classrooms in a short time. a few moments and head to the football field here. this of course as you mentioned is one of thousands of schoolsc that are expected to do the same across the country. over the next several hours. organizers say there are more than 3,000 planned protests across the country. now this is touched off a fierce debate among teachers and parents across the country. not just at high schools like this one, but also middle schools, even elementary schools. some educators are trying to grapple with the question of how young is too young to protest. now there have been many supporters across the country. they're viewing this as a teachable moment. some asking the students to write essays on why they should go out and protest. as part of, of this teachable moment as they see it. but opponents say that this is a bad idea, some parents saying that politics should not be injected into the classroom. school district in new jersey as well as one in maryland are threatening to discipline students with even suspensions

if they do walk out of class. but here at marjory stoneman douglas, this is viewed as a way of honoring the 17 lives lost. students are expected to come out here for 17 minutes, honoring those lives that were lost. exactly one month ago today. and savannah, emotions are still raw here in broward county, florida. this as prosecutors have just announced that they will seek the death penalty against the confessed gunman here. he is expected in court here in broward county later today. now student activists in addition to the walkouts today are also planning a nationwide march on washington for ten days from now. savannah? >> and as we are listening to you, gabe, you are much with aing what's happening in parkland, florida, we have our cameras trained on sceneses around the country. right now. 10:00 a.m., many students in schools walking out in protest. and they're all observing in different ways. let's go to nbc's ron allen who is out on long island here in new york.

ron what are you seeing there? >> well savannah, we are seeing hundreds and hundreds of students walking out of great neck high school north. it's a school of about 1,000 pupils. and every student that we talked to this morning said they were going to take part in this. it's hard to stay in your seat when so many of your classmates are going to be involved in this. it's important to point out that these are student-organized events. really powered by social media. school administrators have been trying to essentially stay out of the way, make this a positive, organized experience. you can see here on the lawn in front of the school, they are, they set up a podium. they're going to read off the names of the 17 students and staff who were killed down in florida. and then they're going to go back into the classroom, they're going to try to make this minimally disruptive. because again, these protests are to be positive. and they don't want to be disruptive. they want to send a positive message about activism. and they're going to do some voter registration out here.

they're going to try to organize registering people so that this protest also has a political dimension to it for years and years to come. many students are below age 18, but they're still going to try to do that. clearly the message here is about the need for gun safety. is the language, not gun control, so much as gun safety. these students were just devastated and really moved by what they saw happen downing in florida. and for many of them, this is a really, really big day. this is probably the first time that many of them are going to really take a stand and publicly do some kind of activist protest. and as has been pointed out, they're technically breaking school rules, because you're supposed to stay in school. so you could be disciplined. they're scattered reports of that happening, or threats of that happening around the country. but here, the administrators have been supportive. and as you can see, they're still coming out. we expect just about all the 1,000 students here to join in this movement. >> ron, keep us posted on what you're witting there.

we want to go down south, katie beck outside lakeside high school in atlanta. and katie, i can see behind you you have a lot of students, a lot of them wearing orange, who have walked out of their classrooms. >> that's right, savannah. just a few minutes ago, hundreds of students coming outside here. this is a high school of 2200 students. all of them will have the opportunity today to participate in this event. as you can see many carrying signs, many wearing those t-shirts. have an organized event here today. and ironically, this entire national event was started by a woman who lives just a few miles from here, in decatur, georgia, a mother of a 13-year-old who came up with this idea. started talking to parents in the carpool line about what can we do to get congress to take more action? to put more measures in place for gun control? a lot of parents here as well, standing on the sidewalk, watching the children as they come out. and school administrators here in atlanta feel they're very positively about this.

they do feel it's a teaching moment. this is a moment of civic engagement, where students are learning to use their first amendment rights theemplt supposed to be out here for 17 minutes, symbolic for the 17 victims of the parkland shooting. they're going to have speeches and be out here rallying for the next hour or so, i imagine. school administrators say they expect it to take many longer than 17 minutes to get 2200 students in and out of the school building. but here in atlanta we know that at least 60 schools that will be participating today in organized walkout. and as you can see, quite a lot of energy and demonstration behind me as this gets started. savannah? >> katie beck in atlanta, thank you. as we are on the air, we are seeing this protest scene being repeated in schools across the country. and planned for 10:00 a.m. local time so as the time zones shift westward, you'll see these walkouts, we expect in schools across the country. march 24th is the date that many of these student activists say

they will go to washington and march. that is all we have at this moment. if you want more information on these protests, nbc news.com is the place. msnbc continues to cover it. for most of you, there's more of "today" straight ahead. i'm savannah guthrie in new york. this has been an nbc news special report. we are back at 7:06 on the west coast. 10:06 in new york city and we have more to get to in this half hour. several major stories breaking overnight. including a stunning political upset. nbc news has declaring democrat conor lamb the apparent winner of pennsylvania's closely watched special congressional election. it happened in a strong republican district that the president had carried by 20 points. and the results were razor thin. nbc's kasie hunt has the latest after being up all night. good morning. >> savannah, good morning to you.

this was an incredible nail-biter overnight. it was county by county, precinct by precinct. but this is a place that voted for president trump by over 20 points and then a democrat really never should have been able to win. right here in the heart of trump country. >> it took a little longer than we thought, but we did it. >> democrat conor lamb with a stunning upset over republican rick saccone. >> we didn't take a single vote for granted. rick saccone is a competitor and they were going to make this a real fight and we were more than willing to make it a real fight ourselves. i'm proud of my team. >> nbc declaring the candidate the apparent winner early this morning in a western pennsylvania district that backed president trump by 20 points in 2016. >> we need republicans. the whole world, remember that, they're all watching. this is a very important race. >> the president even traveling to pennsylvania, in the campaign's final weekend.

>> conor lamb, lamb the sham, right? lamb the sham. he's trying to act like a republican, so he gets, he won't give me one vote. >> lamb's opponent hitting democrats hard in the final days of the campaign. >> they have a hatred for our president. i tell you, many of them have a hatred for our country. and i'll tell you some more. my wife and i saw it again today, they have a hatred for god. >> but lamb won, anyway in a very close race, campaigning as a moderate on guns and opposing democratic leader nancy pelosi. potentially giving democrats a blueprint for winning back voters they lost in 2016. do democrats in washington understand what working-class americans need right now? >> i believe they do. i believe they really do. the ones that i've talked to that's who our party has always been. and we're definitely getting back to that now. >> and republicans are now weighing a legal challenge to the vote-counting in this race. because it was so close. but back in washington,

republicans also worried about hanging onto the house in those mid-term elections. they met this morning on capitol hill and their leaders gave them a message -- you better be working really hard or we could lose it all. savannah? >> kasie hunt, thank you. breaking at this hour, the war of words over the russian spy poisoning case is intensifying. britain's prime minister firing back at moscow after russian officials rejected her midnight deadline to explain what happened. nbc's tammy lightner is live with the latest on that, good morning. >> good morning, savannah. this is a very bold move sending a strong message to russia -- britain is expelling 23 russian diplomats. the single biggest expulsion since the cold war. now the british prime minister theresa may, made the announcement less than an hour ago. to the british parliament. saying russia expressed disdain by refusing to meet the deadline she set last night. demanding some type of

explanation for the attack in salisbury. now nine days ago, former double agent sergey skripal and his daughter were poisoned with something called novochek. it was a nerve agent developed in the soviet union in the 1970s, designed to do irreparable damage to the body, it's not been used in the european union since world war ii. the prime minister announcing russia's silence shows an unlawful use of force and that the russian diplomats have only a week to leave britain. now she also announced a range of economic and diplomatic measures that include all high-level contracts with russia will be canceled. now russia continues to deny having anything to do with the attacks. and russia's ambassador to britain warned london this morning that reciprocal measures will be taken if russian diplomats were expelled. savannah? >> tammy, thank you very much. also breaking overnight,

tributes are pouring in for legendary physicist and author, stephen hawking. the 76-year-old died this morning after a life of discoveries that changed the way we look at the universe and a battle against als that inspired us. nbc's kier simmons is in london with the latest. >> hoda, good morning. the tributes coming from fellow scientists from world leaders, even from hollywood, from a man who inspired with his determination, exploring the universe from his wheelchair. >> i'm as could mol gist. i study the marriage of space and time. >> long before eddie redmayne's oscar-winning portrayal of him with his unique, computer-generated voice. >> my name is tooechb hawking. >> and playing himself on "the big bang theory." >> professor hawking, it's an honor and a privilege to meet you, sir.

>> i know. >> british physicist stephen hawking exploded on the world stage with some big it theories of his own. "a brief theory of time" turning complex mat near general information. un nighting the two great theories of the universe, relativity and quantum theory. born in 1942 in oxford, england. hawking wasn't a whiz kid in the classroom growing up and didn't get study about his studies until his college years in cambridge. he emerged himself in cosmology and was diagnosed with als, lou gehrig's disease, the debilitating disorder robbing him of mow bibbility. >> my illness has meant that i cannot use pencil and paper, so i have to do things in my head. >> his mind birks then,

boundless. his quest to explore and experience, insatiable. including this 2007 zero gravity flight. the greatest enemy of knowledge, is not ignorance, he once famously surmised, it is the illusion of knowledge. hawking concluded our universe began about 15 billion years ago, with a big bang. time starting simultaneously. ultimately, the universe will collapse, he argued. while time marches on. until the end. >> there's nothing like the thrill when you discover something no one knew before. >> given just two years to live after falling ill at age 21, stephen hawking packed an incredible lifetime of achievement in the decades that followed. beating the odds. heartfelt tributes coming thick and fast this morning. "the big bang theory" cast saying in loving memory of stephen hawking, it was ass an honor to have him on "the big bang theory." thank you for inspiring us and the world.

his daughter lucy, posting to facebook. the best and the bravest, good-bye to my beloved father, who changed the world. >> it was that combination of overcoming personal adversity and his incredible brain that meant that, savannah, he touched people's souls, he would say look up at the stars, not down at your feet. >> always good advice. timeless advice, keir, thank you very much. now to washington, where there is new fallout over the president's unceremonious firing of secretary of state rex tillerson. and there's word that the cabinet shake-up may not be over. nbc's andrea mitchell joins us with the latest. >> the secretary of state sacked as you point out on twitter. the firing of the former exxonmobil ceo the most dramatic yet in a string of high-profile administration departures. >> good afternoon, all. >> after months of speculation, this morning secretary of state rex tillerson is out. >> i received a call today from the president of the united states.

a little after noon time from air force. >> the former oil executive fired by the president. their relationship broken beyond repair after more than a year of public clashes and a lack of chemistry. >> rex is a very good man. i like rex a lot. i really appreciate his commitment to the service. rex and i have been talking about this for a long time. we, we got along actually quite well. but we disagreed on things. >> most notably, tillerson tried to save the iran nuclear deal. promote diplomacy with north korea when the president was taunting kim jong un as little rocket man. but tillerson's sin was calling the president a moron in front of other trump officials, an insult two sources tell nbc news the president never forgave. an emotional tillerson not thanking the president when he left. >> i'll now return to private life as a private citizen. as a proud american, proud of the opportunity i've had to

serve my country. >> aides tell nbc news tillerson had every intention of staying on the job. despite new warnings from john kelly this weekend as the secretary was in africa, that the president wanted him out. returning to washington at 4:00 a.m. tuesday, aides say tillerson was blind-sided by the trump tweet announcing his dismissal. tillerson's replacement if confirmed, c.i.a. director mike pompeo, a former tea party congressman. graduate of west point and harvard law, who had become a favorite of president trump's delivering the daily intelligence briefing in person. pompeo would give the state department a fresh start. but would he be willing to challenge the volatile commander-in-chief? the other big change? mr. trump's nomination of c.i.a. veteran gina haspel to replace pompeo. she would be the first woman to lead the agency. highly respected there, but as the former head of covert operations, she likely face as controversial confirmation. for carrying out bush white house orders to waterboard

detainees in secret prisons. if confirmed as secretary, pompeo will be home alone. tillerson leaves a hollowed-out department. 38 key maximums not appointed. 16 key secretary vacancies and undersecretaries vacant. more staff shakeups are expected in the wake of the upcoming talks with kim jong un. a may deadline on the iran nuclear deal and the president threatening a trade war. savannah? >> andrea in washington, thank you very much. the president was met by supporters and protests on tuesday during his first visit to california since taking office. overnight, demonstrators chanted and waved signs outside the president's hotel in downtown l.a. urging him to rethink his proposed u.s./mexico border wall. the rallies prompted extra security and road closures in the area. hours earlier, the president was in san diego looking at eight border wall prototypes. he reinforced his belief that a wall is necessary to maintain law and order in the united states.

it is 7:17 on the west coast. let's get a first look at the west coast weather. hi, al. >> hey, good morning savannah and as we look at today's weather, let's start in seattle, as you can see the skyline gorgeous there. courtesy of our friends at king 5 in seattle. a cloudy day, and we're going to be looking at some moisture making its way in before long. but in the meantime, we've got portland looking at 52 degrees. they'll have some showers as well. san jose looking at wet weather, another big system comes in. that's just the beginning of rounds of storms. san diego, partly sunny, 64. tucson looking good, 84 degrees, colorado springs at 67. and salt lake city looking at showers as well. now let's look at the temperatures going on, right now, we've got cooler weather along the west coast. san francisco, high today of 55, that's eight degrees below average. l.a., only 62, 10 degrees cooler. medford, at 51, that's seven degrees cooler. thursday, look at las vegas.

you can bet they're not used to 63 degrees this time of year. san diego still cool. monterey, 55 and reno, minus 12. heading into the weekend, temperatures taking a downward trend, phoenix, only 68 degrees, los angeles you stay in the upper 50s to low 60s. san francisco, double nickels for the weekend and portland does this map show the peninsula trail? you won't find that on a map. i'll take you there. take this left. if you listen real hard you can hear the whales. oop. you hear that? (vo) our subaru outback lets us see the world. sometimes in ways we never imagined. (avo) get 0% apr financing on all-new 2018 subaru outback models. now through april 2nd. good wednesday morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. tracking some scattered showers across the bay area this morning.

even though we all step out the door and it's pretty wet out there, we're still in this unsettled weather pattern and some more rain will be moving in as this cluster of rain approaches the bay area within the next couple of hours. i think by 10:00 we will have some rain and we will be moving through mostly light rain and it will be off and on throughout the day, it tapers off tonight and our temperatures today stay only in the 50s. >> and that's your latest weather. guys? >> all right, al. >> thank you, al. just ahead, united airlines under fire after attendant asks a puppy's owner to place it in the overhead pin and the newly revealed gender pay gap on the set of the hit show the crown that is sparking outrage, but first, this is today on nbc. arking so. first, this is "today" on nbc.

coming up, walmart just

found a new way to take on amazon when it comes to online groceries. maybe you'll be the big winner. no spoilers, spoilers, ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ c(puppy barks) you can do it duck. hurry up duck! you can do it duck. iams. helps keep your dog healthy at every stage. so you can always look forward to what's next. ...with floral fusion oil. for caressable soft skin... ...indulge in the rich lather... ...and delicate scent.

pamper yourself. [background music] get caressably soft skin. with caress. surprise! get carehold up.oft skin. we got a laggy video call here. hey, try the new samsung galaxy s9 on verizon unlimited. the best network for streaming. okay, let's take it back from "surpri--" (avo) switch to the best unlimited on the most awarded network, and get up to $500 off the samsung galaxy s9. ♪ ♪ a hilton getaway means you get more because you get a break on breakfast get an extra day by the pool get to spend more time together get more from your spring break getaway with exclusive hilton offers. book yours, only at hilton.com only tylenol® rapid release gels

have laser drilled holes. they release medicine fast, for fast pain relief. tylenol® and made it liberating. we took safe... and made it daring. we took intelligent, and made it utterly irresistible. we took the most advanced e-class ever... and made the most exciting e-class ever. the 2018 e-class coupe and sedan.

lease the e300 sedan for $569 a month at your local mercedes-benz dealer. mercedes-benz. the best or nothing. a live look in parkland florida good morning, it's 7:26. i'm marcus washington. a live look in parkland, florida, where eye school students walked out at the top of the hour. you can see a reporter speaking with one of the students or even a parent there walking in protest with those students. many students in the bay area today will hold their own walkouts, this is at 10:00 pacific time. now, oakland unified school district says it fully supports the weakout, but students are being asked to stay on campus. milpitas high school students were initially told their participation would mean an unexcused absence but school leaders have since backtracked. the milpitas walkout is expected to be brief and supervised by staff members. today they will be met with wet weather. >> we will start to see

scattered rain mopping up around the bay area. right now we are seeing some rain that we've been tracking on storm ranger mobile doppler radar moving into san francisco, the peninsula and parts of the east bay. san jose right now dry but there is this disturbance moving closer that will bring a round of light rain right into time for those students to walk out of the classroom. by 10:00 we will see some pretty good amounts of rain covering areas mostly south of the golden gate bridge and we will see this off and on throughout the day. tapering off later on tonight. let's head over to mike for an update on the commute. we are looking at your radar readouts, there is scattered points of where you might get a little bit of rain, but not really affecting the flow of traffic. i should say not for the most part. we did see this area right here 580 westbound north out of san leandro and toward oakland, it got slower as that rain came through. here is your travel times, 35 minutes from 238. the nimitz is faster right now.

looking toward the south bay with a slower build. typical. back to you. >> i will have another local news update in half an hour.

back now, 7:30 on a wednesday morning. march 14, 2018. >> we're going to stop this half our with the election. including the upset. >> surprise victory. >> took a little longer than we thought, but we did it. >> nbc news declares democrat conner lamb the apparent winner over republican in that closely watched congressional race in pennsylvania. >> they overwhelmingly want me to work with the president where it benefits us here in west pennsylvania, i'll be more than happy to do that. >> completely new way of looking at the universe. beyond the stars, tributes pouring in for famed author and scientist stephen hawking who passed away overnights at the

age of 76. physicist beating the odds his entire life after being diagnosed with als more than 50 years ago. >> he wanted a theory of everything. two great theories of the universe, relativity and quantum theory. searching for answers. family of one of the victims killed in new york city chopper crash files a lawsuit against the pilot and the helicopter company as investigators continue to look for clues behind that accident. race to the finish. all smiles for finland as scandinavian country places first in world happiness report. as for the u.s., in 18th place. kickoff. march madness officially underway. upsetting cle ting college hoop house ucla. beating liu brooklyn to advance to the round of 64.

today wednesday, march 14, 2018. >> a little time to do your bracket. >> still got time. >> now to a story sparking a lot of outrage. a dog died aboard united airlines plane monday after flight attendant told the animal's owner to place dog in the overhead bin. this morning, both the family and airline are speaking out. nbc's tom costello has the story for us this morning, tom, good morning. >> reporter: good morning. this family seemed to be following the company's policy when flying with the dog. paid the $200 fee to fly the animal. confined to carrier and placed underneath the seat in front of them. now united under fire after family's flight ended instead tragedy for their new puppy. >> this morning, sadness and deep regret after beloved family pet died on board a united airlines flight. was traveling from houston to new york with her 11-year-old daughter, two month old son and

french bulldog puppy named kokoito. initially placed underneath the seat in front of them. flight attendant told them to move the case to overhead bin. held him up there and closed it like it was a bag. >> a birthday gift remained in the bin. told the flight attendant the dog was in the carrier. >> she was lining itke it's a ds a dog, we have to put it up there. >> passengers say they heard the puppy barking while in the air, but after the plane landed the dog was unresponsive. >> my mom got up and took goth the bag and she took him out and was like wake up and he didn't. >> the gruesome discovery horrifying other passengers. >> horrible now because now i'm thinking about hearing that dog and not knowing that it was needing help. >> the flight attendant's union said they are trained no the to

put animals in overhead bins. >> our procedures are to instruct pet owners to put their pets underneath the seat in front of them. never in an overhead bin. there's not a single flight attendant out there who can understand why this would happen. >> according to united's policy on incabin pets animals must fit completely under the seat in front of the customer and remain there at all times. in a statement united said it's investigating calling it a tragic answer that never should have occurred. adding we resume full responsibility and express deepest condolences and are committed to supporting them. >> said they've offered them must prove a money and they've turned down. they want to share their experience so others don't have to go through the same loss. >> awful when you think about putting your dog on the plane. thinking you've done everything right. >> tom, keep us posted on this.

thank you very much. head over to al for latest on the forecast. >> the west coast is not immune to storm systems. we're watching the pineapple express. starting in hawaiian island making its way to the west coast. southern part of california. we're expecting round after round of storms to continue to plague the west coast. widespread. mountain snows and systems keep going right on into the weekend. rainfall totals through friday generally anywhere from 1-3 inches of rain with a little bit less when you're looking at debris flow through southern california. the good news is the sierra mountains see a decedent amount of snow out of this. upwards of five feet making travel very difficult. that's good news when they get to spring and summer for snow melt and water we're trying to make up from that rainfall deficit. as we use storm ranger to track spotty showers around the bay area this morning we are seeing some rain moving through san

francisco, also for spotty areas along the peninsula and into the east bay. our rain will become lighter and a little bit more widespread as we go through late morning as this disturbance moves in. as it moves into the bay area we will see some rain and also some -- a few pockets of some heavy downpours that will taper off later this evening. and that's your latest weather. >> and that's your latest weather. guys? >> al, thank you. just ahead this morning, how you could benefit from a bold, new move from walmart overnight in its quest to take on amazon. in your first sneak peek, john legend and sara bareilles in a sneak peek of "jesus christ superstar." and the major companies under ware for allegedly targeting young customers. >> first, a salary not fit for a queen. queen. the ♪ ("a bushel and a peck" by doris day) ♪ (whispering) i'm on the phone!

♪ towel please! (laughing) ♪ while other insurance companies just see a house, state farm sees the home you've worked really hard for. so why not give it the protection it deserves. state farm. ♪ (a voby daft punk is heard bettethroughout.) (sound of typing) (sound of exhaling)

(sound of drilling) jimmy (shouting): james! brand vo: the world's largest workforce works for themselves. we work for them. quickbooks. backing you. (vo) more "dper rollres for mom" bounty is more absorbent, so the roll can last 50% longer than the leading ordinary brand. so you get more "life" per roll. bounty the quicker picker upper essential for vinyl, but maybe not for people with rheumatoid arthritis.

because there are options. like an "unjection™". xeljanz xr. a once daily pill for adults with moderate to severe ra for whom methotrexate did not work well. xeljanz xr can reduce pain, swelling and further joint damage, even without methotrexate. xeljanz xr can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. serious, sometimes fatal infections, lymphoma and other cancers have happened. don't start xeljanz xr if you have an infection. tears in the stomach or intestines, low blood cell counts and higher liver tests and cholesterol levels have happened. your doctor should perform blood tests before you start and while taking xeljanz xr, and monitor certain liver tests. tell your doctor if you were in a region where fungal infections are common and if you have had tb, hepatitis b or c, or are prone to infections. needles. a must for vinyl. but for you, one pill a day may provide symptom relief. ask your doctor about xeljanz xr. an "unjection™". ifwhat would it say?ash tag 80% glowing 50% freckles

no matter your skin type, all skin deserves gentleness. that's why dove is sulfate free. the #1 body wash recommended by dermatologists. women are amazing. our bodies grow babies. we run marathons, companies, solve problems. how? we eat. we eat strawberries, almonds, and protein; chocolate, whole grains, and iron. we eat food that's made for us to power us, power our strength. we eat. and we own it. special k. and try new nourish berries & peaches with probiotics.

we're back. 7:40. there's a new pay gap controversy rocking hollywood. >> this time, one of netflix most acclaimed shows. sheinelle jones is here. >> this is getting a lot of buzz. the #metoo movement has emboldened women to speak up about issues they face at work. the latest would appear to be a royal snub, when "the crown's" claire foy, was paid less than her male co-star. >> i learned more in the past few weeks than i hoped i would in a lifetime. >> reporter: sometimes, life imitates art. in the latest example of regal pay discrepancies, producers of the netflix series, quali"the c" that chronicles the life of queen elizabeth ii, acknowledged its queen, claire foy, was making less than its prince, max smith.

>> are you my wife or my queen? >> i'm both. >> reporter: netflix would not confirm salaries. but producers on a panel tuesday, acknowledged that foy earned less than her co-star. smith made more because of his previous work on "dr. who." moving forward, they said, no one gets paid more than the queen. netflix had no comment. hollywood has traditionally paid women less, in part because pay chu structure is on projects. that doesn't explain why michelle williams was making less than $1,000 for "all the money in the world," while her co-star was paid $1.5 million. wahlberg has donateded that money. neither smith nor foy have spoken about the disparity. >> i think what's happened in the past six months has been

absolutely pivotal in a change around the world, about women's views and their position in society. >> reporter: on monday, 180 female executives announced the launch of times up advertising. the mission, according to the website, is to avoid discrimination and drive new policies. as of january 1st, california law has banned employers about previous pay, in an effort to close the gender wage gap. >> yes, i am queen. but i'm also a woman. >> foy took home a golden globe and was nominated for an emmy for her role. it's unlike that she will benefit in the claim for top pay. the role is being recast for seasons three and four. >> it's moving forward in time. they need an older actress. my gosh. as a "crown" viewer i'm outraged. >> she is phenomenal in that role. >> she rules it.

>> she's in practically every scene. >> she is the queen. >> except for on payday. coming up next, the new way coming up next, the new way that walmart is deyou were persecuted,, and forced to flee the country of your birth. but you started a new life in a brand new world. when i built my ancestry family tree, i found your story... then, my dna test helped me reclaim the portuguese citizenship you lost. i'm joshua berry, and this is my ancestry story. combine ancestry's dna test and historical records to discover your story. get started for free at ancestry.com alright, i brought in high protein to help get us moving. ...and help you feel more strength and energy in just two weeks! i'll take that. -yeeeeeah! ensure high protein. with 16 grams of protein and 4 grams of sugar. ensure. always be you. i had a very minor fender bender tonight!

in an unreasonably narrow fast food drive thru lane. but what a powerful life lesson. and don't worry i have everything handled. i already spoke to our allstate agent, and i know that we have accident forgiveness. which is so smart on your guy's part. like fact that they'll just... forgive you... four weeks without the car. okay, yup. good night. with accident forgiveness your rates won't go up just because of an accident. switching to allstate is worth it. ifwhat would it say?ash tag 80% glowing 50% freckles no matter your skin type, all skin deserves gentleness. that's why dove is sulfate free. the #1 body wash recommended by dermatologists. today, right now, you have more power

at your fingertips than entire generations that came before you. but it's not really about what technology can do, it's about what you can do with it. we are living in the future we always dreamed of. we have mixed reality that changes how we see the world, and ai empowering us to change the world we see. so what will you do with it? i'm going on a targetrun. you need anything?pers. toilet paper, cereal... maybe some chew toys? [ dog barks ] got it! get low prices today and every day. targetrun and done. starburst? juicedratic equation... super top-secret mathematical formula they keep stored inside a safe... inside a vault... inside a volcano. ohh..."juicedratics." [ female announcer ] starburst. unexplainably juicy. brushing only reaches 25% of your mouth. ohh..."juicedratics." listerine® cleans virtually 100%.

helping to prevent gum disease and bad breath. never settle for 25%. always go for 100. bring out the bold™ whatever their sensitive skin get it out with all free clear. only all is the #1 recommended brand by dermatologists... and 100% free of perfumes and dyes. try it now! all free clear. the #1 recommended brand for sensitive skin. use pantene shampoo together with 3 minute miracle daily conditioner. their pro-v formula is like a multi-vitamin. making your hair 2x stronger see the difference when you add 3 minute miracle daily conditioner.

- there's a common thread i see every time i'm in the field. while this was burning, you were saving other homes. neighbors helping neighbors and strangers alike. - this is what america's about. - sometimes it's nice to see all the good that's out there. bringing folks out, we have seen it in community after community. welcome back, everybody. the online grocery shopping wars heating up, thanks for something new from the largest retailer. we're talking about walmart. >> what does this mean for you? jo ling kent has the answer this morning. hi, jo. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. walmart already offers grocery store pickup for so many people across the country. in order to compete with amazon and other online grocery stores, it is offering to bring the

grocery store home to you. this morning, the online grocery wars are only intensifying. walmart, overnight, announcing a same-day delivery program across 100 markets. >> the main driving factor for us is to provide convenience and seamless access to walmart prices where its customers need them. >> reporter: the retail giant offers the service in six cities. now, walmart says it's expanding to cover 40% of the country by the end of the year. walmart says its delivery will cost $9.99 with a $30 minimum purchase. the latest store to get in the delivery business, to compete with other delivery-only grocers, like pea pod and fresh direct. and amazon delivers to your door for a monthly membership of $14.99. and whole foods offers free two-hour delivery with a $30 purchase in some markets.

online grocery sales are expected to reach $100 billion by 2025. right now, amazon is dominating and innovating. earlier this year, it opened a grocery store without a checkout line. but walmart is taking delivery a step further, saying it has 18,000 personal shoppers who will shop and deliver groceries to your doorstep. >> they're trained to get the quality items. >> when you do shopping online, you can't choose the vegetables. >> sometimes i'll shop online because i don't have the time to travel. >> i'm old-school. i like to come to the store and see what i'm getting. >> reporter: experts say, like any online purchase, buyer before you buy or download an app, read the terms and conditions. >> reporter: walmart is not the only big grocery chain trying to compete more directly with amazon this morning. kroger also announcing this week they're expanding a partnership with instacart to bring more

food and groceries home to you, so more choices as you are shopping for groceries online, guys. >> never leave the house, right? thank you so much. coming up, look who's back. jill, the long-awaited return. the triumphant return. >> hi, jill. also coming up in the orange room is the latest and greatest tech gear being targeted towards your kids? if so, is it good or bad? we'll explore that in the orange room. first, your local news. but do they test their baby's soap? this paper represents proteins in your baby's skin. ordinary baby soap weakens the proteins. baby dove bar is different. only baby dove... with our 1/4 moisturizing cream,... ...leaves baby skin more nourished with every bath. ♪

♪ ♪ ♪ test. test. test. (avo) help control cravings

and lose weight with contrave. it's fda-approved to help adults who are overweight or struggle with obesity lose weight and keep it off. contrave is believed to work on two areas of the brain: your hunger center... i'm so hungry. (avo) and your reward system... ice cream. french fries. (avo) to help control cravings. one ingredient in contrave may increase suicidal thoughts or actions in some children, teens, and young adults in the first few months. serious side effects are mood changes like depression and mania, seizures, increased blood pressure or heart rate, liver damage, glaucoma, allergic reactions, and hypoglycemia. not for patients with uncontrolled blood pressure, seizure history, anorexia, bulimia, drug or alcohol withdrawal, on bupropion, opioids, maois, allergy to the ingredients, or pregnant. may cause nausea, constipation, headache, and vomiting. reduce hunger, help control cravings with contrave.

now you an talk to a doctor online and get free shipping at getcontravenow.com. for 100 years, heritage and innovation have made gillette the #1 shave in america. now get gillette quality at lower prices - every day. brought to you by more than a thousand workers in boston. we're proud of giving you our best. gillette - the best a man can get. ♪ we get so busy, day to day. we don't get the chance to connect. i think surprising my mom with a night ski trip would just be the biggest gift that i could give her. director: lets make that happen. she's gonna be so excited. ♪ introducing the suv equipped to make your first-ever happen. the first-ever ford ecosport is here. if you spit blood you may have gum problems,s and could be on the journey to much worse. try parodontax toothpaste. it's clinically proven to remove plaque,

the main cause of bleeding gums. for healthy gums and strong teeth. leave bleeding gums behind with parodontax toothpaste. spring is only six days away and we have you covered with t

good wednesday morning. right now it's 7:56. tracking some spotty rain moving across parts of the bay area. now, we are seeing much of it across the peninsula as well as the east bay, but i'm also starting to see some rain moving in on san jose. this is the kind of hit or miss showers we will see throughout the afternoon and still some light rain in the forecast as this disturbance continues to move closer to the bay area. as we get a live look outside in downtown san jose right now, mostly cloudy, and expect some rain once again within the next few minutes. as we go into today, more widespread light showers, mostly for the south bay, and also into the east bay and the peninsula. a little pop up showers today may produce brief heavy downpours along with small hail. we will have another round in the forecast tomorrow. let's get an update on the commute. bart is telling us they're

recovering, minor delays maybe up to ten minutes in some places, some that have delay was due to the weather. the rain traveling through as kari has been showing you, this is a snapshot from her radar. i'm showing you the same area shows wet roadways highlighted in green with our road weather index. there is a crash northbound 880 around a street, it took 15 minutes to get to the shoulder. that's why there is a little additional slowing out of hayward swords san leandro. recovery through the bay bridge and there's the san mateo bridge slow on the flat section but moving well. back to you. happening now students around the nation walk out of class in protest of gun violence. it comes a month after the deadly school shooting rampage in parkland, florida. bay area students are planning their own walkouts later this morning. link to those latest details and images right now on our twitter feed. on our homepage we posted a list of those bay area schools where we know that the students are organizing similar walkouts. world renowned physicist stephen hawking has died. on our homepage a look back at the lasting legacy in the world of science. i'm marcus washington, more news coming up in 30 minutes. the stry

breaking news while you sleep. and- it )s not over yet. the wet week in the bay continues-- kari )s tracking any changes to your saint patrick )s day weekend forecast. join us tomorrow. )today in the bay ) - 4:30 to . ♪ ♪ ♪ (vo) you can pass down a subaru forester. but you get to keep the memories. love. it's what makes a subaru, a subaru. (avo) get 0% apr financing on all new

2018 subaru forester models. now through april 2nd.

it's 8:00 on "today." coming up, breaking overnight, world-renowned physicist stephen hawking dead at the age of 76. from his scientific breakthroughs -- >> there's nothing like the thrill when you discover something no one knew before. >> to the world of pop culture. >> it's an honor and a privilege to meet you, sir. >> i know. >> we look back at his amazing life and career. plus, standing up and walking out. >> have a heart. >> one month after the florida school shooting, students across the country are staging walkouts, demanding congress take action on gun control. >> we're 17 lives too late. we have to do something now.

>> we hear from one of the organizers. and superstar sneak peek. ♪ jesus christ superstar >> we have your first look at john legend and sara bareilles in the upcoming musical "jesus christ superstar" that's sure to lift your spirits today, march 14th, 2018. ♪ >> mother/daughter trip from houston. we love nbc. >> we want a selfie from savannah and hoda. >> celebrating our 15th birthday on "today." ♪ >> good morning to our friends and family in the united kingdom. >> from alabama. >> it's our 21st birthday. >> surprise, mom. >> surprise, dad. >> we're on the "today" show. >> they're fired up. >> yes. >> love it.

great crowd out there. welcome back to "today." happen wednesday. so nice to have you along with us. let's get right to your news at 8:00. the stunning election upset in pennsylvania, sending out political tremors. it comes as the white house is dealing with fallout from the major staff shake-up. let's get the latest from hallie jackson on the hill for us this morning. >> reporter: good morning to you. we're talking about a district that went solidly for donald trump back in 2016. but now, it's a democrat who will be representing that area here at the capitol. we're talking about a special election upset that republicans are downplaying and democrats hope will mean momentum come midterms. >> it took a little longer than we thought. but we did it. >> reporter: this morning, democrat conor lamb is celebrating a razor-thin win over rick saccone.

nbc news declaring him the apparent winner overnight in the pennsylvania district, and that district backed trump by 20 points in 2016. president trump trumping for saccone at the end of the race. >> this is a very important race. >> reporter: saccone, promising overnight, not to give up until every vote is counted. >> we're going to fight all the way to the end. >> reporter: the loss, a blow to president trump, comes just hours after a state department shakeup. rex tillerson out. mike pompeo in. but not yet. not until after what could be a senate showdown. before the current cia director takes his position as secretary of state. >> i think this administration is falling apart. >> reporter: democrats, concerned. >> keep my mind open. but i'm worried about this choice. >> reporter: some republicans rushing to defend the former kansas congressman, ahead of his confirmation hearing. >> i think the president made an excellent pick. as the president said, he and director pompeo are on the same wavelength.

>> reporter: that's not the case with tillerson, who had a rocky relationship with the president and found out he was fired via tweet. according to senior state department officials. in his good-bye speech, tillerson thanked his colleagues and fellow americans, but hardly mentioned donald trump. on a different page on iran, north korea and on russia. >> much work remains to respond to the behavior of the russian government. >> reporter: the president, wishing him well but hinting at more changes to come. >> i'm at a point where we're close to having the cabinet and other things that i want. >> reporter: if mike pompeo is confirmed as secretary of state, that would leave an opening of cia director. president trump picked gina haspel to take that role. she will face some tough questions about her role in programs using brutal interrogation techniques.

if she is confirmed, she will be the first woman to lead that intelligence agency. savannah? >> hallie jackson, thank you very much. stephen hawking is being remembered this morning as the rare scientific genius who could unlock mind-boggling secrets of the universe and explain them to the rest of us. he died overnight at the age of 76. nbc's keir simmons joins us from london with reaction to hawkins' death. >> and tributes are pouring in. tributes from world leaders and scientists. an inspiration for his science and for his determination, discovering the universe from a wheelchair. >> i study the marriage of space and time. >> reporter: long before eddie redmayne's portrayal of him, with his unique computer-generated voice. >> my name is stephen hawking. >> it's american. >> is that a problem? >> reporter: and playing himself on "the big bang theory."

>> professor hawking, it's an honor and a privilege to meet you, sir. >> i know. >> reporter: british physicist stephen hawking exploded on to the world stage with some big theories of his own. in "a brief history of time," a 1988 runaway best-selling book, turning complex matter into simplicity for the masses. he set the agenda for the science today by uniting the two great theories of the universe. born in 1942, in oxford, england, hawking wasn't a whiz kid in the classroom growing up and didn't get serious about his studies and physics until his college years at cambridge. during that time, he was diagnosed with a.l.s., lou gehrig's disease, the disorder robbing him of his body. confining him to a wheelchair, his voice to a machine. >> my illness means i cannot use pencil and paper. so, i have to do things in my

head. >> reporter: his quest to explore and experience, insatiable. including this 2007 zero gravity flight. hawking concluded our universe began about 15 billion years ago with a big bang. time starting simultaneously. ultimately, the universe will collapse, he argued, while time marches on, until the end. >> there's nothing like the thrill when you discover something no one knew before. >> reporter: given just two years to live after falling ill at age 21, stephen hawking packed an incredible lifetime of achievement in the decades that followed, beating the odds. heartfelt tributes coming thick and fast this morning "the big bang theory" cast saying, in loving memory of stephen hawking, it was an honor to have him on "the big bang theory." thank you for inspiring us and the world. his daughter, lucy, posting to facebook. the best and the bravest. good-bye to my beloved father who changed the world.

he had an extraordinary combination of experience, hoda. overcoming adversity of his life and that incredible brain. he would say things that touched people's soul. hoda, look up at the stars, he would say, not down at your feet. >> beautiful. beautiful. keir, thank you so much. back home, students from coast-to-coast are taking part in a mass demonstration against gun violence today, one month after the florida high school massacre. nbc's gabe gutierrez is in parkland, florida, for us this morning. gabe, good morning to you. >> reporter: hi, savannah. good morning. today marks exactly one month since that devastating rampage, 17 lives lost. and today, to protest gun violence students are flooding out of their classrooms at 10:00 a.m. in each time zone. this morning, student activism on full display. >> nothing has changed. and so, it's like we can't expect school violence to end unless we don't make a change. >> reporter: a national school walkout. thousands of protests planned

across the country. >> there's something that needs to be done if somebody can come into a school with a machine gun and start shooting randomly. >> we're 17 lives too late. so, we have to do something now. >> reporter: the focus, demanding action on capitol hill, to reform gun laws. >> the longer we debate, the more people die. and i'm done debating. i want change. and i'm going to stand here. this is the beginning. >> reporter: the 17-minute walkout honoring the 17 victims at marjory stoneman douglas high school one month after the massacre. from atlanta to columbine to washington state. >> it's gotten to a point where, i go to school, i'm scared for my life. >> reporter: on the capitol lawn tuesday, another display, an advocacy group laying down 7,000 pairs of shoes. each pair representing a kid killed by gun violence since the

sandy hook massacre. >> i'm here today to make sure i'm one of the last fathers that has to bury their daughter or son or loved one, from a senseless act of violence in a school. >> reporter: parkland shooting survivor and gun control activist, david hogg, speaking out earlier on "today." >> we have seen the suffering in the loss. now, instead of closing off like many communities before us, we have to stand up, walk out and speak out against these acts of violence. >> reporter: not everyone thinks the protests are a teachable moment. some schools, like this one in new jersey, threatening to suspend students who participate. some parents worry the walkouts are putting politics into the classroom. >> i would rather my kids be in school, safe. and i don't believe this demonstration is going to change anything. >> reporter: emotions are still raw. prosecutors just announced they will seek the death penalty

against the confessed gunman. he is due in court later today. student activists say they are planning a march on washington later this month. savannah? >> gabe gutierrez in parkland for us. thank you. the hearty folks in new england are digging out after their third nor'easter in two weeks. some areas got more than two feet of snow. boston was especially hard-hit. all of that snow, combined with howling winds, created dangerous whiteout conditions for drivers. utility crews on the front lines once again. restoring power to homes and businesses that have been blacked out by the storm. al will be along later. and he had the rumblings of another one coming. >> he was enjoying that too much. we'll see what is in his forecast, but first let's get the "morning boost." >> we want to celebrate a reunion in chicago. a woman decided to search for her biological parents after she found a picture and a blanket and a letter they left with the couple that adopted her. she did research and she contacted them. they invited her over. she was nervous.

she walks up to the door. and she embraces the family she hasn't seen in 27 years. that is beautiful. she hugged her mom, her birth mom, for more than half a minute before her dad finally got his chance, too. so, that is a happy reunion. big, happy family. >> wow. still to come, we're spilling secrets from "this is us." and we have billions of reasons to chat with damian lewis. first, let's look ahead at what's coming up on "megyn kelly today." >> good morning, ladies. today, siblings separated while toddlers reunite for the first time right here. and then, why are they remaking the greatest movie ever made, "overboard"? why? why? we're going to get into it with our movie panel.

see you at the top of the hour. and a special "steals & deals." if your house can use some tender loving care, some loom and grime of winter. jill has a little fresh air this morning. first, these messages. ®. and for dark spots, rapid tone repair. neutrogena®. see what's possible. earning your degree shouldn't be either. with the groundbreaking flexpath format from capella university, you can take classes on your terms and on your budget. so you can live and learn. experience flexpath today. only at capella.edu.

timeget to kohl's friends & family sale and take an extra 20% off! refresh with a $23.99 floral top playtime tees - just $6.40 and save on a new standmixer! plus get kohl's cash! a spring refresh for the family - kohl's cash for you! kohl's! ♪ when heartburn hits fight back fast with tums chewy bites. fast relief in every bite. crunchy outside. chewy inside. tum tum tum tum tums chewy bites. fred would do anything for hiwell fred... ...good thing the front of this unicorn washed... ...the shirt with gain. because gain has the scent that puts the giddy in "giddyup!" (phone) maddie... you have everything you need right inside you. 9 out of 10 u.s. olympians

grew up drinking milk. it's got natural protein and balanced nutrition to help your kids grow strong and milk life. ♪ "steals & deals" is finally back. up to 70% of surprise! hold up. we got a laggy video call here. hey, try the new samsung galaxy s9 on verizon unlimited. the best network for streaming. okay, let's take it back from "surpri--" (avo) switch to the best unlimited on the most awarded network, and get up to $500 off the samsung galaxy s9. a hilton getaway means you get more because you get a break on breakfast get an extra day by the pool get to spend more time together get more from your spring break getaway

with exclusive hilton offers. book yours, only at hilton.com i feel like i get clean, but is beth's soap as clean rinsing as dove? my soap's still leaving plenty of things behind but dove is cleaner rinsing my soap, ... ...dove. dove cleans beautifully

we're back. it is 8:17. and it is orange room time. carson, you're talking gadgets and gadgets. >> gadgets and kids. some tech companies are under fire for marketing their latest items for kids. netflix is targeting kids. the child receives digital patches for each episode they watch. this had some people having a split reaction online. since when was it ever a struggle to sell watching tv to kids? emily says, getting stickers for watching educational shows is a good thing and will encourage good. similarly, the company fitbit has announced it's got a fitness tracker just for kids, called

the fitbit eight. just like most of the products, it will track your steps and remind kids to move when they've been sitting still too long. colin saying, leave kid alone and let them grow up without becoming obsessed with fitness. christina points out, it's good to be filled with activity at such a young age. a lot of people are against it here. 78% against it. 22% are for it. we reached out to both companies. netflix saying they're testing out the patches feature. fitbit told us, it's more important to embrace healthy and active living. >> i don't love the fitbit. kids shouldn't pay attention to that. >> i thought it was the better of the two. >> nick and i have a little competition as to who gets more steps. >> i have that with jackson.

>> don't sit watching all of the tv shows, get your steps in. they could work together. i don't know. how about "pop start"? >> let's move on to "pop start." john legend, it was announced he would be starring as jesus in "jesus christ superstar." live in concert. now, we get a glimpse of john as jesus in the first promo for the musical. here it is. >> easter sunday, for one night only, it's the live concert event of the greatest story ever told. ♪ jesus christ superstar >> starring sara bareilles. ♪ i don't know how to love him >> alice cooper and john legend in the role of a lifetime. >> what do you think about that? >> i remember when i was around when this play came out originally. what a cultural phenomenon it

is. >> yes. if you want to watch it, you can. talk about good timing, easter sunday. that's the 1st of april, 8:00 p.m. here on nbc. reese witherspoon has been on a press tour promoting "a winkle in time." a reporter gif eer gifted her w unusual gift. lucy ford. she wrote her college dissertation on "legally blonde." she had to present her with that 15,000-word essay. >> i wrote it four years ago. >> i got to watch "legally blonde" 800 times. so -- >> wow. >> wow. >> that's amazing. thank you. that means a lot to me. >> you can see reese appreciated the gesture. it's funny to see, that's oprah and mindy looking at her like, what's going on here? maybe they didn't see it. >> wow. finally, "this is us." last night was a season two finale of the hit show.

the episode surrounded kate and toby's wedding. that's what the series has been building up to. chrissy metz wanted to incorporate her father's character, jack, into the wedding. she has the letters "j" and "p" on her pinkie fingers. she says her nail color was something blue for the wedding. the creator said he wrote the series as a movie. he wrote an 80-page script for the big screen. but the concept was reworked for the tv series we know and love today. fun fact for you. that's it for "pop start." >> got a click? what's the click. could be bob and doug mckenzie. two guys in new york saw a pool frozen over during the last nor'easter. they decided to place a friendly bet and test the strength of the ice. how did that work out for them? >> oh, boy.

oh, boy. >> i can ice skate. really. >> uh-oh. >> oh, no. >> yes. >> take off, you hoser. >> take off, eh. he was able to slide a little bit. the ice could not support his weight. this is the amazing part, he comes out here, the cigarette in his mouth stays dry. >> look at that. uh-oh. tell them about the shrinkage, jerry. >> there you go. your "daly click" today. >> thank you, carson. you got the weather? >> we do. let's show you what's going on. come on over here. we have cooler air in the northeast. nice and mild out west in the rockies. kansas city warmer. denver, up to 68 degrees today. moving into tomorrow, the warmth

spreading into the east. charlotte, 66. dallas, almost at 80 degrees. as we head into the weekend, temperatures warming up into the 70s a in charleston, almost 80 in new orleans. and chicago, you're going to see 50 that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. good morning, i'm meteorologist kari hall. stormranger scanning around the bay area, showing some rain for the peninsula, and also some of the heaviest rain moving through oakland right now. we're seeing light showers moving through san jose, approaching milpitas. this is what we'll see off and on throughout the morning, hit or miss showers. there will be a cluster of light rain mostly for the south bay and east bay, we'll be seeing over the next couple of hours as we continue to see the clouds moving in now. >> and that's your latest weather. >> al, thanks. just ahead, we have "steals

& deals" to get you ready for the new season. speaking of new seasons, damian lewis is going to be here. he is fired upi )m ...

high school students around the nation .. including parkland florida .. walked out of good morning, i'm kris sanchez. high school students across the nation including parkland, florida, walked out of class today, one month since the deadly shooting rampage there. students at bay area schools plan to hold their own walkouts at 10:00 pacific time, our time. nbc bay area is planning to break in with special coverage of those walkouts. oakland unified school district says it fully supports the idea of a walkout but students are asked to remain on campus. milpitas high school students were initially told their participation would mean an unexcused absence but school leaders have since backtracked. we'll be watching that for you. right now we'll watch the roadways as well. >> we always watch the school

zones but especially at 10:00 today because of the special activities. folks hit the brakes past the coliseum. the east bay, now moving east of 580 and toward walnut creek interchange. clearing off the radar we see wet roadways registering. the rain travels through and the commute pushed up from san leandro 580, 880, and highway 13 all jammed up in towards the oakland hills. then things calm down. there's slowing southbound around 23rd, may be something going on around there. >> we know you'll track it. more local news in just a half hour.

♪ ♪ hello? hello! ♪ hello? hello. hello? hello. ♪ hello, i got your package. you can just leave it, thanks. ♪ ♪ hello? can i help you? hello! hello? hello!!! hello hello!!! ♪

♪ welcome back to "today." 8:30 on a wednesday morning, march 14th. there's a lot of people here who have done a lot of crazy things. we're happy that everyone is joining us on the plaza. we have a big crowd. you guys are a lot of adorable-looking people here. you can see them all. there's someone better looking an all of us. all of you and all of us. >> what's this? >> i think i found -- is this -- >> sandy. >> hi, sandy. sandy is also from the guide dog foundation. i think we should do a little matchmaking. don't you think sandy and sunny would be a good match?

♪ oh, sandy, i love you >> oh, look at the magic. >> there you go. >> look at the magic. >> sandy, sunny. sandy, sunny. >> what are you doing later? want to find some fire hydrants down at the village? >> we'll continue with this makeout session, guys. over to you. >> this is what the world is looking for. >> get a room. they're so cute. >> that just took a turn. >> thank you. coming up, one of our favorite actors is here. he stars in some of our favorite shows. cannot wait to catch up with damian lewis. >> love him. after a long, brutal winter and there might be another nor'easter out there, who is ready for spring? jill is here to help prepare you and your home for the new season with a special batch of "steals & deals." >> sunny misses sandy. >> that was a love connection.

>> look at him. >> you have a chip deal, going? >> where are you going? >> we're going to talk some of our favorite snacks, chips. >> sunny was running for sandy. what have you got coming up? >> you got the good end of that deal, sister. the royal wedding is 66 days away. >> 66 and counting. we have the latest on what the queen just did with meghan markel. and four siblings put up for adoption at birth. three went together. one went on her own. today on our show, the four reunite for the very first time. >> that's appointment tv. that's awesome. mr. roker, you got a check of the weather? >> let's bring it all together for you. show you what we have. starting with today, below-average temperatures in the southeast. snowy and windy in parts of pennsylvania, ohio, into the northeast and new england. we're looking for unsettled weather in the pacific northwest, all the way down into california. for tomorrow morning, another chilly start to the day in the

southeast. above-normal temperatures in the plains. heavy mountain snows out west, and into the four that's what's going on around the country. here's what's happening in your neck of the woods. >> good morning. i'm meteorologist kari hall, tracking some rain across the bay area. again, hit or miss showers. we're starting to see more moving into san francisco and the east bay. as we get a closer look at stormranger in our second by second update, extending over toward walnut creek. we'll see more of this rain off and on as we go into at least late morning and afternoon. by this evening, things taper off. these cells might bring a slight chance of lightning. >> and that's your latest weather. don't forget, you can always take us with you when you walk out the door. check us out on "today's" siriusxm channel 108. >> i was talking to damian lewis

about tennis. for the past two seasons, damian has played the stock market as a hedge one hot shot on the show "billions." but in season three, his tactics have caught up to him. >> they think we're crooked. they spent years trying and failing to prove it. but the story is being written every day now. events like this idea dinner, they also tell a story. i'm telling a story i'm not cowh cowering, i'm not defeated. i have to dominate it. only thing is, for the first time in my life, i don't think i can. >> fear? >> rage. >> season three is going to be amazing. >> who knew bobby axelrod had anger issues. >> you seem like a zen dude.

>> he is angrily going about making money. >> the whole thing has been a cat and mouse game. paul yes mgiamatti is the distr attorney. he gets his mouse. you're indicted. >> he pulls a sucker punch on me. and i have to say, bobby has to just regroup for a while. i went back to my english accent now. i started in my american accent. i'm so confused right now. >> you were in your american accent. i thought you were british. >> i'll go back to my american accent. >> no. be british. >> at the beginning of the season, there's evidence at large, still. and bobby knows he has to find a guy that could be implicated in this whole thing, that would exonerate him and get him off of the big trial coming. bobby has a big prison sentence if this goes wrong. true to the form of "billions," the harder you go after something, more lines you have to cross. and chuck, in the end,

implicates himself in this whole thing. it's one twist and turn after another. >> hard to root for anyone, except that bobby, he's kind of a bad dude in a way. >> how dare you? >> i'm sorry but -- >> yeah, he's -- >> but people root for him. don't they come up and love your guy? >> they do. people don't actually -- people just call me ax in the street now. they don't bother to stop. what's up, ax? they go straight past. but it just shows people are watching the show and really love it. that's satisfying. bad people, it's fun watching bad people do bad things if they want it enough. if there's enough passion and enough need, you go with them. >> do you have anything in common with bobby axelrod? >> no because i'm horrible at math. he seems really good. >> i have to say i'm so sad that

brody got killed in "homeland." that would be great if there was a resurrection of brody. >> he didn't die? >> what are you talking about? don't joke with me. >> he went. >> i'm pretty sure i know my "homeland." he's dead. we don't see a second coming. >> gnono, ma'am. >> you do a lot of theater. why do you like to do that? >> i love the theater because it's what we train to do. we get introduced to this wonderful world of film and tv. it's in the bones. i love getting out in front of a live audience. and i think theater is important. i think congregation and live performance and experiencing something as it happens in the moment collectively, is important. the more time we spend on screens on our own, it becomes increasingly an event. >> yeah. it's a community act to go and watch something. is that why you came in this

morning, talking with that raspy voice? i thought i heard some vocal warm-ups backstage. >> normally, yes. but not today. >> you're known for your impressions. i got a roll tape of you taking on paul giamatti's character. >> the cast to recite some of the most iconic lines from "billions." i thought you would do a paul giamatti impression. >> okay. i can do paul. a matador doesn't try to kill off a fresh bull. >> that's amazing. do you have other impressions? >> i only do michael caine. and it's very important that when you're acting, you are never pliblink and look at the

stage eye. >> do you have anything? >> that's a really bad impression for the morning. >> this is good. you have two kids. are they teenagers now? >> no. not yet. behaving like that. but they're 10 and 11. >> i would going to say, do you do the party tricks for them? >> i used to do magic at their birthday parties. >> really? >> what was your go-to trick? >> the eggcup that you get out of the joke shop. you make one egg disappear. it was great for a 2-year-old. by the time they were 4, they understood all my magic. >> got to get new tricks. >> yeah. >> you do hobnob with the queen from time-to-time. the real queen of england, right? you met her a few times. >> i met her a few times. we gave her an honoree bafta at windsor castle. and she gave me great racing tips. she loves the horses. i asked for racing tips. there we are. >> it's so school. >> and that's her son. grandson. >> you might be invited to the

royal wedding? >> the royal wedding? >> harry and meghan markle. >> i can't -- yeah. he wanted all redheads as page boys. there's a chance. i might be able to hold the train or something. >> whatever angle you have. damian lewis, thank you so much. always a pleasure. can't wait until you come back to "homeland." you can watch the season premier of "billions" on showtime. coming up next, jill martin's "steals & deals" on some fresh finds for spring. first, this is "today" on nbc.

i was in my third tour in iraq when my vehicle was hit by an ied. i looked down and i knew i was out of the fight. but playing for team usa has been a second chance to represent my country. i get to show my children and the world that, yeah, i might have been knocked down, but i'm up, and i'm honored to be able to represent the flag. comcast is grateful to all who have served our country, and we're proud to bring the 2018 olympic and paralympic winter games home to everyone.

welcome back to "today." we have a brand-new edition of "steals & deals." you've been waiting. next week marks the official end of winter. jill martin is here to help us spring forward with our apartments and homes and stuff? >> yeah. i told you, i just moved two days ago. i used everything here. and i want everyone to know, if

you need to spruce up your home, your beauty routine, this is how. >> these are cool. >> let's start with the natural comfort sheets, $189 to $199. they're combed egyptian cotton. you get a flat sheet, a commfit sheet and two pillowcases. if you have a lot of white, go with a pop of color. do something fresh. >> and feels really soft. >> $189 to $199, $59, up to 70% off. this is a great way. if your bathroom feels like a bore snore, a new shower curtain. >> it's an instant way to spruce up your bathroom. they're 100% cotton. they're 72 inches. measure if you have a standard shower, this will work. 72 by 72. it does not include the hooks. you can easily pick those up at

any mass market store. the retail, $79. the deal, $27.95. 65% off. >> let's get new towels in the bathroom, shall we? >> if you get the shower curtain, pick another pop of color to go with it. and it's like the instant makeover. the caro home set. you get two bath towels, two hand towels. the deal, $42. that's a great deal. 70% off. >> the towel and sheets matter, the texture. and those are great. >> time to sit down and get cozy. >> what are these? >> this is the little giraffe throw blanket. they're known for the baby blankets. would haley like this? >> she would curl up in a minute. >> but these are for everyone? >> throw it on the couch or something? >> yeah. the retail, $175, four colors. celebrity fans include angelina jolie and jennifer garner.

that's 60% off. >> everything feels good. these are housewarming gifts, too. what i love about these -- they get the whole bundle here. there's four different scents. you get the potpourri bag. and then, you get the oil. what's interesting is it's used to refresh the fragrance when you loses it. >> i was wondering what the oils are about. why would you use that? >> i didn't know. and i love they included this. the little candles, the bigger candle and the room spray. the deal, $33.50. 65% off. and my mother got one of these. as usual, split it up for her book club. >> by the way, so fresh and clean, all this stuff. a great way to spruce up. the products one more time. sheet sets from natural comfort. shower curtains from luxor.

the caro home towels and the blankets. just head to today.com with any questions. you're going to like this next segment. a toast to tasty snacks. it's national potato chip day. and carson is going to get us going, too. first, this is "today" on nbc. does this map show the peninsula trail? you won't find that on a map. i'll take you there.

take this left. if you listen real hard you can hear the whales. oop. you hear that? (vo) our subaru outback lets us see the world. sometimes in ways we never imagined. (avo) get 0% apr financing on all-new 2018 subaru outback models. now through april 2nd.

welcome back. let's be the very first to wish you a happy national potato chip day. >> we are patriots after all. we wanted to celebrate with the crispy, salty snacks that rank among america's favorite treats. chip, crisp, baked, kettle. no matter what you like or what you call them, when it comes the salty snacks, potato chips crunch out the competition. in hanover, pennsylvania, the snack capital of the world, family owned utz has been frying

them up since 1921. a century later, they produce 1.5 million pounds a week. in addition to plain, favors like barbecue and sour cream and onion reign in popularity. inspiring more than 250 million americans to enjoy them each year, making those crispy, salty potato slices an all-time favorite. we're starving. here to help us celebrate national potato chip day, is "good housekeeping" director, jackie london. you have brought some beautiful snacks for us. >> we have a lot to get to. >> let's start with the classics over here. >> here's what you're looking for. you want to go for the kettle-cooked versions. those are going to naturally cut down a little bit on the fat. >> wow. >> sometimes when you have the 60% or 40% reduced fat options,

they don't move the needle on the saturated fat. >> they have good crunch, too. >> they're baked or they're fried in small eer patches, whi means they will be at a lower temperature for longer. they're a craft product. >> those are your favorites? >> they're our top tested picks. next, we have, these are our best flavor bombs. these are amazing. here's what you're looking for. you want them to be 200 calories or less, 2 grams of saturated fat or less. >> the dill tastes like a lay's. >> it's got the saltinessaltineh is great because they're not going to be the overloaded in sodium bombs. they're made with real ingredients. that's what you want to look for on the label. what should be the ingredients of poe day potato chips?

potatoes. >> what we love about these is you're looking for at least three grams each of protein and fiber. that will make it a more hearty, delicious, nutrient-dense chips. >> these are mac and cheese. >> we have the pop corners, the bean crisps. they are built-in salsa. >> i like that. >> i am telling you, these are addi addictive. okay. next we have these. these are going to be the most nutritious noshes. when you're looking for veggie chips, you want the first ingredient to be a real vegetable. why have something that has dried potatoes as the first ingredie ingredient. >> these are from bare. >> also some parsnips. hoda's the dang coconut chips. >> and the peas are good, too. >> made kale chips, a huge thing

of kale and it reduced and it came down to this. but it was delicious. it was better than eating dorito's, i guess. >> all of those delicious antioxidants in there. and last, of course, we have coconut here. these are made from jicama. they're really incredible. the sweet potato and kettle-cooked because you're going to retain the craft flavor. >> and the classic salsa and corn trip? >> and for our dippers, you're looking for a 100% whole grain as the first ingredient or stone-ground corn. these are amazing because they're made from the hearty, healthy ingredients. i love these. these are our hummus chips. they have a built-in flavor in there. it's like eating a falafel in a bag of chips. >> jackie, thank you. >> very educational. >> for all of the snacks and where you can find them, head to today.com/food.

we're back in a moment. first, this is "today" on nbc. [nature sounds] you are worthy of your dreams. put them.... on the internet... ♪

welcome back, everybody. >> crunchy and sweet. >> i'll try that. >> al, you got some birthdays? >> you can dip these into some smucker's. it's fantastic. happy 100th birthday to claire, hard worker from florida. she works part-time as a bookkeeper. josephine of woodstock, illinois, is 100. she tests her luck at the casinos. happy 100th birthday to marvin lang. he is a proud grandpa from los angeles, california. married to the love of his life for over 60 years. ludie cotton is celebrating 100 years. she didn't retire until she was in her 80s. samuel suel of louisiana, 100. he looks fantastic. loves to keep active by walking

on the treadmill. last but not least, happy 100th birthday to aileen daniels, from north carolina. she says the secret to longevity, home-cooked meals. there you go. there's your smucker's birthdays. >> good job. what do you got coming up? >> what are you doing today? >> we have ricky gervais coming up. andi )m - -... high school students around good morning. it's 8:56. i'm kris sanchez. high school students across the nation including in parkland, florida are walking out of class today, one month since the deadly shooting rampage in parkland. numerous walkouts are planned for today including here in the bay area, where students are planning to walk out starting at 10:00 a.m. oakland unified school district says it fully supports the idea of the walkout, but students there are being asked to remain

on their campuses. milpitas high school students were initially told their participation would mean an unexcused absence. school leaders have since backtracked. happening now, nbc bay area plans to break in with live coverage when those walkouts begin. right now you can go to our home page for a list of schools that we have confirmed with where students are organizing walkout protests. in our twitter feed, we have also posted links to some of the best video clips from rallies that have already happened across the nation in other time zones. the world of science is mourning the death of renowned physicist stephen hawking. hawking explained what others could not about space, time, and black holes. you can find that story on our home page. the streets to bring y

breaking news while you sleep. and- it )s not over yet. the wet week in the bay continues-- kari )s tracking any changes to your saint patrick )s day weekend forecast. join us tomorrow. )today in the bay ) - 4:30 to .

[ applause ] good morning, everyone. good morning and welcome to the show. i'm megyn kelly. we have a lot to get to this morning, beginning with this. a national walkout in schools across the one. this on the one-month mark after 17 students and faculty were killed in a parkland, florida, high school. yesterday on the show we had the weather and dear friends of victim alyssa alhadeff pleading for change. today, students across the nation will join that mother and friends, one voice, pleading for change, saying never again. that story from gabe