it's nice outside, but patchy fog, you're watching san francisco for those fireworks and we'll see some low clouds creep in. >> have a good night. on the broadcast tonight, direct hit. arthur's fury at the moment of impact. the damaging winds, the flooding and loss of power for tens of thousands. tonight, the storm heads north. taking sides. a california town under siege as protests grow over accepting hundreds of undocumented migrants. while elsewhere, other immigrants are welcomed as america's newest citizens. flash poin a wave of new fighting between israelis and palestinians and a father's agony over the death and treatment of his son. water babies. teaching very young children how to float and swim often before they can walk. some tense moments and surprising results. and happy anniversary. for its 200th anniversary, an exciting new arrangement for the national anthem. "nightly news" begins now.

from nbc world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. >> good evening and happy independence day. i'm kate snow in for brian tonight. for a lot of americans, it was a wet and windy one, thanks to hurricane arthur. the storm caused many towns along the east coast to cancel holiday plays, parades and fireworks. when it made landfall overnight, arthur was a category two storm, the first of this hurricane season. and take a look at this view from space. north carolina has never seen a hurricane hit so early in the season. the good news, no deaths are reported, but the storm did do some damage. tropical storm warnings are still in effect this evening in massachusetts, with watches farther to the north. we have team coverage for you tonight. we begin with nbc's kerry sanders in kill devil hills, north carolina. kerry? >> reporter: well, kate, this was a deceptive hurricane, packing a serious punch. the region escaped widespread devastation.

there are no reports of serious injuries. just tonight, thousands who are still waiting, going through the inconvenience, as they wait for the power to come back on. roaring in overnight, hurricane arthur made landfall in north carolina. the howling winds gusted to 101 miles per hour, whipping through the outer banks, creating its own fireworks show, flipping a shed and downing trees. >> we are really getting hammered with the wind. >> it's extremely hard to stand. >> reporter: it took more than four hours for the floodwaters to recede in historic manteo. the extent of the damage has not yet been fully calculated. but some here say this is a way of life. >> we've been through this many times before. wind blows, storms come, we clean up, next day we go do what we did. >> reporter: arthur's power waves shifted the concrete barriers along north carolina highway 12. and the rush of water buckled

portions of that soul artery to hatteras island. there's not only damage to the road but also to some mobile homes. >> we're seeing some beach erosion. there are shingles off some houses. we have some dock debris. >> reporter: but north carolina's governor pat mccrory was also happy to be the bearer of good news. >> the north carolina beaches are open for business. >> reporter: and as beachgoers resume their holiday, officials warn about the potential dangers of rip currents. though the damage was thankfully minimal, jake garivan said hurricane arthur definitely had an impact. >> the house was shaking. laying in bed or standing up walking around, it kind of felt like an earthquake. >> reporter: for the millions-plus tourists who come to the outer banks, this july fourth is now back to blue skies. >> that's the good news. kerry sanders out there tonight, thank you. the storm is headed north, though, bringing high winds and heavy rains to virginia and on up the east coast.

this is what it looked like in worcester, massachusetts, this afternoon. tonight, new england is facing the biggest threat. weather channel meteorologist jim cantore is tracking it all. jim, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, kate. yeah, still some very heavy rain on the cape. as a matter of fact, enough for some water rescues. that's going to go on for the next several hours, and then arthur is going to make its approach. let's track this for you. it's expected to become a tropical storm tonight as it passes just to the east of cape cod. saturday it's gong to work through its way up the bay of fundy. it's going to make its way across nova scotia, newfoundland. unfortunately, this will be a day of very high rip current risk. as you can see all the way up the east coast, right into new england as well. so we are trapped here on hatteras island. officials are hoping to open parts of highway 12 as well as restore ferry service tomorrow to this area and get people back

on the island to enjoy the holiday weekend. kate, back to you. >> jim cantore, thanks so much. on this 238th anniversary of our nation's founding, there is a growing debate, growing tension tonight over some of the newest arrivals, the thousands of undocumented migrants who are illegally crossing the border with mexico into this country. and overwhelming the system. nbc's miguel almaguer is in murrieta, california, where they're taking sides on whether to welcome undocumented migrants. miguel? >> reporter: kate, good evening. as you may be able to see behind me, the protesters are here, immigration advocates are here. but they're waiting for the bus fulls of undocumented immigrants that tonight are nowhere in sight. still, the stage is set with both sides waving flags, blocking the streets and arguing. again, murrieta is at the center of this fiery immigration debate and a potential flash point. after protesters successfully blocked three buses tuesday, today they are outnumbered by supporters of those fleeing violence and poverty in search of a better life.

a local native american group was here earlier. they had a message. they were here first, they say, and don't object to newcomers. and today, we met immigrant gladys lopez from honduras. she said she paid $9,000 to smugglers to bring in her daughters, sister and niece. her family was detained two weeks ago and she awaits every day word that they are safe. back here in murrieta, there are no signs these protests or these arguments, these differences between these two sides will end anytime soon. kate? >> miguel almaguer tonight, thank you. as all of that unfolded near the border today, some who have made that same journey across the border in the past were among more than 9,000 immigrants sworn in as our newest citizens. we get more on that tonight from nbc's kristen welker at the white house. >> i pledge allegiance to the flag of the united states of america. >> reporter: all across the country this fourth of july, new citizens are pledging allegiance

as the crisis at the border highlights the difficult path to becoming an american. 27-year-old private first class oscar venegas gonzalez has a firsthand understanding of the road traveled by the children who are crossing the border today. he made a similar journey without his family at age 16. >> it's dangerous, but you just go with the flow, i guess, and thank god i'm still alive and still here. >> reporter: gonzalez's dream was realized when he joined the marines. and he was among the 25 service members and their spouses who today at the white house officially became u.s. citizens. >> i came out of a family where i didn't have a pair of shoes until i was 9 years old. and now that i'm here, a land of opportunities, and it's great. i just thank god i'm here. >> reporter: president obama, praising their service. >> you answered the call to

fight and potentially to give your life for a country you didn't fully belong to yet. >> reporter: men and women who hail from 15 different countries. >> australia. canada. china. france. germany. >> reporter: all americans now. naturalization ceremonies from mt. rushmore to monticello. for many, this dream still seems out of reach, but these new americans say their stories are reason for hope. >> liberty and justice for all. >> reporter: now, the president also said he will keep doing everything in his power to make the immigration system smarter and more efficient. immigration reform is all but dead in congress. meanwhile, after the holiday on monday, the president will officially ask lawmakers for more than $2 billion to deal with that border crisis. kate? >> kristen welker at the white

house tonight. in georgia, disturbing new allegations emerged from court documents released today about the man who left his 22-month-old son alone for hours in a stifling hot car. ross harris has pleaded not guilty to murder and has been denied bail. we get the latest tonight from nbc's gabe gutierrez. >> reporter: on a day of celebration this year, a georgia community is also in shock. >> i felt bad for him at first. and then all of a sudden i started realizing, something is not right in this picture. >> reporter: new search warrants released today allege ross harris talked to family members about his son's life insurance policy after he died. and what they need to do in order to file for it. this, after police said yesterday harris had two life insurance policies for cooper, totalling $27,000. detective phil stoddard testified harris was leading a double life, exchanging nude pictures of himself with up to six women, including a 16-year-old girl.

some, as his 22-month-old son was dying in a sweltering suv. >> it proves motive because he was unhappy in his marriage. we plan to show that he wanted to live a child-free life. >> reporter: harris' attorney objected. >> there's been no connection whatsoever between the events of that day and the death of this child and this fantasy texting. >> reporter: harris pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and child cruelty. >> it's not criminal negligence. it's a horrible tragedy and an accident. >> reporter: he and his wife leanna married in alabama eight years ago. police say when she went to pick up cooper from daycare the day he died, an employee told her the toddler had never been dropped off. according to investigators, she was calm. >> in front of several witnesses, all of a sudden she states, ross must have left him in the car. >> reporter: then during a police interview when husband and wife were left in a room together -- >> she had him sit down and he starts going through this and

she looks at him and she said, well, did you say too much? >> reporter: leanna harris has not been charged with any crime. she declined to comment. but with today's release of more search warrants, it's clear this investigation is far from over. gabe gutierrez, nbc news, marietta, georgia. this was a violent day in the middle east as palestinians clashed with israeli security forces after the funeral for a palestinian teenager who was killed this week. and it was an especially painful day for the boy's father. caught between israeli security forces and the passion of his own people. nbc's ayman mohyeldin saw it firsthand. >> reporter: today, east jerusalem was a battlefield. israeli security forces firing rubber bullet, teargas and stun grenades. palestinians barricading streets and throwing stones. angry at the loss of one of their own. murdered, they say, by israeli jews. this morning, we joined the boy's father as he went to receive the body of his murdered son muhammad. he thinks he's going to the

hospital, but israeli police have him come here, to a public street. under heavy security, the body is handed over as the grieving father looks on. in the ambulance, hussein won't even look at his son's body, burned beyond recognition. medics cover the body in a palestinian flag. then the ambulance returns to the family's neighborhood. word spreads and a crowd gathers. they smash the window open and remove humid remove muhammad's body. they want to give him a martyr's funeral. the father has lost his son again and now can only watch. hundreds of local residents have poured out into the streets to pay their tribute to the man they say has been martyred. at the march, muhammad is given a hero's welcome. they mourn, trying to catch a glimpse and pay their respects to the family. amid the chaos, the father has a private moment of grief.

as muhammad is laid to rest, sorrow turns to angry. israeli police, still on high alert, surround the neighborhood. they certainly don't want the demonstrations to extend beyond this frontline and more importantly, they definitely don't want it to head into the center of jerusalem just at the end of this road. but the israeli line is coming under increasing attack. and tonight, more anger after this amateur video surfaced, not verified by nbc news, allegedly showing israeli security forces beating a palestinian boy, arrested for throwing stones. kate, that video has gone viral, but police have not yet commented on it. they are maintaining a very heavy presence tonight, concerned that there could be a flare-up of violence tomorrow. kate? >> ayman mohyeldin in jerusalem tonight, thank you. still ahead, it may rattle their parents' nerves, but a campaign to teach very young children how to float and swim could be a lifesaver.

tonight, a controversial approach to teaching water survival skills to the youngest children, to babies. it may take your breath away to watch, but advocates say this method really works. our report tonight from nbc's nbc's jenna wolfe. >> reporter: look away for just a second, and in that moment, your child could become one of the more than 700 children who die from drowning each year. but keep watching. this boy is only a year and a half old, and he already knows how to float and swim. this video is part of a public awareness campaign for a program called isr which teaches kids to flip over on their backs, float, and swim often before they can even walk. >> these skills should never, ever, ever be a substitute for adult supervision. fences around pools, alarms on the gates. a child has no business in the water alone or around the water. >> reporter: but drowning is the leading cause of accidental death for children 1 to 4 years old.

and the skills these kids learn can save their lives. >> very nice. >> reporter: we're there for 7-month-old emma's very first lesson. >> i want her to know that the water will float her. >> reporter: mom, did that make you nervous at all when she went under? >> a little, a little. >> reporter: she'll be back for ten minutes a day five days a week for six weeks. >> you include this as part of the lesson plan. they have to at some point go in with their clothes and learn how to float? >> yes. >> reporter: the lessons have already paid off for the parker family. their son lucas fell into the deep end of their pool last year when he was only 3. >> he just popped out, went on to his back, did his float and climbed out of the pool. >> reporter: on the day of our visit, his sister kylie is finishing the course. how old is she? 1 and she can already swim? that's so great. >> reporter: it's 7-month-old quinn's last day of instruction, too. >> her parents have a pool. god forbid something happens

where she walks out back and decided to jump in. we thought it would be a good investment. >> reporter: and it's one that paid off. >> it blows your mind. >> you haven't seen it yet, have you? you made daddy cry. he's proud of you. he's so proud of you. >> reporter: proud and with peace of mind. jenna wolfe, nbc news, new york. >> unbelievable. we're back in a moment with a big birthday in the first family.

if you've ever lived in the southwest, you know how fast the weather can change. take a look at this time-lapsed video of a huge dust storm rolling in. it was taken last night in downtown phoenix, the sky turning pink in just 11 minutes. thousands of people lost power and flights were delayed. a fiery scene in west hollywood today and not on a movie set. two thieves stole a tesla from a dealership and while being chased by the police, the car hit two other vehicles. the tesla was split in half. part of it getting wedged between two walls of a

synagogue. no one was killed but at least five people were injured. he's sitting on about a three-foot ledge or so. >> new video out of washington state shows dramatic rescue of a hiker who fell and was clinging to a cliffside in the snoqualmie pass. he managed to call 911. he didn't know how much longer he could hold on. a rescue helicopter team flew in precariously close to the rock face, lowered a rescuer who convinced him to let go and lifted him all the way to safety. we told you about an appeal made by a funeral director for mourners to show up for a decorated british air force hero from world war ii who died a widower and few family members nearby. the appeal worked. today in britain, hundreds of people came out -- strangers, to pay their respects at the funeral of sidney marshall. a d-day veteran and a recipient of the distinguished flying medal, sidney marshall was 90 years old. the first family celebrating another birthday on this fourth of july. the obamas' older daughter,

malia, turned 16 today. we first got to know her when she was just 9 on the campaign trail. over the year, she's grown up before our eyes. as usual, the white house gave no details about how she'll celebrate. and in new york today, joey chestnut maintained his title as top dog in the annual nathan's famous hot dog eating contest, woofing down 61 franks. just before he began to eat, he proposed to his long-time girlfriend also in his contest. you have to wonder what's on the wedding menu. up next, we celebrate a musical milestone on this fourth of july. ♪

finally tonight on this independence day, we take note of another milestone in our nation's history. this year happens to be the 200th anniversary of a poem that became our national anthem. nbc's ron mott has more. ♪ o say can you see >> reporter: "the star-spangled banner," which famed director john williams plans to tweak just a bit tonight at the u.s. capitol. it's been as buried in performance as the country it

represents. beyonce as the inauguration. ♪ that our flag was still there ♪ ♪ o say does that >> reporter: whitney houston at the super bowl. hendrix at woodstock. ♪ and the home of the brave >> reporter: the uniquely soulful marvin gaye at the nba all-star game. ♪ >> it's your anthem. it's our anthem. if people want to sing it in a a particular way, i wouldn't be too prescriptive of that. >> reporter: so in other words, you're saying there's no right or wrong way to sing this song? the song began as a poem written in 1814 by francis scott key, inspired by seeing the stars and stripes still flying over baltimore's fort mchenry after a victory against the british in the war of 1812. that very flag, now restored but fragile, is today so proudly displayed at the smithsonian in washington. the words were eventually set to music, borrowed ironically from a popular british number.

♪ that our flag was still there ♪ >> reporter: notoriously hard to sing, the song became the official national anthem more recently than you probably think -- in 1931. ♪ and the home of the brave >> reporter: it's now as universal as "happy birthday." this year, marking its own 200th anniversary. ron mott, nbc news, chicago. >> happy birthday, america. that is our broadcast on a friday night. thank you for being with us. i'm kate snow. lester holt will be with you this weekend. we leave you with some of boston's fireworks moved up to last night because of the storm. from all of us at nbc news, have a great fourth. ♪ o'er the land of the free ♪ and the home of the brave

nbc bay area news starts now. right now at 6:00, the race to put out fast-moving flames. you're looking at two fires keeping crews very busy this fourth of july. one of them wiped out several homes in solano county. >> it's a holiday for many of us, but not for the firefighters. let's take you to solano county, our nbc chopper overhead where a small town has been hit very hard. several homes have been destroyed. this was a four-alarm fire this

afternoon. it has since been contained. but hotspots do remain. it broke out north of pittsburg. in a small town called it collins. at this time, crews remain on hand for flareups. we still don't know how this started. another fire near sacramento. this forced evacuations at cal expo and the nearby raging waters park. the four-alarm fire filled the air with thick, dark smoke. it's moving quickly along the shores of the american river and onto the cal expo property. this is notable because this is the site of the fireworks show tonight. as you saw, dry brush and high temperatures are really giving firefighters a lot of trouble. but tonight there is another concern on their list, and that is illegal fireworks.