please be patient. so, over the next month, i'm going to be sharing tons of tips here on the "today" show, also online, small changes and small things you can do, and this is how you can live a healthier life. go to today.com, sign up for the challenge. i promise, by the end of the month, you will definitely feel a difference. >> we've been doing that food diary, and it works. you reach for something unhealthy, you think, oh, but i'm going to have to write it down and then you guys will see it. >> half the time, you're just like, i don't feel like writing it down, so it's easier just not to have it. >> i also get great ideas for all of you guys. i hadn't thought about that for a snack or maybe i should put that in a salad. it's a great motivator, jenna. we're excited about it. all right, still to come this morning, something else we're excited about, mushers hitting the trail this morning. it is the first day of alaska's famous sled dog race, and dylan

is sharing her firsthand look at training for the iditarod. she'll have that when we come back. but first, this is "today" on nbc. good morning nelly! woah. hey! have you ever tried honey nut cheerios? love 'em. neat! now you on the other hand... you need some help. why? look atchya. what is that? you mean my honey wand? [ shouting ] [ splat ] come on. matter of fact. [ rustling ] shirt. shoes. shades. ah! wow! now that voice... my voice? [ auto-tuned ] what's wrong with my voice? yeah man, bee got swag! be happy! be healthy! that's gotta go too. ♪ hey! must be the honey! [ sparkle ] sweet.

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♪ it was called the last great race on earth, alaska's iditarod competition. >> 1,000 miles of mother nature's roughest terrain, and dylan took it on with the help of last year's champ. >> oh, it was so awesome, about 1,000 miles. and guys, those races -- [ inaudible ] we're in the middle of one of the harshest winters in recent memory, but in alaska, the people and the animals are built for it. i had a chance to spend some time with alaska's outback with the race's defending champion, mitch sevy. >> mitch sevy, your 2013 iditarod champion! >> reporter: it's alaska's super bowl. and 54-year-old mitch sevy is

its all-star and the oldest musher ever to win the race. >> this is a big moment for them. they love to go. >> reporter: the iditarod, an annual 1,000-mile journey led by sled dogs from anchorage to nome, alaska. >> then put this through? >> yep, put this foot right up over that. >> all right, come on. >> for the sevys, it's all in the family. mitch's son, dallas, won in 2012, making him the youngest musher at 25 ever to take home first, and mitch's father, a competitor in years past. >> there are more sevy names on the roster of finishers than any other last name. we're certainly one of those crazy groups that have been in this for generations. >> reporter: so, would you say it's in your blood? >> i would say it's definitely in our blood. >> reporter: you're a champ, huh? 71 mushers will race through alaska's outback this year. okay, you're fast. you're strong. each running a team of 16 dogs at the start that in total will burn close to 200,000 calories a

day. their diets consisting of beef, lamb, chicken and some alaskan specialties like salmon and caribou. how are these dogs built for this? >> these are alaskan huskies. their tough feet, good fur coats and loving to travel. you can't beat them. so you see, they have plenty of power. >> reporter: without reins, the dogs work on command. now, what is the likelihood of you falling off of this? >> pretty good. >> reporter: it will take this year's competitors anywhere from nine to ten days to complete the race. at stake, the largest purse in dog sled racing, $600,000 divided among the front-runners. but mitch sevy says the win is priceless. >> passion is a polite word. i think many people refer to it as an addiction. a lot of times when the conditions are harsh or i'm tired, i have to pinch myself and say, man, i love my job. >> the 42nd annual iditarod race is later today in downtown

anchorage. mitch, his son and their team of dogs will be competing. and it was really so interesting, because if you come off the reins for the dogs, they start barking, they love this stuff. >> so beautiful, too. still to come, food for thought. we're going to have some fun with a few of the osc oscar- honestly? i wanted a smartphone that shoots great video. so i got the new nokia lumia icon. it's got 1080p video, three times zoom, and a twenty-megapixel sensor. it's got the brightest display, so i can see what i'm shooting -- even outdoors, and 4 mics that capture incredible sound. plus, it has apps like vine -- and free cloud storage. my new lumia icon is so great, even our wipeouts look amazing. ♪ honestly, i want to see you be brave ♪ ♪ i've got a big date, but my sinuses are acting up. it's time for advil cold and sinus. [ male announcer ] truth is that won't relieve all your symptoms.

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>> obese. >> obese? >> i watched this documentary that says a lot of americans are huge. what if that happened to him? >> well, what makes you think he'd be obese? >> because of the size of the portions. >> that was a scene from the oscar-nominated film "philomena," a movie where food is a running theme. and we're going to take it a step further today with a game we're calling "and the food goes to." so, to help us play, we've brought in guest judge sunny anderson, co-host of the food network's "the kitchen." sunny, good morning.

good to see you. >> thank you. >> good morning. >> i'll have you know i'm wearing a pant suit in honor of ellen degeneres. >> i love it. >> and i love your red shoes. >> very nice. >> it's working. >> i'm wearing iza mendez, so just so you know. so, you guys ready for this? >> i'm ready. >> first explain the rules. >> please, go over the rules. >> the rules are, you have several dishes here. each one of them is based on a movie inspired by one of this year's best picture nominees. so, you're going to give us the clues. >> yes. >> we have buzzers here. they've been regulated, sort of. >> thanks to bob in the back. >> right, thank you, bob. the first one of us who hits the buzzer and answers correctly wins a point. sunny, all yours. >> all right, so i asked that you contestants let me finish the clue before you guess the movie. are you ready for "and the food goes to"? >> ready. >> yes. >> ready. >> hands on your buzzers. okay, the first clue is, this is clams casino. wait, i have not finished, jenna. >> i'm sorry. >> they were delicious, i'm sorry! >> okay, sorry. did i win?

>> so, these are clams casino. and the clue is, in this movie, the characters dine on this spicy dish in the bronx. >> oh. >> yes. >> "casino royale." >> "dallas buyers club." >> you got it. well, no, you didn't. >> i technically hit my buzzer first. >> sorry. >> she said "casino royale," no, wrong year. >> "dallas buyers club." >> no, incorrect. you know right away a clam is good. not true with the leading characters of this movie lester. >> nebraska. >> no! the third clue, one of this movie's leading men have been known to lewd love his friends after a night in vegas. yes. >> "american hustle"! >> yes, "american hustle," the point goes to you. >> but see, you have a layover in nebraska on the way to casino royale. >> so, we move over now to dish number two. this is gar nasala popcorn.

that literally means hot mix and it's popular in somalia. clue number one, contestants. >> sorry! i'm very excited. >> this is very competitive! this dish features spices native to one of the actors' home towns. erica? >> "captain phillips." >> no! >> yes, "captain phillips." >> i mean yay. >> that was awesome! >> jenna, i couldn't have done it without your support. okay, dish three. these are spicy cowboy beans, very popular -- [ buzzer ] >> oh. >> -- in the state of texas. clue number one, pounds were shed for the lead actor role. >> people. >> but in this state, bigger is better. i don't know who to go to. erica. >> "dallas buyers club." that's right, right? >> this is it. now seriously -- >> i know what it is. >> this is the final one here, so if you want to get anything on the board here, guys -- >> got it, got it, got it. >> these are lindzer stars,

which are cookies with raspberry jam cut into the shape of a star. clue number one -- both leads in this movie have stars on the walk of fame. >> oh. it's not "gravity." >> yes, girl -- >> or maybe it is. >> it is. >> no. >> i'm sorry, what is "gravity"? >> correct! correct. >> is it "gravity"? >> thank you for answering in the form of a question. >> that is correct! that is correct! so, now the winner, i believe, with two points -- >> it's a tie! >> is it a tie? erica and jenna. >> are you putting your shoes back on? >> yes. >> it was all a friendly game. i think we should just have a toast. >> please come on over. >> we should have a toast. i will do the toast, and let me first -- >> this is obviously "wolf of wall street" here, but there's something else that's not so obvious about this toast right here today, ladies and gentlemen. >> we want to toast jenna's birthday. >> yay! >> oh. >> happy birthday. >> just a couple days -- which was just a couple days ago. >> happy birthday. >> can i say what you turned? >> do it. >> 40! >> fabulous. fabulous.

>> looking great for 40. >> you guys are amazing. >> thank you. thank you. >> you guys are going to have to have j coming up next, bay area showers continue through the weekend and we'll let you know when the clouds will part and when the roads will be safer for driving. plus, covered california may not have you covered. why thousands of people have to redo their health care applications. and the founders of google are funding a new terminal at mineta san jose international airport what it means for you even if you never have access to it.

much-needed rain swept through the bay area overnight and now it's the calm after the storm looking live at four of our cameras, san jose still getting some of the drippy wetness. san francisco clearing up and all points in between. thanks so much for joining us, i'm kris sanchez along with meteorologist christina loren, and i saw some rain on the way to the south bay studios.

>> yeah, the overall trend is clearing and so your little girl i saw the facebook post, they looked adorable in their rain boots. got the little ones with you, have the rain gear ready to go because the water droplets are accumulating on the san jose camera this morning. we need this rain desperately and we have really healthy totals to show you in the next report. temperatures are in the 50s. we've still got quite a bit of rainfall on the radar but mostly to the south of the golden gate bridge and to the santa cruz mountains where we've got the heaviest rainfall at this point. as we continue throughout the day today, the area of low pressure is going to dig to the south. we'll continue to trend drier as it does so, but you can see the core of low pressure and the well defined countercloswise rotation going to go down the california coastline as well head throughout the coastline. but it's juicy enough to keep the chance of rain going all the way ug