that money to rebuild after the earthquake. >> so glad he won that. >> thanks for joining us here at 5:00, hope to see you back here at 6:00. on our broadcast tonight, what went wrong with hospital procedure? the questions now that a 26-year-old nurse is the latest ebola patient in the u.s. high alert as a violent storm system now moves across our country. it's already spawned tornadoes tonight. 40 million americans are in the path of this weather. behind closed doors. what happened today at the vatican that's being described as earth-shattering for the catholic church. and "making a difference." a place where one man's trash is treasure island for a lot of young creative minds. "nightly news" begins now. from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. good evening. and with another ebola patient now hospitalized, it's clearer than ever this monday night just how serious this ebola outbreak

is. today, the world health organization called the outbreak "the most severe acute health emergency seen in modern times." while they acknowledge that fear of ebola is spreading around the world faster than the virus itself, it has so far taken 4,000 lives. and in dallas, texas, another american is hospitalized with ebola, a young nurse who was exposed to it there, treating a patient who is now dead. it's where we begin tonight. nbc's kate snow is there. kate, good evening. >> reporter: brian, good evening to you. the cdc said today that the nurse is clinically stable but her family is understandably upset. this is a young woman we're learning who used to care for patients here at this hospital and is now a patient herself. her name is nina pham, a 26-year-old nurse. her friend tells nbc news her parents are struggling. >> the family is in shock

situation. they really don't know what to do. >> reporter: at her home today more hazmat teams removing barrels of waste. her dog was taken to a safe place. pham started running a low-grade fever on friday. she drove herself to the hospital? >> correct. her car is at the hospital or was at the hospital. we decontaminated the car. >> reporter: over the weekend smith's cleaning crew power-washed sidewalks where pham used to walk her dog. >> we want to do everything we could to make sure it wasn't there. >> reporter: neighbors received calls from the city meant to reassure them. >> precautions are already in place to clean all known potential areas of contact to ensure public health. >> reporter: today the cdc said it's doing a detailed investigation to try and determine how pham became infected while wearing protective gear. >> if this one individual was infected and we don't know how within the isolation unit, then it's possible that other individuals could have been infected as well. >> reporter: over the weekend freeze -- frieden said there was a breach in protocol at the hospital.

today he said he never meant to suggest it was the nurse's fault. >> i feel awful that a health care worker became infected in the care of an ebola patient. she was there trying to help the first patient survive. >> reporter: so far the cdc said they know of only one person who came into direct contact with pham and is being monitored. 48 are still being watched because they were around thomas eric duncan who died last week. duncan's apartment was also cleaned out. all items incinerated. >> the ash would pose absolutely no risk. >> reporter: there were plans to send that waste to louisiana, but today the attorney general there blocked six truckloads from coming into the state. so many americans on edge. kate snow, nbc news, dallas. >> reporter: this is peter alexander. the first case of ebola contracted in the u.s. is exposing critical gaps in the nation's health care system. how could a hospital nurse get infected with the deadly virus? and could it happen again? health experts insist without more hands-on preparation, yes. >> you actively reach out to the people who are going to be taking care of these individuals

and you help train them rather than relying on them just passively training themselves. >> reporter: the lead authority, the cdc, offers this basic diagram of a crucially important process -- how to put on and take off protective gear. but in real life it's complicated. nbc news recently observed a demonstration at emory university. >> we tape our first set of gloves on. >> reporter: it's a meticulous task where suiting up can take 20 minutes and a second worker watching every step. workers can be most at risk removing the equipment. emory is one of only four hospitals that have been training for years to treat diseases like ebola. but a patient could show up almost anywhere, even at a family doctor. >> if a patient comes in the evening when the health department is closed, how do i safely get that patient to the emergency room while exposing the least amount of people? >> reporter: nurse kelly recently cared for a hospital patient with a high fever who had been to west africa. >> i was just wearing the yellow gown, the mask that didn't cover my eyes and my gloves.

that's it. >> reporter: turns out that individual had malaria, not ebola. but there's growing concern from a national nurses group that says its members are not prepared. >> we want the direct training so that we can use the equipment prior to having to use it with a patient that actually has ebola. >> reporter: for the first time the cdc says it's considering the idea of transferring patients with ebola to one of those specially equipped hospitals which safely and successfully treated the first three americans with the disease, brian. >> peter alexander in washington. kate snow before that in dallas starting us off. thanks to you both. we have an update on our team tonight. our cameraman, ashoka mukpo is improving at the university of nebraska medical center. he is eating and drinking, sitting up in the hospital generally much better. and our chief medical editor, dr. nancy snyderman, has been in the news herself these past few days. we spoke with nancy earlier today during which time she said "while under voluntary quarantine guidelines which called for our team to avoid public contact for 21 days,

members of our group violated those guidelines and understand mandatory until 21 days have passed. we remain healthy and our temperatures are normal. as a health professional, i know that we have no symptoms and pose no risk to the public, but i am deeply sorry for the concerns this episode caused. we are thrilled that ashoka is getting better. and our thoughts continue to be with the thousands affected by ebola whose stories we all went to cover." now, in this country tonight, the subject of immediate concern to upwards of 40 million americans. a violent, already-deadly storm system looks like it's headed right up the mississippi river. it has spawned tornadoes already as it moves across the center of our country. the governor of louisiana's already declared a state of emergency there. the threat continues into tonight. weather channel meteorologist mike seidel is in ashtown,

arkansas, near the texas border. >> reporter: severe weather tore through the south today. hurricane force wind gusts ripped through homes, uprooted trees and downed power lines. >> we've got several tornado warnings. >> reporter: this time lapse video shows the line as it barrelled into southern arkansas. a confirmed ef-2 tornado cut a line of destruction near the town of ashdown, overturning tractor-trailers and destroying buildings. a father of three was killed when he and his wife were thrown from their home. their children were trapped under the debris. >> their mother is in intensive care right now, but she's stable. and their father didn't make it. >> reporter: in monroe, louisiana, tens of thousands of people are powerless tonight after a possible tornado. heavy damage was reported at the university of louisiana campus, and a gas leak forced a high school to be evacuated. in texas, lightning ignited fires in an oil well and nearby homes. late today in illinois several homes were destroyed in the

belleville area. tonight tornado watches stretch from indianapolis to new orleans. there will be more wind damage. watch out in nashville in the next few hours, and risk of more flash flooding and wind damage tomorrow morning before rush hour those storms roll into atlanta. again, tomorrow we could see a few more tornadoes. more wind damage, more power knocked out and more flash flooding. brian, for the first time in october in five years in the country this was the first october tornado death in five years. and in this county this is only the second tornado fatality since 1950. brian? >> mike seidel in southwestern arkansas for us tonight. mike, thanks. in ferguson, missouri, police arrested another 19 people today as three days of protests culminated there. the reason for it all, enduring anger over the shooting death of 18-year-old michael brown, now over two months ago. after several weeks of relative calm, protesters and police are facing off in the streets, those same streets all over again. nbc's ron allen is there for us tonight.

♪ ♪ we are marching in the light of god ♪ >> reporter: today in a driving rainstorm the culmination of what organizers called a weekend of resistance. >> hands up! >> don't shoot! >> reporter: protesters converge on ferguson police headquarters demanding justice for michael brown, the unarmed teenager killed by a police officer two months ago, and others they see as victims of police violence. >> there's too much impunity. how do things change if people don't stand up? >> reporter: police drew a line they did not want crossed. how do you keep this calm? what do you do? >> they're just praying. let them pray. >> reporter: perhaps the largest demonstrations in decades in st. louis. a crowd of several thousand this weekend. later, clashes with police and more than a dozen arrests. overnight st. louis university was occupied for several hours. >> are you denying us access to a public building? >> reporter: today, more arrests. the marchers, including

prominent activist cornell west, saying they wanted to enter headquarters to meet the police chief. a demonstration for some four and a half hours. significant, say the protesters, offended it took police that long to remove michael brown's body from the street. tonight, police in riot gear remain on guard outside the ferguson police headquarters. several weeks before the grand jury decides whether to indict officer darren wilson in michael brown's death. several more weeks of tension and anxiety here in ferguson. >> ron allen in ferguson for us tonight, ron, thanks. overseas we have a dangerous and changeable situation in iraq where isis is now reported to be within eight miles of the baghdad airport. they've also reportedly now taken more than a third of the key syrian city of kobani after intense fighting there and despite repeated u.s. air strikes. meantime, hanging in the balance of course the life of american peter kassig held hostage by isis. his parents in an interview with nbc's peter alexander from their

home in indianapolis, reveal they last heard from their son in an audo message about a week ago now, where he said he feared his time was running out. parents both said opening up a dialogue with isis has been almost impossible. there is news from the vatican tonight widely described today as something of an earthquake for the catholic church. it involves a global gathering of bishops including the pope held behind closed doors in what could be a dramatic shift in the church's thinking on the acceptance of gays and separately how to minister to divorced and remarried kacatho s catholics. nbc's ann thompson covers the vatican for us and has our report. >> reporter: the francis effect, and his vision of a more inclusive church embraced today by the catholic bishop. in a statement one observer describes the church thinking outloud, the bishops take a merciful tone to disaffected catholics, writing, "homosexuals have gifts to offer to the community but reiterating the

church's opposition to same-sex marriage. on the contentious issue of divorce and re-married catholics, it urged new pastoral path. to reach those who feel separated from the church because they can't receive communion. >> an indication the church is listening and wants to reach out to these people. and call them home. >> reporter: following the example of pope francis, marrying 20 couples at the vatican last month. some who had already lived together, one couple even have a child. last year famously saying about a gay person -- [ speaking in a foreign language ] -- who am i to judge. >> we must respect the dignity of every person. an ancient religion grappling with modern life. ann thompson, nbc news, new york. here in new york today the rough ride on wall street continues after a volatile week. the dow finished the start of the new week down 223. nasdaq, s&p down as well. still ahead for us on a monday night, the scandal that has shocked an entire town as a major source of pride is now

makimaking national headlines a for all the wrong reasons. and later it was a hot night in the pits. a big fight with a national television audience watching.

this time of year friday nights mean high school football all across our country. and for a high school football powerhouse in new jersey, there will be no title shot this year. in fact, no games at all. the season's been called off amid allegations of hazing on the team. but over the weekend it became

clear that a canceled season may be the least of the penalties these players face. nbc's stephanie gosk has the story. >> reporter: the town of sayreville, new jersey, is soul searching. the high school football team that made it so proud, now exposed under a harsh national spotlight. >> it's horrific. it's totally horrific. that's not what this borough is all about. >> reporter: seven of the players ages 15 to 17 are facing criminal charges, including aggravated sexual assault and criminal restraint. news reports say in one case upper classmen allegedly pinned a freshman player down before sexually assaulting him. because the students are minors, school officials say they were only given limited details. >> there were acts of harassment and intimidation of bullying at a pervasive wide scale level. >> reporter: last week before charges were filed the superintendent canceled the football season, triggering

immediate anger among parents who still didn't know the charges. >> these kids are going through a lot right now. you guys had no respect for us as parents -- >> football means everything here. and you can tell by the outrage of the parents. >> reporter: matthew is a local reporter. >> football is huge here. sayreville has won three state championships the past four years. anywhere you go in town you see cars with logos and pennants and stickers on back. >> reporter: on sunday hundreds of parents and friends came out to rally for the victims. >> kids were violated. and a football season is nothing compared to the pain and hurt that they probably will have to go through for the rest of their lives. >> reporter: tonight, the seven arrested students are suspended. and there are calls for the coach and his staff to be fired. the superintendent says the board has launched its own investigation into the entire athletic program. stephanie gosk, nbc news, sayreville, new jersey. quick break for us. we're back in a moment with the story behind an incredible image captured right at the speed of sound.

it was a hot time on saturday night at charlotte motor speedway. as stock car racing fans know, on big tracks and small tempers flare just about every weekend. and as the nascar championship looms and the season winds down, the big boys are no different. kevin harvick won the race, but a fight started on the track continued in the pits between two transporters as matt kenseth and brad keselowski went at it. chicago center is back up and running after an arson fire knocked out the faa routing facility and after so many flights were either canceled or re-routed as recently as last night and this morning. tonight after a lot of hard work the center is once again handling the routing of high altitude flights across a whole region of our country. every so often someone captures this moment on film. when they do, it's worth sharing. this is what it looks like when a jet aircraft flies at the speed of sound. this particular image shot by retired air force master

sergeant joseph royals, who spent five years chasing this image of an f-18 creating a vertical vapor cone in its wake. reminded us of this dandy shot a few years back, as the same thing happened during takeoff to the shuttle "endeavor." it was known to the locals in maryland as the cozy restaurant. and it was famous for being a place where official visitors to nearby camp david would stop along the way. well, business has been tough. and the cozy has closed. today, they auctioned off everything inside the restaurant including mementos relating to some of the more famous visitors over the years, from ike to fdr, churchill to cronkite and a bearskin rug, the original wearer of which was said to be shot by president herbert hoover. and a man in torrence, california has been reunited with his gray african parrot. he reported nigel missing four

years ago. at the time of nigel's disappearance the bird spoke english in a clipped british accent. when nigel was returned, he was using spanish phrases and kept mentioning some guy named larry. well, it turns out nigel showed up at another family's house. he lived with them for a few years. they finally tracked down the original owners with the help of a microship implanted in nigel, who picked up a few things during his sabbatical. when we come back, what you throw away today these kids could turn into art a few years later.

in tonight's making a difference report, cultivating our next generation of modern artists. in a lot of school systems these days the moment money gets tight, it's arts education programs that are often cut first. but one group has found a solution doesn't cost teachers anything, for the reasons you're about to see. our report tonight from nbc's katy tur. >> reporter: on an ordinary block, in an ordinary building, something magical is in the works. aisles and aisles of castoff items ready for a new shot at life, all available for free to new york city public school teachers and all intended to spark ideas in young minds.

these second graders are studying architecture and toured material for the arts warehouse. remember these? well, with a little packing tape and a lot of ingenuity, they're being transformed into houses. >> it's like a little lamp right here. >> put a flag up here. >> this is more awesome than buying a million video games. >> reporter: so what can you get here? how about a cardboard tube? pom-poms? in orange or green. an office chair. or the perfect button. everything here is donated, much of it from tv shows, fashion empires, big businesses and even museums. >> we don't get a lot of money for our materials. and it's expensive for kids and teachers to bring it in. >> reporter: he teaches art in harlem. >> this is a three-dollar sheet of paper.

there's a thousand of them right here. that's $3,000 of paper. schools don't have that kind of money. they just don't have it. >> >> reporter: run by the new york city department of cultural affairs. harriet has been at the helm for 16 years. >> every teacher has needs, everybody has stuff. you're just putting them together. pretty simple, put it together. you have things you need, you need it. we are like the matchmakers of stuff. >> reporter: a lifeline for creativity where anything is possible. >> wow, look at that. >> reporter: katy tur, nbc news, new york. >> that is our broadcast on a monday night as we start off a new week. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams reporting tonight from new york, where, as of tonight, the rink is open out back behind our place. we hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. goodnight.

ready to take every precaution. south bay officials tonight considering measures to prevent the spread of ebola. we'll show you the new specialized tool that could soon be on the front lines here. good evening and thanks for joining us. i'm jessica aguirre. >> i'm raj mathai. despite taking several precautions, a nurse in dallas contracted the deadly virus. the question though continues to be asked across the country. how can local hospitals better prevent the spread of ebola? tonight, santa clara county is taking the offensive. marianne favro is in san jose

with the details. >> reporter: raj, the county has already asked paramedics and firefighters to do more, including wearing more protective gear and asking very specific questions of patients. rule metro ambulances serve more than 2 million people in santa clara county. put before responding to calls for help, paramedics make sure their ambulances are stocked with critical weapons to protect against the ebola virus. including this infection control kit. they also have impermeable gowns, protective eyewear, and special masks. tools they typically carry but the current ebola virus outbreak is prompting even more pragues. >> we've asked every ambulance provider and spirs responder to switch to using breach-based disinfect ants who are effective not only against ebola but other viruses and bacteria